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Diverse literature in the Classrooms, Every teacher knows the moments when students actually start to live and enjoy the literature they read. They make ideas about whatever they are reading, seeing the characters, evaluating the words, and the actual world they live in. Their minds sketch all the scenarios while reading the literature.
You know that words have much power as they can infuse positivity or negativity in one’s mind. So, literature choice and diversity are essential, especially in culturally diverse classrooms. It’s time to update the literature in our classrooms, school libraries, and lesson plans to accommodate everyone and represent people from all cultures.
Diverse literature in grades 3-5 is very important because they start to live the world of words, so make sure you select diverse literature in the classrooms to give them a compelling experience. Read on to explore how it truly means to be engaged in various literature.
Diversity and Engagement
Public education and literature canon are alive in the United States. However, no official listing exists, and it’s assumed that “classics” only belong in schools. Due to this, more modern literature is not considered and gets sidelined.
Equal read researched the need for more literature diversity in schools and libraries to build their collection. According to their organization “The Handbook of Research on literacy and diversity.
” it is clearly documented that “Engagement is a key in evaluating the success of literature diversity and teachers and librarians repeatedly note that literature encourages engagement in learning and it is a key predictor of academic success Diverse literature in the Classrooms”
So, instead of tagging classics only literature belonging in classrooms, there must be modern literature as well for our current generation. It’s high time to ensure that fiction being taught in the classroom matches the world we live in. Students’ learning must be expanded to the diverse authors, characters, and stories.
Diverse Literature Representation
Diverse literature in the Classrooms, Nicole A. Johnson executive director of the non-profit organization “we need diverse books,” said, “Teachers and librarians are important champions of diversity in children’s literature. When they increase the number of diverse books on their shelves, they signal to children and adults in their lives that everyone has a story to share and that representation matters”
A great story representing the diverse characters can truly change the lives of students, and that’s when a change in society will start.
Author John Green as a part of “we need diverse books,” said, “I think we need diverse books because we need to reflect the reality of our communities and that reality is a very diverse one” he further said,” while it’s important to see yourself in stories. I think many people don’t see themselves in enough stories-it’s really important to see the other as well.
One of the magical things about reading to me is that it helps me imagine life outside myself. When you don’t see the lives of others in stories, it isn’t easy to imagine them complexly. I think that contributes to the essentializing to the other”
As students imagine and implement whatever they get to learn in their natural world. We need to be extra cautious in selecting literature, especially diverse literature in the classrooms, to represent the students from all the communities and show them you truly care for every student in the classroom.
Diverse literature in the Classrooms References
BLIND, JERIE. “The Importance of a Diverse Classroom Library.”
Educator, Resilient. “Why Kids and Teens Need Diverse Books and Our Recommended Reads.” 2020. https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/diverse-childrens-books/https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/diverse-childrens-books/.
