Teachers cannot hope to begin to understand who sits before them unless they can connect with the families and communities from which their children come. To do that it is vital that teachers and teacher educators explore their own beliefs and attitudes about non-white and non-middle-class people. —Lisa Delpit Other People’s Children
Beginning the journey toward increased cultural competence requires me to rethink my assumptions and consider life’s issues through the lenses of people who come from cultural backgrounds different from their own. Willis (2000) argued that teaching multicultural literature begins with the teachers’ reflection on their own race, culture, and ethnicity, and their respect for others whose race, culture, and ethnicity differ from theirs.
I am now turning my effort towards practicing and executing the teaching skills that breed high educational performance by bridging the gaps that separate school and home. One of the most important skills that I am working towards is developing the ability to build on the knowledge that my students bring into classrooms, particularly that knowledge which is shaped by their family, community, and cultural histories. Finding ways to connect with families has to be intentional effort. Many families want to be involved in their child’s education but are unsure of how to do. As I learn about the interests of the children and families I plan to incorporate a literacy program that will help form an non-invasive way of bringing in multicultural literature along with books of interest. Implementing a take home literacy bag program can address this issue. Along with giving families developmentally appropriate activities to do at home, take home literacy bags can serve as an avenue for building knowledge of cultural awareness. The use of multicultural literature has questioned teachers' thinking about education and learning, urging them to broaden their teaching scope and incorporate a cultural-response approach to literature instruction (Dong, 2005).
Family Literacy Bags
My goal is to form connections between my families and the classroom through the use of implementing a strong home-based family literacy program literature. These literacy bags will contain books of interest, multicultural stories, books written in native languages, and materials that promote not only literacy but cultural awareness. The literacy bags promote a connection between parent and child, and school and family. . The inclusion of multicultural literature in the classroom and through a take-home literacy program can confirm that the beliefs and experiences of minority students are valued (Steiner, 1998, as cited in Grasso, 2016).
Multicultural literature encourages children of various ethnic groups to engage. (Steiner et al., 2008, as cited in Grasso, 2016). Stories portraying cultural diversity can foster the belief that race is not a barrier, but rather a contribution to the beauty of our multicultural world. Multicultural literature can also help students develop global awareness by introducing them to current cultural issues. Students are empowered to look objectively at the environment and develop a better view of the global culture as they experience the thoughts and emotions of others through literature (Monobe & Son, 2014, as cited in Grasso, 2016).
Multicultural literature can also assist students with their identity formation (Hseu & Hetzel, 2000, as cited in Grasso, 2016). Identity formation is important in the social development of all children, as it gives them a sense of belonging and acceptance in society. Inclusion of multicultural literature in library collections confirm that the beliefs and experiences of minority students are valued (Steiner, 1998, as cited in Grasso, 2016).
Our classrooms are changing as is our society. Although, this project is just a small step toward promoting cultural awareness and social change, it is part of my duty to help young children develop into humans who are understanding and accepting of those who are different from them. Through literature I am providing way to bring to awareness and help reduce, prejudice, bias, and oppression. It is important that I increase my own cultural knowledge and develop my sensitivity and teaching skills to promote cross-cultural understanding and use multicultural literature to validate expressions of cultural knowledge, perspectives, and differences. I hope to connect with my parents so that my work crosses the bridge to enter the homes of my students. Finally, I want to ensure my anti-bias work spills over from storybooks to other aspects of my classroom environment.
Lastly, I want to thank each of you for all the support you have given me throughout the coursework. Your comments, suggestions, and resources have help me to gain better insight and knowledge of each week's the topics. I am hoping to continue our journey together because we make a great team! Additional thank yous, to Professor McCarty for her guidance and instruction throughout the course.