THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTURAL

DIVERSITY THROUGH

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Barb Davis

4-23-2009

W200

MENU Souto-Manning Article Souto-Manning Reflection Hassett Article Hassett Reflection Brindley Article Brindley Reflection Conclusion

SOUTO-MANNING ARTICLE SUMMARY Over a period of two years, Ms. Souto-

Manning, a first grade teacher in year one and a second grade teacher in year two, conducted a study by recording 19 children’s reactions to current school programs.

Each student had a very different background and each voiced the unfairness of special programs. (Privileged children taken out of class for extra activities.)

Ms. Souto-Manning tried to prove that by incorporating multicultural literature in youth curriculums, students will receive a better education.

SOUTO-MANNING ARTICLESUMMARY

She used different versions of the story Three Little Pigs to demonstrate the use of different cultures.

By participating in discussions with her students, each perspective is heard and understood.

“The children started questioning their previous assumptions of right and wrong, understanding authorship and valuing, or at least respecting, different voices; multiple perspectives.”

SOUTO-MANNING ARTICLE REFLECTION

I liked how this educator chose a popular story with different versions to educate her students on perspectives. It was wonderfully supported by the discussions she had with her students, and each with their own dialect and opinion, they shared with their classmates.

HASSETT ARTICLE SUMMARY

This article discusses the importance of multicultural and relevant literature introduced to students at a young age to help shape their education.

Discusses the urgency of teachers sculpting their classrooms and not following the restricted, required material.

“Scientific based” reading, or the key elements in early reading, is just as important as interactive reading, where students interact with one another as in reading a play

HASSETT ARTICLE SUMMARY “A teacher using a multidynamic literacy

pedagogy understands that this type of vocabulary helps to bridge the gap between academic language and children’s home languages in powerful ways…”

Developing critical thinking at a young age can leave a positive, lasting impact.

HASSETT ARTICLE REFLECTION

This article intrigued me because the author stated the need for teachers to be more involved in forming their curriculum based on each classroom. Different students with different cultures may not benefit from the same story that a student did 10 years previously.

BRINDLEY ARTICLE SUMMARY

This article describes the importance of educating future teachers the need to be cultural sensitive.

A study was conducted with college students, and three themes appeared throughout the study.

“increase in reflection and sensitivity” “self-examination” “the importance of promoting multiple

perspectives”

BRINDLEY ARTICLE SUMMARY Study used different “dramatic

techniques with children’s and juvenile literature.”

Preservice teachers concluded that teachers should assign students activities to take on different perspectives, such as multiple characters from a story.

Study proved the students became aware of their own cultures as well as other cultures.

BRINDLEY ARTICLE REFLECTION

This study took another approach and forced future educators to reevaluate their cultural sensitivity. This study was successful since it prepared young adults to empathize with their own future students. How else is it better to connect with another perspective than in the grand old saying, “place yourself in someone else’s shoes.”

CONCLUSION

Although I do not have plans to be an elementary education teacher, these articles have in turn made me more sensitive to a topic that is important in teaching. However, I am interested in teaching literature, and I can extend the multicultural hand from the youth literature and incorporate different readings at a secondary level.

RESOURCES Souto-Manning, M. (2009, April). Negotiating

culturally responsive pedagogy through multicultural children's literature: Towards critical democratic literacy practices in a first grade classroom. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 9(1), 50-74. Retrieved April 20, 2009, from IUPUI library.

Hassett, D. (2008, December). Teacher flexibility and judgment: A multidynamic literacy theory. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 8(3), 295-327. Retrieved April 20, 2009, from IUPUI library.

Brindley, R., & Laframboise, K. (2002, May). The need to do more: promoting multiple perspectives in preservice teacher education through children's literature. Teaching & Teacher Education, 18(4), 405. Retrieved April 20, 2009, from IUPUI library.