Abstract
This chapter is an overview of the development of an asynchronous online graduate-level course on diverse literature for P-12 students as an elective for literacy teachers and pre-service librarians. The review of literature focuses on the use of classic texts and the canon in education, the importance of authentic literature, and the content of classroom and school libraries, providing evidence for the necessity of this class as a way to support culturally relevant teaching. This is followed by descriptions of the content and structure of the course as well as the activities and assessments used. The current instructor provides perspectives on teaching this course as a member of underrepresented faculty and discusses special factors in online teaching. Student feedback from the course is included as well as samples of materials.
TopBackground
Educational standards, curricula, and some reading programs still recommend literature that has become dated as the years and demographics of the county have changed. Children’s literature classics—older books determined to be high-quality literature with universal themes–are also represented in lesson plans acquired from the Internet or shared among teachers. However, many classic texts such as Little House on the Prairie (2008) (originally published in 1935) are fondly remembered, but problematic in their depiction of marginalized groups. Classic literature does not always reflect the cultural dynamics of current classrooms.
Organizations that support reading and literacy have called for adding diversity to the classroom and libraries. The 2017-2018 Literacy Research Panel of the International Literacy Association (2018) called for expanding the use of children’s literature beyond the classics by adding diverse literature to “amplify and enrich students’ literary experiences” (p.3). Perhaps in an effort to forestall criticism, they noted that “extending our reach for literature beyond the classics does not weaken the quality of literature instruction” (p. 3). They asked educators to consider whose voices are represented and whose are not in classroom libraries.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Windows and Mirrors: Rudine Sims Bishop’s description of the function of representation within books.
#OwnVoices: Hashtag developed by Corrine Duvyis; it indicates that the author and/or illustrator of a book shares characteristics with the protagonists.
Reader Response Theory: Louise Rosenblatt’s theoretical exploration of the interaction between a text and the reader, which considers the effect of the social and cultural contexts of the reader on their understanding of the text.
Diversity Audit: An examination of a portion or all of a collection for representation of marginalized communities in characters and creators of the texts.
Canon: A group of books generally identified as central to a shared cultural experience of literature.
Authentic Voices: Writers and illustrators who are from the culture represented in a text.
Diverse Literature: Children’s and Young Adult literature that encompasses different races, cultural ethnicities, gender, sexuality, and abilities.
Classic Children’s Literature: Books with older publication dates that are considered high quality literature containing universal themes, but not necessarily free of stereotypes or representing the experiences of marginalized communities.