This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
Rudine Bishop is known for comparing books to windows and mirrors. She states, "Literature transforms human experience and reflects it back to us. In that reflection we see our own lives and experiences as part of the larger human experience. Reading then, becomes a means of self-affirmation."
If you were to step into our school, you would be greeted by a sea of smiling black and brown faces.
Located in one of Chicago's more diverse neighborhoods, our school serves as home to students of a multitude of different cultural backgrounds. Our population is mainly black with mostly African-American students, but we also have many African immigrants who have come from countries like the Congo and Nigeria. We also have a large Hispanic population and a handful of students from various other cultures. Overall, we have 12 different languages represented at our school so, needless to say, there is a lot of diversity!
My Project
The one area where we are lacking diversity is in our classroom libraries. Unlike the diversity that is present in our classrooms, our libraries feature mainly white, middle-class characters, neglecting the rich backgrounds of our students and ignoring the experiences that they bring with them. Our students need books that will act as mirrors and will allow them to see themselves represented in literature. I am requesting books such as the Lola series, Big Hair Don't Care, and the children's books written by Nikki Grimes. These books would be great additions to our library and would validate our students' cultural backgrounds. It is natural for readers to try to relate to a character or story as part of the reading experience, and this is especially important for children of immigrant, biracial and bicultural parents.
Having more multicultural books in our libraries will improve our school because it is important that books reflect the diversity that exists in society in order to give all students a more realistic picture of our world.
Furthermore, understanding culture enhances how we interact with others, builds empathy towards peers, increases students' global awareness and address the danger of stereotypes. Multicultural books are essential if we want our students to be better global citizens!
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Eaton and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.