Help me give my students picture books that celebrate diversity and promote inclusion, such as A Dog Wearing Shoes and Be a Friend, which help to develop empathy for others as well as embracing our differences.
I'm a Reading Interventionist in a Title I school with pre-kindergarten through 2nd grade in Wisconsin. I work with 25 students who need additional support in order to strengthen their current reading skills. While most students learn to read in their classroom, mine are reading below level and need additional support designed to meet their needs.
The more opportunities they have to read or be read to, the better readers they become.
For varied reasons, many of my students miss the experience of being read to. Reading aloud to children helps to foster better comprehension, a love for books, and increases their vocabulary.
My Project
Diverse books are important because they teach us about ourselves and others. Many of these books allow students to be exposed to people different from them and they provide the opportunity to learn through books and understand that while we may appear to have many differences, we have so much in common. They also allow students to see themselves in others and make a connection on a personal level.
Diverse books are an important way to walk in someone else's shoes and to learn about another's world and experiences.
They are a chance to see things from a perspective you may never encounter, in a place you may never go, and live in a culture you may never experience. They help cultivate compassion, awareness, and understanding. Many of us find our best friends in books. They are a safe place to learn, love, and explore. We can find ourselves in books, learn more about ourselves, and find the person we aspire to be, often reflected in a character we identify with. They teach us how to be the kind of friend we want. They also provide a window as to how to deal with difficult situations and help us see the people and world around us in a new view.
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