Anti-Racism & Educators as Allies
a virtual Children's Literature Library exhibit
How can educators be allies?
To answer this question, first consider literary scholar Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop's metaphor that literature can be "mirror, window, or sliding glass door." In other words, literature can be a reflection of one’s self, a mirror; can provide a view of someone or something else, a window; and/or be a means in which the reader can imaginatively walk into another world, a sliding glass door (1990). The metaphor is often the impetus for the diversification of children’s literature in our classrooms, libraries, and on our bookshelves.
Accordingly, educators are allies by reading aloud anti-racist children's literature in our classrooms. Anti-racist children's literature, highlighting Black lives, can be mirrors, windows and/or sliding glass doors.
Please explore the virtual exhibit “Anti-racism & Educators as Allies. A Virtual Children's Literature Exhibit." The purpose of this exhibit is to help you as an educator incorporate read-aloud books with an anti-racist theme into your classroom so you can educate, enrich, and nurture young readers through lessons of anti-racism.
First, appreciate the literary and artistic merit of the texts on exhibit here.
Second, note the paragraph in bold for each book which suggests how to use the read-aloud in a way that creates a window/mirror/sliding glass door.
Third, determine how you will highlight the book’s anti-racist theme in your classroom community. Ask yourself: When and how can this read-aloud fit into whole class instruction?
This SDSU Library book exhibit is co-sponsored by the College of Education Student Council.
Curator:
Gretchen G. McLaughlin, Teacher Librarian and SDSU Summer 2020 Library School Intern
Intern Supervisor: Education Librarian Linda Salem