Final Post

Going into this class I expected it to be similar to TE 338 in the fact that we would be analyzing children's books. I soon realized that we were no longer talking about the genre, or the illustration by classification, but rather analyzing the message that is learned through the words. We weren't talking about picture books anymore, but focusing on a teenage fiction. TE 448 opened my eyes to how these books can effect my future students, spark lessons and conversation, as well as perpetuate or address stereotypes. The first book that really helped me to take a position on an issue was "Heart of a Chief". This book along with the movie about Native Americans that we viewed in class truly made me more aware of the ill use of Native American terms as mascots around the country. Before this I had never really paid attention to the fact that the "Redskins" or the "Indians" would be offensive, only viewing those names as mascots. There aren't mascots that take after other cultures because that would be unacceptable, so I'm not sure why Native Americans have been exempt from this rule.
Another book that taught me a valuable lesson for my future classroom is "Habibi". The book was very controversial because it only told the story from one point of view. This brings up two important points: insider/outsider point and that stories should be presented from both sides of the story. I believe it was a good book to give insight to the Arab American's feelings about the conflict between them and the Jewish community in Palestine. It's important to not create biases or stereotypes in the classroom but rather provide knowledge from both ends in order for the children to create their own thoughts and positions on issues. "Bronx Masquerade", "Confessions of a Closet Catholic" and "Boy Meets Boy" were all fun books that incorporated serious issues. These books allowed religion and sexual orientation and several other issues to come to the forefront, but in a comfortable, fun way. These were great books to introduce to children in order to raise the topic, without being too serious. These books weren't only stories, but they were the beginnings of mind altering conversations. All kinds of people were represented within these stories, allowing everyone to be able to relate to at least one type of character. This is so important for children or adolescent literature because it can be a form of expression or counseling for kids.
Overall, I really learned how literature can go above and beyond just an enjoyable story. Literature is a representation of self, or possibly a fantasy of yourself and can be very important in a child's life. I would like to make sure that I can incorporate all kinds of diverse literature and really make my students feel comfortable in my classroom. I want children to feel positively represented and safe in my classroom, not stereotyped.