Future teachers explore diverse literature for their classrooms
的经验 reinforced the importance of literature representing diverse identities and viewpoints and addressing social issues when planning lessons and activities.
A $5,000 grant supported visits by 宾州州立大学阿宾顿分校elementary and early childhood education (EECE) majors to three independent bookstores in Philadelphia that center their collections around traditionally marginalized populations. 的经验 reinforced the importance of literature representing diverse identities and viewpoints in the communities they will serve and addressing social issues when planning lessons and activities.
The seniors who participated in the experience are enrolled in a required course with a social justice component.
“Kids are figuring out who they are already, so having these books in the classroom is important. The books reflect where the stores are located, and the neighborhoods are reflective of children who come into the stores,” student Tiffani Loughrey said.
Students received gift cards for each store totaling $165 to purchase books for their future classrooms. The gift cards are a boon for these aspiring teachers, since 39% of the 阿宾顿 student population receives federal Pell Grants awarded to those with exceptional need and 72% receive financial aid. The gift cards ease the burden of financing classroom libraries.
“I want to be there to help and support students, and these books will help me do that. The books I bought are celebrating differences and that’s a good thing,” student Molly Carney said.
泰瑞先锋军, assistant teaching professor in the EECE program, reminded students of the value of choosing good material for their classrooms.
“You will then be able to find places in your curriculum where you can fit the books you purchased,”她说。.
The group toured two well-known Black-owned shops, Harriett’s and Uncle Bobbie’s, 和乔瓦尼的房间, which focuses on LGBTQ+ and feminist literature. These retailers reflect the diversity of Philadelphia, home to many 阿宾顿 students, and of the 阿宾顿 student body, which is the most diverse among the Penn State campuses.
除了, 阿宾顿 EECE majors complete their student teaching assignments in the School District of Philadelphia.
The choice to visit these specific retailers was especially significant since books addressing race, 种族歧视, gender identity and sexual orientation have been banned or challenged at especially high rates in the past year.
“We are preparing our students to become advocates for the freedom to seek and read books that represent diverse perspectives,” 凯蒂Odhner, reference and instruction librarian at 阿宾顿, said.
“I want to be there to help and support students, and these books will help me do that. The books I bought are celebrating differences and that’s a good thing.”
莫莉·卡尼，学生
的经验, which 阿宾顿 library and EECE faculty plan to embed into future courses, was funded by a Seeding Change grant from the Penn State Center Philadelphia.
“Promoting the use of diverse books among future educators is a model that exposes students to Philadelphia assets and experiences that allow them to consider systemic problems deeply and the required work to shift them. These unique bookstores are vital community institutions that offer sanctuary and inspiration to mobilize knowledge for change,” Shivaani一. 一位, director of the Penn State Center Philadelphia.
教员包括 克里斯蒂娜Riehman-Murphy, open and affordable educational resources librarian, and 蕾切尔布朗, who chairs the EECE program, encouraged students in a post-visit debrief to think deeply about the experience.
“You are planting the seeds for your career today. Always remember to use your critical lens when selecting literature,” Brown said.
