When I began my teaching career, I was lucky enough to be able to have the resources for a fairly healthy class library. I was a big reader as a child, and many of my books made the transition from my childhood home to my classroom. As well-intentioned as I was in providing my class with my books, what I have is a collection of books that are not representative of the children in my classroom. They're books that I, a white, cisgender, middle-class child with privilege, found myself reflected in.
I want what I provide to my students on my bookshelves to be highly intentional. What I have now isn't - it's just what I happened to have. In the effort of decolonizing my bookshelves, I want students to see themselves reflected in the literature available and to know that what I'm offering is material that I stand behind as an anti-bias anti-racist educator.
While students will have less access to my classroom library now with distance learning, I plan on using these books as ways to build community. Literature is such a wonderful escape and bonding experience, and I am planning on using the picture bigs as reading aloud as part of my daily time with students. The chapter books I am planning on letting students check out through a class library system.
About my class
When I began my teaching career, I was lucky enough to be able to have the resources for a fairly healthy class library. I was a big reader as a child, and many of my books made the transition from my childhood home to my classroom. As well-intentioned as I was in providing my class with my books, what I have is a collection of books that are not representative of the children in my classroom. They're books that I, a white, cisgender, middle-class child with privilege, found myself reflected in.
I want what I provide to my students on my bookshelves to be highly intentional. What I have now isn't - it's just what I happened to have. In the effort of decolonizing my bookshelves, I want students to see themselves reflected in the literature available and to know that what I'm offering is material that I stand behind as an anti-bias anti-racist educator.
While students will have less access to my classroom library now with distance learning, I plan on using these books as ways to build community. Literature is such a wonderful escape and bonding experience, and I am planning on using the picture bigs as reading aloud as part of my daily time with students. The chapter books I am planning on letting students check out through a class library system.