Literature Across Cultures: Minkler, Kaetlyn: Questions

Tuesday, June 4, 2024

Minkler, Kaetlyn: Questions

Good afternoon!

While I was reading the two articles for the week, the article "Multicultural literature and discussion as mirror and window?" stood out the most to me. This article was all about a literature teacher exposing her students to new multicultural text, as well as creating a safe environment to discuss these texts and relate it to students' cultures. As I read the transcripts from her lesson, it was clear that multiple minority students were able to make connections between their own lives and the text and video. She experienced some difficulty with a student named Mark, who is white and of European descent. He struggled to describe his culture. As I was reading, I made a connection to Mark, because if someone were to ask me about my culture, I probably would have shut down as well. This encouraged my thinking, and I am wondering your thoughts too: How would I use multicultural texts within my elementary classroom when there is not a lot of diversity among students? Also, would a fourth grade classroom be mature enough for these types of discussions? For my Caucasian students who might struggle to define their culture, what other aspects make up culture (big family vs. small family, birth order, parents' occupations and beliefs, parenting style, etc.)?

Glazier, J., and Seo, J.-A. (2005). Multicultural literature and discussion as mirror and window?. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, https://doi.org/https://moodle.morningside.edu/pluginfile.php/1430690/mod_resource/content/1/Glazier%20%20Seo%20Multicultural%20Literature%20and%20Discussion%20as%20Mirror%20and%20Window.pdf.

5 comments:

Brenna LJune 4, 2024 at 3:13 PM
Kaetlyn,
I can relate to possibly shutting down if someone were to ask me about my own culture as well. I grew up and teach in a district that is not very culturally diverse at all, which allows me to ponder the same question of how to use multicultural texts within an elementary classroom where there is not a lot of diversity among students. I think it would be beneficial to record things students find interesting from the text and what separates it apart from their own culture/beliefs. For example, a Venn Diagram may be a useful tool to carry out this strategy.
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The Cory PostJune 4, 2024 at 4:19 PM
Hi Kaetlyn!

I agree with Brenna that having some sort of graphic organizer to compare/contrast cultures and beliefs could be a helpful means to expose students to other cultures.

Also, in my classroom this last winter, we did a social studies unit on "Christmas Around the World". We talked a lot about how places and people have different beliefs and traditions. We also watched some fun videos on this, and made a few crafts that align with what other cultures do to express their beliefs!

I think the more interactive you can make it, the better - if students can make connections to what they're learning and have a hands-on experience, they are more likely to understand concepts deeper!
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Kirsten CampbellJune 4, 2024 at 9:02 PM
Kaetlyn,
I can relate to possibly shutting down if someone asked me about my culture. I grew up in South Sioux, but I was the majority. Despite being a diverse town with parades, festivals, and locally owned restaurants, I still needed to learn more about my culture. I also like how you added these questions for a student's project who needs to learn more about their culture.
Brenna and Cory,
I loved your strategies for students to connect to different cultures, such as a Venn diagram and Christmas Around the World. Liberty Elementary has many other ethnicities, and the students are all very proud of their culture. Sometimes, the students wear clothing that represents their culture. Complimenting does not hurt because their faces light up when you compliment them. They will probably tell you about the item of clothing they are wearing. The students also take brain breaks by showing different music or dance styles, and the students dance along.
What other strategies can you use to expose students to different cultures?

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Post Week 6: Article Summaries and Commentary

In this week's reading, you met a narrator who draws the reading into a short story with a decidedly hushed, slower tone. The couple introduced to us has experienced an unimaginable loss. How might that loss be affected by their cultural dislocation? Draw on the supplemental readings as you consider the question.

Your post is due Thursday at 8 pm. As was the case last week, there is not a set number of responses, but you are expected to demonstrate through responding that you have read and engaged with all class posts.

Week 5: Toward a Social Justice Ethic: What is an American, Anyway?

How do the issues examined in the article affect you as a teacher and as a person living in today’s world? What is the importance of having a voice? Of being heard? Are there differences in your response based on the role(s) you inhabit? Teacher, parent, individual community member, brother, sister, child, global citizen, and more—we inhabit many subject positions. Are there ways to bring those needs/expectations/responsibilities together?

Posts are due by 8 pm Thursday.

There is no set number of required colleague responses this week, but you are expected to read all posts and to respond as class discussion.

Post Week 4: Pre- and Post-Conceptual Perspectives

Some thoughts to help you brainstorm your post: Nineteenth-century travel writing caused those who read about other cultures to formulate their ideas about those cultures directly from the writing, so much so that if a person chose to travel to a country he or she had read about prior to travel, the traveller was often disappointed in the actual country and culture. In our current technological existence, our ideas of what places and people are like can certainly be informed by how they are depicted in text and on the multitude of screens we use to interface with the world. What informs your perspective? How might the ways in which we experience people, ideas, issues, cultures, and so on, be impacted by how we learn of them? Are the benefits and drawbacks to the use of the technology available to us? What might some of those be, and why?

Your post is due Thursday at 8 pm.

Responses should be posted by Sunday at 10 pm.

Post Week 2: The Way to Rainy Mountain

The critical text which accompanies your primary reading for the week explores ways in which we as teachers might use other cultures' literatures in our classrooms to move students from superficial, stereotyped perspectives to a fuller understanding of not only individuals from other cultures, but themselves, too. In your blog post, share with your colleagues how you might incorporate ideas from the article in your own teaching.

Your post is due Thursday at 8 pm.

Your responses are due Sunday at 10 pm.

Post Week 1: Questions on Reading

You've been asked to post a question on the readings as your blog post. Here are some ideas to help you get started: You may have noted the publication dates of the readings and wondered why you're reading articles written in 2005. The reason is that the issues raised and discussion in each of the articles are applicable 16 years later. Do you agree? Disagree? Both? Explain why and pose a question to help your reader understand what you find to be the same or different. Or, if one of the two of the readings stands out to you, explain why that’s the case, but also post a question based on what stands out. Or, if something is confusing or problematic for you, what do you find confusing or problematic? With what do you agree or disagree? Be sure your question is open ended so that your colleagues can use it as a basis for discussion.

As you frame your question, be sure to summarize the article, then provide context for your question. Cite the text appropriately.

Questions to be posted by Thursday.

Responses (to at least two colleagues) to be posted Sunday.