Becoming a Culturally Responsive School Librarian

Becoming a Culturally Responsive School Librarian - A culturally responsive School Librarian features cultures, races, and ethnic groups throughout the school year, and works diligently to build respect for diversity within ourselves, our library collection, and our Library Lessons. It's the only way our students can learn to love themselves. #NoSweatLibraryFebruary’s Black History Month is an important national celebration and a busy time for School Librarians. As I read and hear about activities I often wonder:

  • What will School Librarians do about Black History during other months of the school year?
  • How will we honor other cultural groups throughout the school year?

We need to consider all aspects of our School Library Program and ask: How can we, as School Librarians, make ourselves, our Library Collection, and our Library Lessons culturally responsive to all students?

OUR OWN CULTURAL ATTITUDES

I believe our school libraries reflect the beliefs and attitudes that we School Librarians have toward others. Our collection development, our library decor, our library lessons, and how we interact with our students reflects that. We must examine our own attitudes carefully: Do we consider someone of a different race, ethnicity, or cultural background with “empathy/sympathy” or with “respect”? They are quite the opposite!

Both empathy and sympathy stem from the Greek ‘pathos’feeling—and relate to suffering. Both apply to a sharing with another individual; when carelessly associated with groups, it may engender either shame or arrogance about our own background.

Conversely, respect is from the Latin ‘respectus’looking at—and connotes regard and consideration. It is more encompassing; respect impels us to see the glory in the culture and heritage of others. If we have respect for the culture and heritage of others, then we will choose materials, presentations, and conversations that build positive cultural awareness among our students and teachers.

Be passionate about affirming respect in personal interactions. One year we had a substitute teacher who spent his entire lunch break complaining about “those kids” and their behavior or language or ability. I finally challenged him:Barbara Jordan "If the society today allows wrongs to go unchallenged, the impression is created that those wrongs have the approval of the majority." ‘I was tired of hearing him complain about our kids, and if they bothered him so much why didn’t he just quit coming to our building?’ I informed our principal that I had “mouthed off” to the sub, and she was relieved someone had finally spoken up, as were other teachers who heard about it!  (thankfully he never returned.)

I’m not promoting myself here. I’m trying to say that we may be inclined to ignore such actions, but supporting any and all of our kids when necessary will ensure that students have an upbuilding educational experience in our libraries and our schools, and that impacts everyone’s future.

OUR LIBRARY COLLECTION

How Culturally Responsive Is Your School Library Collection? - Our school library collections need to reflect both our own students and the diversity of global cultures, so students develop pride in themselves and respect for others. #NoSweatLibraryCan your students find themselves in your school library collection? Students can’t develop pride in their culture and heritage if they never read about its positive aspects, and students won’t develop respect for other cultural backgrounds if they only know about their own. Expanding awareness through reading builds pride and respect.

I was fortunate to be the librarian at the most diverse middle school in our district: 33% African-American, 25% Asian, 25% Euro/Anglo, 15% Latinx, and 2% Native Nation. One year our ELL students spoke 30 different languages. I was initially impressed with the collection in the 2-year-old school library, yet later that year a library course on multicultural books helped me discover how few resources we had for 75% of our students:

  • A few books on slavery and the Civil Rights Movement, but nothing about African-American culture or other time periods.
  • Numerous books on countries, but nothing on Latinx or Asian culture, events, or place in U.S. history.
  • Typical food/festivals/folktales books for various cultural groups, but few on other aspects of culture and none on contemporary society or issues, especially emigration/immigration.
  • Some reference books but few individual biographies about Black, Latinx, Asian, or Native Nation people.
  • A few historical fiction books or award-winners about other cultures/ethnic groups—many by authors who didn’t represent who they were writing about—but meager contemporary realistic Fiction.

Over the years I worked hard to acquire materials that were more representative of our school and that would broaden our students’ perspective on the U.S. and its history:The Middle Passage: White Ships/Black Cargo, a visual history of life aboard a slave ship.

  • A more comprehensive view of slavery
    • ante-bellum personal narratives & biographies, such as Olaudah Equiano, Frederick Douglass, and Solomon Northrup
    • slave resistance and rebellions, and runaway slave communities such as those in Florida and Mexico
    • U.S. court cases where slaves prevailed
    • Slaves and former slaves who fought, spied, or worked with Union soldiers during the Civil War
  • Various cultures, ethnic groups, and time periods in U.S. History
    • from the Trail of Tears to the American Indian Movement;
    • from early Meso-American settlement to United Farm Workers to contemporary border issues;
    • from the Transcontinental Railroad to WWII Internment Camps to Southeast Asian refugees;
    • the Harlem Renaissance and African-American roots of contemporary music.9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled it was unconstitutional to segregate students of Mexican heritage into inferior schools, paving the way for Brown vs. Bd of Education in 1954
  • Contemporary non-fiction about art, music, family life, and other cultural elements over a wide range of ethnicity.
  • Individual biographies about Blacks, Latinx, Asians, and Native Nations from ancient to modern times (Eventually encompassing 42% of the biography collection.)
  • Historical and Contemporary Realistic Fiction by and about all races, ethnicities, and cultural groups in various situations and locations in the U.S. and other countries

Building a culturally diverse collection is essential, but we must analyze both the quantity and the quality of diverse books on our shelves. Here are a few sources I use for recommendations on quality reading material:

What books are in your personal library?

Even with authoritative recommendations, I believe we can only choose quality diverse material for our school library if we cultivate a broader view through personal reading about culture and history. I began my own quest in college with 2 books that still reside on my shelf—No More Lies by Dick Gregory and Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown. Currently I have at least 5-feet of multicultural non-fiction and fiction books on the bookshelves in my home office.

OUR LIBRARY LESSONS

A while ago I read something in a blog post that embodies my mindset for Library Lessons, and, with slight rephrasing, I believe this goal can enable all school librarians to be culturally responsive teachers:

Teach students of all cultural backgrounds to love themselves.

Black History Month can bring out the worst in our lack of cultural respect for Black Americans. I’m referring here to slavery simulations. This is an example where supposed “em/sym-pathy”—expecting students to “feel slavery”—is dispiriting and devoid of cultural benefit. Rafranz Davis states it even more boldly:

If your idea of “celebrating” the contributions of Black people during the month of February is a lesson in slavery…you are the one that needs a lesson in history and the countless contributions that we not only have made but are still making.

I’m not suggesting we avoid the discussion of slavery, but rather use care about how and when we do it, and include topics like those I mentioned earlier. Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieI’m reminded of a TED talk by Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: “The consequence of the single story is this—that it robs people of dignity.”

Slavery can’t be the only story our students—regardless of color, ethnicity, or cultural background—hear about the history of Blacks in America. The Holocaust can’t be the only story they hear about Jews. Terrorism can’t be the only story they hear about Muslims. Pearl Harbor can’t be the only story they hear about Asians. Undocumented workers can’t be the only story they hear about Latinx. And Thanksgiving can’t be the only story they hear about our Native Nations.

When developing Library Lessons, I ask myself:

  • How can I make this lesson culturally responsive for all my students?
    • Can I choose a wider range of resources?
    • Does the activity allow for the cultural learning styles of all students?
    • Am I phrasing my topic in a culturally sensitive manner?
  • Is this lesson building respect for all students?

A RESPECTFUL SCHOOL LIBRARY PROGRAM

With the divisiveness that currently pervades our society, it’s imperative for School Librarians to build respect for other cultures/races/ethnicities in every facet of our School Library Program. We can’t just promote heritage celebrations for a month. We must work diligently, and throughout the school year, to be culturally responsive with ourselves, our library collection, and our Library Lessons. It’s the only way our students can learn to love themselves.

line of books laying down

 

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How a School Librarian Responds to Teacher Requests & Lesson Ideas

How a School Librarian Responds to Teacher Requests & Lesson Ideas - Every school librarian experiences the teacher who comes in with an idea for a library visit—something from their previous school, from a book/curriculum guide, or from a meeting or conference. How do we decide whether we can accommodate this teacher's request? Here's how I do it. #NoSweat LibraryEvery school librarian experiences the teacher who comes in with a new idea for a library visit—something they did at their previous school, a suggestion from a book/curriculum guide, or a great project they heard about at a meeting or conference. How do we decide whether we can accommodate this teacher’s request? Over the years, here’s what I learned:

We can’t discourage teachers from bringing us lesson ideas, but they can’t expect us to instantly put together a lesson.

So, when a teacher approaches me about an idea, I grab a Library Lesson Collaboration Form and use it to fill in information as they tell me their proposal. Then I ask them these 2 questions:

  1. Can I learn more about this from a book, handout, Website, or lesson plan?
  2. Can I have the rest of the day/until tomorrow/a couple days to make sure we can meet the needs of the visit?

I find that this response is better than a simple yes or no, because the teacher sees I’m taking their suggestion seriously enough to investigate it. Having some time to cogitate helps me put everything in perspective and to prepare myself for the next conversation with the teacher. When I return to them with “Yes, let’s do it!” and what we can do together (or “Sorry, this isn’t possible and here’s the reason.”), they are impressed and I create the pattern for future dialogue.

ASK THESE QUESTIONS TO DECIDE

Using info on the Library Lesson Collaboration Form, I begin my ‘thinking-time’ by asking the same question I ask for all my school library decisions: How will this impact students? Does this lesson:

  • Promote reading?
  • Promote problem-solving?
  • Support the subject and the library curriculum?

School Librarians Consider How a Teacher Request Impacts These 5 Areas - When a teacher's idea or request for a Library Lesson visit has a positive impact for students, School Librarians still need to ask how it will impact these 5 areas of the School Library. #NoSweatLibraryIf I can answer ‘Yes’ to any of those questions, I know the lesson can have a positive impact on students.

However, I also need to consider the library, so I ask myself this question: How will this lesson impact library management? How does it affect…

  • Collection development
    • Do we have the materials for the lesson?
    • If we don’t have materials, do I have enough time to gather them through Inter-Library Loan?
    • If I purchase materials, will they be used again?
  • Facility
    • Can we accommodate this lesson in the library?
    • Do we have the audio/video/digital equipment needed for the lesson?
    • Will we need to rearrange the facility or bring in anything else for the lesson?
  • Library schedule
    • How much time will students need in the library?
    • Will this be a single visit, or do we need more than that?
    • Is the teacher flexible with the timing of the visit, or must it be within a certain time frame?
  • Library Promotion
    • Do we need involvement by other teachers, administration, the district, the community?
    • Will this lesson advertise the library program in a positive way?
  • Professional development
    • Do I have the expertise to do this lesson?
    • Can I get help from another district librarian or on one of my listservs?

Answers to those questions determine preparation time/effort and whether it can be accomplished before the teacher wants the library visit. I may need to offer suggestions about how to implement or improve their original idea, which is a delicate process:

We don’t want to patronize teachers, but rather use tact to infuse their idea with what we know is best library literacy practices and guide the lesson toward student-centered inquiry.

If the lesson request is a viable one, I transfer the Request Form information to the Library Lesson Planner and fill in how I can implement the lesson.  Usually when the teacher sees my Library Lesson Plan with detailed consideration of their idea, they readily accept my suggestions and appreciate the work I’ve put into making their idea come alive.

AN EXAMPLE OF IMPLEMENTING A TEACHER REQUEST

Teacher Lesson Requests Increase Use of the School Library - Here's an example of how one teacher's 1-visit lesson idea blossomed into a collaborative unit between the School Librarian and ELA teachers lasting the entire grading period. And you can get it in my TPT store! #NoSweatLibraryOur 6g Multicultural Folktales Unit is an example of developing a lesson from a teacher request. It began as an idea from a student teacher for a single English Language Arts visit. Our collaborative lesson was so successful with students that the following year ELA teachers asked to repeat it.

I suggested, and teachers accepted, that we have a second lesson visit to enhance their unit of study. The next year I suggested a third visit where teachers could introduce the student project and take advantage of the library’s resources. This entire unit has become a truly joint-taught collaboration between 6g ELA teachers and the School Librarian.

We use multicultural folktale picture books because they can be read during a single-period library visit and even struggling readers can do the lessons. Initially I borrowed from elementary schools, but purchases now allow me to host two ELA classes together for the lessons. (Theater and art teachers also use them for projects, so they were a good investment.)

1st Library Visit
Multicultural Cinderella Double-Bubble Graphic OrganizerWe introduce plot and story elements using the fairy tale Cinderella as an “exemplar.” As the teacher presents story elements and each plot element, I read aloud the pertinent segment from the traditional Perrault Cinderella story. Then, student partners read one of the multicultural Cinderella picture books from their table and use a double-bubble graphic organizer (the daily grade) to compare/contrast story elements of the original French story with their cultural version. I have some very humorous Cinderellas, so even boys enjoy this activity.

2nd Library Visit 
Multicultural Folktales Zoom In-Zoom Out Graphic OrganizerTwo weeks later we introduce unity/diversity of cultural beliefs, customs, and traditions with the 5 types of folktales—myths, fables, legends, tall tales, and fairy tales. The activity is similar to the earlier visit, but with deeper examination of a story. Student pairs choose a folktale picture book from their table and, as they read it, use a ZIZO graphic organizer (daily grade) to “Zoom In” on cultural details of the tale and “Zoom Out” to universal ideas common to every culture.

3rd Library Visit 
At the next visit, two weeks later, I begin with the oral storytelling tradition of folktales, relating “Little Dog Turpie and the Hobyahs”, an Old English tale I learned from my grandmother, using dressed pipe-cleaner dolls as storytelling accessories (also from my grandmother). Then teachers introduce the student project using the project guide/rubric worksheet and elaborate on the presentation choices, while I show other examples so students know what is expected.

Multicultural Folktales Project Presentation Slide

Students will create their own cultural folktale, including cultural story elements and unity/diversity principles, and then present it in a unique way:

  • tell it orally with an accessory
  • create a book, handwritten or digital, with a handmade book cover
  • create a graphic novel, by hand or digitally

4th Library Visit 
About 2 weeks later students come in to present their folktale project. We begin with students seated and intersperse oral storytellers with browsing “books” on tables so students have a chance to move around. Not only do 6g ELA students enjoy this project, but it coordinates with their study of World Cultures in Social Studies.

The 7g teachers were impressed with our options and began offering similar choices for their mythology unit project: a diorama or mobile illustrating a created myth (which we display in the library), a narrated group pantomime, or a compare/contrast interview with a “mythological” actor, pop star or sports figure. The latter appeal to 7th graders, who need movement and peer interaction.

Folktales-to-Fiction Presentation SlideContinuing the “Story”
At the regular ELA book checkout following the folktale project I present to students that folktales may have “morphed” into the different subjects of our fiction literature.

Students and teachers are fascinated by this idea, as are other librarians. I don’t know if I’m right, but it excites kids into expanding their reading choices of fiction books!

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line of books laying down

 

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