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[cross-posted to racism_101]
In a discussion the other day I was comparing a story someone told online to the storyline of a book I thought everyone reads in elementary school, junior high or high school, about race. My companion didn't recognize the story and when I managed to remember the title and the author (The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison), he confirmed he hadn't read it. We then went through a series of titles I read in school and for some reason thought most people my age had been exposed to in school. He had read none of them, and pointed out that I grew up in a community that particularly valued diversity. I don't know why I had kind of assumed this aspect of my education was somehow a "typical" American Literature education.
I found myself wondering, what did other people read to learn about race and cultural differences and how to connect across them? These books? Something different?
So I thought I would post and ask: Did you read these books in school? If so, what do you think of them? If not, what did you read? Regardless, what contemporary books can you recommend for school age children for teaching these kinds of lessons?
The books are shown and listed here and described below the cut tag. The Bluest Eye, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry were all taught in class. I came upon The Chosen on my own but was told others studied it in school. As for The Cay and The Wave, I don't remember where or when I got them, but I've had them since I was quite young, and they are good books relevant to the topic, so I wanted to include them.
( Read more... )
In a discussion the other day I was comparing a story someone told online to the storyline of a book I thought everyone reads in elementary school, junior high or high school, about race. My companion didn't recognize the story and when I managed to remember the title and the author (The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison), he confirmed he hadn't read it. We then went through a series of titles I read in school and for some reason thought most people my age had been exposed to in school. He had read none of them, and pointed out that I grew up in a community that particularly valued diversity. I don't know why I had kind of assumed this aspect of my education was somehow a "typical" American Literature education.
I found myself wondering, what did other people read to learn about race and cultural differences and how to connect across them? These books? Something different?
So I thought I would post and ask: Did you read these books in school? If so, what do you think of them? If not, what did you read? Regardless, what contemporary books can you recommend for school age children for teaching these kinds of lessons?
The books are shown and listed here and described below the cut tag. The Bluest Eye, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry were all taught in class. I came upon The Chosen on my own but was told others studied it in school. As for The Cay and The Wave, I don't remember where or when I got them, but I've had them since I was quite young, and they are good books relevant to the topic, so I wanted to include them.
( Read more... )
