Exposing children to different races, cultures, and socioeconomic levels is often challenging, especially in younger grades. In fact, when the common core was adopted, there was a list of recommended books to supplement the curriculum. Of the 171 books recommended, only 18 were by authors of color and very few books reflected the lives of children of color and of the poor. (Strauss, 2014).
One reason for exposing children to different races, cultures and the idea of poverty can be found in the NCES for Social Studies. These include: 2.C.2.1 &3: exemplifying respect for diverse groups and cultures; 2.C&G 2.1-2.2: exemplifying characteristics of good citizenship through everyday citizens and why it's important for those citizens to participate in their community; and 2.E1.2: needs and wants of consumers. Additionally, if want all children to become proficient readers, we must stock classrooms with mirror books for all children. (Stauss, 2014). However, mirror books are not enough, we must also provide a window into other worlds, that expands children’s horizons. (Kiefer and Tyson, 2014)
One way to address these standards and the idea of having books that may emulate our students or show students a different point of view is with the picture book, Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena. In this story, CJ and his grandmother who are the main characters and African American, are waiting for the bus in the rain after church one Sunday. While spending the afternoon with his grandmother, CJ is feeling sorry for himself because he doesn’t have the luxuries that other people have like a car and a music player. Additionally he feels disappointed that he has to go to an older, run-down part of town instead of getting to play after church. His grandma helps him see the beauty in the things he does have, like a man playing the guitar on the bus and a rainbow in a run down part of the city. De La Pena does a wonderful job of showing his readers that we all have much to be thankful for, even if we don’t have a lot of worldly possessions.
An idea to integrate this book with the standards listed above is to make a chart of the things that CJ wants in the story in contrast with things he really needs. It would also be important to illustrate and discuss how food is an important need that some people have to obtain from the community. A teacher could also note how CJ and his grandmother served the citizens of their community and do a writing extension on how their students serve their community.
Above is a link to other multi-cultural stories appropriate for the classroom.
Above is a link to Matt de la Pena’s website and links to his Newbery speech. It speaks to why he writes books with characters of color and different cultures.
Resources:
De la Peña, M. (2015). Last stop on Market Street. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for
Young Readers.
Kiefer, B. Z. & Tyson, C. A. (2014). Charlotte Huck’s Children’s literature: A brief guide, 2nd Edition.
New York: McGraw-Hill.
Strauss, Valerie. “How Common Core’s Recommended Books Fail Children of Color.” The Washington
Post, September 2014
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