Utilizing methods of research, social and historical inquiry, as well as interviews and examination of texts both primary and secondary, the purpose of my senior work project is to interrogate the dominant view(s) of multi-cultural early childhood literature through the lens of contemporary picture books. The project will explore how dominant views of racism are implicit in the texts through exploring three key concepts: the process of "Othering", the notion of the "white gaze", and white privilege. The results of my explorations and analyses will be creatively synthesized into a contemporary children's book consisting of the re-telling and illustrations of a piece of multi-cultural literature (yet to be determined).
[...] This book will be established within the framework of the authors explored in the literature review and work to move away from education and literature as a tool for alienation, silencing and marginalization, towards a tool and a place for the formulation of critical, intelligent, and respectful human beings. Relevance of the project to the field of education or one of its sub-fields Focusing on the implicit racism in many of the contemporary children's picture books deemed “multi-cultural” will provide a contemporary analysis and framework for understanding how to teach our children to be respectful, understanding, and critical human beings through everyday interactions and experiences. [...]
[...] "Examing Multicultural Picture Books for the Early Childhood Classroom: Possibilities and Pitfalls." (2000). Mulvey, Laura. Visual and Other Pleasures Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema Prutzman, Priscilla, et al. The Friendly Classroom for a Small Planet: Children's Creative Response to Conflict Program. A Handbook on Creative Approaches to Living and Problem Solving for Children. Philadelphia, PA: New Society Publishers Rocha, Osbelia Juarez, and Frances Smardo Dowd. "Are Mexican American Females Portrayed Realistically in Fiction for Grades A Content Analysis." . Simonson, Sara D. [...]
[...] Through the analysis of the innate racism in multicultural early childhood picture books, the dominant discourse is acknowledged as problematic and provides a framework for the establishment of literature through a whole language approach. Working Bibliography Banfield, Beryle. "Commitment to Change: The Council on Interracial Books for Children and the World of Children's Books." African American Review 32.1 (1998) Bruchac, Joseph. "Let Me Tell You a Story: Storytelling in Multicultural Children's Literature." . Delpit, Lisa D. "The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People's Children." (1988). [...]
[...] Delpit also analyzes the process of acquisition of discourse and the alienating effects that may ensue as a result. Many students, when faced with the realization of a discourse different than that of their own, experience a feeling of separation between home life, school life, and loyalty to one's self. The acquisition of the means to utilize the dominant discourse of American society often results in an alienating effect for students of marginalized cultures, as they may feel that they must divorce themselves from their culture in order to participate and be financially “successful” in the dominant culture. [...]
[...] Instead of taking the path of rejecting the literature and discourse which has rejected marginalized youth, they must become empowered with the tools to participate in the very system which is used to exclude them. Thereby, in possessing this knowledge, students will be given the tools to transform the mainstream discourse. Delpit concludes with the assertion that acquisition [of the dominant discourse] can provide a way both to turn the sorting system on its head and to make available one more voice for resisting and reshaping an oppressive system”[15]. [...]
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