WELCOME TO NATIVE AMERICAN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE SUMMER 2007 BLOG
Now Playing: highway blues

speakin out

The 1990s ushered in a renewed mainstream awareness of diversity and multiculturalism. Children who were not represented in mainstream culture began to appear in stories, telling their own stories with their own voice. As Joesph Bruchac (Abenaki) said, "People are often powerless, alone, afraid; this is because someone else is telling their story for them: 'You are stupid. You are ugly. You are undesirable. You are useless'. Through storytelling, you recognize your real story."

With an ever-growing body of children's literature, thoughtfulness as to ethnic and tribal accuracy, authenticity and sensitivity becomes a requisite when reading these stories. It becomes the responsibility of the reader to check, scrutinize and question the integrity of stories as well as that of the authers who are credited with writing them. Children, wo are the intended readers, can also learn to assume this critical eye for identifying authentic voice, cultural sensitivity and accuracy.

In this course we will explore issues (anti-Indian bias, racism, stereotypes, cultural appropriation) relevant to the selection and critique within Native American children's literature. You will have the opportunity to critique children's books, dialogue with others, explore differing perspectives, relate your own family stories, listen to invited guests, get out and about in our community, maintain a webpage of your reflections and class productivity. We will have an opportunity to put our experiences into perspective when we participate in SJC Kids Kollege during the week of June 25-29 Native American Children's Story Hour (ages 6-8 from 3-5pm & ages 9-11 from 1-3pm) listening and sharing stories with children.

All in all, this summer course is an opportunity to relax, with people to see, places to go and things to do!

Our first class session will include a visit to the Museum Gallery at Downtown Centre (100 W. Broadway-old library) exhibit of "Photographing Navajos: John Collier, Jr. on the Reservation, 1948-1953."

Looking forward to our time together.................Frances

Welcome
Welcome Native American Children Literature students!

This Blog is a way to record your reflections and to communicate with each other. This course is an opprotunity to read American Indian children's literature and be able to critically read between the lines. From now on whatever you read, you will question, who is doing the talking, do they know what they are talking about and are they sensitive and accurate? You will be looking for proof of authenticity and cultural sensitivity. This kind of awareness will extend beyond this course and hopefully will become a way of 'seeing' and believing information you read and that which you share with others, namely your students. Just because a story has been published does not mean it is accurate or sensitively portrayed.

During our course we will talk about stereotypes, biases and establishing criteria for evaluating the books we read. You will begin to identify these aspects in the books you read.

Remember to value oral language and oral stories equally even though Western society places a stronger emphasis on written language and literacy. Written language is relatively a recent invention compared to the history of oral language. Oral language is dependent upon written language and written language upon oral language, for they are complementary.

Storyteller, Judy Hooks once said: "When you read a story, your audience connects to the pictures in the story. When you tell a story, your audience connects to you."

I look forward to our class together learning from you and sharing the gift of stories.

A great day today! I will read a book in your honor!

Frances