Reflection
After completing the unit on Contemporary Realistic Fiction, my knowledge of the importance of this genre has increased. It not only promotes a child's self-esteem and self-concept, but also provides others with the opportunity to encounter diversity. In Charlotte Huck’s Children’s Literature: A Brief Guide the authors provide a guideline to evaluating contemporary realistic fiction (pg. 208). The evaluation question that stood out to me was “Does the book help children enlarge their personal points of view and develop appreciation for our ever-changing pluralistic society?” (pg. 208). This question was important in my opinion because it will allow the students social and cognitive skills to develop further.
The other assigned reading for this section was Building Arab Americans’ Cultural Identity and Acceptance With Children’s Literature. This article was very eye opening and covers very important concepts. It discusses the importance of including all ethnicities/races within the classroom, specifically Arab citizens. After reading the article, I reflected on my experiences within the classroom as a student and as an intern. I have never encountered literature that depicts an Arab protagonist, and plan to find this literature, and include it in my future classroom library.
Overall the experience that this unit provided me with was important and gave me the opportunity to read different texts, and learn the importance of this genre.
References
Al-Hazza, T., & Bucher, K. (n.d.). Building Arab Americans' Cultural Identity and Acceptance With Children's Literature. The Reading Teacher, 210-219.
Kiefer, B., & Tyson, C. (n.d.). Charlotte Huck's children's literature: A brief guide (Second ed.).