Dismantling Stereotypes and Constructing Authentic Narratives: Representation of Native Americans in Children's Nonfiction

• In Event: Friday Roundtable Session 9:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Curricular Possibilities: Reflections and Narratives of (Cultural) Education (Table 26)

Abstract

Inclusive educational texts are an important part of student engagement with curriculum. Building on Cervetti and Hiebert’s work (2019) emphasizing background knowledge's role in literacy, we examined Native portrayals in Scholastic’s True Books series. Background knowledge from diverse, accurate texts promotes comprehension and critical thinking. Children's literature serves as both "windows" and "mirrors" (Bishop, 1990); its pivotal role in shaping young readers' cultural perceptions underscores the significance of how groups are depicted. Illuminating Native representation encourages educational materials portraying diverse cultures respectfully, advancing racial justice in education. Our findings call on teachers and teacher educators to carefully consider Native representation in books offered to young readers, finding that across a single series there were significant differences in Native representation.

Authors

• Philip Michael Seyfried, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Rachel Talbert, Teachers College, Columbia University