Multicultural Liiterature in Early Childhood & Education

During our research as African-Americans collegues and my self realized we have a natural compensity to explore the diffrences we see around us in people in and out of our home enviorment. We decided to research as a group of Child Care-givers and Pre-School Educators. Through our comprehensive study and discussions, we realized that through pictures in early-reader books, we can change children's attitudes.

Multicultural in nature, the books shared through reading and Dramatic play showed effects of diverse literature on the children in our care. It gave us a chance to share and expose to children diffrent types of ethenic groups and how we get along on this planet regardless of our diffrences. The children gained life lessons on how people learned to live together. We also found that reading positive stories of a certain ethenic group, about their own ethenic group can increase self esteem and make children feel part of a larger society.

The messages in these stories also can last a life time, making lasting impressions on a child for years to come. Literature is a powerful vehicle for helping children understand their homes, communities, and the world. Multiculture literature illustrate that people from diverse groups can learn to develop respect for one another. Good multicultural childrens books challange childrens stereotypes, provide a realistic look into the lives of diverse groups of people. At its best, multicultural childrens literature helps children learn to recognize unfairness and provide models for challenging inequity. 

A child then learns to appreciate other cultures and compassion for people diffrent from themselves. If a child learns about the people outside their world. They learn that it is valuable to communicate before attacking. This lesson is carrie into adulthood. Learning about cultures is intellectual. Psycologist agree that a diverse education leads to a higher I.Q. This means that children that learn about many diffrent things will have a easier understanding any new thing her or she encounters. We want smart loving children. Reading good literature can promote that! All children deserve books were they can see themselves and the world in which they live.