You are what you learn

On first entering this course I thought I pretty much knew everything I needed to know about diversity, accepting differences, and including books about a variety of races in the classroom. On leaving this course I now understand that my ideas at the beginning were very naive. While I have learned so many different things throughout this course, I'd like to highlight jut a few elements of my learning from this course that were most significant to me:

1) Double talk

Before entering this course I would have been sure that any book that contained words in another language would have been an excellent piece of diverse literature. However, after reading the article on the use of language in children's literature, I recognized how unauthentic it was to write dialogue such as, "escucha al pavo blanco!" he cried. "Listen to the white duck!". I also realize now more than ever the importance of authenticity in literature. Language is such an intricate piece of culture. The way it is used in literature can really affect the way that a student may understand that culture. 

2) Insider/Outsider

It was not until this course that I started considering whether or not the author of a book was important. I guess I just assumed if it was allowed to be published or if it was allowed to be sold in bookstores then it had been looked over and had stood the test. After reading through some very strange examples (Sarah's Secret) I realized that the author of a text really does make a difference and that you really can't believe everything you read. While I do not necessarily believe that outsider authors are not reliable, I do understand the importance of having many insider authors to represent each race, ethnicity, or group for a more well rounded, comprehensive look at each. 

3) Representations of different groups

The video that we watched on Chief Illinwek really jolted my perception of different representations of different groups of people. This concept applies to every person or group of people because representatives of people are based off of stereotypes, otherwise how would they be recognized as a member of that group? I do not necessarily think that representations are a negative thing but the video on Chief Illinwek really made me think. Could people be offended by the way Jack is represented in the TV show Will and Grace? Could people be offended by someone playing Santa Claus or by the way different characters on broadway are portrayed? 

In conclusion, the way that this course has most changed me was the way I think about literature and the representation of different groups of people. What I have learned is that there are no right or wrong answers. The answers vary depending on the group and on individuals within each group. What is most important is to stay educated and knowledgeable and always consider and think of what is being represented. The only thing more offensive than racism or discrimination is direct and purposeful ignorance. 

"The Talk"

During our small group discussion on Boy Meets Boy last week, I shared with my group a story which I found humorous but really shows how different people handle differences. My mother is one of those mothers who receives a forward e-mail about men who jump into women's cars at railroad tracks and gas stations and immediately sends it to me. She reads every parenting magazine she can possibly get her hands on cover to cover. Any suggestions given in the magazine or on Oprah or whatever she happens to be watching that day, she takes. Whether it's beginning each statement with "I feel..." in an argument or sitting down to have weekly family meetings in which the family goals for that week are laid out, my mom thinks it's a great idea and has to try it. Because my mother is the way she is, from a young age I have had "the talks" about anything from strangers offering me candy, to what if there's a fire in the middle of the night, to drugs, to sex, and the list goes on. I remember specifically one meeting that my  mom called when I was a sophomore in high school after she had read an article in People magazine about a young man who was gay and who never came out to his parents or anyone for fear that he would not be accepted and ended up committing suicide and leaving his parents a "coming out" note. 

That night my mother called a family meeting that my dad refused to participate in. She sat down with my brothers and me and told us that if we ever realized one day that we were gay she wanted us to know that no matter what she would love and accept us and be there to support us 100%. At the time my brothers and I were like "Oh my God, Mom, really?" My youngest brother got really offended that my mom was even bringing this up. My father wouldn't' even participate. It's not that he is homophobic. He is an office furniture designer and has many homosexual friends through his career. However, I guess it's just different for him and more difficult to accept one of his own children breaking the norms of society. I realize now that what my mom did was monumental in today's society. Knowing that we have her support would be huge if I had something that big to tell her. Sometimes I wish she was that supportive about other things. What I realize now is that even though I thought my mom's talks were ridiculous at the time, she was just doing what every parent, friend, and human being should be doing which is accepting people for who and what they are and supporting them in whatever way possible by showing and verbally reminding them of your unconditional love for them. There is not nearly enough of this occurring in today's society which is probably why so many homosexuals are still hidden or commit suicide. If people feel accepted and free to be who they truly are, I am convinced there would be a significant fewer number of people suffering from depression and identity crises. I realize now that I am lucky to have the mom that I do. Thanks mom. 

Reflection Post-Literature on Inuit/Eskimo People

The main themes that I noticed throughout the five texts I selected were the following:

1). Connection to nature and animals

2). The combination of "old" and "new" Eskimo traditions and people

3). Love and respect for family, community, and culture 

The five books and these three main themes can be combined to teach students acceptance, understanding, tradition, and relativity. The theme of combining "old" and "new" traditions and people is so important to cultural preservation. Through this theme students understand their personal responsibility in carrying out the traditions held by their families, cultures, communities, ancestors, etc. in order to continue the traditions. Many of the texts discussed the transfer of cultural knowledge, beliefs, and values from the elderly to the young. Additionally many of the texts portrayed the combination of American culture and Inuit culture. This is important for students to understand in order to halt stereotypes and generalizations about different groups. These books combine to cover this issue in a thorough way. In Arctic Son the idea is relayed visually and subtly in simple ways such as the characters having both a pickup truck and a dogsled or more boldly in Julie of the Wolves when her father has a motorcycle and she is still driving a dogsled and he wears an Americanized jacket while she continues to wear her sealskin parka. 

The love and respect for family, community, and culture is evident in all five books I selected. This theme is an important one because each student must be able to feel this way not only about their own background but about different backgrounds. This theme also helps students of all backgrounds to connect together because all backgrounds understand the concepts of love and family and value them highly but in different ways. The discussion of how different students value family and love is an excellent way to build acceptance and understanding as well as learn about the cultures and values of others. Because love is as universal a theme as one can get, it is an excellent theme on which to connect a wide variety of students with many backgrounds together. 

Lastly, the theme of connection to animals and nature is a strong value in almost all Inuit traditions. Additionally, animals are something that almost all children show interest in and value themselves. If animals can be used as the connecting point or the foundation on which to base love and understanding of the differences of others, I think it is a great place to start. Animals can also teach students a lot about different places based on what they look like and what behaviors they have. The role of the animals in this set of books is very complex but I think it is to connect all children to the values and beliefs of Inuit people as well as to teach children about the arctic and all parts of it both human and nonhuman. 

In conclusion, I feel as though this collection of books works well to promote understanding of Inuit people in a way that indicates to students that Eskimos still exist in a wide variety of places and forms. Through these books students will come to understand the basis for the Inuit traditions and how Americanization has played into these traditions. Lastly, students will be able to connect to the beliefs and values of Inuit people through the connection points in the text such as the common story line in The Three Snow Bears or the connection to family in Arctic Dreams or Mama, Do You Love Me? It is a line up of books like these that a teacher hoping to promote diversity and acceptance in a classroom would use in a way that was smoothly integrated into the curriculum. In the end students through connection ports such as common themes of love and family, would come out of experience with the literature having experimented with Inuit traditions and language beginning back from its start to its connection with American popular culture today. 

"Effective Teachers of Eskimo and Indian students" by Judith Kleinfeld

Kleinfeld, Judith. "Effective Teachers of Eskimo and Indian Students." The School Review 83:2 

(1975): 301-344. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/1084645> 

I struggled to find an article which discussed the representation of Inuit or Eskimo people in children's literature or even literature in general.  While this article did not specifically discuss children' literature it discussed Eskimo village students experiences in school and the large role teachers play in how comfortable and successful these students are in a bigger, non-village classroom. The article was written about a study that was performed to see which type of teacher and teaching techniques helped Eskimo and Indian students be most successful in school and the variety of reasons related to the Eskimo and Native American culture that contributed to the results from the study. The ultimate goal is to create an "intercultural classroom" with "verbal dialogue between the teacher and the student" (303). Teachers achieve this type of classroom by working within the framework of cultural differences. Some results of the study include that "it is the teacher's interpersonal style, not his ethnic group membership, that is critical to success" (304). The article went on to compare and contrast traditional Eskimos from the values of modern industrial societies. Traditional Eskimos value social harmony over task achievement while modern industrial societies strive to not allow personal feelings to interfere with task achievement which is of the highest value. The article discussed how "public verbal praise frequently embarrasses" some students from traditional Eskimo families. We also learn that prejudice of white students creates problems for some Eskimo students causing them to feel like strangers in their school. "Village students are especially uncomfortable in integrated classrooms in the public schools, where they are surrounded by white students"(313). 

The way I chose to integrate this article to the texts I read on my topic of Inuit/Eskimo people is by discussing how the texts and their themes could be used in a classroom to help teachers become better support systems for learners from traditional Eskimo cultures or traditions. "White teachers are considered ineffective because they personify the values and reformist attitudes of the predominant culture that are resisted by Indian antagonistic  students" (302). By using diverse literature in the classroom, teachers avoid channelling students to assimilate and instead create a community of acceptance of differences and understanding and appreciation of diversity. The article discussed the Eskimos ideas of respect, love, and proximity which is portrayed to us in the book Mama, Do You Love Me? Americans are not used to such intimate relationships and may find them unprofessional compared to what we are used to. However, the data showed that "for Indian and Eskimo students, the teacher's ability to establish appropriate interpersonal relationships may be a necessary condition for teacher effectiveness" (305). Additionally, if students are uncomfortable with verbal praise and acknowledgement a good nonverbal or indirect way to acknowledge the Eskimo students and their culture and traditions would be through the sharing of literature with the entire class. If multicultural literature is integrated into the classroom the students would feel much less like they were being rejected as they may feel when none of the content or literature applies to them or their traditions. 

Julie of the Wolves is the only text in my collection which portrays a negative view of white people. I connected this to my article when the author states that "family socialization often creates highly generalized fears of whites" (313). In essence, Julie may have learned her distrust and disapproval of the white man's values and actions from her father who at one time had shared her same traditional values and beliefs. The article emphasizes the importance of "cultural relativism" and "cultural preservation" (317). I believe that all of the texts I selected would contribute positively to these goals if used in a classroom. Julie of the Wolves as well as Arctic Son put problems of cultural clash and pressures of assimilation as well as acceptance and understanding into real life perspective. Arctic Dreams and The Three Snow Bears also contribute to this as they preserve a culture from "older" times of Eskimo people. 

In conclusion, "what differentiates effective cross-cultural teachers is their instructional style, not their ethnic-group membership. When whites as well as natives teach in a warm, demanding style, native students participate at an intellectually high level" (340). In essence, teachers of any cultural background have the ability to teach Eskimo children but they must be aware of the cultural differences and adjustments that must be made. An effective teacher, regardless of his/her cultural background would be able to use any or all of the texts I selected for my topic to promote multiculturalism and cultural preservation. By integrating diverse children's literature into the curriculum, all students understanding that differences and diversity is something to be respected and valued which is one of the most important ways to build a community of learners and therefore help students who feel rejected feel welcomed, accepted, and appreciated. 

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George Pictures by John Schoenherr

George, Jean Craighead. Julie of the Wolves. New York: Scholastic, 1972. 

This story is about an Inuit girl named Miyax, or Julie in English, who gets lost in the Alaskan wilderness while running away from home to get to her pen pal, Amy, in San Francisco. The reason that Miyax left is that her husband from an arranged marriage tried to rape her. In order to survive Miyax has to depend on the wilderness skills and Eskimo traditions she learned from her father as well as a pack of wolves who she learns to communicate with using nonverbal signals which she learns and practices through observation of the wolves. In the second section of the novel Miyax has a flashback of her past. The reader learns that her mother died and that Miyax grew up with her father, Kapugen, who taught her how to survive in the arctic. Her father goes to war and Miyax marries a boy named Daniel. We learn about the "Americanization" of many of the Inuit people such as Naka and his alcoholism or Daniel being laughed at for not having sex with his "wife". Julie decides to run away and decides to go by her Eskimo name of Miyax. In the last section of the book the story returns to Miyax's experience and bonding with the pack of wolves. She has become one of them and is horrified when she realizes that they are in danger because of her people. Amaroq the head wolf is killed by hunters and Miyax chases the others away to protect them. Eventually Miyax returns to her people and her father only to discover that he has married an American woman and is not living in the Eskimo ways that she had learned from him. At the end of the book she makes the decision to leave him for he is "dead to her" only to return because she feels as though the spirit of Eskimos is dead. 

This book was another complicated decision for me to decide whether or not it would work as a quality piece of diverse children's literature. To begin, it has won the Newberry Medal and is therefore considered a quality piece of literature. What complicates things the most are two things: the first is the rape scene between Daniel and Julie and secondly the pessimistic ending of the novel. The first is something that would have to be taken into consideration when using in a classroom, especially with adolescents and young adults. This book does not portray all Eskimos in a positive light. We see rape, alcoholism, abuse, and Americanization. On the other hand, Miyax represents the positive representation of Eskimos. the book does an excellent job incorporating language, names, tradition, and elements of culture into the story while also combining important themes to adolescent literature such as search for identity. 

The most significant element that this book contains that makes it a quality piece of diverse literature in my opinion is the combination of cultures and the pressures of Americanization that affect the Inuit people. This is a real problem and helps readers to appreciate the authentic, untarnished traditions of cultures. They also see the dangerous and losses that can accompany Americanization and forced assimilation. I also think that while the end of the novel has a pessimistic feel to it, it can be interpreted in a positive way. Miyax's connection and concept of herself as an Eskimo and the values associated with that is so strong that I believe that her plan was to go home and remind her father of all the things she had once learned from him. In this way, the novel combines the elements of respecting and learning from elders as well as the theme of youth responsibility in the continuation of important traditions, values, and understandings that can be just as valuable to the elders. 

Julie of the Wolves, like the other books I read on this topic, included a strong connection to nature and animals. Miyax learns to respect and appreciate the language and traditions of the wolves in a way that symbolizes how readers should treat different cultures. Through observation and respect, Julie learns to understand and communicate with the wolves as well as depend on and be depended upon by them for survival. Through Julie's experience lost in the Alaskan wilderness as well as her connection with the wolves we learn a lot about the arctic, old eskimo tradition, the struggle and cultural clash of Inuit people and Americans, and nature from an Inuit perspective. As I said before in an earlier post on Jean craighead George, she is not an insider author but is an informed one. She did quite a bit of research in Alaska and also did quite a bit of studying and field experimenting with communicating with wolves. The information we receive from this novel about wolf behaviors and communications is authentic and real to life. 

The combination of Eskimo/Inuit tradition and Americanization helps readers to understand the pros and cons of Americanization and also assists them in connecting to the story and the struggles of Julie. Readers find themselves pressing for the traditions and Eskimo ways. I believe that this book would really promote an active discussion about maintaing important traditions as well as the effects and means of preventing over-Americanization of a culture. This book covers a multitude of important issues that young adults can easily understand and connect to in a variety of ways but in any case the basic message of understanding and acceptance shines through in this novel. 

The Three Snow Bears written and illustrated by Jan Brett

Brett, Jan. The Three Snow Bears. New York: The Penguin Group, 2007.

This story is the tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears integrated with Inuit culture and language. The main character is an Eskimo girl named Aloo-ki. Aloo-ki who accidentally loses her huskies and dogsled on an ice floe. Meanwhile, a family of polar bears goes out to take a walk to let their soup cool off before they eat. Aloo-ki comes upon the bears igloo while they are out and enters trying the three bears soup, boots, and beds just like the folk tale we know. The bears return having saved Aloo-ki's dog team and find her in their house. She runs away waving thank-you to the bears. The illustrations portray many different arctic animals on the borders of each page all dressed in Eskimo clothing. The bears are dressed in Eskimo clothing as well. The illustrations look realistic except that the bears act and dress like humans. 

Jan Brett is not an insider author, but she is an informed author. She and her husband traveled to Iqaluit, capital of the Nunavut Territory in northern Canada, to meet the Inuit. people. They lived with an Inuit family, rode a dogsled, and visited a school in the village. Much of the art Jan saw there depicted images of Arctic animals in Inuit clothes. This became her inspiration for this book. Despite the fact that this story is based off of a popular folk tale, I think this is a quality piece of diverse literature. It includes the popular Inuit theme of animals which also happens to be a popular theme with children of all backgrounds. Because of this students would be able to connect easily to the book. Visually I believe readers can learn a lot about old Eskimo traditions and culture. 

On the other hand, there is opportunity for the development or perpetuation of stereotypes in this book as the characters live in an igloo and live as "old Eskimos" may have lived. No Inuit language is incorporated into the text but some elements of culture are such as dogsled, fur lined boots and parkas, oil lamps, carved bowls, and ice fishing. Still these elements of culture do not really teach students about current Inuit people. It is not clear from reading the story when it is meant to take place and this has the potential to confuse young readers. In any case I feel as though this book would be a good introduction to Inuit culture beginning with older, more common traditions. The emphasis on animals is easy to connect to and helps, especially younger children, develop an understanding and acceptance that perhaps they may struggle to find if the main characters were humans instead of polar bears. The illustrations are very realistic and believable which also assists readers in connecting to the text. Additionally, with the story being predictable as well as recognizable the author automatically connects cultures through a folk tale story line. All students know this story and are able to identify experiences with this story. Also, the predictability of the story allows readers to focus more on the illustrations and the cultural additions that are placed in the text by the author. This focus on differences has the potential to lead to understanding and appreciation of the differences of cultures as well as the way they connect through folklore, literature, and other experiences. 

Arctic Son by Jean Craighead George Paintings by Wendell Minor

George, Jean Craighead. Arctic Son. New York: Hyperion, 1997. 

This is the story of a little boy, who the reader is to assume is not Inuit, named Luke who is born in the arctic and is given the Eskimo name, Kupaaq, by an Inuit man who is friend of Luke's parents when he is born. This man mentors Luke as he grows up and teaches him about the Inuit language, traditions, and culture. As Luke learns about the Inuit culture and the land of the arctic, the reader learns along with him. From the northern lights to dog sledding, ice fishing and whale hunting and celebrations Luke learns about the traditions of the people of his home. As Luke grows up we hardly realize that he is not Inuit himself because he is such a part of the culture. The story has a strong focus on nature and animals as well as Inuit traditions. The character of Luke is inspired by the author's grandson. The message sent to readers here is that understanding and appreciation of a culture is something that all people of all backgrounds can be a part of. 

While both the author and the illustrator are outsiders, Jean Craighead George and Wendell Minor both flew to Barrow, Alaska to research for this book. They traveled by dog sled, searched for whales, and visited a man named Aalak, an Inuit village leader who is featured in this book and is the same man who gave the Eskimo name Kupaaq to her grandson Luke. This book is definitely a quality piece of diverse literature in that it covers so many different aspects of Inuit people both historically and currently as well as the arctic itself. It discusses everything from climate to patterns of the sun to animals, language, geographic location, names, landscape, traditions, hunting, nature, celebrations, and a reference to the practices and traditions of "old Eskimos". The Inuit language is integrated very well into the text without using double talk or over explaining the meaning of the words. Instead hints are given in the text around the word to help readers understand the meaning. The author also uses analogies and expressions such as "like a lost caribou calf" or "not more than a polar bear's trot away" that incorporate elements that most students would be unfamiliar with but would be able to connect to. 

At first I found it disappointing that the main character of this story was not Eskimo. In fact the only Eskimo person we meet is Aalak who we don't learn much about. We learn about the Inuit people through the view of Luke, an outsider. However, after consideration I felt that the fact that the main character is an outsider who is learning to assimilate to another culture is positive for students to connect to. It demonstrates that it is possible to know, understand, and respect more than one culture and set of traditions. Additionally, this book incorporated ideas from both current and "old" Inuit people. For example, the people in the illustrations are wearing fur lined parkas and boots but some are wearing sunglasses. Luke lives in a house with electricity and a pickup truck in the driveway and a dogsled in the back yard. Luke celebrates Nalukataq, the celebration to honor the whale after a kill where they danced Eskimo dances and sang Inupiat songs. Luke learns that in the arctic people have two names, an Eskimo one and an English one. This combination of cultures allows more students to connect personally with the text and promotes understanding of people whose backgrounds are a combination of more than one culture, language, and set of traditions. 

Lastly, I believe that this book is a quality piece of diverse literature because there is an emphasis on themes that play an important part in the culture of Inuit people. These themes include appreciation of nature and animals as well as learning from and respecting elders. From age three Kupaaq, or Luke, is walking with Aalak learning about the sky, the northern lights, and the north star. He learns to drive a dogsled and how to ice fish. He learns about the polar bears and their habits and the dangers related to them. During the whale hunt Luke learns to respect and honor the whale. No part of the whale is wasted or sold. The whale is apologized to for being killed and thanked for giving life. Luke learns the valuable lesson that describes Inuit values: "All nature shares, and we are nature".