(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.
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