Why is it important to teach multicultural literature in middle school?
It’s our responsibility to make our classrooms conducive to multicultural learning so that students can grow to accept others’ perspectives. It’s important for students not only to be able to see themselves reflected in literature but also to have a window into the lives of people from different ethnic backgrounds. Middle school students are so funny: they want to express themselves, but not so much that you realize they’re different. They develop emotionally and socially when they learn that we grow into our different cultures just like we grow into our bodies; it’s all part of learning to accept ourselves and others.
