Multicultural Library Project Receives First Book Grant
August 30, 2024 - Dr. Keishana Barnes and Dr. Matthew Panozzo are one step closer to building a multicultural library for teacher candidates to use in K-12 settings. The two College of Education (COE) assistant professors recently received a grant of 42 books from the Shelby Literacy Center.
Panozzo, an Assistant Professor of Literacy in the Department of Instruction and Curriculum
Leadership (ICL), said, 鈥淜eishana and I saw this need within our respective classes.
We ask students to plan an interactive read aloud, but we were limited to our small
collection of children鈥檚 books or whatever is available in their mentor teacher鈥檚
library.鈥�
鈥淟iterature and shared experiences can build and sustain community within classrooms,鈥� Barnes said, referencing the use of children鈥檚 books and read alouds in her SPED 3803 course. 鈥淲e emphasize the importance of being very intentional with these texts to make sure the topics and representation connect to students and their experiences and hope that this library initiative will add to this effort.鈥�
This book grant will serve around 80 pre-service teachers, who will use the books to support their students during residency by developing inclusive lesson plans and culturally responsive teaching practices. Barnes and Panozzo say their teacher candidates are interested in coursework that revolves around both theoretical and practical aspects of teaching, and the students they teach in their clinical placements have expressed interest in multicultural literature, graphic novels and picture books. By providing this library, Barnes and Panozzo feel they can ensure their teacher candidates have the necessary tools to create inclusive lesson plans without these aspiring teachers having to provide these books on their own dime.
When asked what the selling point was to justify the book grant, Shelby Literacy Center
Director Pam DeMato said, 鈥淚鈥檓 a former classroom teacher myself and know how important
it is to have a variety of diverse books in the classroom so every student can find
something they can engage with, relate to and just enjoy. Our organization was thrilled
to be able to support the UofM and preservice teachers on this project. Kids can never
have too many books.鈥�
鈥淏ooks that address varied cultural, social and personal experiences, such as those featuring BIPOC, LGBTQ, individuals with disabilities and different cultural or religious backgrounds, are particularly relevant,鈥� Panozzo added.
The books are currently stored in the college鈥檚 Literacy Program. Barnes and Panozzo are organizing a team of colleagues in the COE and the College of Arts & Sciences to help expand the library. The long-term goal is to integrate these books into model classrooms, to be used by undergraduate and master鈥檚 students for their assignments and to have a physical, accessible place to store the growing collection.