RE_5539

This chapter had many parts that saddened me. As a Caucasian female, it is difficult for me to truly understand what it must be like for an African American female to grow up. I thought the author really wrote well and made the reader much more aware of her feelings and memories. Society can be so cruel I really felt for Hooks when she was talking about being light skinned and not fully understanding where she fit into the world. I had a similar situation occur in my second grade classroom this year. I have two bi-racial boys in the classroom. They both have light brown skin and seem to be accepted by all students in the room. One of the boy’s mother came to class one day to bring him lunch money. She is Caucasian. A conversation quickly began at this boy’s table about how is that your mother and she is not your same skin color. I quickly changed the conversation and continued with my lesson. I really did not know what to do. The little boy seemed hurt by the conversation and you could tell his mind was racing, I am sure this was his first experience with this kind of attitude with his peers. I decided to incorporate some diversity lessons the following week by using Paideia. This is an open forum type of teaching where conversations and questioning is encouraged. I do think it helped the boy in my classroom and his peers, but more importantly, it gave me some background training/information that I can utilize again and teach immediately if the situation occurs again. Teachable moments are so crucial. It really bothered me that I just did not know what to do. I was taken off guard and that doesn’t happen a lot in a second grade classroom.

One other interesting part of the chapter was the story Hooks told of reading books and experiencing adventure. I regret that I never had the opportunity to enjoy books in that way as a child. I always looked at reading as a chore. I now love to read children’s literature and do it often, but I never enjoyed reading as a child. My mother read a lot and took me to the library often. I would check out huge stacks of books and take them home and return them the following week unread. At times, a few would be read if my mother asked questions, but very often the books just did not even get opened. I have no idea why her love for literature did not rub off on me until I was an adult.

I constantly kept relating this author’s stories to my own childhood. My mother was raised in a house that would be considered a working class family. She raised us in a similar fashion. I really don’t know how to describe what social class my family would be considered. My mother was a homemaker, but was very involved with the church and school. She spent many hours volunteering each week. I really thought of this as her job. My step-father was the sole financial supporter and was very much like Hook’s father. His job was to keep the house running and go to work. My mom’s job was to cook, clean and help the children with schoolwork. It was a comfortable relationship and seemed to work. As an adult, I chose a much different path. My husband and I both work and we jointly take care of the children. This works for me. My mother probably did not want the same home environment as I have. Neither one is right or wrong. They are just both very different. Both environments nurture the child and encourage literacy. Just as Hooks help to mold Laurie into the student she became, I hope to encourage my students and children to read books, write stories and share their lives with each other.

Beth Rigsbee