Breaking Gender Stereotypes in Children’s Literature

You’ve all seen the stereotypes that occur often in literature and then there are those times when children break the “mold” and they surprise you. As an educator I have often had the opportunity to watch children grow, develop and explore the learning environment. It is often “pink” and “blue”  – but there are those times when the children explore other options. The girls often want to play with the dolls, kitchen and the pink & purple sparkly dress up shoes. The boys want to build with the blocks, trucks and cars. However, I often see the children as a whole playing with the dolls, diapering the dolls, wrapping the dolls in blankets, feeding the dolls and patting the dolls to sleep (as seen at naptime). 

This is an act often done by the girls and boys and it is very fitting as a lot of the children have fathers who share the caregiving roles with mothers. This is not an unlikley thing. This may seem like old news but as little as a few months ago – we watched  as societal stereotypes flooded the airwaves.

Watch here – Boy wants a doll. As seen on “What Would You Do? ABC Jan 21. You can watch the full episode too! What you may not have seen was a woman who slipped the “father” a piece of paper she wrote William’s Doll and said read that book.  I was intrigued so I read the book Williams Doll by Charlotte Zolotow. About a young boy who wants a doll and how it fits the mold of todays fathers – who share the child caregiving rolls.
I fit the mold as an average girl too. I played with Barbies, dolls, play dishes etc. But I have none of my own children, my favorite color is blue and I hardly ever wear dresses. So I don’t know. But I love to see the children explore their surroundings and try to make sense of the world around them. They often surprise you with how they apply their skills to the world they know.

What do you think? Is the father right? Are the bystanders right? What would you do? Stay tuned for more on this matter this week. As always thanks for reading.

Tweedledum and Tweedledee

Alice is  wondering in the woods and trying to get to the 8th square before dark. She meets two fat boys who look like identical school boys. They have their names embroidered on their collars: TWEEDLEDUM and TWEEDLEDEE. Only DUM and DEE are showing in front .  Alice is in a hurry, since she doesn't want to be in the woods after dark. But the funny little boys don't want to let her go so quickly:

"Contrariwise, if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic."
- Tweedledee

The boys talk in a funny way saying 'contrariwise' time and again. They say they know what Alice is thinking and this quote is Tweedledee's answer to her thoughts. But instead Alice says she was only thinking what is the best way out of the forest. Tweedledum and Tweedledee don't take any notice and begin repeating an extremely long piece of poetry for Alice.

White Queen

This Alice in Wonderland Quote comes from the White Queen. Alice is still in the woods and she has met the White Queen. They talk about many things; happiness, loneliness and beliefs. When the White Queen tells Alice that she is one hundred and one years, and five months and a day old, Alice cannot believe her. When the White Queen suggests Alice to try and believe, Alice says that one can't believe impossible things. The White Queen disagrees and says:

"Sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."
-White Queen

This picture shows how Sir John Tenniel
illustrated the White Queen and Alice
in the original Lewis Carroll's book.

Evidence on Reading

• The substantial relationship between parent involvement for the school and reading comprehension levels of fourth-grade classrooms is obvious, according to the U.S. Department of Education.7 Where parent involvement is low, the classroom mean average (reading score) is 46 points below the national average. Where involvement is high, classrooms score 28 points above the national average - a gap of 74 points. Even after controlling for other attributes of communities, schools, principals, classes, and students, that might confound this relationship, the gap is 44 points.

Making the Fun out of Reading Count

Reading aloud to children should be fun for both the audience and the reader. Children are marvelously perceptive. If you aren't really enjoying yourself, they'll know. Put more into it than simply speaking words from a page. Make it exciting. This sense of fun will make you want to delight your children and you might even get a kick out of it. The story will become so much more than words and pictures. It's this kind of reading fun that gives children a desire to recreate that world of fun themselves. They'll have a strong need to read books for themselves.

The easiest way to read to make reading aloud fun, apart from putting some expression into it, is by using different voices for each character. This doesn't have to be difficult. Try out high pitched voices for small characters and deep voices for big characters. Sound noises aloud. If something or someone fell into the water with a splash, read the sound as spl--assshhh. Make animal noises and car sounds. Use props to liven up the story. Simple hats, scarves and even toys help children identify characters and what they do. Act out movements. A giant in the story is more fun when you stomp your feet on the floor each time he walks onto a page. If something is far off in the story, raise your hand to your face, shielding an imaginary sun, as you peer into the distance. Encourage your kids to join in with you. They might like to wear a hat or act out a favorite part. They'll have many favorites when you start to read aloud in this way.

The Influence of Reading to Children

“Growing up, my parents read a story to me every night. I always assumed it was the standard in every child's bedtime routine across the country. As a teacher with my degree in Early Childhood Education, I know the importance of reading to children. The benefits associated with a simple daily bedtime story seem endless.

 In a word, I was flabbergasted. I've witnessed the struggling readers and the impact that has on their daily lives. When a child has difficulties reading, everything in school suffers as a result. Would something as simple as a daily ten minute bedtime story interaction between a parent and child prevent these kids from struggling throughout their school years? Could it really be that simple?”

-Professor Jane Carlton

Yes, it is that simple!

*Teaches Basic Listening Skills

It's true, as I experience it in the classroom everyday. Some children don't have the ability to sit still long enough to listen to a story. It can be possible that some children may have trouble because of a disability, but others may simply lack the insight to what story time is all about. Making story time at home a daily, fun and engaging activity can encourage children to get excited about reading at school which can also discourage behavior issues.

*Promotes Vocabulary and Language Skills

Just think of all the new words children hear from books. Our daily conversations do not require much use of complex language or vocabulary and can hinder the development of a child's oral language. Reading to a child can introduce so many new words, especially nonfiction titles. Children's literature provides great models of language for children. In hearing the flow of the writing and the innovative words, especially in repeated readings of the same text, can nurture children's language development.

Getting the Most Out of Storytime

Reading aloud to children should be fun for both the audience and the reader. Children are marvelously perceptive. If you aren't really enjoying yourself, they'll know. Put more into it than simply speaking words from a page. Make it exciting. This sense of fun will make you want to delight your children and you might even get a kick out of it. The story will become so much more than words and pictures. It's this kind of reading fun that gives children a desire to recreate that world of fun themselves. They'll have a strong need to read books for themselves. Becoming involved physically in a story makes the children want to participate. They won't let you experience all the fun on your own. The best thing -- all this costs you is a little humility.

The easiest way to read and to make reading aloud fun, apart from putting some expression into it, is by using different voices for each character. This doesn't have to be difficult. Try out high pitched voices for small characters and deep voices for big characters. Sound noises aloud. If something or someone fell into the water with a splash, read the sound as spl--assshhh. Make animal noises and car sounds. Use props to liven up the story. Simple hats, scarves and even toys help children identify characters and what they do. Act out movements. A giant in the story is more fun when you stomp your feet on the floor each time he walks onto a page. If something is far off in the story, raise your hand to your face, shielding an imaginary sun, as you peer into the distance. Encourage your kids to join in with you. They might like to wear a hat or act out a favorite part. They'll have many favorites when you start to read aloud in this way.

Storytime Promotes Positivity Between Parents and Children

Enabling children to enjoy reading is one of the most important gifts a parent can do. Kids will learn reading skills in school, but they will come to associate reading with work, not pleasure. As a result, they may lose their desire to read, effecting their schoolwork and desire to learn. When a parent shares an exciting story with a child, and in turn, gets excited with the child, the parent is showing how much fun reading can be. Jim Trelease, author of The Read-Aloud Handbook, encourages parents to lead by example by stating; "Make sure your children see you reading for pleasure other than at read-aloud time. Share with them your enthusiasm for whatever you are reading".

Reading aloud also creates a special time for parents to bond with their children. Cuddling and having fun together for a bedtime story, you'll be helping your children develop a lifelong appreciation for reading. (Reading Aloud, n.d.)

Give-aways in April!

Mrs. Magoo Reads (mrsmagooreads.com) will be hosting a contest in April and giving away one tea-kit per month!

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It's The Experience That Counts

Last week the UK Secretary for Education Michael Gove suggested that children as young as 11 should be reading 50 books a year as part of a drive to raise literacy standards. This raised a lot of eyebrows amongst the British book-loving public, not least as it comes following large cuts in funding for libraries in the UK.

Whilst most commentators of course agreed that reading should be encouraged, many argued against a prescribed list of set length:

“I feel it’s the quality of children’s reading experience that really matters. Pleasure, engagement and enjoyment of books is what counts – not simply meeting targets” ~ Anthony Browne
“The important aim is a reading that should be wide and deep rather than numerical” ~Alan Garner
“When it comes to reading books children should be allowed – and encouraged – to read as much rubbish as they want to” ~ Philip Pullman

In response to Gove’s 50 books a year suggestion, The Independent newspaper published an article “The 50 books every child should read“, containing books for 11 year olds suggested by Philip Pullman, Michael Morpurgo, Michael Rosen and others. This list gave me lots of food for thought. Of course I want to do all I can to encourage a love of reading in my children, and one of the ways I do this is by reading lots and lots to them – if they don’t love books when they are 6 it’s unlikely they’ll love books when they are 11 or 16.