Teaching through Books
Introducing our newest video series all about books on Diversity and Inclusion! Featuring librarians and educators themselves who recommend an incredible collection of titles that can be used as valuable teaching resources to engage learners, each video is also accompanied by a comprehensive lesson plan for Grades K–12.
Topics covered:
- Ableism
- Allyship
- Anti-racism
- Indigenous Voices
- Intersectionality
- Islamophobia
- Mental Health
- Poverty
Ableism
Ableism is discrimination that undermines people with diverse abilities and disabilities.
Ableism refers to the attitude and underlying social prejudice of assuming that all individuals can, or should, be able to do things in the same way. Ableism undermines and harms people living with diverse abilities and disabilities, and impacts society as a whole by continuing harmful stereotypes and overgeneralizations that devalue and perpetuate discrimination.
Allyship
Allyship is the deliberate act of using one’s voice, position, and privilege to support and defend the rights of any marginalized group.
In learning about ideas of allyship, students are able to connect to their own identity and the identities of others. Reading and exploring texts that focus on the lived experiences of a broader global community can help students to better understand their learning community, and by focusing on the theme of allyship, we can work to intentionally build a more inclusive society.
Anti-racism
Anti-racism is the practice of actively identifying and opposing racism.
Anti-racism is the practice of actively identifying and opposing racism by challenging the systems, structures, policies, and practices that uphold the power of some and systematically deny it from others.
Indigenous Voices
Exploring, sharing, and discussing stories about the lives, joys, and experiences of Indigenous peoples is important as it relates to the land we now call Canada and our moral imperative to move forward with the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. As readers connect with stories by Indigenous storytellers, they are also working to connect to the land on which they live, work, and play.
Intersectionality
Intersectionality describes describes a conceptual understanding that various aspects of a person’s identity can create internal and external tensions, resulting in positions of advantage or disadvantage.
Islamophobia
Islamophobia can be described as stereotypes, biases, or acts of hostility towards individual Muslims or followers of Islam.
Islamophobia is a growing issue in Canada and other countries, resulting in hurt and harm to members of the Muslim community. Learning about Islam and Muslim culture can help break down stigma and stereotyping against Muslim people and stop anti-Muslim hate.
Mental Health
Stigma around mental health continues to prevent those who are trying to cope from getting the help that they need. In addition, there are many barriers to accessing services that deal with mental health issues. Identifying mental health issues and having knowledge of resources and supports can help address this serious and growing problem among young people today.
Poverty
Poverty refers to a lack of money to acquire basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter. It is something that affects many families in Canada. Poverty can create cyclical inequities in all aspects of life, including health care, education, where you live, and how you feel about yourself.