Developing a Culturally Responsive Classroom Library: A Practical Guide for Elementary Educators

Abstract

As American schools become increasingly diverse, teachers often lack the resources to evaluate, select, and provide their students with diverse literary media. Research has shown that diverse literature not only increases students' positive views of their own culture but also promotes cultural learning and academic success. The study aims to support elementary teachers striving to develop their own culturally responsive classroom libraries by curating a research-based infographic guide. This project is inspired by existing research on culturally responsive pedagogy. Methods include a review of the existing literature and semi-structured interviews with nine elementary teachers from three different Tennessee counties about the challenges, requirements, evaluation, and selection processes they face when creating their classroom libraries.