The Importance of Being Seen
When I attended school as a child, I rarely saw any representation of myself reflected in the curriculum. I absolutely adored my school, teachers, classmates, and environment – and just figured that my family’s Iranian background didn’t belong in the lessons. However, my teachers often asked me to share my customs and language with the class, which greatly boosted my confidence.
Mirroring the community
Today, as a school librarian who came to the U.S. from my birthplace of Switzerland, I draw on my experience as an immigrant when working with students. My work centers on celebrating what makes us different – and the same. I can shape the library collection to truly mirror my patrons and community. One example of this effort is on special cultural days, which I use as a chance to spark curiosity by displaying books and everyday objects that fit the theme of the day.
One year on November 3rd, which is Japanese Culture Day, I gathered Japanese books and objects, and wrote facts on the whiteboard that faced the hallway display. One student was walking by with her class on the way to the gym. Immediately, her eyes lit up; she started hopping up and down; and she made a U-turn to come back to the display to read the facts aloud, and to examine each book and object visible through the glass. She opened the door to the library and beamed as she told me she was part Japanese.
Sharing ancestry with others
That evening, the student’s mother sent me a text telling me her daughter came home that day smiling from ear to ear because of the display. I was glad that the child saw her ancestry spotlighted in a way she could take pride in and could share with classmates.
After that day, the student asked me if she could help with future library displays for the special cultural days. She felt like the library was a part of her: and since it gave her that the feeling of being seen, she wanted to be a part of making that happen for others.
