This presentation offers a framework for designing literacy curricula that acknowledges what experiences students bring and stretches them beyond their viewpoints. Emily Style, whose words are referenced in the title of my presentation, speaks of the importance of building identity and multiculturalism through literacy. We need diverse curricula that mirrors our students‚ cultures so that they see reflections of themselves in our classrooms. But we also need diverse curricula that are windows in which students can look through and see different perspectives. We must move beyond the canon and monoculturalism, un-standardizing literacy instruction so that we can honor our students‚ diverse experiences and points of view in the classroom.

This presentation will offer attendees the following: a model for involving students in selecting culturally responsive reading material; a set of critical lenses that help students ‚view‚ a text through different perspectives; and, an exploration for how students can use storytelling as a vehicle for social justice and multiculturalism.