About this episode
For many homeschool moms, teaching their kids is also about learning who they are. It’s about finding their place in the world. For Black moms, this path can be both joyful and hard. They love expanding their kiddo’s understanding of themselves, their culture, and their history, but struggle to find books that accurately portray their varied experiences.
Understanding how books as mirrors windows and voices for homeschool families work becomes very important for helping families feel seen and understood.
“A mirror is a book that helps build a child’s identity as it reflects their own culture or personhood. Children find themselves represented along with their families and communities, and their sense of belonging grows as they recognize characters like themselves moving through the world. Books as windows, on the other hand, provide a realistic view of how others live while simultaneously situating children within the context of a wider world.”
Amber O’Neal Johnston, author of A Place to Belong
Amber’s Big Idea: Books as Mirrors, Windows, and Voices
Amber wrote a book called “A Place to Belong.” In it, she talks about books being like mirrors and windows. This matters a lot for Black children. They don’t always see themselves in the stories they read. These books act as mirrors, windows, and voices to enable kids to see their own lives reflected in books. They also show them new worlds beyond what they know.
Books can be a space for kids to dream and imagine.
Amber saw this problem and did something about it in “Soul School.” Her work asks for more stories from the Black perspective — so kids can feel seen and understood. Their stories need to matter and be reflected in the culture around them. She also shares that White kids gain from these stories too, and we should be expected to see the world from a different vantage point.
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”
Harper Lee, author of T
