Trigger Warning: Stereotypes

When I first picked up American Born Chinese, I did not think much of it. I had some prior experience with the book, having observing in a class where the book was incorporated into their curriculum. The words of the teacher echoed through my head:

The book isn't racist. The book is exemplifying stereotypes. 

If you have any experience with the book, you can see the gray area where the concepts of "racism" and "stereotypes" could blue for a high school student. Characterized by their immaturity, high schoolers or teenagers in general are quick to make something simple into a risqué topic.
Little to my surprise, some controversy arose in our own discussion and exploration of American Born Chinese. The closing activity required that we, as mock students, create our own graphic representation of American stereotypes, and how Americans might be pictured abroad. Someone mentioned that when asked to characterize themselves by stereotypes that they grew uncomfortable, and did not wish to complete the activity due to their disapproval of stereotypes. This comment brought up a question that begged to be answered:

How on Earth would you teach this novel?

Sure, American Born Chinese does not exist inside of canonical secondary education literature, however, it definitely showed importance in a secondary education classroom. As a future English teacher, I will be forced to teach a variety of uncomfortable concepts. Approaching these matters respectfully is of utmost importance; no teacher wants to offend or upset their students. As the lesson progressed and the class concluded, I again found myself thinking:

How on Earth would you teach this novel?

I will spend the remainder of this blog posting exploring possible ways to teach the graphic novel, American Born Chinese. As I have previously stated, it will be necessary as part of my career to learn how to work with many students from very diverse backgrounds-- ethnic, socioeconomic, racial, gender, etc. Finding a "safe" or "appropriate" way to teach a potentially offensive novel is only the first of many struggles of my future teaching endeavors.

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At a first glance, I thought their idea of drawing a graphic was interesting, but I could quickly see where problems could arise. Stereotypes can be defined as an overgeneralization of a group of people, but it is important to remember that these generalizations are not always true. For this reason alone, I can see why stereotypes could be deemed offensive. I can only see how the level of offensive-ness (is that even a thing?) would increase when asked to describe one's self with stereotypes (i.e. an American). If a student did not identify with a particular stereotype, (i.e. all Americans are fat!), it could be easy, even comical, to use in mockery. However, if a student did identify themselves as "fat", they might take offense to such a generalization, especially in today's society, characterized by safe spaces and trigger warnings. Creating a drawing complicated things further, as I previously stated highschoolers are the physical embodiment of immaturity. I can only imagine the kinds of drawings that I would receive if i presented this activity to a group of 9th graders, although I might be able to laugh them off, there was no doubt in my mind that someone would be offended. While I thought that the activity was well-intended, there had to be other ways of driving home the point of the novel.  

Another idea presented was the idea of having a large group discussion with the class about stereotypes. Again, an idea that seemed to be suggested with good intentions probably would not have been well-received. Someone suggested having students discuss stereotypes that are associated with a group that they personally identify with. While it would be interesting to hear students talk about groups they personally identify with and how stereotypes and overgeneralization are not only false, but also hurtful; I don't think this activity would be very well-received. Highschoolers are not only immature, but they're also at a very awkward stage of their lives. They're trying to work out their own identities, as well as balance their academic and social lives. If a student already struggled with their identity, as most high schoolers do, why would they want to talk about it? Would they feel comfortable make themselves so vulnerable? Personally, I didn't think so. Like I've been saying the whole time, there has to be another way.

Someone suggested that the idea for the above discussion be turned into a writing prompt. Writing would provide more of a safe haven for students. They wouldn't be forced to share it with their peers unless they wanted to...but what was the point of that? While I think it is important for students to explore stereotypes, especially those in their personal lives, I did think it would be appropriate to assign this sort of discussion as a writing. If students did not feel comfortable sharing what they had written, they would not be an active part of the discussion. Personally, I believe that these sorts of issues and uncomfortable topics need to be talked about in order to help resolve the negativity surrounding them. A writing prompt would definitely be useful, but it could not be the only activity.

So I decided to consult my level I hours. Like I mentioned at the beginning of this blog posting, I had seen this novel taught in an actual secondary education classroom. I personally did not remember any negative occurrences offhand, so there had to be a way to teach this novel, right?
According to my notes, the class began with a discussion about stereotypes. The idea of stereotypes was not only defined, but explained. It was reinforced to the students that while these ideas can be offensive (Chin-kee, seriously?), the book's intention was not to offend the readers, but instead inform the readers. They talked about the stereotypes that were displayed in the book, and their function. After this brief discussion, students were given laptops and a graphic organizer. The students used their laptops to go to this website; a profile page for characters from The Simpsons. The students were asked to pick three characters of their choosing, and explore their profiles. What stereotypes did these characters exemplify about American culture?
For example, if a child chose Marge, they would see that she is identified as "the nagging housewife". Was this a stereotype we saw portrayed in American culture? Sure!
The nagging housewife, responsible for taking care of children, and of course nagging her husband to complete mundane or unnecessary tasks, all the while making sure that her husband and kids had all of their needs met.
On the back of this worksheet was another graphic organizer. The students were then allowed to pick their own television show or movie, and identify characters that exemplified more stereotypes. Again, students were responsible for naming characters, and then explaining what kinds of stereotypes they portrayed. Looking back on this activity, I think that it accomplished the goal: having a discussion about stereotypes that didn't offend anyone.

Did this lesson censor any offensive material? No. 

Did this lesson offend any students? Maybe.
Would one of the previously mentioned ideas work better than this one? Maybe. How was I supposed to know? 

Did the teacher just get lucky and have a very difficult group of students to offend? Also, maybe.

Or maybe it was just easier for the students to look at when they were taken out of the picture.  Maybe it was easier for the students to step back and look at American society and culture as a whole, and not on an individual scale. Whatever the reasoning behind it, I'll never be sure, however, I will keep all of these ideas in the back of my head for future reference. In today's society, I don't really know that its possible to teaching anything without offending someone, but that doesn't mean that these uncomfortable topics should be glossed over. These kinds of issues need to be talked about, especially when teachers are reinforcing the fact that these statements aren't true, and can be hurtful. How can we preach tolerance to our students if we don't teach the concept to them? If we don't have these discussions with our students, how will they know? 

I'm not sure that I'll ever know the right answer. No matter how the issue is approached, there's going to be the possibility of offending someone without intending to. I'm not even sure that there is a right answer in this situation. I do know that these ideas are important issues that need to be approached delicately in any setting, especially one that is academic. As I've previously stated, it is of the utmost importance that we continue to talk about these issues, regardless of how uncomfortable they are. We owe it not only to ourselves as educators, but to our students as well. While there are virtually millions of ways to approach this concept in a classroom, I can't help but continue to think:

How on Earth would you teach this novel?

March: Book 1

I have to admit, when I was scanning through the reading list for adolescent literature, I was a bit skeptical. Although I enjoy leisurely reading graphic novels, was it really worth having so many on a list? Would we, as a class, be able to read through and discuss them throughout the short time we had together? Skeptical didn't even begin to describe how I was feeling.
Despite my reservations, I was eager to begin reading "March: Book One".
I will admit, I was a little behind when it had come to begin reading the graphic novel. I had overheard many of the other students in class had already finished it. Most, with a few exceptions, had claimed to enjoy it. However, once I started, I was completely engrossed. I was unable to put it down, and read it cover to cover in less than two hours.
Although I cannot foresee any time in the near future where such a book would be mandated in secondary education curriculum, I can definitely see the value in reading something as powerful as "March" in today's society.
The book chronicled Congressman John Lewis, a prominent figure during the Civil Rights Movement. It tells lighthearted stories of his childhood, which he spent speaking sermons to chickens, but quickly transitioned to a more serious tone. The book discussed Lewis's involvement and participation in the nonviolent sit-ins that he and fellow members of his civil rights group conducted. At this time, segregation was very prevalent in southern American society. These organized protests showed the racial inequalities of society at the time; something that should continue to be transitioned out of society. This message of equality is important to always remember, especially in modern times.
The messages of freedom, equality, and moral goodness addressed within this graphic novel are important for someone of any age to remember. Although I am a few years older than my students, I found these messages to be truthful and important. I will not only offer, but also recommend "March" to my future students as an independent reading book. I think that students will find value and interest in the issues that the book addresses.
Personally, despite my previous reservations and ever-growing reading list, I'm ready to purchase book 2!