Learning to choose and teach "good" books.

What is it about?

When teachers choose books for their classrooms, they significantly impact what students learn and whose stories are heard. Our study followed 52 future teachers to see how they selected books and whether their approach changed during their education. We found five distinct approaches, from simply choosing books they personally enjoyed to critically selecting texts that challenge dominant narratives. Initially, most future teachers chose books based on nostalgia or personal enjoyment. By the end of the term, many had developed more sophisticated approaches that balanced teaching goals with representation concerns. Our findings show that teachers can develop both critical awareness and teaching skills simultaneously, challenging the idea that these goals compete with each other.

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Photo by Zoshua Colah on Unsplash

Photo by Zoshua Colah on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Teacher education programs can use our framework to help future teachers move beyond good intentions to thoughtful action when selecting inclusive classroom literature.

Perspectives