ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author discusses how both the teachers and students explore and expand their racial identity and their schema through constructivism and the reading of the book, Dear Martin. The teacher, Ms. Pollitt, realizes she too is expanding her own schemas on racial identity both through the courses she is taking, and reading Dear Martin with the class, and not to the class. All three students, two White and one Hispanic and Black unpack their beliefs and understanding of race and their own racial identity as they unpack the book through constructivism. Through this exploration, recommendations are given to teachers on how to first incorporate racially diverse books in the curriculum, and then how to integrate them with the pedagogy.
