Dear Friends,
May’s National Teacher Appreciation Week is a meaningful time to remember that classroom bookshelves and libraries can be among children’s first encounters with differences.
Through picture books, students meet characters who experience daily life—including family, food, beliefs, customs, and community—in a multitude of different ways. These stories encourage empathy, understanding, and curiosity at an early age. This is what inspired the creation of our Education program’s latest project, the Tanenbaum Bookshelf.
Teachers are often the first trusted adults children turn to as they begin making sense of the differences around them. Tanenbaum’s Bookshelf helps educators guide students in learning about one another and celebrating the many identities that shape our world.
Watch the video here to learn more about Tanenbaum’s Bookshelf from our Senior Education Associate, Wendy Miller Gamer.
We’re honored to share resources designed to help educators teach respect for difference all year long, and our Bookshelf is just one of those offerings. Visit our page here to explore more free and accessible K–12 resources. And this week, be sure to take a moment to thank a teacher, too!
To learn more, email us at [email protected].
Wishing a happy and meaningful National Teacher Appreciation Week to all the educators out there. We can’t do this work without you.
Warmly,
Rev. Mark Fowler, CEO, Tanenbaum, and the Education Team