Windows, Mirrors, and Doors: Literature and Welcoming Classrooms

At Participate Learning, our mission to unite the world through global learning begins in the classroom. Fostering environments where all students feel respected, valued, and seen is fundamental to growing thoughtful leaders who feel empowered to:

• Pay attention to challenges in their communities and the world
• Feel connected to those challenges and the people affected by them
• Take action to address these issues

For this reason, building classroom environments that reflect the experiences of all students is a key instructional practice in Participate Learning’s Global Leaders framework.

Creating Welcoming Classroom Environments

In October, we hosted a three-week learning experience focused on creating classrooms where students feel empowered and connected. Teachers from across our community joined to discuss best practices, share resources, and explore strategies for nurturing student-centered classrooms in virtual and hybrid settings.

One recurring theme throughout the discussions was the power of books as windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors. This phrase, coined in 1990 by Rudine Sims Bishop, resonates strongly today as classrooms become increasingly dynamic spaces where teaching methods are adaptable to the needs of all students.

Educators shared that thoughtfully curated book collections are among the best tools for creating a classroom environment where students feel seen, respected, and valued. Such collections also help students connect with broader perspectives and demonstrate skills like self-awareness, curiosity, and empathy. Books allow students to explore unfamiliar places and perspectives, inspiring them through the characters and stories they encounter.

Connecting Literature to Real-World Contexts

Collaborative learning benefits from leveraging the expertise of teachers. During our discussions, educators shared book recommendations and classroom practices that promote connection and understanding.

Elizabeth Farris, media coordinator at Startown Elementary, and Ana Herrera, a dual language teacher at Bethany Elementary, recommended Teach Us Your Name and ¡Solo Pregunta! These books encourage students to celebrate their unique experiences and provide vocabulary to express themselves.

Karen Puckett, media center coordinator at Isenberg Elementary, shared her efforts to build a reading list connected to global challenges. By using these books as read-alouds, she helps students see how their lives are interconnected with the broader world. Some titles from her list include:

• Malala’s Magic Pencil
• The Water Princess
• The Boy and the Jaguar
• If the World Were a Village

Our learning experience culminated in a session featuring Constance Moore and Nancy Johnson James’s book, Brown: The Many Shades of Love. After a read-aloud, Constance, an artist and art educator, shared an activity teachers could use with students: tracing their hands and describing their skin tone using sensory language. This activity supports language development and encourages thoughtful discussions about individuality.

Reflecting Students’ Experiences on Classroom Bookshelves

When asked what her younger self would have wanted from a teacher, Constance Moore emphasized the importance of bookshelves that reflect the world we live in. “…Make sure that your classroom bookshelf reflects all of the students in your classroom and even students who may not be in your classroom…[Make sure] that your bookshelf reflects the world in which we live and has a [variety] of perspectives.”

This idea connects to the concept of windows, mirrors, and doors. As Rudine Sims Bishop said, “When there are enough books that act as mirrors and windows for all children, they will see that we can celebrate both our differences and our similarities because, together, they are what make us all human.”

Share Your Recommendations

Do you have a book that has inspired your students? Share it with us on Twitter: @Participatelrng. 

Read more about reflecting students’ experiences on classroom bookshelves in our blog post here.