empathy and awareness
The themes found within Chocolate Me! promote social justice. These themes relate to Wolk’s ideas in “Reading for a Better World: Teaching for Social Responsibility With Young Adult Literature” (2009). With using Chocolate Me!, teachers are teaching towards social justice by inciting empathy and awareness to their students. While all students endure issues with identity, not all students are aware of how a member of a different race struggles with their identity. This is exemplified within Chocolate Me!. By being aware of the feelings of others, students can gain an understanding of the lives of other students. Creating an environment that breathes empathy and awareness allows for teachers to enlighten their students. The lessons that can be stemmed from Chocolate Me! go further than the classroom; the empathy learned allows for our students to be better citizens and neighbors.
Wolk, Steven. "Reading for a Better World: Teaching for Social Responsibility with Young Adult Literature." Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, vol. 52, no. 8, May 2009, pp. 664-673.
Wolk, Steven. "Reading for a Better World: Teaching for Social Responsibility with Young Adult Literature." Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, vol. 52, no. 8, May 2009, pp. 664-673.