Young Adult Lit/Crit

Schools’ reading lists get a rewrite

           Thompson’s article surveys the reading lists of

Seattles

’ Mariner high school (public school), Archbishop Thomas J. Murphy high school (private school), and Sno-Isle Libraries.  Thompson explains that a more ethnically diverse student body is causing the inclusion of literature by women, minorities, and contemporary authors.  Teachers at Mariner high claim that more contemporary books appeal more to students who are reluctant to read.  Students say these books engage them more immediately than the classics.  Thompson points out that using contemporary books that students can immediately identify with can help students interpret the texts.

            At the private school, the curriculum also includes contemporary works; however the schools approach does not seem as accepting of new literature.  Texts by contemporary or women writers are offered as optional, while Homer, Virgil, Chaucer are required.  Does optional mean additional reading?  If it does, I doubt many students will read extra school books.  And the students that decide to read the optional books are not likely the reluctant readers.  In addition, the private school’s English department chair, seems to have missed the boat. He advocates that the classics can develop critical thinking and expose students to different perspectives.  Obviously the classics have the potential to inspire students, but if students are not engaged, how much critical thinking is being developed? 

In considering the differences in public and private school, is it true that public schools have more variety while being more politically correct?  Furthermore, is it true that secondary students in the ‘60’s and 70’s read more books that reflected their interests than in 80’s, 90’s, or today? 

Matt

Can we Read Today, or Do We Hafta Do English

Using selected quotes, I would like to introduce the main points of Silva's article.

"I hand out sticky notes to the ninth graders and ask them to write the name of a book they love and a book they despise..."

"Nobody likes to read while sitting at a desk.  They like to sprawl or they like to find a small, quiet space."

"But every time I make a decision based on classroom management, I remove a bit of authenticity from the reading classroom."

In response to parents, she writes, "I tell them that I can support and enhance their work but that school cannot subsititute for a family's choices."

"If I try to meet the conditions that support a reading environment, students read."

"I want to empower students to learn through story."

I cannot think of better questions to ask than the ones delineated on the final page of Silva's article:

"How should I measure their increased knowledge?"

"Is it enough to observe their involvement or must I quantify it in some way?"

Consider what we have been doing in 619.  How are we assessing/quantifying?

"What balance should I strike between literary classics and popular fiction?"

And...

"Who should decide what my students will read?"

Last Discussion

First, I'd like to note that I had one of the looooonger articles to discuss. :)

And, for fun, I thought I'd make myself a lightning rod one last time, for old time's sake.

In reading Stirring up Justice, one of the thoughts that kept coming into my mind was about how touchy-feely it all was. It's all well and good to say that all kids are equal and that we need to educate them about how to be better people, but let's face it, not all kids are equal. I'm always hesitant about these touchy-feely, let's-all-work-together projects. I think that Jessie Singer is, in a sense, using the classroom to promote her own agenda. She wants kids to think and act like she does, and so she pushes them along this path of world justice and equality. I'm not saying that these are bad things, but I was just a little taken aback at the idea of all these kids really having fun reading about social injustice and trying to overcome it. Where's the fun? The whole idea seems too purpose-driven, and not just about the joys of reading. What do you guys think?

(Please bear in mind that I've assumed a far stronger voice for this post than I actually maintain. I just wanted to 'stir up' some discussion. :) )

-Nick

Cormier Seminar

Hey Dawn
Your obvious  passion for  Cormier's novels came across in your  seminar presentation.  Your enthusiasm seemed to radiate throughout  the room. I particularly enjoyed the  discussion about censorship. Banning books not only  limits the  intellectual and emotional  development of students, it also goes against all that we learned about in class concerning  the importance of choice in  promoting literacy.  Your  passion for  Cormier's  novels has inspired  me to read  more of his books this summer. Thanks for the engaging seminar.
Nancy

V. C. Andrews

"I was trapped in a system that put me
on the road toward an uninteresting
destination." --Maureen Wanket

Thought I'd jump start the discussion of the WANKET article (from TEACHER) w/my own musings. I have to admit that while I balked at the traditional reading list Mr. O'Leary gives to the author, I have to admit his banning V.C. Andrews from any one of his students' lists warmed my heart. Back in the day, I did the same thing! But now, of course, my students would be critiquing these novels from various theoretical perspectives--that is, deconstructing them.

This essay is telling for us after a semester in 619. So many of our themes resonating here: the power of as Wanket says, "ownership" over one book to shape a life (in this case an Eng. teacher/writer's life), one fine construction of "reader response," the alienation from school/curriculum that informs so many of our kids day to day experiences in classrooms, the influence of a teacher and a teacher's encouraging words in an adolescent's life.

I'll leave it to you to say what else? The juxtaposition of this piece with the other essay -- root it out and read it -- was no accident.

Notice the things I'm asking you to read are getting shorter and shorter. I'm honoring that at the end of the semester everyone's a little ragged. But stay with that one last book club "find." And your lit circle selection.

I'm reading paper drafts so hearing from you bloggers would be a nice distraction. You know what to do. Let me know you've read Wanket and me. My track record of eliciting responses on the blog is pretty depressing compared with Nick's and several others of you. I still have time to make it up don't I! KES

Critical Encounters

I just had to post about this book; I am so excited (scared, too) about teaching literary theory to high schoolers!  It is, as Appleman says, a way to bridge the "intersection, of text and social context" that can truly be of use to adolescents who are trying to understand themselves, the world around them, and the literature they are reading (8).  And since I LOVED the theory class I took as an undergrad (I finally felt like I understood what I was doing when I read from different theoretical standpoints), why not share something exciting (alright, we find it exciting...) with the students we want to inspire to have complex, intriguing reading lives outside of school and beyond high school!

Really excited...but still wondering how to do it...I guess I'll have to read past Ch. 1!

~Dawn

The Great Grammar Debate

Greetings all,

Dr. Stearns an I have been debating the isue of teen writing. It has been argued that as long as teens are giving voice to their thoughts and discussing their ideas using the written word, that our job as teachers has been fulfilled. I disagree with this argument on the grounds that well-formed thoughts demand to be written in a well-formed manner. Check out the post from Jacueline on 4/7 entitled 'All Webbed Up' to see the current string of comments. I'm really looking to start a debate here, because I believe that both Dr. Stearns and I feel very strongly about our particular opinions, and more voices should be heard to gain a broader perspective.

I hope I've laid the situation out correctly Dr. Stearns, but please correct me if I've misunderstood your view. :)

(Everyone enjoys a little healthy debate, right?)

So please, if you've got an opinion, nows the time to share it. I'd love to get some real debate going on this blog. Thanks a lot guys, I'll be in touch.

-NP

Girls will be girls

So when I read the article on what girls are reading, the "Clique" and "Gossip Girls" books, I was not surprised, since I had come across another article that mentions the censorship of these books in some libraries and schools. 

However, that does not mean that I am not outraged at the extent to which "Sex and the City" and other adult dramas have infiltrated the YAL.  Teens, sure, will read what they want to regardless, but the topics of these books not only seem to advertise, but to condone what they preach.  Honestly, I am predisposed to pick up one of these books to read before I disregard them (and I will), but what reviews I have read have not convinced me that the amorality included in these books is appropriate for teen girls. 

What should we do when girls WANT to read these books about sex and drugs and disregard for authority?  Sure, we want them to read and read whatever they can get there hands on, but aren't there some better options?  Is there anyway to use these books to segue into something less surface-level and with more complex, intriguing characters?  I would definitely hope so!

So, do we put these books as options for independent reading/book club in our classrooms, especially if teen girls request them? 

The choices seem to be: do we self-censor the books we include in our class libraries, or do we stock our shelves with all kinds of books for the picking of different students?

What do you think?

Dawn

Invitation to Seminar

An article in today's NY Times (Plight Deepens for Black Men, Studies Warn) details how despite economic gains for Black women, Black men are increasingly marginalized in contemporary society.  The author writes:  "Especially in the country's inner cities, the studies show, finishing high school is the exception, legal work is scarcer than ever and prison is almost routine, with incarceration rates climbing for blacks even as urban crime rates have declined. " 

I have two goals for my seminar: 1) explore the literature of Walter Dean Myers (an African American author whose literature focuses predominantly on young Black male protagonists) 2) start  (or, for most of us, continue) what is hopefully a life-long discussion on how as teachers we can address issues of racial identity and racial discrimination in our classes and our education institutions. 

If this sounds of interest, please join my seminar.

-Chris

Choice, Chapter 2

Just a couple of questions for discussion tonight on Choice, Chapter 2:

1.  How would a People Parade translate to older students?  It seems like a good idea for middle-school aged kids, but I think high schoolers would be very skeptical about parading around as someone else...any thoughts?

2.  There are so many good ideas that are offered in this book, and anecdotes to color them up, so I was wondering if anyone had any other ideas that would be applicable to the ELA classroom that are along the same lines as the Choice offerings.  What else would spruce up the reading enjoyment of students, beyond reading contracts and logs?  Also, how to enforce them with inactive/absent parents (akin to Zoe's mom...) or easily forged signatures?  It would be interesting to do a book night in addition to the reading outside of class...students could advertise the book they read and try to convince/sell it to others!  Just an idea.

Dawn ;)