Multicultural Literature

Is multicultural literature important? Heck yes! I cannot think of anything quite so influential in a person's life as literature. And I strongly believe that if we do not offer ALL of our students literature they can relate to, then we are doing our students a great disservice. As a young, white female, it is easy to find literature I can relate to. It's everywhere. But if I were a young, Hispanic female, would I be able to find something quite so easily? How about finding a book I can directly relate to as a young, Jewish male? And as a young, white female, how can I better understand the culture of another?

Throughout SEDU 333, I have been forced to think outside of my comfort zone.  I have been pushed to read books I normally would never have considered reading. I realized, though, that all these years, I have been sheltering myself. Denying myself a real education: lessons on humanity, empathy, culture, worldliness. How can we, as educators, bring more multicultural literature into our classrooms?

The second edition of Reading Their World: The Young Adult Novel in the Classroom, edited by Monseau and Salvner, is a great place to start for learning how to choose multicultural literature for our young adult students. Chapter 9 of this textbook is dedicated to just such a task, and I found it extremely helpful despite the titles listed being somewhat outdated. I will summarize the most important aspects we should look for when choosing multicultural literature:

• Watch out for stereotypes.
• Do not pick books that have "token" representations of characters.
• Make sure everything is accurate. Historical facts, representations of people/culture/life/interactions, etc.
• Check out the dialogue. Make sure it is accurate and is not stereotypical.
• Make sure the characters' successes are not measured against the majority's standard of success, but find positive role models for ALL students.
• Pay attention to how women and the elderly are portrayed and treated in the work.
• Do not choose something that contains embarrassing or bring shame to any student.
• Make sure the author is qualified to write about a specific topic (either through research or personal experience).
• Pay close attention to what students WANT to read. Make it available.
• Choose pieces that have positive interactions between cultures and people.
• Diversify! Choose literature that involves immigration stories, pieces written by individuals growing up in a different country, and pieces that are written from the minority perspective.

We can't put ourselves in a box. We are unique. We all come from some place different, have different experiences, different beliefs, different values. As teachers, and role models, it is important to show our students that diversity is wonderful because it allows us to see things from new perspectives, to learn about what makes America a "melting pot", and to show all students that there is someone out there with similar experiences, thoughts, and beliefs.

Image take from: https://teachingsexed.com/2013/11/25/multicultural-education-in-a-diverse-nutshell/

Blog #4 - Rethinking what is normal? Rethinking everything!

I am one for food for thought. I am one for debate. I am one for questions. I am one for discussions. And no other class has made me do these things more than this class. I love reading between the lines and digging into the deeper meaning of things. These YAL books has allowed me to do just that.

As we grow up, we are constantly developing and changing our beliefs, ideals, connections and who we are as people. My beliefs are planted strongly within me, never wavering or bending. However, there is a new flower on my stem of beliefs, and it has come from reading these books. The one that moved me the most was By The Time You Read This I'll Be Dead. I do not believe in suicide, not one it. I don't believe that it is the right thing to do, even if it is your own body. However, this book help me to see the insight of someone who might be considering it. It shows what is in their mind, their heart, their feelings and their beliefs. We can never truly understand anyone but ourselves because we are no one but ourselves. However, these books make it a little easier to understand other people and situations.

There were many times that my faith was tested and pulled a little bit. Some Assembly Required was one of those texts. I believe that if God made you a girl, you were a girl. And if he made you a boy, then you were a boy. That is that. So, naturally, I would not normally pick this book out for myself. I was really uncomfortable reading it at first because of my beliefs. However, a book can do wonders. It did not change my beliefs on the subject, but it did in fact help me to better understand and see a little clearer.

Though these YAL books can be disputed on whether or not they are appropriate for our students, there is one thing that is for certain. These books introduce us to new worlds, new ideas, and new was of life that we might of not ever known of not for the book. These books can change the way we view the world when we read with an open mind. This is the effect that I want my choice of books to have on my students. I don't want my students to walk away with just a new grammar vocabulary list or some new sentence structures. I don't want my students to leave my class with just a general paper with no more thought into it than a text message. I want my students to be challenged. I want them to feel encouraged, changed, inspired, and open. I wanted my students to discover themselves on their own and in their own time. I want my students to feel like I did reading these books. Understanding.

Blog #3 - Is the church and state really separate?

There is a saying that is popular in the school systems and nearby church congregations. Separation of Church and State. This blog is not to criticize any one religion or lack thereof, only to bring awareness of the topic of religion in school, and to exercise my thoughts and wonderings about the topic.
As we are reading these Young Adult Literature books, one thing keeps occurring to me. I was raised in a Christian household. We attending church every Sunday morning and night, on Wednesday nights, and whenever there was a church event; we were there. My parents raised me strongly in the Christian beliefs. As a child I was surrounded by the beliefs that they wanted us to learn, and was sheltered from the worldly things they did not want us to learn. As I grew up, I went through the stage of decided for myself what it was that I believed, or didn't believe. Some of my original black and white decisions became a blurry grey as they became more and more complex the more I found out who I was and what I believed.
I was always raised to love the sinner and hate the sin. That is what my parents taught me, and that is what the Bible said. So that is the way that I lived and am still living. I believe that being transgender is wrong because God said it was wrong. But, that doesn't mean that I will love that student less than the others. That does not mean that I will not treat them with respect and love and encouragement. I believe that suicide is wrong in every corner of what is wrong or right. But that doesn't mean that I will ridicule a student considering it, it doesn't mean that I will treat them any different. I believe that God created everyone in his image, everyone is special and God loves every single one of us. That means that he loves the deformed, the crazy, the insane, the mentally messed up, and every single different race or color of skin. So, why shouldn't we?
So, in reading these books, my internal belief system kicks in. I disagree with a lot of what these books are talking about. But, I understand that these kinds of situations happen in our world. So, here is my question. As teachers, how do we approach controversial topics or books without completely shutting off someone's internal moral compass? The one thing that I was never afraid of as a student was to speak my mind and speak out for my beliefs. Yes, sometimes I was attacked or made fun of. That was not the point. I stood up for what I believed. I loved to debate and argue my point. However, not every student is like me. How do we as teachers, have debates and discussions with our students and make these religious students feel safe enough to speak their mind? Everyone is entitled to their opinions, both religious and non. Furthermore, I believe that the majority of the parents that would have an issue with these books would be the religious parents. So, as teachers, how do we address the controversial topics and make them known to our parents and make them feel comfortable with the books?
These are all questions that each teacher must address in his or her own way. You don't even have to have an answer. This was food for thought, to keep in mind that not everyone has to agree on the same thing. It is possible for people to disagree and not hate each other, to disagree and have deep and conventional conversations with one another. It is important to remember that each student is special in their own way though each one is different in their own way. Even the Bible has been banned from schools just like some of our YAL books. It is important to keep this in mind as we travel the unknown waters of these topics and the books that go along with them.

Reading is not optional....

This is a sign that I have posted in my classroom.  The beginning of the year kids laugh and scoff at this sign, but by the end of the year, my hope is that kids understand the impact of being illiterate.  I thought the survey we had to do for the NYT was kind of hard.  It was hard to think of everything that I've read or looked at to read.  It was really important for me to see that I do read a lot during the day, even if it is just a couple sentences.  I think I will implement something like this for my students to really open their eyes too, and see that reading is not optional.  I think back to my grandpa who quit school after the 8th grade, simply because he hated school and it was legal back then.  The effect this choice has had on his life has been huge.  He constantly told my dad that he had to finish school and that my dad had to go to college.  My grandfather didn't have a bad life, but he always says it would have been so much different if he had finished high school.  The biggest lesson I think he learned was that literacy is important.  My grandpa hated reading which made everything else so hard.  I think if classes were taught like they are now, with student interests in mind, I think the outcome may have been different.  It really gets to me when students say they don't like reading.  My response to them is "you're not reading the right stuff."  I have told so many parents that it doesn't matter what kids read at home, magazines, graphic novels, nonfiction books, articles online, etc, as long as they are actively engaging in reading content.  No matter what kind of job a kid wants to get, or what kind of goals they have in life, students will always need to read.  My biggest hope is that by the end of my class, they see that reading really is not optional, it is something that a person does a million times every day.  

Are we too old for YAL?

Young adult literature is meant for teenagers around 13-19 years old.  If someone my age (30) wants to read something like The Fault In Our Stars do we have to read it behind closed doors so our peers won't see us?  Did you know that according to The Slate Book Review, 28% of YAL sales were purchased by 30-44 year old's?  This tells me that YAL is more popular than ever.  There are even sites for folks in their late twenties to mid-forties who prefer young adult novels over the prestigious award winning novels.

I began to wonder after reading those statistics why YAL has gained so much popularity since the 1990's?  Is it because many of the books are now better written and considered to be great pieces of literature and not just for Young Adult Fiction?  Or do we as adults, still relate to the content that is written.  In my opinion, I enjoy YAL because the content is so real.  I enjoy it because it talks about the taboo subjects that many writings only tip-toe around.  I once read a poem that was three pages long by Earnest Hemingway that I had no idea what it was about.  When we came together as a class to discuss this poem it ended up being about a woman who's lover was trying to convince her to get an abortion.  In my mind I think, "My goodness why didn't you just say that!"  Many scholars feel it takes out the imagination invoking literature to spell it out so bluntly.  I feel this is the exact example of why YAL is so much more popular today.

So is it true, do you need to be a certain age to publicly read YAL or is it acceptable to read it at any age?  If  you feel it is acceptable to read at any age, do you think you might be judged by a group of your peers when asked to describe what you're currently reading?  Are those opinions enough to make us change our minds on what we chose to read for leisure?

Day of Tears by Julius Lester

I loved this book and it was my favorite one that I read throughout our Young Adult Literature course.  It is a true story about the biggest slave auction in history. The largest slave auction was in 1859, where 429 slaves were sold. This was known as the “weeping time.  It’s told from many of the character’s perspectives which makes this book even better. The book is written in dialogue. It’s mainly about Emma a slave girl belonging to Pierce Butler. His wife Fannie treated the slaves well, but divorced him because he didn’t tell her that he was a slave owner.  Emma is their nanny for their two children Sarah and Frances. The story starts out where Emma is told that half of the slaves are going to be sold due to a gambling debt owed by Pierce Butler. The slaves like being with Mr. Butler because he treats them fairly good, and they have worked for him for many years. They are devastated that he is selling them. The slaves are taken to an auction and put into horse stalls to be auctioned off. Pierce Butler is selling men, women, and families. Some of the families end up being torn apart and sold to different people. Emma has been told by her owner that she will not be sold, but he lies to her. Emma is told to come to the auction to watch the children. Emma is sold unexpectedly to Mrs. Penfield from Kentucky who wants her to be a nanny to her daughter. Emma is like Sarah’s Mom and so Sarah is heartbroken and angry at her father for selling her. Frances is quite the opposite of Sarah and is more like her Dad about her beliefs of the slaves. Luckily Joe is sold into the same family as Emma and gets to go with her. Emma and Joe find love and venture to freedom. The Day of Tears is such a good book and I couldn’t put it down once I started reading it. I would recommend it highly.

Discussion Questions

                 1.      What is the author referring to as The Day of Tears?

     2.   Why does Pierce Butler have to sell his slaves?

     3.   What role does Emma play in the story?

    4.     Is this a true story?

Social Media vs. Lit

I just read ch. 12 of Reading Their World: The Young Adult Novel in the Classroom and the main topic of this chapter was TV and YA lit, how prominent TV is within everyday life, integrating it within the curriculum, and how to teach students how to be conscious TV viewers.

I loved this chapter, but my only flaw about it was the lack of mention of social media. This book was published in 2000 and TV was the biggest distraction to adolescents. This was before AIM, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram took over the world and because of that the conversation has completely changed.

Social media has quite genuinely changed the way our students learn and store information and this is a topic I would love to study more about. Due to the internet and the speed it delivers information to adolescents, students want information fast, quick, and in an organized and appealing manor.

Something I want to focus on as a teacher is 'internet literacy'. This idea is quite similar to ideas discussed in chapter 12 of Reading Their World in terms of how they discuss TV but relating to social media. Helping students become aware of their internet interactions, the amount of time they spend on the internet, and who they are on the internet is something that should be done when teaching 'internet literacy'.

Courage and students

After Reading the book for this class period, I really found myself making connections for students in the high school level. There are so many parts of this book that they can relate to. Coming from a poor family, being bullied and beat, only having a few friends, and then having the courage to try out for the Varsity basketball team and making it?! What a great motivational book for one to read. Students nowadays have such a problem with self esteem and self worth. There is so much negativity and so many ways to put students down (each other) via social media. It's so easy to write a negative comment and push send right away...before electronics, we had to think about what we were going to say, which most of the time lead to it being left unsaid or talked out. This resolved the issues of bullying and lack of courage. What is it that sends students to social media to fight back? What sends their parents to social media to stand up for their children? What would we do if we had no social media available? It's important to help students help each other and have that peer partnership.

Sex scences and YAL

As I complete my course on young adult literature I realize how much YAL surrounds us. Unfortunately, I am not speaking of their book versions which are well written, appeal to young adults in theme, and are appropriate for a young adult audience. I am speaking of the sensationalized versions made for television or the big screen.  The main point of contention I have with the sensationalized versions of these wonderful stories is the depiction of sex. Within the confines of the books the scenes that involve sex are tastefully handled and written for young audiences. The sensationalized versions often add to or change the scences depicting sex to make them more graphic and inappropriate for young viewers. Thus, making people take offense to a book in which they may have never read. I  will only speak of a couple in which I have personally read the YAL that the movies or series is based on.

Thirteen Reasons Why

I read this book because of the way the Netflix version made people talk about the book. Unfortunately, I heard the book being talked about negatively when in actuality the people should have been referencing the series on Netflix. The inaccuracies are outrageous:

1. There is never a mention of a cell phone in the book. The rumors and lies about the girl in the book did not start because of a photo the was passed around via cell phone.
2. The series on Netflix addresses the tapes out of order. If one has read the book the importance of the order of the tapes is paramount to the storyline of the book.
3. The rape scene is depicted vividly in the series. Whereas in the book it is only briefly brought to the attention of the reader. The reader doesn’t need a detailed account of the rape. The reader is able to infer what happens from textual clues given in the book.

The White Queen

I watched this series before I ever read the books. The amount of sex in the series is not at all what is depicted in the book. After reading the books I gave them to my teenage daughter to read because never once in the book is sex actually described. It is alluded to, but never graphically described.

YAL does address the issue of sex and sexuality. In all the books I have read in which the characters had sex it is described tastefully and is something I would not be embarrassed to discuss with my daughter as she reads the book. Why then, oh why does “Hollywood” have to take these wonderful stories and make them more explicit for the screen, thus eliminating the viewers the book was originally designed to engage?

I am recently read The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Fault in Our Stars. Both of those have also been made into movies. I have yet to see them and I hope that the story hasn’t been “ruined” by overly graphic sex scenes.

Reading Their World

As my Young Adult Literature class comes to a close I feel a small sense of loss. Although the reading has indeed been rigourous I have immensely enjoyed my time reading a variety of young adult literature titles. I received an email in March with a list of 15 books that we would be reading for the course. The instructions were to read and journal. My first thought was excitement over the reading list my second thought was dread over journaling. My reading experience is to get lost in the story, not journal about it as I lose my train of thought.

The reading. Oh, the excitement! I can simply sit and enjoy a book, get lost in a world that isn't my own, the pure indulgence of reading. Even though the reading has been rigourous and at times something I have found difficult to fit into my day. I have truly enjoyed my reading experience. The one thing I have found through all this reading is that I am extremely fond of young adult literature. There weren't any of the titles that I particularly hated. Some weren't my favorite books to read, but I didn't hate them outright.

Journaling. I have found that I don't mind sitting after a book and putting my thoughts on paper. I have actually thought of adding to my journal while I continue to read young adult literature. The journal gives me a place to remember my thoughts on a book and questions that I may have after reading. I can use this reflection in my classroom to have discussions with students who may chose to read a title I have already read. A journal also lets me keep track of titles I have read myself. This way I know if there are books in my classroom library that I need to read.

I hope to stay current on young adult literature, so I may be better equipped to have meaningful, thought provoking conversations with my students. If I show an interest in reading their world, I hope that they will find the time to read and discuss their world with me.

Discussion Questions

The 911 Report: A Graphic Adaptation by Jacobsen

1. Tell me what you know about what happened on 9/11.  
2. What do you still need answered about what happened?
3. What have you learned prior to reading this novel that is similar/different to what you read about?  
4. What connections can you make from this graphic novel to the reports given?  Can you spot any inconsistencies?  What do they mean?

Go Ask Alice Movie/Book

Recently I reread the book Go Ask Alice by Anonymous. Published in 1971, the book takes the form of a diary of a fifteen year old girl who develops an addiction to drugs. I had read it once when I was a teenager, but I could not remember what happened. After reading, I decided to look the book up and see what I could find out. It claims to be a true story. There is some debate as to whether or not it is completely true, but nobody knows for certain. Then I discovered there was a movie that had been made based on the book. The movie of the same title debuted in 1973.

I watched the movie on YouTube (https://youtu.be/CBxT53r2AlU), and I was honestly disappointed in the movie. I realize the movie was made in 1973, but there were so many inconsistencies. The biggest issue I had was this: in the movie, the parents knew about her issues with drugs, but in the book, her parents were clueless. The most important aspects (drugs, the ending, etc.) were all there. It was also partly told by readings of the diary which made the connection to the book stronger. I do not want to give away any of the details of either of them, but I encourage parents of teens and teens to read the book!

Here is the question I am left with: Does Go Ask Alice glorify drug use or does it show teens the dangers of drug use and abuse?

My question remains unanswered. I personally have never used drugs, so I cannot relate to Alice's addiction. Maybe my decision to not do drugs was partly because I read this book and was fearful. Maybe it was because my parents were open and honest about the consequences of drug use. Maybe it was because of something else. It's hard to say, but I can honestly say that this book scared me even as an adult. It caused me to worry about my daughter when she gets older and to be thankful that I never got into drugs.

Reflections on a story

                                                                            

                                                       Some Assembly Required-The Not So Secret
                                                                    Life of a Transgender Teen
                                                                        By Arin Andrews

I just want to say that after reading this book it has changed my whole understanding of people who are transgender. I would highly recommend it for anyone who is a transgender, or anyone who is thinking of a sex change. I also think it's a great resource for anyone who wants to understand their lives better.  A transgender is a person who identifies with or expresses a gender identity different from the one that they are born with. I never really understood what happened when someone wanted to be a different sex other than what they were born as. This book has opened my eyes and has definitely educated me more on this subject.  Arin explains his story in a memoir and he talks about all of the struggles he has throughout his childhood growing up as a girl, but in a boy's body.I can't imagine how confusing this would be to anyone growing up this way.  The story is definitely an eye opener for everyone. It would especially be a good resource for those who are trying to explain their views to their parents and family. I loved this book, and it is a true story written by the author. It is a reminder that self acceptance sometimes needs to be changed in order to live a happy life. There is in fact "Some Assembly Required."

I don't know where to post discussion questions so I am putting them here...

What do you think Arin's friends were feeling after he did a gender rearrangement? Do you think they were mourning the loss of a friend?

What do you think Katie was feeling when she was 8 to try to take her life so many times?


As a parent, how accepting would you be of a child wanting to be transgender?

Article I Read titled..."What would Mark Twain think of Mr. Donald Trump?!"

I read an article that was suggesting how Mark Twain would feel about our one and only Donald Trump...Most of you know that Mark Twain is best-known for his novels. However, he was also very opinionated on numerous things, including political issues of his day. The article stated that Mark Twain likely would have found Trump a fascinating figure, as he is a showman. I myself have come to the conclusion after reading this article that Mark Twain would find a couple things objectionable about Trump. The article also said that both the way that Trump has lashed out at TV sketches that mock him and the use of the phrase, "enemy of the American people," to describe news organizations that criticize him, would reiterate Twain's feelings that no one was too grand to be mocked. After reading this article, I see Trump and his behaviors in a little bit different way. I think that Trump has a tendency to be irreverent toward basically any and everything. What do you think Twain would have felt about Trump? Do they have any common grounds? 

How to Help LGBT Students Every Single Day

After reading our books for this week, Some Assembly Required and Rethinking Normal, I had this new inside look into the minds of transgender teens that I had never experienced before. My eyes were opened to a new world, new feelings, and a new type of person (to me, anyway). LBGT people have been around since the dawn of man, but only in recent decades have LGBT people gained basic human rights and recognition. 

If these books showed me anything, it is that what these transgender teens go through is incomparable nearly other internal adolescent struggle. To constantly question ones identity, to think of ones body as merely a physical attribution and not something beautiful, to want out of your own skin. These are all things transgender teens go through due to the fact they feel they cannot fully express themselves due to the pressures and bias' of today's world. Though gay and lesbian have become much more accepted and encouraged in our society, transgender can, for some reason, still be a touchy and unclear subject. 

As I read these books I kept finding myself thinking about how I would help students like the ones in our books. How could I help them even without directly addressing the situation? Then it came to me, books like these. Not only could these books help transgender adolescents, out or not, but it can also help any other person of any other sexuality. 'Transgender' can be a word that brings confusion and lack of clarity, but books like these help teenagers see inside their world and understand exactly what they go through, what their situation entails, and life is like as a transgender teen. Along with these books, positive discussion of acceptance is something that should be happening within the classroom. As a teacher, it is a job to demonstrate and teach empathy to students. Always teaching love and acceptance. 

When you only look at the darkness you miss seeing the light

When a new list of banned books comes out it is almost certain there will be multiple YAL books on it.  A big controversy over young adult lit is that it covers many "dark" areas.  The content includes rape, drugs, suicide, sex etc.  These are the areas where many say it is simply inappropriate to have on a school's library shelf.  So why are these books so popular with the age group it's intended for if they are so dark? 

The biggest point is that these books hit the intended audience right were they are at.  Teenagers can spot folks being fake and phony immediately.  So if an author tries to beat around the bush with a subject they will know immediately.  Why not just say it?  These are the things that teenagers are dealing with on a sometimes daily basis.  YAL is dark at times but that is how real life is.  These books might give more comfort than pain to those who are dealing with these issues.  They might receive the message that they are not alone in their fight.  It's human nature to feel comforted knowing we are not the only ones who struggle with a certain issue. 

If we as educators only take a look at the darkness presented in these books we might be removing the potential positive impact these books could have on their readers.  I think of the book, Some Assembly Required, and how the brave story of Arin has the chance to inspire others like him.  If this book is banned in school libraries due to the content, it loses it's value to the world.  I am sure Arin would have benefited greatly from having a book like this when he was younger to relate to.  I question the folks who sit on the boards and ban these books and wonder if they have lost touch with their adolescent self. 

How far does content go...?

As my team and I sat down to discuss revamping the freshman English curriculum, we looked at so many novels.  The first two we looked at adding were "The Color Purple" and "The Bluest Eye".  I think these novels are very good for young adults.  They are very interesting and have very similar themes that can be discussed as a teen grows up.  As we continued talking about the books, we decided that the content might not be fully appropriate for the freshman age group since both of these novels heavily discuss the topic of rape.   We looked at the novels "Speak", "To Kill a Mockingbird", and "The Kite Runner".  These novels also all seemed to revolve around the issue of rape.  A colleague made the comment, "Can we find a novel that doesn't involve rape?"  This seems true to some extent.  How can novels that are deemed "Excellent" and are popular almost always involve sex, drugs, lies, and hardships?  Could it be that these are the issues that our teens and young adults are facing?  I feel that there are many more issues that are not being discussed because there isn't a real way to open up the dialogue.  If we look at the content in young adult novels, there will always be something that could be considered "inappropriate" for an age group.  At what point do you overlook that one piece, and focus on the novel as a whole?  At what point do you put the literary genius of a novel ahead of the content that "could offend"?


As the discussion about new novels to be infused in the curriculum continued, we looked at more novels.  More seemed to have some point in the book that could be questioned as fully appropriate for the age range of the students.  We decided that the small pieces of "inappropriate content" could be overlooked because the intention of the literary work was greater.  My team is going to incorporate "The Lovely Bones" novel.  This book is very good and highly regarded with awards.  Although, still discussing the rape of a young girl, the unique perspective of the main character, and the afterthought when the main character is dead, are important to bring up with freshman.  The biggest part that we want to incorporate into this novel is suicide/death awareness.  It is important for students to see what happens, or could happen after they are gone.  There is hardship and there are tough times.

We are also going to include The Chocolate War, Freakanomics, A Raisin in the Sun, and possibly one other novel into the current curriculum.  I am hopeful that we will reach all of the novels and get the in-depth study that the teachers would like, but I am also realistic and know that I will have to meet the students where they are at and push them forward, so the curriculum has to be flexible.

What do other schools teach?  I've reached out to some close by, but the same, mainstream novels keep coming up.  What would you infuse into your curriculum, and how would you make the presentation to your administration?

Looking For Inspiration?

Through years of learning, studying, late nights, early mornings, meetings, homework, and jobs, we tend to sometimes lose sight of what we are working towards in the first place. I am the same way, I have wanted to give up so many times, wondered if teaching will be worth it all. When I need an inspiration boost to remember why I want to be a teacher in the first place, I think about the difference I could make, the teachers that made a difference in my life, and the future students I will have that will need me as much as I need them.

My second book review was on the book, "The Freedom Writers Diary" by Erin Gruwell and her at-risk English students. I love this book in particular because Erin Gruwell is the model of the teacher that I hope to one day be. She is my hero, my role model, my inspiration. After the book was written, the award winning film debuted and captured the hearts of every teacher. Erin Gruwell wanted to make a difference, and she used her teaching abilities and talents to do that. She used the diversity in her classroom, a class of misfits that no one else even took the time to think about, and made them into an example that will set high expectations for teachers all over the world for years to come.

The story is about Erin Gruwell, a fresh new teacher with high expectations and loads of motivation. She is placed to teach a freshman at-risk English class full of culturally and ethnically diverse inner city students. These students all belong to some kind of gang or clique, and for no reason but that, they all hate each other. One day during class, Erin intercepts a crude drawing of one of the students in the class, drawn by another student. She introduces the class to the topic of the Holocaust. None of the students, aside from one, knew what the Holocaust even was. She used this momentum to catch their interest by relating it to their lives. She introduced them to "The Diary of Anne Frank" which could relate to the students' lives. She had them create journal entries everyday. The students told their stories through these entries. They named themselves the Freedom Writers, a named credited to the Freedom Riders after they learned about them in class.

Erin Gruwell put her heart and soul into teaching and loving those students. She took on three jobs to pay for the books and trips herself. She spent countless hours with them, helping them, talking them on field trips. Her fellow teachers despised her and what she was trying to accomplish. Her marriage failed because of her dedication to the classroom. Was it worth it? Yes. She loved her students and her students loved her. All 150 students graduated from high school, some even going to college, the first in their family. She made a difference in those students' lives that mattered. She changed the world one student at a time. That is the kind of teacher I want to be. So, if you ever find yourself doubting the worth of your hard word, time, and effort, read this book. Watch this movie. And there will be no doubt in your mind the wonders you will accomplish.

Reigniting the flame

I often wonder where and how do teens lose their love of reading.  It seems to me that children are used to sitting at the carpets with their teachers listening to them read as early learners.  As they grow older the are taught how to read themselves.  When a child reads their first book it is a huge milestone for their confidence, like tying their own shoes!  After the celebratory time has worn off from the first book they move to more and more complex literature.  Then reading becomes a "have to" instead of a "want to."  Did we as educators (and future educators) become responsible for that shift? 

I know this is my exact personal story.  Until, YAL was brought to my attention.  Suddenly I find myself years later, WANTING to read.  I get excited to read.  Why?  I felt it was a direct correlation with the content in YAL.  Let's face it; sex, drugs, murder, mystery, and other social issues captures the most attention on television/movies.  Maybe this is why the flame has been reignited for me.  Maybe it is the maturation of my brain that allows me to comprehend better. 

How can we as future and current educators ensure that the flame for reading is never lost?  Is YAL the key to this question?

High School Kids vs Novel

I believe that high school students have a hard time engaging in a class such as Novel. This year, I taught Novel to kids in eleventh and twelfth grade. This was a crazy journey for me, and was very new. The students came in to the class, not liking to read, and thinking it was an easy credit. Well, this to me was a challenge I'd like to accept. I decided to think like I was a high school student. What kinds of books interest me? What kinds of books can teach a lesson that they can relate to in real life? I dove in to the world of YAL, and searched for books with meanings. The first book I chose for them was Divergent. This book was one of many that students could relate to as far as what faction or "social" group they belonged to. I went through the novel study with them, and they were engaged the WHOLE time! We went and watched the movie and then did a compare and contrast assignment. This was a great book. I think that the kids had a whole new perspective of the class after reading this book, and completing the activities that were hands on that I provided for them. I'm excited for next year!

Intellectual Freedom and Students Right to Read

As a future educator I believe in students intellectual freedom and their right to read. According to the American Library Association, "Intellectual freedom is the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored" (ALA). Whereas, the National Children's Book and literary Alliance states, "The NCBLA believes that every person has the right to read. In a free society, this includes the right to choose what one shall read" (NCBLA). How do I stay true to intellectual freedom and students right to read while developing a classroom library?

Young adult literature is complex literature. The issues addressed are real issues that young adults face in their live. Recently, I have read YAL books about bullycide, torture, sex trafficking, war and genocide. These issues are real world issues that affect the lives of the young adults around us. Every last one of these stories were emotional and heartbreaking, but very good. The complexity of issues within YAL makes the decision to include a text in a classroom library or not a complex decision.

The first resource an educator can turn to in determining a book's rightful place is the school librarian. The librarian is well versed in books and issues that may surround books.. They know how to access the banned and challenged book lists easily. They also are able to find out information on why a book may be challenged or not. Their job is to choose books that will enrich the lives of students.

Another way an educator can determine is a book should be in their classroom library is to actually read the book. Reading YAL is usually a quick read and it gives the educator a real appreciation for the book. After reading the book, write your own review of the book and keep it. This serves two purposes: first you will always remember what the book is about because you have a review written in your words, second your students can use your review to help them choose a book. The review can also help remind you if there is something in the book that may require further discussion with your students.

I plan on continuing to read current, popular YAL literature and developing my review binder. I will be able to look at books that students have checked out, read my review of the book and know what I would like to discuss with the student. I will have a brief check in process where we discuss the book briefly. This lets me address any issue such a suicide the book may bring up and it lets the student know I am invested in their reading. I also want to encourage students intellectual freedom and right to read. I don't want my classroom to be a place of cencorship, I want it to be a place where intellectual discussion happen.

Pairing Young Adult Literature books with the Classics

After reading chapter 3 in the book titled "Reading Their World, The Young Adult Novel in the Classroom written by Virginia R. Monseau and Gary M. Salvner.  I now understand why the pairing of Young Adult Literature and the Classics is beneficial to students. One of the reasons is because they are related to their everyday life through the themes that are associated with them. When paired with a Young Adult book the Classics can become more understandable and they can relate to them better. I just read "Romeo and Juliet" and paired it with "The Fault in our stars". Basically the themes in these two books are similar and relate to love and death. The books also are equal because they both have tragic episodes in them. They both contain love, hate, violence, and uncertainty as well as death. By comparing the two it helps students to understand and relate to the Classics as well as to the Young Adult Literature. Young Adult Literature also contains relevant characters, settings, situations, and genres that students can connect to even more. As a student when I was in High School understanding the Classics was sometimes a struggle. Don't get me wrong I love the Classics, but sometimes we ended up staging plays of them because of their complexity. I can see where this method will help our students immensely.  After learning about this new and improved way that they are being taught in our schools I'm so excited to try it out.  

Helping Students Find the Right Book

Something I often fear is that I won't have a large enough span of genre in my classroom book collection. If there is one thing I've learned over my education is that exposing students to various genres can be very beneficial to their learning. Not only exposure to different genres, but books within those genres that are going to keep the reader engaged and wanting more.

Every young reader is different and I want to talk about some things that can help a teacher be their best at helping students find the perfect books for them. Showing a science-fiction lover non-fiction could open their eyes to a new world of literature. Showing a poetry lover short stories written in verse could spark their interest into many new genres.

I hope to be that teacher that can know a student so well that when they are looking for a new book, I will know exactly how to keep their interest sparked with a book that is perfect for them. I think that is a big factor in finding the perfect book for your student to read. To speed up this process, doing interest survey's at the beginning of the year can be very helpful.

Something else that I think is super important when helping a student start a new book is to let them know that if they are absolutely not getting into the book after page 40, drop it! Let's find a new one! Sometimes books just don't click and thats OK, that happens to readers of all ages and levels.

Make an effort to talk about new books with your students! It wouldn't take more than 30 seconds to bring a new YA discovery of yours to class, hold it up for the students to see or hand it around, give a little synopsis, and let them know its available for any of them to check out!

Supporting All Students

Last night I began reading Some Assembly Required: The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgender Teen by Arin Andrews. I am struggling to put it down. I have been moved to tears, have laughed and cried alongside Arin, and though I cannot personally understand everything he suffered, I support him and those like him. I fully support human rights, including the right to choose who we are and who we love. However, I had not ever fully considered what it means to be transgendered. I knew what it was, but I did not understand how it felt on such a deep, unfiltered level. This is a great read for anyone who is curious about transgendered individuals and is a great way to start a conversation and create a deeper understanding. Because of sexual content, I would recommend this book for older students. With that being said, let's take a moment to consider how this might impact our classrooms.

Does gender or sexual identity really matter in relation to how a person should be treated? In my opinion, no. Every being on earth deserves love, respect, support, dignity, and compassion. Do I care whether an individual is a male, female, transgender, or other? Not a bit. Do I care who anyone else loves? Nope. I will welcome each and every individual into my classroom with a smile and open arms. In today's society, this is such a hot topic, but I still have not figured out why. Why, as a society, are we so hooked on classifying and labeling? While this question will more than likely never be answered, it's an important question. As educators, it is not our job to educate our students on sexuality, but it is our job to teach and support all students regardless of gender, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, disability, etc.

So, how do we support all students? Simple. By providing an atmosphere for all students that is loving. Caring. Supportive. Understanding. Empathetic. Safe. Equal. Inclusive. Safe. LGBT Best Practices has great resources on supporting students in the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community. Some of the highlights include creating a safe and positive environment, knowing and following the anti-bullying policies, take training to deal with bullying, avoid religion/religious topics in the classroom (much easier in public schools than religious private schools), be present in areas that are known to be areas for bullying such as hallways and lunchrooms, and take confidentiality seriously. While I understand that many people feel strongly one way or the other, especially when religion is concerned, school should be a safe place for all students regardless if you agree with the way they live their lives. These are simple solutions to help all students, not just LGBT. Even providing literature that makes all students feel heard and included would be beneficial. Though Arin's book may be intended for older audiences, there are books for younger readers (A great list: LGBT Positive Children's Books). Resources are out there, we just need to care enough to find them.

While I understand that not every person will be an ally as I am for the LGBT community, I refuse to sit by and watch students like Arin suffer through life. I will fly my rainbow flag for as long as it takes for all to have equality and for all to feel safe in their skin wherever they may be. I urge you to do the same. 

Graphic Novels...New or Old Genre?

Sometimes I feel like graphic novels are pushed aside because they can be seen as just "picture books".  I think that teachers, including myself, sometimes look down upon them as whole genre because they aren't like the classics, and they aren't like the "real" literature that students need.  This class is changing my views.  Last year I had a student find a complete series of graphic novels and was reading them religiously.  His scores improved by 44 percentile points simply because he was engaging in literature and reading.  I did not discuss these stories with him in class because we were working through novels and classic literature and writing.  It is amazing what can be triggered by the brain in graphic novels.

I will admit, when I saw the graphic novels on the syllabus, I was not excited.  I have never really gotten into graphic novels.  I do know that several students read them, regardless of their age.  Are these graphic novels a new approach to teaching literacy?  I don't think so.  I believe that the early stages of comic books and "funnies" led the way to more in depth literature with the use of picture elements.  One of my biggest revelations while reading Hugo Cabret was that the pictures really add more to the story.  Sometimes when I think about graphic novels and pictures, I think that the pictures can take away from the words and what the author is trying to get across.  My thinking there cannot be more wrong.  I think the pictures actually add to what the author is trying to say.  It seems silly to reveal that, but my exposure to graphic novels was limited.  I still do not have a good grasp on good graphic novels to recommend, but I will be opening my searches up and not dismissing a book simply because it is a graphic novel.  I am still unsure of how a graphic novel could fit in the curriculum, but that will also be one of my continuing plans for changing my teaching.

A rare indulgence... a day to simply read.

A day to simply read. This feels so indulgent. I finished my book, By the Time You Read This, I'll be Dead by Julie Anne Peters. It was intriguing. Sad, very sad. I was bullied in school so the book was touching in that way. I have also had body issues most of my life, so the book spoke to me on that level as well. The book is about bullycide, being bullied to the point of suicide. I couldn't put the book down and now I am in that after reading glow. It was a great book a very honest look into the mind of a person who has been pushed too far. 

Bullied horrifically because she was overweight Daelyn feels as if she has no other alternative. She attempts suicide. There is a name for that phenomenon, it is called bullycide. Daelyn doesn’t call them suicide attempts she calls them failures. She has finally gained a fraction of her parents trust and they give her a computer, complete with all the latest spyware so they know exactly what she is doing online. Daelyn finds a private website to aid completers, people who are successful in suicide. This story is about her journey on this website. The steps she takes to clear out her life and end it. Daelyn prepares for everything as she takes her journey, everything expect for people befriending her. Daelyn has never had friends and suddenly on her end journey there are two influential characters who befriend her even though Dealyn tries her hardest to avoid the friendship. This story is her journey.

I truly enjoyed the story. It is a story of hope. As a parent it was a difficult story to read. Daelyn’s parents love her, want the best for her, rearrange their lives over and over again for her. Yet, she doesn’t see or feel their love. Parents do all they can for their children and in some cases it is never enough. Daelyn was horribly bullied and even attacked while in school. She was never truthful with her mother how extensive the bullying or even the attack was. Her parents could do nothing to help her without full knowledge of what was going on. The bullying got so severe Daelyn tries to kill herself multiple times. I felt terrible for her helpless parents.

The part of the story that I had an issue with. The part that hurt. Was that Santana and Emily befriend Daelyn. I understand the crucial role they play in the story. The characters are necessary for the story to end the way it does. Throughout the story we find that Daelyn was obese, not just overweight, but obese. Her mother makes her try every fad out there to lose weight, her parents even send her to fat camp. It isn’t until the failed suicide attempts that she loses weight. Now she is just a “freak” with a neck brace who can’t speak because she damaged her throat in her most recent suicide attempt. So now that she is not obese she has a love interest and a friend. That one little detail makes me sad. Yet, there is truth in that detail. Women are taught that their bodies are objects to be admired and who admires a fat body. This book just perpetrates that stereotype people would rather love a skinnier freak than an overweight normal girl. It is sad, but it is the truth that women grow up knowing.

Are Some YA Novels Too Much?

I've been an avid Young Adult Lit reader all my life. I immersed myself within that section of the book store the second my mom gave me the OK as a young child and years later I still love the quick, easy, yet very compelling read that a YA novel gives. While hundreds upon hundreds of Young Adult Novels offer solid plot lines with admirable characters, good lessons, and happy endings, I've found that there are some YA novels that land on the other end of that spectrum. Because of that I come back to a very often repeated question when reading these type of books: are some young adult novels too much?

By 'too much' I mean too suggestive, too provocative, too negative, too depressing, too revealing. I have 8 weeks of student teaching coming up with an 8th grade E/LA teacher and now that I have a specific age in my head in terms of planning, lots of the books raise questions in terms of 'appropriateness'.

There are two different sides I hold it terms of this dilemma. My first, slightly stronger side, is the teacher and adult in me. My second side is the YA-crazed adolescent I used to be. I've read so many YA novels I don't think I could recall every single one if I tried but I do remember the ones that were more risqué then not. While they didn't make any life changing impacts upon me and my development, they opened my eyes to the world of many controversial topics such as cutting, suicide, sex, rape, abuse, STD's, drug and alcohol abuse, and crime. Topics I absolutely think my parents would want to know about if they were coming up in my reading, as would many parents. Who am I to say how a book will effect one student vs. another? What if I gave a student By the Time You Read This I'll Be Dead and it inspired them deeper into their strategy for suicide rather than giving them an inspiration to find a way out of their depression? What if I gave a 13 year old Go Ask Alice and it furthered her curiosity into drugs and self harm? These are truly some of my biggest fears as a teacher and educator.

As a teacher is it my place to make available these types of books on my free-reading shelves? That can't be answered with a simple yes or no. If I did decide to keep a larger range of material in my classroom I think my first step in securing the safety of my young readers is to require parental consent when a book may raise moral question or touch on controversial topics. Asking them to check the book out themselves, read the synopsis, check reviews, and decide whether thats something they are OK with letting their child read would be my first step. Along with parental consent, having a small conversation with the student upon giving them the book to let them know about the controversial topics within is a good idea. Also, making it known to the student that you are there to discuss with them and answer any questions they might have is required to keep an open line of communication.

Young Adult Literature with high school students

     Teaching high school students by using YAL can be very difficult at times. There are those students who don't want to come in to read, but would rather be the class clown. Then there are those who love to read, and signed up for the course to continue doing what they love. Lastly, there are those students who like to read, but prefer to have an audio version of the book and a self decided timeline of assignment dates. How is it possible to engage every single student from the 26 students enrolled?
      When I started teaching, I wanted to try having all students reading at the same speed as far as pages assigned and assignments. I printed off a calendar to help students to be organized and stay on track. I offered audio and visual copies of the books that I had decided to teach from. I also brought in ideas and such from staff, trying to get their input on what they felt students would want from the course.
      I felt that I had the course in working order, and continued each day by conferencing individually with each student to check their status and comprehension. It is then when I realized, there were a number of students who hated the book we were reading as a class. There were also students who could not find time to read outside of class, as they were involved in athletics, worked, or another extracurricular activity. Much to my surprise, I also had those students who opened up to me and said that they didn't have support at home. Their parents didn't think a class should be taken that just revolved around reading...what were they learning?
     This lit a flame under my rear. I decided to explore many books in YAL that would be better to use in my class. I had the thought in mind to remember, how can a student relate to this book, character, event, etc.? Once I started digging deeper into YAL, I realized just how important it is to students and their lives. YAL offers students an opportunity to become a whole new person while reading, it influences them to make their lives better, it is a way that they can relate to issues that they may feel are only happening to them and not others.
      I also decided to get the parents involved. I started sending home books of the month news letters. I filled out what the book had to offer, summarized the book, themes in the book, and what students could do to relate to the book. I also offered comprehension questions that students could do with their parents following reading. You would not believe the response I had to this! The parents were then seeing through my eyes the importance of YAL. They were actually supporting their student in my course.
     With a little bit of feedback, and one on one conferencing, I tweaked my curriculum and book choices, which then increased my student grades and engagement! YAL was a lifesaver, I just needed to find a way to allow others to relate to it like myself.