As the semester draws to a close, I am beginning to realize all that I have learned throughout this semester.
I find myself constantly thinking about what we have talked about in class. As I watch tv, I think about what stereotypes may or may not be present, i think about what the tv show or movie might imply.
The books that we have read are definitely books that i would like to keep in my classroom library. my biggest complaint that i had with the first lit class was that it didn't touch upon books for older children, except in our text sets. i was happy to have the opportunity to develop more of a classroom library for my future students.
i don't think i will teach lower elementary, so it was important for me that i was exposed to diverse literature for older elementary or middle school classrooms.
i am really happy that i had this opportunity, and i really feel as though i have developed a lot during this semester. thanks val. :-)
09 December 2007
03 December 2007
Review of an article in the Horn Book Magazine regarding Uncle Jed's Barbershop
Another article I found regarding a book in my text set can be found on Proquest...
Here is the information
Picture books - Uncle Jed's Barbershop by Margaree King Mitc
The Horn Book Magazine. Boston: Nov 1993. Vol. 69, Iss. 6; p. 737 (2 pages)
This review, disappointingly, was an unchallenging one to the text. Although it did bring up the high points of the book, i was disappointed that, once again, no problems were found from the readings of this book. The review mentioned that it leaves the reader on a positive note, focusing on the importance of striving to reach one's dreams and goals. I found this to be poignant because i felt that this was almost a weak point in the book, making it still seem unrealistic and way too optimistic for real life. I felt that each time Uncle Jed was faced with a problem, we was portrayed as non-reacting and as a person who just moved on after any hardship. This book could have been stronger had difficulties been more elaborated upon.
I found it interesting that it was so difficult to find a critical review of a book which won the Coretta Scott King award. However, i wonder if the reason why it was so difficult was that the book did win awards.
Here is the information
Picture books - Uncle Jed's Barbershop by Margaree King Mitc
The Horn Book Magazine. Boston: Nov 1993. Vol. 69, Iss. 6; p. 737 (2 pages)
This review, disappointingly, was an unchallenging one to the text. Although it did bring up the high points of the book, i was disappointed that, once again, no problems were found from the readings of this book. The review mentioned that it leaves the reader on a positive note, focusing on the importance of striving to reach one's dreams and goals. I found this to be poignant because i felt that this was almost a weak point in the book, making it still seem unrealistic and way too optimistic for real life. I felt that each time Uncle Jed was faced with a problem, we was portrayed as non-reacting and as a person who just moved on after any hardship. This book could have been stronger had difficulties been more elaborated upon.
I found it interesting that it was so difficult to find a critical review of a book which won the Coretta Scott King award. However, i wonder if the reason why it was so difficult was that the book did win awards.
New York Times Article: A Normal Family
The artilce/ editorial can be found here: http://relativechoices.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/02/a-normal-family/index.html?ref=opinion
I was surprised that, in this class, the topic of adoption was never brought up. Today, again going through the Times Online, I found that there was an article dealing with the topic of 'adoption' as part of a 'normal' family.
The editorial focused on the reactions an adoptive mother witnessed/experienced. I was disappointed to see that this is still happening. The mother wrote, "that adoption is becoming normal. Or least more normalized".
I think that we as teachers have a job to do. We need to make all families viewed by our students as 'normal'. It isnt 'weird' that someone is adopted. It is just a fact of life.
I wish we would have touched on books which go under the category o f adopotion. this could have fallen under any other week, and i wish it would have.
I was surprised that, in this class, the topic of adoption was never brought up. Today, again going through the Times Online, I found that there was an article dealing with the topic of 'adoption' as part of a 'normal' family.
The editorial focused on the reactions an adoptive mother witnessed/experienced. I was disappointed to see that this is still happening. The mother wrote, "that adoption is becoming normal. Or least more normalized".
I think that we as teachers have a job to do. We need to make all families viewed by our students as 'normal'. It isnt 'weird' that someone is adopted. It is just a fact of life.
I wish we would have touched on books which go under the category o f adopotion. this could have fallen under any other week, and i wish it would have.
Article in the New York Times: Argentina as a Beacon for Gay Tourists
As I was surfing through today's New York Times online edition, I stumbled across an article describing Argentina as a location that is a 'beacon for gay tourists'. As i was going through this article, i found it really interesting how far the U.S. often seems to be that different from other parts of the world, specifically Argentina.
The article explained that in the 80s, someone could be arrested in Argentina for being openly gay. However, "In 1992 President Carlos Menem signed a decree promising equal legal protection for gay men and women.", and "Five years ago this was the first major Latin American city to legalize same-sex unions". This tends to be a hot topic in our political spectrum today (which is disappointing in and of itself), and to see that a country that isn't one of the "major players" in the world scene is going above and beyond us in this aspect gives me hope.
Although it is not picture perfect, as the article indicates as well, at least the government is making efforts to have all people accepted as 'equal'.
I encourage everyone to check out this article by Alexei Barrionuevo at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/03/world/americas/03argentina.html?_r=1&ref=world&oref=slogin
The article explained that in the 80s, someone could be arrested in Argentina for being openly gay. However, "In 1992 President Carlos Menem signed a decree promising equal legal protection for gay men and women.", and "Five years ago this was the first major Latin American city to legalize same-sex unions". This tends to be a hot topic in our political spectrum today (which is disappointing in and of itself), and to see that a country that isn't one of the "major players" in the world scene is going above and beyond us in this aspect gives me hope.
Although it is not picture perfect, as the article indicates as well, at least the government is making efforts to have all people accepted as 'equal'.
I encourage everyone to check out this article by Alexei Barrionuevo at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/03/world/americas/03argentina.html?_r=1&ref=world&oref=slogin
02 December 2007
Reflection on Text Set as a Whole
Although I bought/found six books that I liked under the topic of African-American lit. The three books i chose to review all had an interesting theme of 'hair'. the other three books all dealt with segregation // desegregation. Hopefully by the end of next week, I will have a few more reviews written regarding those books.
I really enjoyed the books that i found. the first time i went to Everybody Reads, I didnt have a decided topic for this assignment. When I went in the second time, I thought my topic was going to fall into 'Asian American Lit' or 'English Language Learners' because I had already found a book entitled, I Hate English, which was a charming book about the struggles an English Language Learner might have.
However, while looking at the various sections, i decided that I really liked a few of the books on African-American lit. I thought it was interesting that overwhelmingly, the major issues of those books were self-identity, community, and segregation//desegregation. One of the most powerful books i bought was From Slave Ship to Freedom Road, which was a book that posed questions to the readers, required imagination, and seemed as though it might be used as an authentic activity in social studies. The major problem that i saw with putting that book in my classroom library is that it printed the n word in it. This offended and disappointed me. I was disappointed mostly because it made the whole book difficult to put in a classroom library (i'm still trying to come up with a way i would be able to include it anyway; I was thinking white-out or something like that).
I also thought it was nice to be able to 'book talk' these books with my mom. My mother, as mentioned before, is a speech therapist/special education teacher. We talk at length about my future classroom, and being able to talk about various books with her was very powerful. This assignment gave me the springboard and the freedom to be able to do that.
I really enjoyed trying to find books under any category, really, especially because over Thanksgiving, I was in search of anything at Borders, and it was just incredibly overwhelming (I found I liked the set up of Everybody Reads a lot more than other book stores).
All in all, i thought that this was an incredibly beneficial assignment. It helped to expand my classroom library, and it helped me to think more deeply about the books i am choosing to purchase for my own classroom library.
I really enjoyed the books that i found. the first time i went to Everybody Reads, I didnt have a decided topic for this assignment. When I went in the second time, I thought my topic was going to fall into 'Asian American Lit' or 'English Language Learners' because I had already found a book entitled, I Hate English, which was a charming book about the struggles an English Language Learner might have.
However, while looking at the various sections, i decided that I really liked a few of the books on African-American lit. I thought it was interesting that overwhelmingly, the major issues of those books were self-identity, community, and segregation//desegregation. One of the most powerful books i bought was From Slave Ship to Freedom Road, which was a book that posed questions to the readers, required imagination, and seemed as though it might be used as an authentic activity in social studies. The major problem that i saw with putting that book in my classroom library is that it printed the n word in it. This offended and disappointed me. I was disappointed mostly because it made the whole book difficult to put in a classroom library (i'm still trying to come up with a way i would be able to include it anyway; I was thinking white-out or something like that).
I also thought it was nice to be able to 'book talk' these books with my mom. My mother, as mentioned before, is a speech therapist/special education teacher. We talk at length about my future classroom, and being able to talk about various books with her was very powerful. This assignment gave me the springboard and the freedom to be able to do that.
I really enjoyed trying to find books under any category, really, especially because over Thanksgiving, I was in search of anything at Borders, and it was just incredibly overwhelming (I found I liked the set up of Everybody Reads a lot more than other book stores).
All in all, i thought that this was an incredibly beneficial assignment. It helped to expand my classroom library, and it helped me to think more deeply about the books i am choosing to purchase for my own classroom library.
Review of a Professional Resource
The resource I found which I liked the most, is a sort of 'dogpile' of reviews from various publications. The site is called Kid's Catalogue Web [http://martsubhub.lib.wv.us:8000/kcweb/kcHome].
I was able to look at reviews for all of my books, but the one set of reviews I would like to focus on is the set on I love my hair by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley.
I was glad to see that i was on the same track as the reviewers, specifically those from Booklist, School Library Journal and Publishers' Weekly.
Perhaps the most poigniant part of the review from School Library Journal is the following excerpt, "Pictures and text reflect the expanding horizons of the child's world as she learns to be proud of her distinctive hair and her heritage."
This was one of the main reasons why I selected this book, and I am glad that it was mentioned in this review.
this review also brings up the similarities to a book we mentioned in class, Nappy Hair.
It also mentions that it is a great book about self- acceptance.
I was really disappointed that none of the reviews I read about any of the books I have selected brought up anything I didn't think of while reading my books. This disappointed me, specifically because I wanted to know what issues might have been brought up by various aspects of the texts that I didn't already catch on to.
I think it is important to bring up various points of view when considering children's literature, and I wish I could have found a range of opinions for any of the books I had chosen.
I was able to look at reviews for all of my books, but the one set of reviews I would like to focus on is the set on I love my hair by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley.
I was glad to see that i was on the same track as the reviewers, specifically those from Booklist, School Library Journal and Publishers' Weekly.
Perhaps the most poigniant part of the review from School Library Journal is the following excerpt, "Pictures and text reflect the expanding horizons of the child's world as she learns to be proud of her distinctive hair and her heritage."
This was one of the main reasons why I selected this book, and I am glad that it was mentioned in this review.
this review also brings up the similarities to a book we mentioned in class, Nappy Hair.
It also mentions that it is a great book about self- acceptance.
I was really disappointed that none of the reviews I read about any of the books I have selected brought up anything I didn't think of while reading my books. This disappointed me, specifically because I wanted to know what issues might have been brought up by various aspects of the texts that I didn't already catch on to.
I think it is important to bring up various points of view when considering children's literature, and I wish I could have found a range of opinions for any of the books I had chosen.
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