Text Set

I did my text set on Native Americans, as I am teaching a summer program this year with one of the themes on this topic. As it is only a one week theme with 1st-5th graders I needed to find a large number of books that are for different leveled readers. One thing I did not include in my text set was fiction chapter books. I had checked out & read a few, but I will not really be able to read them... it would be a time issue.

Some of the activites we are doing consist of: reading various picture books from tribes all over America, creating totem poles, dream catchers, making are own stories as to why something is the way it is... and any other ideas and activies that interest the kids around Native Americans.

One Author I rediscovered was Paul Goble, who writes many orgin stories on the Great Plains Native Americans. His books are filled with great pictures as well as authentic stories from the Great Plains Native Americans. I also found great non-fiction books on many tribes wtih great photographs of people, trible grounds, artifacts, and much more.

I am excited to share all these great books with my class, and hope they will love teh books as much as I have!

Vacation

I will be in South Dakota for the next two weeks. I will look at my blog while there, but it will be after the weekend.

Thanks & good luck on your text sets!

AA

Freedom Writers... Junior & Senior Year

"When I was born, the doctor must have stamped "National Spokesperson for Plight of the Black People" on my forehead; a stamp visible only to my teachers. The majority of my teachers treat me as if I, and I alone, hold the answers to the mysterious creatures that African Americans are; like I'm Rosetta Stone of black people" (p. 112).

I've quoted this part from Diary entry 54 on page 112 because this is something I see teachers doing a lot of. Just because someone is of a certain race or nationality does not mean they know everything about it or that they even want to share with the group. Couple of examples come to mind:

1. When I was a teachers assistant a few years back, I was helping get ready for a Cinco De Mayo celebration. I was stuffing pinatas with a few other teachers, when one teacher said, "Man, I can't figure out how to get this pinata open... wheres the Mexican kids when ya need um." Other teachers started laughing. I was shocked & left the room. I could not believe someone would say this. So according to this teacher, every Mexican knows how to stuff a pinata?

2. At the same school, I was on a birthday committee. The month I had happen to have a women from Brazil in it. The note in my box from the person in charge of the month said, "in honor of_____, lets have a Mexican theme." I asked the teacher in charge, "oh does she like Mexican food?" She said, "She's from Mexico." "Well no", I say, "she is from Brazil". I think the other teacher got it then, and felt really stupid.

3. In a college class I had at Pacific University we had a guess speaker one night. The lady was talking about diversity. We had a very diverse group in our class (about 1/2 was from a different country). She looked at one man who said he felt stupid sometimes at schools because he didn't understand parts of speech. the speaker said, "Why because you speak Spanish?" Well he is from Indonesia... boy did she turn 3 shades of red!

The point of me sharing this is that just because someone appears to be from particular culture does not mean they are or that they know everything about that culture. The only thing that person can tell you for sure is about their family and traditions. After all, because I'm American does that mean I have the same beliefs, values, and traditions as every American... & I'm not a spokes person!!!

The Freedom Writers have really helped me to understand what many teenagers go through in inner cities. I hope they are all doing well, and all their dreams are coming true!

Visualizing

Visualizing is something I have not done too much of this year, but I have done it in the past with older kids. I really do like vizualizing, but it's one of those thinks I forgot about. I really like this book because it reminds me of those things I forget about.

Freedom Writers: Freshman & Sophomore Year

I must say that I really did not want to read this book at all! I’m not sure why, but I think it had something to do with it being a movie. Sometimes I feel like many books gain popularity just they are made into movies. Where that statement could be true in some cases, I am glad after only reading the first two years of this four part journey that its story exists in several different mediums so it can reach more people.

Ms. G, the teacher in Freedom Writers, is a true hero in this story along with her many students. All of the “writers” in this book come from many different backgrounds, but they all have to face the reality everyday of hate and discrimination of what they call “an undeclared war”. I really had no idea how many factors were/are stacked against these kids from day one. I knew/know that violence of many forms exists within America, but didn’t realize that kids everyday die and get beat up because of it. I think one student said, “kill or be killed”, as being the choice given in his daily life.

As for me, I had a great childhood growing up on Mitchell, South Dakota. I just assumed everyone else did too. When I moved to Oregon, I started to realize that others did not have the same education and beliefs as myself. (Odd, I know that it took me until I was 18+ years of age to figure that out!) I really feel cheated that I did not know about these problems within my own country… you don’t hear about it on the morning news. Nobody wants to talk about it…why? I think many, like my brother, want to believe we live in the best country in the world. Hmmm… do we really? We live in a country that tells other countries how they ought to be treating their people, but refuse to look at out problems and lead by example.

I look forward to finishing the rest of the book over the next few days. I hope everyone in my group is finding it to be eye opening.

PS: Final thought:

It’s not that these kids have done anything original in writing diaries to help them reflect and workout their problems, but it’s how it made them change that makes what they did original

Reading Groups

I was able to get Freedom Writers last night at the library... last copy too!!!! So do we have a plan for reading and posting responses? I just don't want one of us to post something that another has not read yet.

We could read all the way up to Junior Year & post over the weekend; and then read the rest of the book and post by Wednesday (when it's due.) How does this sound?

Thanks,

Autumn

Book Groups

So a book I've wanted to read for some time now is My Own Two Feet by Beverly Cleary. What do you all think?

AA

Think-Alouds

I use Think-Alouds all the time! I find that it really helps my young readers in knowing that we all think about the stories we read differently! Although they do think about it as working on comprehension it really is. They are all eager to share their thoughts with the group! It adds a lot to my class!!!

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Number the Stars is told from the point of view of ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen. The story is set in the city of Copenhagen, Denmark in September 1943, the third year of the Nazis being in Denmark. Annemarie has a best friend Ellen, who is Jewish, walk home from school together everyday as they live in the same building. On one of their walks home they are stopped and questioned by a German soldier. Mrs. Johansen and Mrs. Rosen (their mothers) are worried and ask the girls to take a new way to school. The girls stat to notice shops being closed down... (the shops are ones owned by Jewish families). As more shops are being closed, Ellen's mother and father leave town, but Ellen stays with Annemarie. After Ellen's family leaves the Germans come looking for them by knocking on Annemarie's door. Annemarie's father lets the Germans search the apartment, and they wonder why Ellen's hair is brown. Annemarie's father thinks fast finding a baby picture of a daughter they once had, who had brown hair...

This book is very intense, and hard to put down! I don't want to ruin it all for you, but it takes the reader all the way to the end of the war. I'd say this book is perfect for upper elementary and up.

GROUP:

So I feel like I have reached everyone in my group except for Amanda... am I right?

Amanda can't find you!!!! Help:)

AA

The Boy Who Burned too Brightly

I first read this book when I was working on my Talented & Gifted certificate a few years ago. I thought it was a clever story with a lot of parallels about what we do when someone is different.

The book starts of with the main character being born, and from the beginning he is different. When he starts school the teacher says he is is not like the other kids... (he won't just sit there & work). He ends up getting a diagnoses similar to one a child with ADHD might get.

I would not read this book to a whole class, but would recomend it to someone who has trouble fitting in, or who feels different... I guess if I did read it to a class it would be high school age. It is a great book for all teachers to read as well.

YA Picture Book

The Tale of Willie Monroe, Retold by Alan Schroeder Illustrated by Andrew Glass

I picked this book because it is somewhat like a comic in ways. It has ridicules characters and an even more ridicules story line. The first time I read it to a group of 5th graders and we laughed so hard... I would like to think it was because of the accent I used:)

Anyway if you need something light, with goofy pictures, and want to laugh... check it out!

Realistic Fiction

Out of the list on page 103, I have read two... Holes & Hatchet. There are some I remember others reading throughout my teenage years, but for some reason or another I never read them. So would I agree with the list... no as I have not read much of what's on it. I guess I have my own list of books I read: anything by Judy Blume, The Secret Life of Algernon Pendleton, The Dealings of Daniel Kesserich... is all I can really remember.

Yes, I remember all to well my adolescents... I wish I could forget sometimes!!! I feel that many of these book lists could help with parents and teachers who see problems at home or in the schools. It makes it safe and okay to talk about things... why didn't these lists exist when I was a kid going through these things? Maybe if parents read these book with their kids?

I never knew it had a name, but I do a similar exercise with my class as the one at the bottom of page 153 with almost every book I read! It's great to look at a book before you read & think about all the other parts we over look, or things we do look at, but are miss leading.

Survey

For this assignment I gave my friends daughter, who's in high school, the survey to hand out to several of her friends. I did this because I work with young children, and I really wanted to see what teenagers are into. The results really surprised me!!

For the movie portion of the survey I got results anywhere from Alvin & the Chipmunks to Step Brothers. The Alvin & the Chipmunks really surprised me because I always thought of this as something elementary kids would like, but to each their own. I was really excepting the results of movies like Step Brothers, Scary Movie, Pineapple Express, and Mean Girls because I think they portray adult topics which many teenagers want to be apart of... not that I agree.

Magazine's are something of the past I think because I had several put down, "I do not read magazines". Hmmm... I really don't either. Seventeen magazine, one my sister liked when she was in school, is not one that surprised because it is directed toward that age group. Video games was another one that some did not partake in either, and all the games they did play really varied depending on the game system had at home.

I am really impressed with the book choices made by the teenagers, but did see a theme in Harry Potter as well as Twilight... of corse. I had 5 that did not have any favorite books, which is sad, but I think I would have said the same thing when I was that age.

TV programs really opened my eyes as I do not watch TV. TV shows mentioned were 16 in pregnant, addicted, glee Sports Center, Modern Family, Phineas & Ferb, and many more. The ones I listed are ones I have never heard of before; Wow, am I way out of the loop? I did get happy when I saw one teenager put down none, but then again most their answers said, "None".

Since I do not work with this age group it is hard for me to really compare it to how well I know teenagers, but I'd have to say not to well. As I slowly get older and reflect upon my favorites, they are way different. I'd say my picks would have been: Sound of Music, None for magazines and video games, book would have been "The Secret Life of Algernon Pendleton", & for a TV show Friends.

Fahrenheit 451... A Challenged book?

On page 83 of our text, Cole provides a list of books with "Censorship as a Theme". I found the book "Fahrenheit 451" to be among the books listed. To start off I want to talk about my memory of reading this book in high school. Right from the beginning I really liked the book in the concept it portrayed... no one being able to read books because it makes them unequal. I thought, "what an interesting idea", especially in 1953. As I was reading the book the events of 911 took place, and everyone was going crazy! I was in the middle of the book, right at its climax, when my brother raced over saying all these crazy things, and was going to go and stock up on a bunch of items, gas being one of them. I remember I started crying, and could not read the book for a few days because it all seemed to real!

So coming back to it now I see why I got so freaked out. Ray Bradbury paints a picture of everyone living this life being equal. How great... or is it? The main character Montag, seems to have a great job... a fireman. But in this tale a fireman's job is a bit odd, instead of putting out fires they start them to burn books. Montag seems to like his life, he has a nice house, a good job, a wife, a BIG TV. What more could a person want? He soon meets the teenage neighbor next door who asks him interesting questions about life and the world around them, which get Montag thinking about the culture he lives in... so disconnected. He also realizes that the relationship with his wife is not really a relationship at all... after a significant event takes place.

Montag starts not liking his job, and as you read on find out that he has been steeling books. Montag tells his wife about the books, who freaks out because they are illegal. He soon finds himself plotting against others by putting books in houses only to call the fire department. Montag soon finds a call in on his house that results in a manhunt for him.... what will happen next?

I don't want to ruin the story for those of you who have not read it, but it has a realness to it in terms of the American society. I think the reason it upset so much when I was younger is that it shared some of the same themes happening then and now. I think Fahrenheit 451 is an excellent read for young adults as it presents real issues. One issue it presents to me is the idea of censorship itself. Yes, we can/have taken it too far!!!! Fahrenheit 451 shows what very will could happen if we seek to have a more equal society. Who should be the ones to censor books, movies, magazines, TV? Should it be that of our government? Are own choice? Good advice one should ponder is to not always listen to what others say when it comes to what you want to read or watch... make up your own mind about it!!

Censorship Issues

I have never had to experience censorship issues at any of the schools I've been at, but was surprised to see the different lists Cole provided throughout chapter 3. When I was in high school we read some of the books mentioned, but I never knew they where in question as to the content that lied in the pages.

I really think censorship of any kind, gets out of control. What an adolescent reads should really be left up to his/her parents, not some crazy group. Another valid point to be is that if a parent is questioning a book their child wants to read, they should read it first or with their child. I think when books a put on a "Do not read" list it makes it more desirable to people. I might say that I am more inclined to read some of the books talked about in the chapter because they are on a banded list.

A few years back I went to the Eugene Public Library, and they had all the covers of books hanging around the different sections of the library which were on the banded list. The books ranged from simple children's books to young adult lit. Wow, some of the picture books are ones I own and continually read. They also had the reasons for the ban on each book. Some where really laughable!

To end this post, I think that if you pick something apart enough you can always find a problem. Will we just get the point where nothing can meet the guidelines? Where creativity can't even be possible?

Movie assignment: Crazy in Alabama

The movie, “Crazy in Alabama”, would really appeal to an adolescent. The main characters are two boys around the age of 13 growing up at a time in the South when there are a lot of transitions going on with segregation of the African American people. The boys are going through a lot of transitions themselves… they have lived peacefully out in the country with their guardian, but that soon changes when their aunt drops off her many children. The boys then move to town with their guardian’s son and his wife, and nothing is the same after that. They wonder why African Americans don’t have the same rights as them, and soon start marching with them. They see a lot of unjust things going on, and seek to change the town they live in.

I think many adolescents feel helpless in the world. They have opinions of their own, but struggle in how to express those opinions. “Crazy in Alabama” shows these struggles in many different ways, and also how you can stick up for what you believe in, even if you are an adolescent.

I watched this move myself as a young adolescent, and recently bought it for myself. I loved the inner struggles all the characters go though in it, and the many themes the movie presents, and how the characters deal with it. I would recommend this movie to adolescents and adults!

Assignment 4: Higher Power of Lucky

Brief Summery:

Lucky is the main character in the book. “Higher Power of Lucky”. She lives in Hard Pan, California out in the middle of the desert. Lucky lives with a French woman named Brigitte who was Lucky’s father’s first wife. Lucky’s mother died and her father did not want to take care of her so she ended up with Brigitte. Brigitte is her guardian, but Lucky still feels as she could leave at any time. Lucky does many things to prepare herself to be ready for Brigitte to leave, thus what he story is about.

Why is that character acting like that?

Lucky really gets along with everyone… but there is really only 43 people in the town she lives to get along with. She is always trying to make other people comfortable. She does this one way by knowing when certain anonymous meeting are being held & cleans up after the other ones are held. For example, she the ex-drinkers smoke a lot, but then later in the day there is an ex-smoker group so she cleans up all the butts so they won’t feel uncomfortable. I think she also does this because there is really nothing else for her to do.

Lucky also likes when the people in the meeting come to the point in their stories when they hit rock bottom. Lucky thinks of what her rock bottom would be and what she would do when she gets there. What will her higher power be?

Where is the author going with this?

Susan Patron, the author, is explaining all the above because she wants to reader to see what Lucky’s fears are... being abandon, and what is really guiding her decision making… what the anonymous people are saying & how an adolescent interrupts that.

Has something similar happened to me? (text to self, T-S)

I remember times throughout my adolescent being afraid of my mother dieing ad no one wanting me , but I never had to experience that...thank god.

Have I read a book that deals with some of the same issues? (text to text, T-T)

Yes, I have read other book which deal with the same issues… Harry Potter goes through the same thing in the first two books… who wants him?

Is there something on a more global scale happening like this? (text to world, T-W)

Not that I can think of?? But there are people out there who feel nobody wants them.

Perhaps there is language in the book that is particularly descriptive or interesting.

The title: The Higher Power of Lucky… what is a higher power? So many different ways to interrupt that.

Assignment 3: Literacy Autobiography

When I was is first grade I remember my mom having me go to a bunch of doctors’ appointments, one being to get my eyes checked. I remember that appointment because my older brother and sister both had glasses and I desperately wanted a pair of my own. The appointment ended in me not getting glasses to which I was greatly disappointed, and later found out that my mom was taking me to all these appointments, as I was not reading at the level I should have been. Throughout the year I ended up being tested and put into a program called, “Reading Recovery” I liked going and loved my teacher for that class, Ms. Maran. We would sit in this little room and read fun little stories. I don’t think I really understood why I was in a one-on-one session with her, but I think I liked the special individual attention I received. At the end of the year I was a part of a study, which my mom taped and still has, where I read with Ms. Maran while some people watched from the other side of a two-way mirror. It’s hard to watch how I was barely reading, but my mom said that everyone was amazed because I had outstanding comprehension on everything I read. My special times with Ms. Maran only lasted that a year, and in second grade everything seemed fine as far as my reading went.

After second grade I entered third grade, just like everyone else. A few months in I again started to struggle, but this time it was not with reading but instead spelling or written language as my IEP said. From third grade on into my freshmen year of high school I found myself in several special classes, which didn’t start to bother me until middle school, but then what doesn’t bother a middle school kid? I started resenting my shortcomings, and had a terrible attitude when having to go to my “special” class. Finally in ninth grade the teacher in my low level English class told my mom that I really didn’t belong there for 90 minutes a day and that she would really like to see me in a general education English class, and that had been the last of me seeking help in terms of what I have described above.

Throughout my life the people who read to me the most were my mother and sister. I also have memories of reading with my grandma Appletoft and all the interesting books she had to choose from. My mother, who was/is a teacher, would often bring home books for me to look at and often times we would read together. One book that I started requesting was one entitled “Jelly Beans for Breakfast”. I loved that book! I remember thinking of it when I was older and could not find it at the local public library. I was so bummed, but my mom suggested I look at the school she us to work at. The librarian was the same, and remembers me liking that book but she had thrown it out a few years back as it was old. I went on for years trying to find it, but had no luck. On my 21^st birthday my mom sent me a container with jellybeans in it… I was confused as to why she had done so only to find that in another package there it was, “Jelly Beans for Breakfast”! I could not believe my eyes, and when I began to read it, I burst into tears. I now read the book to the different children I work with, and give them each a jelly bean as a treat when I am done.

I really don’t remember any of my friends reading at all throughout my childhood and/or adolescents. When I took a novels class in 10th grade they all thought I was crazy, but I was excited. In an earlier post I reflect on that disappointing experience.

I don’t remember writing up until 7^th grade with Mr. Rhodie. Both my siblings had him as well as my mother. He was not very nice to me at all… I’m not sure why. Anyway, thinking back he had us write a lot of papers and speeches. One speech assignment was entitled “A trip worth taking”. I did mine on going to the Alamo, my grandparents had just taken a trip there and brought me home presents that intrigued me. I spent hours on the speech and visual aids, and received a B-. I was so torn by it that I came home crying. My mom got really upset as well because she knew how much time I spent on putting the speech together. She called him to ask why, but he was such a jerk about it. Reading was pretty much the same with him; I could never perform the way he wanted me to.

To sum up, reading and writing has always been a struggle for me. I have leaned to overcome many of the obstacles that have faced me, and keep moving forward! College has really helped me become a better reader and writer, and I have met many great teachers who have helped me along my path in becoming an educator.

Assignment 2

Definition of an adolescent:

An adolescent is someone who is finding their way in life & waiting for that "right of passage" moment.

Did the first two chapters change your mind as to what an adolescent really is?

The first two chapters didn't change what I thought an adolescent to be, but helped build upon my working definition. The short reflections in the first chapter made me think of things I did while growing up & all those defining moments that helped shape me into who I am today. I really connected to Susan Patron's reflection... it made me think of when my mom let me go out with my sister who is four years older then me. Wow, what fun we had!

Assignment 1

Were your readings as an adolescent part of that perspective?

Pam Cole really hit home for me throughout the readings. I remember in 10th grad taking a novels class. I was really excited for it to start because I liked to read various types of books, but when the class started I had a hard time connecting with the teacher, my peers, and the books. I stopped reading almost immediately after the class started because I did not understand what was going on in the book(s). I also didn't like how she had us show what we had read... through quizzes & tests. I remember class mostly consisting of me reading for about 1/3rd of the time & taking some sort of lame quiz.

At about the same time as that novels class I stopped reading & never really got back on track with it until recently. It's hard for me to really put my finger on it. I think I was afraid of getting different information out of any sort of text then what someone else got. I now realize that we all take different meanings out of texts depending upon the mood we are in we are reading, and why we are reading a particular text (like for a class or enjoyment). There are some books I have read several times and every time I notice something different that wasn't there before.

In any case I found Cole's suggestions and facts very useful!

New

Hey all~

I'm very new to this so I will just give a little intro about me! I'm originally from South Dakota & moved to the Eugene area in 2004. Since I have been in Oregon I have gone to school at Lane Community College, Pacific University, and am presently taking online classes at WOU. So far I have had many experiences working with children in diverse settings & am currently working at a child care center that provides services for faculty and staff at the University of Oregon. I am in charge of a kindergarten warp around program & also help with an after school program for 1st-5th graders. At the present time we are exploring space & beyond!