After reading Gail's post on the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, I was even more disappointed in my latest read: nobody does it better: a gossip girl novel. I began reading this book a few days ago in hopes of getting a head start on the week's assignments (I will be at a coaching clinic Thursday-Saturday). After the first twenty pages, I really wanted to give up on the book but decided to see it through in hopes of finding something worthwhile to justify my 14 year-old cousin's latest fixation with the series. Needless to say, 200 pages later I still wouldn't recommend this book to teenage girls, never mind graduate students.
The first major hurdle I attempted to get over was the overuse of obnoxious labels: Gucci, Prada, LV, you name it, each one was mentioned about twenty times- no exaggeration. I believe Nisreen mentioned similar findings in the gossip girl book she read. I understand that adolescents are often hung up on labels and I have to admit I own a few items from several of the mentioned designers myself, but about half-way through the book I was completely nauseated by the name-dropping and had no motivation whatsoever to read on other than the fact that I said I would finish the stupid book.
The second problem I had with the novel was the absence of any real plot. Minor conflicts arose throughout the book, but everything including being unfaithful, was handled casually and without concrete resolution. For example, when Blair is again let down by her long time, on-again off-again, boyfriend, Nate, she attempts to temporarily replace him rather than address the situation, believing that they will naturally pick up where they left off at a later date. Her anger is fleeting as is his disappointment when he learns that she has moved on. This seemed strange to me due to the fact that they described one another as soul mates.
In summary, the book is loosely based on a group of catty, privileged, girls having difficulty completing their senior year of prep school (for lack of effort, not lack of brains), while deciding which ivy league college to attend. Partying, having casual sex, chasing fame, and maintaining a specific level of fashion are more prevalent themes that contaminate every aspect of the text. There is of course, an aspiring sophomore girl thrown into the mix as to continue the series.
Unlike the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, the girls are rarely supportive of each other. These characters seemed more true to the nature of girls (I know I am stereotyping), however, than those in the Sisterhood to me. These girls are extremely cut-throat and manipulative in achieving their desires. much like many of the girls I experienced in high school. Even best friends, frequently betray one another. For example, the novel ends with Serena (Blair's best friend) naked in a tub with Nate (Blair's "soul mate"). -The novel also seemed to be a bit steamy for a teenage audience, but that is another topic for discussion. Overall, I wished I had chosen a better book, but on the other hand, at least I am more familiar with what so many teens are eating up.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
I began reading The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, because several of my former students had suggested I check it out. (Side note: How cool is it that my students *actually* cared to share what they like to read with their teacher? Plus, they gave me reasons why I might also enjoy what they had read.) Megan, a fifteen-year-old sophomore, said she loved how the girls in The Sisterhood could stay friends and yet be so different. Katie, a sixteen-year-old sophomore, told me that she thought it was great that the girls depended on their friendships so much. Another sixteen-year-old sophomore, Nargis, was excited to tell me that boys weren’t the focus of the girls’ lives—a frustration she had with the plot of many YA Lit. books.
Here’s a brief synopsis of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants:
After completing their sophomore year of high school, four close friends prepare to spend their first summer apart. Carmen is excited to finally spend a significant amount of time with her father in South Carolina. Her parents are divorced, and Carmen really only sees her dad for a couple weekends a year. Lena and her younger sister Effie are headed to Greece to visit their grandparents for two months. Bridget will be at a soccer camp in Baja California. And Tibby is stuck working at Wallman’s in their hometown of Bethesda, Maryland.
As the girls are packing and talking about their upcoming summer adventures, Carmen gives Tibby a pair of jeans that she bought at a local thrift shop. Each of the friends end up trying on the pants and admiring how they seem to fit each one of them so well. It is decided that the pants possess some magical powers and will travel from girl to girl throughout the summer, carrying the tales of their journeys and giving them confidence and support while they are separated.
Well, the four friends’ summer plans do not turn out how the envisioned them to go. The pants are there as a witness to critical events and they eventually give each girl the strength to deal with/face what has happened to each of them while they were apart.
I think The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants shows how supportive teenage girls can be for each other. The girls have very different interests, personalities, family life, etc., and they recognize this as one of the main strengths of their bond. They can help each other handle what life throws at them by remembering how each of their friends might view the situation and then proceed with a solution.
I enjoyed this YA Lit. book, especially how the story frequently moves from one girl’s point of view to another’s—kept me interested in what was going to happen next. Plus, it showed how each girl could work through some rather tough, yet very realistic, situations.
Here’s a brief synopsis of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants:
After completing their sophomore year of high school, four close friends prepare to spend their first summer apart. Carmen is excited to finally spend a significant amount of time with her father in South Carolina. Her parents are divorced, and Carmen really only sees her dad for a couple weekends a year. Lena and her younger sister Effie are headed to Greece to visit their grandparents for two months. Bridget will be at a soccer camp in Baja California. And Tibby is stuck working at Wallman’s in their hometown of Bethesda, Maryland.
As the girls are packing and talking about their upcoming summer adventures, Carmen gives Tibby a pair of jeans that she bought at a local thrift shop. Each of the friends end up trying on the pants and admiring how they seem to fit each one of them so well. It is decided that the pants possess some magical powers and will travel from girl to girl throughout the summer, carrying the tales of their journeys and giving them confidence and support while they are separated.
Well, the four friends’ summer plans do not turn out how the envisioned them to go. The pants are there as a witness to critical events and they eventually give each girl the strength to deal with/face what has happened to each of them while they were apart.
I think The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants shows how supportive teenage girls can be for each other. The girls have very different interests, personalities, family life, etc., and they recognize this as one of the main strengths of their bond. They can help each other handle what life throws at them by remembering how each of their friends might view the situation and then proceed with a solution.
I enjoyed this YA Lit. book, especially how the story frequently moves from one girl’s point of view to another’s—kept me interested in what was going to happen next. Plus, it showed how each girl could work through some rather tough, yet very realistic, situations.
Two Great YA Novels and a Bit of a Rant
I ended up reading two YA novels for this week, both of which relate in various ways to the issue of gender. Bottled Up by Jaye Murray is perhaps one of the most enjoyable and well-written “problem novels” I have read in a long time. It tells the story of Philip “Pip” Downs as he struggles (no surprise here) with school, family, peers and self-identity. While the themes woven throughout this novel are basically familiar, it is Murray’s ability to create believable, likeable, flawed characters that is most appealing to me. What is surprising is that while the major characters are male, the author is female; I am not attempting to present any perceived sexist claims with regard to authorship, merely that I have found there to be very few writers who can effectively write believable first-person narratives of the opposite gender (Wally Lamb has been able to do this in such popular novels as She’s Come Undone, and even Joan Bauer also managed to create fairly believable adolescent boys in her novel Sticks, but for the most part, novels such as Park’s Quest, written by Katherine Paterson fall short). Murray has also based much of the interwoven plot and subplots on the real lives of teens with whom she has worked through her psychotherapy practice; perhaps her ability to present real experience in a fictional work adds to the emotional authenticity. While there is some drug use in Bottled Up, Pip’s smoking of pot when he cuts class is never sensationalized, never romanticized; rather what the reader sees is a young man who has been told by his alcoholic father at home that he is stupid and will amount to nothing and whose teachers and peers largely disregard him at school. Only when he is given “one last chance” by the school Principal do events unfold, leading the reader to better understand why Pip does what he does in order to get by, and “getting by” is what he does through much of the book. The picture Murray creates is one less of hackneyed “teen angst” and more of a subtle commentary on the social and familial contexts that create an almost un-navigable limbo for outwardly resilient, yet inwardly fragile adolescents. Through razor-sharp insights, evocative vignettes of growing abuse from his alcoholic father and evidence of Pip’s increasing sense of disillusionment, Murray shows a young man caught between wanting to opt out of school, life and relationships by following in his father’s footsteps and wanting to be role model for his 6 year old brother whom he tries to protect. Ultimately, I think Bottled Up is a realistic and emotionally accurate depiction of life for some of today’s adolescents, whom I think comprise our own “lost generation”. Who are the role models for adolescents when parents are disengaged? What happens to children in families where siblings parent each other, because parents are not there physically or emotionally?
The second YA novel I read is The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga. I have wanted to read this book since it came out last year because the protagonist, aka Fanboy, is writing a graphic novel as a way to address the issues he sees impacting his life. Although he is in many respects the stereotypical computer, comic book “geek”, at least as perceived by his peers at school, in reality he is an articulate and resilient teenager who puts up with the sort of bullying that seems pervasive in school today. While some of the plot is predictable, in the end The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl is not your typical clichéd YA problem novel. There is no real closure at the end, but I think that is appropriate because none of the “issues” that characters deal with in YA novels can be easily resolved in 200-350 pages. Barry Lyga infuses the main characters of Fanboy and Goth Girl (who serves as the antagonist in this novel, more so than obnoxious peers at Fanboy’s school) with both depth and complexity; I did not always like these characters and at times their actions were “astonishing” (not to be precious!), but perhaps that’s what makes this book so appealing. Lyga doesn’t sell-out by trying to convince the reader that everything works out in the end, instead there is much that remains unknown.
In many ways these two books fit with the reading “Raunch Culture”, not because they contain explicit content, but rather because each contains themes that pertain to today’s youth culture. I would be interested to read the rest of Levy’s book Female Chauvinist Pigs as the chapter we read made me stop, think, and in fact, I’m still thinking about it. I have always been puzzled by the whole concept of the Girls Gone Wild videos, although on a surface level I wonder if it all relates back to the voyeuristic reality TV phenomenon (no, I’m not a TV snob…I’ve been known to watch the Real World, The Flava of Love [sp?] and Top Chef!). Is self-promotion something no longer restricted to celebrities? I sometimes wonder if websites like Myspace and Facebook encourage an unrealistic sense of “celebrity” or Warhol’s 15 minutes of fame? I’ve seen material on both these sites for students at Purdue University and wonder if the students who post pictures of themselves “partying” realize the professional and personal implications of self-exposure to this degree? I certainly do not consider myself a “prude” (despite my Catholic upbringing and my parents’ dogmatic insistence on “respectability” growing up!), and I don’t want to sound as though I’m jumping on feminist bandwagon, but do the girls who participate willingly in Girls Gone Wild videos seriously believe that they are in control or that it is an empowering experience? They may have convinced themselves of this, but I can’t help but feel that this erroneous belief is simply the result of more insidious manipulation on the part of those individuals whose only interest is in making cash. If the girls who strip down for leering, drunk guys really want to feel empowered, why not get the best education possible, get hired by a top company in whatever field and be on the cover of Forbes by the time they’re 30? Or better yet, make use of that business/marketing degree, buy out GGW and turn it into a non-profit organization funding scholarships for women and business start-up for young entrepreneurs? Just a thought.
The second YA novel I read is The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga. I have wanted to read this book since it came out last year because the protagonist, aka Fanboy, is writing a graphic novel as a way to address the issues he sees impacting his life. Although he is in many respects the stereotypical computer, comic book “geek”, at least as perceived by his peers at school, in reality he is an articulate and resilient teenager who puts up with the sort of bullying that seems pervasive in school today. While some of the plot is predictable, in the end The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl is not your typical clichéd YA problem novel. There is no real closure at the end, but I think that is appropriate because none of the “issues” that characters deal with in YA novels can be easily resolved in 200-350 pages. Barry Lyga infuses the main characters of Fanboy and Goth Girl (who serves as the antagonist in this novel, more so than obnoxious peers at Fanboy’s school) with both depth and complexity; I did not always like these characters and at times their actions were “astonishing” (not to be precious!), but perhaps that’s what makes this book so appealing. Lyga doesn’t sell-out by trying to convince the reader that everything works out in the end, instead there is much that remains unknown.
In many ways these two books fit with the reading “Raunch Culture”, not because they contain explicit content, but rather because each contains themes that pertain to today’s youth culture. I would be interested to read the rest of Levy’s book Female Chauvinist Pigs as the chapter we read made me stop, think, and in fact, I’m still thinking about it. I have always been puzzled by the whole concept of the Girls Gone Wild videos, although on a surface level I wonder if it all relates back to the voyeuristic reality TV phenomenon (no, I’m not a TV snob…I’ve been known to watch the Real World, The Flava of Love [sp?] and Top Chef!). Is self-promotion something no longer restricted to celebrities? I sometimes wonder if websites like Myspace and Facebook encourage an unrealistic sense of “celebrity” or Warhol’s 15 minutes of fame? I’ve seen material on both these sites for students at Purdue University and wonder if the students who post pictures of themselves “partying” realize the professional and personal implications of self-exposure to this degree? I certainly do not consider myself a “prude” (despite my Catholic upbringing and my parents’ dogmatic insistence on “respectability” growing up!), and I don’t want to sound as though I’m jumping on feminist bandwagon, but do the girls who participate willingly in Girls Gone Wild videos seriously believe that they are in control or that it is an empowering experience? They may have convinced themselves of this, but I can’t help but feel that this erroneous belief is simply the result of more insidious manipulation on the part of those individuals whose only interest is in making cash. If the girls who strip down for leering, drunk guys really want to feel empowered, why not get the best education possible, get hired by a top company in whatever field and be on the cover of Forbes by the time they’re 30? Or better yet, make use of that business/marketing degree, buy out GGW and turn it into a non-profit organization funding scholarships for women and business start-up for young entrepreneurs? Just a thought.
CLAY by David Almond
Almost all males populate David Almond’s tale set in Ireland. Strange, then, that all of the narrative conventions revolve about giving “birth” to a clay figure. The boys in Clay, Stephen Rose (malevolent or simply misunderstood?) and Davie, have the mystic power to animate earth. Davie is the Irish boy-next-door. Stephen Rose is a freaky young man, in fact, his family history includes carnival side shows, insanity, and early deaths. The Creator images, the desire, the immersion into a wildly druidical trance, the secrecy, all align Almond with Shelley and the tellers of Golem tales. The young men find that though they have the ability to create life, they are repulsed (well, Davie is) by their child. He is a fearsome thing who can be made to do fearsome tasks. He does. Briefly, in terms of gender role perspective, the reader feels that Stephen Rose wants to mold beings and wants to transgress to maternal life-breathing roles not because of esteem for women, not because he even knows traditional womanly virtues. He seems most driven to absorb creation as Power. He grasps and wrestles. He wants to usurp the female role as an expression of dominance. According to me. Give Clay a read. I found the ending . . . well, let’s just say, what’s the point of it all?! Maybe you can tell me the meaning of life. One thing I can say is that, perhaps not surprisingly, the two young men who cross over to “maternity” are by no means deemed admirable. Where have we ever heard that theme before?
Jeanne
Jeanne
Gossip, rumors, scandal
For this week’s YA lit assignment, I chose Gossip Girl a novel by Cecily von Ziegesar (as opposed to “created by”). If I had to attribute one word to describe this novel it would be GARBAGE. As Nisreen mentioned in her post, these types of books have no place in the classroom. Staci also brought up a strong point; these novels perpetuate the idea that in order to be socially accepted, young women must be rich, sexually active, partiers (drinking and drug using is a plus), two-faced, and morally corrupt.
Gossip Girl's theme sounds very similar to The It Girl—there isn’t one. This is a novel about two best friends (girls) who have a falling out, rumors, a love triangle, parties, parents who are more concerned with appearances than raising their children, high school outsiders, and an on-line journal that sums up the lives of these characters. As mentioned in other posts, these books are purely for entertainment purposes; that is, if you enjoy mindless smut.
So my questions is, why do my young, bright, and motivated young female students gobble up every word on the pages of these books? Why are these stories so entertaining for the younger population? What could they possibly be learning about the world, society, and/or themselves? I almost scared to know the answers.
Heather
Gossip Girl's theme sounds very similar to The It Girl—there isn’t one. This is a novel about two best friends (girls) who have a falling out, rumors, a love triangle, parties, parents who are more concerned with appearances than raising their children, high school outsiders, and an on-line journal that sums up the lives of these characters. As mentioned in other posts, these books are purely for entertainment purposes; that is, if you enjoy mindless smut.
So my questions is, why do my young, bright, and motivated young female students gobble up every word on the pages of these books? Why are these stories so entertaining for the younger population? What could they possibly be learning about the world, society, and/or themselves? I almost scared to know the answers.
Heather
Esperanza Rising
This book centers on the transformation and growth of Esperanza.
At a young age, Esperanza is forced to convert from a treasured Mexican rancher's daughter to an independent bread earner working in a farm labor camp in California. After her papa was murdered the day before her 13th birthday, Esperanza's world and life had been horridly shaken. To escape from the threats of her slimy and despicable uncles, Esperanza's mom and her fled to California with their loyal servants to work in a labor farm. A peasant's life is nothing close to what Esperanza used to have in Mexico. She had a hard time readjusting herself to the new environment in the U.S., making friends, and disarm her pride as being superior to others. It took her a while to realize the world doesn't evolve around her. After her mom became seriously ill, Esperanza learned to stand on her own feet, pay her own efforts in making money for medical bills and life savings, and reposition herself in the new life. In the course of a year immigrating to America, Esperanza had truly become an independent, thoughtful, determined young girl who had saught her own new identity. With that, she had gained "hope"--like the meaning of her name in Spainish--to move forward to the brand new future.
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The reasons I like this novel are as the following:
-- The plot is partly based on the recollection of real-life experience of the author's grandma. It makes the characters seemed more real, and as I place myself in such historical background, it's easier to empathize with the antagonist's struggle, bravity, and determination.
-- There are many foreshadowing throughout the story. This creats some suspension for readers and prompt them to keep reading.
-- The plot is tight and appealing. Most interesting of all, each chapter is titled by a name of the fruit or vegitable. This is used to represent the times of the year as the story goes along. Esperanza and her mom left Mexico in the season of grapes, they've toiled through the time of potatoes, asparagus, almonds, plums, avocadoes, peaches, and finally back to grapes. This is an interesting cycle inseparably intertwined with the main plot.
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This book is on my recommendation list to young adults!
At a young age, Esperanza is forced to convert from a treasured Mexican rancher's daughter to an independent bread earner working in a farm labor camp in California. After her papa was murdered the day before her 13th birthday, Esperanza's world and life had been horridly shaken. To escape from the threats of her slimy and despicable uncles, Esperanza's mom and her fled to California with their loyal servants to work in a labor farm. A peasant's life is nothing close to what Esperanza used to have in Mexico. She had a hard time readjusting herself to the new environment in the U.S., making friends, and disarm her pride as being superior to others. It took her a while to realize the world doesn't evolve around her. After her mom became seriously ill, Esperanza learned to stand on her own feet, pay her own efforts in making money for medical bills and life savings, and reposition herself in the new life. In the course of a year immigrating to America, Esperanza had truly become an independent, thoughtful, determined young girl who had saught her own new identity. With that, she had gained "hope"--like the meaning of her name in Spainish--to move forward to the brand new future.
************************************************************
The reasons I like this novel are as the following:
-- The plot is partly based on the recollection of real-life experience of the author's grandma. It makes the characters seemed more real, and as I place myself in such historical background, it's easier to empathize with the antagonist's struggle, bravity, and determination.
-- There are many foreshadowing throughout the story. This creats some suspension for readers and prompt them to keep reading.
-- The plot is tight and appealing. Most interesting of all, each chapter is titled by a name of the fruit or vegitable. This is used to represent the times of the year as the story goes along. Esperanza and her mom left Mexico in the season of grapes, they've toiled through the time of potatoes, asparagus, almonds, plums, avocadoes, peaches, and finally back to grapes. This is an interesting cycle inseparably intertwined with the main plot.
************************************************************
This book is on my recommendation list to young adults!
Monday, January 29, 2007
My Two Cents on Raunch Culture
After my long speel about "Holes" I didn't expect to be writing again this week, but that was before I read the "Raunch Culture" piece. It's not so much that the article or what is going on in culture was appalling to me, (I am not that naive.) It is the fact, that it is so readily accepted as alright. While I was somewhat shocked to find such mainstream college girls doing this, not as much as I was surprised by the amount of powerful or really, intelligent women who do this and don't find it degrading. But, the saddest thing of all is the way this type of culture affects young girls. I think it is a scary world out there for parents of teens, maybe even more so than ever before. Like the mom cited in the article who took her daughter and friends to a "Cardio Striptease" lesson for a sweet sixteen. What is wrong with these people? Women are not achieving any type of equality between the sexes by doing this. They are just degrading women, in my opinion. It's teaching young girls that to be powerful and successful, you should show your body and perform sexual acts for the world to see. Another big problem I have with this, is the type of cookie cutter image it sets up for young girls. Interested to see where you might go with this article in class tomorrow. See you then,
Staci
Staci
The McGowan Boys
For this week, I read Kate Brian's recent book Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys. The plot revolved around a 16 year-old high school girl whose military parents were sent to Korea for two years. During their time away, their daughter Megan was sent to live for some family friends...and their seven boys!! Soccer tryouts, random makeouts, and sibling rivalry ensue as Megan learns not only how to deal with her parents' absence and a new school, but also the intricacies of the male species.
For the most part, the book was an entertaining (and quick) read. The story was easy to follow, as one might expect, and the characters were surprisingly believable. I failed to support, however, Brian's depictions of the female antagonists who often appeared hyperbolic in their overemphasis on sports and popularity. I also had a problem with the language of the text. I understand that because the text aims at a younger audience (and teenagers are never exposed to foul language) it behooves authors to write using a minimal amount of objectionable terms. I get frustrated, however, with the logic of including subject matter that doesn't match its the characters' dialogue. This book, in particular, dealt with sex, drinking, violence, and rebellion against authority, yet when the characters were consumed by emotions, their worst words were variations of the word "freakin'" I guess it's asking too much that an author's words resonate with the verisimilitude of the actions depicted in the book. Not to say that I enjoy reading curse word after curse word, but I think something is lost when an adult's teen characters don't accurately reflect the way teens really behave.
Sorry for that tangent. The book presented a fairly one-sided view of teenage boys. In a family with seven children, one would think there would be some variety of personalities and habits. One boy had autism, to the author's credit. However, despite this attempt at "pushing the envelope" all the brothers were different versions of the same person: athletic, attractive, well-liked, and adverse to academics. Consequently, the lessons Megan learns about boys from living with the family reflect only the narrow view the author chose to portray. I have more to say, and in the future I shall plan my drafts not so close to my bedtime, but as I am quite tired, I must leave you. Good night to you all and I shall see you tomorrow evening!
For the most part, the book was an entertaining (and quick) read. The story was easy to follow, as one might expect, and the characters were surprisingly believable. I failed to support, however, Brian's depictions of the female antagonists who often appeared hyperbolic in their overemphasis on sports and popularity. I also had a problem with the language of the text. I understand that because the text aims at a younger audience (and teenagers are never exposed to foul language) it behooves authors to write using a minimal amount of objectionable terms. I get frustrated, however, with the logic of including subject matter that doesn't match its the characters' dialogue. This book, in particular, dealt with sex, drinking, violence, and rebellion against authority, yet when the characters were consumed by emotions, their worst words were variations of the word "freakin'" I guess it's asking too much that an author's words resonate with the verisimilitude of the actions depicted in the book. Not to say that I enjoy reading curse word after curse word, but I think something is lost when an adult's teen characters don't accurately reflect the way teens really behave.
Sorry for that tangent. The book presented a fairly one-sided view of teenage boys. In a family with seven children, one would think there would be some variety of personalities and habits. One boy had autism, to the author's credit. However, despite this attempt at "pushing the envelope" all the brothers were different versions of the same person: athletic, attractive, well-liked, and adverse to academics. Consequently, the lessons Megan learns about boys from living with the family reflect only the narrow view the author chose to portray. I have more to say, and in the future I shall plan my drafts not so close to my bedtime, but as I am quite tired, I must leave you. Good night to you all and I shall see you tomorrow evening!
I lived to tell about reading The Pigman
I figured that if we're going to look at gender, why not look at a novel where the narration alternates between a male and female point of view with each chapter. The narrators, John and Lorraine, feel a sense of responsiblity to type up their experiences with Mr. Pignati (The Pigman), and they take turns doing so on an old manual typewriter while a four-eyed librarian they've dubbed 'the Cricket' keeps a close eye on them from across the library. Despite the gender differences, the novel mostly stresses their similarities: both youths are bored, depressed, intellectual, imaginative loners who seem to hang out with each other because they can't stand other people and can barely stand each other at times. As the result of a 'crank call', John and Lorraine stumble on to the pathetically lonely Mr. Pignati, who invites them in for a glass of wine. I was a little nervous that he'd be some sort of pervert, but he turns out to be quite harmless. The Pigman spoils John and Lorraine like they're grown-up kids of his own, and they take advantage of this new-found freedom. However, they're not grown-up, they're only sophmores in high school, so eventually (wouldn't you know it) their new-found freedom is curtailed by a downward spiral of events that bring all three crashing back to earth.
A reading in the course pack mentioned the rather negative portrayal of the parent characters, and yes, it's there. As a teacher, I've seen how stories are often told through what I call the 'kid filter', which puts the spin on the truth that a student desires. John and Lorraine's parents are a bit nuts, but what American adolescent doesn't nit-pick and exaggerate the shortcomings of their parents during adolescence when talking to their friends, trying to one-up each other on how rough they have it at home? The tone is negative towards parents, but realistically, that's what I would expect from a couple of sophmores in high school. It's also worth noting that at the novel's conclusion, when John and Lorraine are busted and the status quo misery is reconciled, you'll find traces of devotion to their parents and understanding of their parent's disciplinary reactions and hints of regret about their own actions. I think it's fair to chalk this up to the 'growing up' that's supposed to happen in these 'problem novels', but it feels authentically familiar, and you can easily find yourself saying, 'I when through some sort of hell like that before,' even if you never exactly met a Pigman.
I savored 150 pages in one sitting after school with only a brief nap somewhere in the middle. When I closed the cover around midnight, I was quite satisfied, even to the extent that I may actually hunt down The Pigman Returns, even though I'm suspect it won't measure up. What a sucker for the YA formula I am!
I wanted to write briefly about the Bowman article in the course pack as well. I had one high-ability class of thirty-two students last year, and categorization of the learning log characteristics couldn't match them any better. That particular group of students never impressed me as particularly "gifted" or even hard-working. --But what a difference a year can make... this year I'm teaching two sections of high-ability students for a total of thirty-six students, and I'm seeing much more patient, reflective, critical thinking from the group, even from the fellas. I would characterize the majority of this group of students as "gifted" or at least 'faking it pretty well'. This leads me to suspect that boys can 'catch up' to the girls in their interpretive abilities, but I would add that boys often add a relevant historical, cultural, or philosophical nugget to the girls' background with each seminar discussion that we've held. The jury's still out on how the oral discussion affects the different genders as well.
How can I not comment on the raunch culture article as well. I kept having to pick my terrified jaw off the floor. I'm not sure why though, because I've seen the advertising and the MTV videos, but maybe I've just become a bit numb to it all. It's almost like these people have put their development or their self-actualization or their identificaiton process on "pause". --And the shameless willingness to do so, just blows me away. When I read about the winner of The Bachelor saying that she needed Prince Charming to "feel like a real woman", I could just hear Carol King or Aretha Franklin singing "Natural Woman" in rebuttal. It's hard to know where to begin after reading this. All I know is that it's going take me a little while to process. Maybe we'll plan out a counter-revolutionary strategy of our own on Tuesday evening. :)
That's all for now, YA Reader-Fans. See you Tuesday.
A reading in the course pack mentioned the rather negative portrayal of the parent characters, and yes, it's there. As a teacher, I've seen how stories are often told through what I call the 'kid filter', which puts the spin on the truth that a student desires. John and Lorraine's parents are a bit nuts, but what American adolescent doesn't nit-pick and exaggerate the shortcomings of their parents during adolescence when talking to their friends, trying to one-up each other on how rough they have it at home? The tone is negative towards parents, but realistically, that's what I would expect from a couple of sophmores in high school. It's also worth noting that at the novel's conclusion, when John and Lorraine are busted and the status quo misery is reconciled, you'll find traces of devotion to their parents and understanding of their parent's disciplinary reactions and hints of regret about their own actions. I think it's fair to chalk this up to the 'growing up' that's supposed to happen in these 'problem novels', but it feels authentically familiar, and you can easily find yourself saying, 'I when through some sort of hell like that before,' even if you never exactly met a Pigman.
I savored 150 pages in one sitting after school with only a brief nap somewhere in the middle. When I closed the cover around midnight, I was quite satisfied, even to the extent that I may actually hunt down The Pigman Returns, even though I'm suspect it won't measure up. What a sucker for the YA formula I am!
I wanted to write briefly about the Bowman article in the course pack as well. I had one high-ability class of thirty-two students last year, and categorization of the learning log characteristics couldn't match them any better. That particular group of students never impressed me as particularly "gifted" or even hard-working. --But what a difference a year can make... this year I'm teaching two sections of high-ability students for a total of thirty-six students, and I'm seeing much more patient, reflective, critical thinking from the group, even from the fellas. I would characterize the majority of this group of students as "gifted" or at least 'faking it pretty well'. This leads me to suspect that boys can 'catch up' to the girls in their interpretive abilities, but I would add that boys often add a relevant historical, cultural, or philosophical nugget to the girls' background with each seminar discussion that we've held. The jury's still out on how the oral discussion affects the different genders as well.
How can I not comment on the raunch culture article as well. I kept having to pick my terrified jaw off the floor. I'm not sure why though, because I've seen the advertising and the MTV videos, but maybe I've just become a bit numb to it all. It's almost like these people have put their development or their self-actualization or their identificaiton process on "pause". --And the shameless willingness to do so, just blows me away. When I read about the winner of The Bachelor saying that she needed Prince Charming to "feel like a real woman", I could just hear Carol King or Aretha Franklin singing "Natural Woman" in rebuttal. It's hard to know where to begin after reading this. All I know is that it's going take me a little while to process. Maybe we'll plan out a counter-revolutionary strategy of our own on Tuesday evening. :)
That's all for now, YA Reader-Fans. See you Tuesday.
On the Readings...
After reading the Bowman selection, I cannot say that I was surprised by the findings. It is very possible that I am old-fashioned, but I think that the types of responses were typical for both genders. While there are always "crossovers," a majority of girls and boys will have similar reactions to literature. I thought this was an interesting study. As a teacher, a reading log would be beneficial to all parties. This might be another concept I will try in the future.
The GGW article was, if I don't sound too weird, relaxing and oh so real. Finally, we have someone who's not afraid to explore and write about this part of modern society. I wasn't a bit embarrassed reading it, and I appreciated the analysis of some of what is really going on in this day and age. What got me the most were quotes by participants of Girls Gone Wild. I was especially amused by the girl who was offended being called a whore when she's actually a virgin. I do not feel that these girls in any way represent females today. This article emphasized the spectrum of individualism that makes up our world. Overall, these were good articles.
As far as Angus, thongs and full-frontal snogging, it was a refreshing re-read for me. I had forgotten how silly of a diary this was. If you like 1st person, personal narratives, this is perfect. Again, I highly recommend it.
The GGW article was, if I don't sound too weird, relaxing and oh so real. Finally, we have someone who's not afraid to explore and write about this part of modern society. I wasn't a bit embarrassed reading it, and I appreciated the analysis of some of what is really going on in this day and age. What got me the most were quotes by participants of Girls Gone Wild. I was especially amused by the girl who was offended being called a whore when she's actually a virgin. I do not feel that these girls in any way represent females today. This article emphasized the spectrum of individualism that makes up our world. Overall, these were good articles.
As far as Angus, thongs and full-frontal snogging, it was a refreshing re-read for me. I had forgotten how silly of a diary this was. If you like 1st person, personal narratives, this is perfect. Again, I highly recommend it.
The Alchemist
I finished reading the novel last night. It's a short read, 170 pages. The book first published in 1988, has acquired international acclaim for the Brazilian author, Paulo Coelho. The book has sold over20 million copies and has been translated into over sixty languages. Coehlo studied alchemy for ten years and incorporated his experiences into his novel.
The story reads like a fable; it is the story of Santiago, a Spanish sheperd boy. Santiago is driven by a recurring dream and the desire to travel. His parents want him to become a priest; he felt it was his calling to travel and see the world. Santiago receives a blessing from his father and begins his journey. Along the way, Santiago has an encounters with a gypsy, king, beautiful woman, soldiers, and an alchemist. He receives advice from all in the pursuit of his personal legend(his dream).
Coelho explores faith, spirituality and the pursuit of one's dreams by looking at you heart. Santiago is a reader of books, he questions why he should read. A fellow traveler tells him that we need books to understand. As he wanders the desert, Santiago tells us, "Men dream more about coming home than about leaving". Santiago offers advice about personal identity, belonging, growing up. I see the book very popular with youn readers.
The story reads like a fable; it is the story of Santiago, a Spanish sheperd boy. Santiago is driven by a recurring dream and the desire to travel. His parents want him to become a priest; he felt it was his calling to travel and see the world. Santiago receives a blessing from his father and begins his journey. Along the way, Santiago has an encounters with a gypsy, king, beautiful woman, soldiers, and an alchemist. He receives advice from all in the pursuit of his personal legend(his dream).
Coelho explores faith, spirituality and the pursuit of one's dreams by looking at you heart. Santiago is a reader of books, he questions why he should read. A fellow traveler tells him that we need books to understand. As he wanders the desert, Santiago tells us, "Men dream more about coming home than about leaving". Santiago offers advice about personal identity, belonging, growing up. I see the book very popular with youn readers.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
I finished reading "Holes" by Louis Sachar with a feeling of closure, and that aspect of growth for the characters, which we talked about last week. I will definately reccomend it to my son in the next year or two, and would find it possibly a teachable YA novel. However, it would be one that probably the boys in a class would relate better to, as it is all about middle school age "bad boys," who have been sent to Camp Green Lake, which is basically a juvenile detention center. I am sure many of you have read it or have seen the movie. But here's the basic plot, as punishment the boys must dig a hole each day, to build character, however there's a hidden agenda behind the digging from the camp's warden. "Holes" reminds me of a modern "Lord of the Flies," in a way or even "The Outsiders," because it's a survival story of teen boys, touching on topics of gender, what it means to be a young teen boy, masculinity, power struggles and male friendship. There do seem to be many teachable books about male protagonists? What does this say about gender in the classroom and how is this received by female students?
Holes also recieved a Newberry Medal. I found the book interesting on many levels, however, throughout I considered gender relating to boys and their identity. For instance, in this book the boys are protrayed as using physical force to achieve power, status and sometimes in pure self defense. Girls don't tend to act out as much in a physical way? Why, so? On p. 135 of the book, the camp counselor actually encourages a fight between two campers (what does this say about adult role models and masculine codes of conduct?) This subject was discussed some in our first reading, stating this renewed interest in gender studies "has possibly been driven by the increasinlgy violent behavior of young boys," (p. 135, Cassidy)
Another boy trait I found, was the tendacy to give one another nick names. As soon as a camper arrived, the other boys immediately gave him a nick name. This is another male-type characteristic. I wondered in this book, if the nick names were a way for the boys to disassociate from their real "personalities" and their "real" lives?
The only female in the story, aside from Stanley's mother, is the camp's warden. The campers and myself , as a reader, were surprised to discover the warden is female. What does this say about gender stereotypes? Were they and I surprised because she was described as being so tough and feared?
Another gender issue in this book involves family legacy involving men and their future choices. Stanley is constantly labeling himself according to what his great, great grandfather did, as the other men in his family have done for years.
When we discuss literacy, performance and aptitude for boys, as was part of the week's readings: Holes examines a character who can't read "Zero" and who has been told for his whole life he is stupid and unteachable. This breaks my heart to read this, even the camp counselor labels him this way. How does this reflect on boy readers? Does this fictional character reflect on some of today's boys and what does this say about our approaches to teaching?
The characters, boy campers, are very round. They each have a unique story that is woven into this larger tall tale about the main characters' ancestors. The characters are uniquely different and believable: overweight, struggling in school, homeless, from a variety of ethic and racial backgrounds, from different classes etc. Last week, we discussed how YA novels that show characters rebelling usually try to bring them back to the societal norm by the end In Holes, I think we see this. Stanly and Zero receive redemption through their determination, strength and amazing dedication to their friendship. The boy's counselor says he is interested in making the campers a useful part of society. But, his action don't support this. Actually, all the adults in this book are terrible characters, who have hidden agendas, exploit the children, belittle them, lie, cheat etc. Maybe this is appealing to young readers: they can revolt against the adult characters and join the side of the campers.
I believe I went on too long about this book, but it is fabulous and very creatively written! Possibly more on the readings as I finish them.
Staci
Holes also recieved a Newberry Medal. I found the book interesting on many levels, however, throughout I considered gender relating to boys and their identity. For instance, in this book the boys are protrayed as using physical force to achieve power, status and sometimes in pure self defense. Girls don't tend to act out as much in a physical way? Why, so? On p. 135 of the book, the camp counselor actually encourages a fight between two campers (what does this say about adult role models and masculine codes of conduct?) This subject was discussed some in our first reading, stating this renewed interest in gender studies "has possibly been driven by the increasinlgy violent behavior of young boys," (p. 135, Cassidy)
Another boy trait I found, was the tendacy to give one another nick names. As soon as a camper arrived, the other boys immediately gave him a nick name. This is another male-type characteristic. I wondered in this book, if the nick names were a way for the boys to disassociate from their real "personalities" and their "real" lives?
The only female in the story, aside from Stanley's mother, is the camp's warden. The campers and myself , as a reader, were surprised to discover the warden is female. What does this say about gender stereotypes? Were they and I surprised because she was described as being so tough and feared?
Another gender issue in this book involves family legacy involving men and their future choices. Stanley is constantly labeling himself according to what his great, great grandfather did, as the other men in his family have done for years.
When we discuss literacy, performance and aptitude for boys, as was part of the week's readings: Holes examines a character who can't read "Zero" and who has been told for his whole life he is stupid and unteachable. This breaks my heart to read this, even the camp counselor labels him this way. How does this reflect on boy readers? Does this fictional character reflect on some of today's boys and what does this say about our approaches to teaching?
The characters, boy campers, are very round. They each have a unique story that is woven into this larger tall tale about the main characters' ancestors. The characters are uniquely different and believable: overweight, struggling in school, homeless, from a variety of ethic and racial backgrounds, from different classes etc. Last week, we discussed how YA novels that show characters rebelling usually try to bring them back to the societal norm by the end In Holes, I think we see this. Stanly and Zero receive redemption through their determination, strength and amazing dedication to their friendship. The boy's counselor says he is interested in making the campers a useful part of society. But, his action don't support this. Actually, all the adults in this book are terrible characters, who have hidden agendas, exploit the children, belittle them, lie, cheat etc. Maybe this is appealing to young readers: they can revolt against the adult characters and join the side of the campers.
I believe I went on too long about this book, but it is fabulous and very creatively written! Possibly more on the readings as I finish them.
Staci
Gender. Oy.
I’ll begin with a few quotes from Bowman’s article that exemplify why I find the issue of gender so fascinating, frustrating, and quixotic:
“What is interesting in class discussions are the girls’ comments that they like a man who can cry, share personal feelings, and break through the ‘macho’ image, while the boys admire women who succeed and demonstrate strength” (p. 87).
“…what we must do is try to get boys to read literature and write about it more as the girls do, and at the same time encourage even further development in the girls’ work” (p. 88).
“…I need to encourage the boys to respond more like the girls in their learning logs as well as class discussions…” (p. 91).
When I read ideas like these, I begin to wonder whether we’re uncomfortable with differences between genders. Are there some beliefs, behaviors, actions, feelings that are inherently masculine or inherently feminine? Or are the concepts of masculinity and femininity purely social constructs? Can genders be different but equal? And then there’s Ariel Levy—she’s on to something (although I should point out, since the publication of her book, a set of Guys Gone Wild DVDs has hit the market and met with huge success). I would argue that men now face the same social imperative of sexiness that women have always faced.
*****
I chose to read Luna (2004) by Julie Ann Peters. Luna is narrated by Regan O’Neill, a 15 year-old girl who is experiencing the typical angst and melodrama that one would expect a 15 year-old girl to face…popularity issues, tough classes in school, finding a boyfriend, parents who don’t “get it,” etc. But Regan does have a rather unique issue in her life—her 17 year-old genius brother Liam identifies as a girl (Luna) and has confided that secret only to Regan. Liam/Luna has decided to transition (from male to female), and Liam/Luna’s struggle for a genuine gender identity on her own terms is the ostensible focus of this novel.
Peters certainly captures the diction and style of adolescent speech, and she’s very in touch with the rhythms of adolescent life. Regan is a well-developed, interesting, likeable, and believable character. This feat of authorial creation, however, causes Peters some problems. Regan is such an articulate narrator, such a strong character, so sympathetic, that it’s hard to consider anyone else as the protagonist of this novel. In fact, a pretty convincing argument could be made that the book is more about Regan’s search for an identity (apart from Liam/Luna, whom she sees as monopolizing her time and affecting every aspect of her social identity) and that Liam/Luna’s search for a gender identity is only tangential to the main plot line (until the novel’s resolution, when it’s thrust into focus again). Utilizing a first-person narrator in a novel whose protagonist is not the narrator is a rather challenging feat (Yes, Fitzgerald did it in The Great Gatsby, but Peters is not Fitzgerald). Perhaps because of this choice in narrative perspective, the character of Liam/Luna comes across as rather flat. Liam/Luna says everything you’d expect an adolescent who’s struggling with his/her gender identity to say, and Liam/Luna struggles for acceptance and dignity just as you’d expect, but Peters never really fleshes out the character—Liam/Luna always feels like a supporting player in her own story.
As a teacher, I would have a difficult time figuring out how to use Luna in the classroom. Its literary imperfections would create some pedagogical problems, but it’s one of the few YA novels that actually focuses on a transgender character and treats the issue with respect and sensitivity.
“What is interesting in class discussions are the girls’ comments that they like a man who can cry, share personal feelings, and break through the ‘macho’ image, while the boys admire women who succeed and demonstrate strength” (p. 87).
“…what we must do is try to get boys to read literature and write about it more as the girls do, and at the same time encourage even further development in the girls’ work” (p. 88).
“…I need to encourage the boys to respond more like the girls in their learning logs as well as class discussions…” (p. 91).
When I read ideas like these, I begin to wonder whether we’re uncomfortable with differences between genders. Are there some beliefs, behaviors, actions, feelings that are inherently masculine or inherently feminine? Or are the concepts of masculinity and femininity purely social constructs? Can genders be different but equal? And then there’s Ariel Levy—she’s on to something (although I should point out, since the publication of her book, a set of Guys Gone Wild DVDs has hit the market and met with huge success). I would argue that men now face the same social imperative of sexiness that women have always faced.
*****
I chose to read Luna (2004) by Julie Ann Peters. Luna is narrated by Regan O’Neill, a 15 year-old girl who is experiencing the typical angst and melodrama that one would expect a 15 year-old girl to face…popularity issues, tough classes in school, finding a boyfriend, parents who don’t “get it,” etc. But Regan does have a rather unique issue in her life—her 17 year-old genius brother Liam identifies as a girl (Luna) and has confided that secret only to Regan. Liam/Luna has decided to transition (from male to female), and Liam/Luna’s struggle for a genuine gender identity on her own terms is the ostensible focus of this novel.
Peters certainly captures the diction and style of adolescent speech, and she’s very in touch with the rhythms of adolescent life. Regan is a well-developed, interesting, likeable, and believable character. This feat of authorial creation, however, causes Peters some problems. Regan is such an articulate narrator, such a strong character, so sympathetic, that it’s hard to consider anyone else as the protagonist of this novel. In fact, a pretty convincing argument could be made that the book is more about Regan’s search for an identity (apart from Liam/Luna, whom she sees as monopolizing her time and affecting every aspect of her social identity) and that Liam/Luna’s search for a gender identity is only tangential to the main plot line (until the novel’s resolution, when it’s thrust into focus again). Utilizing a first-person narrator in a novel whose protagonist is not the narrator is a rather challenging feat (Yes, Fitzgerald did it in The Great Gatsby, but Peters is not Fitzgerald). Perhaps because of this choice in narrative perspective, the character of Liam/Luna comes across as rather flat. Liam/Luna says everything you’d expect an adolescent who’s struggling with his/her gender identity to say, and Liam/Luna struggles for acceptance and dignity just as you’d expect, but Peters never really fleshes out the character—Liam/Luna always feels like a supporting player in her own story.
As a teacher, I would have a difficult time figuring out how to use Luna in the classroom. Its literary imperfections would create some pedagogical problems, but it’s one of the few YA novels that actually focuses on a transgender character and treats the issue with respect and sensitivity.
Friday, January 26, 2007
The it girl ... X X X
Finally I have finished reading the “The it girl” one of the Gossip girl series. I am really trying to think of the theme of this novel but I really can’t come up with any valuable thing to say. The 265 pages mainly described the life of teenagers as a “zoo” where every animal can make love with any other animal. (Sorry to say this, but that’s how I was thinking when I was reading this novel). The characters aren't distinguished, however, and their collective wisdom is "I did so much E this summer, my brain is fried!" The author spends the majority of the book assigning a brand name to every object. The book is a deliberate shocker, portraying the teens as eternally drunk and motivated by the bodily urges of the moment, entirely missing the complicated reality of actual teens.
The whole novel is mainly about three college girlfriends with three or more boyfriends who were having sex with one another with no rules or boundaries. I felt sorry for the way that have been used to describe the teenagers’ lives specially girls. The three girls were competing with each other to be sexier; it is a shame for a girl to be a virgin at the age of 17 for example etc. The thing that bothered me the most was the series of lies that have been described in the novel, as if teenagers never say the truth. Girls have fake stories to tell their friends and boyfriends, even when they talk about their parents they lei, they try to show that they came from respective and rich families. They lie about their feelings towards one another and towards their boyfriends.
This novel mainly teaches young adults how to fabricate stories to save them selves when they are in trouble. And how to break up a romantic relationship “easily” with a lover to make love with some one else. That’s why I do not recommend teaching or reading such kind of books, it is just a waste of time!
The whole novel is mainly about three college girlfriends with three or more boyfriends who were having sex with one another with no rules or boundaries. I felt sorry for the way that have been used to describe the teenagers’ lives specially girls. The three girls were competing with each other to be sexier; it is a shame for a girl to be a virgin at the age of 17 for example etc. The thing that bothered me the most was the series of lies that have been described in the novel, as if teenagers never say the truth. Girls have fake stories to tell their friends and boyfriends, even when they talk about their parents they lei, they try to show that they came from respective and rich families. They lie about their feelings towards one another and towards their boyfriends.
This novel mainly teaches young adults how to fabricate stories to save them selves when they are in trouble. And how to break up a romantic relationship “easily” with a lover to make love with some one else. That’s why I do not recommend teaching or reading such kind of books, it is just a waste of time!
"Breathing Underwater"
Like Lisa, I also took the gender quiz and was surprised by some answers but not others. I suppose I answered with total female bias, basing my answers on experiences I had in high school where my girl friends were much more focused on academics than my guy friends were. More specifically, my AP classes were predominantly female and National Honor Society was also made up of a greater number of females. I attributed this to maturity, going off of what I'm sure many of us heard at one point or another: the infamous "girls mature faster than boys."
For the YA reading, I chose a book mentioned in the "Growing Up Female around the Globe with YA" article. "Breathing Underwater," appealed to me as soon as I read the description. A boy at my high school beat his girlfriend to death with a baseball bat my freshman year and I was curious to see how Alex Flinn (author) depicted an abuser. I was even more interested in the novel when I found out it was told from the abuser's perspective, which included a series of journal entries that chronologically lead up to the final violent encounter.
I enjoyed the book in that it provided me with hope that people can change with appropriate help (Nick has definitely grown at the end of the novel but not necessarily reached adulthood), but I was disappointed with the depiction of the victim (Caitlin). She was incredibly weak, much more so than the girl who died at my high school. Caitlin allowed Nick (main character) to make her every decision with the exception of the one that landed her in the hospital. Also, not a single person around her attempted to help her -not even her own mother until the damage was so severe she needed medical attention. I found the rest of the female characters to also be extremely weak and this disappointed me, because I felt like a least one strong woman should be included in a novel that will certainly appeal to and be read by young women. To me, Cailtin seemed doomed from the very beginning by the lack of positive female role models. Although the novel reiterates the obvious: you should not hit, control, or obsess over your girlfriend, I don't think I would recommend this book to young women on basis that it does not remind them of the strong, intelligent, independent, people they are or could surely become.
For the YA reading, I chose a book mentioned in the "Growing Up Female around the Globe with YA" article. "Breathing Underwater," appealed to me as soon as I read the description. A boy at my high school beat his girlfriend to death with a baseball bat my freshman year and I was curious to see how Alex Flinn (author) depicted an abuser. I was even more interested in the novel when I found out it was told from the abuser's perspective, which included a series of journal entries that chronologically lead up to the final violent encounter.
I enjoyed the book in that it provided me with hope that people can change with appropriate help (Nick has definitely grown at the end of the novel but not necessarily reached adulthood), but I was disappointed with the depiction of the victim (Caitlin). She was incredibly weak, much more so than the girl who died at my high school. Caitlin allowed Nick (main character) to make her every decision with the exception of the one that landed her in the hospital. Also, not a single person around her attempted to help her -not even her own mother until the damage was so severe she needed medical attention. I found the rest of the female characters to also be extremely weak and this disappointed me, because I felt like a least one strong woman should be included in a novel that will certainly appeal to and be read by young women. To me, Cailtin seemed doomed from the very beginning by the lack of positive female role models. Although the novel reiterates the obvious: you should not hit, control, or obsess over your girlfriend, I don't think I would recommend this book to young women on basis that it does not remind them of the strong, intelligent, independent, people they are or could surely become.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Week 4
Just a few things thus far...more later, I'm sure.
These are all the thoughts I have up to this point. I am interested to read more from you all and facilitate discussion from there.
- I am halfway through surveying my students of what they think defines YA literature. The results so far are fairly typical. Simply stated, they believe it's YA lit if it relates to their general interests and the interests and questions that most teenagers have (peer pressure, friendship, sex, drugs, etc.). I will bring in the stack of journal responses to class next time.
- I am currently reading Angus, thongs and FULL-FRONTAL SNOGGING by Louse Rennison. I read this book back in 2002, so I had forgotten most of it. It is very funny and is written from the point of view of Georgia Nicholson, a teenage girl in England. She explores all of the typical realms of being a growing girl: zits, embarrassing parents, teen lust, friendship, being outcast, and more. It is a Printz Award Honor book, and it is the first in a series. Her lexicon is very odd reading it as an American, but she is nice enough to explain her idiosyncrasies in a tidy glossary. I will book-talk this one more in class. I highly recommend it, though. :)
- I just read the first article in the course pack, and my first response is that it is interesting that not much attention has been paid to gender issues and literature. I find it more interesting that there has been a "reawakening" of this since the Columbine tragedy. Also, I enjoyed the true/false quiz and found the answers surprising in places and not so much in others. Looking back, I always saw my dad reading the paper or a newspaper, and my mom didn't read much else. They would both read me stories, though. However, growing up and even to this day, I am embarrassed to say that I'm not an avid reader. I have picked it up more as I teach and take classes, though. I guess the environment I grew up in was different from the environments my reading fanatic friends had. I recall some of their parents reading long books all the time, which explains the child's interest in reading.
These are all the thoughts I have up to this point. I am interested to read more from you all and facilitate discussion from there.
Week 4
Hello, all. I have some suggestions for Week 4 postings. I would love for you to write about whatever YA book you are reading for our upcoming discussion of gender and YA. What is it about? How does it address or comment on issues of gender? What is your response, both as a teacher and student of literature, to the book?
Another posting option is to respond to the articles in the course pack for Week 4. Any thoughts? Criticisms?
As always, you are invited to comment on other posts or write about related issues or ideas.
See you next Tuesday,
Janet
Another posting option is to respond to the articles in the course pack for Week 4. Any thoughts? Criticisms?
As always, you are invited to comment on other posts or write about related issues or ideas.
See you next Tuesday,
Janet
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Let's talk about religion...
While I was glad to see Gallo point out that it is a great idea to talk about religions objectively in school, I was disappointed in the list of books he suggested. I believe only one of them looked at religious faiths outside of Protestant Christianity. Several of the books Gallo introduced focus on religious cults, conservative Christians in America and “fear-based faiths”—I’m not sure if I am equipped as an educator to lead my students through these books.
When I taught a unit called Cultural Crossroads for my tenth grade college prep. English classes, we read several short stories where a person’s religious beliefs and traditions were tested within his/her own culture or by people outside of his/her culture. These stories sparked wonderful discussions about my students’ faith, their family values and traditions that they had. The main project for this unit involved my students researching some tradition in their cultural heritage, creating a 10 - 15-minute presentation about this tradition and sharing what they learned during class. Through the short stories and their peers’ presentations, my students were exposed to many cultures and learned a lot about their classmates’ religious traditions. I saw many students share their faith proudly with the class as they showed us pictures of their families at religious celebrations, had us try traditional food for specific religious festivals, played religious music, etc. My students respectfully took in each presentation and asked thoughtful and considerate questions about their peers’ traditions. We covered Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Hindu traditions and their subgroups.
Talking about religion allowed my students to examine similarities and differences between various traditions and values. I really enjoyed seeing my students openly share and discuss their faith, but the best part of this unit was the respect that my students shared with each other as they talked about religion.
When I taught a unit called Cultural Crossroads for my tenth grade college prep. English classes, we read several short stories where a person’s religious beliefs and traditions were tested within his/her own culture or by people outside of his/her culture. These stories sparked wonderful discussions about my students’ faith, their family values and traditions that they had. The main project for this unit involved my students researching some tradition in their cultural heritage, creating a 10 - 15-minute presentation about this tradition and sharing what they learned during class. Through the short stories and their peers’ presentations, my students were exposed to many cultures and learned a lot about their classmates’ religious traditions. I saw many students share their faith proudly with the class as they showed us pictures of their families at religious celebrations, had us try traditional food for specific religious festivals, played religious music, etc. My students respectfully took in each presentation and asked thoughtful and considerate questions about their peers’ traditions. We covered Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Hindu traditions and their subgroups.
Talking about religion allowed my students to examine similarities and differences between various traditions and values. I really enjoyed seeing my students openly share and discuss their faith, but the best part of this unit was the respect that my students shared with each other as they talked about religion.
What is a "classic"?
An interesting conversation transpired in my English 9 classes late last week. As preparation for Homer’s The Odyssey, I had students answer the following questions (a short list of answers follows):
What makes a book, story, or play a “classic”?
It’s been around for a long time / it’s old
A lot of people have read/watched it
A lot of people like it
It can relate to large audience across history
What are some examples of “classics”?
Dr. Seuss
The Titanic (movie)
Moby Dick
Shakespeare
After exploring the notion of “classic,” I asked students to respond to the following quote: “When you reread a classic you do not see more in the book than you did before; you see more in you than there was before” – Clifton Fadiman. Students took this quote to mean that regardless of how many times a story is read it doesn’t change; what changes is the readers’ reaction to the story; what the reader learns about who they are in that moment.
I asked students “Have you ever read a book or story that changed your character or how you view the world?” Surprisingly, many students had read books that taught lessons in gratitude and thankfulness (be happy with what you have / life could be a lot worse) and injustices people have faced throughout time. The books students mentioned weren’t YA novels; they were titles that dealt with people in real situations. The books mentioned included a list of Holocaust literature (Schindler’s List was a popular title) and books by Dave Pelzer (A Child Called It and The Lost Boy).
I thought it was interesting that not one YA title was offered as a means of identification. I asked students if they could think of any contemporary titles could be classified as a "classic" or one that might one day fit this classification, but they didn't have any ideas. Since this discussion, I’ve been wondering how teens view YA novels. Why do they read these types of stories? Why do they not consider these titles to be “classics”? They may not be as dated as some of the traditional “classics,” but aren’t the themes universal? Maybe not… Maybe teens see YA novels as a source of entertainment and nothing more.
What makes a book, story, or play a “classic”?
It’s been around for a long time / it’s old
A lot of people have read/watched it
A lot of people like it
It can relate to large audience across history
What are some examples of “classics”?
Dr. Seuss
The Titanic (movie)
Moby Dick
Shakespeare
After exploring the notion of “classic,” I asked students to respond to the following quote: “When you reread a classic you do not see more in the book than you did before; you see more in you than there was before” – Clifton Fadiman. Students took this quote to mean that regardless of how many times a story is read it doesn’t change; what changes is the readers’ reaction to the story; what the reader learns about who they are in that moment.
I asked students “Have you ever read a book or story that changed your character or how you view the world?” Surprisingly, many students had read books that taught lessons in gratitude and thankfulness (be happy with what you have / life could be a lot worse) and injustices people have faced throughout time. The books students mentioned weren’t YA novels; they were titles that dealt with people in real situations. The books mentioned included a list of Holocaust literature (Schindler’s List was a popular title) and books by Dave Pelzer (A Child Called It and The Lost Boy).
I thought it was interesting that not one YA title was offered as a means of identification. I asked students if they could think of any contemporary titles could be classified as a "classic" or one that might one day fit this classification, but they didn't have any ideas. Since this discussion, I’ve been wondering how teens view YA novels. Why do they read these types of stories? Why do they not consider these titles to be “classics”? They may not be as dated as some of the traditional “classics,” but aren’t the themes universal? Maybe not… Maybe teens see YA novels as a source of entertainment and nothing more.
YA literature
The American Library Association defines young adult literature as literature for those aged 12-18 as exampled by the Printz Award. Kenneth Donelson (2001) identified characteristics of young adult literature as: (1) The literature is written from the viewpoint of young people; (2) the main characters overcome issues or concerns without the help of their parents; (3) the story lines havea quick pace; (4) the literature has a variety of genres; (5) all ethnic and cultural groups are represented in the novels; (6) the books display a ray of hope and the characters make significant accomplishments; and (7) the stories deal with concerns, issues and emotions that are important to young adults.
There are numerous lists of "Best Books" that we use to motivate students to read or we use to gather ideas from. Rick Margolis asked many well known authors to choose current books that they believed would be classics in years to come. As examples, Eve Bunting recommended Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia. ( I am currently reading Paterson's book, The Same Stuff as Stars. I have always enjoyed her work, Jacob Have I Loved, The Great Gilly Hopkins. I noted the trailer at the cinema a few weeks ago for the new film version of Bridge to Terabithia, it has a strong appeal to young adults more so than with the older film versions).
I am also just starting to read Life of Pi- it appears to be a read for an older young adult.
Well, it's almost time to leave CCSJ and depart for Purdue, I need to get tunes packed.
There are numerous lists of "Best Books" that we use to motivate students to read or we use to gather ideas from. Rick Margolis asked many well known authors to choose current books that they believed would be classics in years to come. As examples, Eve Bunting recommended Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia. ( I am currently reading Paterson's book, The Same Stuff as Stars. I have always enjoyed her work, Jacob Have I Loved, The Great Gilly Hopkins. I noted the trailer at the cinema a few weeks ago for the new film version of Bridge to Terabithia, it has a strong appeal to young adults more so than with the older film versions).
I am also just starting to read Life of Pi- it appears to be a read for an older young adult.
Well, it's almost time to leave CCSJ and depart for Purdue, I need to get tunes packed.
All about Bruce
Hi to all members of the class,
I am celebrating my 30th year in education this school year. I have taught at the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grades, served as a dean of students, became an assistant principal, and became a building principal in 1990, and remained in that position until 2000. I moved on to Governors State University for a year, helping the university with its NCATE accrediation during that year, and since 2001 I have been at Calumet College of St. Joseph in Whiting, Indiana. I register and advise all of the Education declared major students at St. Joe's, teach 4-6 classes per semester in the Education Department, and supervise 6-8 students during their student teaching experience. ( At a small college, one wears many, many, hats. Our total enrollment at the college is 1,700; the Education Department has 250 students enrolled). I enjoy my position at CCSJ, the Education Department is a tight-knit family as there are only 8 fulltime faculty and staff members in our department.
I am single, I always felt I had enough kids to attend to in a school setting, and probably was too dedicated to my tenure in the schools I taught at to get involved in a solid relationship. Being single, allows me to travel where and when I wish to do so, dine out alot, and spend time with friends and family. The last three years where on somewhat of a holding pattern, taking care of my father who suffered from Alzheimers( a terrible disease). I took last semester off from attending class at Purdue to take care of him, and I'm glad I'm back in the saddle this semester at Purdue. The drive to Purdue provides me some free time to listen to music, talk to friends on the cell phone and reflect. I enjoy the drive, I hope this semester is somewhat snow free, because it's dark out there on I-65 as I travel back to Chicagoland.
I am celebrating my 30th year in education this school year. I have taught at the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grades, served as a dean of students, became an assistant principal, and became a building principal in 1990, and remained in that position until 2000. I moved on to Governors State University for a year, helping the university with its NCATE accrediation during that year, and since 2001 I have been at Calumet College of St. Joseph in Whiting, Indiana. I register and advise all of the Education declared major students at St. Joe's, teach 4-6 classes per semester in the Education Department, and supervise 6-8 students during their student teaching experience. ( At a small college, one wears many, many, hats. Our total enrollment at the college is 1,700; the Education Department has 250 students enrolled). I enjoy my position at CCSJ, the Education Department is a tight-knit family as there are only 8 fulltime faculty and staff members in our department.
I am single, I always felt I had enough kids to attend to in a school setting, and probably was too dedicated to my tenure in the schools I taught at to get involved in a solid relationship. Being single, allows me to travel where and when I wish to do so, dine out alot, and spend time with friends and family. The last three years where on somewhat of a holding pattern, taking care of my father who suffered from Alzheimers( a terrible disease). I took last semester off from attending class at Purdue to take care of him, and I'm glad I'm back in the saddle this semester at Purdue. The drive to Purdue provides me some free time to listen to music, talk to friends on the cell phone and reflect. I enjoy the drive, I hope this semester is somewhat snow free, because it's dark out there on I-65 as I travel back to Chicagoland.
Monday, January 22, 2007
The Devil's Advocate
After re-reading my last post, I just wanted to make it clear that I think YA novels not only have a purpose but are worth studying insofar as their relationship with contemporary teen identity. However, I have yet to be convinced as to the reasons why these books make good classroom tools which serve to enhance not only the literal but also the cultural literacy of students. But, I am of course willing to learn! Have a good day and see yalls tomorrow.
What does "better" mean anyway?
I think I should preface this post by saying in advance that I apologize if any of this appears rambling and whiny, but some of the issues in the articles really intrigued me. As with last week, I shall reserve the majority of my comments for class, but I just couldn't wait to bring up the issue of YA novels making students "better" readers. In particular, I am speaking of the "Research on Young Adult Literature" section found on page 99 of our deliciously cumbersome course pack. I guess my concerns primarily stem from the second point on the page (the more young people read, the more practice they get, and the better readers they become). To me, that seems terribly vague. By what standards are we concluding that these students are "better readers"? Do we mean simply that they read faster, and consequently read longer books in shorter amounts of time? Is retention a component to this "bettering" of children's reading? Ideally, not only would students gain speed and retention but also the skills to synthesize content with cultural circumstances that not only relate to them but also have impacts on their lives. But is this level of reading improvement really what the article is talking about? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't recall a qualification of the term "better". The articles consistently state that students enjoy reading more if they get to pick their own books. But since when did our enjoyment become equitable to purposeful actions? I don't understand the inherent value of doing something as opposed to something else merely because students enjoy it more. When pressed, I think many students would say they enjoy YA novels more than canonical (boring) texts, but they enjoy reading magazines more than reading YA novels. In fact one of the articles mentioned that something like 80% of students said they're favorite reading material is magazines. Better yet, most students enjoy watching TV or reading blogs even more than magazines. Why not teach those things?
I reject the pervasive assumptions of classic literature that suggest that such texts are "mostly written for well-educated adult audiences" and "does not fully meet the needs, interests, and abilities of most young adults." What, exactly are these needs and abilities and how are YA novels a viable substitute for other works. I also have problems with the ideas presented on the bottom of page 99 that claim that "young readers' success with any work of literature is determined by how closely their interpretations match the 'authorized' interpretation" thus rendering students' responses to literature "limited to naming the 'right' answers to teachers' questions." Can it not clearly be seen here that the problem lies not with the text themselves but the manner by which the text is presented to the reader? I say screw the authorization, research, and tables and teach the kids what they need to know from a text with which they more than likely have an averse relationship. What's so wrong with playing Dead Poet's Society every now and then? As the research indicates, it is "far more likely that young people will become lifelong readers if they are given positive experiences in reading." Again, however, we are left with the problem of the inherent value of reading in and of itself without proper instruction as well as the research's operational definition of "positive" experiences. To be clear, I have absolutely no problem with YA novels. None whatsoever. But I think there is much more academic value to reading a children's classic about a racist boy's transformation with a runaway slave compared to teaching the timeless struggle with making varsity or being stuck in the hellish confines JV football...high school can be a real drag!
I reject the pervasive assumptions of classic literature that suggest that such texts are "mostly written for well-educated adult audiences" and "does not fully meet the needs, interests, and abilities of most young adults." What, exactly are these needs and abilities and how are YA novels a viable substitute for other works. I also have problems with the ideas presented on the bottom of page 99 that claim that "young readers' success with any work of literature is determined by how closely their interpretations match the 'authorized' interpretation" thus rendering students' responses to literature "limited to naming the 'right' answers to teachers' questions." Can it not clearly be seen here that the problem lies not with the text themselves but the manner by which the text is presented to the reader? I say screw the authorization, research, and tables and teach the kids what they need to know from a text with which they more than likely have an averse relationship. What's so wrong with playing Dead Poet's Society every now and then? As the research indicates, it is "far more likely that young people will become lifelong readers if they are given positive experiences in reading." Again, however, we are left with the problem of the inherent value of reading in and of itself without proper instruction as well as the research's operational definition of "positive" experiences. To be clear, I have absolutely no problem with YA novels. None whatsoever. But I think there is much more academic value to reading a children's classic about a racist boy's transformation with a runaway slave compared to teaching the timeless struggle with making varsity or being stuck in the hellish confines JV football...high school can be a real drag!
Friday, January 19, 2007
Video gaming
Here's an interesting news article about gaming, which Janet mentioned during our first class meeting: Video game playing may fulfill innate human need
Jim
Jim
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Some Questions to Consider about Week 3
Hello, all. I wanted to post some possible questions to get the blog discussion started for this week. Of course, feel free to respond to other issues, ideas, or texts of interest.
This week's focus is on the definition of YA lit. What is it? When did it begin? Why did it begin? What will happen to it in the future?
1. The first couple of articles summarize and categorize some recent YA novels of interest to critics. Do any of them intrigue you? Why?
2. Do you think "YA Lit" is an actual "genre"? Why or why not?
3. Seelinger Trites discusses the postmodern YA novel. Do you think the unstated purpose of most YA books is to inculcate teens into the cultural milieu in which they will live and work, a world that will ask them to follow rules and abide by societal norms? Or do you think most YA authors would describe their purpose as encouraging teenagers to break out of restrictive social/cultural structures and "make their own way" in the world? In other words, in your opinion (and based on books you've read) do you think most YA lit encourages compliance or independence? Integration or rebellion?
Looking forward to reading your thoughts,
Janet
This week's focus is on the definition of YA lit. What is it? When did it begin? Why did it begin? What will happen to it in the future?
1. The first couple of articles summarize and categorize some recent YA novels of interest to critics. Do any of them intrigue you? Why?
2. Do you think "YA Lit" is an actual "genre"? Why or why not?
3. Seelinger Trites discusses the postmodern YA novel. Do you think the unstated purpose of most YA books is to inculcate teens into the cultural milieu in which they will live and work, a world that will ask them to follow rules and abide by societal norms? Or do you think most YA authors would describe their purpose as encouraging teenagers to break out of restrictive social/cultural structures and "make their own way" in the world? In other words, in your opinion (and based on books you've read) do you think most YA lit encourages compliance or independence? Integration or rebellion?
Looking forward to reading your thoughts,
Janet
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Reflection on Identity Theories
Jim brought up something really interesting tonight in our small group discussion about identity theories—had to share this and my own reflection too. As a high school student, Jim remembered being shocked when he discovered that adults also struggle with their identities. (This realization occurred during his modern lit. course.) Sometimes we adults forget that adolescents often live in the moment and do not realize that their elders have gone through (or are going through) similar experiences to their own. I think it is helpful to share our own experiences with our students as we discuss YA in the classroom. If nothing else, this will help our students to see us as “real people.”
Another thought: YA allows adolescents the opportunity to enter a world and maybe vicariously “try out” what is happening in the book. This is a safe way of trying out new identities without the risk of getting in trouble with parents and without looking ridiculous in front of peers.
Gail
Another thought: YA allows adolescents the opportunity to enter a world and maybe vicariously “try out” what is happening in the book. This is a safe way of trying out new identities without the risk of getting in trouble with parents and without looking ridiculous in front of peers.
Gail
For Heather--that anthropology/literacy book...
...is called Literacy and Literacies: Texts, Power, and Identity by James Collins and Richard Blot (2003, Cambridge UP). It's part of the Studies in the Social and Cultural Foundations of Language Series. Chapter 5 ("Literacies and Identity Formation: American Cases") doesn't necessarily address adolescence, but it does contain a clear and useful analysis of different theories of identity development, especially the social constructionist view.
You might also like Writing and Identity: The Discoursal Construction of Identity in Academic Writing by Roz Ivanič (1998, John Benjamins Pub. Co.). The focus here is on undergraduate students, but the first part of the book (chapters 1-4) contains much useful information about theories regarding the connection between writing and the social construction of identity.
Jim
You might also like Writing and Identity: The Discoursal Construction of Identity in Academic Writing by Roz Ivanič (1998, John Benjamins Pub. Co.). The focus here is on undergraduate students, but the first part of the book (chapters 1-4) contains much useful information about theories regarding the connection between writing and the social construction of identity.
Jim
A little about me – More about the readings
I have spent some time reading the entries for week 1 (as many of you have also done and commented upon in your entries) and while I would really like to write something pithy or witty to introduce myself, I have a migraine that has lasted all weekend, so instead I will probably lean towards keeping my intro brief.
As I mentioned during class last week, I am currently working on my Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction/Literacy and Language. I am in the process of finishing my dissertation proposal, although I have been reading/researching/writing parts of the dissertation for some time now and I hope to graduate in December ’07. The focus of my dissertation is a critical discussion of graphic novels as verbal-visual texts, so I am constantly in the Graphic Novel, YA and Children’s literature sections of Borders and Barnes & Noble. I came to Lafayette in 1996 to pursue a Masters degree in gifted education, after having worked as an elementary school teacher for a number of years in my home town, Toowoomba (Queensland, Australia). It is impossible to sum up those years of teaching, because they were some of the most memorable, not least because I was fortunate to work with the same group of delightfully precocious students from grades 1 through 3. Prior to my time spent teaching, I also worked for approximately a year and a half as a nanny in Australia (it is hard to believe that Becky is now 19 years old). As an undergraduate student at the University of Queensland I studied foreign languages and literature, receiving a B.A. (Hons.) with double majors in German and Russian and a minor in linguistics. Literature and the Arts have played major roles in my development as student and teacher and I owe my parents a huge debt for always taking my sister and me to concerts, museums, art galleries (even if, at the time, we might have groaned and complained!).
In terms of personal life, the biggest life change for me in recent years was going through an ugly divorce after seven years of marriage. I learned many things about myself and others, all of which had an impact on my own sense of identity. If I were to have answered the questions posed by Kroger at the beginning of her chapter “Perspectives on Identity”, I would probably have said – simplistically - that identity does not fundamentally change over time, that identity cannot really be lost, and that identity is primarily an internal construct. I also would have probably agreed to a greater extent with the perspective of trait theorists who argue that “[…] particular personality features, […], are relatively stable across the late adolescent and adult life span (Kroger 6). Seven years down the road, two miscarriages, one divorce, and a chunk of legal debt later, I would answer Kroger’s questions quite differently. I certainly believe that we may have a stable sense of identity at different times throughout our lives, and this sense of identity is based both on internal and external factors. Our sense of identity, however, can be ruptured - and ultimately changed or lost - when we are confronted by experiences or situations where the external definitions of who we are (perhaps imposed on us by others or by the culture in which we live) do not seem to match our internal beliefs.
Kroger’s discussion of historical perspectives related to adolescent identity (15-16) was particularly interesting and connected well with the second reading “Adolescence and the Problem of Identity” (Kroger 1-7). In thinking back to last week’s class discussion about the themes encountered in YA literature (that seem to deal with “big” issues, contemporary life or at least adolescent life as perceived by the writers of adolescent fiction, and horror and sci-fi genres) and reading the opening paragraph in the chapter, the following quote definitely resonates for me: “Although the foundations of ‘I’ are formed in infancy through the interactions of care-takers and child, adolescence does seem to be a time, at least in contemporary, technologically advanced western cultures, when one is confronted with the task of self-definition” (Kroger 1).
I think that a fundamental question that needs to be considered when discussing literature (whether it’s children's literature, YA or adult literature) is whether literature is mimetic? Widdershoven’s discussion of Collingwood, Gadamer, and Derrida in “The Story of Life” addresses major ideas, fundamental to our understanding of the relationship between life and literature, life and story. Two key binaries frame his discussion: “On the one hand human life is seen as something that can be depicted in stories. […]. On the other hand stories are regarded as ideals that we try to live up to” (Widdershoven 1). What does it really mean when we say the “stories are interpretations of life” (4)? These statement remind me of the words of Bruner and of Northrop Frye. In Making Stories Jerome Bruner suggests that stories are creations: “We know in our bones that stories are made, not found in the world” (22). Northrop Frye, in The Educated Imagination, says the literature is not “life-like”, but “literature-like” (91). He states: “The writer is neither a watcher nor a dreamer. Literature does not reflect life, but it doesn’t escape or withdraw from life either: it swallows it” (80). When Northrop Frye (1964) tells us that “every child realizes that literature is taking him in a different direction from the immediately useful […]” (15), he is reminding us that literature is a creative product of the human experience that attempts to describe, but not instruct. He also states: “The tone literature takes toward this world is not a moralizing one, but the tone we call ironic” (55-57). Literature presents the world as we wish it could be, rather than accurately reflecting life as it is: “The allusiveness of literature is part of its symbolic quality, its capacity to absorb everything from natural or human life into its own imaginative body” (Frye 71). Similarly, Jerome Bruner emphasizes the aesthetic quality of storytelling and its connection with culture, stating: “[…] story is the coin and currency of culture” (Bruner 16). Ultimately, perhaps we sum up the literary experience with the following statement: “Life has an implicit meaning, which is made explicit in stories” (Widdershoven 5). I was surprised by this statement, because it suggests almost the opposite of what I think we tend to teach students about narrative, stories, and literary expression (and yet, at the same time I have to agree with Widdershoven). In terms of my own – subjective – experiences in school in Australia and here in the States, I think there is a tendency to regard life as comprised of explicit meaning, a temporality that can be easily and clearly articulated, whereas in contrast, the world of literature is both elusive and allusive, and deals more with what is implied than explicated. The older I get, the more I experience, and the more I change as a result, the more I find myself seeing life as having implicit meaning; while I do not believe in “using” literature for moral, ethical, and didactic purposes, I do believe that literature can offer deeper insights into human culture and experience than any number of purported “self-help” books. Life, I believe, is confusing; literature, in the other hand, is far more easily understood! (Maybe I'm just a cynic?).
Perhaps the stories, themes, obstacles, characters, settings, experiences presented in contemporary YA literature are more a reflection of possibilities, of choices encountered in the process of self-definition, rather than a depiction of “life as it is”? Many writers and critics allude to the subversiveness of literature, particularly children’s and YA literature, so perhaps that discomfort some may feel with the themes and issues embedded in contemporary YA literature attests to its effectiveness as a medium of expression that can challenge and subvert reader expectations? Two of this week’s readings addressed elements of the reading experience and relate not only to the construction of narrative in YA literature, but also reader engagement. As we talked about in class last week, while there are many fine examples of “well-written”, aesthetically pleasing YA novels, there are many that are less so, for a variety of reasons. Nell’s discussion of reading for pleasure and “ludic reading” in “The Insatiable Appetite” raises interesting points about the role of pleasure reading (2). Equally important, however, is the concept of the “elitist fallacy” that suggests readers “[…] are either lowbrow or highbrow” (4) and that “as sophistication grows, coarser tastes wither away” (4). As someone who has both a personal and professional interest in graphic novels, these two ideas are particularly relevant and strike a chord with me; graphic novels, comics, and sequential art are often unfortunately – and inaccurately - regarded as lacking either “real” literary or artistic merit because they tend to fall into the realm of popular and of low culture. Perhaps the same may be true of many YA novels which depict the lives of contemporary teens whose lives are cyber-connected? I do think that sometimes as adults and as teachers, educators, or graduate students, we may have forgotten that reading, whether for classes or entertainment/escapism, can be pleasurable and sometimes the most enjoyable books are those that may never be regarded as “great works of art”, but rather remind us powerfully that reading is a “play activity” (Nell 2).
Katrina
As I mentioned during class last week, I am currently working on my Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction/Literacy and Language. I am in the process of finishing my dissertation proposal, although I have been reading/researching/writing parts of the dissertation for some time now and I hope to graduate in December ’07. The focus of my dissertation is a critical discussion of graphic novels as verbal-visual texts, so I am constantly in the Graphic Novel, YA and Children’s literature sections of Borders and Barnes & Noble. I came to Lafayette in 1996 to pursue a Masters degree in gifted education, after having worked as an elementary school teacher for a number of years in my home town, Toowoomba (Queensland, Australia). It is impossible to sum up those years of teaching, because they were some of the most memorable, not least because I was fortunate to work with the same group of delightfully precocious students from grades 1 through 3. Prior to my time spent teaching, I also worked for approximately a year and a half as a nanny in Australia (it is hard to believe that Becky is now 19 years old). As an undergraduate student at the University of Queensland I studied foreign languages and literature, receiving a B.A. (Hons.) with double majors in German and Russian and a minor in linguistics. Literature and the Arts have played major roles in my development as student and teacher and I owe my parents a huge debt for always taking my sister and me to concerts, museums, art galleries (even if, at the time, we might have groaned and complained!).
In terms of personal life, the biggest life change for me in recent years was going through an ugly divorce after seven years of marriage. I learned many things about myself and others, all of which had an impact on my own sense of identity. If I were to have answered the questions posed by Kroger at the beginning of her chapter “Perspectives on Identity”, I would probably have said – simplistically - that identity does not fundamentally change over time, that identity cannot really be lost, and that identity is primarily an internal construct. I also would have probably agreed to a greater extent with the perspective of trait theorists who argue that “[…] particular personality features, […], are relatively stable across the late adolescent and adult life span (Kroger 6). Seven years down the road, two miscarriages, one divorce, and a chunk of legal debt later, I would answer Kroger’s questions quite differently. I certainly believe that we may have a stable sense of identity at different times throughout our lives, and this sense of identity is based both on internal and external factors. Our sense of identity, however, can be ruptured - and ultimately changed or lost - when we are confronted by experiences or situations where the external definitions of who we are (perhaps imposed on us by others or by the culture in which we live) do not seem to match our internal beliefs.
Kroger’s discussion of historical perspectives related to adolescent identity (15-16) was particularly interesting and connected well with the second reading “Adolescence and the Problem of Identity” (Kroger 1-7). In thinking back to last week’s class discussion about the themes encountered in YA literature (that seem to deal with “big” issues, contemporary life or at least adolescent life as perceived by the writers of adolescent fiction, and horror and sci-fi genres) and reading the opening paragraph in the chapter, the following quote definitely resonates for me: “Although the foundations of ‘I’ are formed in infancy through the interactions of care-takers and child, adolescence does seem to be a time, at least in contemporary, technologically advanced western cultures, when one is confronted with the task of self-definition” (Kroger 1).
I think that a fundamental question that needs to be considered when discussing literature (whether it’s children's literature, YA or adult literature) is whether literature is mimetic? Widdershoven’s discussion of Collingwood, Gadamer, and Derrida in “The Story of Life” addresses major ideas, fundamental to our understanding of the relationship between life and literature, life and story. Two key binaries frame his discussion: “On the one hand human life is seen as something that can be depicted in stories. […]. On the other hand stories are regarded as ideals that we try to live up to” (Widdershoven 1). What does it really mean when we say the “stories are interpretations of life” (4)? These statement remind me of the words of Bruner and of Northrop Frye. In Making Stories Jerome Bruner suggests that stories are creations: “We know in our bones that stories are made, not found in the world” (22). Northrop Frye, in The Educated Imagination, says the literature is not “life-like”, but “literature-like” (91). He states: “The writer is neither a watcher nor a dreamer. Literature does not reflect life, but it doesn’t escape or withdraw from life either: it swallows it” (80). When Northrop Frye (1964) tells us that “every child realizes that literature is taking him in a different direction from the immediately useful […]” (15), he is reminding us that literature is a creative product of the human experience that attempts to describe, but not instruct. He also states: “The tone literature takes toward this world is not a moralizing one, but the tone we call ironic” (55-57). Literature presents the world as we wish it could be, rather than accurately reflecting life as it is: “The allusiveness of literature is part of its symbolic quality, its capacity to absorb everything from natural or human life into its own imaginative body” (Frye 71). Similarly, Jerome Bruner emphasizes the aesthetic quality of storytelling and its connection with culture, stating: “[…] story is the coin and currency of culture” (Bruner 16). Ultimately, perhaps we sum up the literary experience with the following statement: “Life has an implicit meaning, which is made explicit in stories” (Widdershoven 5). I was surprised by this statement, because it suggests almost the opposite of what I think we tend to teach students about narrative, stories, and literary expression (and yet, at the same time I have to agree with Widdershoven). In terms of my own – subjective – experiences in school in Australia and here in the States, I think there is a tendency to regard life as comprised of explicit meaning, a temporality that can be easily and clearly articulated, whereas in contrast, the world of literature is both elusive and allusive, and deals more with what is implied than explicated. The older I get, the more I experience, and the more I change as a result, the more I find myself seeing life as having implicit meaning; while I do not believe in “using” literature for moral, ethical, and didactic purposes, I do believe that literature can offer deeper insights into human culture and experience than any number of purported “self-help” books. Life, I believe, is confusing; literature, in the other hand, is far more easily understood! (Maybe I'm just a cynic?).
Perhaps the stories, themes, obstacles, characters, settings, experiences presented in contemporary YA literature are more a reflection of possibilities, of choices encountered in the process of self-definition, rather than a depiction of “life as it is”? Many writers and critics allude to the subversiveness of literature, particularly children’s and YA literature, so perhaps that discomfort some may feel with the themes and issues embedded in contemporary YA literature attests to its effectiveness as a medium of expression that can challenge and subvert reader expectations? Two of this week’s readings addressed elements of the reading experience and relate not only to the construction of narrative in YA literature, but also reader engagement. As we talked about in class last week, while there are many fine examples of “well-written”, aesthetically pleasing YA novels, there are many that are less so, for a variety of reasons. Nell’s discussion of reading for pleasure and “ludic reading” in “The Insatiable Appetite” raises interesting points about the role of pleasure reading (2). Equally important, however, is the concept of the “elitist fallacy” that suggests readers “[…] are either lowbrow or highbrow” (4) and that “as sophistication grows, coarser tastes wither away” (4). As someone who has both a personal and professional interest in graphic novels, these two ideas are particularly relevant and strike a chord with me; graphic novels, comics, and sequential art are often unfortunately – and inaccurately - regarded as lacking either “real” literary or artistic merit because they tend to fall into the realm of popular and of low culture. Perhaps the same may be true of many YA novels which depict the lives of contemporary teens whose lives are cyber-connected? I do think that sometimes as adults and as teachers, educators, or graduate students, we may have forgotten that reading, whether for classes or entertainment/escapism, can be pleasurable and sometimes the most enjoyable books are those that may never be regarded as “great works of art”, but rather remind us powerfully that reading is a “play activity” (Nell 2).
Katrina
Helpful Hints and Reflections on Some Reflections
As a quasi-cybergeek, I feel compelled to offer technical assistance whenever someone has a question I think I can answer (since my partner is a web designer and the webmaster at IPFW, I am geeky by association), so I think I might be able to address some of Therese’s questions:
· I’m pretty sure the “Draft” option allows you to edit and manage your own posts. Your drafts might look as if they’re on the blog, but they’re not actually there (for others to see) until you post/publish them. If you want to see what your post will look like before you actually publish it, use the "Preview" function at the far right end of the composing menu.
· To format a word in bold or italics, highlight the word with your cursor and click the “b” (for bold) or “i” (for italics) button on the composing menu (directly under the field for “Title”). Other buttons on this menu will allow you to change the color of selected text or hyperlink selected text, if you wish. There's also a button that allows you to add a picture.
· Since the composing feature of this blog doesn’t seem to offer a spellcheck option, I compose each post in Microsoft Word, spellcheck it there, and then copy-and-paste it into the blog’s composition box. Then I can format the text as I choose.
Hope these “pointers” help…
I’d also like to respond to Nisreen’s questions about identifying oneself by one’s country of origin. I’ve noticed that Americans rarely identify themselves as Americans—unless they’re not in America. In Europe or Australia or Africa, an American will identify him/herself as “American,” but while in America, that same American will usually identify him/herself as a “Hoosier,” a “New Yorker,” a “Californian,” etc. I think this happens because we feel compelled to place ourselves back within a familiar context whenever we’re outside that context.
Jeff’s comments about the current emphasis on participation—as opposed to competition—strike a chord with me. I’m kind of ambivalent on this issue. I do think that there should be some point to sports competition—i.e., why bother competing in a sport if you’re not trying to win? But I also support the idea of formative feedback instead of grades, which I think are of very limited value. I suppose I just don’t see grades as competition, although I do think that both factors (sports and scholastic achievement) play a pivotal role in the development of identity.
I also want to mention something about the first Kroger reading (“Perspectives on Identity”). Is anyone familiar with McAdams (whom she mentions on p. 22 in the section called ‘Narrative Approaches to identity’)? His ideas about the distinction between the I and the me in the narrative study of identity remind me an awful lot of the distinction between plot (sjužet) and story (fabula) in narrative theory (I’m thinking specifically about Reading for the Plot by Peter Brooks).
Jim
Monday, January 15, 2007
A bit about me
I’ve spent the last couple of days pouring over all your introductory entries, hoping to come up with something equally creative and exciting, but my creative juices have yet to replenish from the first week back to school. Unfortunately, my introduction will not be sprinkled with entertaining stories or interesting details—just the bare bones of who I am.
I first came to Purdue in 1998 pursuing a B.A. degree in Communication. I loved my coursework, internships, and extracurricular activities, but after accepting my first job in an integrated communication company, I soon discovered that the world of PR was less glamorous than the picture I painted in my head.
One afternoon, as I sat in my car savoring every moment of my lunch hour, a daydream skidded through my mind. This daydream was the beginning of a new career—English education. Once this idea sprouted, I became obsessed. I soon left my PR job and applied for Purdue’s Teacher Education program. I finished my coursework for my license in December of 2005 and was lucky to land a temporary teaching position at Hamilton Southeastern High School. I was then hired at Lebanon High School where I teach ninth grade English and Speech (so I guess the COM degree wasn’t pointless after all).
Aside from my professional life, I do actually have a life-life. My husband, David, and I have been married for a year and a half. Although we’ve known each other since the first grade, there is still so much we continue to learn about one another. We recently moved to the north side of Indianapolis with our chocolate lab, Libby Lu.
That covers it for me. I’m looking forward to learning and working with all of you this semester.
Heather
I first came to Purdue in 1998 pursuing a B.A. degree in Communication. I loved my coursework, internships, and extracurricular activities, but after accepting my first job in an integrated communication company, I soon discovered that the world of PR was less glamorous than the picture I painted in my head.
One afternoon, as I sat in my car savoring every moment of my lunch hour, a daydream skidded through my mind. This daydream was the beginning of a new career—English education. Once this idea sprouted, I became obsessed. I soon left my PR job and applied for Purdue’s Teacher Education program. I finished my coursework for my license in December of 2005 and was lucky to land a temporary teaching position at Hamilton Southeastern High School. I was then hired at Lebanon High School where I teach ninth grade English and Speech (so I guess the COM degree wasn’t pointless after all).
Aside from my professional life, I do actually have a life-life. My husband, David, and I have been married for a year and a half. Although we’ve known each other since the first grade, there is still so much we continue to learn about one another. We recently moved to the north side of Indianapolis with our chocolate lab, Libby Lu.
That covers it for me. I’m looking forward to learning and working with all of you this semester.
Heather
I am who I am (unless they tell me to be someone different)
As I mentioned in class, I come from a psychological background. As the son of a child psychologist, I was exposed to several of my dad's thoughts about contemporary identity and personal image especially as I grew older and more capable of digesting the often corrosive comments he would throw at me. We would chuckle together about how nowadays success is not quantified in the same manner as it was a long time ago--like, back in the eighties when I grew up. As opposed to emphasizing winning in an athletic competition, for example (and I was very active in sports for the better part of my life), today all that matters is that people give it "their personal best and had fun." Anything else (like, oh I don't know...losing!) could potentially damage the vulnerable youth's self-image. My seven year-old cousin doesn't even get grades in his first grade class anymore because the school system has decided that grades cause more harm than good in stressing unneccessary competition between students. Instead he receives arbitrary classfication marks that have no universal translation and thus mean nothing to someone from the elementary school three miles down the road. While I have several reactions to the articles, I am going to keep those for class discussion on Tuesday. However, it seems to me that perhaps the cornerstone of my distain for contemporary notions of identity rests in irony that while we (and by "we", I mean adults, decision makers, etc.) are occupied much more now than ever before with helping children grow and develop strong senses of self, our benevolent attempts are drastically misguided. I fail to see how competition can cripple an identity anymore than a dress code or the censoring of books and other forms of media. One last thought: I think it behooves Americans to examine international perspectives on American teen identity and see, perhaps, if there are issues present that we have yet to discuss. For example, my experience both overseas and chatting with people from foreign countries tells me that while caucasian people must specify their national origin while in a foreign country so as not to be confused with a white European, Africans are widely considered by default, American citizens despite their salient presence in Europe, Asia, and guess what, Africa. What does this say about the image America projects about its national identity and how do we as scholars reconcile these distinctions? I hope that made sense...
Stories and Experience
I found the article describing the hermeneutic perspective to be especially interesting. All three theorists (Derrida, Gadamer, and Collingwood), make points that are difficult to argue. There is a definite relationship between life and story -this is not debated, however, the article reminded me of the age old question, "What came first? The chicken or the egg?" Experience must have dictated stories in the beginning, but it seems to be questionable now. Are stories primarily based on experiences or are experiences dictated by stories?
I have found (in my limited life experience) that stories do impact actions and decisions. Students in my classroom often deal with unfamiliar situations in accordance with the way a character in their favorite book/movie would react. They treat other people based on what they read about and see on tv. For this reason, books about cliques and in-crowds (an inbalance of power among students often resulting from money, athleticism, physical appearance etc.) concern me. I don't believe that the students (9-10 years old) and athletes(12-14) I deal with have a real sense of who they are right now and I fear that they often model their lives after characters in books and on tv.
I don't believe in banning books or sheltering students from experiences, but I do believe in the power of discussion and mentorship. For these reasons I think even YA novels with what many would consider unfavorable content, have a definite place in the classroom even if they truly are "trash." Let's face it, as we said in class and as was mentioned in another reading, trash is interesting stuff and what better place to discuss and debate it than in class?
- Joy
I have found (in my limited life experience) that stories do impact actions and decisions. Students in my classroom often deal with unfamiliar situations in accordance with the way a character in their favorite book/movie would react. They treat other people based on what they read about and see on tv. For this reason, books about cliques and in-crowds (an inbalance of power among students often resulting from money, athleticism, physical appearance etc.) concern me. I don't believe that the students (9-10 years old) and athletes(12-14) I deal with have a real sense of who they are right now and I fear that they often model their lives after characters in books and on tv.
I don't believe in banning books or sheltering students from experiences, but I do believe in the power of discussion and mentorship. For these reasons I think even YA novels with what many would consider unfavorable content, have a definite place in the classroom even if they truly are "trash." Let's face it, as we said in class and as was mentioned in another reading, trash is interesting stuff and what better place to discuss and debate it than in class?
- Joy
when/where do you think about your identity?
I think the idea of one's identity appears at most when he/she are not in thier original context/discourse/or country. For example, I had never thought of introducing my country of origin before I move to the US. (Where am I coming from) became a big part of my identity . I do notice, in any class at purdue, when we are asked to introduce ourselevs, only the non American people mention their country of origin but not the people of the native country. When I was living back home I had never thought of introducing my culture or the language that I speak to the people there, but her in the US I do feel that this is the first unique thing about my identity. If you agree with my point of view, I would like to know why one would have this feeling?
I Also feel that idenity is something that changes by time ,place , and situation. When I'm in an academic context I highlight my acadenic background and experiences ignoring other areas in my identity. While when I'm chatting with my friends i keep talking about my children and favorite kinds of food, etc. To me identity is a complex process that can be changed from time to time and from place to place.
Nisreen Anati
I Also feel that idenity is something that changes by time ,place , and situation. When I'm in an academic context I highlight my acadenic background and experiences ignoring other areas in my identity. While when I'm chatting with my friends i keep talking about my children and favorite kinds of food, etc. To me identity is a complex process that can be changed from time to time and from place to place.
Nisreen Anati
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Thoughts on Identity
This quote really jumped out at me from this week's reading: "I think identity is present when other people's opinions become something to reflect upon, rather than to live by." (p. 12) This quote is in the first reading "Perspectives on Identity," and a quote from a 40 year-old student in an undergraduate human development class. As I thought about it, it struck me as true to identity formation. Obviously adolescents rarely have the ability to take other's opinions of them and reflect, they almost always let other's opinions affect how they act/behave etc. But, how many adults can really claim that they truly take what others say as merely something to reflect on. The stages of this type of identity formation probably vary greatly from person to person. I believe it is something I recently learned to do in the last five years or so, and probably still work on from time to time. Just a thought for next time, Staci
Me
O.K. I think I have figured out how to post. Can anyone tell me why, if a post is saved as a draft, I can read it on the blog? I would have thought the purpose of the draft option would be to keep it private until the writer wanted to share it. Also, I wanted to put the word 'private' in bold. I pushed ctrl B as the instructions indicated, but nothing happened.
All about me
I am a first year Phd student in Literacy and Language. My focus is on children's literature. The word focus is a slippery one because I have trouble doing it. Far too many things are fascinating. (Is there any way to spell check this before I push publish?) I am most intrigued by the literary style of the 19th century. My current favorite book is Daniel Deronda (ditto the bold question for italics) which I read for the first time last semester. I am now midway through Eragon, which is a complete rip off of, at the very least, the Pern series, but since I don't reify originality, I don't mind. I dwell in books of all sorts.
My other (randomly pursued) passion is music. My most recent discoveries are Lotte Lenya and Fidelio, but I am also interested in learning more about Blues. I wish I had perfect pitch and an achingly beautiful voice, but alas...
Thanks Janet. This should be fun.
All about me
I am a first year Phd student in Literacy and Language. My focus is on children's literature. The word focus is a slippery one because I have trouble doing it. Far too many things are fascinating. (Is there any way to spell check this before I push publish?) I am most intrigued by the literary style of the 19th century. My current favorite book is Daniel Deronda (ditto the bold question for italics) which I read for the first time last semester. I am now midway through Eragon, which is a complete rip off of, at the very least, the Pern series, but since I don't reify originality, I don't mind. I dwell in books of all sorts.
My other (randomly pursued) passion is music. My most recent discoveries are Lotte Lenya and Fidelio, but I am also interested in learning more about Blues. I wish I had perfect pitch and an achingly beautiful voice, but alas...
Thanks Janet. This should be fun.
Friday, January 12, 2007
This is who I am~
Hi everyone!This is my husband & me in the photo. We are both first-year doctoral students here at Purdue. I'm in the Language & Literacy program in the Dept. of C & I, and he is in the Dept. of BME. We got married in July, 2006 and came to the States in early August. We've known each other for almost 10 years since college. Before we came to the U.S., I used to be a middle school English teacher for 4 years and had a M.A. in TESL(Teaching English as a Second Language) and my husband worked as an engineer after his M.A. in Mechanical Engineering. It's not easy to leave our families, friends, jobs behind in Taiwan to pursue further studies here, but we believe that the study and life experience here in America will be a very unforgettable memory for us.
My first encounter with YA novels was dated back to 7th grade, 2 years after I started to learn English. The reading of those novels peppered the learning of English which was mostly based on school/government-assigned textbooks. However, it wasn't until I became a middle school teacher and worked with a group of teachers in the Advanced English (AE) program that I had a chance to include YA books into the English-teaching curriculum. During the two years that I worked with AE students, we went through the assigned The lion, the witch, the wardrobe; There's a boy in the girl's bathroom; Dear Mr. Henshaw; Holes; The Trumpet of the Swan; Walk Two Moons; and some other Beverley Clearly collections. Although the age-level of my students were 7th & 8th graders, considering their English proficiency, many of the books we chose were around 4-5th grade reading levels for native-speaking children. However, introducing YA novels to students did stimulate the aspiration to learn English in many of them.
Therefore, since I really enjoy teaching English, I am here to explore more that I can do with YA literature. And I'm really glad to find out many of you are current school teachers or with years of teaching experiences in the past! I believe the first-hand information from you will fulfill my curiosity in how American teachers include YA lit in the curriculum design.
Nice to meet you all~!
All About Me
After reading all the interesting posts, I have decided to give this blogging "thing" a try. My childhood roots are in a small town in rural, western Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. Before I began high school, my family moved to Lafayette. This created some turmoil in my adolescent years. I believe I claimed my dad had "ruined" my life for at least a year. Now, I am thankful we moved here, as I met and married my husband, after dating through high school. We have been married for eleven years and have three, active, wonderful sons. Jayden is 10 (4th grade,) Peyton will turn seven in a few weeks (first grade,) and Jackson is five and attends Crestview Preschool. The boys go to Wea Ridge Elementary, on the south side of Lafayette, where I am also the VP of PTO. We enjoy boating and swimming in our pool at home in the summer and attending all of the boys sporting events. Combined they play baseball, basketball, football, soccer and have a bowling team. My oldest son had hip surgery this fall and has a screw on each side of his hip for a bone disorder. This has been hard for him to deal with, as he can't run for possibly a few years, he was very athletic. He has joined a swim team, though, which he is doing very well in. Sorry....I could go on and on about my kids, but now for more about ME.
I graduated from Purdue with a B.A. in Public Relations, with a minor in English. I worked for a short time at the Journal and Courier as the assistant to the Opinions Editor. After having Peyton, I decided to be a full time mom, something I wouldn't change for anything. Of course, I couldn't have done this without the support of my hard working, husband. Alan is self employed as a building contractor. He also owns a landscaping business and some rental property. While at home, I dabbled in various creative jobs. I held board positions in a MOMS Club, organizing service projects etc., did freelance writing for The Lafayette Leader, and wrote quizzes for Scholastic Book Company (used in the Accelerated Reader Program locally and nationally.) With Jackson approaching Kindergarten, it was time for me to decide my future career. While I love writing, I wanted to pursue that interest and my love of books, along with my desire to work with youth. Thus, I will begin the Transition to Teaching Program next fall in secondary English. This year, I began taking graduate courses in Literature to help beef up my background. I plan to apply these to the masters in English Education. I would love to use my journalistic background in teaching, possibly teaching journalism, communication or speech. These writing and public speaking skills are something that every student can use, no matter what career path they take.
Because I have yet to actually teach in a secondary classroom, I was excited to see so many teachers in Tuesday's class. I hope to learn a lot from your experiences. Recently, I read a lot of YA books while writing quizzes for Scholastic (some great and many terrible, not even worth reading.) Probably, the best book I wrote a quiz for was from a new author, Blue Balliette, The Wright 3, her first book was Chasing Vermeer. They have been called The Da Vinchi Code for kids. A modern well written book for 9 to 12 year olds. The Wright 3, involves a mystery surrounding a Frank Lolyd Wright House, and contains issues of friendship, divorce and different ethic backgrounds. As a kid, I loved historical fiction ( I was kind of nerdy about books) I loved The Little House on the Prairie series, Anne of Green Gables series, The Diary of Anne Frank and even Mark Twain novels.
Staci
Thursday, January 11, 2007
What's in a name?
Well, Gail means “joyful,” and the origin is Hebrew (King David’s wife was named Abigail). Zdilla translates from Slovakian into English as “clay soup bowl,” so I am a joyful soup bowl. :)
If you haven’t figured it out already, I’m pretty tired and a bit punchy after this first week of the spring semester. Curious about why I’m so exhausted? No? Too bad, I’m going to tell you about my life anyway…
Currently, I’m teaching EDCI 309 Reading in Middle and Secondary Schools at Purdue University. The one section of the course meets for four hours twice a week for six weeks (you do the math), and the other section meets the entire semester on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-4:15 p.m. While I do spend quite a bit of time preparing lessons/activities for my classes and giving my students feedback, I truly have a lot of fun with this course and really enjoy helping prepare future teachers. Just a side note—I am eternally indebted to my mentor, Jeanne, who trained me in the ways of the literacy masters.
Before moving to Indiana, I taught tenth grade college prep. English and journalism (to 10th, 11th and 12th graders) at Hillsborough High School in central New Jersey. During this time, I enjoyed advising the school newspaper (and being a member of the faculty dance team, but that’s a story for another time). Some of my former students are now editing the school newspapers for Penn State and New York University. It’s truly incredible to see what impact you can have as an educator!
Onto another topic…I’m pulling one of my YA lit. books blindly off my bookshelf as I type. Okay, here we go. I have read this one, Speak (by Laurie Halse Anderson), but it’s been awhile. If I remember correctly, Speak is about a ninth grade girl who feels like an outcast. Her friends have abandoned her, and a traumatic experience that occurred over the summer causes her to basically turn inward and lose the ability to “speak” to anyone. I like how this was written as a first-person narration—really drew me into this girl’s pain. Didn’t like the plot twist at the end though—too contrived for me.
I enjoyed reconnecting with some of you on Tuesday and meeting others!
Until next week,
Gail
If you haven’t figured it out already, I’m pretty tired and a bit punchy after this first week of the spring semester. Curious about why I’m so exhausted? No? Too bad, I’m going to tell you about my life anyway…
Currently, I’m teaching EDCI 309 Reading in Middle and Secondary Schools at Purdue University. The one section of the course meets for four hours twice a week for six weeks (you do the math), and the other section meets the entire semester on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-4:15 p.m. While I do spend quite a bit of time preparing lessons/activities for my classes and giving my students feedback, I truly have a lot of fun with this course and really enjoy helping prepare future teachers. Just a side note—I am eternally indebted to my mentor, Jeanne, who trained me in the ways of the literacy masters.
Before moving to Indiana, I taught tenth grade college prep. English and journalism (to 10th, 11th and 12th graders) at Hillsborough High School in central New Jersey. During this time, I enjoyed advising the school newspaper (and being a member of the faculty dance team, but that’s a story for another time). Some of my former students are now editing the school newspapers for Penn State and New York University. It’s truly incredible to see what impact you can have as an educator!
Onto another topic…I’m pulling one of my YA lit. books blindly off my bookshelf as I type. Okay, here we go. I have read this one, Speak (by Laurie Halse Anderson), but it’s been awhile. If I remember correctly, Speak is about a ninth grade girl who feels like an outcast. Her friends have abandoned her, and a traumatic experience that occurred over the summer causes her to basically turn inward and lose the ability to “speak” to anyone. I like how this was written as a first-person narration—really drew me into this girl’s pain. Didn’t like the plot twist at the end though—too contrived for me.
I enjoyed reconnecting with some of you on Tuesday and meeting others!
Until next week,
Gail
Jim's lead
Ok, I guess I'll join in, but my 1980's picture is from when I was 4 :)
And still as cute as ever... LOL
And still as cute as ever... LOL
Since Janet started it...
Here's a picture of me when I was about 16 or 17 (that would be about 1 or 2 years before Jeff was born). Wasn't I cute? What the heck happened? And just look at all that hair!
Jim
The Identity Mystery
Two days and approximately 150 students later, I have a start to a meaningful insight into what teenagers think of identity. I would like to think that my findings are much less confusing than those in the first text of the course pack. Social, Narrative, Psycological, Psychosocial, etc. theories seemed to be too "textbook" and disconnected for my taste. I posed several questions regarding identity to my 10th and 11th grade students, which they wrote in their journals (What is your perspective regarding identity? Are we born with it? How does it change over time? When are we "set" in our identity?), and here is a summary of my findings:
As I suspected, each individual shared common themes in his/her answer. Some had tons to say, while others had just a little.
Overall, our identities are affected by our interactions, no matter what label we attach to measuring identity trends. I have seen "A" students start hanging with rough crowds and turn into "C, D, F" students, or worse, dropouts. As I read more of this first section, it is possible that some of my opinions on the matter could change. Until next time...
As I suspected, each individual shared common themes in his/her answer. Some had tons to say, while others had just a little.
- It is conclusive in my informal study that social surroundings do affect a person's identity. This should not be anything surprising. I know that my friends and family growing up affected how I dressed, talked, etc. until a certain age.
- Some students believed that we were not set in our identities until death. This seemed to be a trend until my last class today. A girl posed that after a person dies, their identity can shift drastically according others' perspectives. JFK's identity to the U.S. wasn't nearly as positive as it became after his death. While this is something to consider, the focus here is personal identity, us versus ourselves; but I thought this young lady had a point.
- Some said that we are born with an identity, and how we live our lives shapes that identity.
- Others disagreed and said that we aren't born with an identity. As we grow older it appears and develops.
- Many said they are not set in their identities because any event (i.e. trauma, brush with death, losing a friend) can change who they are in an instant. I believe this relates to social surroundings affecting identity.
- Some said that they are very comfortable with themselves, but as they grow older, that could easily change.
Overall, our identities are affected by our interactions, no matter what label we attach to measuring identity trends. I have seen "A" students start hanging with rough crowds and turn into "C, D, F" students, or worse, dropouts. As I read more of this first section, it is possible that some of my opinions on the matter could change. Until next time...
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