Trauma and YA lit

The topic this week really interests me because I am in the middle of teaching Holocaust literature. Nonfiction is one of my favorites at the junior level. Currently, I am reading the book, Night by Elie Wiesel. It is his true story of survival in Auschwitz when he was only 15 and the daily struggles he went through to stay somewhat safe. While it is a short read, it is very powerful and was also on Oprah's booklist when it came out. It is widely read in and out of the classroom.

After reading the chapter that Janet herself wrote :), I became more aware of circumstances that can unexpectedly rise in the classroom. As I was reading this particular piece, I too can recall the "Steve's" I've had in my classes. Although I've never had anyone bring up the topic of Holocaust denial, I have had some of my most gratifying moments as a teacher during this type of unit. Most kids have learned about the Holocaust throughout their years in school, but I approach the topic in a more literary way. I ask questions concerning what we can learn through writing in response to the Holocaust, in addition to the variety of literary resources that come from survivors and witnesses of this horrific event. Many students who aren't particularly fond of English class usually shine during this unit. They see this as relevant to them in the sense that some of their grandparents were alive during WWII or they know of survivors in the area. At the end of the unit, we have various written and discussion responses, one of which is my favorite: writing a poem from the viewpoint of a Holocaust victim either during or after the Holocaust. I had so many thoughtful and creative poems arise from this unit that were very touching and realistic. I even assembled them into a binder that many students were proud to see.

Back to the first article... I think it is very common for students to become "bored" with the same topic continually being taught that they are tired of playing "the game" as Janet mentioned, and they rebel in various ways that reflect a cynical reaction. While some students are comfortable going along with what the teacher expects, there are others who become tired of these expectations, and the only way to break it is to give a surprising response. It is stunning to see as a teacher, but it goes to show in some way that the students are indeed gaining something from the class, whether it is an individual opinion or just a new approach to the topic. This is not always a bad thing. We as teachers can learn from these responses and use them to facilitate new methods for teaching this type of literature.

This is all I have for now. I am excited to discuss these issues more in class. Again, for my presentation, just scan through the articles I emailed. I have a very simple Power Point that outlines what I'm interested in discussing, and we will let the magic go from there. I can't wait to hear of your experiences concerning motivation and reading! It has been of interest to me for a few years. Until Tuesday... :)