I think it would be awesome to start a class off with a comic, like the one to the left, just to break the kids out of their shells. It will get them talking, get them laughing and ready to pay attention. Plus, it will make them easier to see us as someone they can relate to. And if they don;t think it's funny, oh well. You will be a dweeb.
So, I thought this chapter was very informative. I loved the fact that someone who was once the president of NCTE once felt that she didn't know enough when she entered the profession. I mean, really, can you ever know enough that some kid isn't going to ask you a question you don't know the answer to? I think we will all run into that at some time or another.
When discussing the theories, I find that most of my teachers used a combination of all four, although they may not have specifically addressed them by their formal names, i.e. New Criticism. I did observe that Christenbury made the rookie mistake of showing the film after the reading. The key is to get students interested with the visual aspect, stimulate their brains, and prepare them for what lies ahead. It often seems like cheating when we use movies, but some students need that stimulation, especially in our day and age of information, video games and the tube.
While reading this, I came up with a couple of different ways I think I will address students readings and literature. I will reserve these for my in-class lesson. Wait with baited breath!
On the use of the graphic novel, are we really going to be able to use the graphic novel in our classroom? Would it be feasible? Allowed? Do we really have that much freedom? How would we get enough copies for the entire class? This option doesn't seem likely wihtout the support of the school purchasing a specific graphic novel. Like the idea, just think it is unlikely.
I really enjoyed the censorship section, and the how-to get yourself into, and out of, trouble. This might come in handy for Kendra. (See her earlier post on trouble-making in her future class.)
I have one issue with Christenbury's view of "quiet reading" in class. When I was in school, this was torture to me. I went to class for the interaction, and it seemed like this was an excuse for teacher's to catch-up on grading and other things. I hated quiet reading in the classroom. Anyone else (those three of you who have visited the blog), feel the same way? (Okay, it's four now. Hi! David! Good to hear from you!)
And...one last thing. Can anybody give a better explanation of literary circles? We didn't do this way back in the early 90's, at least not in my school, and Christenbury doesn't fully explain. Not enough for dense me anyway!
~Stan (thinking.. I wonder if I pushed everyone else's posts off the page with my ramblings?")
6 comments:
With the graphic novel, you wouldn't necessarily have to have a class set. Make it an optional reading for something they could do during independent reading.
You might have to limit how many times they can choose to read a graphic novel, so they are not choosing to read a graphic novel for every book they read.
I have also seen teachers that will make it a goal to purchase a certain number of copies of a novel with their own money each year until they have their own class set. If you don't mind spending your own money, that could be an option as well.
oh, Aaron....or Stan....or whatever you are going by these days. I was a little bit torn about the "quiet reading" idea Christenbury presented. I actually had an ENTIRE class my senior year of high school that was free read. We got to read literally anything we wanted, after we read we had to fill out a notecard with specific information and then we had to conference with our teacher about it (she would read the book first if she hadn't already). There were things about this class that I loved...mostly that I got to be the decision maker about what to read, but also that I got to read for fun since I didn't have to write some lengthy book report or something overly academic like that. However, there were days that the class was renamed "Kendra, bring your pillow 'cuz its nap time."
So I guess the question for me is how to engage students in reading but not let it be an excuse to nap, write notes, study for the next test or talk to your friends.
My understanding of a lit circle is that there are usually 4-6 students in each group, they decide how much to read in between meetings, and they lead the conversations. I think it sounds like a great idea. Get the students more involved in their own learning and they may actually be excited about it!
I think Gollum would have killed Bob...but I guess that's not the point.
Yea- I wasn't really sold on the graphic novel part either. I know it would be great to mix things up and students would enjoy it because it is easy, but I don't really think it is relevant for high schoolers. If someone has a lot of success in it...then call me the dumb one!
I need to research the graphic model a little more, before I can make any further decisions on it. I can't wait to hear what your other students readings are. Tell us now, ...pretty please?!
I have often wondered if the teacher gave quiet reading to get caught up on things when I was in school. Funny you mentioned it.
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