I have learned a lot of things throughout the semester about diverse literature, but there has been one thing in particular that has stuck out to me. I learned that it is extremely important for teachers and adults to read books critically. Children read books differently than adults do. For the most part, they take what they read very seriously and often don't question whether the text might be realistic. Therefore, when children read books that may portray stereotypes of certain groups, some children might overlook them completely. With that being said, I learned that it is important for adults to point these things out to children. I don't think that children should not read books that contain stereotypes, but I do think that adults and teachers have a very important role in helping the children understand that some things in books are inaccurate.
Another thing that I learned this semester was that many classrooms have books that appear to be diverse literature; however, they may not be as diverse as most people think they are. For example, they may contain pictures with African Americans, but they may not realistically depict the African American lifestyle and family values. I feel that this class taught me how to look for that and gave me great ideas about specific books that depict diverse cultures in an accurate way.
One other thing that I definitely have a better understanding of after taking this course is the difference between a generalization and a stereotype. At the beginning of the semester, I had no idea what the difference was. I now realize that there is a fine line between them, but I feel more comfortable identifying aspects of books that might be stereotypes and aspects of books that might be generalizations. Overall, I am very glad that I took this course. It taught me how to read books critically, which is an important skill, especially if you're going to be a teacher. It also opened my eyes to books that I had not been aware of.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Reflection of the Text Set
After reading and reviewing Mama Zooms, The Alphabet War, and The Deaf Musicians, I feel that I learned a lot about literature depicting people with disabilities. There are many ways to approach writing about a person with a disability, and I feel that all three of these books took a different approach.
At first I was going to try to find three books that all focused on the same disability; however, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to read books that discussed a variety of disabilities. Ultimately, I chose one book about a physical disability, one book about a learning disability, and one book about a hearing impairment. Mama Zooms was written in a way in which the mother’s physical disability was looked at as being positive. If it wasn’t for her wheelchair, her and her son would not have been able to do all of the fun things that they did together. In contrast to that, The Alphabet War focused a lot on the struggles of a child with Dyslexia. Although he ultimately became successful in school, his frustrations and negative emotions were readily displayed throughout the text. The Deaf Musicians took a totally different perspective on disabilities. It showed that when you have a disability, you don’t have to miss out on things that you want to do. For example, even though Lee lost his hearing, he was still able to pursue his love for music.
When having a set of books that involve characters with disabilities, I think it is important to include multiple perspectives on the subject. These three books do a good job of that. Each book shows a character reacting differently to a disability, which is very realistic. People react very differently to disabilities, and I think that should be addressed in the literature that is presented to them.
At first I was going to try to find three books that all focused on the same disability; however, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to read books that discussed a variety of disabilities. Ultimately, I chose one book about a physical disability, one book about a learning disability, and one book about a hearing impairment. Mama Zooms was written in a way in which the mother’s physical disability was looked at as being positive. If it wasn’t for her wheelchair, her and her son would not have been able to do all of the fun things that they did together. In contrast to that, The Alphabet War focused a lot on the struggles of a child with Dyslexia. Although he ultimately became successful in school, his frustrations and negative emotions were readily displayed throughout the text. The Deaf Musicians took a totally different perspective on disabilities. It showed that when you have a disability, you don’t have to miss out on things that you want to do. For example, even though Lee lost his hearing, he was still able to pursue his love for music.
When having a set of books that involve characters with disabilities, I think it is important to include multiple perspectives on the subject. These three books do a good job of that. Each book shows a character reacting differently to a disability, which is very realistic. People react very differently to disabilities, and I think that should be addressed in the literature that is presented to them.
Professional/Critical Resource
Ball, Angela L. and Sotto, Carolyn, D. “Dynamic Characters With Communication Disorders in Children’s Literature.” PRO-ED Journal. Vol. 42, No 1, (September, 2006), pp 40-44.
This article talks about using quality children’s literature that portrays characters with a communication disorder as an effective teaching tool. However, the authors stressed that the character with the communication disorder should be actively involved in the plot. The authors reviewed 30 children’s books depicting characters with communication disorders and found: “The character with communication problems was often depicted as weak, timid, withdrawn, and spineless. The main character without the disability was the one to save or protect the individual with a disability.” (4)
The point that I thought was most though provoking in the article came a littler bit later. The authors said: “A child with a communication disorder who reads a story where the main character is weak or static may unfortunately identify with that character and his self-esteem may diminish. However, if the main character is a capable, resourceful hero who happens to also have a communication disorder then the world becomes a more promising place.” (4)
I think that quote leaves us with something to think about. Not only is it important to choose books that include characters with disabilities, it is equally or more important to choose books that include strong and hopeful characters with disabilities.
This article talks about using quality children’s literature that portrays characters with a communication disorder as an effective teaching tool. However, the authors stressed that the character with the communication disorder should be actively involved in the plot. The authors reviewed 30 children’s books depicting characters with communication disorders and found: “The character with communication problems was often depicted as weak, timid, withdrawn, and spineless. The main character without the disability was the one to save or protect the individual with a disability.” (4)
The point that I thought was most though provoking in the article came a littler bit later. The authors said: “A child with a communication disorder who reads a story where the main character is weak or static may unfortunately identify with that character and his self-esteem may diminish. However, if the main character is a capable, resourceful hero who happens to also have a communication disorder then the world becomes a more promising place.” (4)
I think that quote leaves us with something to think about. Not only is it important to choose books that include characters with disabilities, it is equally or more important to choose books that include strong and hopeful characters with disabilities.
The Deaf Musicians
Seeger, Pete and Jacob, Paul Dubois. The Deaf Musicians. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2006.
The Deaf Musicians is about a piano man named Lee. He is in a band and plays at a jazz club every night, but when his band mates find out that he is losing his hearing, they kick him out of the band. The bandleader says, “Who will listen to a deaf musician?” Lee then starts gong to a school for the deaf and learns sign language. There, he finds other deaf people who have a similar love for music. Lee and two of his new friends start up a band of their own, soon recruiting a sign language interpreter to be their singer. The quartet rehearses on the subway and attracts quite an audience, proving that a lot of people will listen to deaf musicians!
The thing I liked most about this book was that Seeger and Dubois Jacobs did not portray being deaf in a negative way. Instead of focusing on his hearing loss, Lee continues to focus on his passion, which happens to be music. Although he is kicked out of his original band, he never gives up. The focus of the book is not on Lee’s struggles with learning sign language. Instead, it is on the triumph of making new friends and never giving up on your passion.
I enjoyed the different fonts and colors that were used for the musical words throughout the book. They helped to emphasize the importance of music to the main character. Pete Seeger is very knowledgeable about this subject. He participates in a music festival called Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival that has sign language interpreters on the stages, and his father was deaf. Overall, I think this is great book to teach people that being deaf does not have to be a hardship and to never give up on your passions and inspirations.
The Deaf Musicians is about a piano man named Lee. He is in a band and plays at a jazz club every night, but when his band mates find out that he is losing his hearing, they kick him out of the band. The bandleader says, “Who will listen to a deaf musician?” Lee then starts gong to a school for the deaf and learns sign language. There, he finds other deaf people who have a similar love for music. Lee and two of his new friends start up a band of their own, soon recruiting a sign language interpreter to be their singer. The quartet rehearses on the subway and attracts quite an audience, proving that a lot of people will listen to deaf musicians!
The thing I liked most about this book was that Seeger and Dubois Jacobs did not portray being deaf in a negative way. Instead of focusing on his hearing loss, Lee continues to focus on his passion, which happens to be music. Although he is kicked out of his original band, he never gives up. The focus of the book is not on Lee’s struggles with learning sign language. Instead, it is on the triumph of making new friends and never giving up on your passion.
I enjoyed the different fonts and colors that were used for the musical words throughout the book. They helped to emphasize the importance of music to the main character. Pete Seeger is very knowledgeable about this subject. He participates in a music festival called Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival that has sign language interpreters on the stages, and his father was deaf. Overall, I think this is great book to teach people that being deaf does not have to be a hardship and to never give up on your passions and inspirations.
The Alphabet War
Robb, Diane Burton. The Alphabet War. Morton Grove: Albert Whitman & Company, 2004.
The Alphabet War is the story of a young boy named Adam who struggles with Dyslexia. The book starts out with Adam sitting on his mother’s lap listening to her read to him. However, when he begins school, he realizes that he no longer likes reading. He has difficulty identifying letters and putting them together to form words. In third grade, Adam gets tested for a learning disability. He is then diagnosed with Dyslexia, and he gets help from Mrs. Wood. She encourages him and helps him to gain confidence in himself. In the end, although Adam still struggles with reading, he sits down, picks up a book about pirates, and says, “I can do this.”
Diane Burton Robb realistically depicts the struggles and emotions that often come along with Dyslexia. The frustrations that young children with a learning disability often feel are not sugar coated. The lengthy text describes his emotions clearly, and the illustrator, Gail Piazza, did a beautiful job of depicting the sad, frustrated, exasperated, and happy looks on Adam’s face throughout the book. The illustrations are created with pastels and are extremely realistic looking.
The Alphabet War is the story of a young boy named Adam who struggles with Dyslexia. The book starts out with Adam sitting on his mother’s lap listening to her read to him. However, when he begins school, he realizes that he no longer likes reading. He has difficulty identifying letters and putting them together to form words. In third grade, Adam gets tested for a learning disability. He is then diagnosed with Dyslexia, and he gets help from Mrs. Wood. She encourages him and helps him to gain confidence in himself. In the end, although Adam still struggles with reading, he sits down, picks up a book about pirates, and says, “I can do this.”
Diane Burton Robb realistically depicts the struggles and emotions that often come along with Dyslexia. The frustrations that young children with a learning disability often feel are not sugar coated. The lengthy text describes his emotions clearly, and the illustrator, Gail Piazza, did a beautiful job of depicting the sad, frustrated, exasperated, and happy looks on Adam’s face throughout the book. The illustrations are created with pastels and are extremely realistic looking.
This book could give any child struggling in school great hope that they can learn. The one concern I had with this book was the fact that it was completely centered around Dyslexia. It did not show any part of Adam’s life that wasn’t affected by Dyslexia. However, overall, I think that this is a great book to have in a classroom library. It has the ability to help children understand the trials and tribulations that go along with a learning disability.
Mama Zooms
Cowen-Fletcher, Jane. Mama Zooms. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1993.
Mama Zooms is the story of a young boy and his mother, who happens to be in a wheelchair. The boy sits on his mother’s lap and as they “zoom” various places, he imagines himself as a racecar driver, a pilot, a train conductor, and much more. In the end, Mama zooms the boy into bed, and that’s how he likes her best.
The story portrays people with physical disabilities in a positive light. The mother and son have a great relationship and do many fun things together. The illustrations are done with pastels and colored pencils, depicting the young boy sitting on his mother’s lap in seemingly realistic positions. The father is also present in the story, helping the boy to push his mother up steep hills.
One stereotype I saw within the book was that the mother had strong arms from all her “zooming.” Not all people that use wheelchairs have great-upper body strength. Jane Cowen-Fletcher does not have a physical disability herself; however, her sister uses a wheelchair.
Overall, I found this book to be beneficial for young children. I think it would help them to realize that people who use wheelchairs can go the same places that people without physical disabilities can.
Mama Zooms is the story of a young boy and his mother, who happens to be in a wheelchair. The boy sits on his mother’s lap and as they “zoom” various places, he imagines himself as a racecar driver, a pilot, a train conductor, and much more. In the end, Mama zooms the boy into bed, and that’s how he likes her best.
The story portrays people with physical disabilities in a positive light. The mother and son have a great relationship and do many fun things together. The illustrations are done with pastels and colored pencils, depicting the young boy sitting on his mother’s lap in seemingly realistic positions. The father is also present in the story, helping the boy to push his mother up steep hills.
One stereotype I saw within the book was that the mother had strong arms from all her “zooming.” Not all people that use wheelchairs have great-upper body strength. Jane Cowen-Fletcher does not have a physical disability herself; however, her sister uses a wheelchair.
Overall, I found this book to be beneficial for young children. I think it would help them to realize that people who use wheelchairs can go the same places that people without physical disabilities can.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Confessions of a Closet Catholic
I really enjoyed reading this book. I thought the author did a really good job of portraying the emotions of a young girl. I laughed a lot throughout the book; however, they were also some parts that made me feel really bad for Jussy. One thing that stuck out to me while I was reading was Jussy's obsession with guilt. She was constantly worrying about confessing the little things she did wrong because she felt God would be mad at her. Therefore, the question I chose to ask in my paper was: How does guilt affect Jussy's faith and the changes that she encounters in the novel?
One of the passages that I focused on was when she went to Mass with Mac's family and then found out that Bubbe had had a stroke. She automatically thought that God was trying to punish her for wanting to be Catholic. I thought that this passage really showed Jussy's misconceptions about religion and how she related guilt to almost everything that happened to her. I also attributed some of Jussy's guilt to the personality of her mother. On page 105, her mother finds out that she was taking part in Communion in her closet. Instead of talking to her about the confusion that her 11 year old is feeling, she screams at her, causing her extreme guilt. I wondered if Jussy's perception of guilt might have had anything to do with her mother. Another part of the book that I mentioned in my paper was when Jussy found out that Bubbe had left her the necklace. The note that she left with the necklace helped Jussy to realize that she did not need to feel guilty for the confusion that she was feeling. Bubbe made it clear that if Jussy chose to convert to Catholicism, she would not be mad at her. She only wanted her to be happy. I thought that this was the point in the book that Jussy's conflict was ultimately resolved. Although talking to the rabbi and the priest taught her about religion, it was her grandmother's words that put everything together for her.
One of the passages that I focused on was when she went to Mass with Mac's family and then found out that Bubbe had had a stroke. She automatically thought that God was trying to punish her for wanting to be Catholic. I thought that this passage really showed Jussy's misconceptions about religion and how she related guilt to almost everything that happened to her. I also attributed some of Jussy's guilt to the personality of her mother. On page 105, her mother finds out that she was taking part in Communion in her closet. Instead of talking to her about the confusion that her 11 year old is feeling, she screams at her, causing her extreme guilt. I wondered if Jussy's perception of guilt might have had anything to do with her mother. Another part of the book that I mentioned in my paper was when Jussy found out that Bubbe had left her the necklace. The note that she left with the necklace helped Jussy to realize that she did not need to feel guilty for the confusion that she was feeling. Bubbe made it clear that if Jussy chose to convert to Catholicism, she would not be mad at her. She only wanted her to be happy. I thought that this was the point in the book that Jussy's conflict was ultimately resolved. Although talking to the rabbi and the priest taught her about religion, it was her grandmother's words that put everything together for her.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
FInal Project Idea
For my final project I think I am going to focus on disbailities. Before taking this class, I hadn't seen many children's books that include characters with disabilities. Therefore, I want to investigate the topic myself. I am particularly interested to see if there are a number of books involving Down Syndrome and at what quality those books are written. I think that it is really important for books to be written involving children with disabilities so disabled children have something to relate to and so abled children are able to learn about disabilities.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Schneider Family Book Award
There is not an official website for the Schneider Family Book Award, but there are other resources that provide information about the award; such as www.ala.org/ala/awardsbuket/schneideraward/schneidercriteria.htm and www.ala.org/ala/awardsbuket/schneideraward/schneiderawardmanual.doc . The second link is a manual. It answers questions about the history of the award, discusses the responsibilities of the members of the committee, and provides insight to their ideas about what to look for in a good book. This is a newer award and has only been given out since 2004. It was started by Dr. Catherine Schneider, who has been blind since birth. She wanted to sponsor an award that would show that the disability is a part of the character’s life, not the focus of their life. The Schneider Family Book Award honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child or adolescent audiences. Three annual awards are given in birth through grade school (age 0-8), middle school (age 9-13), and teens (age 14-18). The disabilities can be physical, mental, or emotional. The most important piece of criteria of the award is that it is not aimed to have the audience sympathize with the characters. Instead, it is aimed to portray their perspectives and everyday life experiences. Some books that have received this award are: Dad, Jackie, and Me, written by Myron Uhlberg and illustrated by Colin Bootman and Looking Out for Sarah, by Glenna Lang. You can look up past award winners at www.ala.org/ala/awardsbuket/schneideraward/schneiderawardrecipients.htm
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Habibi Controversy
I was surprised when we talked about Habibi being banned in the West Bloomfield school district because when I read the book, I did not think about the fact that it could make put a bad mark on the Jewish culture. I read the book from Liyana's perspective; therefore, I didn't take into consideration how the text might make a Jewish child feel. However, the topic interested me, in part because I live in Commerce Twp which is right next to West Bloomfield.
The article in which Dr. Rabens says that the book bashes Jews was particularly eye opening for me. I understand that the book is one-sided, but I thought that was the point of Habibi. It was from the perspective of a young Arab American, so the characters would almost have to have a Palestinian view point or the book would be unrealistic. In my opinion, this book should not be used solely on its own to represent the conflict because children might come away with a negative opinion toward Jewish people. However, with careful discussion, and books that present the opposite view point, I think Habibi is an excellent book. It gives children a sense of what the culture of Arabs is like from the view point of an American child. I think that children can relate to the characters and some aspects of the story.
Overall, I enjoyed reading Habibi. However, I also think that a child needs careful explanation of the events in the book, making sure their opinion about Jewish people is not skewed.
The article in which Dr. Rabens says that the book bashes Jews was particularly eye opening for me. I understand that the book is one-sided, but I thought that was the point of Habibi. It was from the perspective of a young Arab American, so the characters would almost have to have a Palestinian view point or the book would be unrealistic. In my opinion, this book should not be used solely on its own to represent the conflict because children might come away with a negative opinion toward Jewish people. However, with careful discussion, and books that present the opposite view point, I think Habibi is an excellent book. It gives children a sense of what the culture of Arabs is like from the view point of an American child. I think that children can relate to the characters and some aspects of the story.
Overall, I enjoyed reading Habibi. However, I also think that a child needs careful explanation of the events in the book, making sure their opinion about Jewish people is not skewed.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Insider/Outsider Debate
After reading the articles pertaining to the inside/outsider debate, I find myself not siding strongly with either side. I can see the pros and cons of writing multicultural literature as both an insider and an outsider. Before taking this class, I thought that any literature written about a culture that was not mainstream would be considered multicultural literature. Quite obviously, my viewpoints have changed.
I think that an insider could very easily write an accurate story about their own culture because they have the ability to draw upon their personal experiences from their childhood, as well as their adult life. They don't have to do a lot of research because they are writing a story involving things that actually happened to them or people close to them. However, you also have to consider how accurate their story really is. Often when people tell childhood stories, they are exaggerated upon for dramatic effect. These writers could unknowingly be writing false information because their parents could have told them a story wrong, or they could have even remembered a story wrong. With that being said, maybe an outsider is more fit to write multicultural literature? No, because there are many things that can go wrong in researching a culture. You have to be extremely careful when researching because it is very easy to obtain false information without even knowing it. Also, even if careful and accurate research is collected, the writer still does not have that personal connection to the culture that an insider has.
After considering both sides of the debate, I think that anyone can write multicultural literature. An insider has to be careful that they are telling an accurate rendition of their story, while an outsider has to make sure that they collect accurate and ample research.
I think that an insider could very easily write an accurate story about their own culture because they have the ability to draw upon their personal experiences from their childhood, as well as their adult life. They don't have to do a lot of research because they are writing a story involving things that actually happened to them or people close to them. However, you also have to consider how accurate their story really is. Often when people tell childhood stories, they are exaggerated upon for dramatic effect. These writers could unknowingly be writing false information because their parents could have told them a story wrong, or they could have even remembered a story wrong. With that being said, maybe an outsider is more fit to write multicultural literature? No, because there are many things that can go wrong in researching a culture. You have to be extremely careful when researching because it is very easy to obtain false information without even knowing it. Also, even if careful and accurate research is collected, the writer still does not have that personal connection to the culture that an insider has.
After considering both sides of the debate, I think that anyone can write multicultural literature. An insider has to be careful that they are telling an accurate rendition of their story, while an outsider has to make sure that they collect accurate and ample research.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Hi, my name is Laura Slusher, and I am a senior. My major is Child Development with a concentration in language arts. I have always loved children, which is why I decided to become a teacher. I love young children, so I hope to teach kindergarten or first grade, but we'll see what happens. This past summer I worked at Childtime, which is a daycare, and I also babysat for a family that has a four year old and a two year old. I decided to take this class because I want to learn more about diverse literature than I previously learned in TE 348. I feel that it is extremely important for teachers to be educated about diverse literature in order to share what they know with the children they teach. I would like to know what the criteria is for quality diverse literature. I would also like to get ideas for books that will promote diversity in my own classroom library. I am excited about this class because I have always enjoyed reading, and I think the information I learn about diverse literaure will be beneficial to me.
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