Hello again to all you good people, out there in TV Land. Tonight I would like to talk about an article by NCTE President-elect Carol Jago, Crash! The Currency Crisis in American Culture. To give you an overview, this article confronts issues facing the today's educational system as it pertains to the importance of analyzing texts of depth and writing papers arguing points based on evidence from the text. I highly recommend to anyone that is interested in knowing why it is important that students read texts that require critical thinking processes : Read this article!
In the first section of Jago's article, Prepared to make a living, make a life, make a difference, she writes about the need for students to develop critical thinking skills early on in life because they are a set of skills that will be needed for a lifetime. Jago argues that as people read a text critically they vicariously experience the characters' victories and failures, providing valuable insight into making the difficult decisions facing them in real life. Jago also brings up the point that literature gives us great insight into the human condition. Literature can inspire us, lead us to new understanding, give us the strength to push forward. In A Voice from the Attic, Robertson Davies describes literature "not as a manifestation of fashion, not as a substitution for life, but as one of the greatest of the arts".
The whole rest article (which I'm not going to go into the labor of covering) goes on to discuss several great point arguing the need for essay writing as a means of developing students' critical thinking and writing abilities. She also brings up some points about incorporating Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development into your teaching methods to enhance the quality of lessons presented to students. Yet, the one point that I didn't necessarily agree with Jago about was that she seems to feel that the types of analysis and critical thinking used to analyze texts seems to be most important in classical texts. I differ in my thought in that I believe that it is possible to accomplish the same ends through different means - i.e. the incorporation of newer materials with the classics.
I conclusion, I just want to come back to the points being made in the opening sections of Jago's article about sharpening students' critical thinking and decision making skills through literature in order to make students' into more successful citizens and free thinkers. I just think that everything she says in Prepared to make a living, make a life, make a difference section is Gold for any education major or professional. It may seem a bit idealistic, but it is in my mind the ultimate goal to to striving for as an educator: to turn out students intelligent students capable of making strong, educated decisions, and then be able to logically argue those decisions to others.
This is a great article. Check it out!
-Sam P.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Review of Paper Man
The following is a review of Paper Man. Directed by Kieran & Michele Murloney. The film revolves around Richard (Jeff Daniels), a failing writer who forms an unconventional friendship with Abby (Emma Stone), a mixed up teen. Richard must also overcome the issues facing his life using the help of his imaginary superhero friend, Captain Excellent (Ryan Reynolds).
Personal Issues:
The issue that struck the most responsive chord in me was the theme of simple, virtuous living as it eluded Richard in his quest to write his next book. I deduced from the film that the things that Richard was starving for in his life were the fundamental joys that so many of us fail to recognize and appreciate. Richard longed to do something meaningful with his hands; to create something that would solidify his worth as a man that has created. Also, it becomes obvious that Richard feels void because he never had any children. Watching the film I realized that Richard desired something in his life that he could be totally selfless towards. A child that he could give his whole world to as an offering of love. As a struggling writer with no children, Richard realizes that his isolation from the world lies in the fact that in his mind he has contributed nothing lasting to the world around him. Like the extinct pheasant that is the subject of his next book, Richard realizes in the film that when he dies he will take his place alongside the forgotten bird as an extinct creature lost in time. To me, this film is saying: A man defines himself by the fruits of his labor. It is the things that we pour our life, blood, and love into creating that make our stay worth while. Being a man with no children to love and having nothing to create with his hands -Richard is empty.
I believe that people can generalize this film any way that they want to. There are a lot of aspects to this movie that are of great depth and requiring of reflection. I don't know how many other people would have taken the same thought process as me about the movie, but I'm sure that if I argued my case, they would see the evidence backing my point.
Technique:
Considering how this was a film that required no really flashy special effects or clever editing, the emphasis of this portion of the review is on the music, camera work, and dialogue of the movie. I felt that one of the finest points of this film was the soundtrack. The whole film had a very "Indie" feel about it that was reflected in the soundtrack. There was a lot of simple acoustic guitar melody throughout the movie that helped to carry the feeling of quirkiness that is reflected by Richard's character. The camera work also added a great deal to the feel of the film. There were a great deal of mid range shots that were still or very slow panning during the movie. Also, a majority of shots involving dialogue between the main characters consisted of low-angle, close-ups of both characters.
Acting:
The main roles in the movie were: Richard (Jeff Daniels), a failing writer struggling with issues of worth . Richard regrets his life of lonliness and scorns the fact that he has no children, no tangible contributions to society. He fears the reality that he is the last of his bloodline and will one day become extinct and forgotten. Abby (Emma Stone), is a sharp and witty teenager who gets to know Richard when she agrees to baby sit Richard's non-existant kids. She is a rebellious youth who struggles to find a place of acceptance and love. The tragic death of her twin sister haunts her daily, as a reminder of a time when she was deathly sad with no explanation of why. Abby forms a friendship with Richard and begins to view him as the screwed-up but loving father figure that she wishes she had. Captain Excellent (Ryan Reynolds) is the imaginary superhero that aids Richard in his journey for wholeness. Captain Excellent speaks as the voice of reason for Richard as he tries to make sense of the new relationship he has formed with Abby. Reynold's character adds a great deal of the comic relief in the movie, adding witty suggestions and advice to Richard as he goes. I felt that all of the characters were very well cast, with Ryan Reynolds being the only actor that I felt was type cast his role because of his comical skills and superhero physique. I felt that all of the characters did an excellent job of capturing what I felt to be the essense of each character.
Plot:
The plot of the story follows Richard as he tries to get over his writer's block and write his new book about an extinct species of pheasant from the New York area with the help of his imaginary friend, Captain Excellent. Richard also takes on the task of figuring out what he is missing in his life and why he feels so unsubstantial as a man. When Richard rents a cottage in Montauk, New York he stumbles into an unlikely friendship with Abby, and confused and lonely teenager. The two of them begin hanging out together as they work together to find companionship and meaning in their lives. The two of them learn from one-another until they finally reach a place where they are able to continue on their seperate roads with a new found realization about life and what it means to be happy.
Themes:
I believe that the main theme of this film is that we all have a need in our lives for a relationship that means more to us than we matter to ourselves. As a man, Richard realized that he wasn't complete because he had nothing substantial to give to anyone. And what's worse, he had no one to whom he could give his love and dedicate his life. Richard lived a life of isolation that left him seperated from the the types of meaningful relationships that he so desperately longed for. This film also carried a message of people shedding their old crutches and eliminating things from their past that enable them to continue living in isolation.
Genre:
The first descriptor that comes to mind when I try to describe this movie is uniquely an "indie film", which it is, but I know that that doesn't really suffice as a genre. So, I would have to classify this film as a drama. There are a lot of very funny moments in the film that add a great comedic element to it, but the struggles facing the characters definitley qualify it as a drama. In this film, like many drama, we see a lot of dialogue and reflective monologues that give a great deal in the way of character development. This film also captures the internal struggles of the characters, something characteristic of a drama. I believe that this genre is popular today because of the way it allows the audience to, at the very least, understand the character, if not sympathize with them.
Representation:
This film is very narrow in its representation of different groups of people. All of the characters depict fairly stereotypical white people who are neither extremely rich nor extremely poor. Yet, the movie does a good job of desciribing the character types of a middle aged man in a mid-life crisis struggling with his identity, and the typical rebellious teenage girl.
Ideology:
I believe that this film challenges the cultural belief that people find true happiness in having monetary security and a life of privelege and ease. This film tries to show audiences that true happiness comes from the things in life that we love and invest our love and energy into, such as: a skilled craft made with your hands and hard work, or a child whom you can love more than anything else in the world.
Overall, Paper Man, directed by Kieren & Michele Murloney, is a very enjoyable movie. The film is loaded with moments of witty humor and insight into life. I would highly recommend the film to anyone who enjoys off-beat films with a deeper meaning. I hope the rest of you enjoyed your respective films as well!
-Sam P.
Personal Issues:
The issue that struck the most responsive chord in me was the theme of simple, virtuous living as it eluded Richard in his quest to write his next book. I deduced from the film that the things that Richard was starving for in his life were the fundamental joys that so many of us fail to recognize and appreciate. Richard longed to do something meaningful with his hands; to create something that would solidify his worth as a man that has created. Also, it becomes obvious that Richard feels void because he never had any children. Watching the film I realized that Richard desired something in his life that he could be totally selfless towards. A child that he could give his whole world to as an offering of love. As a struggling writer with no children, Richard realizes that his isolation from the world lies in the fact that in his mind he has contributed nothing lasting to the world around him. Like the extinct pheasant that is the subject of his next book, Richard realizes in the film that when he dies he will take his place alongside the forgotten bird as an extinct creature lost in time. To me, this film is saying: A man defines himself by the fruits of his labor. It is the things that we pour our life, blood, and love into creating that make our stay worth while. Being a man with no children to love and having nothing to create with his hands -Richard is empty.
I believe that people can generalize this film any way that they want to. There are a lot of aspects to this movie that are of great depth and requiring of reflection. I don't know how many other people would have taken the same thought process as me about the movie, but I'm sure that if I argued my case, they would see the evidence backing my point.
Technique:
Considering how this was a film that required no really flashy special effects or clever editing, the emphasis of this portion of the review is on the music, camera work, and dialogue of the movie. I felt that one of the finest points of this film was the soundtrack. The whole film had a very "Indie" feel about it that was reflected in the soundtrack. There was a lot of simple acoustic guitar melody throughout the movie that helped to carry the feeling of quirkiness that is reflected by Richard's character. The camera work also added a great deal to the feel of the film. There were a great deal of mid range shots that were still or very slow panning during the movie. Also, a majority of shots involving dialogue between the main characters consisted of low-angle, close-ups of both characters.
Acting:
The main roles in the movie were: Richard (Jeff Daniels), a failing writer struggling with issues of worth . Richard regrets his life of lonliness and scorns the fact that he has no children, no tangible contributions to society. He fears the reality that he is the last of his bloodline and will one day become extinct and forgotten. Abby (Emma Stone), is a sharp and witty teenager who gets to know Richard when she agrees to baby sit Richard's non-existant kids. She is a rebellious youth who struggles to find a place of acceptance and love. The tragic death of her twin sister haunts her daily, as a reminder of a time when she was deathly sad with no explanation of why. Abby forms a friendship with Richard and begins to view him as the screwed-up but loving father figure that she wishes she had. Captain Excellent (Ryan Reynolds) is the imaginary superhero that aids Richard in his journey for wholeness. Captain Excellent speaks as the voice of reason for Richard as he tries to make sense of the new relationship he has formed with Abby. Reynold's character adds a great deal of the comic relief in the movie, adding witty suggestions and advice to Richard as he goes. I felt that all of the characters were very well cast, with Ryan Reynolds being the only actor that I felt was type cast his role because of his comical skills and superhero physique. I felt that all of the characters did an excellent job of capturing what I felt to be the essense of each character.
Plot:
The plot of the story follows Richard as he tries to get over his writer's block and write his new book about an extinct species of pheasant from the New York area with the help of his imaginary friend, Captain Excellent. Richard also takes on the task of figuring out what he is missing in his life and why he feels so unsubstantial as a man. When Richard rents a cottage in Montauk, New York he stumbles into an unlikely friendship with Abby, and confused and lonely teenager. The two of them begin hanging out together as they work together to find companionship and meaning in their lives. The two of them learn from one-another until they finally reach a place where they are able to continue on their seperate roads with a new found realization about life and what it means to be happy.
Themes:
I believe that the main theme of this film is that we all have a need in our lives for a relationship that means more to us than we matter to ourselves. As a man, Richard realized that he wasn't complete because he had nothing substantial to give to anyone. And what's worse, he had no one to whom he could give his love and dedicate his life. Richard lived a life of isolation that left him seperated from the the types of meaningful relationships that he so desperately longed for. This film also carried a message of people shedding their old crutches and eliminating things from their past that enable them to continue living in isolation.
Genre:
The first descriptor that comes to mind when I try to describe this movie is uniquely an "indie film", which it is, but I know that that doesn't really suffice as a genre. So, I would have to classify this film as a drama. There are a lot of very funny moments in the film that add a great comedic element to it, but the struggles facing the characters definitley qualify it as a drama. In this film, like many drama, we see a lot of dialogue and reflective monologues that give a great deal in the way of character development. This film also captures the internal struggles of the characters, something characteristic of a drama. I believe that this genre is popular today because of the way it allows the audience to, at the very least, understand the character, if not sympathize with them.
Representation:
This film is very narrow in its representation of different groups of people. All of the characters depict fairly stereotypical white people who are neither extremely rich nor extremely poor. Yet, the movie does a good job of desciribing the character types of a middle aged man in a mid-life crisis struggling with his identity, and the typical rebellious teenage girl.
Ideology:
I believe that this film challenges the cultural belief that people find true happiness in having monetary security and a life of privelege and ease. This film tries to show audiences that true happiness comes from the things in life that we love and invest our love and energy into, such as: a skilled craft made with your hands and hard work, or a child whom you can love more than anything else in the world.
Overall, Paper Man, directed by Kieren & Michele Murloney, is a very enjoyable movie. The film is loaded with moments of witty humor and insight into life. I would highly recommend the film to anyone who enjoys off-beat films with a deeper meaning. I hope the rest of you enjoyed your respective films as well!
-Sam P.
My reaction to the Cleveland Film Festival
Hello again All,
So, I attended the 34th Annual Cleveland Film Festival this past friday the 26th. The whole day was a very rushed occasion; with packing for break, going to class, and attending the film festival- it was a pretty busy day. But enough about me, lets get to the festival. And of course, lets discuss first things first...Parking!!! From the direction I took, the streets were walled with taken spaces, leaving no place for my friend and I to part. Finally, we got into the Tower City parking deck, only to be charged $10 when leaving because they wouldn't validate. But enough about parking.
The film festival itself was pretty cool. Although I must admit that to me navigating the Tower City center to get to the festival entrance was liking walking a maze. When inside the doors, there was a couple of booths set up with information, places to vote for the winning movie, a place for souvenirs, etc. but I noticed that overall, the theatre the festical is held in seemed kind of small. I had imagined some place bigger for the festival in my mind.
As for the festival itself, I thought that it was very cool apart from the parking situation. To have something like this where people can come and enjoy some obscure movie selections that they wouldn't be likely to see in normal theaters. Looking through the film festival's information packet I saw a lot of very interesting looking movie choices. It's a shame that I didn't have time to see more of them. I am already looking forward to next year's 35th Annual Cleveland Film Festival!
Hope you all enjoyed your movie selections!
-Sam P.
So, I attended the 34th Annual Cleveland Film Festival this past friday the 26th. The whole day was a very rushed occasion; with packing for break, going to class, and attending the film festival- it was a pretty busy day. But enough about me, lets get to the festival. And of course, lets discuss first things first...Parking!!! From the direction I took, the streets were walled with taken spaces, leaving no place for my friend and I to part. Finally, we got into the Tower City parking deck, only to be charged $10 when leaving because they wouldn't validate. But enough about parking.
The film festival itself was pretty cool. Although I must admit that to me navigating the Tower City center to get to the festival entrance was liking walking a maze. When inside the doors, there was a couple of booths set up with information, places to vote for the winning movie, a place for souvenirs, etc. but I noticed that overall, the theatre the festical is held in seemed kind of small. I had imagined some place bigger for the festival in my mind.
As for the festival itself, I thought that it was very cool apart from the parking situation. To have something like this where people can come and enjoy some obscure movie selections that they wouldn't be likely to see in normal theaters. Looking through the film festival's information packet I saw a lot of very interesting looking movie choices. It's a shame that I didn't have time to see more of them. I am already looking forward to next year's 35th Annual Cleveland Film Festival!
Hope you all enjoyed your movie selections!
-Sam P.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The Line has been drawn on Linear: Revisiting Linear vs. Nonlinear
I got a chance not too long ago to read the comments on one of my earlier blog posts, How Nonlinear is too Nonlinear, where I talked about the idea of assigning chapters of a novel to a group of students, but all out of order. Then trying to get students to use deduction and inference to put the pieces of the story together: back to their chronological order. Well, I want to give props to Kyle J. for the ideas he had. They are most certainly blog-worthy. He suggests that instead of assigning the whole book to students, you could try assigning a different chapter, or grouping of chapters, to each student. Then, the teacher allows the student to figure out the plot of the story by working together as a class to arrange themselves in the correct order.
Kyle goes on to bring to light a couple of key benefits about this idea that are in need of mentioning. By having students figure out the order of the plot by discussing their selection of chapters and how theirs fits amongst those of their peers'. To do this effectively they have to communicate details about the plot, characters, settings, themes, etc. It can be difficult to build community and foster thoughtful discussions, all of us are aware of this. But it's obvious that an activity like this really challenges student to work together, and requires the use of several functions found much higher on Blooms Taxonomy than the typical memorize and recall assignments we see in many classrooms.
The other great point that is raised is the fact that you could cover a lengthy text in a much shorter time. Going along with Kyle's point, I figure that if you've got a text that even you as the teacher can't stand - this would be a great way to make the unit a little quicker to get through; and more enjoyable for the students.
Props to you again Kyle. I hope you don't mind that I discussed your comment post, but you brought a great idea to the table with some great points backing it. I feel that it is definitely an idea worth putting out there for others to see and use!
And until next time, stay classy San Diego.
-Sam Pearch
Kyle goes on to bring to light a couple of key benefits about this idea that are in need of mentioning. By having students figure out the order of the plot by discussing their selection of chapters and how theirs fits amongst those of their peers'. To do this effectively they have to communicate details about the plot, characters, settings, themes, etc. It can be difficult to build community and foster thoughtful discussions, all of us are aware of this. But it's obvious that an activity like this really challenges student to work together, and requires the use of several functions found much higher on Blooms Taxonomy than the typical memorize and recall assignments we see in many classrooms.
The other great point that is raised is the fact that you could cover a lengthy text in a much shorter time. Going along with Kyle's point, I figure that if you've got a text that even you as the teacher can't stand - this would be a great way to make the unit a little quicker to get through; and more enjoyable for the students.
Props to you again Kyle. I hope you don't mind that I discussed your comment post, but you brought a great idea to the table with some great points backing it. I feel that it is definitely an idea worth putting out there for others to see and use!
And until next time, stay classy San Diego.
-Sam Pearch
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Teaching Lit. in S.S. Blog #3 - Reading with Empathy
Hello all,
As I continue my reading of Carol Jago's Classics in the Classroom I came upon the section on pg. 51 titled Reading For Empathy. In this section, Jago talks about the way that reading literature can have benefits for people who are not necessarily studying in a literary field. Doctors, lawyers, and other professionals can learn a lot about the people who they are serving by reading texts that offer insight into the human psyche and heart. Jago talks about how doctors can gain a lot in the way of compassion and understanding for their patients by reading texts like Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyth. Furthermore, people in the field of social work could gain a lot of insight into the plight of abused children by reading books like The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison.
I absolutely agree with what Jago is saying in this section. By reading about characters and stories of circumstances we have never experienced, and therefore cannot relate to, we are able to better understand those situations through our ability to relate to the characters in the story. By emerscing ourselves in the story, it can allow us to better understand the way that people in similar circumstances may be feeling and what they may be thinking. One of the most important aspects of working with people is being able to understand where they are coming from and what they may be going through. Being able to empathize with their situation will better allow you to help them.
As I continue my reading of Carol Jago's Classics in the Classroom I came upon the section on pg. 51 titled Reading For Empathy. In this section, Jago talks about the way that reading literature can have benefits for people who are not necessarily studying in a literary field. Doctors, lawyers, and other professionals can learn a lot about the people who they are serving by reading texts that offer insight into the human psyche and heart. Jago talks about how doctors can gain a lot in the way of compassion and understanding for their patients by reading texts like Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyth. Furthermore, people in the field of social work could gain a lot of insight into the plight of abused children by reading books like The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison.
I absolutely agree with what Jago is saying in this section. By reading about characters and stories of circumstances we have never experienced, and therefore cannot relate to, we are able to better understand those situations through our ability to relate to the characters in the story. By emerscing ourselves in the story, it can allow us to better understand the way that people in similar circumstances may be feeling and what they may be thinking. One of the most important aspects of working with people is being able to understand where they are coming from and what they may be going through. Being able to empathize with their situation will better allow you to help them.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Teaching Lit. in S.S. Blog numero dos - The Classics
Hello again,
While looking through Jugo's, Classics in the Classroom, I took interest in Chpt. 3 Choosing Which Books to Teach. On pg. 40 there is a list of books that are popular, if not required, canon for high school English curriculums. These texts include: Romeo and Juliet, Huckleberry Finn, Julius Caesar, Lord of the Flies, The Great Gatsby, so-on and so-forth. And while yes, I have read all of these texts, I didn't necessarily enjoy reading all of them when I was just a young buck, back in high school. Fortunately, I have had the opportunity to reread many of these texts in college and have found them to be much more enjoyable this time around. Furthermore, I've gained a lot more from them this time around. The point that I'm trying to make it that for whatever reason, I didn't gain everything that stood to be gained in these books. This may have been because I wasn't mature enough to to appreciate the text or maybe my teachers didn't do the best job teaching them; but whatever the reasoning may be- I only got a fraction of what there was to gain from these books the first time I read them.
Having this list of books that are considered to be classic canon has made me start questioning what the "classics" will be in another 25 years; and, should the classics still be what are taught in the classroom. Will they still be the same books that I read or will they be books that have been written in my lifetime? Will the canon of the futute still have the same values of "rereadability" (I don't even know if that's a real work, but it sounds good. Is Webster's hiring?) Anyway, on page 41 of Jugo's text she outlines some of the criterion for being considered a classis. This includes things like: providing a treasured experience for those who read, and re-read them, provides as much a sense of discovery as the first time it was read, a text that helps you "define yourself in relation or even in opposition to it", etc.
Even with all of these qualities for what makes a "classic", because of my experience with not really being able to appreciate these classic novels, I'm not convinced that they should continue to be taught in high schools. While they are indeed great books, I don't know that the typical high shool student is mature enough in their reading to really appreciate all the intricacies of these classic texts. The way that I feel about the issue is that students should be reading things that relate more to their lives and interests, I.E. - Young Adult Novels. While some may argue that this newer genre of books doesn't contain the depth and value of some of the classics, but as long as students are reading, does it really matter what they are reading? This is within reason, of course. I wouldn't want my students reading smut and saying, "oh, well Mr. Pearch says it's OK as long as we are reading something". Young adult literature has alot to offer in the classroom. Many of the topics are more appealing to students, and there is still a lot that can be learned about reading and writing conventions by reading young adult books.
At least that's what I think about the matter.
-Sam
While looking through Jugo's, Classics in the Classroom, I took interest in Chpt. 3 Choosing Which Books to Teach. On pg. 40 there is a list of books that are popular, if not required, canon for high school English curriculums. These texts include: Romeo and Juliet, Huckleberry Finn, Julius Caesar, Lord of the Flies, The Great Gatsby, so-on and so-forth. And while yes, I have read all of these texts, I didn't necessarily enjoy reading all of them when I was just a young buck, back in high school. Fortunately, I have had the opportunity to reread many of these texts in college and have found them to be much more enjoyable this time around. Furthermore, I've gained a lot more from them this time around. The point that I'm trying to make it that for whatever reason, I didn't gain everything that stood to be gained in these books. This may have been because I wasn't mature enough to to appreciate the text or maybe my teachers didn't do the best job teaching them; but whatever the reasoning may be- I only got a fraction of what there was to gain from these books the first time I read them.
Having this list of books that are considered to be classic canon has made me start questioning what the "classics" will be in another 25 years; and, should the classics still be what are taught in the classroom. Will they still be the same books that I read or will they be books that have been written in my lifetime? Will the canon of the futute still have the same values of "rereadability" (I don't even know if that's a real work, but it sounds good. Is Webster's hiring?) Anyway, on page 41 of Jugo's text she outlines some of the criterion for being considered a classis. This includes things like: providing a treasured experience for those who read, and re-read them, provides as much a sense of discovery as the first time it was read, a text that helps you "define yourself in relation or even in opposition to it", etc.
Even with all of these qualities for what makes a "classic", because of my experience with not really being able to appreciate these classic novels, I'm not convinced that they should continue to be taught in high schools. While they are indeed great books, I don't know that the typical high shool student is mature enough in their reading to really appreciate all the intricacies of these classic texts. The way that I feel about the issue is that students should be reading things that relate more to their lives and interests, I.E. - Young Adult Novels. While some may argue that this newer genre of books doesn't contain the depth and value of some of the classics, but as long as students are reading, does it really matter what they are reading? This is within reason, of course. I wouldn't want my students reading smut and saying, "oh, well Mr. Pearch says it's OK as long as we are reading something". Young adult literature has alot to offer in the classroom. Many of the topics are more appealing to students, and there is still a lot that can be learned about reading and writing conventions by reading young adult books.
At least that's what I think about the matter.
-Sam
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Teaching Lit. in S.S. Blog #1 - Takin' it to a higher level
Hello all,
So I've been reading through Jago's, Classics in the Classroom, and came upon something very early on in my reading that I felt was important to address. On just the second page of Jago's book I noted that she was talking about two observers of two different classrooms, and 5th grade and the other 10th, who compared their observations and discovered that they had viewed very similar lessons despite being five grades apart from one another. Jago brings up a good point with this example: too many teachers stick to a very low level of instruction and students very rarely get to exercise higher level processes like analysis or synthesis. So, instead of students getting the chance to develop skills and abilities like analyizing underlying themes, develop opinions of the text, or simply debating in class, students are taught to skim the surface, memorize and then regurgitate, anwser "who went where and did what?" kinds of questions.
To be honest, I don't find it suprising that these are the kinds of things that observers see in the classroom. I realize that a lot of teachers probably don't even realize that they need to take their instruction to a higher level, but I'm also confident that a lot of teachers just don't want to invest the extra energy into taking in to the next level, so to speak. Or, maybe these teachers simply have never heard of Bloom's Taxonomy, but I doubt that. It just erks me I suppose, that something so simple to do- like asking students questions that take a little bit of reflection and thought is too much to ask of some teachers. And like Jago mentions in the book, it's no wonder that students do poorly on standardized reading and writing tests that look for analysis and comprehension of the text.
Yet, what more can I say about it. I can't really change anything about the way things are until it's my turn to teach my own students. That's the thing that I don't understand, though... I'm actually looking forward to trying to get students to really analyze texts like George Orwell's, 1984 and discuss topics from class like, "does having money and status add to the way Daisy and Tom Buchanon live recklessly in Fitzgeralds, The Great Gatsby?" That stuff excites me! Maybe these other teachers have grown just a little too long in the tooth to be effective teacher. But I digress.
So, until next time, this is Sam saying, Thank you and good morning!
So I've been reading through Jago's, Classics in the Classroom, and came upon something very early on in my reading that I felt was important to address. On just the second page of Jago's book I noted that she was talking about two observers of two different classrooms, and 5th grade and the other 10th, who compared their observations and discovered that they had viewed very similar lessons despite being five grades apart from one another. Jago brings up a good point with this example: too many teachers stick to a very low level of instruction and students very rarely get to exercise higher level processes like analysis or synthesis. So, instead of students getting the chance to develop skills and abilities like analyizing underlying themes, develop opinions of the text, or simply debating in class, students are taught to skim the surface, memorize and then regurgitate, anwser "who went where and did what?" kinds of questions.
To be honest, I don't find it suprising that these are the kinds of things that observers see in the classroom. I realize that a lot of teachers probably don't even realize that they need to take their instruction to a higher level, but I'm also confident that a lot of teachers just don't want to invest the extra energy into taking in to the next level, so to speak. Or, maybe these teachers simply have never heard of Bloom's Taxonomy, but I doubt that. It just erks me I suppose, that something so simple to do- like asking students questions that take a little bit of reflection and thought is too much to ask of some teachers. And like Jago mentions in the book, it's no wonder that students do poorly on standardized reading and writing tests that look for analysis and comprehension of the text.
Yet, what more can I say about it. I can't really change anything about the way things are until it's my turn to teach my own students. That's the thing that I don't understand, though... I'm actually looking forward to trying to get students to really analyze texts like George Orwell's, 1984 and discuss topics from class like, "does having money and status add to the way Daisy and Tom Buchanon live recklessly in Fitzgeralds, The Great Gatsby?" That stuff excites me! Maybe these other teachers have grown just a little too long in the tooth to be effective teacher. But I digress.
So, until next time, this is Sam saying, Thank you and good morning!
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