Introduction:
Identifying a journey book from my youth was difficult. I am dyslexic, although it was not identified until adulthood. I dreaded reading in school and reading for school. The pressure stemming from time constraints was tremendous. Teachers thought I was willful or lazy when I did not complete reading assignments. Eventually, I stopped trying. Amazingly, I loved reading at home and continued to read picture books long past the age that was considered acceptable. I still love them! Much of my reading was done in secret. Until my sophomore year in high school, I had a reading hide-away. It was a little room off of my bedroom that served as an attic access. While there, I didn’t have to risk anyone seeing how long it took me to read each page.
Mr. Pollock was my freshman English teacher in high school. He was a young Hemingway look-alike right down to the beard and fisherman-knit sweater. The poster of Hemingway that hung directly above his head when he sat at his desk made the connection unavoidable. Mr. Pollock was different from all the other teachers I’d ever had. He savored words. He allowed time for their meaning to sink-in and take hold. Suddenly, my painfully slow reading ability was an asset. While reading The Great Gatsby that year, I discovered how wonderful it was to uncover layers of meaning in a text. Every word Fitzgerald wrote was saturated with rich, intricate meaning. I have read the novel eight times since my freshman year in high school. The symbolism and rich imagery never fail to captivate me.
We spent a great deal of time analyzing books in Mr. Pollock’s class. Looking back on that experience, I can see how all of his students benefited from this opportunity to reach the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. He treated his students with respect and placed a high value on our abilities to dissect literature and create meaning. We discussed important, adult issues. I remember feeling quite grown-up. This was why everyone loved his class. We were all completely intellectually engaged. It was dynamic and exciting.
Professional Self:
To this point, the majority of my very limited teaching experience has been with elementary students who are just beginning to read and English Language Learners (ELL). Its no secret, as I learned from Mr. Pollock, that students who feel intellectually valued are more engaged in class. While working with second grade students, I would facilitate large group discussions during “circle” story time. Students would share their knowledge and personal experience as it related to the text. The exercise gave students the opportunity to hear different perspectives and to increase understanding of the subject. The discussions also helped students with limited subject knowledge connect to the text. For instance, while reading Patricia Polacco’s Thunder Cake, students without access to grandparents could learn about those types of relationships from those students who did have access. The children also learned that, while not all grandmothers bake cakes, they all have something to share.
During my studies here at NCSU, I’ve become a big fan of Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). ZPD is a wonderful tool for capitalizing on students’ strengths and promoting student ownership of the learning process. I like the notion that every student is the “more knowledgeable other” (MKO) in regard to something. Each student has something of value to contribute to the success of the class. I believe that my job is to provide a wide variety of relatable texts and facilitate opportunities for each student to experience being the MKO.
Literate Self:
My experience with young adult (YA) literature is mostly through my children. The first time I became aware of the YA genre was when my daughter began perusing that section at the library during the summer before the seventh grade. I actually Googled it to find out what it was! There wasn’t a YA section at the library when I was a teen, and none of my teachers used that term. However, after reading several on-line explanations, I realized that most of what I read in high school fell into the YA category. The difference between YA literature then and now is that the subject matter is far more explicit today. With the target age being between 12 and 18, many of the gritty themes in this genre concern me. An ocean could fill the maturity gap that exists between the ages of 12 and 18. Before encouraging students to read graphic tales of incest, rape, sexuality, and suicide, it is important to know they are emotionally ready. I also want to be confident that the details are necessary to the telling of the story and not simply used for shock-effect.
One of the first series my daughter delved into was The Uglies Trilogy by Scott Westerfield. I believe the school librarian recommended them to her. I have skimmed parts of the books but have not done a thorough reading; however, I did appreciate the conversations these books sparked with my daughter. We discussed the value society places on appearance and who gets to define beauty. This launched her into an investigation of how the media packages beauty for our consumption. These books facilitated an important part of her development at a critical time in her life. A couple of years later, she connected these themes to Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. Her experience is an example of the positive growth that can result from reading YA literature that is developmentally appropriate for the student.
While I see a need for caution, the potential for YA literature to bridge the gap between modern teens and literary canon is too great to ignore. The same themes exist in canon literature; however, the subjects are usually handled with a delicacy that makes them perhaps too subtle for the modern palette. Literature helps us to explore critical issues, form opinions, and take positive action to make a better future. But, it can have this impact only if we read. For years I have had the practice of reading a classic work followed by a modern novel. I don’t specifically seek to link themes, but, inevitably there are connections that illustrate the basic desires and conflicts experienced by human beings have changed little over the years. Last week I finished Summer by Edith Wharton and now I am reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Both deal with women’s issues. The perspective offered by both novels helps the reader to see how far women have come in terms of freedom and equality and how far we have yet to go. I want to be well versed in YA literature so that I can help my students make these types of pairings to gain greater perspective. We can’t make a better future until we understand the past.
Virtual Self:
I have an affinity for classics and by-gone eras. My husband is a computer engineer, who for years has attempted to usher me into the 21st century. I resisted. Prior to returning to school, I rarely touched our home computer. I sent handwritten letters, read books printed on paper, and paid bills with checks delivered via the U.S. Postal Service. My husband has occasionally referred to me as his “misplaced Victorian”. That has dramatically changed over the past two years. Every morning, after putting the tea kettle on the stove, I boot-up my laptop and log-in to Moodle, Facebook, a variety of wikis, and several email accounts. I am an experienced user of several Web 2.0 tools. I even have had a little experience with Second Life prior to this class. Last Spring, I created an avatar to explore Second Life for a blog and podcast I created for ECI512 Emerging Technologies. My in-world SL experience was fascinating, but I wish I’d had a guide. I am looking forward to learning more about SL and its potential applications for education. While in-world last April, I stumbled across an interactive classroom developed by high school teachers in Indiana. The main feature of the room was based on Dante’s Inferno. I would love to have the ability to put together an experience like it for my future students!
Goals:
1. Professional Self: I want to be able to create bridges between the past, present, and future using literature that will encourage students to think critically and talk about the challenges they face today, the lessons of yesterday, and the solutions for tomorrow.
Although this goal is a long-term endeavor, I have made good progress toward reaching it this semester. Incorporating Reader Response theory, Vygotsky’s ZPD and MKO, and bridge texts creates solid scaffolding to support student learning. I have taken the first steps at developing this scaffolding for use in my future classroom with my ALP, which incorporated all three elements.
Reader Response theory provides a framework that promotes the value of the intellectual expression of students. Instead of telling them how they should respond, this theory recognizes the ability of young adults to interact with literature in meaningful ways. Although he never identified it by name, Reader Response is the approach Mr. Pollock took in my freshman English class. The technology tools we’ve used this semester, such as Prezi, Wallwisher, VoiceThread, and ToonDoo, offer unique ways for students to engage with and respond to literature. Bookcasting provides a mulit-sensory way for students to express their responses. It requires to think about texts deeply on both textual and personal levels. The experience is empowering because it requires the student to orchestrate composition using words, pictures, and music rather than crafting responses with words alone. I will definitely teach my students to bookcast. My favorite aspect of Reader Response theory is that it gets students to reach for the top levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy: analyzing, evaluating, and creating.
Our “Waves of Change” research and my ALP definitely strengthened my love affair with Vygotsky’s work. As I’ve mentioned before, in my research last year, I came across an article that suggested the MKO could be a computer tutorial (I have tried to locate the article again without success). That led to my hypothesis that it could also be a text of some sort that would bridge student comprehension of concepts and history. My work on the ALP helped me to make better sense of this idea; however, I believe I still have work to do before I will be able to confidently articulate the implications.
I was surprised to learn that slow, or ludic, reading is now valued as a teaching strategy. My experience as a student in the seventies was the opposite. Our research about slow reading this semester has reinforced the positive aspects of my struggle with dyslexia. I now have theory to back-up my beliefs about the benefits of reading more slowly. My slow reading is one of the reasons that books impact me so deeply. As a teacher, I will be able to encourage students with dyslexia and to help them see the strength they bring to the task of reading.
2. Literate Self: My goal is to become more knowledgeable about the YA genre, to increase my comfort level with the themes addressed, and to develop the ability to pair YA novels with literature from canon.
I have moved from skeptic to advocate with regard to the use of YAL in the classroom. Omitting it from the classroom would be irresponsible. After meeting with the Eva Perry Bookclub for the Melinda Awards, I am far more comfortable with student ability to process these themes. My long-term goal is to continue to identify YA novels that are compatible with canon literature.
Yes, the themes are gritty and still make me cringe from time to time, but YAL is an excellent way to bring social justice themes into the English classroom. First of all, my perception of and appreciation for the quality of YAL has increased dramatically. While fluff does exist in this “genre” in mass quantity, a wealth of challenging literature is available to share with students. Prior to this class, I had not personally given YAL a chance. I viewed it as being just for kids. A narrow minded approach to be sure! In fact, I have to confess, I gave my sister a hard time for reading Meyer’s Twilight series. Now, I’m eating my words. Although I was captivated by all the books I read this semester, the turning point occurred when I read Teller’s Nothing. I was taken with the quality of the writing. I now have a stack of YA novels sitting on my desk for my summer reading that includes: Speak, Hunger Games, and Rot & Ruin. Our “Making Bold Choices” research left me with some great ideas for preparing to defend my use of YAL. Including the books I read this semester, I am beginning to build a database of rationales and book summaries (as discussed in the Bookhenge 4/4/11) to include with my class website. As a parent of teens, I think I am in a unique position to address the concerns of parents. I envision this tool being a positive resource to share with students, parents, and colleagues.
This semester has strengthened my advocacy for the use of bridge texts. My ALP successfully demonstrated that YAL can be used to reveal the relevance of the themes found in literary canon to modern life. The real trick here is finding the right bridge text. The process of connecting these past and present themes should be challenging but not frustrating. At this point in my development, this is a daunting task. I simply don’t have enough YAL in my repertoire from which to draw. Over time, that situation will self-correct. Until then, the librarian will be my best friend!
3. Virtual Self: During my first experience in SL, I did not interact with other people in-world. I want to learn how to interact with others as well as how to connect to environments in-world that may be professional resources. I want to be able to incorporate 3D technology in my classroom in substantive ways. On a more superficial level, I would also like to learn how to customize my avatar in order to incorporate more of my personality.
I met my “virtual-self” goals and identified a list of future goals that might take the remainder of my life to fulfill. Michelangelo is credited with saying, “Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I can accomplish.” What a valuable sentiment for the exciting times in which we live! This semester, I overcame my fear of interacting with people via SL. I’ve even chatted and spoken with people outside of our class! Although it is irrational, I felt self-conscious about talking with people in SL at the beginning of the semester. I have definitely developed more confidence. My avatar has gone through some changes over the semester, but she is still a work in progress. In some respects, I would like to make her a more realistic representation of me. On the other hand, I appreciate the illusion of being younger and thinner! In SL, I can wear all the clothes I can’t wear in RL!
I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed SL. My skill at navigating the world and trouble-shooting technical difficulties grew dramatically. I developed a better understanding of using navigation tools to locate interesting resources within SL. Exploring it has given me great ideas for “field trips” if/when schools decide to allow the use of SL for high school students. I think SL experiences could inspire a wide range of written responses and an opportunity to write for a larger audience. I hope SL will become more widely used as a professional development tool. Wouldn’t it be great to have NCTE “conventions” there?!
In the future, I would like to learn more about developing a virtual classroom. With our country’s current economic problems, SL is a viable solution for addressing the financial hardships facing public schools. I think it would be exciting to teach in a virtual classroom. Chilbo offers courses on building in SL, and I hope to have the time to participate in one in the near future.
Synthesis:
In a nut-shell, I seek to use 21st century technologies along with Young Adult and canon literature to engage the minds of my students and to empower them to think critically and to express themselves creatively and effectively.
For the present, this synthesis represents my mission statement.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Building Literary Bridges
My ALP is finished! This video contains a brief overview of the project and its outcomes. It was exciting to see my students experience success using bridge texts.
Monday, March 28, 2011
The Relevance of Canon Revealed Through Young Adult Literature: Building Bridges Between the Past and the Present (A Revision)
Every year in English Language Arts (ELA) classrooms across the United States, teachers meet with resistance when they introduce dusty, old classics. Students declare the heralded tomes of canon to be irrelevant to their modern lives. Yet Hollywood has produced blockbuster contemporary adaptations of some of the very works students grumble about reading. Teens flocked to the contemporary rendition of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew called 10 Things I Hate About You. The movie has become a cult classic that also inspired a television series. Likewise Clueless, the popular 1995 adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma, is another box office hit that resulted in a television series. Filmmakers have turned literary canon into a recipe for success in the teen market. Clearly the messages of these stories still resonate with young adults. The themes represented in classic literature were relevant yesterday, are relevant today, and will still be relevant tomorrow because they embody the very heart of the human experience. Our challenge as educators is to help students connect with the core truths of these great works.
Young Adult Literature (YAL) represents an opportunity for teachers to do for education what screen writers have done for the film industry, only better. Much like the reconstructed classics on film, original YAL titles mirror the values and lessons found in classic works in fresh and intriguing ways. By skillfully pairing classic novels with YAL titles, teachers can build bridges to connect students with great ideas and lessons from the past. After students analyze and identify the central themes of a YA novel, they will be able to extend this knowledge to the same themes in real world events and in canon literature. Joan Kaywell has written a four volume series entitled Adolescent Literature as a Complement to the Classics that addresses this very issue (2000). The potential for these text-to-text connections is limited only by our ability to successfully pair canon literature with YAL so that students are able to see the relevance of the classic text being studied.
Without necessarily identifying it as such, educators are using YAL as Vygotsky’s More Knowledgeable Other (MKO) to construct bridges for students to connect with issues and concepts in the realities of the past, present, and future. Vygotsky, a Soviet psychologist and educator, believed that employing the use of an MKO in the learning environment would facilitate and even speed student acquisition of new knowledge (Packer, 2008). One critical component of his theory is the idea that all new systems are infused with the features of those that preceded them (Levykh, 2008). As such, we can learn a lot about today by taping into the knowledge contained within the MKO. A great deal of controversy exists over whether or not Vygotsky intended the MKO, along with his concept called the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) in which the MKO and student collaborate to form new knowledge, to become the centerpiece of his constructivist learning theory (Guk & Kellogg, 2007). Nevertheless, with the growing popularity of constructivist learning theories, the MKO and ZPD have become buzz words in modern education. Because Vygotsky was unable to complete these concepts prior to his untimely death, they have remained open to wide interpretation. However, it is generally accepted that the MKO can take a variety of forms both animate and inanimate provided it has the ability to help students reach new knowledge.
Many educators are successfully using YAL, in the role of MKO, to help students gain new perspectives about history, social and political movements, and concepts such as justice. Leona Fisher states, “as symbolic tropes, bridges signify simple transitions, complex challenges, even impossible hurdles” (2002, p.129). The similarity to the MKO, who helps students make transitions, face complex challenges, and reach heretofore unattainable learning goals, is unmistakeable. She goes onto explain, using a rather complex music metaphor, how literature can become a bridge that helps students develop new understanding. Fisher stresses that bridge texts must gradually move students from culturally learned perspectives to new understanding by systematically expanding the readers’ frames of reference. In this way, YAL becomes a bridge to create understanding about social justice issues of the past and the present. Fisher uses Judith Kerr’s When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit to help students gain new perspective about the Holocaust and Annie on My Mind, by Nancy Garden, to help students develop empathy regarding the struggles faced by Gay and Lesbian teens. Similarly, James Landman, the Associate Director of the American Bar Association Division for Public Education in Chicago, advocates for the use of both classic and YA literature as a bridge to create new knowledge about justice and our legal system (2008). Landman suggests using Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Louis Sachar's Holes, and J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series to discuss themes of injustice as well as the attributes of a just legal system. He explains that, “by figuring out what is wrong with the law in Wonderland, students can gain a sense of how the law should function in the real world" (p.2).
Kornfeld and Prothro explain that the characters found in fiction offer examples for addressing the issues of the past, present, and future (2005). The characters in books serve as models for the reader to learn how issues might be resolved or how change can be achieved. Although Kornfeld and Prothro do not explicitly connect literary models with Vygotsky’s (MKO), they are, in fact, placing the characters found in books in the unique position of helping students reach a level of understanding that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to attain. Marc Aronson observes that books, in addition to individual characters, are capable of bridging the gap between the themes of yesterday and today (2003). Aronson goes onto to suggest, “one way, then, to bridge the generation gap is to write a book that is so true, so powerful, it captures the essence of adolescence, rather than the vagaries of growing up in one time or another” (p.88). Not every YAL novel or central character is capable of bridging the gap between classic and modern literature, but the possibilities grow with every YA novel published.
Exposing students to high quality YA literature that bridges understanding and provides literary role-models is not enough. Students must have opportunities to synthesize ideas and solutions presented in literature and to use it in the creation of new knowledge. This type of exploration and synthesis occurs naturally within the ZPD. Teachers must deliberately establish this constructivist environment, a laboratory of thought, if students are to apply newly gained knowledge.
Steven Wolk suggests applying Reader Response Theory and the use of essential questions to facilitate student creation of knowledge (2009). The essential questions are pulled directly from the texts being studied. Regarding the use of essential questions he states, “unlike transmission teaching, these questions do not have single correct answers, so students are immersed into a classroom experience that values listening to multiple perspectives and thinking for themselves” (p.666). Employed in combination with bridge texts and characters or novels serving as the MKO, Wolk’s use of Reader Response turns the classroom into Vygotsky’s ZPD. In this space, students share their understanding of text to explore possible solutions to essential questions. The collaborative nature of the process helps students to discover multiple solutions to relevant and meaningful problems. Vygotsky suggested that this was a developmental process in which the individual moves beyond mere acquisition of facts to a level of knowledge creation that indicates a transformation of the architecture of the mind (Guk & Kellogg, 2007). However, as Guk and Kellogg observe, it is difficult to prove that the social context of the learning environment or the MKO is responsible for the student’s intellectual growth. Students may arrive in the ZPD prepared to receive, process, and synthesize information due to something outside of the learning environment and possibly completely within the child.
Because YAL is popular with students and capable of presenting complex themes, it might be tempting to abandon canon literature altogether. Wolk points out that our students need the historic perspectives offered in older texts. He states, “citizens cannot make informed and critical decisions on civic matters from affirmative action and gay marriage to criminal justice and war without an understanding of past people and events. Knowledge of the past should help shape our opinions in the present and our vision for the future“ (p.668). Certainly, this thinking is consistent with the democratic and social rhetorics of John Dewey and Fred Scott (2001). Canon literature offers a wealth of historic perspective on mankind’s ability to deal with the essential questions facing humanity.
The literature clearly demonstrates that educators are successfully using YAL to connect students with history, modern social justice issues, and complex concepts. Furthermore, as Kaywell (2000), Landman (2008), and Wolk (2009) illustrate, canon literature can be used to broaden students perspectives of these problems while informing them of past solutions as well as failures. More than providing an avenue for connecting with issues and concepts, I believe that YAL provides the necessary foundation for students to connect with canon literature and derive pleasure from the experience. Many adults can remember casting aside some loathsome text in high school only to discover decades later that it is a priceless gem. Life experiences help us to recognize the fundamental truths represented in old, or even ancient, texts. YAL, functioning as a MKO, is capable of bridging this gap in perspective as it bridges the other gaps previously mentioned. Some may argue that one cannot prove YAL’s successful employment as the MKO, but I believe a long-term study would provide anecdotal evidence that would be difficult to refute. As students detect familiar themes within canon literature, they will recognize the works as relevant to their lives and, therefore, as valuable. Repeated exposure to classics paired with similarly themed YAL will help students acquire life-long appreciation for the wisdom expressed by our predecessors. As Wolk eloquently writes, “We need to help young adults understand that between those covers is the world past, present, and future and the emotion and complexity of the human condition. As educators, we need to help students to see that inside these provocative books are stories that can help us to better understand ourselves, who we are and who we want to become. And by doing that within a community of learners we can help students (and ourselves) learn to act to make a better world” (p.672).
As my Action Learning Project (ALP) for ECI 521 Learning with Young Adult Literature, I will conduct a small-scale experiment using YAL as a bridge to facilitate student understanding of Shirley Jackson’s classic short story, The Lottery. While the plot and action of this story still have the power to hold the attention of students, they typically find it irrelevant to their modern lives. The thought of sacrificing another human being for the good of a community seems utterly medieval. Some may make connections with more recent events such as the Salem witch trials and slavery in the United States, but this is still far removed from contemporary life. I have established that educators are currently using literature to bridge understanding of concepts and historical events. Therefore, YAL should be equally effective in constructing bridges of understanding to the themes found in classic pieces of literature. The lesson plan for my ALP employs excerpts from Going Where I’m Coming From, by Anne Mazer, as the MKO that will bridge to student recognition of relevant themes in The Lottery. After reading Jackson’s story, we will use Reader Response theory to develop a working definition of the concept of lotteries and to generate essential questions about the possible roles they play in our lives. Then each student will select and read a short story as a means to research the essential questions they identify. Acting as the MKO, these stories with familiar settings will help students move beyond culturally learned perspectives to a new awareness of twenty-first century social justice issues. They will transition to knowledge that certain people groups are either favored or disadvantaged based on hegemonic practices eerily similar to the one in The Lottery. As students begin to answer their essential questions, I believe they will be able to extend this knowledge beyond the literature and identify lotteries presently at work in their own communities. Raising student awareness that social injustice was not only prevalent yesterday but continues today empowers them to create a better tomorrow. The themes in The Lottery will no longer seem far-fetched and irrelevant.
The research I have done on the use of bridge texts and text-to-text connections is profoundly shaping my approach to literacy instruction. During my secondary education in the late seventies and early eighties, novels were taught in isolation. Sometimes students were able to connect with canon texts and other times the readings were viewed as a form of torture. With the availability of high quality YAL, I can no longer imagine teaching canon classics without constructing a link with bridge texts to facilitate student learning and enjoyment. Vygotsky believed that the MKO would help move students from a position of objects of history to one of being agents of history (Packer, 2008). As an educator, I want to empower students to shape a better future. YAL is one tool for making that desire a reality.
References
Aronson, M. (2003). Beyond the pale: New essays for a new era. New York: The Scarecrow Press, Inc. Lanham, MA
Fisher, L.W. (2002). “Bridge" texts: The rhetoric of persuasion in American children's realist and historical fiction. Children's Literature Association Quarterly, 27(3), 129-135. Retrieved from Project Muse http://muse.jhu.edu/
Guk, I. & Kellogg, D. (2007). The ZPD and whole class teaching: Teacher-led and student-led interactional mediation of tasks. Language Teaching Research, 11(3).
DOI: 10.1177/1362168807077561
Hobbs, C. L. and Berlin, J. A. (2001). Chapter 8: A history of writing instruction in school and college English. Mahwah, NJ.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Kaywell, J. (2000). Adolescent literature as a complement to the classics. Volume 4. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc.
Kornfeld, J. & Prothro, L. (2005). Envisioning Possibility: Schooling and student agency in children’s and young adult literature. Children’s Literature in Education, 36(3). DOI:10.1007/s10583-005-5971-2
Landman, J. (2008). Using literature to teach the rule of law. Social Education, May-June. Retrieved from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb6541/is_4_72/ai_n29438671/
Levykh, M. G. (2008). The affective establishment and maintenance of Vygotskyʼs zone of proximal development. Educational Theory, 58(1), 83-101.
Mazer, A. (1995). Going where I’m coming from: Memoirs of American youth. New York: Persea Books
Packer, M. J. (2008). Is Vygotsky relevant? Vygotskyʼs marxist psychology. Mind, Culture, and Activity, 15, 8-31. DOI: 10:1080/10749030701798607
Wolk, S. (2009). Reading for a better world: Teaching for social responsibility with young adult literature. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(8). May, 2009, 664-673. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27654329 .
Young Adult Literature (YAL) represents an opportunity for teachers to do for education what screen writers have done for the film industry, only better. Much like the reconstructed classics on film, original YAL titles mirror the values and lessons found in classic works in fresh and intriguing ways. By skillfully pairing classic novels with YAL titles, teachers can build bridges to connect students with great ideas and lessons from the past. After students analyze and identify the central themes of a YA novel, they will be able to extend this knowledge to the same themes in real world events and in canon literature. Joan Kaywell has written a four volume series entitled Adolescent Literature as a Complement to the Classics that addresses this very issue (2000). The potential for these text-to-text connections is limited only by our ability to successfully pair canon literature with YAL so that students are able to see the relevance of the classic text being studied.
Without necessarily identifying it as such, educators are using YAL as Vygotsky’s More Knowledgeable Other (MKO) to construct bridges for students to connect with issues and concepts in the realities of the past, present, and future. Vygotsky, a Soviet psychologist and educator, believed that employing the use of an MKO in the learning environment would facilitate and even speed student acquisition of new knowledge (Packer, 2008). One critical component of his theory is the idea that all new systems are infused with the features of those that preceded them (Levykh, 2008). As such, we can learn a lot about today by taping into the knowledge contained within the MKO. A great deal of controversy exists over whether or not Vygotsky intended the MKO, along with his concept called the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) in which the MKO and student collaborate to form new knowledge, to become the centerpiece of his constructivist learning theory (Guk & Kellogg, 2007). Nevertheless, with the growing popularity of constructivist learning theories, the MKO and ZPD have become buzz words in modern education. Because Vygotsky was unable to complete these concepts prior to his untimely death, they have remained open to wide interpretation. However, it is generally accepted that the MKO can take a variety of forms both animate and inanimate provided it has the ability to help students reach new knowledge.
Many educators are successfully using YAL, in the role of MKO, to help students gain new perspectives about history, social and political movements, and concepts such as justice. Leona Fisher states, “as symbolic tropes, bridges signify simple transitions, complex challenges, even impossible hurdles” (2002, p.129). The similarity to the MKO, who helps students make transitions, face complex challenges, and reach heretofore unattainable learning goals, is unmistakeable. She goes onto explain, using a rather complex music metaphor, how literature can become a bridge that helps students develop new understanding. Fisher stresses that bridge texts must gradually move students from culturally learned perspectives to new understanding by systematically expanding the readers’ frames of reference. In this way, YAL becomes a bridge to create understanding about social justice issues of the past and the present. Fisher uses Judith Kerr’s When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit to help students gain new perspective about the Holocaust and Annie on My Mind, by Nancy Garden, to help students develop empathy regarding the struggles faced by Gay and Lesbian teens. Similarly, James Landman, the Associate Director of the American Bar Association Division for Public Education in Chicago, advocates for the use of both classic and YA literature as a bridge to create new knowledge about justice and our legal system (2008). Landman suggests using Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Louis Sachar's Holes, and J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series to discuss themes of injustice as well as the attributes of a just legal system. He explains that, “by figuring out what is wrong with the law in Wonderland, students can gain a sense of how the law should function in the real world" (p.2).
Kornfeld and Prothro explain that the characters found in fiction offer examples for addressing the issues of the past, present, and future (2005). The characters in books serve as models for the reader to learn how issues might be resolved or how change can be achieved. Although Kornfeld and Prothro do not explicitly connect literary models with Vygotsky’s (MKO), they are, in fact, placing the characters found in books in the unique position of helping students reach a level of understanding that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to attain. Marc Aronson observes that books, in addition to individual characters, are capable of bridging the gap between the themes of yesterday and today (2003). Aronson goes onto to suggest, “one way, then, to bridge the generation gap is to write a book that is so true, so powerful, it captures the essence of adolescence, rather than the vagaries of growing up in one time or another” (p.88). Not every YAL novel or central character is capable of bridging the gap between classic and modern literature, but the possibilities grow with every YA novel published.
Exposing students to high quality YA literature that bridges understanding and provides literary role-models is not enough. Students must have opportunities to synthesize ideas and solutions presented in literature and to use it in the creation of new knowledge. This type of exploration and synthesis occurs naturally within the ZPD. Teachers must deliberately establish this constructivist environment, a laboratory of thought, if students are to apply newly gained knowledge.
Steven Wolk suggests applying Reader Response Theory and the use of essential questions to facilitate student creation of knowledge (2009). The essential questions are pulled directly from the texts being studied. Regarding the use of essential questions he states, “unlike transmission teaching, these questions do not have single correct answers, so students are immersed into a classroom experience that values listening to multiple perspectives and thinking for themselves” (p.666). Employed in combination with bridge texts and characters or novels serving as the MKO, Wolk’s use of Reader Response turns the classroom into Vygotsky’s ZPD. In this space, students share their understanding of text to explore possible solutions to essential questions. The collaborative nature of the process helps students to discover multiple solutions to relevant and meaningful problems. Vygotsky suggested that this was a developmental process in which the individual moves beyond mere acquisition of facts to a level of knowledge creation that indicates a transformation of the architecture of the mind (Guk & Kellogg, 2007). However, as Guk and Kellogg observe, it is difficult to prove that the social context of the learning environment or the MKO is responsible for the student’s intellectual growth. Students may arrive in the ZPD prepared to receive, process, and synthesize information due to something outside of the learning environment and possibly completely within the child.
Because YAL is popular with students and capable of presenting complex themes, it might be tempting to abandon canon literature altogether. Wolk points out that our students need the historic perspectives offered in older texts. He states, “citizens cannot make informed and critical decisions on civic matters from affirmative action and gay marriage to criminal justice and war without an understanding of past people and events. Knowledge of the past should help shape our opinions in the present and our vision for the future“ (p.668). Certainly, this thinking is consistent with the democratic and social rhetorics of John Dewey and Fred Scott (2001). Canon literature offers a wealth of historic perspective on mankind’s ability to deal with the essential questions facing humanity.
The literature clearly demonstrates that educators are successfully using YAL to connect students with history, modern social justice issues, and complex concepts. Furthermore, as Kaywell (2000), Landman (2008), and Wolk (2009) illustrate, canon literature can be used to broaden students perspectives of these problems while informing them of past solutions as well as failures. More than providing an avenue for connecting with issues and concepts, I believe that YAL provides the necessary foundation for students to connect with canon literature and derive pleasure from the experience. Many adults can remember casting aside some loathsome text in high school only to discover decades later that it is a priceless gem. Life experiences help us to recognize the fundamental truths represented in old, or even ancient, texts. YAL, functioning as a MKO, is capable of bridging this gap in perspective as it bridges the other gaps previously mentioned. Some may argue that one cannot prove YAL’s successful employment as the MKO, but I believe a long-term study would provide anecdotal evidence that would be difficult to refute. As students detect familiar themes within canon literature, they will recognize the works as relevant to their lives and, therefore, as valuable. Repeated exposure to classics paired with similarly themed YAL will help students acquire life-long appreciation for the wisdom expressed by our predecessors. As Wolk eloquently writes, “We need to help young adults understand that between those covers is the world past, present, and future and the emotion and complexity of the human condition. As educators, we need to help students to see that inside these provocative books are stories that can help us to better understand ourselves, who we are and who we want to become. And by doing that within a community of learners we can help students (and ourselves) learn to act to make a better world” (p.672).
As my Action Learning Project (ALP) for ECI 521 Learning with Young Adult Literature, I will conduct a small-scale experiment using YAL as a bridge to facilitate student understanding of Shirley Jackson’s classic short story, The Lottery. While the plot and action of this story still have the power to hold the attention of students, they typically find it irrelevant to their modern lives. The thought of sacrificing another human being for the good of a community seems utterly medieval. Some may make connections with more recent events such as the Salem witch trials and slavery in the United States, but this is still far removed from contemporary life. I have established that educators are currently using literature to bridge understanding of concepts and historical events. Therefore, YAL should be equally effective in constructing bridges of understanding to the themes found in classic pieces of literature. The lesson plan for my ALP employs excerpts from Going Where I’m Coming From, by Anne Mazer, as the MKO that will bridge to student recognition of relevant themes in The Lottery. After reading Jackson’s story, we will use Reader Response theory to develop a working definition of the concept of lotteries and to generate essential questions about the possible roles they play in our lives. Then each student will select and read a short story as a means to research the essential questions they identify. Acting as the MKO, these stories with familiar settings will help students move beyond culturally learned perspectives to a new awareness of twenty-first century social justice issues. They will transition to knowledge that certain people groups are either favored or disadvantaged based on hegemonic practices eerily similar to the one in The Lottery. As students begin to answer their essential questions, I believe they will be able to extend this knowledge beyond the literature and identify lotteries presently at work in their own communities. Raising student awareness that social injustice was not only prevalent yesterday but continues today empowers them to create a better tomorrow. The themes in The Lottery will no longer seem far-fetched and irrelevant.
The research I have done on the use of bridge texts and text-to-text connections is profoundly shaping my approach to literacy instruction. During my secondary education in the late seventies and early eighties, novels were taught in isolation. Sometimes students were able to connect with canon texts and other times the readings were viewed as a form of torture. With the availability of high quality YAL, I can no longer imagine teaching canon classics without constructing a link with bridge texts to facilitate student learning and enjoyment. Vygotsky believed that the MKO would help move students from a position of objects of history to one of being agents of history (Packer, 2008). As an educator, I want to empower students to shape a better future. YAL is one tool for making that desire a reality.
References
Aronson, M. (2003). Beyond the pale: New essays for a new era. New York: The Scarecrow Press, Inc. Lanham, MA
Fisher, L.W. (2002). “Bridge" texts: The rhetoric of persuasion in American children's realist and historical fiction. Children's Literature Association Quarterly, 27(3), 129-135. Retrieved from Project Muse http://muse.jhu.edu/
Guk, I. & Kellogg, D. (2007). The ZPD and whole class teaching: Teacher-led and student-led interactional mediation of tasks. Language Teaching Research, 11(3).
DOI: 10.1177/1362168807077561
Hobbs, C. L. and Berlin, J. A. (2001). Chapter 8: A history of writing instruction in school and college English. Mahwah, NJ.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Kaywell, J. (2000). Adolescent literature as a complement to the classics. Volume 4. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc.
Kornfeld, J. & Prothro, L. (2005). Envisioning Possibility: Schooling and student agency in children’s and young adult literature. Children’s Literature in Education, 36(3). DOI:10.1007/s10583-005-5971-2
Landman, J. (2008). Using literature to teach the rule of law. Social Education, May-June. Retrieved from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb6541/is_4_72/ai_n29438671/
Levykh, M. G. (2008). The affective establishment and maintenance of Vygotskyʼs zone of proximal development. Educational Theory, 58(1), 83-101.
Mazer, A. (1995). Going where I’m coming from: Memoirs of American youth. New York: Persea Books
Packer, M. J. (2008). Is Vygotsky relevant? Vygotskyʼs marxist psychology. Mind, Culture, and Activity, 15, 8-31. DOI: 10:1080/10749030701798607
Wolk, S. (2009). Reading for a better world: Teaching for social responsibility with young adult literature. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(8). May, 2009, 664-673. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27654329 .
Radical Change and Art Created in the Mind
After reading the responses to my last post, Wrap Your Mind Around Radical Change, I began to make connections between this somewhat confusing theory and slow reading as an art form. It seems that I, and all of my classmates in ECI521, had strong reactions to the poem Skeleton Sky. Some questioned the validity of this piece as an art form, which brings me back to the theory that art originates in the mind. The physical presentation is craft. Those who found value in the poem also expressed taking the time to really engage with it. I wonder if this resulted in slow reading and, therefore, in the creation of art within the mind of the reader.
This discussion about identifying real art reminds me of the debate about the validity of modern art. In my experience when people fail to connect with modern art it is because it doesn't visually make sense, or it fails to reach them on an emotional level. I heard this sentiment echoed in many posts about Skeleton Sky, including my own. Often in galleries I've heard the comment, "I could have done that, and I'm no artist!" This is where the theory that art originates in the mind comes into play. Perhaps the observer could duplicate the piece, but could he or would he have thought of it? I can get totally lost in Rembrandt's works. The faces on his subjects are utterly amazing. Likewise, I've been moved to tears by the primitive art of Rousseau. I frightened my children by bursting into tears in front of La Charmeuse de Serpents at the Musee d'Orsay in Paris. I don't think I've ever had that experience with a work of modern art, but some pieces have engaged me in long periods of reflection. Viewing Jackson Pollock's The Key is an all-consuming experience that produces an emotional response that I would have to work hard to articulate. Perhaps that is modern art's greatest accomplishment. It moves the observer past passive appreciation to the creation of some sort of new knowledge or understanding.
So, that brings me back to Skeleton Sky. Is it art? I think the answer is yes. Is it good art? I don't know yet. I do know that, when I finally stopped trying to make it fit into a time slot on my schedule, I began to enjoy the experience. I had to read this poem slowly. I had to pause to consider how the pieces fit together and to make sense of the recursive quality of the piece. As with modern art, interaction cannot remain intellectually passive. Furthermore, I think that no two readers will have the same experience. Like modern art, I think this type of Radical Change poetry will always be controversial.
This discussion about identifying real art reminds me of the debate about the validity of modern art. In my experience when people fail to connect with modern art it is because it doesn't visually make sense, or it fails to reach them on an emotional level. I heard this sentiment echoed in many posts about Skeleton Sky, including my own. Often in galleries I've heard the comment, "I could have done that, and I'm no artist!" This is where the theory that art originates in the mind comes into play. Perhaps the observer could duplicate the piece, but could he or would he have thought of it? I can get totally lost in Rembrandt's works. The faces on his subjects are utterly amazing. Likewise, I've been moved to tears by the primitive art of Rousseau. I frightened my children by bursting into tears in front of La Charmeuse de Serpents at the Musee d'Orsay in Paris. I don't think I've ever had that experience with a work of modern art, but some pieces have engaged me in long periods of reflection. Viewing Jackson Pollock's The Key is an all-consuming experience that produces an emotional response that I would have to work hard to articulate. Perhaps that is modern art's greatest accomplishment. It moves the observer past passive appreciation to the creation of some sort of new knowledge or understanding.
So, that brings me back to Skeleton Sky. Is it art? I think the answer is yes. Is it good art? I don't know yet. I do know that, when I finally stopped trying to make it fit into a time slot on my schedule, I began to enjoy the experience. I had to read this poem slowly. I had to pause to consider how the pieces fit together and to make sense of the recursive quality of the piece. As with modern art, interaction cannot remain intellectually passive. Furthermore, I think that no two readers will have the same experience. Like modern art, I think this type of Radical Change poetry will always be controversial.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Wrap Your Mind Around Radical Change
Today I read Skeleton Sky, by Carolyn Guertin, for the first time. I think I read the whole thing, but I'm not sure. At first, the non-linear format of the poem frustrated me immensely. It was difficult to wrap my mind around the concept. What on earth is she trying to say? Is it about nature? No. Perhaps it's spiritual. Could it be about creation? I still don't know; however, as I continued to read, I became more engaged with the process. I realized that I was really enjoying the experience. This poem certainly reflects the digital-age elements that Dresang outlines in her Radical Change Theory (1999). I don't think I've ever experienced anything quite like it, and I doubt one would ever have the same experience on consecutive readings. This type of poetry could result in a whole new category of addiction!
According to Dresang, Radical Change is "a framework or theory that allows the reader to identify literature with characteristics of the digital age." The theory addresses the digital-age concepts of connectivity, interactivity, and access within literature. It sounds more simple than it is. As I have tried to unpack this theory, I find that I have trouble wrapping my mind around it as well. Perhaps that is because I was educated in an age of linear thought.
Skeleton Sky is loaded with hyper-text that connects to other parts of the poem eventually becoming recursive (connectivity). It requires the reader to mentally and physically engage by making decisions about which path to follow (interactivity). And it offers the reader "access to a broader and deeper range of information". When I consider the traditional hand-held YA novels I've read this semester, Will Grayson, Will Grayson (Green & Levithan) and The Orange Houses (Griffin) immediately jump out as Radical Change novels.
Each of these novels is told from multiple perspectives. The reader connects with each perspective as the characters in the novels connect with each other. The reader has to evaluate these perspectives and wrestle with the outcomes. In Will Grayson, Will Grayson, the font is different for each narrator. The transition involves visual cues. In The Orange Houses, the voice of the three narrators signals the change. The passage of time is also significant in this novel, adding a sense of urgency. Although both books connect the reader to the greater community, employ techniques that engage the reader with the text, and provide access to a broader range of information and issues, they are definitely linear in nature. However, both contain passages in which events occur concurrently. I think it would be difficult to produce a novel in the traditional hand-held format that would have the non-linear quality of Skeleton Sky. I have read books that are somewhat non-linear, but I can't at the moment recall their titles. They have all been books modeled after scrapbooks in which the reader explores letters tucked into envelopes and various memorabilia including ticket stubs and photographs.
Graphic novels are a particularly intriguing form of Radical Change literature. The passage of time is often non-linear in these novels with multiple events occurring concurrently. Flashback is also frequently used. The reader has to fully engage with the representation of time to follow the plot. In her reassessment of Radical Change, Dresang points out that the reader must create "the story/text that falls into the gutter between the panels" (2008). Rather than creating story text, I think graphic novels require the reader to decode a different type of text to complete the story. The reader must decode images in conjunction with the text. The images add another way of knowing for the reader. In other words, the pictures provide greater access to understanding.
I have supported the use of graphic novels in the classroom for a long time. These novels address Gardner's Multiple Intelligences in a variety of ways. They are both art and literature. They are visually stimulating and, typically, involve a great deal of physical action on the part of the characters. Because the action is visually represented, I think the reader responds to it in a more vicarious way much like one does with television or video games. Also, like with poetry, an economy of words is necessary requiring the author to carefully consider word choice. A complex vocabulary tends to be the result. I like the idea of teaching units on graphic novels in which students can select, from a pre-determined group, a novel that is appealing for both story and art. Additionally, I would like to have students write their own graphica stories. While this might sound intimidating at first for students who are not artistically inclined, Web 2.0 technologies such as ToonDoo make this sort of assignment less threatening. Graphic novels provide an exciting way to help students to connect with ideas and concepts in order to create knowledge, a fresh way to connect with the world.
Dresang, E. T., (1999). Radical Changes: Books for youth in a digital age. New York: H.W. Wilson Co.
Dresang, E. T. (2008). Radical change revisited: Dynamic digital age books for youth. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 8(3). Retrieved from http://www.citejournal.org/vol8/iss3/seminal/article2.cfm
bookhenge
According to Dresang, Radical Change is "a framework or theory that allows the reader to identify literature with characteristics of the digital age." The theory addresses the digital-age concepts of connectivity, interactivity, and access within literature. It sounds more simple than it is. As I have tried to unpack this theory, I find that I have trouble wrapping my mind around it as well. Perhaps that is because I was educated in an age of linear thought.
Skeleton Sky is loaded with hyper-text that connects to other parts of the poem eventually becoming recursive (connectivity). It requires the reader to mentally and physically engage by making decisions about which path to follow (interactivity). And it offers the reader "access to a broader and deeper range of information". When I consider the traditional hand-held YA novels I've read this semester, Will Grayson, Will Grayson (Green & Levithan) and The Orange Houses (Griffin) immediately jump out as Radical Change novels.
Each of these novels is told from multiple perspectives. The reader connects with each perspective as the characters in the novels connect with each other. The reader has to evaluate these perspectives and wrestle with the outcomes. In Will Grayson, Will Grayson, the font is different for each narrator. The transition involves visual cues. In The Orange Houses, the voice of the three narrators signals the change. The passage of time is also significant in this novel, adding a sense of urgency. Although both books connect the reader to the greater community, employ techniques that engage the reader with the text, and provide access to a broader range of information and issues, they are definitely linear in nature. However, both contain passages in which events occur concurrently. I think it would be difficult to produce a novel in the traditional hand-held format that would have the non-linear quality of Skeleton Sky. I have read books that are somewhat non-linear, but I can't at the moment recall their titles. They have all been books modeled after scrapbooks in which the reader explores letters tucked into envelopes and various memorabilia including ticket stubs and photographs.
Graphic novels are a particularly intriguing form of Radical Change literature. The passage of time is often non-linear in these novels with multiple events occurring concurrently. Flashback is also frequently used. The reader has to fully engage with the representation of time to follow the plot. In her reassessment of Radical Change, Dresang points out that the reader must create "the story/text that falls into the gutter between the panels" (2008). Rather than creating story text, I think graphic novels require the reader to decode a different type of text to complete the story. The reader must decode images in conjunction with the text. The images add another way of knowing for the reader. In other words, the pictures provide greater access to understanding.
I have supported the use of graphic novels in the classroom for a long time. These novels address Gardner's Multiple Intelligences in a variety of ways. They are both art and literature. They are visually stimulating and, typically, involve a great deal of physical action on the part of the characters. Because the action is visually represented, I think the reader responds to it in a more vicarious way much like one does with television or video games. Also, like with poetry, an economy of words is necessary requiring the author to carefully consider word choice. A complex vocabulary tends to be the result. I like the idea of teaching units on graphic novels in which students can select, from a pre-determined group, a novel that is appealing for both story and art. Additionally, I would like to have students write their own graphica stories. While this might sound intimidating at first for students who are not artistically inclined, Web 2.0 technologies such as ToonDoo make this sort of assignment less threatening. Graphic novels provide an exciting way to help students to connect with ideas and concepts in order to create knowledge, a fresh way to connect with the world.
Dresang, E. T., (1999). Radical Changes: Books for youth in a digital age. New York: H.W. Wilson Co.
Dresang, E. T. (2008). Radical change revisited: Dynamic digital age books for youth. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 8(3). Retrieved from http://www.citejournal.org/vol8/iss3/seminal/article2.cfm
bookhenge
Friday, March 18, 2011
Non-Fiction: The Cinderella of the Literary World
This week I went to my local library to pick up the YA non-fiction book entitled Spies of Mississippi by Rick Bowers. Unlike the fictional novels I've read for my course in young adult literature, I did not need to reserve this title in advance. It was readily available at all of the libraries near my home. When I arrived at the library, I went directly to the YA section only to discover that YA non-fiction had been relocated to the adult section.
Adult non-fiction is located on the other side of the library, past all of the comfy over-stuffed seating and picture windows, just before the dark and institutional-looking reference section. Often the reference desk, located directly in front of adult non-fiction, is unattended. This part of the library is anything but inviting. Its fluorescent lighting, wooden chairs, and copy machines scream research paper purgatory. I don't like this part of the library, and I never venture here to leisurely peruse the non-fiction titles. Why would anyone expect a teen to do so?
This unfortunate situation speaks volumes about how we, as a society of readers, view non-fiction. So, it is no surprise that teens pick up on this as well. It is a real shame. Non-fiction has a tendency to impact my life for the long-term. As a senior in high school, I chose to read Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi for a non-fiction assignment (I couldn't sleep for weeks afterward). Since then I've read many amazing non-fiction titles. Most of them are stories I will never forget. Some, such Krakauer's Into Thin Air and Saint's The End of the Spear, have inspired me to attempt greater challenges in my life. Still others, like Russel Baker's Growing Up and Liz Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love, have been extremely entertaining. As the old saying goes, "truth is stranger than fiction". Perhaps that could be translated as "truth is more interesting than fiction".
In Beyond the Pale, Aronson makes a great argument for the inclusion of non-fiction in the curriculum. He discusses non-fiction as a way to figure out life's mysteries. Aronson writes:
Isn't this the goal of constructivist learning? I think I can speak for most teachers, if not all, when I say that we want to empower our students to think for themselves so that they might fully participate in society. I think a great way to teach students about the value of non-fiction is to pair it with fiction in the classroom. Any of you who have read my previous posts know that I'm a strong advocate of pairing texts to scaffold student learning. Two benefits of this approach immediately jump to mind. First, the non-fiction text can speak to the authenticity of the fictional text. Second, students may find the non-fiction text more exciting for the very fact that the events are real.
Another possible benefit of this approach is the ability to capture the interest of male students. Aronson's assessment of young male readers makes sense. It reminded me of John Eldrege's book, Wild at Heart, about the implications of authentic masculinity. My own son loves to learn about how things work. He is an avid reader of all genres, but I am constantly amazed at how he searches out factual information about his interests whether it be rock climbing, metal working, or building computers. Non-fiction clearly would be an excellent bridge text to connect male students (and female students) with fictional texts in which they might not initially be interested. But for it to be effective, we need to pull it out of the dark corner and bring it into the light.
bookhenge
Adult non-fiction is located on the other side of the library, past all of the comfy over-stuffed seating and picture windows, just before the dark and institutional-looking reference section. Often the reference desk, located directly in front of adult non-fiction, is unattended. This part of the library is anything but inviting. Its fluorescent lighting, wooden chairs, and copy machines scream research paper purgatory. I don't like this part of the library, and I never venture here to leisurely peruse the non-fiction titles. Why would anyone expect a teen to do so?
This unfortunate situation speaks volumes about how we, as a society of readers, view non-fiction. So, it is no surprise that teens pick up on this as well. It is a real shame. Non-fiction has a tendency to impact my life for the long-term. As a senior in high school, I chose to read Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi for a non-fiction assignment (I couldn't sleep for weeks afterward). Since then I've read many amazing non-fiction titles. Most of them are stories I will never forget. Some, such Krakauer's Into Thin Air and Saint's The End of the Spear, have inspired me to attempt greater challenges in my life. Still others, like Russel Baker's Growing Up and Liz Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love, have been extremely entertaining. As the old saying goes, "truth is stranger than fiction". Perhaps that could be translated as "truth is more interesting than fiction".
In Beyond the Pale, Aronson makes a great argument for the inclusion of non-fiction in the curriculum. He discusses non-fiction as a way to figure out life's mysteries. Aronson writes:
It is satisfying to give young readers a road map to the evidence
and theories, so they can build their own investigations on a solid
foundation.....We need to use our books to invite teenagers to
become adults not by simply learning to mimic the right answers
on tests or by participating in mass-produced culture but by
and theories, so they can build their own investigations on a solid
foundation.....We need to use our books to invite teenagers to
become adults not by simply learning to mimic the right answers
on tests or by participating in mass-produced culture but by
thinking for themselves. (p.110-114)
Isn't this the goal of constructivist learning? I think I can speak for most teachers, if not all, when I say that we want to empower our students to think for themselves so that they might fully participate in society. I think a great way to teach students about the value of non-fiction is to pair it with fiction in the classroom. Any of you who have read my previous posts know that I'm a strong advocate of pairing texts to scaffold student learning. Two benefits of this approach immediately jump to mind. First, the non-fiction text can speak to the authenticity of the fictional text. Second, students may find the non-fiction text more exciting for the very fact that the events are real.
Another possible benefit of this approach is the ability to capture the interest of male students. Aronson's assessment of young male readers makes sense. It reminded me of John Eldrege's book, Wild at Heart, about the implications of authentic masculinity. My own son loves to learn about how things work. He is an avid reader of all genres, but I am constantly amazed at how he searches out factual information about his interests whether it be rock climbing, metal working, or building computers. Non-fiction clearly would be an excellent bridge text to connect male students (and female students) with fictional texts in which they might not initially be interested. But for it to be effective, we need to pull it out of the dark corner and bring it into the light.
bookhenge
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Putting Our Own House in Order: The Controversy Over Ethnicity-Based Literary Awards
Marc Aronson, author of Slippery Slopes and Proliferating Prizes, questions the wisdom of the American Library Association's (ALA) sponsorship of a growing number of ethnically specific national literary awards, primarily the Coretta Scott King, the Pura Belpre, and the Asian American awards. Aronson acknowledges a lack of multicultural authors among the recipients of national literary awards such as the Newbery, the Caldecott, and the Printz awards, but he admonishes the reader that creating new awards merely masks the real problem. He states, "creating a new award is a concession that the other awards will never change" (p.6). Sadly, I believe there is a dangerous truth in his words.
Recently a colleague shared an interesting perspective on the trend to categorize graphic novels as a genre. She said that graphic novels encompass many genres. By turning the format of the novel into a genre, we effectively marginalize the graphic novel. Its placement as a genre naturally limits readership by reinforcing prejudices about who reads graphic novels. I believe there is a risk that these controversial awards may similarly reinforce prejudice and complacency regarding the value of multicultural literature In Responses to My Critics, Aronson acknowledges this phenomenon by stating "books on black experience are successfully marginalized" (p.20). Ethnicity-based literary awards give the illusion that great authors of color are already receiving the recognition they deserve.
Unfortunately, I think Aronson muddles his argument with an unnecessary attack on ethnicity-based awards. The real problem rests with traditional literary awards that are supposedly based on literary merit yet have consistently failed to recognize the amazing contributions of men and women of color. The onus to correct the situation lies with the dominant culture rather than minority cultures that have been historically oppressed. How can we ask these groups to open their awards to those outside of their cultures until we have truly done so ourselves? Traditional ALA sponsored awards have made little headway. Andrea Davis Pinkney, in her response to Aronson's article, writes "to my way of thinking, three Newberys (and a handful of Newbery honors) in seventy-nine years does not mark significant progress" (p.13). No, it doesn't mark progress. It is utterly shameful. Educators, librarians, publishers, and authors need to demand that our national literary awards reflect our multicultural society.
I am hopeful that, one day, the recipients of Newbery, Caldecott, and Printz awards will be an accurate reflection of the many cultures that compose America. Although I don't agree with everything Aronson suggested in these articles, I applaud him for boldly addressing this difficult issue. As a society, we can't hope to move beyond racism without respectful dialogue.
Reference:
Aronson, M. (2003). Beyond the Pale. The Scarecrow Press, Inc. Lanham, MA.
Bookhenge
Recently a colleague shared an interesting perspective on the trend to categorize graphic novels as a genre. She said that graphic novels encompass many genres. By turning the format of the novel into a genre, we effectively marginalize the graphic novel. Its placement as a genre naturally limits readership by reinforcing prejudices about who reads graphic novels. I believe there is a risk that these controversial awards may similarly reinforce prejudice and complacency regarding the value of multicultural literature In Responses to My Critics, Aronson acknowledges this phenomenon by stating "books on black experience are successfully marginalized" (p.20). Ethnicity-based literary awards give the illusion that great authors of color are already receiving the recognition they deserve.
Unfortunately, I think Aronson muddles his argument with an unnecessary attack on ethnicity-based awards. The real problem rests with traditional literary awards that are supposedly based on literary merit yet have consistently failed to recognize the amazing contributions of men and women of color. The onus to correct the situation lies with the dominant culture rather than minority cultures that have been historically oppressed. How can we ask these groups to open their awards to those outside of their cultures until we have truly done so ourselves? Traditional ALA sponsored awards have made little headway. Andrea Davis Pinkney, in her response to Aronson's article, writes "to my way of thinking, three Newberys (and a handful of Newbery honors) in seventy-nine years does not mark significant progress" (p.13). No, it doesn't mark progress. It is utterly shameful. Educators, librarians, publishers, and authors need to demand that our national literary awards reflect our multicultural society.
I am hopeful that, one day, the recipients of Newbery, Caldecott, and Printz awards will be an accurate reflection of the many cultures that compose America. Although I don't agree with everything Aronson suggested in these articles, I applaud him for boldly addressing this difficult issue. As a society, we can't hope to move beyond racism without respectful dialogue.
Reference:
Aronson, M. (2003). Beyond the Pale. The Scarecrow Press, Inc. Lanham, MA.
Bookhenge
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)