Final Thoughts on the Course!

When I signed up for this course, I expected to hear what I've been hearing in every TE class: it's our job to educate children to be open and understanding with other cultures. I didn't think that I was going to be hearing anything new, to be honest. I knew diversity issues weren't a piece of cake, but I thought I had a pretty good grasp on how to handle certain things. I was wrong. I learned a lot, which meant that I barely knew anything to begin with.

The class that stood out to me was when we discussed Al Capone Does My Shirts. In that story, the character Natalie clearly had a disability, though the author never specified as to what she had. In my paper for that week, I had a lot of questions. I wasn't sure that the book actually portrayed Natalie correctly, in terms of creating a clear, accurate picture of a person with a disability. It was especially troubling to me because I am a special education (LD) major. This book was portraying my future student a little bit negatively. I had to question the writing in the story. After that, I looked for stereotypes in every book we read, and further questioned the story as to how the "minority" in the story was depicted. If anything, this class has made me obsessed with finding quality literature that causes me to think deeper about issues.

Another important class I can remember is when we watched "In Whose Honor?", and talked about schools using Native America mascots. I had always heard this issue, and I admit that I was a little bit stubborn in my views. After the discussion in class and the blogs I read, I started to become less narrow minded. I never thought of myself as not being able to see clearly, but hearing other peoples' opinions has allowed me to question myself a little bit more.

When I have a classroom in the future, I now realize how important issues of diversity really are. Writing the 'questioning the text' papers and having discussions over books has caused me to see that picking literature is not an easy job. There are a lot of elements to consider when building a classroom library. Hopefully I will take what I have learned in TE448 and apply it to my teaching in the future.

Thanks for a great semester!

Disablities In Children's Literature

When choosing an underrepresented group, I decided to go with something I’m interested in. I chose disabilities and did not believe that I would have trouble locating quality books. However, as I began my search, I realized that quality literature representing disabilities is hard to come by. Some of the books I browsed had characters with disabilities, but they did not play a key part in the story. Other books were written with the intention of providing information. Although both types of books mention disabilties, I wanted to find literature that included characters with disabilities in a way that could be used as a teaching tool. I finally decided to look at the list of Joan Blaska winners, which recognizes authors and their stories about disabilities. Here is what I found, along with a guide on what to look for when choosing quality literature depicting disabilities.
Enjoy!

 

http://lrts.stcloudstate.edu/showcase/joanblaska/default.asp

Article Review

Prater, Mary Anne, Tina Taylor Dyches, and Marissa Johnstun. "Teaching students about learning disabilities through children's literature." Intervention in School & Clinic 42.1 (Sept 2006): 14(11). Academic OneFile. Gale. Michigan State University Libraries. 18 Nov. 2008 
.

 Teaching Students About Learning Disabilities through Children's Literature
by Mary Anne Prater, Tina Taylor Dyches, and Marissa Johnstun

The article discusses the importance of quality literature dealing with disabilities. According to the article, quality books about disabilities “may be used to promote awareness, understanding, and acceptance of those with disabilities” (Prater, Dyches and Johnstun). The problem is that quality literature can be hard to come by. The authors of the article talk about what elements to look for when searching for books about disabilities. One of the most important things is the characterization used within the story. Characters with LD should have accurate feelings and be portrayed realistically in regards to the disability. Another vital quality is making sure all information about the disability is correct so that it is not mistaken for another. Sometimes literature is not clear as to what disability the character has. That means it is not quality literature, because readers are getting misinformed as to how a certain disability is depicted. Illustrations are a third thing to look for when trying to find quality literature. This is because beginning readers start “reading” the stories through the pictures. One problem with this is that characters with LD are hard to represent through pictures. The authors of the article warn not to select books where characters with LD look different: “Because LD is considered to be an ‘invisible disability,’ it is important that children with LD are not portrayed in illustrations as looking different from their typical peers” (Prater, Dyches and Johnstun).

Having such books in the classroom is imperative for several reasons. The first is that books about disabilities can meet an academic and social need for students. Many books are great openers for discussions about disabilities. Teachers should include these books because they “allow readers to look within themselves to understand feelings relationships, and experiences” (Prater, Dyches and Johnstun) that they read about. For those students with disabilities, the books provide a mirror of characters to which they can relate. Literature allows individuals with a disability to become more accepting of themselves.

Overall, this article was very helpful in learning how to find quality literature about disabilities. It showed exactly what to look for and what to avoid. The article provided a list of books toward the end; it even had a lesson plan.

"The Lion Who Had Asthma"--Jonathan London

(image from www.amazon.com)

London, Jonathan. The Lion Who Had Asthma. Ed. Abby Levine. Boston: Albert Whitman & Company, 1992.

Jonathan London begins this book by providing a note about asthma for parents in the beginning. He writes that his son, Sean, also has asthma, the chronic disease that affects around ten million Americans. In the note, he acknowledges how tough it is for families affected by the disease. However, the point of his book is to help people see that with imagination, asthma is not so scary. London writes of imagination, “It is not only an asset in the treatment of asthma but enhances life itself.”

“The Lion Who Had Asthma” is about a little boy named Sean. He is pretending to be all the animals in the jungle, until his breathing begins to bother him. Luckily, Sean’s mother brings him his nebulizer, which is a machine that administers Sean’s medicine to his lungs. The machine is large and scary looking, but Sean’s mother tells him to pretend he is flying an airplane. After the treatment is finished, Sean starts to play and once again is the king of the jungle.

I really enjoyed reading this story. For one, the illustrations are wonderful. On the left side, there is a picture of Sean and the text of what he is doing. On the right side, there is a picture of the jungle and the animal that Sean is imitating. As Sean’s breathing begins to become difficult, the big, colorful pictures disappear until Sean is doing his breathing treatment. By having the pictures colorful and coinciding with the text, children will appreciate the story more. Another thing I liked about this story was how the author handled asthma. He explains it in simple terms, so that children can understand the disease. London also acknowledges how a child with asthma might feel, by saying, “The lion feels tired and a little bit frightened. He feels like crying” (11). Asthma can be scary for children, and that is why I love the choice of words London uses. When Sean’s mom brings out the nebulizer, Sean becomes scared and cries. But with his mom’s prompting, Sean uses his imagination and turns the scary situation into something enjoyable. Suddenly, a frightening experience becomes fun. A third thing London does is show outsiders that children with asthma are not any different than the average child. Like everyone else, the boy in the story has a loving family. He plays with toys and uses his imagination. Most of all, Sean has the same feelings as everyone else. If an outsider saw the nebulizer, they might get scared and uncomfortable. London shows that Sean, too, is frightened. This allows all children to connect with him on a personal level.

Overall, “The Lion Who Had Asthma” is a wonderful tool for all individuals. Insiders, or children who have asthma, can relate to the main character. They relate to Sean as they see him become scared when his asthma is acting up. But children can also see that Sean uses his imagination, and suddenly it is not so scary anymore. On the other hand, outsiders (those without asthma) will see that children who have asthma are the same as anyone else. It also subtly explains what asthma is, but the terms London uses are so simple that everyone can understand. 

"Waiting for Mr. Goose"--Laurie Lears

(image from www.amazon.com)

Lears, Laurie. Waiting for Mr. Goose. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman and Company, 1999.

Laurie Lears also begins her story with an author’s note. The page explains how children with AD/HD struggle with waiting. However, she also notes that children with AD/HD are “innovative, creative thinkers”. Instead of focusing on the negatives, Lears says she is writing this story to show the strengths of this particular child with AD/HD.

The story is about a boy named Stephen. He struggles with sitting still and paying attention, something the adults in his life always seem to notice. Due to the attention of his inability to sit still, Stephen feels like he cannot do anything right. One day in the park, Stephen notices a goose limping by the pond. The goose’s limp is caused by a metal trap, which is stuck around its leg. Immediately Stephen devises several plans to try and free the goose’s leg. He surprises everyone, including himself, because he keeps trying patiently until he finally catches Mr. Goose.

This book should be included in the classroom because it talks to insiders and outsiders alike. From an insider perspective, Stephen’s feelings are relatable to other children with AD/HD. In the first couple pages of the book, Stephen expresses his frustration with his behavior, saying he “felt as if he couldn’t do anything right” (1). Children with AD/HD are often judged by their peers and marginalized in the classroom. Therefore, Stephen is immediately identifiable. Children who do not have AD/HD can also feel for Stephen. Nobody likes to get in trouble, so they will connect with Stephen in that way. Although the story deals with some frustrations of the condition, Lears also makes sure to include strengths of an individual with AD/HD. This is important for both insiders and outsiders. Insiders get a chance to see their strengths highlighted. The story shows Stephen’s motivation to do something, and other children with AD/HD see that it is possible for them to strive for goals as well. Children without AD/HD will ignore Stephen’s condition at this point in the story and see Stephen as one of them. Thus, Stephen’s AD/HD will become an unimportant detail. They will focus in on the “person first”.

In closing, “Waiting for Mr. Goose” is a positive story about a boy with AD/HD. His disability, however, is not the main focus of the story. This is helpful for both those with or without AD/HD. Insiders see Stephen as someone on their side while outsiders see Stephen as just another boy. Both views still make out Stephen to be a smart boy, and therefore make his AD/HD less of an issue. Lears does a good job writing a story about a disability without making the disability the main focus.

Sit Still! --Nancy Carlson

(image from kids.aduible.com)

Carlson, Nancy. Sit Still! New York: Viking Juvenile, 1996.

Unlike the previous two picture books, “Sit Still!” did not include an author’s note.

“Sit Still!” is a story about a boy named Patrick, who, like the title describes, cannot sit still. The first half of the story shows Patrick in numerous settings; he gets in trouble because he cannot stop moving. It is not until half way through the book that Patrick’s teacher makes a recommendation to see a special doctor. The doctor cannot find anything wrong; he tells Pat’s mom that he “simply can’t sit still” (20). His mom decides that she is going to find things to keep him occupied. Then he will not have all of his nervous energy. By the end of the story Patrick has a bunch of new activities to keep himself occupied.

Nancy Carlson’s picture book is a great story for children, both with or without attention difficulties. For children with AD/HD, they can see themselves reflected in the main character of Patrick. Children without AD/HD will see that Patrick is a lot like them at times. Every child has a problem sitting still sometimes, and because the book never mentions AD/HD, the story is more relatable to them. The illustrations in the book accompany the text in a humorous way that makes the story enjoyable. Even though the book is humorous, the underlying message of the story is still a good lesson. By the end of the story, all parties are happy. Children without attention difficulties have heard a good story and learned a little bit about what it is like for those who do have those difficulties. Children with AD/HD have found a funny story to which they can relate. Even caretakers and teachers benefit from this book. In the end of the story, there are several suggestions as to how to keep these individuals productive. Instead of just focusing on the negative aspects of those with attention difficulties, Carlson gives suggestions and shows that these children might just need more structure.

To sum it up, Carlson’s “Sit Still!” is a humorous story that appeals to all audiences. Children with attention difficulties see themselves inside the story, whereas those without AD/HD still get a relatable story. It is a good story to read and follow up with a discussion.

Prop Eight

When California "approved" of gay marriage back in May, I thought our country was finally moving forward. True, California is known as a liberal state. But I thought that other states would maybe follow its lead and propose similar laws.I had always struggled with how to state my opinion on same-sex marriage. I've been raised Catholic and attended a Catholic school for twelve years. Those years of education had me understanding marriage as a religious sacrament, the way that the Church recognized the union between a man and a woman. I saw a civil union, marriage recognized by the state, equivalent to actual marriage. It wasn't until I got to Michigan State that my thinking was challenged. I remmeber the first time the issue came up two years ago. My friend conversationally asked what we thought of gay marriage. Without thinking twice, I said that I supported gay couples being together, but I wasn't sure if I agreed with actual marriage. My friend's mouth dropped wide open and I immediately became embarrassed and never brought the subject up again.I can't even pin-point when my change occurred, but sometime in these last couple years I began to see things differently. Although my religoius values are still as strong as they were before MSU, I feel like I've become more open and begun to think for myself.Proposition 8 is a huge step backwards. As they stated in the State News, it is an embarrassment to our country to have proposition 8 pass on the same day that we elect our first African American president. If two men are in love as much as a heterosexual couple, why shouldn't they be proud and be able to call that person their husband? Marriage should not be defined as a noun as much as a verb. Currently, marriage means that you are committed to that person for the rest of your life, in sickness and health. Why does your sexual preference matter? The goal of marriage is the same for all people, no matter your sexuality. I think it's difficult to tell someone that their love doesn't matter, their relationship doesn't count, and their choice to spend the rest of their life with that person isn't as important as a man and woman choosing to do the same.Seeing proposition 8 pass was disheartening enough; to read, however, that some states like Arkansas even banned gay couples from adopting was devastating. A loving family is a loving family, despite the layout. People argue that those children may turn out "funny" because they are being raised by homosexual parents. To me, that is such a closed-minded statement. Research has shown, number one, that homosexuality may be a disposition that you are born with. Therefore, being raised in a homosexually-headed house would not make a different. Number two, is your child being gay really that awful of a thing? Think of what you are saying. If anything, the child would benefit from being raised in a diverse household, and come to be more tolerant towards "differences".When it comes down to it, marriage has about a 50-50 chance of lasting. People know this and still choose to get into a relationship, hoping it ends in union. Shouldn't everyone get that chance? Shouldn't everyone be able to see if they can find that special something?

"Blindness" --the movie

I had seen this preview before it was shown in class, and I thought it looked like an awful movie. I didn't give very much thought, though, as to people who were legally blind.
The second time it came up was on one of my favorite shows, "Chelsea Lately". The show features Chelsea Handler, a comedian. Clearly, when she mentioned the movie and the controversy behind it, she did not support the NFB. She's a comedian and made jokes about it. I have to admit, seeing it being made fun of on "Chelsea Lately" made me want to know more about it.
So when a couple days later, we saw the full trailor in class, I finally could see what the controversy was about.

I am a very hard movie critic, for numerous reasons. But without even seeing this movie, I can tell it would be terrible. If suddenly a massive amount of people went blind, there would be panic, as portrayed. However, I do not like the message of blindness being a completely handicapping condition. I did not like seeing the newly blind turn into animals. It was rude and inaccurately depicted. As we discussed in class, it's only worse to make the hero of the movie unaffected by the blindness that is spreading around. It further demotes those who are blind, and makes them look like a helpless, pitiful group. I was really surprised to see actors in it that I knew.

I will do my part to neither buy the book nor see the movie.

How Blogging Is Going...

So far, I think blogging is going very well. I have used similar sites before, so this isn't too confusing for me.

I like blogging because it gives me a chance to write down my thoughts, not only for others, but for myself as well. I'm pretty quiet in class, although I'm always thinking. Sometimes I want to say stuff but I'm either A. too shy or B. too tired. I am not a fan of 9:10 classes! So this way, I can blog my thoughts as soon as I get home.

The topics of my blog so far have been about the debates we had in class. I like writing about them when I get home because the thoughts are still fresh in my head. And I like writing, so arguing my point is fun.

The Mascot Debate

Today in class, we watched a movie called In Whose Honor?. It was a documentary on the mascot debate. The story centered on a Native American woman named Charlene. Although she wanted to rid all sports of Native American mascots, her main focus was on Illinois and the Fighting Illini.

The movie did bring up a lot of good points. I can understand how it would be upsetting to see your culture portrayed inaccurately. I can understand how it might be awkward to watch people dress up as you for sporting events. And I can certainly understand how cartoons and caricatures are offensive.

But, this documentary was very biased. It only showed one side of the debate. I know for a fact that not all Native Americans think that mascots are offensive. Plus, half of the time, when people were talking to Charlene, they were drunk heading in to the game. I would have to say that alcohol probably had something to do with some of the things they said.

Although I can see how a Native American mascot might be offensive, I still am not completely convinced. For one, Charlene kept saying how offensive Cheif Illiniwek was. She said how the dance was a mockery and the costume he wore was a beautiful, authentic costume that should not have been worn by him. Let's talk about the costume first. If it had not been authentic, the student would have recieved criticism for that. Activists may have had a problem with how Native Americans were portrayed if the costume was fake and gaudy. So wasn't an authentic costume the best thing? And then there was the dance. I know that in Native American culture, dancing is a form of prayer. I am Catholic, and so I tried to turn this around. I thought to myself, 'What if before a sporting event, the mascot of my school performed a prayer we do in church?' But still, I could not see it as a negative thing. I think part of me thinks it's kind of cool that before a game, they would "pray". I don't think the dance had any offensive gestures; the Chief himself was completely serious. So in that way, it's hard for me to see objection.

I've always thought of most Native American mascots as a way to honor them. The mascot represents what the school wants to portray: strength, cunningness, intelligence. I am a huge Spartan fan. If they were to take away Sparty, I, too, would be devestated. What if he offended someone? What if the Irish didn't like Notre Dame's mascot, because Leperchauns aren't even a positive symbol?

I just feel like someone is always offended with something. So how far will it go?

Insider vs Outsider--who should write?

When an author writes about something they know, readers get a first-hand glimpse into their world. Their stories become alive and contain bits of cultural aspects a reader wouldn't find in any other book. What makes the story so interesting is that it is believeable. Plus, the readers don't have to question the accuracy of what is written. In that respect, insider authors have an extremely large advantage.

On the other hand, though, outsider authors are not an entirely bad thing. For one, sometimes the group they write about is so quiet that they need a diplomat to help spread their message. Outsider authors help with that. For the most part, authors only write about unfamiliar subjects after enough research.

Personally, I think that any book is a good thing. Kids read less and less, so if they can find a couple books that interest them, whether they're written by an insider or outsider, it's a good thing. Schools, though, need to teach children enough about different cultures. That way, as children read, they can figure out "insiders" and "outsiders" all by themselves.