Sunday, January 31, 2010

Teaching Multicultural Literature

In the article, "Bridging the Cultural Gap by Teaching Multicultural Literature", by Yu Ren Dong, Dong discusses the importance of incorporating multicultural literature in the classroom. She makes references to students who have commented on how reading multicultural literature appeals to their emotions more so than any other type of literature such as Shakespeare, classic novels, best selling books, etc. I agree that multicultural literature should be incorporated into every classroom in some form or another, but multicultural literature does not appeal to everyone. That is why the teacher must make it a priority to familiarize themselves with the material and teach it in a way that appeals to the students and gets the point across. Specific groups of students gravitate towards multicultural literature more than others, that is why the teacher has to teach it in a way that appeals to everyone in one way or another so that everyone can relate to the story and draw their own insight from it. It is important that different cultures and ethnical backgrounds are presented to students from every type of ethnical and social background so that they are aware of different types of people and can grow based on the knowledge they gain. Students are constantly surrounded by issues of race and ethnical difference, so by incorporating multicultural literature into the classroom, the teacher is preparing the students to deal with everyday life and to be more tolerant and understanding of those around them regardless of their background or ethnicity. By reading multicultural literature in the classroom, students can analyze text and really take into account the different types of people that make up the area in which they live. Not all areas are the same, so by incorporating multicultural literature into classrooms students can learn about people that they may only have preconceived notions about and actually build and understanding for people who are different than them. I think teaching multicultural literature is a great idea but it has to be done effectively, otherwise it is a waste of time.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Brannon and Greene/Harry Potter, Twilight

The Brannon and Greene articles were very good in that they make you think about which types of books are appropriate for different age groups. There are many things you have to think about when incorporating a book into the classroom. Teachers must decide whether or not a specific book is appropriate for the age group they teach and also what the students are going to get out of the book. Although people love to read for pleasure, teachers must teach their students to analyze text and not only enjoy the story. It is also very important to incorporate multi-cultural literature in the classroom. Students need to be aware of other people with different ethnic backgrounds. By incorporating multi-cultural literature, students will learn about different cultures, which prepares them for the world and how to work with different types of people.
This isn't the first time I have read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone but I can say that I enjoyed it just as much this time as I did the first time I read it. I last read this book in elementary school so this book somewhat made me feel like a kid again. J.K. Rowling does a great job with setting up a story and keeping you captivated throughout the books entirety. The book is not a hard read so it is definitely a great book for adolescents, and it is something they will enjoy while in school. I can't think of many books that I was made to read in school that I actually enjoyed at the time. The reason for this is that when I was in school I didn't care how great an author was or about analyzing text. The only thing I cared about was reading for pleasure. And if the important thing is to instill a love for reading in adolescents then wouldn't it be a good idea to incorporate books in the classroom that will make children want to read? If that is the case then Harry Potter would be a great book for the classroom. I think it would be smart to start students off with books they will enjoy and gradually throw in some analyzing throughout the reading process so that they will have fun reading while also learning to analyze text. Another thing this book teaches that is extremely important to adolescents is friendship. Throughout the entire book the characters escape danger and discover themselves while helping each other along the way. This book incorporates inclusion with Hermione because she is a half blood who can definitely hold her own against any wizard. It teaches you never to underestimate anyone. I think this is a great book for adolescents.

When I read Twilight for the first time I can say that I truly enjoyed it. The story was enthralling and the book was hard to put down. It is a great book for romantics but also throws in a little action and suspense as well. When reading it for the second time I did a little more analyzing. The book is extremely easy to read and I can say that while the story is great, Stephanie Meyer isn't that great of a writer when it comes to a literary aspect. She does a great job when coming up with a story that adolescents will be interested in but everything else within the story is lacking. Her vocabulary and sentence structure seems to struggle at times. With that said, adolescents would love this book because they can understand what the book is saying and it won't confuse them. I think this would be an OK book to teach in the classroom but not a great choice. Yes, it could possibly teach the students to enjoy reading but there aren't many great things to get out of the book. I think it would be a somewhat pointless book to teach in a classroom because the only thing you can get out of it is enjoyment. The book teaches a lot about true love and how the two main characters feel for each other. When James is tracking Bella, it really shows how much Edward really cares for her. Edward is sort of the perfect guy and his character can really teach young men how to treat women. Not until later in the series do the books teach about abstinence until marriage which is another great thing these books teach, but not in Twilight. If it were up to me I would leave this book out of the classroom and save it for pleasure reading outside of school.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Copper Sun

Overall, Copper Sun by Sharon draper was a well written, descriptive account of what life was like for slaves in the South. Not all cases of slavery were as severe as those depicted in this book, but slavery was cruel and inhumane nonetheless. Copper Sun uses compelling vivid imagery to depict the process of enslavement beginning with the capture scenes in the first few chapters. The description of the events that took place were very descriptive and well written and didn't leave out the harsh reality of what actually happened. One part of the book that really made me think was how Draper involved the reality of the neighboring African tribes capturing and selling their own people into slavery for profit. It is just hard for me grasp the fact that they could do that to their own people. Granted they probably would have been enslaved regardless, the fact that they offered aid in capturing their own kind is somewhat sickening. It reminds me a lot of the Holocaust and how the Jewish people were persecuted by their own people just for their religious affiliation and heritage. With slavery though, there was no persecution due to beliefs or racial indifference. They were captured, sold, and killed for gain, which in most cases ended in enslavement for the parties helping with the deeds themselves. Not only does the persecution aspect of slavery remind me of the Holocaust, but how they were treated by white people as well.
I don't really have any fault with the second half of the book being too unrealistic. This book is intended for adolescents and it needs some form of happiness to keep the readers interested in reading in the future. The first half of the book did a great job with the harsh reality of slavery and the second half did a great job with keeping the readers morale up; making them enjoy the book and not just focusing on the wickedness of slavery. I think Draper ties the two aspects in effectively which makes for a great novel for all ages to enjoy. If you want to read a book that just depicts the barbarity of slavery, then read a biography or a work of non-fiction with just the facts and nothing else. That is not what this book is intended for.

From discussing the book in class, the title of Copper Sun takes on a whole new meaning. I think it was quite a fitting title for the book because there are references to a copper sun throughout the entire piece. From reading the book and through class discussions, I have come to the conclusion that the copper sun throughout the story represents hope, and an over all purity and goodness. It often seems that when Amari notices the copper sun in the story that things are looking up for her and the rest of the characters and when things are not going so well the sun is never mentioned. I think that the copper sun represents the overall morale of the characters at a specific point in the book. When the characters are hopeful, and have something to look forward to the copper sun seems to be noticed.

From looking at Sharon Draper's website, it is apparent she feels very strongly about slavery and wants people to be educated on the subject. She does a great job of educating her readers through Copper Sun, while also giving them something to enjoy. She often references to Teenie and Tidbit and how important it is to pass on stories from the past. This is a way for her to show that heritage is important and to never forget where you came from. If you do, then it will disappear and be forgotten. I like that she places a significance on this because I believe it is very important to always remember your beginnings and heritage. It all makes you who you are and without it you wouldn't be you.

All in all, I was very pleased with Copper Sun. I think it is a great book to inform adolescents on the subject of slavery while also giving them an enjoyable book to read. Any other information that is needed can be researched. I think this book serves its purpose to inform and to also be a great read with a happy ending, which is what we all love.