By Yoko Kawashima Watkins
I thought this book was very interesting and moving, and to be honest I was surprised that I had not read it before. It really brought my attention to a historical event that I have never really thought about before.
I've read a lot of criticism online about this book - and yes, Yoko has a very one-sided viewpoint of the entire situation. I've even read some comments such as "how dare she wrote such a pity war story." I'm not going to argue with the fact that a story which was written from an 11-year-old Japanese girl's point of view is probably going to be biased. Isn't that the point? Yoko isn't trying to offer the entire history of Korea - she's telling her story. The history of Korea is a long and complicated one, and this book simply offers a look at how this history affected one person at one particular point in time.
It is up to us as educators to make sure that our students have the critical thinking skills to realize that this story cannot be used to generalize entire nations. But it is also up to us as human beings to approach this story with compassion and empathy for an author who was willing to put herself out on the line by telling us her personal story. I can only imagine that it was not easy for Kawashima to put such a big part of herself out into the world for everyone to see and judge.
It is easy to jump to conclusions in this book about how our students need to be shown more than one viewpoint when it comes to history. Pairing this book with The Year of Impossible Goodbyes seems logical to us because we are distanced enough from this situation to see the biases of either side. But what about the other lessons we teach students in our classrooms? I would even go so far to say that we need to think about this issue with everything we teach in regards to history. For so long, "history" has just been what is written in the books, given to us from one particular viewpoint. With stories that we can distance ourselves from, such as this one, it is easy to balance out the viewpoints.
But what about the issues that hit close to home for us? Are there educators out there who are willing to concede that even historical books such as The Diary of Anne Frank are biased? Perhaps reading a story from the viewpoint of a Nazi child would show us more about what life was like during World War II. If that seems too extreme, perhaps sharing a tale from a British boy's viewpoint during the American Revolution would seem more acceptable. I've come to see that we need to look at both sides to every story.
*Even typing this I am fearful that people will jump to conclusions about me trying to justify the Holocaust or something ridiculous. I'm not, and and maybe that is my point. The Holocaust was an atrocity in history that will hopefully never be repeated. But demonizing a child for having their own point of view and for loving the family they were born into doesn't make any sense to me. That is why I am so discomforted by critics who say that Yoko's character is biased, even though Yoko never says it is anything more than an 11-year-old girl telling us about her own life.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Mid-Semester Reflection
I have really been learning a lot about children's literature from this class, but more importantly I have continued to learn about myself as a reader and an educatory. I have been thinking a lot about how I plan on making the important decision of what books I want to use in my classroom. I want to expose my students to not only a wide variety of genres, but also a wide variety of media in which reading appears. It is very important to teach children that reading and writing have real-life purposes, and to do that we need to expose them to the infinitely large selection of literature out there.
I have come to realize just how important "controversial" literature can be in the classroom. Though it is often up to debate whether a particular book is controversial or not (controversy is in the eye of the beholder, perhaps?), but I have become ever more aware that it is essential to expose our students to a wide variety of literature that portrays many different cultures and lifestyles. This may push some parents or students (or even myself) out of their comfort zones on occasion, but it is absolutely necessary to expose children to as much of the world as we can. This is more true today than it has ever been before, and I'm sure it become ever more important as our society continues to become more diverse and more aware of other cultures in the world.
Lastly, I have learned that there are many things that happen in the classroom that we can't foresee until they happen, but we can prepare ourselves in order to best serve our students. Just as important as the literature we put in the classroom is the attitude we bring with ourselves into the classroom. The language we use, the responses we make to student comments or questions, and the literature and stories we are willing to share with our students all show our children what we view as "normal" and acceptable, so it is important to be able to create a safe and nurturing environment for all of the students we teach. This requires being very self-aware so we can be sure to avoid making any students feel singled out or out of the "norm."
I have come to realize just how important "controversial" literature can be in the classroom. Though it is often up to debate whether a particular book is controversial or not (controversy is in the eye of the beholder, perhaps?), but I have become ever more aware that it is essential to expose our students to a wide variety of literature that portrays many different cultures and lifestyles. This may push some parents or students (or even myself) out of their comfort zones on occasion, but it is absolutely necessary to expose children to as much of the world as we can. This is more true today than it has ever been before, and I'm sure it become ever more important as our society continues to become more diverse and more aware of other cultures in the world.
Lastly, I have learned that there are many things that happen in the classroom that we can't foresee until they happen, but we can prepare ourselves in order to best serve our students. Just as important as the literature we put in the classroom is the attitude we bring with ourselves into the classroom. The language we use, the responses we make to student comments or questions, and the literature and stories we are willing to share with our students all show our children what we view as "normal" and acceptable, so it is important to be able to create a safe and nurturing environment for all of the students we teach. This requires being very self-aware so we can be sure to avoid making any students feel singled out or out of the "norm."
Sunday, March 28, 2010
My Friend Rabbit
By Eric Rohmann
This wonderful picture book is all about a small mouse and his friend Rabbit, who brings trouble with him no matter what he does or where he goes. Luckily (or maybe unluckily!) for everyone involved, Rabbit is a wonderfully creative problem-solver, and he is confident (read: impulsive) enough to carry out his ideas even when they aren't the smartest. And, of course, he always means well.
This book won the 2003 Caldecott Medal, and I can see why. It is simple and humorous, making it relatable for emerging readers and adults alike. The minimal text truly allows us to focus on Rohmann's illustrations, which are hand-colored relief prints with bold black lines. Even though the language is sparse we can get a really great sense of what Mouse and Rabbit are like, and the wonderful illustrations allow us to enjoy the true humor of this story.
This wonderful picture book is all about a small mouse and his friend Rabbit, who brings trouble with him no matter what he does or where he goes. Luckily (or maybe unluckily!) for everyone involved, Rabbit is a wonderfully creative problem-solver, and he is confident (read: impulsive) enough to carry out his ideas even when they aren't the smartest. And, of course, he always means well.
This book won the 2003 Caldecott Medal, and I can see why. It is simple and humorous, making it relatable for emerging readers and adults alike. The minimal text truly allows us to focus on Rohmann's illustrations, which are hand-colored relief prints with bold black lines. Even though the language is sparse we can get a really great sense of what Mouse and Rabbit are like, and the wonderful illustrations allow us to enjoy the true humor of this story.
The Misfits
By James Howe
I will admit that it took me a while to get into this style of reading, but after things got going I really enjoyed reading this book. Additionally, I think the style is very suitable for young readers and is likely to entice students to keep reading. It felt a bit contrived to me at first but to be honest I can see a 12-year-old writing this way, especially with the "minutes" of the Gang of Five's meetings and Bobby's own thoughts about the people in his life.
Our discussion in class really got me thinking. It is funny how some people picked up on some sort of "gay agenda" while others (including the author) simply regard this book's message as anti-bullying and pro-respect. While I was reading this book I never even really thought about it as a "pro-gay" book: Joe is just another character in the book, and not even a main character at that! I guess that is why it bothered me when I realized what a big fuss some people have made out of this book. There is clearly more here beyond the message that "being gay is okay," and besides, what's wrong with a message like that in the first place?
The fact that grown adults protest this book and say that being gay isn't okay is exactly why a book like this needs to exist. When grown adults are still being bullies to specific groups of people, the kids that we teach desperately need to be told that it's okay to be who you are. The message that adults send through these protests is that it's okay to be overweight like Bobby or super-nerdy and outspoken like Addy, but that it's not okay to be gay like Joe. It's like saying "It's okay to be who you are, as long as you're not ____." The not-so-hidden meaning behind this says that "You need to be how we want you to be." And setting hypocritical standards like that sends very confusing and upsetting messages to kids.
The controversy behind this book is very real, and is something that is still important in our schools today. Iowa had an anti-bullying law passed in 2007. This law prevents children from bullying or discrimination based on "real or perceived age, color, creed, national origin, race, religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical attributes, physical or mental ability or disability, ancestry, political party preference, political belief, socioeconomic status, or familial status" (Iowa Department of Education). But as recently as February of this year select state legislators have been pushing to remove sexual orientation and gender identity from the list, claiming that including them "pushes" homosexuality onto children. And what I would like to know is how that sort of behavior in grown men can be justified as anything but "bullying" itself.
This is an issue that really hits close to the bone for me. Statistics show that the majority of homosexual children and teens face harassment and bullying at school, and even with anti-bullying laws things have not improved as much as they should have. It is only through exposing our students to such outstanding literature and having open and honest discussions that we can show our students that they really are in a safe place where they can learn, grow, and develop into wonderful the human beings that they truly are.
I will admit that it took me a while to get into this style of reading, but after things got going I really enjoyed reading this book. Additionally, I think the style is very suitable for young readers and is likely to entice students to keep reading. It felt a bit contrived to me at first but to be honest I can see a 12-year-old writing this way, especially with the "minutes" of the Gang of Five's meetings and Bobby's own thoughts about the people in his life.
Our discussion in class really got me thinking. It is funny how some people picked up on some sort of "gay agenda" while others (including the author) simply regard this book's message as anti-bullying and pro-respect. While I was reading this book I never even really thought about it as a "pro-gay" book: Joe is just another character in the book, and not even a main character at that! I guess that is why it bothered me when I realized what a big fuss some people have made out of this book. There is clearly more here beyond the message that "being gay is okay," and besides, what's wrong with a message like that in the first place?
The fact that grown adults protest this book and say that being gay isn't okay is exactly why a book like this needs to exist. When grown adults are still being bullies to specific groups of people, the kids that we teach desperately need to be told that it's okay to be who you are. The message that adults send through these protests is that it's okay to be overweight like Bobby or super-nerdy and outspoken like Addy, but that it's not okay to be gay like Joe. It's like saying "It's okay to be who you are, as long as you're not ____." The not-so-hidden meaning behind this says that "You need to be how we want you to be." And setting hypocritical standards like that sends very confusing and upsetting messages to kids.
The controversy behind this book is very real, and is something that is still important in our schools today. Iowa had an anti-bullying law passed in 2007. This law prevents children from bullying or discrimination based on "real or perceived age, color, creed, national origin, race, religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical attributes, physical or mental ability or disability, ancestry, political party preference, political belief, socioeconomic status, or familial status" (Iowa Department of Education). But as recently as February of this year select state legislators have been pushing to remove sexual orientation and gender identity from the list, claiming that including them "pushes" homosexuality onto children. And what I would like to know is how that sort of behavior in grown men can be justified as anything but "bullying" itself.
This is an issue that really hits close to the bone for me. Statistics show that the majority of homosexual children and teens face harassment and bullying at school, and even with anti-bullying laws things have not improved as much as they should have. It is only through exposing our students to such outstanding literature and having open and honest discussions that we can show our students that they really are in a safe place where they can learn, grow, and develop into wonderful the human beings that they truly are.
A Quote
Books have the same enemies as people: fire, humidity, animals, weather, and their own content.
-Paul Valery
-Paul Valery
Neil Gaiman Glog
Here is my Neil Gaiman Glog. I tried to capture his darker side (which, honestly, is the only side he has). The music is from the motion picture Coraline. Let me know what you think!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Anansi the Spider: a tale from the Ashanti
By Gerald McDermott
This book is a great way to introduce mythology into the classroom. Almost every child knows at least a little about Greek gods or traditional Native American folklore, but it is rarer to come by students who know more about the mythology and folklore of other cultures (that is, of course, unless they come from those cultures). This is the tale of Anansi the Spider, a folk-hero to the Ashanti people of Ghana, West Africa. You'll have to read the book to find out all of the details, but it is a folk tale of how the moon came to be in the night sky. It uses fairly basic language that would be easy for younger readers to understand, but one of the things I really like about it is that the prologue uses very rich and discriptive language to explain a bit about the Anani and the Ashanti people. For younger readers, this would have to be read to them, but I really believe that it is important for early readers to be exposed to more complex language, since it helps with vocabulary and meaning construction. And more importantly than that, it explains the Ashanti culture in such a beautiful form that could not be properly conveyed if it were simplified into "easy" reading.
I also really like the illustrations to this book, because I think they visually express a lot about the culture beyond just learning about the Ashanti and reading the folktale. Their bold and "tribalistic" images tell us a lot about traditional art forms in that culture. Overall this book offers a very nice package of information about the Ashanti culture: the folk story, background information about the culture, and visual representations of their art. I think this would be a really great book to use in a larger unit about folklore and how it is carried on and conveyed in cultures around the world.
This book is a great way to introduce mythology into the classroom. Almost every child knows at least a little about Greek gods or traditional Native American folklore, but it is rarer to come by students who know more about the mythology and folklore of other cultures (that is, of course, unless they come from those cultures). This is the tale of Anansi the Spider, a folk-hero to the Ashanti people of Ghana, West Africa. You'll have to read the book to find out all of the details, but it is a folk tale of how the moon came to be in the night sky. It uses fairly basic language that would be easy for younger readers to understand, but one of the things I really like about it is that the prologue uses very rich and discriptive language to explain a bit about the Anani and the Ashanti people. For younger readers, this would have to be read to them, but I really believe that it is important for early readers to be exposed to more complex language, since it helps with vocabulary and meaning construction. And more importantly than that, it explains the Ashanti culture in such a beautiful form that could not be properly conveyed if it were simplified into "easy" reading.
I also really like the illustrations to this book, because I think they visually express a lot about the culture beyond just learning about the Ashanti and reading the folktale. Their bold and "tribalistic" images tell us a lot about traditional art forms in that culture. Overall this book offers a very nice package of information about the Ashanti culture: the folk story, background information about the culture, and visual representations of their art. I think this would be a really great book to use in a larger unit about folklore and how it is carried on and conveyed in cultures around the world.
Smoky Night
By Eve Bunting
Illustrated by David Diaz
I suppose I never truly realized what a prolific writer Eve Bunting is. I bought Smoky Night in near-new condition from a small-town library book sale for a quarter, and I have to say that it was definitely worth the money. As the 1995 Caldecott Medal winner, this seems like the type of book I should have read as a child, but I don't have any recollections of it.
Anyway, that's all a bit besides the point. Smoky Night begins with a small boy, Daniel, looking out his apartment window to the riots that are occuring below. He doesn't really understand what riots are and why they happen, and his mother does her best to explain the situation. Mostly he just watches in silence as the people below break windows and steal from shops.
Across the street, people drag cartons of food from Kim's Market. Daniel knows Mrs. Kim, but not very well. He and his mother have never gone into her shop because his mom says it's "better if we buy from our own people." She also has a fat, mean cat that always fights with Daniel's cat. He seems disinterested as the rioters tow her things away.
Later that night there is a fire in their apartment building. Daniel is scared, but he and his mother (along with everyone else) get out safely. But where is his cat? He doesn't find out until later, when a fireman brings in both Daniel's and Mrs. Kim's cat. "They were so scared they were holding paws," the fireman claims.
And that's when Daniel realizes. "They probably didn't know each other before," he says. "Now they do." The rest of the room is very quiet, and doesn't say a word to Daniel's comment. Then, his mom introduces herself to Mrs. Kim and says that she and her cat should come over to share a dish of milk sometime.
I think this is a really great book, for a number of reasons. First of all, like other books by Eve Bunting that I've read, this story is very unique and offers children a perspective that many other books don't. It's not very often that you can find a quality children's picture book that talks openly and honestly about riots and racial discrimination. But Smoky Night covers both of these topics. And not only that, but it shows that prejudices can be overcome - Daniel's mom never talked to Mrs. Kim or went into her shop until this life-changing event brought them together and forced them to open their hearts.
Another really amazing aspect of this book is the illustrations. Diaz's acrylic paintings use bold lines and rich colors to convey the happenings of the book. They are simple yet very vibrant, and do a great job of conveying the mood of the story. Additionally, in this special edition print, the text and the illustrations are framed by unique photographed collages that include items that highlight the story (for example, on the page about the looters in Mrs. Kim's shop, the text and painting are both surrounded by a variety of spilled cereals covering a chalk-covered and cracked sidewalk). The entire format of the book helps to bring the story to life.
I really, really enjoyed reading this book, and I think many other readers would too!
Illustrated by David Diaz
I suppose I never truly realized what a prolific writer Eve Bunting is. I bought Smoky Night in near-new condition from a small-town library book sale for a quarter, and I have to say that it was definitely worth the money. As the 1995 Caldecott Medal winner, this seems like the type of book I should have read as a child, but I don't have any recollections of it.
Anyway, that's all a bit besides the point. Smoky Night begins with a small boy, Daniel, looking out his apartment window to the riots that are occuring below. He doesn't really understand what riots are and why they happen, and his mother does her best to explain the situation. Mostly he just watches in silence as the people below break windows and steal from shops.
Across the street, people drag cartons of food from Kim's Market. Daniel knows Mrs. Kim, but not very well. He and his mother have never gone into her shop because his mom says it's "better if we buy from our own people." She also has a fat, mean cat that always fights with Daniel's cat. He seems disinterested as the rioters tow her things away.
Later that night there is a fire in their apartment building. Daniel is scared, but he and his mother (along with everyone else) get out safely. But where is his cat? He doesn't find out until later, when a fireman brings in both Daniel's and Mrs. Kim's cat. "They were so scared they were holding paws," the fireman claims.
And that's when Daniel realizes. "They probably didn't know each other before," he says. "Now they do." The rest of the room is very quiet, and doesn't say a word to Daniel's comment. Then, his mom introduces herself to Mrs. Kim and says that she and her cat should come over to share a dish of milk sometime.
I think this is a really great book, for a number of reasons. First of all, like other books by Eve Bunting that I've read, this story is very unique and offers children a perspective that many other books don't. It's not very often that you can find a quality children's picture book that talks openly and honestly about riots and racial discrimination. But Smoky Night covers both of these topics. And not only that, but it shows that prejudices can be overcome - Daniel's mom never talked to Mrs. Kim or went into her shop until this life-changing event brought them together and forced them to open their hearts.
Another really amazing aspect of this book is the illustrations. Diaz's acrylic paintings use bold lines and rich colors to convey the happenings of the book. They are simple yet very vibrant, and do a great job of conveying the mood of the story. Additionally, in this special edition print, the text and the illustrations are framed by unique photographed collages that include items that highlight the story (for example, on the page about the looters in Mrs. Kim's shop, the text and painting are both surrounded by a variety of spilled cereals covering a chalk-covered and cracked sidewalk). The entire format of the book helps to bring the story to life.
I really, really enjoyed reading this book, and I think many other readers would too!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Where Are You Going, Manyoni?
By Catherine Stock
This book tells the story of a young girl's walk to a rural school in Zimbabwe. Along her way she passes a bushpig, a giant baobab tree, woodland kingfishers, the kloof (ravine), the krantz (cliff) above the dam, and many other things. Where Mayoni is going remains a mystery until the end of the book, when we find out that she was hurrying to get to school early, so she will have time to play with her friends before classes start.
This book is really great for a variety of reasons. First of all, it gives us a view of life from a viewpoint that is very different from the ones that we or those in our class might have. Stock's rich vocabulary and detailed watercolor illustrations easily show us that Manyoni's journey to school is far different from a bus ride through suburbia.
The second thing I love about this book was that it doesn't try to dumb down the language to make it "easy" for young readers to read. Even adult readers may not have any idea what a kloof is, but the text and the illustrations give us an opportunity to build our inference skills and make sense of the new vocabulary (in fact, this book was used for an inferring mini lesson in my class). Most of the book makes perfect sense, even if you don't know the exact definitions of all the words. But if you are struggling or just dying to know what on earth a "krantz" is, Stock offers a glossary in the back with definitions of all of the words, and another page has descriptions and illustrations of all the animals mentioned in the book.
In addition to being educational, this book is just a fun story to read. Every illustration gives us a chance to "find Manyoni," in a much more artistic version of "Where's Waldo." So even if your children aren't interested in all of the facts, it has something to offer all sorts of different readers.
This book tells the story of a young girl's walk to a rural school in Zimbabwe. Along her way she passes a bushpig, a giant baobab tree, woodland kingfishers, the kloof (ravine), the krantz (cliff) above the dam, and many other things. Where Mayoni is going remains a mystery until the end of the book, when we find out that she was hurrying to get to school early, so she will have time to play with her friends before classes start.
This book is really great for a variety of reasons. First of all, it gives us a view of life from a viewpoint that is very different from the ones that we or those in our class might have. Stock's rich vocabulary and detailed watercolor illustrations easily show us that Manyoni's journey to school is far different from a bus ride through suburbia.
The second thing I love about this book was that it doesn't try to dumb down the language to make it "easy" for young readers to read. Even adult readers may not have any idea what a kloof is, but the text and the illustrations give us an opportunity to build our inference skills and make sense of the new vocabulary (in fact, this book was used for an inferring mini lesson in my class). Most of the book makes perfect sense, even if you don't know the exact definitions of all the words. But if you are struggling or just dying to know what on earth a "krantz" is, Stock offers a glossary in the back with definitions of all of the words, and another page has descriptions and illustrations of all the animals mentioned in the book.
In addition to being educational, this book is just a fun story to read. Every illustration gives us a chance to "find Manyoni," in a much more artistic version of "Where's Waldo." So even if your children aren't interested in all of the facts, it has something to offer all sorts of different readers.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Some Helpful Hints
Hey all - since I have officially established myself as the class computer nerd, here's the post I promised about blogging tips. If I left anything out, if my directions are confusing, or if you have any other questions... please let me know, I am certainly happy to help you out!
How To Edit Your Blog Layout
If you haven't already noticed, there's a Layout button on your Blogger dashboard and at the top of the page while you're posting things... once you click that, four other buttons show up under it (Page Elements, Fonts and Colors, Edit HTML, Pick New Template). You want to start out by picking your template, and then you can edit the details. If you click on Fonts and Colors you can, as you might guess, change all of the fonts and colors on your blog. A lot of templates don't let you change the background color(s) though, so make sure you have one that you like. The best way to figure things out is to just play around with it and see what fits your style. Once you have it the way you want, DON'T FORGET TO CLICK THE SAVE BUTTON!
If all you were interested in was how to put a sweet picture on your blog heading, I'll tell you how to do that too :) First, you need to have a sweet picture. Then you need to go to the Page Elements section (under the Layout tab, just like the previous stuff). This is where you can edit how things are arranged on your page or add "gadgets" like Miranda's lovely fish pond. There are a lot of different gadgets and things so you might want to look into that if you're interested. But to add a picture to your heading, click the Edit button for your header (it will have whatever title your blog has). There, you can edit your blog title, blog description, and add a photo. Under Placement you want to make sure to click "behind title and description," otherwise it will cover up your blog title. Upload the photo you want (I think it will prompt you to select what size you want, too)... One thing I will say about that is that once you upload your photo, you might want to go back to Fonts and Colors and change your title color and font to make sure you are able to read it.
How To Find Your Comments
Personally, I prefer to get email notifications when somebody comments on my blog, because the email sends a direct link to that post so I can just go straight there and reply if I want. To set up email notifications, click on the Settings tab on the top (or on your dashboard)... and when you do that you get like 9 buttons underneath, I don't really want to explain them all but you can play around with stuff if you want. Click on the Comments button, and then if you scroll all the way to the very bottom of that page, you'll see a "Comment Email Notification" box... type in your email and then click the Save Settings button on the bottom.
I'm not exactly sure what Jen was talking about with being able to see all of your comments on one page, but there is another way to quickly find your comments... if you click on Posting on the top and then Edit Posts underneath that, it gives you a list of all of the posts you have on your blog. To the left of the date the post was published, there will be a link that says "__ comments" if your post has any comments. You can just click on that to see them.
I think that's all for now. Like I said, let me know if you have any other questions, maybe I can put together a nice little FAQ page for us all :)
-Mary
How To Edit Your Blog Layout
If you haven't already noticed, there's a Layout button on your Blogger dashboard and at the top of the page while you're posting things... once you click that, four other buttons show up under it (Page Elements, Fonts and Colors, Edit HTML, Pick New Template). You want to start out by picking your template, and then you can edit the details. If you click on Fonts and Colors you can, as you might guess, change all of the fonts and colors on your blog. A lot of templates don't let you change the background color(s) though, so make sure you have one that you like. The best way to figure things out is to just play around with it and see what fits your style. Once you have it the way you want, DON'T FORGET TO CLICK THE SAVE BUTTON!
If all you were interested in was how to put a sweet picture on your blog heading, I'll tell you how to do that too :) First, you need to have a sweet picture. Then you need to go to the Page Elements section (under the Layout tab, just like the previous stuff). This is where you can edit how things are arranged on your page or add "gadgets" like Miranda's lovely fish pond. There are a lot of different gadgets and things so you might want to look into that if you're interested. But to add a picture to your heading, click the Edit button for your header (it will have whatever title your blog has). There, you can edit your blog title, blog description, and add a photo. Under Placement you want to make sure to click "behind title and description," otherwise it will cover up your blog title. Upload the photo you want (I think it will prompt you to select what size you want, too)... One thing I will say about that is that once you upload your photo, you might want to go back to Fonts and Colors and change your title color and font to make sure you are able to read it.
How To Find Your Comments
Personally, I prefer to get email notifications when somebody comments on my blog, because the email sends a direct link to that post so I can just go straight there and reply if I want. To set up email notifications, click on the Settings tab on the top (or on your dashboard)... and when you do that you get like 9 buttons underneath, I don't really want to explain them all but you can play around with stuff if you want. Click on the Comments button, and then if you scroll all the way to the very bottom of that page, you'll see a "Comment Email Notification" box... type in your email and then click the Save Settings button on the bottom.
I'm not exactly sure what Jen was talking about with being able to see all of your comments on one page, but there is another way to quickly find your comments... if you click on Posting on the top and then Edit Posts underneath that, it gives you a list of all of the posts you have on your blog. To the left of the date the post was published, there will be a link that says "__ comments" if your post has any comments. You can just click on that to see them.
I think that's all for now. Like I said, let me know if you have any other questions, maybe I can put together a nice little FAQ page for us all :)
-Mary
Fly Away Home
By Eve Bunting
Illustrated by Ronald Himler
Fly Away Home is a touching story of a young boy, Andrew, and his father, who are homeless and living in an airport terminal. It's all about not being noticed, they say repeatedly. They stay out of trouble. Sleep sitting up. Move from terminal to terminal so they're never in the same spot two nights in a row. Clean themselves up in the bathrooms in the morning, when it's busy. Life isn't easy being homeless, but they get by. The father is a janitor that works on the weekends. Sometimes Andrew helps passengers carry luggage for small change, too. They're saving their money and hoping to move out someday.
This book shows a lot of the struggles of the Andrew. He feels like he is going to be stuck in that airport forever. But he remembers a bird that got caught in the terminal once. It never once gave up trying to escape, and eventually it made it through the automatic doors. He told it to "fly away home," and though he didn't hear it outside, he knew that it was singing when it escaped. He knows that someday he'll escape, too.
This book is very interesting because it offers a unique and genuine perspective that you don't usually see from picture books.
Illustrated by Ronald Himler
Fly Away Home is a touching story of a young boy, Andrew, and his father, who are homeless and living in an airport terminal. It's all about not being noticed, they say repeatedly. They stay out of trouble. Sleep sitting up. Move from terminal to terminal so they're never in the same spot two nights in a row. Clean themselves up in the bathrooms in the morning, when it's busy. Life isn't easy being homeless, but they get by. The father is a janitor that works on the weekends. Sometimes Andrew helps passengers carry luggage for small change, too. They're saving their money and hoping to move out someday.
This book shows a lot of the struggles of the Andrew. He feels like he is going to be stuck in that airport forever. But he remembers a bird that got caught in the terminal once. It never once gave up trying to escape, and eventually it made it through the automatic doors. He told it to "fly away home," and though he didn't hear it outside, he knew that it was singing when it escaped. He knows that someday he'll escape, too.
This book is very interesting because it offers a unique and genuine perspective that you don't usually see from picture books.
The Un-Wedding
By Babette Cole
Demetrius and Paula Ogglebutt have perfect lives, except for one little detail: their parents can't stand each other. Their mother and father can't agree about anything! "Mum disliked Dad's crazy aunts in the west wing. Mum hated Dad's musical friends. Dad could not bear Mum's cooking, nor her insect-eating plants that chewed up his bees! Mum would not tolerate Dad keeping fish in the bath, nor his cows living in the house." I think you get the picture. It turns out that the longer Mr. and Mrs. Ogglebutt lived together, the more they disliked each other. And because they constantly have ugly thoughts about each other, they themselves become uglier and uglier. Soon, the parents are playing all sorts of nasty tricks on one another. Demetrius and Paula don't know what to do! So they post a sign at school to see if anyone else had problem parents. Many, many children show up, and they agree that it wasn't their fault that their parents didn't get along. But what could they do about it?
Soon, Paula has a brilliant idea. The two of them go to work planning an un-wedding. They send out un-wedding invitations and order an un-wedding cake. The parents have their un-wedding and go their separate ways on their un-honeymoons. They build two seperate houses, and they learn that they can live happily ever after - apart.
This book is controversial because of it's un-wedding (read: divorce) theme, which is somewhat understandable. But when you live in a society where the divorce rate reaches 50%, it becomes pretty clear that it is probably something that a lot of kids would like to talk about in the classroom. And I think this book does a really good job of showing the "good side" of divorce. Not that divorce is ever part of the "plan" or the ideal outcome of a marriage, but clearly in this case the mother and father were very unhappy living together. They became much happier once they had their own houses and could live the way they wanted. And I think that another important message to send to kids is that it's not their fault. Paula and Demetrius and all of the children in the meeting agree that it had nothing to do with them.
Divorce happens, whether we like to admit it or not. But acting like the problem isn't there isn't going to make it go away. In my opinion, it is much wiser to bring the issue into the open for everyone to discuss. As educators we must teach our students about all aspects of life - not just spelling and mathematics and geography. It's more than likely that you will have several children with divorced parents in your classroom every year, and it will probably make them feel much more comfortable and accepted if they know that you're willing to talk about it, instead of ignoring the issue.
Demetrius and Paula Ogglebutt have perfect lives, except for one little detail: their parents can't stand each other. Their mother and father can't agree about anything! "Mum disliked Dad's crazy aunts in the west wing. Mum hated Dad's musical friends. Dad could not bear Mum's cooking, nor her insect-eating plants that chewed up his bees! Mum would not tolerate Dad keeping fish in the bath, nor his cows living in the house." I think you get the picture. It turns out that the longer Mr. and Mrs. Ogglebutt lived together, the more they disliked each other. And because they constantly have ugly thoughts about each other, they themselves become uglier and uglier. Soon, the parents are playing all sorts of nasty tricks on one another. Demetrius and Paula don't know what to do! So they post a sign at school to see if anyone else had problem parents. Many, many children show up, and they agree that it wasn't their fault that their parents didn't get along. But what could they do about it?
Soon, Paula has a brilliant idea. The two of them go to work planning an un-wedding. They send out un-wedding invitations and order an un-wedding cake. The parents have their un-wedding and go their separate ways on their un-honeymoons. They build two seperate houses, and they learn that they can live happily ever after - apart.
This book is controversial because of it's un-wedding (read: divorce) theme, which is somewhat understandable. But when you live in a society where the divorce rate reaches 50%, it becomes pretty clear that it is probably something that a lot of kids would like to talk about in the classroom. And I think this book does a really good job of showing the "good side" of divorce. Not that divorce is ever part of the "plan" or the ideal outcome of a marriage, but clearly in this case the mother and father were very unhappy living together. They became much happier once they had their own houses and could live the way they wanted. And I think that another important message to send to kids is that it's not their fault. Paula and Demetrius and all of the children in the meeting agree that it had nothing to do with them.
Divorce happens, whether we like to admit it or not. But acting like the problem isn't there isn't going to make it go away. In my opinion, it is much wiser to bring the issue into the open for everyone to discuss. As educators we must teach our students about all aspects of life - not just spelling and mathematics and geography. It's more than likely that you will have several children with divorced parents in your classroom every year, and it will probably make them feel much more comfortable and accepted if they know that you're willing to talk about it, instead of ignoring the issue.
Hair in Funny Places: A Book About Puberty
By Babette Cole
In this book, a young girl asks her teddy bear, Ted, "when will I grow up to be a grown up?" Ted explains, "That depends on Mr. and Mrs. Hormone. They are in charge of growing up." He goes on to explain hormones and how they change the human body. His descriptions are accompanied by humerous, if somewhat risque, descriptions and illustrations. In fact, the illustrations in this book include nude drawings of both a male and a female, so reading this book with your children is not for the light-of-heart.
I found this book to be humorous and educational (it is classified as non-fiction), but I have trouble imagining myself reading it to a classroom full of giggling and blushing students. And even though this book is rated "ages 7 and up," I especially can't imagine reading it to a classroom full of giggling and blushing first or second graders. On one hand, it's kind of a shame that things like that are taboo in our society. On the other hand, I can see how parents might get upset about illustrations of a naked pubescent boy and girl. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned or conservative about that sort of thing, but if you're reading this book with young children, I would recommend it happens in the home and not in the classroom. That way, parents can tell their children all the facts and include or avoid as many illustrations as they want.
In this book, a young girl asks her teddy bear, Ted, "when will I grow up to be a grown up?" Ted explains, "That depends on Mr. and Mrs. Hormone. They are in charge of growing up." He goes on to explain hormones and how they change the human body. His descriptions are accompanied by humerous, if somewhat risque, descriptions and illustrations. In fact, the illustrations in this book include nude drawings of both a male and a female, so reading this book with your children is not for the light-of-heart.
I found this book to be humorous and educational (it is classified as non-fiction), but I have trouble imagining myself reading it to a classroom full of giggling and blushing students. And even though this book is rated "ages 7 and up," I especially can't imagine reading it to a classroom full of giggling and blushing first or second graders. On one hand, it's kind of a shame that things like that are taboo in our society. On the other hand, I can see how parents might get upset about illustrations of a naked pubescent boy and girl. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned or conservative about that sort of thing, but if you're reading this book with young children, I would recommend it happens in the home and not in the classroom. That way, parents can tell their children all the facts and include or avoid as many illustrations as they want.
Be Boy Buzz
By bell hooks
Illustrated by Chris Raschka
As the back cover states: Celebrate boybood, spread the buzz. Be Boy Buzz is a short and sweet book all about the joys of being a boy. As you read, you quickly feel the groove of the beat, and you can't help but smile as you read the cheerful lyrics. The illustrations are somewhat childlike, with painted faces and crayon drawings, further capturing the feeling of a young boy singing about how he loves to be himself.
The controversy of this book lies in its language: bell hook's use of ebonics has been found "improper" to some. For example, the book says: "I be boy running. I be boy jumping [...] I be boy laughing, crying, telling my story, talking way too loud."
From the viewpoint of an educator I can see the potential problems in reading this book. After all, we spend so many hours trying to teach the children in our classrooms to use proper grammar in writing and speaking. But to exclude this book from the classroom would be to ignore a part of American culture that is very real, and runs the risk of even being considered borderline racism. Ebonics may not use the "proper" grammar that we all learn in school, but I can assure you that reading one book with ebonics is not going to make your students forget all of the grammer rules they've been taught. Furthermore, using a book like Be Boy Buzz in the class can help foster and environment where all students feel welcome, and that is vital for every classroom. Aside from just being a cheerful and proud story, this book has many merits that give it the right to be in elementary school classrooms.
Illustrated by Chris Raschka
As the back cover states: Celebrate boybood, spread the buzz. Be Boy Buzz is a short and sweet book all about the joys of being a boy. As you read, you quickly feel the groove of the beat, and you can't help but smile as you read the cheerful lyrics. The illustrations are somewhat childlike, with painted faces and crayon drawings, further capturing the feeling of a young boy singing about how he loves to be himself.
The controversy of this book lies in its language: bell hook's use of ebonics has been found "improper" to some. For example, the book says: "I be boy running. I be boy jumping [...] I be boy laughing, crying, telling my story, talking way too loud."
From the viewpoint of an educator I can see the potential problems in reading this book. After all, we spend so many hours trying to teach the children in our classrooms to use proper grammar in writing and speaking. But to exclude this book from the classroom would be to ignore a part of American culture that is very real, and runs the risk of even being considered borderline racism. Ebonics may not use the "proper" grammar that we all learn in school, but I can assure you that reading one book with ebonics is not going to make your students forget all of the grammer rules they've been taught. Furthermore, using a book like Be Boy Buzz in the class can help foster and environment where all students feel welcome, and that is vital for every classroom. Aside from just being a cheerful and proud story, this book has many merits that give it the right to be in elementary school classrooms.
William's Doll
By Charlotte Zolotow
Illustrated by William Pene du Bois
You can tell from the title what this book is all about: little boy William wants a toy doll. He wants a doll so he can cradle it, take care of it, dress it, take it to the park, and tuck it in at night, just as if he were its father. But his older tells him not to be a creep, and the boy next door repeatedly calls him a sissy. His father, unhapy that William wants a doll, buys him a basketball and an electric train. William becomes very good at basketball, and builds an elaborate train set, but that never stops him from wanting a doll. He doesn't get one until his grandmother comes to visit. When he tells her he wants a doll, she simply says "wonderful." He tells her that his brother says he's a creep and his neighbor tells him he's a sissy, but she says, simply, "nonsense." So she takes him to the store and buys a doll. His father protests immediately. "He's a boy! He has a basketball and an electric train and a workbench to build things with. Why does he need a doll?"
William's grandmother's answer sums it all up: "He needs it to hug and to cradle and to take to the park, so that when he's a father like you, he'll know how to take care of his baby and feed him and love him and bring him the things he wants, like a doll, so that he can practice being a father.
I suppose I can see the controversy in a book that is about a boy wanting a toy doll. But in all seriousness, can you really argue with his grandmother's case? Unless you are of the persuasion to believe that young children should not imagine themselves as parents, it seems pretty clear that young William has a pretty good argument for having a doll. So what if he's a boy? It's a well-known fact that children love to role-play, and if a young boy wants to pretend that he's a loving father, then I think he should be able to do so.
Controversy aside, I think this is a very sweet book about a very sweet boy. William's Doll shows children and adults alike that it's okay if you don't fit the stereotypes. And above all, it teaches us that being loving and caring is an important trait for everyone to have. Having a doll doesn't make William any less of a boy. He is still good at basketball and he still plays with his train set. He is just expressing another side of himself, one that makes him more complete as a person. In my opinion this is a very good book!
Illustrated by William Pene du Bois
You can tell from the title what this book is all about: little boy William wants a toy doll. He wants a doll so he can cradle it, take care of it, dress it, take it to the park, and tuck it in at night, just as if he were its father. But his older tells him not to be a creep, and the boy next door repeatedly calls him a sissy. His father, unhapy that William wants a doll, buys him a basketball and an electric train. William becomes very good at basketball, and builds an elaborate train set, but that never stops him from wanting a doll. He doesn't get one until his grandmother comes to visit. When he tells her he wants a doll, she simply says "wonderful." He tells her that his brother says he's a creep and his neighbor tells him he's a sissy, but she says, simply, "nonsense." So she takes him to the store and buys a doll. His father protests immediately. "He's a boy! He has a basketball and an electric train and a workbench to build things with. Why does he need a doll?"
William's grandmother's answer sums it all up: "He needs it to hug and to cradle and to take to the park, so that when he's a father like you, he'll know how to take care of his baby and feed him and love him and bring him the things he wants, like a doll, so that he can practice being a father.
I suppose I can see the controversy in a book that is about a boy wanting a toy doll. But in all seriousness, can you really argue with his grandmother's case? Unless you are of the persuasion to believe that young children should not imagine themselves as parents, it seems pretty clear that young William has a pretty good argument for having a doll. So what if he's a boy? It's a well-known fact that children love to role-play, and if a young boy wants to pretend that he's a loving father, then I think he should be able to do so.
Controversy aside, I think this is a very sweet book about a very sweet boy. William's Doll shows children and adults alike that it's okay if you don't fit the stereotypes. And above all, it teaches us that being loving and caring is an important trait for everyone to have. Having a doll doesn't make William any less of a boy. He is still good at basketball and he still plays with his train set. He is just expressing another side of himself, one that makes him more complete as a person. In my opinion this is a very good book!
The Mixed Up Chameleon
By Eric Carle
This book is a very simple story about a chameleon who lives a very boring, simple life... until one day, he goes to a zoo and sees all the other animals. He begins to wish he were like the other animals. "I wish I were smart like a fox. I wish I were handsome like a flamingo." His wishes come true but he keeps wishing for more! Eventually he becomes so mixed up that when he tries to catch a fly, he is unable to do so. He wishes to be his normal self again... and his wish comes true! And the chameleon learns a good lesson in being happy with yourself the way you are.
I used this book in Block A for a mini lesson on mental images. The book is pretty simple, so it's appropriate for even the earliest of readers. The chameleon's wishes are vague enough that if you let the children listen and come up with their own mental images (which they could draw if you want!), you'll find that everyone comes up with something a little bit different (how exactly does one become "handsome like a flamingo," anyway?). It's a great example of how personal schema affects the way people interpret what they read.
If you're not looking to make a big reading lesson out of this book, that's okay too. As always, Carle has wonderful, creative, and colorful illustrations that are sure to thrill readers of all ages. And, as I mentioned, the book is suitable for very young readers. This story is sure to spark creative thinking and it even offers a moral about positive self-image.
This book is a very simple story about a chameleon who lives a very boring, simple life... until one day, he goes to a zoo and sees all the other animals. He begins to wish he were like the other animals. "I wish I were smart like a fox. I wish I were handsome like a flamingo." His wishes come true but he keeps wishing for more! Eventually he becomes so mixed up that when he tries to catch a fly, he is unable to do so. He wishes to be his normal self again... and his wish comes true! And the chameleon learns a good lesson in being happy with yourself the way you are.
I used this book in Block A for a mini lesson on mental images. The book is pretty simple, so it's appropriate for even the earliest of readers. The chameleon's wishes are vague enough that if you let the children listen and come up with their own mental images (which they could draw if you want!), you'll find that everyone comes up with something a little bit different (how exactly does one become "handsome like a flamingo," anyway?). It's a great example of how personal schema affects the way people interpret what they read.
If you're not looking to make a big reading lesson out of this book, that's okay too. As always, Carle has wonderful, creative, and colorful illustrations that are sure to thrill readers of all ages. And, as I mentioned, the book is suitable for very young readers. This story is sure to spark creative thinking and it even offers a moral about positive self-image.
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