I believe I was always cognizant of issues of diversity in literature before this class. However, having read all of the articles and books I have since August I feel much more confident that I will be able to decide which books are positive contributions to my future classroom library. I understand even better now that students, all students, need to be exposed to literature that acts as a mirror for them. Every child should have at least one book that they can read that shows characters like them. This helps them know that they are not alone; any struggles or hard times they may have are shared by other people in their cultural group. I also know that books are needed in classrooms that act as windows for students. Students of one culture may be uninformed about other cultures; books with accurate, positive multicultural storylines can teach them about people that are different from themselves. Also, they may see similarities between themselves and the characters and know that they are not all that different from everyone else after all.
I have also learned what things I should look for when evaluating a book for its appropriateness as a diverse piece of literature. One important factor to take into account that we spent a good deal of time discussing is the insider/outsider status of the author. As we debated at length, you can’t say a book written about a cultural group by a member of that group is automatically better than a book written by an outsider. It is important to look at the author’s background because, sometimes, an outsider can be more knowledgeable about a specific aspect of life that a story discusses.
Now that I know about some of the key things to focus on when evaluating multicultural children’s books I am on my way to building a diverse classroom library. The world is increasingly interconnected meaning the students of the future will come from extremely diverse backgrounds. Stories about middle class Caucasian children who come from traditional, two parent homes aren’t going to be enough anymore. So that is where I am going from here. I am taking my skills and knowledge I gained in this class and applying it to life (like we should do after every class). Hopefully, my students will benefit the way I have.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Final Project - Text Reflection
All of the picture books in my final project text set feature main characters who have some form of physical disability that requires them to use a wheelchair, whether it be cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, or an unnamed disability. I found several similarities across the books. First of all, they all had happy endings. No matter how much the character struggled throughout the story, it always ended on a hopeful note. I think it is important for readers to leave a book about something as difficult as disability with a feeling of optimism. I also saw that the people who surrounded the character with a disability, for the most part, treated them just like anyone else. While all the books included characters that used wheelchairs, they focused on different aspects of their lives. Mama Zooms features a parent in a wheelchair rather than a child. My Buddy documents a young boy’s relationship with his Service Dog. Howie Helps Himself follows a little boy as he struggles to become independent using his wheelchair. Rolling Along is the story of a little boy and his first experiences with a wheelchair. And, Arnie and the New Kid shows what might happen if a child in a wheelchair were to be made fun of in school.
I do wish I had been able to find more recent books. My library at home did not have anything more recent than the ones I found. I did end up with one book from 2000, but the other books ranged all the way back to 1975. I think the set I have can still be used with children today, but, either before or after the books are read, an adult should have a discussion with the student about the outdated phrases such as “handicapped”. Perhaps a parent or a teacher can explain why that term is no longer used and what is used today when talking about individuals in wheelchairs.
I also had a lot of difficulty finding biographical information on the authors. A couple the books had a small “about the author” paragraph, such as Rolling Along. For others, like My Buddy, the only clue I had as to who the author was was her dedication in the back cover. The author of Arnie and the New Kid actually has her own website; unfortunately, it provided very little biographical information that would allow me to be sure whether or not she was an insider or an outsider or if she had had any contact with insiders that would especially qualify her to write a book about someone with a physical disability. In the end, I believe I was able to find enough information on the authors to decide something about their credibility. I would have liked to find much more though.
Overall, all five of these texts would be, in my opinion, positive additions to a classroom library. Some, like Howie Helps Himself, may require scaffolding to deal with outdated terms, but it is worth it to allow students to see windows to other people and mirrors of themselves in their literature.
They all deal with a similar issue from different vantage points and for different purposes, so all five books in the set are important in their own right.
I do wish I had been able to find more recent books. My library at home did not have anything more recent than the ones I found. I did end up with one book from 2000, but the other books ranged all the way back to 1975. I think the set I have can still be used with children today, but, either before or after the books are read, an adult should have a discussion with the student about the outdated phrases such as “handicapped”. Perhaps a parent or a teacher can explain why that term is no longer used and what is used today when talking about individuals in wheelchairs.
I also had a lot of difficulty finding biographical information on the authors. A couple the books had a small “about the author” paragraph, such as Rolling Along. For others, like My Buddy, the only clue I had as to who the author was was her dedication in the back cover. The author of Arnie and the New Kid actually has her own website; unfortunately, it provided very little biographical information that would allow me to be sure whether or not she was an insider or an outsider or if she had had any contact with insiders that would especially qualify her to write a book about someone with a physical disability. In the end, I believe I was able to find enough information on the authors to decide something about their credibility. I would have liked to find much more though.
Overall, all five of these texts would be, in my opinion, positive additions to a classroom library. Some, like Howie Helps Himself, may require scaffolding to deal with outdated terms, but it is worth it to allow students to see windows to other people and mirrors of themselves in their literature.
They all deal with a similar issue from different vantage points and for different purposes, so all five books in the set are important in their own right.
Review: Professional Resource
Hopkins, Carol J. “Developing Positive Attitudes towards the Handicapped through Children’s Books.” The Elementary School Journal Sept. 1980: 34-39.
"Developing Positive Attitudes" is a journal article about the kinds of things teachers and students can do in the classroom to help foster positive attitudes by and about people with disabilities. The most prominent recommendation made by the author of this article is to provide disabled and non-disabled students the opportunities to read stories with positive messages that feature people with disabilities. That way all students will either see themselves or someone in their community in the book, and will be able to learn about disability in a non-threatening way.
Because of the year in which this article was written, the term “handicapped” is used; however, it is meant in the most respectful of manners. That being said, this article helped me think about the benefits of having a well-rounded and multi-cultural classroom library. I feel very strongly that all children should have at least one story that they identify with, and, for students with physical disabilities, that may be a book where the main character uses a wheelchair. But, in the end, it is extremely important for those characters to be “real people”; the story should be about them as people as much as it is about them as people with disabilities. To that end, Hopkins writes that good books to include in a book set dealing with people with disabilities are books where, “The handicapped are realistically portrayed as productive members of society who contribute much to the lives of their families and friends” (38).
Is it possible to have a really well-written book that should be included in a multi-cultural library that does not portray characters with disabilities as “normal” members of society that do everything people without disabilities do? I am curious as to what people think about that notion.
"Developing Positive Attitudes" is a journal article about the kinds of things teachers and students can do in the classroom to help foster positive attitudes by and about people with disabilities. The most prominent recommendation made by the author of this article is to provide disabled and non-disabled students the opportunities to read stories with positive messages that feature people with disabilities. That way all students will either see themselves or someone in their community in the book, and will be able to learn about disability in a non-threatening way.
Because of the year in which this article was written, the term “handicapped” is used; however, it is meant in the most respectful of manners. That being said, this article helped me think about the benefits of having a well-rounded and multi-cultural classroom library. I feel very strongly that all children should have at least one story that they identify with, and, for students with physical disabilities, that may be a book where the main character uses a wheelchair. But, in the end, it is extremely important for those characters to be “real people”; the story should be about them as people as much as it is about them as people with disabilities. To that end, Hopkins writes that good books to include in a book set dealing with people with disabilities are books where, “The handicapped are realistically portrayed as productive members of society who contribute much to the lives of their families and friends” (38).
Is it possible to have a really well-written book that should be included in a multi-cultural library that does not portray characters with disabilities as “normal” members of society that do everything people without disabilities do? I am curious as to what people think about that notion.
Book Review: "My Buddy"
Osofsky, Audrey. My Buddy. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1992.
My Buddy is the story of a little boy and his service dog, Buddy. The boy has muscular dystrophy and Buddy is his “arms and legs”. With Buddy around, the main character can do things without his parents constantly around helping him. Whether he is at school or home, he can do things on his own, with Buddy by his side always.
This book gives yet another perspective for children with disabilities. It is important for students who may need or already have a Service Dog to understand that it is a good thing, not to be embarrassed about, and that they are not alone. On the other hand, students without disabilities need to understand that a Service Dog is a working animal like guide dogs for people that are blind. When they understand their purpose, students will be more likely to leave them be and resist petting. This story is accurate and authentic, as it was based on the experiences of Scott LeRoy and his buddy, Rex. Scott and Rex were the first pair helped by Canine Companions for Independence in Minnesota. While Osofsky is not an insider, she worked closely with Scott, who is an insider, when writing this book.
For more information on Scott LeRoy (the inspiration for My Buddy) and the Canine Companions for Independence check out this link: http://www.ccimn.org/scott_leroy.htm
My Buddy is the story of a little boy and his service dog, Buddy. The boy has muscular dystrophy and Buddy is his “arms and legs”. With Buddy around, the main character can do things without his parents constantly around helping him. Whether he is at school or home, he can do things on his own, with Buddy by his side always.
This book gives yet another perspective for children with disabilities. It is important for students who may need or already have a Service Dog to understand that it is a good thing, not to be embarrassed about, and that they are not alone. On the other hand, students without disabilities need to understand that a Service Dog is a working animal like guide dogs for people that are blind. When they understand their purpose, students will be more likely to leave them be and resist petting. This story is accurate and authentic, as it was based on the experiences of Scott LeRoy and his buddy, Rex. Scott and Rex were the first pair helped by Canine Companions for Independence in Minnesota. While Osofsky is not an insider, she worked closely with Scott, who is an insider, when writing this book.
For more information on Scott LeRoy (the inspiration for My Buddy) and the Canine Companions for Independence check out this link: http://www.ccimn.org/scott_leroy.htm
Book Review: "Arnie and the New Kid"
Carlson, Nancy. Arnie and the New Kid. New York: Puffin Books, 1990.
Arnie and the New Kid is about Philip, who is the new boy in school. But, because he is in a wheelchair, Arnie makes fun of him. One day, while Arnie is teasing Philip, he falls and breaks his leg. For the first time in his life, Arnie feels what it is like to be made fun of for not being able to get around as fast or do things without help.
This picture book’s message is a good one, albeit somewhat forced. Students without disabilities get a small taste of what it would be like if suddenly they needed other people to open the door for them occasionally or if they weren’t able to walk up stairs anymore. When students learn about empathy and they learn to put themselves in other people’s shoes, they will be less likely to make fun of people they see as “different” from them. The characters in this book are dogs, cats, and rabbits. I wonder if the fact that humans are not featured in this story will make the story seem less realistic, or less likely to happen I real life, to the readers.
Nancy Carlson said on her website that her mission is to teach “kids about themselves with fun drawings and a few good words.” This is certainly what she does with the story of Arnie and Philip and their new friendship.
Here is the link to the author's personal website http://www.nancycarlson.com/
Arnie and the New Kid is about Philip, who is the new boy in school. But, because he is in a wheelchair, Arnie makes fun of him. One day, while Arnie is teasing Philip, he falls and breaks his leg. For the first time in his life, Arnie feels what it is like to be made fun of for not being able to get around as fast or do things without help.
This picture book’s message is a good one, albeit somewhat forced. Students without disabilities get a small taste of what it would be like if suddenly they needed other people to open the door for them occasionally or if they weren’t able to walk up stairs anymore. When students learn about empathy and they learn to put themselves in other people’s shoes, they will be less likely to make fun of people they see as “different” from them. The characters in this book are dogs, cats, and rabbits. I wonder if the fact that humans are not featured in this story will make the story seem less realistic, or less likely to happen I real life, to the readers.
Nancy Carlson said on her website that her mission is to teach “kids about themselves with fun drawings and a few good words.” This is certainly what she does with the story of Arnie and Philip and their new friendship.
Here is the link to the author's personal website http://www.nancycarlson.com/
Book Review: "Howie Helps Himself"
Fassler, Joan. Howie Helps Himself. Illinois: Albert Whiteman & Company, 1975.
Howie Helps Himself is the story of Howie, a regular little boy. He loves chocolate ice cream, he plays with his dad and his sister, Linda, and he goes to school every morning. But, Howie also has cerebral palsy and he is struggling with being able to “zoom around in his wheelchair without any help at all.” He continues to practice and practice, getting help from his teachers and parents, as he watches his friends zooming around the classroom, until one day Howie gets strong enough to finally help himself.
Carol J. Hopkins writes in an article for The Elementary School Journal that Howie Helps Himself is “about a boy whose emotions can be recognized by many children, no matter what their experience with handicaps has been” (35). This is a very positive aspect of this book. Howie’s frustration and sadness are not emotions only children with cerebral palsy will feel and so this makes Howie identifiable to all students. Subsequently, students without disabilities see Howie as a kid just like them, but a little different.
This book shows the struggles that the main character had with his wheelchair; this allows readers who perhaps are having a hard time in physical therapy know they are not alone. Plus, it can give students without disabilities a glimpse into the difficulties their peers with disabilities might have, causing them to think twice before they make fun of them. The author’s note at the beginning of the book can be helpful for readers to understand the book’s purpose. It explains what Fassler hopes insiders and outsiders will receive from reading this text. Joan Fassler is a Ph. D who, at the time this book was published, worked at the Child Study Center of Yale University studying children with cerebral palsy. Therefore, while not being an insider herself, she has been trained to understand that kinds of things Howie would have to go through, making this book accurate.
Because of the date this book was written it uses the word “handicap” to describe Howies’s situation. This is not done as a gesture of disrespect, since that was the term widely used at the time. However, this is not the term used today. Rather, Howie would be referred to as a “person with a disability”. Another interesting thing that may also be a product of the times is the stereotypical nature of some of the illustrations. When Howie is shown at school, all the students seem to be in costume and one particular child is dressed like a Native American. But, the costume only consists of a single feather on his head. Also, the African American characters all are drawn with afros. These visual stereotypes could be offensive to insiders of those groups. These two issues can and should be addressed when children read the book so that certain stereotypes are not enforced in their minds.
Hopkins, Carol J. “Developing Positive Attitudes towards the Handicapped through Children’s Books.” The Elementary School Journal Sept. 1980: 34-39.
Howie Helps Himself is the story of Howie, a regular little boy. He loves chocolate ice cream, he plays with his dad and his sister, Linda, and he goes to school every morning. But, Howie also has cerebral palsy and he is struggling with being able to “zoom around in his wheelchair without any help at all.” He continues to practice and practice, getting help from his teachers and parents, as he watches his friends zooming around the classroom, until one day Howie gets strong enough to finally help himself.
Carol J. Hopkins writes in an article for The Elementary School Journal that Howie Helps Himself is “about a boy whose emotions can be recognized by many children, no matter what their experience with handicaps has been” (35). This is a very positive aspect of this book. Howie’s frustration and sadness are not emotions only children with cerebral palsy will feel and so this makes Howie identifiable to all students. Subsequently, students without disabilities see Howie as a kid just like them, but a little different.
This book shows the struggles that the main character had with his wheelchair; this allows readers who perhaps are having a hard time in physical therapy know they are not alone. Plus, it can give students without disabilities a glimpse into the difficulties their peers with disabilities might have, causing them to think twice before they make fun of them. The author’s note at the beginning of the book can be helpful for readers to understand the book’s purpose. It explains what Fassler hopes insiders and outsiders will receive from reading this text. Joan Fassler is a Ph. D who, at the time this book was published, worked at the Child Study Center of Yale University studying children with cerebral palsy. Therefore, while not being an insider herself, she has been trained to understand that kinds of things Howie would have to go through, making this book accurate.
Because of the date this book was written it uses the word “handicap” to describe Howies’s situation. This is not done as a gesture of disrespect, since that was the term widely used at the time. However, this is not the term used today. Rather, Howie would be referred to as a “person with a disability”. Another interesting thing that may also be a product of the times is the stereotypical nature of some of the illustrations. When Howie is shown at school, all the students seem to be in costume and one particular child is dressed like a Native American. But, the costume only consists of a single feather on his head. Also, the African American characters all are drawn with afros. These visual stereotypes could be offensive to insiders of those groups. These two issues can and should be addressed when children read the book so that certain stereotypes are not enforced in their minds.
Hopkins, Carol J. “Developing Positive Attitudes towards the Handicapped through Children’s Books.” The Elementary School Journal Sept. 1980: 34-39.
Book Review: "Mama Zooms"
Cowen-Fletcher, Jane. Mama Zooms. New York: Scholastic, Inc, 1993.
Mama Zooms is a simple picture book about a little boy whose mother is a wheelchair user. It tells of all of his adventures while riding on his mama’s lap. He imagines her as everything from his racehorse, to a buckboard carriage, to a train, and even as a spaceship. But, at bedtime, “Mama is just my mama, and that’s how I like her best.”
By not giving the little boy in the story a name, this tale becomes universal. Any child with a parent that has a disability can put themselves into the story and find comfort knowing they are not alone. This book also stands out because the character in the story that uses the wheelchair is not the child, as is usually the case in children’s books. Cowen-Fletcher, I do not believe is a wheelchair user herself, which may account for the one-sided portrayal. The family experiences no hardships or struggles because mom has a disability. On the one hand, this is positive because it is a really a story of familial love and less a story of being disabled. However, to show life as it really is for families in this situation everything would not be wonderful all the time. At the same time, the overall happy tone of the book provides readers who live in families like this one a piece of hope that one day their lives will be happy and “normal” again. And, it tells children with a parent or a loved one who has a disability that the “zooming machine” they have to use now does not mean the person is any different.
Mama Zooms is a simple picture book about a little boy whose mother is a wheelchair user. It tells of all of his adventures while riding on his mama’s lap. He imagines her as everything from his racehorse, to a buckboard carriage, to a train, and even as a spaceship. But, at bedtime, “Mama is just my mama, and that’s how I like her best.”
By not giving the little boy in the story a name, this tale becomes universal. Any child with a parent that has a disability can put themselves into the story and find comfort knowing they are not alone. This book also stands out because the character in the story that uses the wheelchair is not the child, as is usually the case in children’s books. Cowen-Fletcher, I do not believe is a wheelchair user herself, which may account for the one-sided portrayal. The family experiences no hardships or struggles because mom has a disability. On the one hand, this is positive because it is a really a story of familial love and less a story of being disabled. However, to show life as it really is for families in this situation everything would not be wonderful all the time. At the same time, the overall happy tone of the book provides readers who live in families like this one a piece of hope that one day their lives will be happy and “normal” again. And, it tells children with a parent or a loved one who has a disability that the “zooming machine” they have to use now does not mean the person is any different.
Book Review: "Rolling Along: The Story of Taylor and His Wheelchair"
Riggio Heelan, Jamee. Rolling Along: The Story of Taylor and His Wheelchair. Atlanta: Peachtree Publishers, 2000.
Rolling Along: The Story of Taylor and His Wheelchair is a picture book put out by the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. It is the story of Taylor and his twin brother, Tyler. Taylor has cerebral palsy, and when he gets a wheelchair to replace his walker, he is allowed to experience physical freedom for the first time in his life. After some practice and hard work, Taylor is able to do things the rest of us take for granted, like going to the drinking fountain and playing sports with his brother.
Riggio Heelan paints Taylor as a “normal” little boy who does the same things his brother does. They “both like to eat chocolate ice cream, wrestle with each other, and watch the Chicago Bulls play basketball.” I think it is important that literature portray people with disabilities and people from various diverse groups as just another human being and not ‘different’ from everyone else. Riggio Heelan graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in occupational therapy and works with children with disabilities through the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. While she is not an insider per se, her background gives her the knowledge to write this story to be realistic and factual. Also adding to the realism of the story is the fact that the illustrations are, for the most part, chalk drawings, but the hands and faces of the human characters are actual photographs. The fact that real people are being depicted will enforce for young readers that this is not just a made-up story. This sweet story teaches readers, in a non-forceful way, about the effects wheelchairs can have on people’s lives and what personal freedom and mobility can mean to a child with cerebral palsy, or any other physical disability.
Rolling Along: The Story of Taylor and His Wheelchair is a picture book put out by the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. It is the story of Taylor and his twin brother, Tyler. Taylor has cerebral palsy, and when he gets a wheelchair to replace his walker, he is allowed to experience physical freedom for the first time in his life. After some practice and hard work, Taylor is able to do things the rest of us take for granted, like going to the drinking fountain and playing sports with his brother.
Riggio Heelan paints Taylor as a “normal” little boy who does the same things his brother does. They “both like to eat chocolate ice cream, wrestle with each other, and watch the Chicago Bulls play basketball.” I think it is important that literature portray people with disabilities and people from various diverse groups as just another human being and not ‘different’ from everyone else. Riggio Heelan graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in occupational therapy and works with children with disabilities through the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. While she is not an insider per se, her background gives her the knowledge to write this story to be realistic and factual. Also adding to the realism of the story is the fact that the illustrations are, for the most part, chalk drawings, but the hands and faces of the human characters are actual photographs. The fact that real people are being depicted will enforce for young readers that this is not just a made-up story. This sweet story teaches readers, in a non-forceful way, about the effects wheelchairs can have on people’s lives and what personal freedom and mobility can mean to a child with cerebral palsy, or any other physical disability.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Questioning the Text Discussion: Confessions of a Closet Catholic
In response to Erin’s Questioning the text post on Confessions of a Closet Catholic I am writing this blog.
I felt similarly to her as as I was reading this text. I would also consider my family "twice a year Catholics." I am technically Roman Catholic, I went to Catholic school from Kindergarten til I was a senior in High School, and I do believe in God. However, for me, at least I see myself as more spiritual than religious.
My family attends mass on Christmas Eve and Easter morning. It wasn't always like that. When I was in school I attended mass once a week during school and sometimes twice a week if we also went on Sundays. I think as I have grown up I have started to look at the human aspect of the Church (meaning the mortal institution) and I don't like what I see.
I disagree with a lot of what Church officials say Catholics believe in such as issues of gay rights and birth control. I was once told by a nun (my religion teacher in fact) that I was a "cafeteria Catholic" because I would pick and choose what I wanted to believe in and, so, I was going to hell. That is just one more thing I do not believe in.
So, for me, I could see where Justine's parents were coming from when they decided not to observe many of the old Jewish customs and traditions like keeping kosher. I know in my family, we still, for the most part, refrain from eating meat on fridays in Lent. I went to an all-girls Catholic high school and the nuns that made our hot lunchs would only make tuna sandwiches and mac and cheese on fridays. I had a lot of grilled cheese, veggie soups, and meat free pasta dishes as a child. We did it because my father (like Jussy's) grew up in a strict Catholic home. When my siblings and I grew up and learned the origins of some of the practices we chose for ourselves if we were going to continue. As I was always taught, the "no meat on fridays" thing was not even about sacrifice to remember Christ's eternal sacrifice of his life. In fact a MAN (the Pope), not God, ordered this to be a part of Catholic traditions. The fishing industry was not doing well and so the Pope told his followers that not eating meat on fridays during Lent made you a good Catholic. This caused people to seek out protein in the form of fish. It solved the problem. I am not saying all religious practices are flawed or based in lies, but a great many of them are based on human decrees. This means that Jussy choosing or not choosing to follow one of these human decrees does not mean she is any more or less "Jewish."
I still observe Catholic traditions as far as diet goes on Good Friday because of the nature of the day. (the actual day Jesus was crucified). But, even on that day...my mother had to go to church and kneel and pray from noon to 3pm (the approximate time Jesus suffered on the cross) when she was a child. My family always listened to Jesus Christ Superstar on the record player, sang, and cleaned the house in preparation for Easter. It was our tradition and it meant something to us. Kneeling on the Church floor did not. So, does that make my family less "Catholic" than someone who does go to church and sits in prayerful silence for 3 hours? Perhaps, but I do not think it makes my family worse people or any less spiritual or less loved my God.
I felt similarly to her as as I was reading this text. I would also consider my family "twice a year Catholics." I am technically Roman Catholic, I went to Catholic school from Kindergarten til I was a senior in High School, and I do believe in God. However, for me, at least I see myself as more spiritual than religious.
My family attends mass on Christmas Eve and Easter morning. It wasn't always like that. When I was in school I attended mass once a week during school and sometimes twice a week if we also went on Sundays. I think as I have grown up I have started to look at the human aspect of the Church (meaning the mortal institution) and I don't like what I see.
I disagree with a lot of what Church officials say Catholics believe in such as issues of gay rights and birth control. I was once told by a nun (my religion teacher in fact) that I was a "cafeteria Catholic" because I would pick and choose what I wanted to believe in and, so, I was going to hell. That is just one more thing I do not believe in.
So, for me, I could see where Justine's parents were coming from when they decided not to observe many of the old Jewish customs and traditions like keeping kosher. I know in my family, we still, for the most part, refrain from eating meat on fridays in Lent. I went to an all-girls Catholic high school and the nuns that made our hot lunchs would only make tuna sandwiches and mac and cheese on fridays. I had a lot of grilled cheese, veggie soups, and meat free pasta dishes as a child. We did it because my father (like Jussy's) grew up in a strict Catholic home. When my siblings and I grew up and learned the origins of some of the practices we chose for ourselves if we were going to continue. As I was always taught, the "no meat on fridays" thing was not even about sacrifice to remember Christ's eternal sacrifice of his life. In fact a MAN (the Pope), not God, ordered this to be a part of Catholic traditions. The fishing industry was not doing well and so the Pope told his followers that not eating meat on fridays during Lent made you a good Catholic. This caused people to seek out protein in the form of fish. It solved the problem. I am not saying all religious practices are flawed or based in lies, but a great many of them are based on human decrees. This means that Jussy choosing or not choosing to follow one of these human decrees does not mean she is any more or less "Jewish."
I still observe Catholic traditions as far as diet goes on Good Friday because of the nature of the day. (the actual day Jesus was crucified). But, even on that day...my mother had to go to church and kneel and pray from noon to 3pm (the approximate time Jesus suffered on the cross) when she was a child. My family always listened to Jesus Christ Superstar on the record player, sang, and cleaned the house in preparation for Easter. It was our tradition and it meant something to us. Kneeling on the Church floor did not. So, does that make my family less "Catholic" than someone who does go to church and sits in prayerful silence for 3 hours? Perhaps, but I do not think it makes my family worse people or any less spiritual or less loved my God.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
The View
Hello everyone,
I just wanted to bring something to light. I caught a little bit of The View this morning and one of the "hot topics" the panel discussed was about The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter. I thought it was interesting because we talked about this book at the beginning of the semester when we covered Native American Literature. What they talked about in particular was that the book was on Oprah's Book Club and once it was revealed that Carter had affiliations with the KKK it was removed from the list. One point I found interesting was that the panel was under the impression that Oprah knew about Carter's background before she added the book to the list in the first place. So, why take it off now? It was an interesting conversation.
Whoopi Goldberg was adament that for her the art is separate from the artist, and that if the book is good and well written it should not matter who the author is.
I think this topic also gets at our insider - outsider debate.
I am curious to know what other people think about this issue and if you want to read more about it here is a link to an Associated Press article http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hn9MPi92q2bX2QxOxZ5hRLrwaPywD8SOGA601
I just wanted to bring something to light. I caught a little bit of The View this morning and one of the "hot topics" the panel discussed was about The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter. I thought it was interesting because we talked about this book at the beginning of the semester when we covered Native American Literature. What they talked about in particular was that the book was on Oprah's Book Club and once it was revealed that Carter had affiliations with the KKK it was removed from the list. One point I found interesting was that the panel was under the impression that Oprah knew about Carter's background before she added the book to the list in the first place. So, why take it off now? It was an interesting conversation.
Whoopi Goldberg was adament that for her the art is separate from the artist, and that if the book is good and well written it should not matter who the author is.
I think this topic also gets at our insider - outsider debate.
I am curious to know what other people think about this issue and if you want to read more about it here is a link to an Associated Press article http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hn9MPi92q2bX2QxOxZ5hRLrwaPywD8SOGA601
Friday, October 19, 2007
Little House on the Prairie
I just finished reading the Kuhlman article Fifth Graders' Reactions to Little House on the Prairie (2000).
Some things struck me as I read. First of all, I understand the concern teachers and some students may have about the way Native Americans are protrayed in the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. However, as I always understood it the books, the first one in particular, were written primarily from the point of view of Laura, a little girl girl no older than seven years old. I wonder how much a child of that age would actually know about social justice and not being prejudiced. It is entirely possible that she saw the Indian's as scary simply because her parents thought that and so that is the way she remembers the story. As an older woman writing the series she could have rewritten her memories to include a more fairminded portrayal of the Osage Indians, but she did not choose to do that. I think this series (one I loved as a child and am still a fan of) can be loved by a whole new generation of kids as well with a little guidance as to the Native Americans' side of the story. I think it can also be brought up to the students or other children reading the book that they are often from the viewpoint of a little girl perhaps even younger than themselves.
Secondly, a personal pet peeve of mine is people that do not expect much out of others. For instance, in this article the author seems to imply that everyone that reads this book series is completely blind to the negative stereotypes being portrayed in the Indian characters because that reader has been inundated with these images so much they no longer recognize them. Kuhlman says on page 390 of the article that, "the very fact that [white readers] don't remember and don't think they were impacted is because they were part of the privileged group that do not see anything amiss by the fear and hatred of Indians and their belief that the eventual 'routing out' of 'those people' was normal." I think blanket statements like these are unfair and they do not give people enough credit. She is saying here that people who claim not to have been influenced in their views of Indians from a children's book series are actually so socialized to believe the worst about Indians that they do not even notice anything wrong with the portrayal. And, that I do not agree with. I think a lot more people, especially today, are conscious of social justice in all forms of media and entertainment, including literature.
Some things struck me as I read. First of all, I understand the concern teachers and some students may have about the way Native Americans are protrayed in the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. However, as I always understood it the books, the first one in particular, were written primarily from the point of view of Laura, a little girl girl no older than seven years old. I wonder how much a child of that age would actually know about social justice and not being prejudiced. It is entirely possible that she saw the Indian's as scary simply because her parents thought that and so that is the way she remembers the story. As an older woman writing the series she could have rewritten her memories to include a more fairminded portrayal of the Osage Indians, but she did not choose to do that. I think this series (one I loved as a child and am still a fan of) can be loved by a whole new generation of kids as well with a little guidance as to the Native Americans' side of the story. I think it can also be brought up to the students or other children reading the book that they are often from the viewpoint of a little girl perhaps even younger than themselves.
Secondly, a personal pet peeve of mine is people that do not expect much out of others. For instance, in this article the author seems to imply that everyone that reads this book series is completely blind to the negative stereotypes being portrayed in the Indian characters because that reader has been inundated with these images so much they no longer recognize them. Kuhlman says on page 390 of the article that, "the very fact that [white readers] don't remember and don't think they were impacted is because they were part of the privileged group that do not see anything amiss by the fear and hatred of Indians and their belief that the eventual 'routing out' of 'those people' was normal." I think blanket statements like these are unfair and they do not give people enough credit. She is saying here that people who claim not to have been influenced in their views of Indians from a children's book series are actually so socialized to believe the worst about Indians that they do not even notice anything wrong with the portrayal. And, that I do not agree with. I think a lot more people, especially today, are conscious of social justice in all forms of media and entertainment, including literature.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Pura Belpre
The Pura Belpre award is named after Pura Belpre, the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. "The award was established in 1996 and is presented to a Latino/Latina (people whose heritage eminates from any of the Spanish speaking cultures of the Western Hemisphere) writer and illlustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth" (American Library Association). The award is given out bi-annully and is co-sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). The books considered for this award must be published in either the U.S. or Puerto Rico and must be either/or both English and Spanish. The committee to select these books must be members of the ALA and are preferablly Spanish speakers.
Some 2006 Pura Belpre Award Winners:
For Narrative:"The Tequila Worm" by Viola Canales
For Illustration"Dona Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart" by Raul Colon
One of our class books, "Becoming Naomi Leon" by Pam Munoz Ryan, is a Pura Belpre Honor book for it's narrative.
To research this award more go to:http://www.ala.org/
Some 2006 Pura Belpre Award Winners:
For Narrative:"The Tequila Worm" by Viola Canales
For Illustration"Dona Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart" by Raul Colon
One of our class books, "Becoming Naomi Leon" by Pam Munoz Ryan, is a Pura Belpre Honor book for it's narrative.
To research this award more go to:http://www.ala.org/
Friday, September 28, 2007
Muslim Stereotypes in the Media
I have never seen the FOX television show '24' but from an article I recently read I can see why Muslims and other Arab people may take offense to the portrayal of Muslims on the show as terrorists. Unfortunately, I do not see anything changing because the network has already issued a statement saying they have not singled out any ethnic or religious group in their portrayal of the main characters' enemies. Also, FOX has so much money and teams of lawyers behind them that the interests of individuals is not that high on their list of concerns.
This article got me thinking about other negative images of Muslims and Arabs in American media. One example that is particularly disturbing to me because it is targeted at children comes from the Disney movie, Aladdin. The first song in the movie is called "Arabian Nights" and the first few lines of it as they appear in the film are as follows: "Oh I come from a land, from a faraway place / Where the caravan camels roam / Where it's flat and immense / And the heat is intense / It's barbaric, but hey, it's home." First of all, it calls the Arabian Peninsula "barbaric" but that is not even the worst part. The original lyrics that were changed at the behest of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee were: "Oh I come from a land, from a faraway place / Where the caravan camels roam / Where they cut off your ear / If they don't like your face / It's barbaric, but hey, it's home." It is appalling that the people responsible for making this movie for children would perpetuate that kind of a stereotype on purpose.
I truly hope that we are becoming less ignorant about these issues and this type of media representation will become less frequent.
This article got me thinking about other negative images of Muslims and Arabs in American media. One example that is particularly disturbing to me because it is targeted at children comes from the Disney movie, Aladdin. The first song in the movie is called "Arabian Nights" and the first few lines of it as they appear in the film are as follows: "Oh I come from a land, from a faraway place / Where the caravan camels roam / Where it's flat and immense / And the heat is intense / It's barbaric, but hey, it's home." First of all, it calls the Arabian Peninsula "barbaric" but that is not even the worst part. The original lyrics that were changed at the behest of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee were: "Oh I come from a land, from a faraway place / Where the caravan camels roam / Where they cut off your ear / If they don't like your face / It's barbaric, but hey, it's home." It is appalling that the people responsible for making this movie for children would perpetuate that kind of a stereotype on purpose.
I truly hope that we are becoming less ignorant about these issues and this type of media representation will become less frequent.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Insider/Outsider Debate
Coming up this week in class we are going to devote a good deal of time to discussing the insider/outsider debate regarding who best to author multicultural literature. To prepare for this debate I read 4 articles that are part of an ongoing discussion about the true definition of multicultural literature. The Cai article we read described three different definitions: it is literature that covers all different cultures, focuses on people of color, or that all literature is in fact multicultural in nature.
After reading the articles I am more unsure than before what exactly the definition should be and I am also not settled on whether or not having a member of the discussed group write the book is better than having a knowledgeable outsider as the writer. I do agree with Sims Bishop that "you have to know a culture intimately if you're going to reflect it accurately in your fiction." But, I see no reason that someone who is not necessarily Native American can't write a good quality book about that culture and way of life. It may be a little more time consuming and require more research, but as long as the person is learned and qualified than the outsider works. Harris says something similar to this when she states that outsider authors can write quality multicultural literature if "they are experts in literacy...they are informed about the group's literature, and they possess the critical consciousness that enabled them to assess the literature in a forthright manner." However, even a scholar like Harris sees the difficulties in this debate when she comments, "others have spoken for them far too long and they need to speak for themselves."
I am looking forward to discussing this difficult issue further with my classmates and colleagues this week because it will give me more than my own perspective and opinions to go on. If the literary scholars that wrote these articles have trouble deciding the right answer than I am not surprised the issue it tricky for me.
After reading the articles I am more unsure than before what exactly the definition should be and I am also not settled on whether or not having a member of the discussed group write the book is better than having a knowledgeable outsider as the writer. I do agree with Sims Bishop that "you have to know a culture intimately if you're going to reflect it accurately in your fiction." But, I see no reason that someone who is not necessarily Native American can't write a good quality book about that culture and way of life. It may be a little more time consuming and require more research, but as long as the person is learned and qualified than the outsider works. Harris says something similar to this when she states that outsider authors can write quality multicultural literature if "they are experts in literacy...they are informed about the group's literature, and they possess the critical consciousness that enabled them to assess the literature in a forthright manner." However, even a scholar like Harris sees the difficulties in this debate when she comments, "others have spoken for them far too long and they need to speak for themselves."
I am looking forward to discussing this difficult issue further with my classmates and colleagues this week because it will give me more than my own perspective and opinions to go on. If the literary scholars that wrote these articles have trouble deciding the right answer than I am not surprised the issue it tricky for me.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Hello TE 448
My name is Katie DeDene and I am a senior at Michigan State University. My plan is to graduate this May with a degree in Elementary Education and a specialization in Language Arts.
I am very interested in diverse literature and so am looking forward to this coming semester. I grew up in Detroit, Michigan and, while I am part of an ethnic group usually thought of as a majority, my family and I are definitely in the minority in my neighborhood. That being said, the "diversity" in my hometown is pretty much limited to African Americans and Caucasions. I did not have many opportunities as a child to encounter many other groups of people. When I graduate college and move back home for my internship I would like to bring some knowledge of diversity with me. That way, children that are like me, who are not given opportunities to meet a wide range of people, can learn about them by reading quality literature.
As I read the book selections in this course I hope to learn a little more about the various diverse groups that are covered and, hopefully, have some fun too.
I am very interested in diverse literature and so am looking forward to this coming semester. I grew up in Detroit, Michigan and, while I am part of an ethnic group usually thought of as a majority, my family and I are definitely in the minority in my neighborhood. That being said, the "diversity" in my hometown is pretty much limited to African Americans and Caucasions. I did not have many opportunities as a child to encounter many other groups of people. When I graduate college and move back home for my internship I would like to bring some knowledge of diversity with me. That way, children that are like me, who are not given opportunities to meet a wide range of people, can learn about them by reading quality literature.
As I read the book selections in this course I hope to learn a little more about the various diverse groups that are covered and, hopefully, have some fun too.
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