What have you discovered about children's literature for 3rd-8th graders during this course?
While I have discovered the importance of the different genres for children literature and have admired the creative ways the books visually tell the story through art and illustrations, I think the greatest discovery came from the fact that each are so incredibly relevant in a child’s learning and when placed in curriculum they are account for much of what a child takes away from the lesson. Non fiction, historical, realistic fiction and even picture books are able to transcend a child through time, to another place and allow him/her to activate prior knowledge or build background to anything that they are about to embark on.
What have you learned about yourself as a reader during this course?
I have learned that I have a great appreciation for non-fiction literature. I really thought non-fiction was boring and while I could see the value in it for research or documentation, I really did not give it much more credit. Hold the phone! Kids love learning about “stuff”, true facts about “stuff”, the right way to do “stuff”, not to mention seeing pictures about “stuff”. I used several non-fiction pieces in my unit this quarter and I was able to incorporate knowledge in the lessons, that may have otherwise been impossible had it not been for non-fiction books. I have also learned about myself that information from non-fiction books does not have to be ‘all or none’. I can select sections or pieces that fit into what I need to teach from reliable sources!
How did different classroom activities (such as book talks, face to face book clubs, on-line book clubs, reading each others' blog posts) impact your motivation to read?
I loved the classroom activities. I loved the book talks, although I do have to remember to shut my mouth sometimes and allow others a chance to speak. I do much better with face-to-face learning than on-line learning (learned that through Math 213 Geometry on-line….UGH! Another story!!....NO pun!!) Anything live is better for me!! As far as the Blogging goes…….it was too technical for me to find much enjoyment from it. However, anything that causes me to cry out in sheer horror and nearly throw my computer out into my front lawn deserves an extra look. I have learned a great deal from my Blogging experience, and when we learn from an experience aren’t we better people for it?
Which authors have stood out to you as high quality authors for this target audience? Why?
I really enjoyed Sharon Creech. I enjoyed her style of writing, first in Heartbeat and then in Ruby Holler. She seems to have a firm grip on kids and the life issues that they may be experiencing. A new find too was Gloria Whelan. I enjoyed her ability to write across cultures. I can only imagine what a wonderful asset her books may have in a classroom library. Sadly, I found the Zen picture books too late into the literature class. Jon J. Muth will defiantly be an author I keep an eye on for his tolerant, caring, and enlightening way of story telling!
What implications does your experience in this course have for your future teaching positions?
The implications this course will have on my future teaching position will be incredible. I have always loved reading and I dare say, that I think I am equipped with the tools to help my students “like” to read! This course has exposed us to several different genres, as well as hundreds of incredible authors. It has been so intriguing to see a author write in different ways. I want so badly to have a class library filled with literature that would appeal to every child. It has become my mission…….now, the financial implications of that could be disastrous!
