Guidelines for Online Literature Circle:
Welcome to your online literature circle posting site. Please use the “post comment” below for this group’s discussion only. This space will give you and the members in this group an opportunity to express your own opinions about theories, research, and content. You will also be able to read each other’s comments and give feedback.
- 1) Read the required readings
- 2) Post a reading response –below this space.
- 3) Reading Response entries should be at least 500-750 words.
- 4) Read all recent postings and give feedback (people in your literature circle group).
This is an opportunity for you to explore what you think is important, as well as, become active participants in your own learning by collaboratively problem solving and giving/getting appropriate feedback. This is your groups place to process meaning and develop understandings. Please feel free to respond to additional issues or questions that you feel are most relevant to your experiences and interests.
I thought we had a good discussion of our novels, Nightjohn and To Be a Slave. We had assigned ourselves to find quotes from each book and then a question from each book as part of our pre-discussion. I found that this form worked better than the predetermined "roles" that we had for the lit circles in class on Saturday. It was a little more "freeing" for me to comment on certain parts and really get to the "meat" of the story. I'm thinking that worked a lot better because we are all conscientious adults who were taking it fairly seriously. As a teacher who is starting lit circles in my new class next year, I think I'd definitely start with the assigned roles. Though, because they are sr. high students, I'll be lettting them assign within their groups. THEY will be responsible for handing out roles. I think this will give them more ownership of the whole process knowing that they are letting down their classmates, and not thumbing a nose at ME if they don't perform their tasks. Shocking, but this happens in sr. high. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if I need to rehash what we discussed in our group. I thought we all had very similar thoughts on the books in general. It was a good discussion with everyone contributing.
Jennifer,
DeleteFirst of all, you are so fast! Thank you for always doing such a nice job of getting us off and running.
You've brought up some interesting considerations as far as what to consider when thinking about providing a framework for literature circles (age and developmental level). I agree you don't have to "rehash" what you discussed. That would be counter productive.
I appreciate your thoughts on this and starting the process to think pedagogically about connecting literature with students. In my attempt to give you a heads up as to what is coming I might have mislead you with what I would like you to take up here. I am so sorry.
What I would like is for you and your group to conduct an online literature circle experience with the readings listed above. That means using the questions in the Assignment Guidelines (if you would like) to generate a response to the required readings for this week. Think of The Well and Elijah of Buxteton in relation to the requried chapters for this week (diversity and comprehension).
Later down the road, when we come back on campus (April 14) we will compare and contrast the different methods as options in our classrooms.
However, I also want you to know that if you responded quicly after hearing the video and wanted to capture your thoughts and come back to write your reading response at later time that is just fine as well. This space is not just limited to that. I just wanted to clarify.
Yes, I realized after the fact that this is probably the area for the lit discussions for the readings for today. In my zeal to start getting assignments done, I didn't fully process the directions. :)
DeleteOh no!! You did not do anything wrong. I want you to feel that you can use this space to talk about whatever the group deems important. I just wanted to make sure that you took up the readings as well. After reading your initial comments I could totally see why you wrote what you did. I feel that I set you up for that. You did not do anything wrong. In fact, it made perfect sense to me why you did what you did.
DeleteOK, the readings for today:
ReplyDeleteElijah was a wonder for me. As I was reading the two chapters in the textbook, I was struck by several things. THe first from chapter 2 was keeping the linguistic identity of the culture intact. As I was reading Elijah, the word "axe" kept popping up. Quite frankly, this word bothers me. That's probably not a culturally sensitive thing to say, but it does. So, seeing it there rubbed me the wrong way. Kind of like "ain't" or "I seen." Maybe it's just an English teacher thing. At any rate, I hadn't really thought of it in terms of keeping linguistic identity alive. I suppose that is true. I have found that it is mainly African Americans who use this word rather than "asked" and it's a cultural thing? I still have a hard time with it, but I have a little more "understanding" of where it comes from in this manner of thinking.
I also pulled out the phrasing from ch 2 about family values. That was alive and well in both books. You treat people with respect. You respect your elders and use manners at all times, no matter what else is being thrown at you. This was especially true for The Well.
"We read to feel we are not alone." I love this saying. I think it's so true and for so many different people or groups of people. We read about shared experiences and the things/thoughts we have in our own heads don't seem as remote or odd when we see them played out in a book. It's a way of keeping us connected to our past and bring us forward to our future. Reading a book has never been a solitary act for me. There are always other people there with me. Granted, they are in my head, but I don't feel alone. :) I'm sure we can all relate to that experience.
Schema was an interesting word. I definitely was out of my schema reading Elijah. I had honestly never heard of Buxton. It was fascinating for me to read about it and how people got there and lived and tried to bring others to them. It was heartbreaking reading about Mr. Leroy trying to buy his families freedom only to be taken in by the crooked Preacher and then dying himself, just as he was predicting would happen. BTW, that Preacher was written well. Made my skin crawl from the first time he was talking about tithing.
A lot of what I do as a teacher is gaining as much background information as I can about the works we are going to be reading. I have no idea what sort of information my students are going to come in with, so I try to prepare for questions, etc. they may have. This helps us maneuver through our more difficult texts together.
Rosenblatt came back into the picture and the whole reading transaction process resonated with me, especially the message the author intends. In literature especially, I always try to stress to my students that everyone will see/interpret things differently depending on their own experiences. Just because an author might INTEND for you to see it one way (based on their experiences) doesn't mean that if you see it differently it's wrong. It's just another way of looking at it. Literature isn't two dimensional. I see it as three D. It really depends on how you look at it and the tools you are using to look at it. We all come with different tools. THAT'S the exciting part for me.....seeing the different interpretations!!
Jennifer,
DeleteWow! That is my first response after reading your response. If you could see me right now you would see how your writing resonates within my soul. It has frozen me in my tracks. The words so powerfully written that they beg to be first, read aloud (yes, I did read parts of it aloud), and two, they need to hang in the air for moment. They need to "hang in the air" so that I can take some time to try and take them all in.
I am struck by how (in my opionion) you got right to the heart of "why" people read and write. I have spent the last couple of days working on our Govenor's Read to Lead bill. It is seeped in words such as complex cognitive processess, phonics, word study, phonemic awareness, fluency. Yes, as a reading specialist I know that all these things are important, but they are only the tools that we use to get to the end result- "we read to feel that we are not alone".
For you the power of the writing allowed you to make connections to people, places and time. I just want to thank you for reminding me of this very important aspect when I am so deep in the bureaucratic waters that I sometimes forget to see the tree in the forest. I also beg your forgiveness for venturing off track.
Sorry, I really do know how to spell governor.
DeleteJennifer,
DeleteAgain, it's a good thing for a new TED guy like me to have stumbled into a class with experienced teachers like you. Your observations as a teacher are valuable to me. I can easily slide into intellectual laziness, but the things you've written cause me to think about the readings--and future readings--more deeply as a teacher.
Your reminding us about "reading not to feel alone" resonates with me. That's been something important to me for years, whether reading something from today or a couple thousand years ago.
Thanks for the awesome thinking, and for "wrecking the curve" again.
Tony
I found myself very emotional in both The Well and Elijah. Throughout the stories, as I do in everything I read (for the most part), I found myself trying to imagine what I would have been like during those times or how I would have acted in certain situations. I honestly just thought, "Wow! What seriously generous people to share their well with EVERYONE, even the people who were down right rude to their faces." I felt that people in GENERAL could really learn something from this and especially kids of all ages. I thought it was a great message to do what is right and do what you would want others to do for you, DESPITE your differences. I absolutely loved Elijah and felt that he was brave and compassionate. I LOVE the point that Jennifer brings up about "axe"...that has ALWAYS really bothered me as well growing up in Philadelphia around a lot of African Americans and I would always just wonder and if I was close friends with them ASK them why they say "axe". I now have a some sort of understanding, like Jennifer mentioned, that this is "keeping a linguistic identity alive."
ReplyDeleteGoing off again what Jennifer mentioned, I felt very similar after reading ch. 2 and taking from that the manners, and respect of elders, NO MATTER WHAT! Our kids of ALL ages these days could really learn something from this. I feel as though today, a lot of kids are always on "the defense" and that gives them this attitude of "you can't tell me what to do" "you're not my mom" etc. I do understand that there are some instances where they have had very bad experiences that have shaped them to behave like this toward their elders, but sometimes I also think that it might be "culturally popular", meaning that they see people in movies, television or their peers acting that way and then imitate that same behavior. Do you get what I mean at all?
Another "lesson" that I kind of took from The Well was the fact that the Logan parents hold the kids Hammer and David responsible for THEIR actions! I have seen so many parents take the blame for what their children have WRONGLY done or "get them out of it" and this isn't teaching them ANYTHING (certainly not anything positive)!! The Logan Dad made them work on the Simms farm all summer. Did he like it? NO, but it was part of his children's punishment and he was going to hold them responsible for it. We are not doing kids ANY favors by "getting them out" of punishment or by "taking the blame for them". As a nanny for the past 8 years I have really tried to hold kids responsible for what they have done and always follow through with the consequences that I have said would be a result of their wrongdoing. I was very picky about the families that I would work for and would only work for families who believed in DISCIPLINE, because trust me, many DONT. I know this will be much more difficult when I am a teacher in school because I can't pick the students that I have or whether or not their parents discipline them at home. I can choose to build a strong sense of respect in my classroom and work very hard with the students to teach them that THEY are RESPONSIBLE for what THEY have done....good or bad. If they did a great job on their math test are the parents going to get the credit for it? Most likely, no. If they hit another student in class are their parents going to get the blame for it? No.
There were so many lessons in both of the books and the chapters that we read. All in all I really enjoyed the readings for this week and definitely took a lot out of them.
By the way, I have to tell you Jennifer, you are a truly amazing writer! I love reading what you write! :)
Oh Jori, I couldn't agree with you more about the Logan dad holding his kids responsible! Really, in both the books that stood out so much, but definitely the most in The Well. I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said in that paragraph! Well said!
DeleteAlso, thank you for the kind words. I find it funny when I get complimented like that because I just don't see it. Guess I'm too close to it. :)
Jori, it's good to hear you do the ranting about the young generation--I figured this is the week I should really take a break from it! (I already assumed you have very good values from talking with you.)
DeleteI'm also impressed that you found universal values in the books. Often, it seems that "black" literature is read as a way of further separating us from each other and the things that apply to all of us are missed. When that happens, what should lead us to understanding leads to more division.
Tony
Jori- I love what you wrote about respecting your elders. This has been a huge topic as of late in my school. I am just shocked at 8 year olds who have no trouble talking back and arguing with adults on a regular basis. What is happening in our society? More importantly, how can we change it?
ReplyDeleteThe good writing of both books seemed tied to universal truths and morality. While telling Black stories, they both rooted the message in messages that resonate across racial boundaries. Faith quietly served as the foundation of of morally good decisions. Twisted people performed the unconscionable acts—and the committing of unconscionable acts twists those who perform them.
ReplyDeleteThe Well was a book I found much easier to sink into, to lose my consciousness of reading a book for a class. At the end of the book, the largely immoral father of the Simms boys, Ed-Rose and Charlie, found some code of honor unbreakable. His sons’ breach was beyond even what his hatred could justify. This reminded me of the Emmett Till story, and of the real life murderers of Emmett Till, Milam and Bryant. The influential people of their county closed ranks and defended them, but afterward, there was also the unspoken knowledge that they’d all done something very wrong. Both found themselves ostracized, unable to rent land or get loans. Both lived out their lives in poverty. Not the punishment deserved, but some collective conscience existed and probably played some part in future change.
The reality that injustices aren't usually wrapped up neatly is clearly understood by these writers. (I took an advanced course in this lesson, when many of the Iraqi civilians I worked with in Baghdad were murdered, in every case with no justice for their killers.) Both Taylor and Curtis convey the message of moving forward, not sinking into hatred and cynicism, and trying to support good into a future that you may not see.
Elijah of Buxton was harder for me to be as involved in. I had trouble with what seemed like a “light” tone mixed with very serious content. Researching Curtis, I found he’s a writer I can respect, but somehow this style kept me a little distant. Maybe it’s my unfamiliarity with adolescent literature, or it could be that the cheerful-looking book jacket just threw me off. The real experiencing of genuine brutality and injustice makes changes in people that usually preclude a real light-heartedness. I did like that he wasn’t simplistic in his characters, that he showed we can all be brave and cowardly, moral and immoral at different times. We’re all betrayers at heart, after all.
Elijah of Buxton, I think, would be more difficult for me to teach than The Well. I’d have a much tougher time with clarity of message. But then, after hearing from the experienced teachers in our group, I also think this may push me to get out of my comfort zone and take this as a challenge.
Tony, I agree with the analysis of how these stories differ. THe message of moving forward and not sinking into cynicism or hatred is probably the heart of both stories. They were told very differently. I guess I didn't see the lighter tone of Elijah, but I love hearing different things people see in literature!
Delete(I've been sick this week so I'm catching up on everything a bit late- sorry for not being involved in your discussion guys!)
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading both Elijah of Buxton and The Well. I found them both to be good reads. Elijah of Buxton was a little slow to start but I ended up just loving the character of Elijah. I liked how there were themes in both books that modern day children could relate to in someway.
In Elijah of Buxton there was a lot about being brave and growing up, things that I think a lot students could relate to. Elijah seems a lot like modern day preteen boys, pulling pranks on his mother, talking his way out of trouble, justifying breaking the rules to himself. Making Elijah such a relatable character I feel made his discovery of slavery in America and the terrible things that people can be capable of even more hard hitting.
Elijah was relatively sheltered from the realities of slavery happening only a few miles away. When he discovered those slaves and how no one was able to help them, including himself, I felt that pain along with him. The senselessness of it, the questions of why? I think this was the authors aim, to have us discover slavery in bits and pieces through the eyes of frag-ile Elijah.
Elijah grows up a lot in the book, he’s forced to, because the world he lives in is a dangerous one. When we first meet Elijah he’s running down the road terrified by a story of snakes and by the end of the book he’s bring a baby out of a dangerous situation in slavery. He loses a lot of his innocence through these events, the Preacher and all the ways he cheats Elijah and Leroy, seeing Leroy die and making him the promise to kill the Preacher, and meeting slaves he cannot free.
While the realities of what slavery was back then are presented in this book, I think in the end there is some hope there. There is a place called Buxton, where people can be free. And even though most slaves weren’t lucky enough to escape, some did.
The Well has themes I think all students can relate to as well. The dangerous bullying that is done by the Simmses could be related to bullying that occurs in schools.
It really does a nice job of showing the injustice done to Africa Americans, even wealthy landowners. It was terrible to read about the mother having to whip her own children on the orders of MacCalister. The constant fear and how careful they had to be to their neighbors really showed how ingrained into everyday life the culture of racism was.
I also thought the character of George was interesting and could relate the book back to a discussion on bullying. George didn’t defend Hammer and David by backing up their story about the Simmses’ boys’ threat to poison the well. Obviously George had a lot more real things to be afraid of if he’d told the truth than witnesses of bullying do now, but the unfairness of his lie might help some students speak up about bullying.