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.
Directions:
- 1) Read the required readings
- 2) Post a reading response –below this post!!
- 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 have to say, I think I enjoyed these two books the most up until now. I thought Elijah of Buxton was a perfect read for middle school age kids. I loved all the stories about his childhood, I thought it was very relatable and fun for an adolescent and an adult alike. I liked that it gave a lot of history but in a much easier to read way. I absolutely loved Elijah’s character. I thought he told his story in such a neat way and his perspective on things was so interesting. I felt for him every time he tried not to be too “fra-gile.” And the way that he wanted so badly to be grown up, the way so many kids think they should be, and he just really wasn’t there yet.
ReplyDeleteI thought Elijah’s relationship with the Preacher was interesting; you could tell that Elijah knew something was wrong but was still naïve enough to believe he was good. I have always had the assumption that black people were always on each other’s side. It made me proud when Elijah figured out what Chloe’s grown up talk was at the end and he went back for the baby. I did wonder, though, why she just had not told him to take the baby in the first place. Any ideas?
The Well was equally as interesting, I thought. I found it fascinating that a black family would be so forgiving and allow white people to drink their water. I have to say, if it were me, I think I would want them to suffer a little. For the first time they had an advantage over the white people and they did not take it. It just shows how much more of a heart they had than so many white people. Perhaps it was because they knew and had felt what it was like to be the one in misery; I think about the saying, “I would not wish this on my worst enemy.”
I turn the tables and think about the white families that had to rely on the Logan family and how that would have made them feel. For the first time they were not the ones with the power. They absolutely had to rely on a black family and how would that make them feel to not be the one rationing things. Had the well been on one of their properties, would they have been as generous and willing to share as the Logans were? And even after their generosity, there was still so much hatred toward them. I think if I was relying on someone so much, I would be a little more careful about how I treated them. Another saying comes to mind: “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.”
I rely enjoyed reading both of these books and if I were teaching a middle school literature or history class, I would certainly use either one of them.
Your connection to history and a real place in time is something that I picked up on the first time I read the book as well. I remember searching for the place on a map and researching the community. I became osessed with all the facts that I could find about this time and place. For me this book was a "window" in so many ways. Thanks for starting us out.
DeleteOh boy, I must be tired...second to the last line, it should say "I really enjoyed..."
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy Heidi’s interpretation of both of these books. Thanks for sharing Heidi! When I first opened this book, The Well, and saw its size, I thought it was going to be a very quick read without a lot of content. I was fooled. When I was finished with this book, I realized that in ninety-two pages, they were able to focus on one main topic. Water. Who would have ever thought that water was so powerful? It was the very item that brought people together (in this book) and the very item that separated, almost a family. It demonstrated a different “side” of racial divide in the South. The water in the well was owned by a black family in Mississippi! The first page of the story tells us the kindness the Logan family gave to people in the community in which they lived. They truly did not judge people for the past, his/her skin color, or how they treated others but rather as humans. All living beings need water and that is how the Logan family viewed it. They were blessed to have the water, why not share it. On the flip side, I love that the book starts off with “Charlie Simms was mean, and that’s the true of it.” Immediately, it made me picture a young boy, protecting his family. How unusual that the author gives away the ending right in the first line of the book! As I read the last ten pages or so, when the folks in the community arrived and smelled that nasty smell, I started to worry that perhaps the Logan boys wanted revenge on Charlie and stuffed him in the well! I know, it is a sick thought but I knew that they were in trouble simply because of the color of their skin. I could picture Old Man Simms and the look he gave those boys and their mama. Eek! My mind went back and forth on who actually put the dead animals in the well and I love that you never really found out who did it either. This was a great book to show how different the times had become in Mississippi and also how parents "parented" their children back then too. Great discussion opportunity in this book for middle school aged students without having to get hung-up on the violence of slavery and the treatment of blacks in the south.
ReplyDeleteThen we have Elijah of Buxton where we get to meet this seemingly adorable little black boy from Canada who is as curious as a cat! I loved that he enjoyed playing tricks on his mother, knowing he could get in serious trouble but doing for the laugh. And, that he found himself in these situations so unusual for most, yet he thought he could handle making growing up decisions even when he wasn't mature enough to handle it. It also demonstrated a real innocence in this boy, questioning, wondering, trusting that what adults say/do is trustworthy because he assumes they want to do the right thing.
Your comments on Elijah and his fondness for playing tricks on his mother made me smile. It brought me back to the point in the book where the mother reaches into her sewing basket and the boys laughing and running to escape their comeuppance. However, it wasn't until I read your response juxteposed with Heidi's that the following thought occured to me. Heidi reminded us of Elijah's constant use of the term "fra-gile". When I think of this reoccurring attention to "fra-gile" and then think of the many examples of how the many adults in his life also demonstrated how they were "fra-gile" I am suddenly struck by the irony in Elijah trying to figure out how being "fra-gile" is connected to being "grown-up". If you think about it each adult that he came in contact with in the story showed outward signs of being "fra-gile". I can't help but to think this is all a build up to the point when Chloe handed her baby to Elijah.
Deletesecond part of my entry:
ReplyDelete(sorry the internet disconnected me)
Anyway, as I was saying...
Heidi had mentioned the part about Mrs. Chole and her baby. Elijah tries so hard to save the day and convince people that everything will always turn out well. He tries so hard to believe that all people are good and will help him, even at the risk of their own lives. If only all of us could have a little more Elijah in us, imagine what the world could be?
Loved these books!
Mindy,
DeleteI'm glad you mentioned this! I think Elijah is truly an inspirational character! He has so much spirit. He keeps people motivated and always tries to see the best in people; a characteristic I think so many of us today lack!
Heidi and Mindy, as I was reading your replies I felt like we were sitting around Mindy’s kitchen table again! You both have great interpretations of these books! Thank you both for sharing!
ReplyDeleteSince I grew up in the country whenever we ran out of flour, eggs or anything while cooking I was always running over to the neighbors to to borrow those things so I instantly connected to The Well. It brought me back to my childhood memories! I still wave at my parents neighbors when I drive by and think back to all of the great memories of them!
I instantly thought so highly of the Logan family. They were so strong by not taking advantage over them but forgiving and allowing white people to drink their water. Heidi, I like how you thought about the saying, “I would not wish this on my worst enemy.” For some reason I thought about the saying “Keep your friends close but your enemies closer..”
As Heidi turned the tables... would the white family have been as willing to share? As we talk about “not biting the hand that feeds you...” do you think the white people “would be calling the kettle black? if they were put in the same situation”
Mindy, I agree with your thoughts on the power of water... The power of bringing two groups together while tearing another apart. I loved how the Logan family did not judge people for which they lived. They are a great example of the power of change. I also started to panic at the end when the community was arriving and smelled that smell (I could also smell it or was that the ‘cat’ in my parents garage... Inside story with Heidi and Mindy.. haha). The discussion opportunity in this book is endless!
Heidi, I also loved all the stories about Elijahs childhood. What a great way for others to relate and connect while still giving history in a easy read. I also could feel for Elijah every time he tried not to be too “fragile.” As I still wonder why she had not told him to take the baby in the first place as well... I connected to Elijah because I too believe that all people are good so when I find something that is not as a good of a character than I thought it is hard for me to believe. Elijah trying to save the day reminds me of all my first graders who are constantly loving, caring and positive! Their lives are perfect and they help make mine better everyday just like Elijah!
Mindy, Elijahs personality was as curious as a cat! He did love playing those tricks even though he knew he could get in serious trouble... Sometimes the laugh is totally worth it! haha I just love when you laugh so hard it feels like you just left the gym after doing 909 sit ups! This boy showed show much character.
Two great reads!!
Cadi,
DeleteI can totally relate to the neighbor thing! I also grew up in the country and we did the exact same thing! I think the most recent thing I borrowed was a teaspoon of vanilla:)
I like to do experiments on myself. What would it be like to participate in a discussion about a book that I had not read with my own eyes but just listened to instead, the way some struggling readers do in our classes? So I got a CD of Elijah of Buxton and just listened to it. Let’s see how this works! I note what all of you said regarding the theme of being “fragile” in Elijah of Buxton. It brought my thoughts back to the other books we read about slaves - If you were fragile, you didn’t make it. Perhaps the author means for us to contemplate that. Former slaves might well have been preoccupied with the idea of being fragile because of the brutal history of their circumstances.
ReplyDeleteWhat I liked most was the way the author drew a picture of an innocent time, actually a more simple time with a slower pace. Fishing, swimming/bathing in a pond, practicing shooting rocks, playing practical jokes, exploring, just passing the time in ways we never do anymore. I’m going to make a prediction: the images of the simple, innocent youth of Elijah will be used later in the book to draw a stark contrast with the harsh reality of slave life. I’m also guessing all the time Elijah spent perfecting his stone throwing skills will come in handy later in the story.
Think of what skills most kids cultivate with their free time today: computer gaming? Pressing the remote control? Texting (or worse)? These or any other number of empty screen-related activities…how will they be useful when a time of testing comes in the future? I’d love to pose that question to kids against the backdrop of a story like this.
The Well sure was a contrast to the book above. I have the sense that the well in the story stands for so much more than just the place to go to for water, but I’m not exactly sure what it is. I know that water can be a symbol for many things, especially in Christianity – and there were many references to Christianity throughout the book. What the Simms boys did to the well was a representation of how the hate that existed poisoned the whole community.
Actually, this book is a kind of sermon, don’t you think? Several of you said that proverbs and sayings came to mind as you read it. I experienced the same thing. In fact, I think Mildred Taylor fashioned Mrs. Logan to have the “Wisdom of Solomon” (look him up). Here was some of his advice: “Those who guard their mouths and their tongues guard themselves from trouble.” Wasn’t that put into practice during the berating visits from the Simms? “A soft answer turns away wrath,” describes the way she handled Ma Rachel with the gun. “A gift opens the way for the giver.” That lesson was made clear in the way Mrs. Logan dealt with the sheriff. And finally, “Be sure of this: the wicked will not go unpunished!” She didn’t try to take vengeance into her own hands, but eventually those Simms boys got their due. What a wonderful way for kids to learn how to deal with the unjust – and the unjust will always be with you.
Wow, I really enjoyed reading all of your thoughts about Elijah of Buxton and The Well. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteBoth of these books have a lot to say about slavery but have given us a different point of view from the other books that we have read so far.
Mindy, you expressed how in The Well before you started reading you were thinking about how this is going to be an easy read. I also felt the same as you and when I was done as well I thought to myself…what a powerful story over something to us that we take for granted every day and to think that people were in need of it and still are today. Makes me think about the saying, “It’s the little things in life.” There were times in this book I was so mad at the Logan family for sharing their water with the white folks that needed is so badly. In my mind I was thinking to myself, I would tell them “no” and ask them how it feels to not have something that they really needed. Yet, bless the Logan family for opening their doors to others and respecting others for who they are and what they have done to them. This makes me think about my students and how we talk about when we met people in our lives that are mean to us and we truly dislike; we still need to respect him or her for who they are. I truly live and preach that. My mom would always tell me when someone was being mean to me in school, “To kill them with kindness.” People hate the feeling when they have not won.
And then there is Elijah who you can fall in love with his little “fragile” personality. I agree with what you said Cadi, how Elijah is always looking for the positives in everyone no matter if he knows them or not. Elijah is a great character and I feel that middle scholars will be able to relate to Elijah. I love when he hides a frog in his mom crocheting, it reminds me of something I would of done when I was a middle schooler.
Christine, I love how you brought in Elijah’s amazing ability in throwing stones and how he was able to use this skill in his life, for example throwing stones at fish for his family and others, so the could have dinner. I also agree with your comment in how today kids spend too much time on their phones texting, playing computer games, and watching T.V. These skills and abilities aren’t going to give these kids life long skills that they will be able to use in their life. This drives me bonkers!
I would also like to comment on the comprehension chapter in our textbook. First of all, I can’t stress this part of reading enough in my classroom. The “thinking,”
making meaning from print, and how powerful this can be. I love Rosenblatt’s reading transaction process!
Sorry, for getting this to you late. My grandma hasn’t been doing well, so I have been busy visiting her.
Lynsey,
DeleteI'm glad you brought up the point about how we take advantage of the fact that we so conveniently have running water everyday! I think about when our power would go out and because I grew up in the country, we wouldn't have running water. If we thought there might be a storm we would fill a few buckets of water before it was too late. I think back about how put out I felt about that. Wow how spoiled I feel now!
Lynsey, thanks for the thoughts that you shared. I hear what you say about the importance of making meaning. In Chpt. 3 it is pointed out that "Learning vocabulary does not necessarily improve reading comprehension." I think that would come as a suprise to a lot of people - I hadn't really thought about it myself. What are the most effective things you do in your classroom to increase comprehension?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I have also realized that these responses were supposed to relate to what we learned about culture and comprehension from our text (chapters 2 and 3). Nuts. So here’s an addendum to my previous entry. I loved reading The Well – couldn’t put it down, it was such a good book. But…and I’m just being honest here…I found it hard to believe it could have been like that in the south after the Civil War - that it wasn’t just segregated, but that long after the war anyone of African American descent was made a totally powerless prey. Then, watching the documentary about Emmitt Till made it clear to me that what was described in The Well was not the exception or an exaggeration. So I got new background knowledge and that changed how I saw The Well. The Logans, however generous and gracious, in fact really did not have a choice in sharing the water on their land. I missed that because of I didn’t have the cultural context to comprehend it.
Christine thanks for asking!
ReplyDeleteHere are some of the different ways that I check for comprehension in my classroom.
* During Daily 5, when students are reading to someone, they have a physical check mark that says, "check for understanding." During this time the person that is listening ask the reader questions throughout the book. Also, if students choose listening to reading, after the child listens to a story they fill out an activity sheet on the book.
* Before and after reading a story out of our basil reader, we talk about the story together as a class. Before we read the story we make predictions about what we think the story is going to be about, we also talk about a graphic organizer that we're going to fill out together as a class or the students are going to fill out themselves after reading the story.
These are just two ways that I use comprehension in my classroom but it's something that we're doing in my classroom all the time.
Lynsey,
ReplyDeleteAfter visiting your classroom I could tell you know your children very well!! Your comprehension checks are another great example of how you get to know your children! I love the graphic organizers! For another class I am taking I am having children organize information into different hullahoops on the floor then transfer that information onto their own organizer!
I love the hullahoop idea, I'm totally trying this!!!! THANKS FOR THE IDEA!
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