Looking back at my blog posts from the beginning of the year, I noticed that my main goal going into this course was to learn about books that represent diversity in an accurate way. Throughout the course I was able to experience the difficulties that come with choosing literature that does this. Simply picking up a book that is written about a certain culture/group doesn't make it accurate. Several books that I have looked at in class have surprised me with the amount of stereotypes and incorrect language used within them. But, from taking this course, I now realize the importance of having books that are culturally diverse and know some ways in which I can incorporate them into my future classroom. Even if a book carries some stereotypes or generalizations, it can still be used as a teaching tool within the classroom.
Since it is so difficult to find accurately represented multicultural literature, I understand why it may not be present in many classrooms today. Teachers need to put in a lot of time and effort into finding books that they can put in their classroom library. Even though this is a difficult task, it bothers me that most teachers don't make this one of their biggest priorities, especially with the way most schools are composed today. Students want to read literature that they can relate to and if they continue reading books that have white characters and deal with problems they have never experienced, then they will most likely be turned away from reading as a whole. It is now my job, as a future teacher, to make sure that my classroom contains literature from a whole range of genres and cultures. Throughout this course I have been given the tools to start looking for accurate literature and now it is my turn search through sites and books to find ones to fill my library with.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Final Project Reflection
My final project focuses on people with disabilities within children’s literature. I am a special education major so I thought it was fitting that I learn more about this section of diverse literature. Going into the project I knew that I wanted to find and review books from a range of levels. I read one early childhood book, two early elementary books, and one late elementary-early middle school book. Without knowing it, I also chose books that had a range of severity of the disabilities represented within it. Two books dealt with Down syndrome, We’ll Paint the Octopus Red and My Friend Isabelle, one with Autism, Ian’s Walk, and one with only a physical disability, The Great Quarterback Switch. Each book portrayed the disability in a positive manner and I also found similar themes between the contexts of each.
One main similarity between three of the books was sibling relationships. The Great Quarterback Switch told the story of twin brothers. Neither of them were born with a disability but an accident caused one of the boys to be confined to a wheelchair. The story shows how a relationship can still be strong even after someone’s life is changed forever. We’ll Paint the Octopus Red shows how one child is expecting to do all these things with her new sibling but is unsure if she can since he was born with Down Syndrome. The story explains that with time and patience, her little brother will be able to do anything she wants him to do. Ian’s Walk describes the struggles and responsibility that may come with having a sibling with Autism. Throughout this heartwarming story, you can see the narrator’s growth of acceptance of her brother. Each of these books can be used for different circumstances but they all depict events that occur daily in people’s lives. These books can be beneficial to people who are going through similar situations as well as expose people to the way some families are.
Another similarity between a couple books was that they both dealt with Down syndrome. This issue is close to my heart because my cousin was born with Down syndrome and she is the one that made me want to get into special education. I found that these books were very accurate with their portrayal of children with Down syndrome and I would definitely recommend them, as well as have them in my own library.
Overall, this project has really opened my eyes as to how difficult it is to find diverse literature. So far this semester, we have been given books to read that are from specific multicultural groups. But, actually having to go out and find books on my own allowed me to experience what it will be like when I have my own classroom, which is definitely beneficial to me at this point in my college career.
One main similarity between three of the books was sibling relationships. The Great Quarterback Switch told the story of twin brothers. Neither of them were born with a disability but an accident caused one of the boys to be confined to a wheelchair. The story shows how a relationship can still be strong even after someone’s life is changed forever. We’ll Paint the Octopus Red shows how one child is expecting to do all these things with her new sibling but is unsure if she can since he was born with Down Syndrome. The story explains that with time and patience, her little brother will be able to do anything she wants him to do. Ian’s Walk describes the struggles and responsibility that may come with having a sibling with Autism. Throughout this heartwarming story, you can see the narrator’s growth of acceptance of her brother. Each of these books can be used for different circumstances but they all depict events that occur daily in people’s lives. These books can be beneficial to people who are going through similar situations as well as expose people to the way some families are.
Another similarity between a couple books was that they both dealt with Down syndrome. This issue is close to my heart because my cousin was born with Down syndrome and she is the one that made me want to get into special education. I found that these books were very accurate with their portrayal of children with Down syndrome and I would definitely recommend them, as well as have them in my own library.
Overall, this project has really opened my eyes as to how difficult it is to find diverse literature. So far this semester, we have been given books to read that are from specific multicultural groups. But, actually having to go out and find books on my own allowed me to experience what it will be like when I have my own classroom, which is definitely beneficial to me at this point in my college career.
Peer's Final Project Blogs
Looking through my peers' blogs about their final projects, I was surprised at the difficulty that many had finding books that represented their topic of choice. I feel as though areas that have such a diverse community should also have a library that represents the same diversity. I remember going to the library when I was younger and always picking out books that had to do with something I liked. Even at such a young age, children want to read what relates to their lives. But, if they cannot find anything on the shelves that do so, then they will probably turn away from reading as a whole.
We, as teachers, seriously need to take this issue into our own hands. I am still concerned with whether I will be able to choose literature that is 100% accurate but at least I know my students will be exposed to diverse content. I feel as though this is a new trend within teachers today and with the growing recognition of the need within schools, hopefully libraries and other teachers will catch on as well.
We, as teachers, seriously need to take this issue into our own hands. I am still concerned with whether I will be able to choose literature that is 100% accurate but at least I know my students will be exposed to diverse content. I feel as though this is a new trend within teachers today and with the growing recognition of the need within schools, hopefully libraries and other teachers will catch on as well.
Review-My Friend Isabelle
Woloson, Eliza. My Friend Isabelle. MD; Woodbine House, 2003.
My Friend Isabelle by Eliza Woloson shows a very positive representation of children with Down syndrome. Woloson wrote this book based on her own daughter, making her an insider author. The book is told from the perspective of Charlie who explains the similarities and differences between his friend Isabelle and himself. Isabelle is the same age as Charlie and also has Down syndrome. The writing in the story is not negative by any means, even when talking about the differences in the two children. The author does this by writing “Isabelle takes her time” and “Isabelle’s words are sometimes hard for me to understand” (Woloson 8, 10). What improves the book's strength is that Charlie also points out all the similarities he has to Isabelle as well. They both cry when they don't share, eat snacks together, and carry around toys. Through these descriptions of the two, the reader can see that even though Isabelle has a disability, she can still do all of the same activities as her friend.
My Friend Isabelle would be a great addition to any elementary classroom. Children can pick this up and see that Charlie and Isabelle are different just like they are different from their friends as well. The physical layout of the text on each page correlates with the content in the story which can make the book more appealing to young children who read it. The words swoop down the page when Charlie talks about playing on the slide and twirl around the page when he talks about dancing. It is through books like this and friends like Charlie and Isabelle that are “doing their small part to make the world a more tolerant place” (Woloson 27).
My Friend Isabelle by Eliza Woloson shows a very positive representation of children with Down syndrome. Woloson wrote this book based on her own daughter, making her an insider author. The book is told from the perspective of Charlie who explains the similarities and differences between his friend Isabelle and himself. Isabelle is the same age as Charlie and also has Down syndrome. The writing in the story is not negative by any means, even when talking about the differences in the two children. The author does this by writing “Isabelle takes her time” and “Isabelle’s words are sometimes hard for me to understand” (Woloson 8, 10). What improves the book's strength is that Charlie also points out all the similarities he has to Isabelle as well. They both cry when they don't share, eat snacks together, and carry around toys. Through these descriptions of the two, the reader can see that even though Isabelle has a disability, she can still do all of the same activities as her friend.
My Friend Isabelle would be a great addition to any elementary classroom. Children can pick this up and see that Charlie and Isabelle are different just like they are different from their friends as well. The physical layout of the text on each page correlates with the content in the story which can make the book more appealing to young children who read it. The words swoop down the page when Charlie talks about playing on the slide and twirl around the page when he talks about dancing. It is through books like this and friends like Charlie and Isabelle that are “doing their small part to make the world a more tolerant place” (Woloson 27).
Review-The Great Quarterback Switch
Christopher, Matt. The Great Quarterback Switch. Canada; Little, Brown & Company, 1984.
Matt Christopher’s, The Great Quarterback Switch is a fast pace sports book that incorporates diversity within the storyline. Christopher is not an insider author to PWD, but has written a significant amount of sports related books for children. This book revolves around twin boys named Tom and Michael. Michael is confined to a wheelchair after a car backed up into him while he was riding his bike. The twin boys learn that they can physically switch places through “Thought-Energy-Control” (Christopher 20) and begin switching during football games. Because of this, Michael can again experience the activities that he could do before his accident.
This book shows its audience that people with disabilities can still do the typical things that anyone else can do. After the accident, Michael did not go into depression and lose faith in what he enjoyed. He continued to support his brother and watched the sports that he once played daily. Matt Christopher does a good job of showing this particular point of view on life after a tragedy. Michael’s family and friends treat him like any other person in the book and that is important to portray to the reader. This book would most likely be only of interest to males because its main focus is sports, but it can definitely be used to teach appreciation and acceptance for people with disabilities as well.
Matt Christopher’s, The Great Quarterback Switch is a fast pace sports book that incorporates diversity within the storyline. Christopher is not an insider author to PWD, but has written a significant amount of sports related books for children. This book revolves around twin boys named Tom and Michael. Michael is confined to a wheelchair after a car backed up into him while he was riding his bike. The twin boys learn that they can physically switch places through “Thought-Energy-Control” (Christopher 20) and begin switching during football games. Because of this, Michael can again experience the activities that he could do before his accident.
This book shows its audience that people with disabilities can still do the typical things that anyone else can do. After the accident, Michael did not go into depression and lose faith in what he enjoyed. He continued to support his brother and watched the sports that he once played daily. Matt Christopher does a good job of showing this particular point of view on life after a tragedy. Michael’s family and friends treat him like any other person in the book and that is important to portray to the reader. This book would most likely be only of interest to males because its main focus is sports, but it can definitely be used to teach appreciation and acceptance for people with disabilities as well.
Review and Scolarly Review-Ian's Walk
Lears, Laurie. Ian's Walk: A Story About Autism. Albert Whitman & Company; Library Binding edition, March 1998.
Sayers, Bonnie. "Book Review: Ian's Walk." Autism Spectrum Disorders Site. Minerva WebWorks LLC, 2008.
Ian’s Walk: A Story About Autism by Laurie Lears is a touching story about a day’s events between two sisters and their brother who has Autism. The book uniquely describes Ian’s disability as simply being “different.” Julie, the middle sister and narrator of the story explains to the reader how Ian “smells things differently,” “hears things differently” and “sees things differently” (Lears). It is through her growth throughout the story that the reader can come to understand the difficulties that come with being a sibling to a child with Autism.
Bonnie Sayers, the editor of BellaOnline’s Autism Spectrum Disorders, describes the books realness of families with children with disabilities. “For any family affected by autism this is an emotional book that brings out the resentment and feelings of bitterness and jealousy by other siblings moving toward the love and tender feelings they share for one another” (Sayers). This point is extremely relevant to the context of the book as well as actual families of children with Autism. Ian’s Walk starts off showing feeling of resentment from Julie when she states that she needs to “watch him closely” when they all go out together (Lears). During their walk, Julie and Tara seem embarrassed by the way Ian stands and watches the ceiling fan or smells the bricks at the post office. But it isn’t until Ian disappears for a while that Julie recognizes the love and importance that Ian brings to her life. She begins to accept and allow him to do the things that make him happy, which shows her growth as a sister and friend to Ian.
This book should definitely be used in many settings, especially where children with disabilities are present. Sayers states “This is well suited for children in a classroom setting that might have a child with Autism mainstreamed or included in their class.” Sharing this story can help make people understand that even though at times someone else’s action can be embarrassing to you, it is important to appreciate the differences and accept people for what they can do/be.
SCHOLARLY REVIEW
Bonnie Sayers is a mother of two boys on the autism spectrum, making her an insider to the topic of Autism. She has been writing on the Autism Spectrum Disorder Site since 2005. While going through this website, I came to the realization that Sayers is really focused on giving information to families. She is concerned that some families may not know where to gain knowledge and teach their children about the disability. Through this site, parents are able to find books and reviews that relate to his topic. She states, "Parents´ helping other families is what support is all about. For many of us our own families are not in the picture and we gain insight and strength from those who have lived with autism on a daily basis." This site is definitely a resource that I would recommend to parents and teachers of children with disabilities.
Sayers, Bonnie. "Book Review: Ian's Walk." Autism Spectrum Disorders Site. Minerva WebWorks LLC, 2008.
Ian’s Walk: A Story About Autism by Laurie Lears is a touching story about a day’s events between two sisters and their brother who has Autism. The book uniquely describes Ian’s disability as simply being “different.” Julie, the middle sister and narrator of the story explains to the reader how Ian “smells things differently,” “hears things differently” and “sees things differently” (Lears). It is through her growth throughout the story that the reader can come to understand the difficulties that come with being a sibling to a child with Autism.
Bonnie Sayers, the editor of BellaOnline’s Autism Spectrum Disorders, describes the books realness of families with children with disabilities. “For any family affected by autism this is an emotional book that brings out the resentment and feelings of bitterness and jealousy by other siblings moving toward the love and tender feelings they share for one another” (Sayers). This point is extremely relevant to the context of the book as well as actual families of children with Autism. Ian’s Walk starts off showing feeling of resentment from Julie when she states that she needs to “watch him closely” when they all go out together (Lears). During their walk, Julie and Tara seem embarrassed by the way Ian stands and watches the ceiling fan or smells the bricks at the post office. But it isn’t until Ian disappears for a while that Julie recognizes the love and importance that Ian brings to her life. She begins to accept and allow him to do the things that make him happy, which shows her growth as a sister and friend to Ian.
This book should definitely be used in many settings, especially where children with disabilities are present. Sayers states “This is well suited for children in a classroom setting that might have a child with Autism mainstreamed or included in their class.” Sharing this story can help make people understand that even though at times someone else’s action can be embarrassing to you, it is important to appreciate the differences and accept people for what they can do/be.
SCHOLARLY REVIEW
Bonnie Sayers is a mother of two boys on the autism spectrum, making her an insider to the topic of Autism. She has been writing on the Autism Spectrum Disorder Site since 2005. While going through this website, I came to the realization that Sayers is really focused on giving information to families. She is concerned that some families may not know where to gain knowledge and teach their children about the disability. Through this site, parents are able to find books and reviews that relate to his topic. She states, "Parents´ helping other families is what support is all about. For many of us our own families are not in the picture and we gain insight and strength from those who have lived with autism on a daily basis." This site is definitely a resource that I would recommend to parents and teachers of children with disabilities.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Review-We'll Paint the Octopus Red
Stuve-Bodeen, Stephanie. We'll Paint the Octopus Red. MD; Woodbine House, 1998.
We’ll Paint the Octopus Red by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen tells the story of a young girl, named Emma, who is anxious for her new baby sibling to arrive. Since Emma was unsure of what to expect when the baby came, her father and her listed off a bunch of things they could do together, like feed the calves and paint with rubber octopuses. Once the baby was born though, Emma’s father told her that her new brother Isaac had Down syndrome. Emma was then worried that she wouldn’t be able to do all the things she had planned. Her dad reassured her by saying that it would just take time and patience and Isaac would eventually be able to do everything.
This book definitely portrayed Down syndrome in a positive light. Once Emma found out that her brother was born with Downs, it seemed natural that she didn’t understand what Isaac would and wouldn’t be able to do. The father was used as an informational character where he explained that “as long as we were patient with Isaac, and helped him when he needed it, there probably wasn’t anything he couldn’t do” (Stuve-Bodeen 20). This phrase sums up the concerns that many families probably have once they hear they have a child with special needs, making the book beneficial for siblings and parents of children with Down syndrome to read.
Another nice attribute to this book is that there are “Questions and Answers about Down Syndrome” located in the back. The questions were ones once asked by actual children with a brother or sister with Down syndrome. This section could be extremely helpful because it answers the questions in a way in which children would be able to understand them. For example, when asked What is Down syndrome? the answer didn’t say anything about the chromosomal differences but described how a person with Downs looks and acts. This way, book is designed for any age of audience and should be used by families and schools with children with Down syndrome.
We’ll Paint the Octopus Red by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen tells the story of a young girl, named Emma, who is anxious for her new baby sibling to arrive. Since Emma was unsure of what to expect when the baby came, her father and her listed off a bunch of things they could do together, like feed the calves and paint with rubber octopuses. Once the baby was born though, Emma’s father told her that her new brother Isaac had Down syndrome. Emma was then worried that she wouldn’t be able to do all the things she had planned. Her dad reassured her by saying that it would just take time and patience and Isaac would eventually be able to do everything.
This book definitely portrayed Down syndrome in a positive light. Once Emma found out that her brother was born with Downs, it seemed natural that she didn’t understand what Isaac would and wouldn’t be able to do. The father was used as an informational character where he explained that “as long as we were patient with Isaac, and helped him when he needed it, there probably wasn’t anything he couldn’t do” (Stuve-Bodeen 20). This phrase sums up the concerns that many families probably have once they hear they have a child with special needs, making the book beneficial for siblings and parents of children with Down syndrome to read.
Another nice attribute to this book is that there are “Questions and Answers about Down Syndrome” located in the back. The questions were ones once asked by actual children with a brother or sister with Down syndrome. This section could be extremely helpful because it answers the questions in a way in which children would be able to understand them. For example, when asked What is Down syndrome? the answer didn’t say anything about the chromosomal differences but described how a person with Downs looks and acts. This way, book is designed for any age of audience and should be used by families and schools with children with Down syndrome.
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