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.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
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.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Chato's Kitchen
Last week in class we were asked to look at both a picture book and a chapter book that represented the Latino/Latina culture in one way or another. My partner and I chose to look at Chato's Kitchen by Gary Soto. After reading this book I was completely speechless. I could not even believe what I had just seen. The pictures in that book seemed very stereotypical to the culture. The cats were wearing bandannas and wife beaters under flannel shirts, while some also had gold teeth and crosses on long chains. Even to me these images were offensive so I wonder how people from the Latino culture responded to this book. The fact that it got an award for the illustrations just boggles my mind and makes me question whether the pictures are actually a valid representation that the culture wants people to have of them.
The positive aspects to this book is that is contains Spanish words that don't seem to be too out of place within the text. The story also talks about specific foods that are eaten within the culture. But, I am still unsure of whether I would even put this book in my classroom library. I don't even think I would want to use it as a learning tool because I see it as being very offensive to the culture as a whole.
The positive aspects to this book is that is contains Spanish words that don't seem to be too out of place within the text. The story also talks about specific foods that are eaten within the culture. But, I am still unsure of whether I would even put this book in my classroom library. I don't even think I would want to use it as a learning tool because I see it as being very offensive to the culture as a whole.
My Teaching Philosophy
I decided to take this course because I thought it would help me understand how to critically look at literature. I was first introduced to this idea in TE 348. But, after that course was done I didn’t feel as though I learned enough to be able to go out on my own and pick out literature that was accurate. Since one portion of my major is Language Arts, I thought it was necessary for me to take this course and continue learning about the techniques of noticing literature that accurately portrays the culture/group being written about. This class is definitely helping me reach some of my professional goals as well. I want to have a room that is rich with literature and practicing the use of my “critical eye” weekly has been beneficial to my learning about what to look for. I have found that not only can the writing be inaccurate but the pictures can also display negative images towards the reader.
Issues of diversity are extremely important when both teaching and learning literacy. I know that before this class, I just thought every book would be a fine piece of literature to share with children. I kind of overlooked the fact that books could portray groups in a negative light. If these ideas are not addressed by the teacher then students will most likely just pass over it as well. Because of this, it is essential that teachers bring up issues within books and use them as a teaching tool. Hopefully the students will then begin to look at literature with a more critical stance so they can prevent any stereotypes effecting their outlook on a culture.
My personal philosophy about multicultural education is that it is vital in schools these days. With all the events such as wars between countries and religions, students need to be presented with many different sources regarding what is happening. If students only ever hear one side of the story, then they are most likely going to agree with that. But, if they get information from many areas then they will be able to make their own decision on where they stand based on what they know and have learned. Children’s literature is a unique way to present cultures to students. Reading a story can be much more engaging than reading a text book and can still relay all the same information to students. I just hope that I will be able to do this for my future students. I am still concerned that I will not be able to choose literature that is completely accurate, but I feel like I will become more confident with it when I experience it on my own more. Bringing my philosophy into my future classroom will help me do just this. I will be able see how children react to certain pieces of literature and I’m sure they will be able to point out new aspects to me as well. I am excited to take what I have learned out into the field and I feel as though I have a good starting point for doing so.
Issues of diversity are extremely important when both teaching and learning literacy. I know that before this class, I just thought every book would be a fine piece of literature to share with children. I kind of overlooked the fact that books could portray groups in a negative light. If these ideas are not addressed by the teacher then students will most likely just pass over it as well. Because of this, it is essential that teachers bring up issues within books and use them as a teaching tool. Hopefully the students will then begin to look at literature with a more critical stance so they can prevent any stereotypes effecting their outlook on a culture.
My personal philosophy about multicultural education is that it is vital in schools these days. With all the events such as wars between countries and religions, students need to be presented with many different sources regarding what is happening. If students only ever hear one side of the story, then they are most likely going to agree with that. But, if they get information from many areas then they will be able to make their own decision on where they stand based on what they know and have learned. Children’s literature is a unique way to present cultures to students. Reading a story can be much more engaging than reading a text book and can still relay all the same information to students. I just hope that I will be able to do this for my future students. I am still concerned that I will not be able to choose literature that is completely accurate, but I feel like I will become more confident with it when I experience it on my own more. Bringing my philosophy into my future classroom will help me do just this. I will be able see how children react to certain pieces of literature and I’m sure they will be able to point out new aspects to me as well. I am excited to take what I have learned out into the field and I feel as though I have a good starting point for doing so.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Aronson vs. Pinkney
After reading both Marc Aronson's and Andrea Pinkney's articles regarding awards specific for certain cultures and groups, I was left very confused. I found that while reading Aronson's article "Slippery Slopes and Proliferating Prizes" I was agreeing with a majority of what he was saying. His main point can be summed up when he said "By insisting on testing the racial identity of its winners, the CSK shifts its focus from literature to biography...Your community, your ethnicity, comes before your talent" (Aronson 273). I find it kind of unfair that people who do write accuate literature for a certain group that do not culturally belong cannot even have their work considered for recognition.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Bronx Masquerade Discussion
In class last week, I was very intereseted in what my group members had to say about Nikki Grimes novel Bronx Masquerade. I really enjoyed the book and thought the layout of the novel was very creative and kept me interested as a reader. One question that was brought up in my group was whether this piece of literature would still be considered "multicultural" if a Caucasian student was the narrator instead of Tyrone, to which my response was "yes." I think that since this book contains such an array of cultures within it that no matter what the background or ethnicity is of the main person speaking, it should still be considered a diverse book.
Bronx Masquerade is a book that can be incorporated into many activities as well as introduce poetry in a unique and non-intimidating way. I think that students, including myself, sometimes are afraid of poetry because we are usually exposed to older poets. These poems tend to have meanings that are difficult to understand and that was something that pushed me away from the genre when I was in school. I think that if students are shown work that is more directed towards their age then they will be more optimistic to try it themselves.
Bronx Masquerade is a book that can be incorporated into many activities as well as introduce poetry in a unique and non-intimidating way. I think that students, including myself, sometimes are afraid of poetry because we are usually exposed to older poets. These poems tend to have meanings that are difficult to understand and that was something that pushed me away from the genre when I was in school. I think that if students are shown work that is more directed towards their age then they will be more optimistic to try it themselves.
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