Chapter 6:
This chapter is all about books and how to use them in the classroom. Mostly, obviously, for the older students because Lesesne discusses all Young Adult (YA) literature. Being an English major, I have read a lot of books, mostly consisting of YA novels. Lesesne discusses using graphic novels in the classroom, but I don't think those are particularly enjoyable. Sure, you can get a whole story in a graphic novel and there are some cool drawings, but how do you really get inside the characters' heads in just a few panels per page? Actual, 200 page, novels is where a student could get a lot more in-depth with discussions and other ideas. I understand that graphic novels would be an interesting approach for most students, but I can honestly say that I would probably not use one while I am teaching. I feel like they are more childish, no matter what the subject matter may be. I would want my students to think critically about the characters and the setting and all of the other literary elements, rather than look at the pictures on the page and not really read or see the words. Half the fun of reading is seeing it in your head anyways, or at least that's what I think. Having what the author wants you to see already there on the page seems pointless. Plus, how could you make a movie out of a graphic novel? I happen to like being able to read a book, knowing that there will be a movie coming out for it that I can go see to determine if what I pictured in my head is the same as the casting director's. (As a side-note, I was very angry that the author of this chapter mentioned Twilight in one of the sections. Twilight should never be used for teaching in a classroom because it is NOT literature. It's not even good writing. The plot of the story is lacking in a lot of places, and the whole thing should have just stopped after the first book. As you can tell, I am very much not a fan of these books/movies and I really hope that the phenomenon dies out very soon. [And yes, I did read these books and enjoyed them as light reading when I was younger. But people have taken it way too far and I hope beyond hope that "teaching" Twilight wont be something I see as a teacher.])
Strategies:
1) I loved SSR in school! It was probably always my favorite time of any English class. As I got older and more advanced, thought, the SSR time dwindled into nothing. I will definitely give my students SSR time when I'm teaching!!
2) Reading aloud can sometimes get boring. I know every once in a while it can be fun, but as an English class it might be hard to read certain things out loud. Of course, as an English class, it is necessary to do so, but I know I wont be doing that ALL of the time.
3) I think that reading autobiographies seem more like an activity for younger students. I probably would not do something like this in my high school class. Maybe a middle school class, but I don't think high schoolers would take it seriously.
5) Of course a safe and welcoming enviornment in necessary in all classrooms. I already have plans on how I am going to make my classroom warm and welcoming, a safe place, and a place where good discussions can happen.
6) I am definitely planning on doing my own reading while I am a teacher. Not doing so would make my students thing I don't enjoy what I teach and they wouldn't want to be there. I am excited to be able to read good books while I teach, so I can tell them all about it.
8) Talking about reading is essential in an English classroom! That would be something I do every single day in my classroom. Whether it be about their SSR books or about the book we would currently be studying, talking about what they read would be the first thing we did every class.
9) I'm not entirely sure what more of an essential conversation an English class could have other than discussing the books and other literary things. I'm sure once I would be in that position, I would be able to find other things to discuss, like the history of the time period or something.
Hmmm, what you're saying about graphic novels and especially Twilight really resonates with me because I despise the Twilight series, not only because it's poorly written but because I also think it's creepy for young girls to read this and fantasize about some guy basically stalking them and sneaking in their rooms late at night (: Anyway...I've gone back and forth on this issue a lot though because I struggled SO much getting my "regular" students to read ANYTHING when I taught high school. My honors students would read whatever I told them too, but the others wouldn't finish a five-page short story out of class, so now I wonder what else I could have done. I also think that the texts we choose comes down to what we believe the purpose of education in general and of English classes specifically is because if the goal is for them to be exposed to the Classic, then that's what we should give them, but if we want them to become lifelong readers I wonder what else we might have to offer in addition...it's tricky.
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