Reflections on Twitterchat!

-
So, the twitterchat was so much fun. I love how it provided us with a chance for genuine dialogue. I think that is so valuable in online courses because so often in online courses we just go through the motions without any meaningful learning, but experiences like twitterchat and flipgrid make our efforts worthy.

First, I loved our working discussion about the difference between middle grades and YA lit. Everyone had something insightful to add, but I think we all agreed that middle grades texts are books that are accessible and interesting to middle grades readers. Sometimes that means that the characters are also in middle grades, sometimes that means that the subject matter is highly relatable to middle grade readers, and sometimes that means that the themes covered seem controversial so middle grades readers want to pick them up! I refer to this as a working discussion because I don't think any of us felt like we had all the answers- and that is the best thing about our subject area- to learn you don't need all the answers.

I also appreciated all of the quality recommendations of where to find these texts. As a reader, I sometimes get overwhelmed because I enjoy so many different genres, but since I've been in the classroom, I've really prioritized YA because it's what my students are usually reading. I love YA, and I'll probably still be reading it when I'm 80. I feel like my students take my recommendations more seriously because I am a YA reader, and I show interest in texts that are made for them. I think that validates them as readers that I'm honest with them about the fact that these texts have merit too! TKAM is not the only book that matters, and in all honesty their are waaaaaay better texts to use to talk to students about race relations and injustice (I'm sorry Harper Lee!!!).

All in all this was a great experience- and I value all of your opinions so much- so thanks again!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is literacy?

-
Literacy is so much more than the ability to read a write, and there is no one correct or standard literacy.  Literacy is not a binary of literate and not, but rather people are on a journey of literacy their entire lives. Literacy is also not singular. For example, adolescent literature is a literacy in and of itself. Gee (1989) asserts that literacy is a combination of "saying-writing-doing-being-valuing-believing."As a literacy, adolescent literature has its own unique ways of saying-writing-being-valuing-believing when compared to contemporary adult literature or classic literature or any other genre. YA lit is speaking out on topics that matter to young adults. Sometimes this means difficult to discuss and unpack topics like sexual and substance abuse, racism, poverty, mental illness, but also everyday teenage experiences like first kisses, first heartbreak, and what to do after high school. Adolescent literature is accessible to students not simply because it is less ...
Read more

YA in practice

-
Buehler is advocating for and providing examples of going beyond bringing YA lit into the ELA classroom at a superficial level by utilizing a unique and relevant YA pedagogy. In doing so, she mentions how it is possible and necessary to use YA texts to bring together personal, academic, and social relevance into one space. Buehler makes some assertions about YA lit that I already believe to be true: YA lit is accessible to our students because it is relevant to their lives, when teachers put books in the hands of students that students can relate to those students feel valued and heard, YA lit can be used in complex ways that encourage students to work collaboratively to make meaning. If students are going to be open and honest and have the types of difficult conversations that YA lit often inspires, then teachers must create a classroom community that allows for this to safely take place. Buehler asserts that some markers of a classroom community are "belief that the work is i...
Read more

Alternative Book Report- Thunderhead By Neal Shusterman

-
25. Poetry- Write three poems in response to the novel. The poems can be about the characters, where the book took place, or the themes in the book. ____________________________________________ How fitting, in the end it's the two of us ending. Rowan and Citra. Citra and Rowan. The way it was always meant to be. Two adversaries, like fire and ice Two lovers, marked by the stars. Fated to leave this world in each others arms -From the gleaning journal of H.S Lucifer ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Romeo was brash. Rowan was brave. Juliet was no agent. I was independent. How funny that in the end we meet their fate? The passions of the mortal world may not be lost to us forever. -From the gleaning journal of H.S Anastasia ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ In the mortal world, a form of poetry existed. It was rather simple, but humans have...
Read more