The Circle of Literature

The never-ending Circle of Literature.

   In the course of my life I have never been involved in a literature circle within the classroom. None of my teachers from Kindergarten - 12th Grade incorporated this technique. After reading these chapters it actually very depressing because they are so beneficial. I feel as if I missed out on an important aspect of the English education system. I went to Catholic School since pre-k and their methods are fairly rigid along with their similarities. I had innovative teachers that incorporated mock trials, had us create our own play, even had an faux Academy Award Ceremony. But it shocks me that none of my teachers included literature circles in the classroom. But it has given me further inspiration to bring literature circles inside my own classroom as some for of retribution for never experienced one. I mean sure my friends and I were all addicted to Harry Potter and discussed it quite frequently. But did we observe key themes, symbols, or ideas? Yes we did, but we did not analyze them as thoroughly like a literature circle. This is another reason why my critical thinking skills were not fully developed until I begun my college career. In all honesty, I can't even enjoy a movie like I used to because there are so many ideas running throughout my brain about what is happening in every scene.

   Moving on—I will certainly utilize literature circles within my classroom for their powerful nature. They give students the chance to delve further into works of literature and develop their critical thinking skills immensely. The teacher must take a back seat and further allow their students to run the classroom and take the class in their own direction. I feel most students will see this as an awesome opportunity to express themselves in a lighter atmosphere. Sometimes speaking in front of the whole classroom prevents certain students from speaking out of fear from being judged. In my further reading of literature circles we must offer students advice when selecting a book. I read about the five finger method: pick up a novel and begin reading anywhere and if you come to a part where a word or idea confuses you lift up a finger. If all five fingers are up at the end of the page then it may be too difficult (www.litcircles.org). So often students are drawn to something because of the cover but it may be a wrong choice for them as a potential reader. I think we need to remember literature circles are important to help inspire students... not to further confuse them!

   As future teachers we have the ability to help our students succeed! Implementing literature circles would help students on their future journeys. From sharpening their critical analysis skills to learning the importance of the written word. Not to mention their verbal communications skills will develop into powerful tools they can use for the rest of their lives. Our students want literature circles... I think they crave this type of learning. So let's give them what they want! I think we'll be shocked to see the improvements that come from this classroom tool.

Say YES to Multiculturalism!

    Our society has been progressively incorporating multiculturalism for the past century especially after the civil rights movement. It is so important to include multiculturalism in the classroom and incorporating diverse literature is key. I find myself completely drawn to multiculturalism ideals and I have stay rather focused on this topic. In one of my education classes my Professor had to pull me aside and ask me to start writing and presenting on another topic beside multiculturalism. I found this funny because I see it as such a powerful classroom tool but I do realize we must incorporate other topics. In "Reading Multiculturally" Daniel Hade states "Multiculturalism means searching for ways to affirm and celebrate difference, while also seeking ways to cooperate and collaborate across different groups of people" (240). That statement inspires me to include diverse literature in the classroom for its ability to help unite people. Multiculturalism celebrates our differences while we gain respect and understanding of other cultures. I feel it is my duty as a future teacher to present multiculturalism and diversity in my class. After college, I do not plan on teacher in a rural area rather I am going to work in Philadelphia helping underprivileged teens in the classroom. In this environment diverse book are extremely important because the city is home to so many cultures. Therefore books like To Kill a Mockingbird and House on Mango Street would be essential to read in the classroom. I also would try to incorporate A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines because its message is timeless. Everyone needs to be respected as human beings whether they have made criminal mistakes or walk freely. 

     I believe most teachers enter the field to make a change or spark inspiration in their students. Well I want to spark my students to respect all races and ethnicities and realize the importance of all cultures. If we want this world to become a better place then we must challenge our students to accept all humanity.  How do we challenge our students to accept everyone? We do so by asking them to apply critical analysis to diverse literature. Books will give them the opportunity to walk a mile in someone's different shoes and through reading they will begin to embrace the idea of multiculturalism. I really hope everyone agrees that diversity must be a prevalent topic in the English classroom.

Instill multiculturalism in the classroom to help unify our global society.

The Comic Effect

     I have almost zero experience working with comic books or manga but after reading these articles I would like to change that. Sometimes I find myself viewing reading or literature in such strict categories and I forget there are so many different elements. Unfortunately, students of this time era tend to find disinterest in the conventional literature or the "classics." I believe a successful teacher will be able to inspire students to regard classic literature and enjoy newer literature. Comic books are an awesome element to incorporate into the classroom because it asks the students to shift their perception about conventional literature. However, as a teacher I would spend several class periods reviewing the conventions of comic books. 
      I particularly enjoyed Dr. Mortimore's article which goes into great detail about the various elements in graphic literature. Articles like that would be extremely helpful to give students the important information. I would give my students a handout to guide them along with this new style of book. Conventions such as the "gutter" present in comic books would give students a chance to use their imagination in new ways. The importance of comic books is derived from their visual strength which enhances reader experience. This statement is effective in comics resonating effect, "...we now realize the power they have for engaging students in authentic writing. These forms of popular culture provided a visual vocabulary of sorts for scaffolding writing techniques, particularly dialogue, tone, and mood" (Frey and Fisher 24).

Which would you prefer?

     It is our job as future teachers to breathe new life into the field of education. Classic books may be effective in their overall meaning but they will not garner student interest like a comic book. Something fresh and new will be attractive to a student's eye and they will be drawn to other books in your course. I think if you reel student interest in the beginning of the school year then they will be more willing to read the other novels. Try sparknoting a comic book because there is nothing of the sort. I think many English teachers would view themselves as traitors by teaching Shakespeare through a graphic novel. In reality they should view themselves as innovators paving the road for new student interest in Shakespeare. Lets be honest your not going to have many students anxiously waiting to read classic Shakespeare. Which means it is our job to incorporate graphic novels in order for the comic effect to take place.

Knowing Your Students Makes All the Difference

     In the beginning of Chapter 2, Wilhelm interviews his students in order to gain a proper understanding of their reading lives (39). This is a totally brilliant task that can help a teacher gain insight into the academic lives of students. It is amazing how students viewed outside reading (home etc.) more beneficiary than in school reading. However, novels read inside the classroom are important pieces of literature that can shape the way someone views the world. My question is: when did reading become such a chore? Many students think reading is a meaningless torture device used by teachers to bother students. As teachers we must be able to show students the importance of reading and help give them a spark in the literature world. I found some wonderful articles on the internet that give teachers ideas on motivating students: General Principles of Motivation. Through these aspects of motivation a teacher can help try further reinforcement techniques in regards to the reading world. Because there are so many new distractions (i.e. facebook, twitter etc.) to entertain students, reading may become a lost art if not conveyed properly to adolescents.

     There is also an extremely important self-help book I would recommend to all my future students and that is:

This book greatly helped me throughout 7th grade all the way through high school. It was a key factor in motivating myself to read and understand the importance of being organized in all aspects of life. I believe teachers need to offer students suggestive reading for outside the classroom which students may be more apt to read. For some reason the classroom gives students an "anti-reading" vibe and I want to change that.

       The section on "Studying Student Response" was intriguing and gave me new ideas to implement in my future classroom. Teachers are essentially scientists who practice various experiments (lessons etc.) in class; some work while others fail. You must study your students who enter the classroom in order to gain a greater perspective academically. For instance Wilhelm writes, "...I used a blend of interviews, conferences, literary letters, a variety of protocols (or think-alouds)..." (42). He is giving prime examples of some tools he used as a teacher to help gain increased knowledge about his students reading capacity, likes, dislikes, and their comprehension of stories. These types of activities should be exhibited by all English teachers in order to facilitate the ultimate learning environment. YGBB has already taught me many important ideas and examples of challenges facing pre-service teachers. Classrooms cannot simply be lectured power points or you will truly fail at passing knowledge onto students. You must become actively involved in learning about most aspects of their lives in order to gain key understanding that can transform them into successful readers. I knew that I must know my students but I never thought about studying them. So I will study my students: study the way they think, study their actions, study their responses to literature, and study their comprehension skills. If you fail as a teacher to study your students then you will fail to know them, and if you don't know your students then you cannot transfer the wealth of knowledge you have to offer.
     Once you know your students you can give them suggestive pieces of literature that they would enjoy. I think students would be grateful to get advice from their teachers on books to read outside the classroom. If you can motivate them to read outside class then they will begin to trust your book choices inside the classroom. The world is constantly changing and if future teachers expect to inspire students to become strong readers, they must give examples. Cite new ways in which literature is becoming even more relevant in our ever-changing society. How literature helps one to view another culture or race in a different atmosphere. Teach students the importance of literature in understanding oneself and transcending your own reality in order to comprehend a new one. And if teachers fail to do so then they have just sent a group of unprepared, uninspired, and potentially unsuccessful students into this complex world.