Week 12

Just a reminder that there is no class this week, April 2. Papers originally scheduled for April 2nd are now due on April 9th when we are next in class. Remember that this week off is intended as time for you to work on your own on your final projects. Good luck and I'll see you one the 9th.

Session 11 - Asian Pacific American Literature

This week we'll be reading and discussion Project Mulberry. The accompanying articles are:

• Siu-Runyan (2002): This article focuses on "Books that teach about the Asian and Pacific Island peoples of Hawaii". What does it add to your understanding of that population? Of the purposes and need for multicultural literature in general?
• Yamate (1997): As of 1997, what was the state of publishing for Asian American texts? What type of research might you do to explore whether anything has changed over the last 10 years? What themes might you find in Asian Pacific American literature?

This week Group B is writing Questioning the Text papers for Project Mulberry.

Session 10: Latino/a Literature

This week we will be exploring Latino/a Literature, reading and discussion Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan (who you might remember as the author of Esperanza Rising, one of our texts from TE 348). For our supporting reading, note as follows:

• Ada (2003): This chapter is from the book A Magical Encounter: Latino Children's Literature in the Classroom. Some things to think about while reading: Why does Ada use the term "Latina" to identify herself? How is this connected to her understanding of self and history? What does she add to our understanding of the insider/outsider debate? To our understanding of the Pura Belpre award?
• Barrera and Quiroa (2003): This chapter is from the book Stories Matter: The Complexity of Cultural Authenticity in Children's Literature. Why is it important to consider the use of Spanish in texts? When does it enhance the text? When does it detract from the text? How might audiences of Spanish/English and English speakers be accommodated?

This week Group A is writing Questioning the Text papers. Note the change in the timing of posting on the Drop Box on Angel (I've given you a bit more time).

Blogging: Don't forget to post your required blog on developing a Personal Philosophy, by class time on Wednesday. This blog counts as one of your ten for the blog assignment. If you have attended one of the extra credit options and are posting a blog (rather than turning in a paper to me) that also should be posted by class time on Wednesday, but as extra credit, it does not count as one of you blogs for the blogging assignment.

Extra Credit Opportunities

I was asked today if there were any other extra credit opportunities possible, and I didn't think so at the time, but I did see another good opportunity just today--it's also for tomorrow evening (Thursday), but for earlier.

GLBT Safe Schools is sponsoring a Safe School Seminar tomorrow (Thursday) on teachers' and schools' legal rights and responsibilities towards gay,lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning students, teachers, andparents. Details are below: Legal Rights & ResponsibilitiesAttorney Jay Kaplan from the ACLU will return to provide an overview of the teachers' and schools' legal rights and responsibilities towards gay,lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning students, teachers, and parents. He will also give us an update on the current legislation affecting Michigan schools, including the school bullying bill.Thursday, March 13, 2008 5:00 - 6:30 252 EH Erickson Hall Pizza will be served.

If you attend this seminar and write a one page paper or equivalent blog post on what you learned, you can earn up to 2 points of extra credit.

If you attend the Native American Seminar (detailed in an earlier blog posting), you don't need to attend the whole three hours, but at least half of the time, (1 and 1/2 hours), and write a 1 page paper or equivalent blog posting, including which presenters you listened to and what you learned. Let me know if you have any questions.

Final Projects

The final project is an opportunity to practice selecting, reviewing, and researching books on a topic of your choice. You will also be sharing your work, not only with your classmates, but with a larger educational community.

During session 7 read through the directions and rubric for the final project and I passed out a hard copy of these documents in class. They are also posted on Angel.) Here are some links that you might find helpful:

• Sample book review that models the format of the review: MLA citation, book cover, summary of book, critical component, labels. (Remember that "critical" can be a positive or negative evaluation. The important aspect is that you draw on our work in the class to thoughtfully consider the text as a piece of literature.)
  
• Sample professional/critical resource: Remember that this can be a review of a resource as a whole OR can be a post in which you share a focused idea/question from the resource.
  
• Link to "public site" at which you'll post one or more of your reviews. (Don't worry about this now, I'll provide directions on selecting and posting your final work later in the semester.)
• Although this is an optional post, you might want to write about why you are focusing on your topic and/or where you are "coming from" as a reader. Here's an example post from a student last term talking about her interests.

Remember you are welcome to work with other students with the same interests as you, sharing resources and giving each other feedback on the reviews you write. (You will still need to each select your own books and professional resources.) I will post a discussion board forum on each class sections Angel site, with a thread for each category, to make it easy to connect with other students who have chosen the same topic. (It's okay if you want to change your mind from what you originally signed up for--just let me know.)

Please post questions and comments about this project here. That way everyone will benefit from the discussion and responses that result from your questions.

Session 9 - Critical Literacy

This is a pretty light week, coming off of spring break--no written assignment, no novel to read, and just one article (Kuhlman). (The MacDowell article listed on your syllabus is an error, it was used last term, but is not going to be used this term. ) Hope you're not too disappointed. :~)

Here is a session for all of you who are eager to think about pedagogy--this time we are going to spend time thinking about what would kids say, how would they react, what should we do with books with kids, but, more importantly, what do you need to know about yourself first. The Kuhlman (2000) article will direct your thinking along these lines, and our conversation in class on Wednesday will take it further. What does Kuhlman mean by "critical pedagogy"? By "critical reading"? How does she engage children in this kind of reading?

Have you read Little House on the Prairie before, as a child or an adult? Revisit any memories you have of the book--what were your responses to the text? (feel free to bring it to class if you have a copy)