Hugo Cabret

I also really enjoyed Hugo Cabret, and I had the same feeling before I started reading the book. I would agree with the post below that it would be a good transition of a picture book to a chapter book. After talking with my group, I found new thoughts about the book that I never really considered. I had not thought about the thief impression that it would give to the younger kids. But thinking more closely about it, I agree with the fact that the author does not do a good job of showing that being a thief and liar are bad attributes to have. He kind of shows that if you are a thief and a liar, you will be able to achieve your dreams. I really enjoyed having the pictures in the book. It does take away from the imagination a little bit, but I really like how they were in black and white. They still allow the reader to imagine color in the picture and it also corresponds with the fact that the first movies shown were in black and white.

Hugo Cabret= a fun read!

I really liked The Invention of Hugo Cabret. I thought it would be a fun book for young kids who have yet to make the leap into more in depth chapter books to start with Hugo Cabret. When I first encountered the book I thought it was going to take forever to read and I was not very excited about it but once I started it,  I could not put it down. I truly enjoyed the pictures in the book and I thought it made for a fun book to read. I was the intertextual person for our discussion group and the research I found really helped me see the book in another way. I learned the book was meant to be like a silent movie film strip and, also the author and illustrator Brian Selznick of Hugo Cabret has only personally written four books but has illustrated countless books for other authors. I also learned in an interview that he tends to write about things that he is interested in, for example, Selznick originally graduated college with the intent of designing stage displays for the theaters. After he had worked in a children's book store in Manhattan, New York for about three years, he decided he wanted to write his own children's books. Selznick said he had and always will be interested in the film industry and that was how he first decided to write Hugo Cabret. 

Hugo Cabret

This book was thick but it was easy to read. It is a historical fiction and I liked the pictures a lot. I think the author drew them black and white in order to make the old time mood in Paris. When the each picture gets closer and closer, It feels like as if I am watching a video. My favorite picture was when he was confused with all stories going around him and dreamed about his dad, automanton and Isabelle. I thought Hugo is quite matured even at his age when he said, “Sometimes I come up here at night, even when I’, not fixing the clocks, just to look at the city. I like to imagine that the world is one big machine…So I figure if the entire world is a big machine, I have to be here for some reason. And that means you have to be here for some reason, too.” He thinks that there is always a reason for everyone to exist in the world. I would recommend to read it for 4~5th grade.

Encouraging Reading in Children and Teens article

I recently found an article about ways to get kids excited about reading. This is an issue that I've thought a lot about since being in this class. I know that it's often difficult to get kids reading for fun and in their spare time, so this article had some good ideas for what parents can do to encourage their children to read and facilitate a good reading atmosphere at home.
The first part of the article focused on young children. The "10 Ways to Help You Raise Kids Who Love Reading" are:
1. Read aloud to your children every day.
2. Get a library card.
3. Take your children to the library once a week.
4. Discuss children's books with your child.
5. Take your children to storytimes, author visits, and other public programs.
6. Buy books that you know will interest your child.
7. Create a comfortable reading space for your child.
8. Visit the Web sites of favorite authors and illustrators.
9. Once a week, cook together using a children's cookbook.
10.Buy your children a good dictionary and use it regularly.

I thought a lot of these suggestions were good and would definitely help kids start to enjoy reading. I like the idea of parents getting a library card for the kids and making trips to the library once a week. I remember my mom taking me to the library and I was always so excited when I could pick out my very own book. I also like the idea of parents dicussing books they read with their kids and obviously, reading together will make reading fun and a quality time as a family. I thought that the idea to cook from a children's cookbook once a week was a little bit of a stretch, but other than that these 10 ideas for raising a reader seemed like they would really work!
The potentially more different thing to do is encourage your teen to be a reader. Teens are often busy and can become less engaged by books as they grow up but these tips for encouraging a teen (or "tween") to read sounded pretty good to me. The tips for Motivating Your Tween To Read are:
1. Read What's Popular
2. Consider Magazines
3. Start a Club
4. Enlist Their Help
5. Prioritize
6. Set an Example

I really liked these suggestions because they seemed realistic (except for maybe the starting your own book club idea). Tip number one encourages parents to show children books that are popular, like books from a movie that they like or one that a lot of their friends might be reading to make reading "cool". I liked that the author of this article encouraged reading of magazines if the teens aren't into reading books, reading is reading so any source or topic is still beneficial. The tip about enlisting teens help discussed having the teen help younger siblings, neighbors, or younger kids they babysit for to learn to read. This will allow the teen to work on their reading skills and be able to help a younger child enjoy reading. The one tip I didn't really like was the prioritize one. This said that parents should set aside time for reading by turning off all games, phones, and the TV and making their teen read. Part of the reasons teens may not enjoy reading is because it becomes mandantory so I didn't think this would help them enjoy reading. Lastly, the best tip may be to set an example. For both children and teens, if they see adults that they look up to reading and enjoying books, they will most likely want to try it and may even encourage reading together.
Overall these were interesting articles with good tips that definitely apply to what we talk about in class!

Behind Hugo Cabret

At first i wasn't sure about Hugo, i just didn't think the topic really interested me, but I actually really enjoyed it. I took a film class last year and we watched several of the old movies mentioned in this book, and i also learned a bit about Georges Melies, and how movies were first made... it was interesting in that class, but it was also really cool the way it was incorporated into a children's book. I thought it was amazing how Brian Selznick took a true story of Georges Melies and the film industry, and added in a fictional story to go along with it. Because i knew the true parts of it , it was really cool to read this, and the way he wrote it made it really believable, and i had to check and look which parts were real and which weren't. I'm not sure how other people thought of the book if they hadn't had the background info about the films and Georges, but i thought it was awesome. Check out the website for Hugo : www.theinventionofhugocabret.com/ It gives alot of extra information i thought was really cool, and there's other links on the page for more information about all of the old movies mentioned, and Georges Melies, etc... check it out, this author put a lot of work into this book and it's cool to see where it all came from. ( there is also some extra info in the back of the book itself)

Library and Bookstore

I went to the East Lansing Public Library and Barnes and Nobles. I liked the bookstore more than the library. I don't know if it is because "library" makes me feel like to study while "bookstore" entertains with lots of interesting things. For example, I loved the storytelling stage that was places on a side of the children's book section. There was the picture of forest with animals on the wall and some chairs in front of the stage. By acting or storytelling, children can enjoy reading books and become close to the literature. But I would recommend to change the stage design season by season because when I went to the Barnes and Nobles 2 years ago, it was the same background. Since there are young kids aged around 4~5, I would put the books lower so the kids can reach easier. I liked the round tables where children can study and the toys.

Library Assignment

The Library/Bookstore Assignment opened my eyes a lot more to how children are perceiving books now. Most students spend time in their school libraries now a days, but I don't feel like a good amount spend that much time at the public libraries compared to the bookstore. Personally, I feel as though the bookstore is a complete market spot. There are good reading books that you can find there. However, I feel as though if a child and parent go to the bookstore, they will probably find a book or two, but then they will also find a toy or game to go with it. To me, this takes away from the learning and adventurous aspects of books. I have always loved going to bookstores with my parents when I was younger. Yet, when I look back on it I was always choosing a book last minute because I was looking at all of the other things in the bookstore. I think it is important, as a teacher, to promote libraries more often in order for students to expand their imaginations in a good book.

Hugo Cabret

After the book discussion on Hugo Cabret, I was opened with many more ideas about the book that have been helping me create an artistic response. I was having a lot of trouble coming up with an idea, which seems weird since there is so much one can do to portray their thoughts on the book. I finally came up with an idea, and after we had the book discussion in class it really helped me to tighten my plans on my project. This book was put together really well, in my opinion, and I thought that it was great to put all the pictures in to give the readers a chance to make up their own story while seeing what is going on in the author's head. The fact that there is no color gives the readers a chance to use their imagination and make color if they want or keep it in black and white to make the story seem like it is in the olden days. I like the way the main character is fictional, but the character George Melies is really one of the first people to come up with the movie idea. I thought it was great to show how George used his imagination to create the movies and how he started as a magician, just like Hugo was interested in magic. It showed that they had a connection even when they hadnt met. The message that I found in the book was to never give up on your dreams, no matter what has happened in the past. The way the events that took place that led up to the discovery of George Melies all the way to the end when Hugo finally has a family again, can show kids that things can work out in the end if you never give up.

i like that library and bookstore assignment. i went to the East Lansing Public Library and Barnes and Nobles on Grand river ave. first thing i felt in Barnes and Nobles is that there are a lot of interesting and intriguing stuff to children. i believe that it encourage children to visit bookstore as well as read book. moreover, i felt there are a bunch of parent and kids are enjoying being there and employee also encourage them enjoy rather than forcing to buy a book. So. i felt inducing interest is the most important part of children reading. In public Library, it is like playground rather than reading place. there are a lot of toys, games and pictures on the wall. i thought inviting children to Library and bookstore is the first step to interest children in reading book.

Bookstore and Library Visit

I really liked this project. I went to my hometown to complete this project. The children's section of the library had been redone since I had last been there (which I suppose was when I was younger and reading books from that section). First of all the children's section has its own floor, sure it is the basement but it gives kids their own space in the library. When you go down the stairs you can either turn left or turn right. If you go to the left you are in the main part of the children's section. I was blown away by how big and nice it was. They had about 20 computers for children to use, which I thought was pretty cool. This gives kids who don't have the resouces at home to use a computer. The thing I was most impressed with was that they had a little section for parents, teachers, and other professionals. I thought it was cool that the library had a spot for parents and teachers to find book on helping kids how to read. If you went to the right at the bottom of the stairs you found a room for early readers. This gives younger children their own space. They aren't bothering the older children and all of their books are in one spot. There are also games and toys in there. I loved all the changes to the children's section and kind of wished I was a kid again so I could go there more often.
I was really dissapointed with the bookstore however. I went to the Borders in my hometown and it is about two miles away from the library. The section was really small and seemed like they were more concerned with making money than children actually reading. Which I guess this makes sense, since Borders is a store. I guess from my point of view it is more important that kids are actually reading instead of just playing with toys and games which is what Borders seemed more interested in.
I did enjoy this project though. I liked going to the different locations and thinking about the differences between the two. I concluded with that the library was moreconcerned with providing children with books and computers, while also entertaining them. And the bookstore was more concerned with making money by providing a lot of games and toys. These games and toys were the first thing the child sees and would probably lose interest in a book.

"And Tango Makes Three"

I came across an interesting article detailing the controversy of a children’s picture book titled “And Tango Makes Three.”  The story tells of the true story when two male penguins adopted a fertilized egg and raised the baby. Parents in a Shiloh, Illinois school district don’t want their children having uncensored access to books with themes like same sex partnerships.  The book was written for children ages 4 to 8 years, however parents want age restrictions placed on the book or they would like parental consent to be given before a child can check the book out of the library.  According to zoology departments penguin adoption like that of “And Tango Makes Three” are incredibly common. 

I found this to be an interesting topic because it strikes up issues of what is appropriate while also representing all realities of our world, both human and animal. 

Hugo Cabret

For Hugo Cabret, my role was critical response. Below is an excerpt from my paper that mainly focused on the power struggles throughout the book between different characters. These power struggles were based on class, gender, and age.
By calling Hugo a thief, people are relating him to someone who is poor and cannot support themselves (homeless). This incident now places the power with the rich rather than the poor due to the old toy booth man’s demanding words, “It is no longer your notebook. It is mine, and I will do with it what I want…Perhaps I will burn it” (Selznick 60). Even though there are differences between the rich and the poor i.e. the toy booth man (Georges) vs. Hugo, Hugo still holds power because he owns the “notebook”. Georges is somehow threatened by the fact that Hugo has this notebook and quickly takes it from him because of the power that he holds over Hugo, not only because of his higher status (booth owner vs. homeless boy), but because of his age as well. There is not only a power struggle between Georges and Hugo because of social class, but also between other characters in the book. For example, on page 338, “you are too small and too dirty, and you must be accompanied by an adult” (Selznick).
Throughout the beginning of the book, the reader will also notice the power struggle between Hugo and Isabella (Georges goddaughter). On page 103, the power is in the hands of Isabella because she has the ability to get the notebook back that Georges has already stolen. However, her power changes on page 165 when Hugo states, “you better not look inside…he had to keep secrets” (Selznick). Because Hugo is keeping this secret from Isabella and demanding that she does not look within his notebook, she is being subordinate to his demands.
Finally, one moment that stood out the most dealing with the ability to make someone’s life a better one came within the character Georges. George’s parents wanted him to work in the shoe factory, but he hated shoes. He dreamed about getting away and becoming a magician because he knew it would entail a better life than the factory would offer him. I connected his wants to become a magician rather than a shoemaker to the issue of power. Even though Georges would not hold ultimate power, he would receive a better life being a magician rather than do what his parents expected him to do. This shows the differences between social classes and how the differences in power and money can change the opinion about what a person wants to pursue for a career.
In conclusion, there were many examples of the struggles of power between several characters within the book. Children will have the ability to see this through the differences in class and gender. However, I believe that the whole book is tied around one quote that has nothing to do with the struggle of power. This quote can really teach children to focus on what they want, even though it may not bring them all of the power. “If you lose your purpose…it’s like your broken” (Selznick 374). If children focus on their dreams, rather than their fight for power and money, they will learn to be a happier person.

Library experience

Last Wednesday i went to the East Lansing Public Library to do the library portion of the assignment. Sadly enough, i realized i hadn't been to a public library ( besides university libraries) in a very very very long time. Way back in the day my mom sometimes would take me and my brother to check out a book, but it's been many years. It was really cool to get back in a library and see what's going on. In higher level education, as far as research goes , the number of times i've actually looked in a book for reference as opposed to finding something online is a very little number. Everything's online now..and so easy to find, so it was actually really cool that there are that many books there, and that children are still being exposed to them and enjoying them. I saw several kids browsing and they looked like they really enjoyed being at the library. Something happened while i was there which i thought was really cute and amazing. While i was sitting drawing my diagram, a girl walked into the children's section, saw two kids and started talking to them. She explained that she had to do a lesson plan for a 4th grade classroom, and asked for their help ( I think she was in TE 402).There was one boy and one girl that just happened to be in 4th grade, looking through the books. They were so excited to help her, and even gave her several different genres and difficulty levels to choose from. I was amazed at how interested the kids were in the books and how well aware they were of the teaching aspect of it. They told her certain books that were better to use for a lesson and ones that were for more at home ( ex. ones with violence). They made sure to give her books with both male and female main characters, ones with animal characters, etc. It was awesome. I only wish the girl would have been more appreciative of their help as she simply said " thanks guys" and left... I just hope thost kids are there when i need help with a lesson plan!

HUGO CABRET

When I first looked at this book, I thought I would never have the time to read it, and I didn't even know what it was about. However, once I began reading, I found that I couldn't put it down and had read/looked at over 100 pages. This book is so unique with its text, drawings and still photographs. To add to the appeal of this book, the story line is captivating. The author has captured the power of a mystery novel. Not only is this book fun to read, it is also based off of true events, which make it even more wonderful. I think this book could help students find a hobby in film or magic, given the interesting story told here. I really enjoyed how the author would tell a chapter in the "past" but wouldn't clarify that, and the reader had to figure it out on their own. I never knew what to expect while reading; the unique text layouts varied from full pages to paragraphs. I think this book would appeal equally to both genders because a young boy is the main character, but his "side-kick" is a mysterious girl. Overall, I would gladly recommend this book to any school aged child, or anyone looking for a quick, riveting, and enjoyable read, regardless of age. :)

intrinsic versus extrinsic

I am very conflicted on the issue presented in "A Lot of Fat Kids Who Don't Like to Read". On the one hand I totally agree that it is detrimental to students to be constantly bombarded with extrinsic rewards for performance in school. With only extrinsic motivations, students lose the real value of the material they are learning. They will never seek knowledge for knowledge's sake. On the other hand, what if as teachers we did the opposite? What if no teacher ever praised or rewarded students for doing a good job or working hard? It is my hypothesis that if there was never any sort of acknowledgment or praise for hard work then the vast majority of students would simply give up. Many students would reason that no one cared what they did or how well it was done, thus why should they waste their time. I don't know how to reconcile this debate in my mind, but I think the key lies in a balance between the two.

I really enjoyed doing the jigsaw activity yesterday in class because it allowed us to see the different viewpoint of each other on two different issues. I found the Fat Kids article to be the most interesting because I agreed with somethings but others I didn't agree with. There was one point that I couldn't make up my mind about. The article said that eventually kids will lose interest in the reward if they continue to receive it over and over again. I think this can be true but I think that it is also age dependent. For instance if you have kindergarten kids I think that they will continue to always want to receive the top prize or reward for getting something done. I think that their maturity level is key in this point. Kindergartners I don't think are mature enough to say "hey I've been getting this reward for a while now for doing the same thing and its not benefiting me down the road so I'm not going to try anymore." But I think when you get into older more mature kids they will realize that the reward will only be a short time thing and that it will do nothing for them down the road.

Esperanza Rising!!!!!

I wanted to comment on this book because this book i enjoyed very much!!! I thought it was very interesting how it went through her whole life story and the struggles she had to face with her family when her father had been killed. The book showed thats its ok to start over and to start a new life, i feel like a lot of people can connect to this book because im sure there are a lot of people out in the world today that have had to start there whole life over or if not parts of it. Like moving out of the state, starting a new job, dealing with divorce and all those types of things. It also shows that life isn't handed to us on a platter, when you want something or want something to work out your going to have to work at it. If at first you don't succeed, try try again! Just how esperanza felt when she first moved to california with making new friends and finding out that everyone wasn't always particuliarly nice to her. Even when she had to learn how to sweep, even though that may seem like a very simple task and everyone should know how to do it that she had no clue about. She struggled with it at first and then she got some help on how to do it and it worked just fine for her and she began to enjoy it.

Midterm

Didn't realize we needed to post this for our midterm, i know its a little late....sorry!!!
I Love You So….

I love you so is a great children’s book. The pictures are very colorful and fun to look at. This book is conversational with a question and answer format which is great for having young kids follow along. I love you so was written and illustrated by Marianne Richmond, published in 2005 by Marianne Richmond studios. It’s a great children’s that represents the unconditional love parents have for their children and will love them no matter what they do.
I love you so doesn’t have a set setting it’s a bit of everything. This child, didn’t specify a name, asks his mom all sorts of questions about her love for the child. The child starts off by asking how much she loved him/her and the mom simply answers I love you this much and gives specific metaphors. For example, “I love you as brilliant as each sparkling stars, and as way out as space, I love you that far.” The child continues asking well do you love me even when I do naughty things or when I am really sick. The mother simply replies I will love you always and my “love you” will never change. The book starts off when the children are camping then moves to the zoo then into the house and into an ice cream shop. It shows a regular everyday life of children.
The pictures in this book are almost messy but well articulated. The pictures are acrylic, unrealistic and look somewhat messy. The images where more rounded and curvy and makes the reader for comfort and safe. The pictures in the book took up the entire page and the texts where always in different spots on every page they where never consistent. This book used a lot of metaphors on how much a parent loves there child to help them better understand how great their love is for them. This book sent out an overt message about a parent’s unconditional love for their child. I love you so would be age appropriate for kids from around three to six years old, its easy reading and would be easy for children to understand. It was pretty conversational. It was in question and answer format. It’s a very comforting story and like the author said, “It’s like a warm hug and lets the child know that love is for always.”

"A lot of Fat Kids who Don't Like to Read"

I found this article extremely interesting and surprisingly very true.  I remember being in elementary school and earning countless book it coupons for reading, yet I obviously didn't find it strange until I was older.  But honestly, what benefits are children gaining if they have the mindset that you read to earn pizza.  It really does result in "fat kids who hate to read" and that is a sad phenomenon facing society. Reading or learning in general should not be a negative habit, but by offering prizes for reading it is not encouraging students to read for enjoyment whatsoever.  If children grow up constantly expecting to be rewarded for either learning, completing tasks, or good behavior, they are surely in trouble.  As the article says this problem arises because these reward devices are used to manipulate behavior and it is a scary thought for teachers.  If my students have no motivation to learn without being handed a "treat", we as teachers have quite the goal in front us to change the mindset of students.  Overall, this article brought up good points that do need to be addressed and we need to show students that the feeling of pride is enough for earning a good grade, it is not just about earning money for succeeding.  

Uglies

I really enjoyed this book because I felt that the message it can send to children is very powerful. I liked that the characters were intriguing and that a student could find themselves in the character. I personally liked Tally; she was unsure of herself, but as time went on, she figured out who she really was and made choices based on her, and not of what others thought about her. I think that too many younger students are already preoccupied with how they look. This surge in negative self images is unnecessary and unfortunately this is reinforced by the media. The celebrities we see in magazines have "perfect" bodies, faces and hair. The part that people forget is that these people don't wake up looking like that. It generally takes a team of stylists to put these people together. I have two younger sisters who sometimes have poor body image, and I find myself reminding them that they are perfect just the way they are. You always want something you don't have, so will we ever truly be happy? I hope that the students who read this book step back and question the way they look both at themselves and at others and realize it is our differences that make us beautiful, not the same hairstyle as thirty other girls, or the same shirt as a dozen other boys.

A Lot of Fat Kids Who Don't Like To Read

This was an article that really stuck out to me. Not only because it was short and easy to read, but because it was one that I felt I could really relate to. When I first started reading, I admittedly thought that the author didn't know what he was talking about. I thought "well my teachers used this type of reinforcement, and I think it got the job done". I also thought about my psychology 101 class where we learned how successful positive reinforcement could be.
As I read on I remembered the reading competitions we did in elementary school where we tried to finnish more books than the classroom next door in a given month. I also remember having the "caught being kind" awards given out. As I thought about the example of rewarding kids for doing nice thing, my thoughts shifted to when I worked at a daycare this past summer and we attempted to do a similar thing with the kids. What resulted was a bunch of kids running around all day pointing out to us how nice they were to Johnny or how they picked up their own toys after playing with them, pretty much defeating the point of being "caught" and going out of your way to do nice things.
So I started to realize what the author was talking about a little more. If we as educators are constantly offering rewards for things that we want kids to be doing, they will not only not recieve the bennefits of the actions we are encouraging, but they will not do the acts on their own, which is the whole point. Especially with reading, we want kids to enjoy the learning and new informationg, imagination, and excitement that comes with reading! We don't want kids to be focused on finishing a book to get their points on the chart but then forget the book a day later. Like the author said, the kids will "temporarily comply" and finish a few books, but the real goal should be for the kids to "tap into their natural desire to make sense of the world". We want our kids to enjoy reading and appreciate the value of learning through resources.
One other thing that I really like about this article was the part where the author asks teachers to focus on how their students are motivated (intrinsically or extrinsically). This ties in with getting to know your students and the ways that will best help them leran. The author aslo made a good point about it being our job as educators to produce engaging tasks involved in reading and learning so that school doesn't become boring, monotonous, and only important to kids if they get rewards.
Overall, I really liked this article. It made me think a little differently about how to get kids involved with reading and the ways that I was rewarded in school. I think we all can take away some good advice with this article.

Helen Keller

Well, I know we did this last week in class, but I still had some comments about the Helen Keller article. I wanted to wait through the weekend because I was going home and i wanted to see how much my family knew about Helen Keller. My mom did know she was a socialist, but she did not realize how active Helen Keller was in the political world. I view my mom to be a very educated woman, so when she was still learning new things about Helen Keller and her being much older than me, it struck me even harder as to how society wants people to only learn what they want people to learn. To have her life, not so much kept hidden, but that there are not that many books about her life after her childhood years. It seems that she has accomplished so much more than overcoming her blindness and deafness. She was able to public speak, not knowing what she sounds like at all. Now, just think about that for a second. I think that would be so difficult, especially since its public speaking which happens to be the number one fear among humans, the second being death. She was, as was said in class a lot, "going against the grain" which not a lot of people are doing today, or at least that I know of. I think that in elementary it is a great idea to introduce Helen Keller and show the challenges she has overcome, but after the kids learn about her childhood I think that the education of her life should continue, whether it be in upper elementary or in middle school and even high school. I have known about Helen Keller for most of my life, but I never knew more than half of what she has accomplished in her long life. I wish that schools would further children's knowledge of her, because she fought for what she believed in and for most people, that is a trait that does not happen too often.

Outrage on Helen Keller

The more I think about what we read on Helen Keller the more angry I get at the educational system. Honestly why is it that students learn about powerful men who go against the grain but are denied the opportunity to learn about all the powerful women who did extraordinary things? Every child knows about the power and courage of Martin Luther King, Jr. and FDR, but when it comes to women, they are taught the socially correct version of their lives. Rosa Parks is seen as a poor tired old woman rather than the determined activist that she was. Eleanor Roosevelt is depicted as a good wife of an incredible president who helped him to achieve his goals. In truth, Eleanor spent her husband's four terms in the presidency fighting with him about anything and everything she felt it necessary to fight for. Not only were many of the social programs FDR is credited for her idea, but when he got sick in his last term in the presidency she effectively became the president and made all the decisions with absolutely no recognition. I am both amazed and outraged that our educational system still represents a male orientated view of the world and at the risk of sounding like a crazy feminist, I think its about time things were changed to credit women with the accomplishments they have made.

The Truth about Helen Keller

Not only was Helen Keller a symbol of "hope" for the handicapped, but she was a suffragist and an advocate for many social changes in the United States. I was utterly shocked to hear of the extent of Ms. Keller's life long achievements. I remember learning about her but nothing further than a role model. 

It's interesting to think about, if they have failed to show the hard work that Helen Keller had done for the poor and the suffragists, than what other significant figures in history have they done this too as well. It would be interesting to research even further into this statement and try to find other historical figures who's real personality is shunned out of literature. 

Esperanza Rising

I really enjoyed reading Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan. I found it to be a very emotional novel that has the ability to bring out every kind of emotion in the reader ranging from happiness to resentment. I found many different moments that I could relate to. For instance, losing a family member can be one of the most difficult events that a person may experience in their entire life. Esperanza found herself having to deal with one of most difficult deaths, the death of her father. “Esperanza felt her heart drop. A noise came from her mouth and slowly, her first breath of grief grew into a tormented cry” (Ryan 22). When I was in Sixth Grade, I experienced the same event with losing both of my Grandparents with whom I was very close to. Towards the end of the book, Esperanza finds that she can remember her father and deal with her grief through the happy memories that she has of him. On page 38, it states, “She tried to find the dream, the one where Papa was singing the birthday song.” I feel that having good memories of the people you lose, reminds you of the great place that they hold in your heart. The book also can relate to many events and issues that we still experience in our nation today even though there are differences in time. For instance, the way in which corruption leaks into our system through banking corporations, politics, and large corporations. In Esperanza Rising, Alfonso states, “Your uncles are very powerful and corrupt. They can make things difficult for anyone who tries to help you. Remember, they are the banker and the mayor” (Ryan 34). This corruption can be compared to the recent movie, The International, starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts who try to unveil illegal activities that one of the most powerful banks has involved itself in such as money laundering, and destabilization of governments. It is interesting that a children’s book can portray a complicated issue that has occurred in our nation’s history and still occurs today. Overall, the book discussion that I led went very well. All of my group members contributed to the discussion and made it run smoothly. The main topics discussed were: the incorporation of Spanish sentences, the overall theme of the book, adaptation, and overall attitude change. My group as whole agreed that this book is geared towards Fourth Grade through Sixth Grade. However, some of the concepts may be difficult to understand due to the complexity so teachers need to be able to explain the event’s significance. We also agreed that this book would fall under the Historical Fiction genre due to Pam Munoz Ryan’s references towards the Mexican Revolution. It was interesting to see how everyone's life related to an aspect of Esperanza, and I found it enjoyable to listen to their comparisons.

Book Review--Midterm

I forgot to post my Midterm Book Review--So here it is, sorry for the late post.

Willy the Wizard is set over a course of a few days and occurs both at night and during the day. It is about a chimpanzee named Willy who loves soccer, but no-one will include him in the game. He meets a stranger one night on the way home from soccer, who was wearing old fashioned soccer gear and he was very, very good. The stranger gave Willy his soccer shoes. The next day at practice, he wore his new boots, played fantastic, and earned a spot on the roster. However, when he got to the game, he had forgotten his boots because he was too excited. He still played great, even without his shoes by setting up an assist and scoring a goal as well. The book is told in third person point of view. It is specifically in third person omniscient because the narrator is describing what is happening throughout the story to the reader. The underlying theme of this book is that “confidence is the key, practice makes perfect”.
The media and technique used in the illustrations are a combination between colored pencils, pastels, paint, and various acrylic material, to create highly emotional and vibrant pictures that take up the majority of the page. The eye is forced from one point to another due to colors and placement of the page. However, different pictures portray different meanings because of the use of colors, shapes, and textures. The style of art that this book uses represents is cartoon art. The characters are 2-dimensional, and the illustrations focus especially on the aspect of line. Since there are interesting actions and expressions shown by all the characters throughout the story, there are “exaggerated expressions [that] communicate directly and can be understood without words” (43). Such has his expression when he is too excited to go to sleep or when he forgets his shoes. Most of the lines shown in the pictures are thick lines, which represent stability. This book uses mostly geometric shapes but also includes abstract shapes to illustrate action being portrayed within the book that make it seem like the shape has volume or is three-dimensional such as a soccer ball. Browne uses many colors within his book ranging from purple to red but focuses on making them bright on the page. There is also a “range of value, the amount of light and dark, which creates drama and movement” (p. 34).
This book is targeted to First through Third Grade, due to the length of text and complexity of the relationship between the pictures and the text. There was a major overt message in the book which was to never give up and to always have confidence in yourself; to always persevere. It is easy for children to relate this book to their everyday lives and learn a valuable lesson. This children’s picture book is relevant to many social situations that kids face, such as feeling not in the group or that you are not good enough to play

Babushka Baba Yaga

The book I chose to use was Patricia Polacco’s Babushka Baba Yaga. It is a book about the terrible Russian “Baba Yaga,” a legendary creature feared throughout the land. The villagers whisper about the dreaded Baba Yaga who lives in the forest and eats children. Polacco illuminates a different side to the Baba Yaga, the true side where she is a loving being who just wants to be accepted and care for others. One day the Baba Yaga decides she will dress up like a Babushka (a Russian grandmother) and go into the village. She falls in love with a young mother and her son, Victor, and the two become inseparable. She treats the pair as if they were her own family until one day, a woman tells Victor the tale of the Baba Yaga. He gets so upset that the she goes back to the forest in order to spare him any future heartache. When Victor is threatened by a pack of wolves in the forest, the Baba Yaga comes to his rescue. The town realizes their mistake and accepts the Baba Yaga for what she really is—a loving, caring creature who should have never been judged so harshly.
I love this book because it has such a morally sound message and is very well written. My grandma used to read this to me as a child and warn me to never judge someone before I knew their story. Polacco’s intricate illustrations that directly correlate with the text illuminate this age old virtue of not judging a book by its cover. The story is told from the third person point of view, which allows Polacco to give insight details that a reader would lose if it was told from Victor or the Baba Yaga’s perspective. Each illustration has beautiful detail that brings the story to life and practically jumps off the page. While the story is meant to inspire young readers to have good moral judgment, the illustrations enhance the message so much more because they depict such a loving woman who is so misunderstood, it is hard not to fall in love with her.
As a young girl, I used to ask my grandma to read this book to me whenever I went over to her house. I think it has an excellent message and would definitely read it to a class of kindergarten or first graders. Even though they might not know what a Baba Yaga or Babushka is, it would be a good outlet to introduce a culture’s different use of language and belief system in a positive, neutral light. Bringing in literature that incorporates other cultures, has excellent illustrations and has a quality message is crucial in the schools and I think this particular book would be a good one to use.

The picture book, "Julius, The Baby of the World," is an animal fantasy story about a family of mice.  Told as a third person narrative, it details the life of a little girl named Lilly and her hatred for her new born brother Julius.  The story follows a chronological time line like most picture books for children and the plot simply reveals the theme that the author and illustrator, Kevin Henkes, is trying to express.  Throughout the story Lilly is fighting for the attention of her parents and is constantly being punished for bad behavior.  The book ends with LIlly defending her baby brother when he is made fun of by another mouse.  In the end Lilly learns to appreciate and love her family.  The book is for younger children ranging from preschool to second grade levels.  The illustrations are engaging for this age group with vibrant colors and strong correlation between text and images.  It is also a subject area that children may find applicable to their family lives if they have a younger sibling.

poetry

When I was younger I seemed to be interested in poetry but as soon as I got to high school my feelings changed and I still feel the same way about it today and after the reading I realize why I feel this way about poetry.  I used to have fun with poetry in elementary school and middle school because my teachers would make if fun for all of the students.  Each time we would be able to come up a different type of poem then our teacher would have an activity planned around it.  In the reading I realized that the teachers attitude toward poetry effected the outlook that the students in turn had of poetry.  If the teacher doesn't push the kids to become involved and doesn't exposes the children enough to poetry at a young age then there is the chance that they won't appreciate it as much as they grow up.  In high school whenever we were about to start a poetry section everyone would always groan and moan because of all the analyzing that had to be done.  This is where my appreciation of poetry started to decline because I didn't see everything the same way the teacher did and I would be graded down for it.  Soon I began to lose interest in poetry and I'm sure other kids in the class felt the same way.  In the reading it stated that the opinion of the students towards poetry comes from the way in which it is taught and the environment surrounding it.  In high school it was generally a negative attitude and everyone wanted to get it over as quick as possible so this is where I see my outlook on poetry taking a turn.  I wouldn't mind reading poetry that isn't assigned to me and doing it on my own and see if that starts to change the way I feel about poetry.

Ch.4- Poetry

As a young child I disliked poetry very much. Even today I'm not that big into it. Reading this chapter made me realize that the reason I probably have such a negative about poetry is because I wasn't exposed to it very much in school and also because the atmosphere surrounding poetry lessons was never encouraged as much as other subjects from my teachers, and was never made very fun. I agree that there are important things that children can gain from reading poetry such as an increased vocabulary, creativity, and exposure to new writers as well as styles. Aside from maybe a project like a holiday poetry reading here and there in elementary school, I don't remember learning anything in depth or exploring different types of poems until was in middle school. I think that if my teachers in elementary school would have implemented some of the ideas explained in Ch.4 such as reading poems out loud as a class, acting out poems, or including other subjects into poetry such as science, I could have really gotten interested in poetry!
I really like how this book includes lots of examples of good pieces of children's poetry, studies about what types of poetry children like, how it impacts their learning, and also explains ideas on how to implement poetry into the classroom. It's a great step-by-step guide for future teachers. Back to Ch.4, I also made a note of the Joyful Noise book because I thought that sounded like a great tool to use when introducing poetry to a classroom. When I read the section about the different types of poetry, sadly, there were types that I hadn't heard about! I think that really indicates the lack of poetry in typical classrooms and I think that occurs because teachers know it's a difficult subject and assume students will be uninterested. However, thinking about poetry as word play and hearing the different activities brought up in this chapter makes me think that it poetry can't really be that bad. Lastly, I really liked that the authors encouraged teachers to address poetry as a new experience to use creativity and express oneself through words, rather than all about analyzing long, confusing poems, or finding the meaning of every line. This could be because the text book is more centered around younger ages, but I still appreciated the fact that they focused on poetry as another means for getting kids involved in reading, which is really the point after all.

Poetry

I have never been very fond of poetry. I was one of those kids who only liked it if it rhymed or if it was about something funny and easy to read. My main dislike for poetry came from the fact that I have always been bad at interpreting the meaning or the message behind the words. I always just went along with what everyone else said. Through my schooling, poetry was never a big unit in my English classes so I did not have to deal with it for long,  I was always able to just get by. I do believe that poetry is important in a Language Arts class, but it has to engage the students and relate to them. Students should be taught there are ones that rhyme and ones that do not make very much sense. They should be exposed to all types with lessons that will help them interpret it. I think that the two voices type of poetry is a fun and constructive way for students to connect with poetry. 

Poetry Readings

I am not a huge fan of poetry. When I was younger I really enjoyed writing haikus. From the reading, Terry found that it wasn't a favorite among students. This wasn't the case for me. I do agree with the reading in that a student's opinion on poetry comes from how poetry is taught and in what kind of environment. I want to make sure that I really make poetry fun. The reason that I enjoyed haikus so much was because my teacher made haikus fun, and she also had a positive atmospher of haikus. As I began to get older (middle school) my love for poetry declined. My teachers would always have a negative attitude towards it like "I know you don't like it, but we need to do poetry." It became more of a task instead of pleasure. I think it would be a good idea to get students involved in poetry as they have the idea in the book of making scientific poems. This way you have literature intertwined with science. I also never had the chance to read a poem from a book like "Joyful Noise". I really think that the idea of having students read out loud in that kind of rhythm would make poetry a lot more fun! I think that poetry is really important. Poetry does allow students to learn rythm and important literary terms such as alliteration and onomotopeia. These readings made me realize that the environment of poetry is what makes students dislike or like poetry.

Poetry

Poetry in school, is always a difficult subject. Reading about how there's a book called Joyful Noises made poetry in the classroom seem not so bad. Then looking back on my poetry experiences in the classroom the farthest back thing I can remember was when we had to create a book of poetry of our own in middle school. This correlates well with Jodi and Laura's findings that a majority of children do not have enough exposure to poetry.
It wasn't until high school when I had a very in depth exposure to any sort of poetry. There were so many ways in which we learned about poetry that can be taught even at a elementary level. We were given an evelope filled with words and it was our job to stick one of those words down on paper and pass it to the person to the next of us. And it went on like that to create a poem. This was to teach us that poems didn't necessarily have to rhyme. Also, the ideas of learning many different poems that can spark the interest of many different students helped. In the end, poetry didn't seem so scary knowing different tools that helped us try to understand and enjoy poetry.
To sum it up, I feel that poetry makes stomachs turn, and children sick because they've had so much poor exposure to it. With the proper techniques and much exposure to it, and eventually everyone will "recognize that poetry could be found everywhere in teh world around them," and that student's jobs as a poet "is to watch, to listen, to notice and record moments wen poems occur."

Readings

I liked the readings this week because they reminded me of things i forgot i had learned! I totally remember reading poems from the Joyful Noises book so it was fun for me to think about that again, and see little exerpts from that. I made note of the title so i can buy that book for teaching purposes. I remember reading poems with a partner and it was so fun. I think it's a good way to keep kids interested in poetry. I think Ch 4 had a lot of good points; teacher's reaction to poetry reflects on to the kids, kids need a variety, don't have them memorize- let them explore, etc. Since poetry is a tough subject for a lot of people to get interested in, i think these points are important. I also thought the examples of students' poems in the Apol article were really cute.

response to reading: poetry

I don't like poetry but I thought poetry is quite fascinating especially for kids. It is because poetry usually shorter than other literatue. I thougt I liked poetry when I was young. Actually I didn't like reading, so i prefer poetry because of their short length. Moreover, I agree with that idea poetry affects children's life because children could improve reading via rhythm of poetry and feel easier to read through shorter length of script. listening and reading poetry also increase children’s vocabulary and creativity.

I actually really enjoy reading poetry as well, but especially these children's poems that could be used for teaching material with children. I used to dislike analyzing poems too in-depth because i felt like we probably studied it more than the poet even intended.   I like how poetry inspires so much creativity in kids though, since certain poems lack a specific structure and you are free to write what you feel.  In high school I actually worked in a 3rd grade classroom, and a lot of the student's free time revolved around writing poems about me and their classmates.  I still have all of them saved, and the metaphors they used were so funny and cute that it makes me happy to look back and read them.  I agree with Galda and Cullinan when they talk about poems creating sensory images and expressing emotions we never thought about before.  It is one thing to write a story about the way you're feeling, but in a poem since the words are much more thought out and precise, the meaning seems much more obvious and heart felt.  Also they mention good points about what children prefer, and it included contemporary,understandable poems, narrative poems, and poems with a rhyme or sound.  I think it is important to help kids respond to poetry and state their opinions about what theme was portrayed, but not be single minded- because I believe with poetry there is never only one interpretation and that is what makes it interesting!

Response to Readings: Poetry

I really like poetry. I actually find it quite fascinating. I am not necessarily good at writing poetry or even good at analyzing great poets’ poetry but I find it very beautiful. I was introduced to poetry in 2nd grade where everyone in the class had to memorize poems of our choice every week and recite them to the class. We would get reward points based on the length of the poems we chose. I thought Chapter 4 was pretty interesting. I agree with Cullinan and Galda in which good poetry helps students listen and pay attention to sounds and words and can increase one’s vocabulary and creativity. I thought the Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman was so cool. I have never heard of this kind of poetry in which two readers read at once, one reading the right side and one reading the left side at the same time. I loved the examples shown in this format. I also liked how Cullinan and Galda discussed how people may have developed rhythm in the mother’s womb hearing her heartbeat. On page 112, I loved the concrete poem titled, “Popsicle.” It was very creative and very cute. The article by Apol and Harris was intriguing as well. The 5th grade students’ two voice poems were beautifully written and very creative. I was amazed how Apol and Harris transformed the students’ feelings and beliefs about poetry after the whole poetry project. I believe poetry is important for all students to explore at a young age and open their minds to creative ways of writing.

Response to Readings

I have never been one to enjoy poetry, even from a young age. Since I have not had any interest in poetry, reading Chapter 4 from Literature and the Child provided great difficulties for me. The reading itself was not difficult, it was just hard for me to get into and be interested in what was said. However, I found a similarity to the question that was asked on page 90 "Did you memorize a poem as a child?". I had to memorize many poems not particularly in elementary school, but in the 8th grade, I had to memorize many poems for my Language Arts class. It is interesting because in the text it says that poems do more than just provide a chance for children to laugh or cry, but it helps students remember academic content. I find that it may provide a chance to learn academic content, but when you are memorizing a poem it more so provides a chance for rote learning which through other TE classes I have learned is a very ineffective way to teach a class. Since my interest in poetry does not really exist, I disagreed with the comment that was made by Apol and Harris in their article that states " It would seem natural for children not simply to be comfortable, but to passionately be enthusiastic about poetry". It does not seem natural for me at all to love poetry because I have been shown it from birth. I would agree from all of the examples that Apol and Harris offers to their reader that poetry gives students a chance to express their feelings through a different form of writing. It also does give students the ability to learn about rhythm and rhyming in a more creative manner rather than just reading about the subjects and not actually being able to gain experience. Once again, the comment made about how poetry is like music and how it supposed to make you laugh, cry, and smile proves wrong for me. I absolutely love music and could not imagine music not in my life, but I do not loo at music in the sense that I look at poetry. I understand that rapping is a form of poetry, but I feel that poetry always has an underlying meaning where I can follow rap lyrics and understand what is trying to be said. Finally, in the article written by Gillis focused on "multi-voice" novels which means that more than one narrator tell their stories in the voices of two or more central characters. A perfect example of an adolescent book is the fourth installment of the Twilight Series where Jacob and Bella who are two central characters have separate stories within the novel that are written from their perspective. These stories are alternated throughout the novel and gives you a different inside to a story. It is shown through this article that multi-voiced novesl should be taught with care becuase they are very dificult to read and follow. Books such as Twilight have a set pattern and these voices are not intertwined where the story cannot be followed where as some multi-voiced novels may be in a different structure. When teaching, we should make sure that our students understand who the protagonist, antagonists, settings, linear chronology, and clear beginnings, middles, and ends. I could relate to this article because of the section that is dedicated to "scrapbooks". I love to scrapbook and they are in a way multigenre books becuase they introduce more than a written text. This can be confusing because the meaning of a scrapbook page may only be known to the creator. I agree with the fact that multivoice novels show young readers new ways of writing about their lives and what occurs in the world. It is another way like poetry that students can express themselves through their writing.

Hi, my name is Soo Kim. I am a senior in advertising. I am from and grew up in Korea. I am kind of English savvy like Ji Young (another from Korea) but I am really excited to be in class because I love kids. see you guys in class. one more thing, Dionnel, could you post lecture slides on Angel? actually, I heard you would post in class, but i can't find that. Anyway, see you.

Hi!

Hi, my name is Ji young. (you can just call me Ji) I am a junior and my major is advertising, especially in Creative side. I grew up in Korea and Czech Republic. I love traveling and taking pictures. My English is poor but I am really excited to learn about children's literature because I like playing with kids. I'm looking forward to this class! see you guys in class.

Hi everyone!

My name is Naomi Rodriguez, but I prefer to go by my middle name (Nicole). I am currently a Senior!! I graduate in May so I am very very very very excited about that. My major is Advertising. When I graduate I hope to move to Chicago, and work for a small agency there. If not I'll probably end up in Dallas...doing something. Like I said earlier I'm from Houston, so I love having one season year round. I work in the HR department at Sparty's in the International Center so if any of you ever need any coffee let me know! I love to read, over break I actually caved in and read the Twilight series (loved it). I currently live with my boyfriend and our two dogs (Jack & Vegas). I also apparently ramble when I'm blogging. =)
My favorite children's book is The Little Prince. I'm also really excited for this class!

Hey! My name is Sarah Warman. I am a sophmore. My major elementary education with a major in English. I grew up in Troy, Michigan. When I was younger one of my favorite things to do was to read. I still love to read, but for the most part usually only books that I am not on a scheduled time to read. I love being active (sports, running, etc). My favorite time of the year is summer and fall because it is warm outside. I have been working with kids since I was in 6th grade and still love to do so. I love taking pictures and doing different types of collages with them. I also love to decorate and redesign rooms. I do look forward to this class because I like children's books especially picture books!

Hello everyone!

Hi!
I am Aubrey Hendricks. I am very excited to take this course!! It seems fun and a good way to learn what are the best books out there for kids. Some things about me that I want to share with everyone are.........
I love interacting with kids. They are so innocent and playful and just fun to be around. It is one of the reasons I want to be a teacher. I want to have a positive effect on kids and steer them away from the gang life, crimes, drugs, and alcohol so they can live a happy and stronger life. I love being active by playing sports or just messing around outside. I am taking a racquetball class right now and it is tons of fun! I ran track and played tennis for all 4 years of high school. Being a part of a team has taught me a lot about working well with a team and being a strong leader. I hope to get to know a lot of you, including Mr. Waters, this semester and hope to have the best semester ever!! Thank you for reading a little bit about me!!

Hi!

Hi everyone! I'm Kellyn Strong and I'm and elementary education major. I'm in my third year at MSU and just decided on elementary education a couple semesters ago. I've always loved working with kids and I thought about becoming a pediatrician or child psychologist but finally decided on education, which I'm really, really excited about. I grew up in Mason, which is only about 15 minutes south of East Lansing. I'm looking forward to this semester a lot, especially this class!

helloo all! my name is katie and i am an elementary education sophomore. i came to msu to pursue journalism and got a job with Haslett public schools and fell in love with teaching! i love the program so far and am really excited about this class!

Helllooo...

Hey Everyone. My name is Samantha Smith I'm a Elementary Education Junior and my teaching major is Integrated Science. I used to be a psych major and I'm extremly happy I changed to education because I have loved it so far. I'm from Farmington Hills, MI. In high school I participated in Marching Band (and other various band activities including symphony orchestra and playing in the pit for our musical Hair) and lacrosse. People usually call me Sam, but Samantha works too. I like to snowboard, listen to music and watch movies. Well, I'm off to finish my culture quilt!

HI!

Hey everyone! My name is Chelsea Seder. I am currently a sophomore and majoring in elementary education and my education major is Social Studies. I am going to apply into the college of education next fall... hopefully I'll get in! I would possibly like to be a 6th grade teacher. My favorite teacher through all of my schooling was my 6th grade teacher and I went to volunteer in her class room and I really enjoyed working with kids that age. I love baseball and the detroit tigers and I enjoy running/ working out. I am really looking forward to this class, it seems like its going be a good one!

Hi everyone!!! My name is Melissa Domol and I am a senior at MSU graduating in Decemeber 2009. My majors are advertising and retailing and I was not too excited about this 3 hour class but it seems like it is going to be a blast and I am actually pretty pumped. I live at Burcham Place and I hate the cold weather. I am a facebook addict, but I do love to go running, I work a lot, and I like to go out. I love to play tennis and be productive. I thought that Christmas break went by pretty fast ad the first semester as well. I hope to get to know everyone more! k BYE!

Hi, I'm Gina Kiefer, a sophomore Elementary Education major with a focus in Math.  I love playing sports, doing crosswords, and chocolate!! I'm the middle of three girls in my family with an older sister, Liz, at U of M, and a younger sister that is a freshman in high school.  I'm really close with my family and friends.  I also LOVE The Office!  I read a lot... in the spirit of this class I thought I would include my favorite children's book, it's Fantastic Mr. Fox.  

Hey everyone, my name is Lindsay Kunkel. I went to CMU for 2 1/2 years and then transferred to MSU. I'm now in my 4th year and i have senior credits, just not in the right places. When i transferred, i lost some credits, and also the programs were just different, so i have some other stuff to take. Anyway, so i'm a 'junior' in the program, I'm majoring in Elementary Special Education- Learning Disabilties. I absolutely love kids and love helping them learn. Last semester was really busy for me, but as of right now i'm trying to get involved in some more stuff ( Read to Succeed, Big Brothers Big Sisters, SCEC...). I'm from Grand Rapids, MI and can't wait until i can finally move somewhere warmer. I have an older sister, younger brother and 2 dogs. I think that's it for now, but feel free to ask me anything!

Hey! My name is Ilana Goldman and I am a sophomore majoring in Elementary education with a math and english minor. Ever since 3rd grade, I have aspired to become a teacher. Currently I am a sunday school teacher at a local synagogue and I am part of Tower Guard and SMEA. I love hanging out with my friends and family, singing, and dancing, and doing yoga. I am a fan of the show, The Office, and I love watching movies with a sappy love story. But most of all I love to laugh, learn, and have a good time!

Hey everyone,
My name is Jeff Miller but I go by Monty. I am a sophomore going into Elementary Ed. I'm from Grand Haven, MI right along Lake Michigan and like to play sports. I really want to get out of Michigan and move out west sometime after I graduate. And that is about it.

Hi my name is Lauren Murri and I'm a sophomore Elementary Education major.  I'm from Rochester, MI and am the oldest of 3 kids.  Im in the sorority Chi Omega, and I love spending time with family and friends. 

My name is Hillary Ruimveld and I am a sophomore studying Special Education with minors in Spanish and History. I enjoy watching movies and playing tennis. It is my goal to study abroad in Spain before I graduate. My hometown is Portage, MI and I have 2 younger sisters and 2 dogs.

Hi my name is Brittany Knue, I am a Junior at MSU and I am studying Elementary Education and History :)

Introduction from Mr. Waters

Hello Everyone, and welcome to TE 348: Reading and Responding to Children Literature! In this course we will read and respond using a critical and analytical frame of reference to children literature from around the world. This course will also focus on ways to incorporate children literature into your classrooms and the best methods for evaluating children literature texts. Throughout the course we will learn about different types of children literature and effective ways to utilize books to help children make sense of the world around them. I am looking forward to a great semester where we are able to learn a lot from each another while creating a culture of "achievement and professionalism."