Yes, and not only from child to child (or reader to reader) but from time to time for the same child/reader, I think.
On Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 12:29 PM, jan sanders <[email protected]> wrote: > > Having done some work on "theme" with other coaches (I was a literacy coach > then) we found it to be a very complex topic. Talking with others, and > learning about their take on it helped form our own thoughts. We worked > together to determine a "definition" so when we used the word, we all had > the same reference. So what we called theme, may not be what someone else > calls theme. We also got into the significance of the piece. We felt if we > could help children determine the significance (why did the author write > this? what did they want us to learn? to walk away with? What was the > author's message.) children could start to write significance into their own > pieces, so readers aren't left with the question so what? Hmmmm, I am > adding more fuel to this smoldering fire...Anyway, we found that children > will determine the significance, theme, message, etc., based on their own > schema. What stands out in the story for one person, may not be the same > for another, because prior knowledge plays a part in the understanding. > > Jan We must view young people not as empty bottles to be filled, but as > candles to be lit. > -Robert Shaffer > > > > > Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 16:09:51 +0000 > > From: [email protected] > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Theme/author's message > > > > I do think there is a difference, although students should be taught > both, of course. For example, we are reading RULES by Cynthia Lord right > now. She says that her theme was acceptance. My papers about it are at > school right now, but I do think she did call it her theme, not her > message.We are using the book in our thematic unit about growing up. I can > clearly see how there are many "life messages" in this book. The main > character struggles through the challenges of leaving childhood joys behind, > as she thrills at the new world of adolescence. The conversations about this > book bring out the idea that rich literature will usually have multiple > themes, messages that resonate with different people for different reasons. > As long as the reader can use the text to justify their opinion, I think a > theme can be jaccepted, whether it was the author's original intent or not. > > > > This inquiry was perfectly timed for me. Next week we will be focusing on > the author's purpose and then finishing up the book and learning about > theme. I am interested on hearing what others think about these topics! > > Maura > > 5/NJ > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Kelly Andrews-Babcock" <[email protected]> > > To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" < > [email protected]> > > Sent: Sunday, November 8, 2009 7:45:51 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern > > Subject: [MOSAIC] Theme/author's message > > > > Perhaps you can help me with a question that has come up with our staff. > We > > were discussing theme (fiction) and at one grade level author's message > came > > up as being used interchangeably with theme. In our conversation that > > followed some people thought theme was a more global or overarching idea > and > > the author's message was more specific to the lesson the author was > teaching > > through the text. But in realizing there can be multiple themes in books, > > the confusion continues. I'd love to hear from you more on this topic. > > Thanks, > > Kelly AB > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Mosaic mailing list > > [email protected] > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Mosaic mailing list > > [email protected] > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > -- "There is nothing so unequal as equal treatment of unequals." Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
