I think you are on to something here. I feel much more comfortable asking "Did the book change you?" I think kids would respond to that with more detailed answers. Like you, I'm not enthralled with Twighlight, although I'm happy that it's inspired so many to read. I found the writing vacant.
Joy/NC/4 How children learn is as important as what they learn: process and content go hand in hand. http://www.responsiveclassroom.org --- On Thu, 3/26/09, cnjpal...@aol.com <cnjpal...@aol.com> wrote: From: cnjpal...@aol.com <cnjpal...@aol.com> Subject: Re: [Understand] Chapter seven (Nothing as certain as change) To: understand@literacyworkshop.org Date: Thursday, March 26, 2009, 8:11 PM Reading this, I began to consider the why we are asking kids how the book changed them. It IS the metacognitive piece, I agree. But I also think this is where the importance of a book slides over from it's uses in reading instruction to literature as ART. Art is meant to change you. when we use books to teach reading, perhaps kids don't see the value except as learning tools. Some books have more value than others for sure...but art may also be in the eye of the beholder. Consider all the art work Ellin describes and her often emotional and visceral reactions to certain pieces of art. It is the same with literature. Some art, and some books, touch a chord, or a nerve in us and bring to light certain corners of our mind or souls that we were not aware of before...we connect with a book because it teaches us something new about the world or reminds us of who we once were or who we might become. Yet someone else is not touched in the same way. Take the Twilight series for example. So many folks have been smitten with it I thought I would try it out. I am the only person I know that isn't raving about how great the book was. Did Twilight change me? Well, it has made me think about what was missing in the book for me...and made me want to talk to others to find out why they DID connect with it. So...when you ask "How did the book change you?" I am thinking maybe it could be stated as Did the book change you? If not, why not? If so, what about your thinking changed? Just a few musings...I am still working this all out in my mind. Jennifer In a message dated 3/25/2009 12:09:31 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, shirley.zoubou...@yk1.nt.ca writes: The point to having folks talk about the changes that occur for them, is the metacognitive piece. I suspect that kids of this time, are doing this so rapid fire, it becomes part of who they are. Of course, this is not true of all kids. I recognize that my daughter and her peers are aware of what is happening while they read. However, even a conversation with the kids that are not HUGE readers, will almost always, yield the same results. The kids who are not huge readers, will tell you parts of a book, when they are chatting blithely about what they did the night before - seeing a movie!!! **************Feeling the pinch at the grocery store? Make meals for Under $10. (http://food.aol.com/frugal-feasts?ncid=emlcntusfood00000002) _______________________________________________ Understand mailing list Understand@literacyworkshop.org http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/listinfo/understand_literacyworkshop.org _______________________________________________ Understand mailing list Understand@literacyworkshop.org http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/listinfo/understand_literacyworkshop.org
