Throughout the semester TE 448 has been the highlight of my week. I really enjoyed the intimacy of the class discussions as well as the comfort level in the room. I think that what I really learned by taking the class is that literacy can be used in many ways in dealing with diversity. First, text can provide comfort for the insiders of a particular group of diverse people. Further, the text can provide information about those groups to those who may be outsiders or unknowledgable about the group. Even more, the text can be used to reflect on one's own views, misconceptions, and assumptions that may be dwelling in a classroom setting. I think that the class made me understand the importance of the author's background and whether or not he or she is part of the group, has done valid research, or had long term experience with the particular group they are writing about. I also really enjoyed using the blogs and thought it was a great space to share afterthoughts and fun ideas about topics or different pieces of literature.
I now understand that when a class reads a book discussion is necessary, but specific prompts may force students to not share their own unique interpretations. I really think that I got the most out of this class during those discussions where all group members were prepared, focused, and enthusiastic about the topic. I would have liked to learn more about how to guide but not lead discussions as well as how to engage the students in the topic in order to make them excited and inspired to really gain something from each book. I thought the organization of the course was great and that there is a real need for more children's literacy courses for education majors because it really gives you an understanding about what specific qualities to look for in a valuable piece of literature.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Between Mom and Jo
Peters, Julie Anne. Between Mom and Jo. New York.Megan Tingley Books. 2006
This was my favorite book to read, I finished it in two days! I really enjoyed it's realism and the uniqueness of the situations, it really made it a page turner. Further, the book really made me think about how Nick and his family are similar to any family that goes through divorce, but because his mom's are gay it adds a lot of extra stress and drama to endure. I am really interested in how often this sort of situation occurs in the United States and how the families are usually split in terms of custody issues. The story of Nick and his mom's Jo and his biological mom, Erin begins as many stories do with memories of a great childhood and how well they all got along. The novel's plot turns from a functional family to a family that deals the alcoholism of one parent while the other battles cancer. I enjoy Julie Anne Peters' use of a common reason for the divorce rather than a situation that only two lesbians could go through. I think that there are some really great connections between the two lifestyles that made me realize how similar they really are. This realistically flawed family captured my attention the entire time. However, i found it a little unbelievable that Erin, the biological mom, would not let her son see Jo after the seperation because it seems like a very drastic twist of character. Overall, I think the book adds a great deal to my text set as a whole because it tells a story of divorce through the eyes of people who were in fact never married. I think the book sheds light on the fact that divorce is not always as easy as many children's books portray. Further, the book accentuates the idea that often the child is helpless in custody battles. At the same time, Peters really details the idea that family, no matter what combination of genders, is fragile and when it breaks it can shatter.
This was my favorite book to read, I finished it in two days! I really enjoyed it's realism and the uniqueness of the situations, it really made it a page turner. Further, the book really made me think about how Nick and his family are similar to any family that goes through divorce, but because his mom's are gay it adds a lot of extra stress and drama to endure. I am really interested in how often this sort of situation occurs in the United States and how the families are usually split in terms of custody issues. The story of Nick and his mom's Jo and his biological mom, Erin begins as many stories do with memories of a great childhood and how well they all got along. The novel's plot turns from a functional family to a family that deals the alcoholism of one parent while the other battles cancer. I enjoy Julie Anne Peters' use of a common reason for the divorce rather than a situation that only two lesbians could go through. I think that there are some really great connections between the two lifestyles that made me realize how similar they really are. This realistically flawed family captured my attention the entire time. However, i found it a little unbelievable that Erin, the biological mom, would not let her son see Jo after the seperation because it seems like a very drastic twist of character. Overall, I think the book adds a great deal to my text set as a whole because it tells a story of divorce through the eyes of people who were in fact never married. I think the book sheds light on the fact that divorce is not always as easy as many children's books portray. Further, the book accentuates the idea that often the child is helpless in custody battles. At the same time, Peters really details the idea that family, no matter what combination of genders, is fragile and when it breaks it can shatter.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
I really think that including the diversity of family structure in this course would be a great topic because it would be something that all people can apply to their own life. I remember before my parents got a divorce, I was quick to assume that many steroetypes about both the parents and the children who come from this background. Surprisingly, I do not fit into any of the stereotypes that I was so quick to palce on my friends who had parents who were divorced. I chose to focus my final project on this because I think that the divorced population is under represented in literature and when it is talked about it is almost always talked about in a way that calls for some sort of recovery or self help becasue of the situation. I think that if we had a discussion about families in an open and comfortable setting there would be a great opening for the semester where we learn about each other, discuss our misconceptions, explore the diversity, and make connections between our differences.
comfort level in the classroom during discussions on diversity
I really enjoyed how well the discussions went during class and thought that it was effective to begin by talking aobut what makes the topic of sexuality or sexual preference uncomfortable for students. i found it interesting to think aobut the correlation between religion and this topic in that it seems like this will be the biggest obstacle when creating an unbiased classroom that celebrates diversity. I would like to know more about what a teachers responsibility when introducing this subject. Do we have to inform parents and how do you respect thsoe religions which disagree with certain types of lifestyles? I think that this is an area of education that could potentially cuase a riff in the home and school relationship. I would like to learn about how to include those students in these discussions but, at the same time do not want to force beliefs on those students who come from families who do not want to discuss this topic. I hope that when I have children they will have educators who take the time to inform them about the realities of different types of relationships while clearing up the many misconceptions about what it means to be gay, lesbian, transgender, transexual, or queer.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Critique of Text Set, Summary of Thoughts
Summary:
Overall, looking at the four texts and the scholarly article on the effect of divorce on children has made me realize what a great job my own parents did when helping me, as an only child, get through their divorce. The text set I reviewed had one common theme: No matter what both parents will always love you. I think that this is important because it is something that a child needs to hear repetitively throughout their journey to recovery. Children often feel that they are to blame for their parent’s separation and divorce which is also a theme in the books I read and reviewed. The text set I reviewed seemed to be a great representation of books that can be used as tools in aiding children’s recovery after family changes. One of things that differed amongst the books was the fact that they were aimed for different ages.
The books, “When My Parents Forgot How to Be Friends” and “Mama and Daddy Bear’s Divorce” are meant for young children. These books really emphasized the fact that although they may live with one parent at a time, they can still do everything they used to and they still have the love, support, and care of both parents. These books are an age appropriate, “sugar-coated” portrayal of divorce and all its effects. On the other hand, “Dinosaur’s Divorce” and “Mom and Dad Separate” are two books that are for the more fluent reader. These books work well with children around the ages of eight to twelve because they allow the child to ask questions about their own situations and feelings. They allow the older child to see a more realistic portrayal of what divorce entails, what can happen, and how it effects the people in the situation in a way the normalizes the events an outcomes of divorce.
My favorite book that I reviewed was “Mom and Dad Separate” because I think it proves to be the most useful by the fact that it not only provides an inspirational and normalizing look at divorce, but also allows the reader to illustrate the answers to the questions posed. This allows the reader to personalize their story which can be viewed by parents, teachers, and counselors, as a tool to open discussion about the child’s emotions about the divorce which they have been a part.
Overall, looking at the four texts and the scholarly article on the effect of divorce on children has made me realize what a great job my own parents did when helping me, as an only child, get through their divorce. The text set I reviewed had one common theme: No matter what both parents will always love you. I think that this is important because it is something that a child needs to hear repetitively throughout their journey to recovery. Children often feel that they are to blame for their parent’s separation and divorce which is also a theme in the books I read and reviewed. The text set I reviewed seemed to be a great representation of books that can be used as tools in aiding children’s recovery after family changes. One of things that differed amongst the books was the fact that they were aimed for different ages.
The books, “When My Parents Forgot How to Be Friends” and “Mama and Daddy Bear’s Divorce” are meant for young children. These books really emphasized the fact that although they may live with one parent at a time, they can still do everything they used to and they still have the love, support, and care of both parents. These books are an age appropriate, “sugar-coated” portrayal of divorce and all its effects. On the other hand, “Dinosaur’s Divorce” and “Mom and Dad Separate” are two books that are for the more fluent reader. These books work well with children around the ages of eight to twelve because they allow the child to ask questions about their own situations and feelings. They allow the older child to see a more realistic portrayal of what divorce entails, what can happen, and how it effects the people in the situation in a way the normalizes the events an outcomes of divorce.
My favorite book that I reviewed was “Mom and Dad Separate” because I think it proves to be the most useful by the fact that it not only provides an inspirational and normalizing look at divorce, but also allows the reader to illustrate the answers to the questions posed. This allows the reader to personalize their story which can be viewed by parents, teachers, and counselors, as a tool to open discussion about the child’s emotions about the divorce which they have been a part.
Critical Review
Critical Review:
Karuppaswamy, Nithyakala, Judith A. Myers-Walls, Ph.D., CFLE. The Effect of Divorce on Children: What Makes a Difference. Purdue University. 2006. Retrieved November 25, 2007.
The scholarly article, “The Effect of Divorce on Children: What Makes a Difference”, is a great tool for parents, teachers, counselors, and authors to review in that it explains how a each child who has gone through divorce will have a unique reaction to the change in lifestyle and family. The article discusses some of the factors that are intertwined to create each child’s feelings and response to a divorce. First, the article discusses the idea that the level of conflict will greatly impact a child’s ability to overcome the situation with a positive outlook on family because the more fighting and criticism between parents the more they will struggle to recover. The article goes on to discuss how a parent’s adjustment directly effects a child’s adjustment. In other words, if a parent is positive and consistent in their portrayal of their feelings the child will feel more secure in relaying their ideas and emotions in a healthy way. Further, the article discusses the idea that a child should know, only what is age appropriate, about the divorce. Younger children should be bombarded with the fact that both parents still love them and as they age, be introduced to the more intimate details of what happened and court orders. Following this section of the article, discusses the idea that research has shown that children ages 10-12 often have the most difficult time with divorce because they are old enough to know what is going on, but not old enough to have control over the outcomes of their situations. Further the article states that children, regardless of age, need support from a variety of people. Parents need to be open to their children in answering questions and staying positive about their recovery. Also, brothers and sisters are often great supports because they are going through the same process. Next, children or teens that have experienced divorce can often be a beacon toward the path of successful recovery. The article discusses the idea that girls often adjust to divorce better than boys because, as society deems, girls are allowed to portray emotion whereas boys are taught to hide their feelings and put on a strong and unaffected front. Regardless of age or gender, the article states that it is up to parents, teachers, and counselors to find healthy ways for children to express their feelings and work through the emotions such as reading books, painting, or drawing. This article really does a great job pointing out the key factors that cause differences in a child’s reaction to divorce and how a parent can influence healthy recovery and high self esteem.
Karuppaswamy, Nithyakala, Judith A. Myers-Walls, Ph.D., CFLE. The Effect of Divorce on Children: What Makes a Difference. Purdue University. 2006. Retrieved November 25, 2007.
The scholarly article, “The Effect of Divorce on Children: What Makes a Difference”, is a great tool for parents, teachers, counselors, and authors to review in that it explains how a each child who has gone through divorce will have a unique reaction to the change in lifestyle and family. The article discusses some of the factors that are intertwined to create each child’s feelings and response to a divorce. First, the article discusses the idea that the level of conflict will greatly impact a child’s ability to overcome the situation with a positive outlook on family because the more fighting and criticism between parents the more they will struggle to recover. The article goes on to discuss how a parent’s adjustment directly effects a child’s adjustment. In other words, if a parent is positive and consistent in their portrayal of their feelings the child will feel more secure in relaying their ideas and emotions in a healthy way. Further, the article discusses the idea that a child should know, only what is age appropriate, about the divorce. Younger children should be bombarded with the fact that both parents still love them and as they age, be introduced to the more intimate details of what happened and court orders. Following this section of the article, discusses the idea that research has shown that children ages 10-12 often have the most difficult time with divorce because they are old enough to know what is going on, but not old enough to have control over the outcomes of their situations. Further the article states that children, regardless of age, need support from a variety of people. Parents need to be open to their children in answering questions and staying positive about their recovery. Also, brothers and sisters are often great supports because they are going through the same process. Next, children or teens that have experienced divorce can often be a beacon toward the path of successful recovery. The article discusses the idea that girls often adjust to divorce better than boys because, as society deems, girls are allowed to portray emotion whereas boys are taught to hide their feelings and put on a strong and unaffected front. Regardless of age or gender, the article states that it is up to parents, teachers, and counselors to find healthy ways for children to express their feelings and work through the emotions such as reading books, painting, or drawing. This article really does a great job pointing out the key factors that cause differences in a child’s reaction to divorce and how a parent can influence healthy recovery and high self esteem.
Book Review: When Mom and Dad Seperate, Children Can Learn to cope With Grief From Divorce
Heegaard, Marge. Illustrations to be done by children. “When Mom and Dad Separate, Children Can Learn to Cope With Grief From Divorce”. Minneapolis MN: Woodland Press. 1991.
Marge Heegaard, author of “When Mom and Dad Separate, Children Can Learn to Cope With Grief From Divorce”, has created a book that can be used by children in order to reflect on their own situation and illustrate on each page as a way to write a personal story about how divorce affected them and what they still have despite the separation of their parents. Heegard was a step mother and wrote this book for her step son because he was so tentative to discuss his feeling with her. She thought that he would benefit from this unique format because he loved to draw and being able to illustrate your own feelings took the focus off the intimate and personal questions. As the book begins the reader is introduced to the idea that change is part of life such as a caterpillar turning into a butterfly and the sun sets and the moon rises. The students are asked to draw how they have changed from being a baby, to now, to when they grow up. Heegaard goes on to list ideas about what can go wrong in a marriage and what a divorce entails. This book is full of question for children to think about and offers room for them to illustrate their answers. This allows the child to work though their own feelings and, when talking is often hard to do, they have space to draw their emotions and ideas. Although, the book appears to be just white pages with black writing, it is the only opportunity a child may have to personally question their feelings and ideas about a divorce and reflect on the affects that have come about from the separation between parents. Due to the fact that the book depends on the reader’s personal experience it can not be used by students who have not been personally affected by divorce. However, for those who have dealt with divorce this is not just a book; rather, this is a tool that can be used in the process of healing and adjusting to the new life that a child will live in a single-parent home.
Marge Heegaard, author of “When Mom and Dad Separate, Children Can Learn to Cope With Grief From Divorce”, has created a book that can be used by children in order to reflect on their own situation and illustrate on each page as a way to write a personal story about how divorce affected them and what they still have despite the separation of their parents. Heegard was a step mother and wrote this book for her step son because he was so tentative to discuss his feeling with her. She thought that he would benefit from this unique format because he loved to draw and being able to illustrate your own feelings took the focus off the intimate and personal questions. As the book begins the reader is introduced to the idea that change is part of life such as a caterpillar turning into a butterfly and the sun sets and the moon rises. The students are asked to draw how they have changed from being a baby, to now, to when they grow up. Heegaard goes on to list ideas about what can go wrong in a marriage and what a divorce entails. This book is full of question for children to think about and offers room for them to illustrate their answers. This allows the child to work though their own feelings and, when talking is often hard to do, they have space to draw their emotions and ideas. Although, the book appears to be just white pages with black writing, it is the only opportunity a child may have to personally question their feelings and ideas about a divorce and reflect on the affects that have come about from the separation between parents. Due to the fact that the book depends on the reader’s personal experience it can not be used by students who have not been personally affected by divorce. However, for those who have dealt with divorce this is not just a book; rather, this is a tool that can be used in the process of healing and adjusting to the new life that a child will live in a single-parent home.
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