LeBron James' Vogue Cover

I knew when I heard about this cover there was going to be some controversy involved.
Someone interviewed on the Today Show (I wish I could remember who...) compared his posture and expressions to that of King Kong. They feared that it was going to fuel the debate about the status of African-Americans and how they are portrayed still as animals, especially when Gisele looks dainty and honest.

While I understand where people offended by the cover are coming from I just don't think that was the intended message vogue was trying to send. I don't look at LBJ and think "My God...what a monster he would be." I think more along the lines of "That's not someone I'd want to be matched up against on a basketball court..." To me his expression is just that of an in focus person trying to show the emotion he finds in playing his game. He's intense. He's bent on winning. It's an expression I've seen many times when he's pumped up on the court so I have a hard time making this image about his race.

How does this relate to literature? Well it directly relates to Race and Race Relations and Racism which all relate to the use of diverse literature in the classroom.

Becoming Naomi Leon

I really enjoyed this novel. I thought it gave a wonderful portrayal of Naomi's experiences and provided an imaginative world for readers to step into.

My only frustration was the portrayal of the parents. While I felt that their lack of a role in their children's lives was very realistic and authentic I worried that readers may perhaps then be left with the impression that that was a typical situation for Latino/a children. I would just want to be sure to include some supplemental examples of Latino/a life where parents did take an active role in their children's lives.

Personal Philosophy

Why did I decide to take TE 448? Well, the short answer is that I thought it would help to make me a better teacher. Why? Well it's giving me a greater awareness and appreciation for how I can incorporate multicultural literature into my classroom. I knew before taking the class that I would need to find diverse literature to use but taking this course, along with the topics covered in 348, is providing me with tools to help ensure that I choose quality works to include in my classroom.

Literature is one of the greatest ways to explore different cultures with students, but it will only be truly beneficial to them if the works used are quality pieces of fiction and help to steer them from forming stereotypes and opinions without justification.

Al Capone Does My Shirts

I really enjoyed reading Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko for class this week. It was one of the first times when I remember really being engaged in one of the assigned pieces of literature. I found myself wanting to read it and when I had to put it down I looked forward to when I could pick it up again. While I'm not sure I'll teach fourth grade--I'm looking more into kindergarten or first grade--if I do I definitely think this is a book I'd like to include in my lessons. I think it opens up the possibility for a lot of different conversations with students. The setting allows for a fun and definitely different historical perspective and a fun unit opportunity. It also presents a great opening for discussing Autism and Asperger Syndrome. The fact that Natalie was never diagnosed I think is a good thing--it provides a way to illustrate that not all cases of Autism are the same so that you can discuss how Natalie exhibits some indicators of Autism without suggesting that all people with Autism behave in the same manner. Overall I just enjoyed the pace of the book, the development of the characters, and situations throughout the novel and I look forward to some day including it in my classroom.

Insider/Outsider Debate

To be honest, the "Insider/Outsider" debate really isn't something I had ever thought about before this class and reading this week's articles. So when I had to develop a position on the topic I really had no idea what it would be. First, let me say that I think it is silly to say with 100% certainty that either an insider point of view or an outsider point of view determines the quality of children's literature. I think that each example has to viewed individually and carefully to determine it's quality and it should not be based entirely on the background of the author. That being said, there are certainly many instances where someone who is considered an insider can produce better work than an outsider, if by better you mean more ethnically or culturally realistic. At the same time however, I believe that an outsider could study a particular culture and produce quality literature worthy of the subject. I also don't believe that just because an author is from a particular background, he or she will produce quality literature. Just because I grew up the daughter of an Italian-American and an Irish-American and because my parents separated when I was very young and eventually divorced, can I write a great book for children? No, and I know that. I know that I would not create a quality piece of literature about my background--because I don't think I possess the skill needed. Does that mean I can't talk with someone about my particular experiences and that they can then create something using those experiences? I don't think so. I don't think I can take a position on either side of this debate. I think that each piece of literature has to be critiqued individually and its quality not determined by the background of the author.

Welcome!

Hi there!

My name is Laura and I'm in my 4th year studying Special Education at Michigan State University. This blog is for my Diverse Literature class. I am interested in diverse literature because I honestly have no idea how to go about finding quality examples of diverse lit to incorporate in my classroom. My hope is that at the end of the semester I will have new ideas about how to judge the literature I use with my future students.