October+1st

When I first began teaching I was somewhat reticent to utilize young adult novels in my classroom. I had the idea that because I had found such value in the classics, it would be a disservice to my students if I did not allow them the opportunity to experience what I had experienced through the reading of these texts. I learned, however, over my years of teaching that not only did young adult novels have an important place in the secondary classroom, but that through them, students often wanted to read something that was a "little more traditional." True classics will forever remain salient regardless of the century.

Tchudi and Mitchell make the point that "too often a wide gulf exists between the literature students avidly read and the literature that is taught in schools (1999, p. 189), and this is true because so many teachers are unable to move away from their preconceived notions about the "legitimacy" of young adult literature. I can not think of a more "legitmate" genre tha YAL, especially the dynamic writers of the current generation. Tchudi and Mitchel make a strong argument for the implementation of young adult literature into the classroom and give some very practical activities that are engaging while also meeting the higher stages of Bloom's Taxonomy.

I also agree with Tchudi and Mitchell's incorporation of the use of children's books in the classroom-even the secondary classroom. I have found that children's books are extremely beneficial in introducing themes and ideas within my thematic units. NO DOUBT. i used a picture book by Walter Dean Myers' //Harlem// to teach allusion to 8th graders. Additionally, whenever I began a new novel, I always had two days in the media station in which students traveled throughout stations: art, video/media, technology, children's books, poetry, graphic novels. All of the texts selected for these stations reflected the topic and themes of the novel and prepared students to "take on" the complexities of a full-length text.

~Meg

Thank you Tchudi and Mitchell for giving props to Chris Chrutcher and his fabulous YAL novel //Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes//, a must read. His books have been, particularly //Whale Talk//, a water shed for some of my diverse students. (Love him! He came to Wilmington a few years ago, and my students had the opportunity to meet him...each of the sent him a thank you e-mail, and he responded to EVERY SINGLE student!) YAL is RIPE for the picking! This rich and relevant canon has been enenergized by the likes of Laurie Halse Anderson, John Green, Neal Shusterman, Patricia McCormick, Walter Dean Myers, Sharon Flake, Sharon Draper, Jay Anderson, Lois Lowry, Louis Sachar, Markus Zusak, & MT Anderson (OK I must stop!). With all of this beautiful YAL to choose from, teachers must take time to truly engage students in these books because they WILL fall in love...then once you have them THEN begin some literary analysis. Making connections to characters, themes, stance, and purpose are some the best literary capacities that can be grown via YAL. Involving students in classroom mock award book clubs, like the Eva Perry Mock Printz Book Club, are great structures that help to integrate YAL into the curricular activities.

In chapter 6, Tchudi & Mitchell touch upon the value of the "read-aloud" withYAL, particularly tales and short stories. The "read-aloud" employed at any grade level, when done with purposeful flair, intonation and accent, can be profoundly simple and simply profound. Enough said. I agree. Unfortunately, as you noted the key components are that the reading is done "with purposeful flair, intonation, and accent" and too many teachers simply rely on a textbook generated CD.

Making book choices for each school year is a fierce task. Every choice must take into consideration the strengths and needs of the students currently being served in the class. I have waivered between whole class to thematic book selection approaches. Over the years, my approach to text selection became a mixed bag and continued to evolve. I had this kind of freedom because my classroom was CHOCK full of all the types of books suggested in T & M's chapter 7. I was my duty to be my students' reading source. In order to employ the great reading activities suggested by T & M does require MUCH work on the part of the seductive teacher. Writing grants, asking for donations from local businesses, begging your principal, visiting local bookstores seeking advance copies or books they will donate or just going to local library are ALL required to get diverse books into the classroom. It is hard & tiring work! The payoff is when your students BEG to keep reading, both individually and as a class. Booyah! You are so right! It can be a challenge within a mainstream classroom to have the freedom to select texts that students will find valuable and relevant. As you have stated, your students change every year; therefore, every year should be about exploring what works for your "new" students. One of the greatest obstacles that teachers sometimes face, however, is not from the students or even the administration but with a few parents who insist on censoring what ALL students "should" and "should not" read!

~ Lisa