Over the semester, I have read so many articles about literacy. Sometimes, I felt like I read so much that I was not understanding as much as I could. I read, re-read, and sometimes read for the third time these literacy articles. And here we are, at the end of the semester and I still find it terribly difficult to define literacy without explaining through a quotation or paraphrase. More than gaining new vocabulary, I feel like the understandings I have developed are penetrating my life. Not only do I think about the library in a different way, but also my relationship with children, how I speak to them, and how I interact with adults as well.
I find myself analyzing classroom situations that I observe. I am looking for positioning, power, and perspective where I was passively involved before. I am looking to see what I have not included in my teaching that might benefit the children from popular culture and the knowledge I have of what the child can offer to the classroom. I am challenging culture that I felt was natural because I have realized it is a social construction. I feel like the understandings I have gained are helping me develop as a teacher/librarian.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Reading Reflection
I have always been someone who really loves reading. I remember what the first book I ever read by myself looked like. It was a picture book about the four seasons. I was a late reader, so it was in first grade. Another important moment in my journey of reading was a year later in second grade. My teacher, Mrs. Hutchingson, always had a chapter book to read aloud to our class. Some of my favorite children's books are from that year: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, and Wait Till Helen Comes. Not only did I love these books, I knew I had to read them on my own. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing was the first chapter book that I read in just one evening.
That was also when I realized that I read faster than most people. In fact, I read so much faster than most people that they do not believe I am reading. I can remember the same details as an average reader when I read. Sometimes, I have to read a book more than once, which often takes about the same amount of time as the average reader takes to read the book the first time. However, because I read so many books, I forget what I have read. I will start a book and realize twenty pages later that I know everything that is going to take place. Online social-networking tools such as Shelfari and LibraryThing have provided some assistance in that area. Both websites let you put books on your shelf and review them and given them ratings. I prefer Shelfari’s interface with the easy five star rating system.
I have found a way of being a little more critical of my reading, but I feel like I am still a passive reader for the most part. I realize I am applying my “funds of knowledge” to understand what I read, but unless I am discussing the text in class, I am not finding many ways to incorporate my academic reading in my life (Moll et. al, 1992). Thanks to my job, I am having more and more conversations about children's literature with students and other teachers. That comes through recommending and discussing books that both the students and I have read.
My goal is to begin writing about not only the academic texts that I read, but also for children's and adolescent literature. One way I plan to achieve this goal is to start a blog on my library webpage that I will have to update often because of its location. I worry that it won't be authentic enough because of me censoring my thoughts because of my audience, so I would need a journal to write in as well.
Moll, L., Amanti, C., Neff, D., & Gonzalez, N. (1992). Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms. Theory into Practice, 31(2), 132-141.
That was also when I realized that I read faster than most people. In fact, I read so much faster than most people that they do not believe I am reading. I can remember the same details as an average reader when I read. Sometimes, I have to read a book more than once, which often takes about the same amount of time as the average reader takes to read the book the first time. However, because I read so many books, I forget what I have read. I will start a book and realize twenty pages later that I know everything that is going to take place. Online social-networking tools such as Shelfari and LibraryThing have provided some assistance in that area. Both websites let you put books on your shelf and review them and given them ratings. I prefer Shelfari’s interface with the easy five star rating system.
I have found a way of being a little more critical of my reading, but I feel like I am still a passive reader for the most part. I realize I am applying my “funds of knowledge” to understand what I read, but unless I am discussing the text in class, I am not finding many ways to incorporate my academic reading in my life (Moll et. al, 1992). Thanks to my job, I am having more and more conversations about children's literature with students and other teachers. That comes through recommending and discussing books that both the students and I have read.
My goal is to begin writing about not only the academic texts that I read, but also for children's and adolescent literature. One way I plan to achieve this goal is to start a blog on my library webpage that I will have to update often because of its location. I worry that it won't be authentic enough because of me censoring my thoughts because of my audience, so I would need a journal to write in as well.
Moll, L., Amanti, C., Neff, D., & Gonzalez, N. (1992). Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms. Theory into Practice, 31(2), 132-141.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
How Technology is Changing What We Read
How Technology is Changing What We Read
This article is talking about the changes that technology is making to what we read. I agree that people are spending more time reading because of internet access. I know that I read many blogs and newsfeeds online. Easy access has changed the way I read the newspaper. I often only read articles that I find interesting rather than all the articles in a section of the paper. I read much more about my interests these days because of all the blogs that people with specialized knowledge are writing. People have the opportunity to read classic texts that Google has scanned into the internet. These books no longer have to be borrowed or purchased.
Writers have new outlets online as well. Short, twitter-length stories have begun to appear. Writers are enjoying writing more because they have a new audience. Technology also makes it quicker, easier and cheaper to reach that audience. And, the audience could be so specialized that many topics are read rather than just general texts.
Books for children are changing online as well. A few companies are taking picture book illustrations and turning the text into movies. Two examples of that are: Tumble books, which is accessible through the NYPL children's website and Scholastic Bookflix. Children can watch and listen to the book being read to them without a parent assisting pretty easily. They can also turn off the volume and read the text to practice those skills.
It is exciting to see the changes that are producing new literacies for students and teachers to learn everyday.
This article is talking about the changes that technology is making to what we read. I agree that people are spending more time reading because of internet access. I know that I read many blogs and newsfeeds online. Easy access has changed the way I read the newspaper. I often only read articles that I find interesting rather than all the articles in a section of the paper. I read much more about my interests these days because of all the blogs that people with specialized knowledge are writing. People have the opportunity to read classic texts that Google has scanned into the internet. These books no longer have to be borrowed or purchased.
Writers have new outlets online as well. Short, twitter-length stories have begun to appear. Writers are enjoying writing more because they have a new audience. Technology also makes it quicker, easier and cheaper to reach that audience. And, the audience could be so specialized that many topics are read rather than just general texts.
Books for children are changing online as well. A few companies are taking picture book illustrations and turning the text into movies. Two examples of that are: Tumble books, which is accessible through the NYPL children's website and Scholastic Bookflix. Children can watch and listen to the book being read to them without a parent assisting pretty easily. They can also turn off the volume and read the text to practice those skills.
It is exciting to see the changes that are producing new literacies for students and teachers to learn everyday.
Friday, May 8, 2009
How Literacy Relates to the Library
According to Green in "Critical Literacy Revisited", "the stance taken in terms of critical literacy depends on the kinds of questions that are asked" (pg. 7). In my role as a librarian, I have to think about many of the questions that have been discussed in class. Some of these issues are:
What do I include in my library collection?
What is not included?
How do I represent multiple cultures?
How do I acknowledge the "funds of knowledge" students bring with them to the library (Moll et. al)?
Should I buy books that have familiar cartoon characters, but are not quality literature?, Who decides what is quality?
How can I add that social justice piece to my curriculum?
Do I just join in with other teachers who aleady have an idea of their kids' interests?
How do I collaborate more with the literacy specialists at my school?
There are many questions that I have been considering, but not too many that I have an answer for. I will continue to ask more questions and answer them as I become a reflective practitioner.
What do I include in my library collection?
What is not included?
How do I represent multiple cultures?
How do I acknowledge the "funds of knowledge" students bring with them to the library (Moll et. al)?
Should I buy books that have familiar cartoon characters, but are not quality literature?, Who decides what is quality?
How can I add that social justice piece to my curriculum?
Do I just join in with other teachers who aleady have an idea of their kids' interests?
How do I collaborate more with the literacy specialists at my school?
There are many questions that I have been considering, but not too many that I have an answer for. I will continue to ask more questions and answer them as I become a reflective practitioner.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
"No Blood, Guns, or Gays"
In response to "No Blood, Guns, or Gays", I surveyed some of the teachers that I work with about their free-choice writing times as well as their personal narrative work. In the article, "teachers revealed that writing was constantly controlled in their classrooms" (Schneider, 2001,pg. 423). Teachers decided what kind of writing, "the amount of writing, and the length of writing time", as well as limiting choices by assigning topics and "directly prohibiting certain topics"(pg. 423). This is on par with what I found in the first and second grades of my school. First grade classes have a greater opportunity for free-choice writing than second graders. They spend more time with their writing which occurs more often. Most of their writing time is spent working on assigned writing topics within genres;however, in these topics students can choose to create any story they want. Second grade classes have free-choice writing less than once a month for about thirty minutes. Two teachers out of six discussed the merits of allowing pop culture like Pokemon and movies to be discussed in writing. These teachers thought it would help the teacher and student bond when the student has the responsibility to teach his/her teacher about something new. Almost one teacher from each grade said that the children do write about violence at some point, but had the idea that it was better to write it down in school, where there was someone to talk about the violence.
Here are the most popular writing topics of the children:
playdates, family outings, animals, first experiences, shared school experiences
I agree with the author that sometimes a choice in writing will lead children to "explore their thoughts about certain undesirable issues" (pg. 423). However, I think space to explore in the classroom through writing is a safe venue for that. That way students can have some kind of guidance if they need it.
In the library, I try to give students the a choice of what they want to read. Of course, as a book buyer, I have power to include through buying or refusing to buy books and other products.There are also books labeled as YA or Young Adult that are not available to forth grade and younger. This is because of content that usually does not match their maturity such as sex, drugs, and deep violence. I allow students to look at puberty books whenever they feel like it.
Schneider, J.J. (2001). No blood, guns, or gays allowed! The silencing of the elementary writer. Language Arts, 78(5), 415-425.
Here are the most popular writing topics of the children:
playdates, family outings, animals, first experiences, shared school experiences
I agree with the author that sometimes a choice in writing will lead children to "explore their thoughts about certain undesirable issues" (pg. 423). However, I think space to explore in the classroom through writing is a safe venue for that. That way students can have some kind of guidance if they need it.
In the library, I try to give students the a choice of what they want to read. Of course, as a book buyer, I have power to include through buying or refusing to buy books and other products.There are also books labeled as YA or Young Adult that are not available to forth grade and younger. This is because of content that usually does not match their maturity such as sex, drugs, and deep violence. I allow students to look at puberty books whenever they feel like it.
Schneider, J.J. (2001). No blood, guns, or gays allowed! The silencing of the elementary writer. Language Arts, 78(5), 415-425.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Making meaning using technology’s tools
Digital technology has changed the world of literacy inside the classroom and all other aspects of life within the last ten years. We have witnessed the development of social networking communities like MySpace and Face book. We have spent time chatting by typing first over IM, now through Gmail or Facebook. For the first time, people are more concerned about the volume of music they have rather than the sound quality to play on their mp3 players like the iPod. Phones like the iphone or Blackberry Storm have given us the opportunity to surf the web with ease and check our email every two minutes. Skype, one of the free services, has offered communication with distant people using video conferencing and voice chat. These are just some examples of technologies that have been successfully integrated into the fabric of society, but there are many more. As we adjust to these technologies in our roles as users and teachers, our students are growing up situated as consumers and devours of the same resources.
One thing that all of these technologies have in common is that they are social tools. The tools require that we interact with other people in some way, in order for the tools to work. This social requirement establishes definite implications on the ways we interact socially. The changes in interactions produce a rapid transformation in social literacies.
In “Instant messaging, Literacies, and Social Identities,” Cynthia Lewis examines the relationship of instant messaging and social identities. At the surface of instant messaging, we see many reading and writing strategies at work including: “decoding, encoding, interpretation, and analysis,” yet if you delve deeper there are literary practices there for discovery as well. One important distinction that Lewis makes is the difference between literacy events and literacy practices. Literacy events are “any event[s] involving a written text”, while literacy practices are “what can be inferred from observable literacy events as embedded within broader social and cultural norms” (Lewis and Fabos, 2005). I think that the act of instant messaging has elements of both literacy events and practices.
Instant messaging is available on almost all of the technological gadgets mentioned above. It can involve pictures, video, voice capabilities, as well as the expected reading and writing making it multimodal. Allan Luke makes the argument that IM “blurs the distinction between speech and writing” (Lewis and Fabos, 2005). This seems like it would be obvious because it is a form of talk. However, in their research Lewis and Fabos found that just like there are important aspects of speech that are not talking (eye contact, voice, body language) there are also important codes to look for in IM. These codes are part of the meaning making of instant messages. As users found that sarcasm cannot be read through IM, ways to convey sarcasm were developed. These codes are not explicitly taught in the instant messaging world, but users learn them through experience and analyzing the interactions they participate in during these literacy practices. This is part of blending both speech and writing to create a new literacy. While instant messaging has changed social communication, it has not impacted more formal areas of communication in big ways yet.
Are we moving toward a less formal style of communication in the business world or education world? Will instant messaging become more acceptable in the office as a way of communication? Libraries, including Columbia University, are already using IM to reach out to more patrons who have reference questions. Students can IM the library staff who will respond by pushing websites onto the patrons’ computers and chatting about how to search databases or Internet based resources. These uses show how IM is used as a resource, to engage and transform a system of use in the same purpose of “literacy…designing and redesigning social futures” (Lewis and Fabos, 2005). As students who are masters of instant messaging that have grown up with IM as a natural form of communication, go into the job force, I believe that we will see more uses developed and accepted within the workplace. That means that instant messaging with need to hold a more prevalent position in the school world as well.
Lewis points out that, “the reading and writing instruction common to most classrooms may be inadequate to prepare students for a wide range of reading and writing purposes and practices” (Lewis and Fabos, 2005). The implications for our lives lead us to ponder what the ramifications of the spreading use of IM in areas other than informal social communication are and will be in the classroom. In order to produce students who are capable of the “multiple modes of representation-- multiplicity, performativity, flexibility, and adaptability,” norms of school communication and study will have to change. Even if the practice of instant messaging is not introduced into the classroom, it should be acknowledged as a viable literacy practice because, “through metadiscussions of literacy practices in and out of school, students can…analyze the features of the semiotic systems with which they interact across contexts” (Lewis and Fabos, 2005).
As a librarian and teacher, I find that using small groups or partners as working buddies usually assists in creating a new level of comprehension in the group. The social benefits of bouncing ideas off one another, discussing, and changing are advantageous to the group as well. It is interesting to think about being partners with a child in a different class or school even for an integrated project. For older students, it could easily integrate their instant messaging skills allowing that literacy practiced to be “counted” in the classroom, although it is usually discourage because instant messaging often occurs between students during teaching times or other inappropriate moments of the school day. I have questions about whether instant messaging is a safe venue to talk to students outside of school, even for homework questions. Would students use IM as a venue to change the words of teachers? Conversations can be saved and printed, which would be one way a teacher could protect himself/herself from claims of wrongdoing; however, I do not know how many teachers would remember to save all conversations. Another issue of using IM within schools is access.
It should be recognized that there are many people without access to these technologies. In order to experience many of these technologies, up-to-date computers, Internet access, and certain brands of cell phones and mp3 players are required. The topic of access brings up questions about the availability inside of and out of school for most students. Many schools cannot afford computers for every student. Even those who have enough computers often have access to IM sites banned. However, as James Gee writes in the foreword for Lewis's Literary Practices as Social Acts: Power, Status and Cultural Norms in the Classroom, "We cannot separate literacy from trust, values, access, and affiliation" (Gee, 2001);therefore, we strive to continue devising new ways to learn and teach literacy to whomever we are reaching at that moment.
Fabos, B. and Lewis, C. (2005) Instant messaging, literacies, and social
Identities. Reading Research Quarterly (pg. 475-500)
One thing that all of these technologies have in common is that they are social tools. The tools require that we interact with other people in some way, in order for the tools to work. This social requirement establishes definite implications on the ways we interact socially. The changes in interactions produce a rapid transformation in social literacies.
In “Instant messaging, Literacies, and Social Identities,” Cynthia Lewis examines the relationship of instant messaging and social identities. At the surface of instant messaging, we see many reading and writing strategies at work including: “decoding, encoding, interpretation, and analysis,” yet if you delve deeper there are literary practices there for discovery as well. One important distinction that Lewis makes is the difference between literacy events and literacy practices. Literacy events are “any event[s] involving a written text”, while literacy practices are “what can be inferred from observable literacy events as embedded within broader social and cultural norms” (Lewis and Fabos, 2005). I think that the act of instant messaging has elements of both literacy events and practices.
Instant messaging is available on almost all of the technological gadgets mentioned above. It can involve pictures, video, voice capabilities, as well as the expected reading and writing making it multimodal. Allan Luke makes the argument that IM “blurs the distinction between speech and writing” (Lewis and Fabos, 2005). This seems like it would be obvious because it is a form of talk. However, in their research Lewis and Fabos found that just like there are important aspects of speech that are not talking (eye contact, voice, body language) there are also important codes to look for in IM. These codes are part of the meaning making of instant messages. As users found that sarcasm cannot be read through IM, ways to convey sarcasm were developed. These codes are not explicitly taught in the instant messaging world, but users learn them through experience and analyzing the interactions they participate in during these literacy practices. This is part of blending both speech and writing to create a new literacy. While instant messaging has changed social communication, it has not impacted more formal areas of communication in big ways yet.
Are we moving toward a less formal style of communication in the business world or education world? Will instant messaging become more acceptable in the office as a way of communication? Libraries, including Columbia University, are already using IM to reach out to more patrons who have reference questions. Students can IM the library staff who will respond by pushing websites onto the patrons’ computers and chatting about how to search databases or Internet based resources. These uses show how IM is used as a resource, to engage and transform a system of use in the same purpose of “literacy…designing and redesigning social futures” (Lewis and Fabos, 2005). As students who are masters of instant messaging that have grown up with IM as a natural form of communication, go into the job force, I believe that we will see more uses developed and accepted within the workplace. That means that instant messaging with need to hold a more prevalent position in the school world as well.
Lewis points out that, “the reading and writing instruction common to most classrooms may be inadequate to prepare students for a wide range of reading and writing purposes and practices” (Lewis and Fabos, 2005). The implications for our lives lead us to ponder what the ramifications of the spreading use of IM in areas other than informal social communication are and will be in the classroom. In order to produce students who are capable of the “multiple modes of representation-- multiplicity, performativity, flexibility, and adaptability,” norms of school communication and study will have to change. Even if the practice of instant messaging is not introduced into the classroom, it should be acknowledged as a viable literacy practice because, “through metadiscussions of literacy practices in and out of school, students can…analyze the features of the semiotic systems with which they interact across contexts” (Lewis and Fabos, 2005).
As a librarian and teacher, I find that using small groups or partners as working buddies usually assists in creating a new level of comprehension in the group. The social benefits of bouncing ideas off one another, discussing, and changing are advantageous to the group as well. It is interesting to think about being partners with a child in a different class or school even for an integrated project. For older students, it could easily integrate their instant messaging skills allowing that literacy practiced to be “counted” in the classroom, although it is usually discourage because instant messaging often occurs between students during teaching times or other inappropriate moments of the school day. I have questions about whether instant messaging is a safe venue to talk to students outside of school, even for homework questions. Would students use IM as a venue to change the words of teachers? Conversations can be saved and printed, which would be one way a teacher could protect himself/herself from claims of wrongdoing; however, I do not know how many teachers would remember to save all conversations. Another issue of using IM within schools is access.
It should be recognized that there are many people without access to these technologies. In order to experience many of these technologies, up-to-date computers, Internet access, and certain brands of cell phones and mp3 players are required. The topic of access brings up questions about the availability inside of and out of school for most students. Many schools cannot afford computers for every student. Even those who have enough computers often have access to IM sites banned. However, as James Gee writes in the foreword for Lewis's Literary Practices as Social Acts: Power, Status and Cultural Norms in the Classroom, "We cannot separate literacy from trust, values, access, and affiliation" (Gee, 2001);therefore, we strive to continue devising new ways to learn and teach literacy to whomever we are reaching at that moment.
Fabos, B. and Lewis, C. (2005) Instant messaging, literacies, and social
Identities. Reading Research Quarterly (pg. 475-500)
Saturday, May 2, 2009
"Critical Literacy Revisited"
Some common ideas of literacy are, "notions of text, literacy as a social practice, and discourse" (pg. 8). Literacy can be "liberating" or "dominating" (pg. 8). Literacy can dominate because it is an practice that can be constructed in the classroom. Literacy works along with the people and texts that are creating it. It can be grammar worksheets and stories about farm animals in one class and ripe with social action and fervor in another class. The article talks about empowerment. It notes that not all literacy empowers: "We do not gain access to the power bases of society just because we can read and write" (Green, 1992, pg. 11). There are a lot more codes to break to get to society. Reading and writing are expected from people in society. There are certain codes that we might not even recognize as codes like finding a bulletin in a church. If you are a church member, you automatically know where to look for a bulletin/program. You know what to call it and what shape it is, which is why it is a "power code Literacy" (pg. 10).
Green tells us that, "a critical perspective of literacy argues for an active, challenging approach to literacy" (pg. 10). This means readers should not accept exactly what they hear and see. Instead, readers should look beyond the text to see what is behind the actual words. One idea that Green gives for critical literacy in the classroom is offering many books on the same topic, but with different perspectives. Juxtapositioning these texts is a way students will begin to see the perspective of each author. This is also a way that I can help classroom teachers. When I order books, I can research to find books that will enable students to compare.
Green, P. (2001). Critical Literacy Revisited. In H. Fehring & P. Green, Critical literacy: A collection of articles from the Australian Literacy Educators' Association (pp. 7-14). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Green tells us that, "a critical perspective of literacy argues for an active, challenging approach to literacy" (pg. 10). This means readers should not accept exactly what they hear and see. Instead, readers should look beyond the text to see what is behind the actual words. One idea that Green gives for critical literacy in the classroom is offering many books on the same topic, but with different perspectives. Juxtapositioning these texts is a way students will begin to see the perspective of each author. This is also a way that I can help classroom teachers. When I order books, I can research to find books that will enable students to compare.
Green, P. (2001). Critical Literacy Revisited. In H. Fehring & P. Green, Critical literacy: A collection of articles from the Australian Literacy Educators' Association (pp. 7-14). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
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