Feliz

Perks of Being a Wallflower #2

noreply@blogspirit.com (happy) — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 16:28:05 -0400

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Perks of Being a Wallflower #1

noreply@blogspirit.com (happy) — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 14:50:00 -0400

I was really curious about what other people had to say about the book. It is obvious, based on the content, why this is one of the most widely top banned books in America. However, there are some adult reviews that recommend the book highly, and many of the points they make should be taken into consideration when deciding weather or not to us the book in a classroom. I also found a really interesting site about the book being challenged in a school. Link here. Make sure to check this out before reading on! One 17 year old student pointed out the fact that everything that they read in the book was just as much around in television, newspapers, and most adolescent daily lives. That is a great point to make. Some parents disagree and say that the students shouldn't be exposed to that kind of literature in schools, but I disagree. Perks of Being a Wallflower, and many other banned books are eye openers for parents, teachers, and students. Different people will take various opinions away from the book, but they can't deny that all the issues that are "controverisal" are, for some, daily occurances. Another mother in the public school system spoke out in anger against other parents trying to ban the book. She mentioned that many morals and views on homosexuality and sex are derived from religion. She said that she didn't want people trying to force these opinions on her children, and in a public school it shouldn't be aloud. Both sides of the argument made very strong points. No conclusion was posted, but take a second to also read the comments at the bottom of the link. It s our job as future teachers to support various pieces of literature in the classroom, and Perks is a great book that should be kept.

How will I run my literature classroom?

noreply@blogspirit.com (happy) — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 14:25:00 -0500

I have numerous opinions about this topic.... where to begin. Well, I am split between some different options because of how I, myself, like to read literature, and knowledge of how other students must learn. I was one of those that always just wanted to read to myself, I hated reading aloud with the class because they moved at a much slower pace than I was used to. I couldn't concentrate with the mess of whose turn will it be to read next, and stopping to discuss every mundane detail drove me crazy. However, there are many students that I have found, simply from tutoring, that can't seem to pick out the main ideas unless it is done in an organized group fashion. Therefore, I think that in my classroom I will try to have an organized class discussion after a few chapters or so in the assigned book. I also think that it is important to give them time in class to read silently. I think that this is especially important at the beginning of a book, where they have not yet gotten into it enough to want to pick it up on their own time. The end of a book always flies by when you just can't wait to see what happens next. Another important concept to me is that the students all read both the assigned text, but also recieve points and perks from reading material that they choose. Some students need the extra push of a grade behind their time spent reading, but do truly enjoy reading material that they pick themselves. Reading has alot to do about one's interpretation of the literature, and I hope that in my class someday that as a class we can have some good debates and questioning about why we interpret parts of the bok the way we do, but that the students will always be respectful of eachothers opinions. I guess I'll have more ideas about this topic when the time comes closer to my teaching career.

What literature should adolescent read?

noreply@blogspirit.com (happy) — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 14:20:00 -0500

I think that adolescents should read a wide variety of literature. Sudents may not willingly read different genras of books, but they should still be exposed and knowledgable about them. In the classroom, most of the time there are certain books that students are assigned to read, but there should also be credit for books that they choose to read. I know that when I was younger I loved reading books that I could relate to. Not all stories have a happy ending, and I agree that this is the way it should be. Many adolescent books have to do with family problems, sexuality, drug/ alcohol use, and friendships. These are all great topics because they, for the most part, include things that all kids go through. The students will benefit most from being exposed to different genras, authors, and topics. Most likely students, by the time they enter junior high, know what kind of literature they enjoy reading. This should be encouraged, but they still need to be pressured to dig into something that they wouldn't have picked out on their own. Because most of adolescent books deal with issues of one of the characters, it is a good learning experience that can help the student say, "well, I'm not going to be like that," or, "this character is exactly like me". It is fun when you can understand the book on a deeper personal level. Overall, it is important that students read anything, and develop the skills for reading and understanding of the literature.

Go Ask Alice #6

noreply@blogspirit.com (happy) — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 15:00:00 -0500

The author of the book mentioned vivid details of her drug trips. She always mentioned listening to music, and how it just took her away. Much of the music in the '60's and '70's was stuffed with drug allusions. Her most memorable experience with music and drugs was one of the first times she was on LSD. She talked about singing and dancing to the music. The songs themselves were confusing enough for sober people. No wonder she enjoyed the music so much. The most closely tied music to the book Go Ask Alice is the Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbits". I kept wondering to myself who Alice was through the entire book. Could Alice just be the girl mentioned in the song? I also didn't know if the title of the book referenced anything that the author mentioned inside the diary, or if the song brought the title about because of her similar experiences and lifestyle. There is one song that says, "If you're going to San Fransisco, be sure you wear some flowers in your hair..." The music was the new hippie counter-culture way of communicating and spreading ideas and innovations to others. People listen to music and take it to heart by tweaking it in ways that it realates and speaks directly to themselves. Many of the authors ideas that she referenced were the same attitudes and state of mind that many of the famous songs of those days talked about. I just found these connections very intriguing.

Go Ask Alice #5

noreply@blogspirit.com (happy) — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 14:40:00 -0500

I did not like that in the end of the book, the girl suddenly dies when her life is FINALLY going in the right direction. As a reader, it is dissapointing to read in detail the ups and downs of life, like you can actually feel her dispair, only to be cut off sharply in the end. The book has an epilogue that tells us that she died of a drug overdose, but nobody knows if it was self-induced, or if she was forced. I would like to believe that she would not do it to herself. Here is a missing entry, and one that could be included. If she could write us her journal entry from her deathbed, I believe this is what it would be:

October 20
Dear diary, I have missed you for the last few weeks! Everything has been so lovely... I can't believe my luck. I am on the honor roll at school; my mother is so proud she could burst. I go to the library daily to visit Joel, if only we were older I could marry him. My fater adores him and has actually gotten him a scholorship! How exciting! I am accepted into the straight group of friends, even after I told them the truth about myself. They really do appreciate me for who I am. The dopey dopers still won't leave me alone. I was followed home from school today while being called every name in the book. Mom and Dad won't even be around tonight to talk about it with me. They're going to a movie, and I have to watch my siblings. Oh well, it will just have to wait. I don't want them t worry about me any more. They have been wonderful.

October 21
Diary, this will have to be my last entry. You see, I am not able to take you with me into the next life. I'm waiting to get in at this very moment. Tell mom and dad not to cry, I didn't mess up this time. I went to the kitchen to get some crackers. Can you believe one of the slimey dopers was actually in my house? No, I didn't see them, but I know they were there now, because this time my luck ran out and I overdosed on the acid covered crackers. I will miss everyone, but I am finally free of all my hurt and pain. I love you my friend, ________.

Go Ask Alice #4

noreply@blogspirit.com (happy) — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 14:25:00 -0500

The author of Go ASk Alice mentioned many times that she would like to be a youth counelor of some sort in order to help adolescents make the right choices, unlike herself. Click here to visit the site. I think that if the internet had been around, and she would have lived longer, that this site would have been exactly what she would have made. The link for the site brings you to the part on the scientific information on the drug which includes what effects it has on the human body. There is also a part that lists many of the early signs of drug use that would be very helpful for parent or teacher intervention before things got too out of hand. Other things included in the site give input for talking to young children about drug use, and how to prevent children from even wanting to experiement. I think that the site is very relevent, because it covers many of the topics that the author would have wanted to talk about with school-age children. Quite Possiblly, none of the journal entries would have existed if someone had stepped in, noticed what was going on, and helped solve the problem ahead of time. Could she still be alive today?