From: steven engelfried <stevene>
Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 08:00:20 -0800

Kathleen's comment was that historical fiction can be used to "supplement or launch a historical lesson," which sounds like a great idea to me. I don't think anyone is advocating using historical fiction instead of non-fiction. I don't see historical fiction as a way to avoid teaching history, but rather as a way to expand it, showing respect for different learning styles. I like the idea that English teachers are thinking about non-fiction works and Social Studies teachers are being creative with use of fiction. In a class of thirty, different students will respond differently to various approaches, and if a teacher can integrate variety into a lesson that's great. I think a teacher who pairs "Out of the Dust" or "Cat Running" with Meltzer's "Driven from the Land" and Stanley's "Children of the Dust Bowl"
(or even with a textbook or Hakiim's "History of US" series) is bringing her students further into that historical period than the non-fiction alone would, and maybe even engaging a few students with the fiction who would have tuned out even the excellent non-fiction on its own. As a home schooler teaching just two kids, I know that using fiction and quality non-fiction together has greatly enriched my children's knowledge of and interest in history.

- Steven Engelfried, Young Adult Librarian
  Deschutes Public Library System
  545 NW Wall Street Bend, OR 97701
  ph: 541a7p72 fax: 54189)82
  e-mail: stevene at dpls.lib.or.us
Received on Tue 21 Nov 2000 10:00:20 AM CST