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[CCBC-Net] To write cross-cultural or not to write cross-cult
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From: Lyn Jones <ljones>
Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2001 15:11:34 -0500
I agree with Sarah's comments. We need multiple perspectives. I teach mostly historical fiction. Some of it is written accurately, and some of it is not. How do I know this? I know my history and know which books speak true. I use both kinds of book and use them as discussion tools in my classroom about the authenticity of writing historical fiction and research. And, some books that are not written exactly are written that way for a purpose which also leads to discussion. Ultimately, the teacher is the one who presents and guides the book. Lyn Jones Fishers Junior High A human mind once stretched to a new idea, never returns to its former dimensions. ~ Oliver Wendall Holmes
-----Original Message---- From: Thomson, Sarah
[mailto:Sarah.Thomson at HARPERCOLLINS.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 2:50 PM
To: ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] To write cross-cultural or not to write cross-cult ural, that is the question...
Importance: Low
I wonder if the debate here isn't going in the wrong direction altogether.
As Cheryl Whitesel says, we can't expect perfection in any kind of
writing--inter- or intra-cultural. Maybe the solution is not to await the
perfect writer of the perfect book, or to set a checklist of standards that
any writer must meet to get the autenticity label. Why not instead allow for
a huge range of writers, some looking at a culture from inside, some from
outside? Then we will have a variety of different perspectives, not to
choose from (it's not a multiple choice quiz, after all), but to influence
and shape our thinking. Isn't this the best way to develop our own critical
thinking--to be exposed to a great many different points of view? Maybe
we'll decide we don't agree with some points of view. Maybe we'll decide
that some authors paint a truer picture of a culture than others. But we'll
have to read a lot of them to decide, yes?
~ ~ ~
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Received on Tue 30 Jan 2001 02:11:34 PM CST
Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2001 15:11:34 -0500
I agree with Sarah's comments. We need multiple perspectives. I teach mostly historical fiction. Some of it is written accurately, and some of it is not. How do I know this? I know my history and know which books speak true. I use both kinds of book and use them as discussion tools in my classroom about the authenticity of writing historical fiction and research. And, some books that are not written exactly are written that way for a purpose which also leads to discussion. Ultimately, the teacher is the one who presents and guides the book. Lyn Jones Fishers Junior High A human mind once stretched to a new idea, never returns to its former dimensions. ~ Oliver Wendall Holmes
-----Original Message---- From: Thomson, Sarah
[mailto:Sarah.Thomson at HARPERCOLLINS.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 2:50 PM
To: ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] To write cross-cultural or not to write cross-cult ural, that is the question...
Importance: Low
I wonder if the debate here isn't going in the wrong direction altogether.
As Cheryl Whitesel says, we can't expect perfection in any kind of
writing--inter- or intra-cultural. Maybe the solution is not to await the
perfect writer of the perfect book, or to set a checklist of standards that
any writer must meet to get the autenticity label. Why not instead allow for
a huge range of writers, some looking at a culture from inside, some from
outside? Then we will have a variety of different perspectives, not to
choose from (it's not a multiple choice quiz, after all), but to influence
and shape our thinking. Isn't this the best way to develop our own critical
thinking--to be exposed to a great many different points of view? Maybe
we'll decide we don't agree with some points of view. Maybe we'll decide
that some authors paint a truer picture of a culture than others. But we'll
have to read a lot of them to decide, yes?
~ ~ ~
To send a reply to the entire CCBC-Net community,click on...
mailto:ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
To send a request to remove your address from the mailing list, click on...
mailto:ccbc-net-unsub at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
Received on Tue 30 Jan 2001 02:11:34 PM CST
