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[CCBC-Net] Using books with students
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From: Tessa Michaelson <tmichaelson>
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:48:39 -0500
It's clear to me that incidents and issues of bullying are as tangible and traumatic today as they were for many of us as children. For those of us who work directly with children, as parents, teachers, librarians, etc., how have these issues been part of curricula and/or conversations? Many have suggested that leading by example and openly identifying the act of bullying are crucial strategies in creating safe schools, communities, and families. How, specifically, have people used books or stories on this topic with children and teens?
Recently, while leading literature groups with 50 6th/7th/8th graders on the topic of bullying, teasing, and school violence, small groups read different titles on the theme. Some of the choices included The Revealers by Doug Wilhelm, The Misfits by James Howe, Crash and Loser by Jerry Spinelli, The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier, and Blubber by Judy Blume. Student-led discussions focused on contrasts and comparisons between our school and the school environment portrayed in the book. For one assignment, students created maps of our school and the fictional schools and identified locations where bullying takes place. As an adult, it was eye-opening to see where students felt safe and where things happened that I couldn't seee. Lastly, as the small groups convened in a large groups, we had interesting discussions concerning the perspectives that the books offered--from the perspective of the target, from the perspective of the aggressor, from the perspective of the observer, or a combination of all three.
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:48:39 -0500
It's clear to me that incidents and issues of bullying are as tangible and traumatic today as they were for many of us as children. For those of us who work directly with children, as parents, teachers, librarians, etc., how have these issues been part of curricula and/or conversations? Many have suggested that leading by example and openly identifying the act of bullying are crucial strategies in creating safe schools, communities, and families. How, specifically, have people used books or stories on this topic with children and teens?
Recently, while leading literature groups with 50 6th/7th/8th graders on the topic of bullying, teasing, and school violence, small groups read different titles on the theme. Some of the choices included The Revealers by Doug Wilhelm, The Misfits by James Howe, Crash and Loser by Jerry Spinelli, The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier, and Blubber by Judy Blume. Student-led discussions focused on contrasts and comparisons between our school and the school environment portrayed in the book. For one assignment, students created maps of our school and the fictional schools and identified locations where bullying takes place. As an adult, it was eye-opening to see where students felt safe and where things happened that I couldn't seee. Lastly, as the small groups convened in a large groups, we had interesting discussions concerning the perspectives that the books offered--from the perspective of the target, from the perspective of the aggressor, from the perspective of the observer, or a combination of all three.
-- Tessa Michaelson, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education University of Wisconsin-Madison 4290 Helen C. White Hall 600 N. Park St Madison, WI 53706 Phone: 608-890-1332 FAX: 608-262-4933 tmichaelson at education.wisc.edu http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/Received on Tue 25 Mar 2008 10:48:39 AM CDT
