Passing Notes

Notes from a Parent/Teacher to Parents and Teachers

Sep
10

By

A Must Read for lessons in acceptance, self worth and appreciation.

Category: Must Reads Leave a Comment

 

Thank you Patricia Polacco, Thank you.

Your words…this book…the message.  All of it.  Thank you for honouring the child with learning disabilities, the child who is tormented by a bully, the child who has self doubt, and the educators who see in children the positive, and gently guide them to a place of empowerment.

I can’t read “Thank You, Mr. Falker” to my students without crying.  I’ve read it every year in the first week of school for as long as I can remember. It’s the beautifully written personal narrative of young child with learning disabilities and the rough road lived.  She loses her pillars (her grandparents), moves to another state, all the while carrying with her the hope to one day be able to read.  She is followed through her journey by the unkind words of classmates and a nagging sense that her self-worth is determined by others, and by her learning disability. But her grandparents’ teachings and her own inner determination finally reap the rewards she’s been chasing for so many years.  The end provides a heart-warming twist that is guaranteed to pull at your heartstrings.

I often provide activity suggestions for parents and teachers to do with their kids with a suggested “Must Read” on my blog.  This book’s a little different.  The conversation you’ll have with your kids needs no guidance other than that, that comes from their hearts.  So do yourself a favour and run to the library or bookstore as fast as you legs can take you.

 

Warmly,

Daniela

 

P.S.

I urge you to read her other books and check out her website at: http://www.patriciapolacco.com/books/falker/falker_index.html 

Aug
22

By

Luz shines light on comics and environmental issues.

Category: Must Reads Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a Comment

Cool girl.  Check.  Impending environmental disaster. Check.   Local and global content.  Check. This book’s got it all and then some.

Enter, “Luz Sees the Light” by Claudia Davila.  Some might consider Luz an unlikely “superhero”.  She is!  That’s the great thing about her, she’s a resourceful, enlightened young Latina who exemplifies the credo: Think Globally, Act Locally.  Luz, – (which means “light” in Spanish and rhymes with “moose”), – faces the daily problems related to power outages caused by our over-reliance on dirty oil.  Though at first dismissive of the importance of what this means on a global scale, Luz eventually sees the light and realizes that she has as much to do with the solution as anyone else.  Much to her chagrin, Luz’ friends don’t necessarily share the same ideas.  What’s an enlightened girl to do?  Does she have the power to sway opinion?  You’ll have to read it to find out what plans she and her neighbours have in mind.

 

Beyond this being a great read for kids of about grade 3 age and up (and adults alike), one has to appreciate any comic which disproves the antiquated belief that “comics have no place in reading”.  Why do I make mention of this?  Well, I’ve heard all too often, “my kid will only read comics and not real books“.  Hmmnn, I’ve read some wonderful biographies and historical narratives that are in graphica form.  Last time I checked, any genre – (historical fiction, non-fiction, etc.), – can be worked into this form, often called comics, – (which I”ll refer to as graphica).

 

Beyond that, graphica is a great way to develop reading skills!  For example, graphica makes excellent use of inference skills as children often have to rely on various features of graphica to figure out what has happened in a section where the author/illustrator has chosen to leave it to the imagination of the reader.  Readers also have to infer or figure out  a character’s feelings and emotions.

 

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Some suggested activities:

1.  How about a discussion about WHY millions of folks are turning off the lights during Earth Hour in April.  Better yet, how about chatting about more consistent (daily? weekly? monthly?) ways of using less energy or trying to use cleaner energy.  Kids who want to feed their inner Type-A can graph and share the results with family members based on the findings in different rooms of your home.  Over time, the improvement should really motivate you and them to make some goals around energy consumption at home.

2.  Who doesn’t love new-ish toys?  Well then get to it and organize a kid’s SWAP with toys, books and/or clothing.  It’s fun, thrifty and a pretty good way of not buying new things that need to be manufactured (which equals taxing our Earth’s natural resources, polluting habitats and buying into consumerist notions).

3.  Children can illustrate, using panels a part of a story they don’t understand, or maybe condense their favourite book into a 4 or 6-panel comic.  Or perhaps do an autobiography in comic form or study science concepts using this approach.  Really the possibilities are endless.

4.  Claudia, Luz’s creator, has made a 4-panel blank comic JUST FOR YOU!

And because she’s cooler than cool, she’s offered passingnotes.org readers a black and white colouring pags.  Just head over to her Facebook page, scroll to find a comic and “save as” to your computer before printing:  http://www.facebook.com/LuzBooks

5.  For the kid who likes digital technology, try these comic strip generators; just keep in mind that these digital formats have some limitations and I encourage the use of self-drawn ones as well.

http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/comic-creator-30021.html  

I hope that getting to know Luz will provide a window of opportunity for you to jump into the world of graphica!

 

Daniela

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P.S. Author/ illustrator extraordinaire, Toronto-based Claudia Davila has recently won the Honor Award for the 2012 Green Earth Book Award:

http://www.salisbury.edu/newsevents/fullstoryview.asp?id=4918

…and if you live in the Toronto area, check out her upcoming Book Launch for the newly-published “Luz Makes a Splash!”

http://www.facebook.com/events/428889977153544/

 

Aug
1

By

Must Read: The Incredible Book Eating Boy

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This is a modern classic.  A must read for all ages, for the book-lover OR the reticent reader.  By what criteria you ask?  Well both types of readers can connect with the content.  Boy loves books so much he literally eats them.  Or, Boy finds the illustrations wacky and alluring and the content just plain fun.

The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers is a visual feast.  Jeffers captures Henry, – the protagonist’s, – obession with obtaining his smarts through his tummy by using mixed media; his hand-drawn illustrations combined with the torn pages of real book pages and covers, and library cards breathe life into the muted colours of this fabulous read.  The cover has an actual bite taken out of the back. That alone is worth the CA$10!

Kids seem to love that Henry’s capacity to think and reason decreases with each book that he ingests.  What is a boy to do when his only obsession leads to his, uh ,stupidity?  Well, you’ll have to pick the book up to find out!

 

How can you use the book with your kids?

  • This book lends itself to creating a mixed media collage along the same lines as the book.  Old newspaper pages and thrift store books combined with your own children’s illustrations can lead to a short book written by your kids or to some pretty stunning art work.  You can even use Jeffers art as a springboard to making cards for gift giving.
  • You can read up until Henry needs to decide how to deal with his eating problem and have your child come up with possible solutions.  Then return to the book and find out out Jeffers decides to end the narrative.
  • This book is especially great for young readers and for determining what the elements of narrative are:  For example, the problem and the solution are clearly noticeable for children.
  • Encourage your child to ask question as you read, the text provides many opportunities for that
  • Kids who are so inclined can try to find out, through some detective work, how books or paper are made, from start to finish

 

And as always, you and your kids can just enjoy eating, err, I mean reading it!

 

Daniela

 

 

Jul
3

By

A Must Read for any child who’s ever moved to a new place: “Augustine”

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We’ve all been there, young or old, – we’ve had to move classes, schools, neighbourhoods, cities, countries, or entire continents.  If you’re little, usually the move was not of your choosing.  Such is the case for Augustine, a lovable and artistic penguin that hails from the South Pole and eventually moves to the North Pole.

Though slightly fearful of what lays ahead, Augustine encounters a teacher who values and encourages artistic expression in her students.  Augustine realizes that she can call more than one place, “home”.

Author/ Illustrator Melanie Watt, – (well known for her Scaredy Squirrel and Chester series), – renders tender and soft illustrations that invite us to love Augustine from the get-go.  Her aptly named stuffed animal (Picasso), accompanies her throughout the move.  Watt creatively engages our background knowledge of famous painters (Renoir, Dali, Mondrian, Warhol, Harris, etc.), – by using a famous piece by each of those artists to tell the story visually alongside Augustine’s narration.

Some transition ideas for kids who have had to move

  • Have children make a Memory Jar using a large pickle or similarly-sized jar.  Children can choose what to place, (photos, trinkets, natural elements, artifacts, and so on), – from the place they have had to leave.  They can pull out their jars when in need of some home comfort.
  • Kids can write e-mails to old friends and family members.  This will keep relationships alive and hone writing skills.
  • Letter-writing has not gone the way of the dodo bird, though it would seem that way with the use of internet communication.  Your kids might enjoy writing on beautiful papers using special pens as much as emailing!
  • Families can make a “welcome package” for any newcomers to the neighbourhood.

There are many connections to art in the book.

  • Children who tend towards the “academic” can research one of the artists found in the book and/or imitate an artist’s style.
  • Kids can also design and have copied at a copy centre, their own postcards to use as communication.
  • Don’t forget to visit an art gallery, and take the time to paint, sketch, draw, sculpt…
Off to paint with my sweet M.,

Daniela

May
25

By

Tusk, Tusk: A must read for children of all ages

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This deceptively simple book by David McKee, chronicles, – through simple text and illustrations, – a fictional war between a herd of black elephants and a herd of white elephants.  Tusk, Tusk breaks down the idea of war into simple fragments, which makes it easier for children to see the stupid reasons that atrocities are committed in wars.  Throughout, issues of hatred and racism are explored in addition to exploring the idea of violence, but it is done in a non-threatening way for kids. Tusk, Tusk also reminds us of the old adage, that we are doomed to repeat our historical mistakes if we ignore what history has to teach humanity.    The story lends itself to all age groups including adults, and I highly recommend it for parents of younger children who are curious about war.

 

Some ideas to try out with the young folk:

  • Before the story ends, ask your child how they think story resolves itself, then check in with them to see if they are surprised, puzzled or if they expected it to end that way.
  • Have your child come up with an alternate ending and illustrate it.
  • Talk about current events with your child.  This may sound a bit depressing and I’m not suggesting that they need to know all details about all wars but depending on their age, they may already be exposed to much more than you realize and they are formulating their own ideas anyways.  Conversing allows for you to see where they are at and what it is that may need to know more about.
  • Encourage children to make a “statue” with their bodies to show the opposite of war (peace, harmony, love, community).  Then you can do the same.  Come up with ways of making statues together, as often as possible relying on symbolism if the kids are old enough.  Have someone photograph you!
  • Have your child outline a large image of an elephant on mural paper (or even chalk outside).  They can draw and write on the inside of the silhouette all of the things that they think the elephants felt in the story.  On the outside, they can label all the things that worked against the elephants in the story (feelings, ideas, events).  This should lead to a good conversation and is good for developing empathy.
  • Ask your child to take the side of either of the elephant groups and have them role play with puppets if they’re younger.  You or another sibling can play the other puppet.  Observe how your child “resolves” conflict, deals with fairness or comes up with as a solution.  This may bring up memories of times they themselves have dealt with prejudice or violence, in the playground for example.  Again, it’s a good starting point for informal discussions.

 

Or simply enjoy the book!  It’s a great read and just as relevant today as it was when written in 1978.  Maybe even more so…

Peace,

Daniela

Apr
27

By

The Name Jar: Using children’s literature for Drama activities that develop critical thinking skills

Category: Must Reads, Teacher's Toolbox Tags: , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Meet Unhei, a young girl who has just arrived from Korea to the U.S. and the protagonist of The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi. One day, a large glass jar appears on her desk.  In it Unhei finds pieces of paper with various name suggestions for her to try out. Unhei’s first experiences in school leave her questioning her identity, primarily whether she should “keep” her given Korean name, or adopt one that has been suggested to her by her peers at her new school.   She struggles with her decision; does she stay true to herself, as her family has always taught her to do or does she conform to the standards of her North American peers?  You’ll have to read this powerful book to find out.

Though this narrative is deceptively simple in its approach to dealing with identity issues, it is truly a wonderful resource for teachers to deal with broader issues of acculturation, assimilation and difference.  It’s also the story of growing friendship and the mutual respect and understanding that occurs when appreciation of others comes first.

I strongly believe that The Arts are a vehicle for social change and encourage the development of empathetic values in students. Maxine Greene says it best in the following quote:

“One of the reasons I have come to concentrate on imagination as a means through which we can assemble a coherent world is that imagination is what, above all, makes empathy possible.”

 

A few years ago, I had the honour of creating a workshop for teachers for Federation Day titled:  CRITICAL LITERACY THROUGH DRAMA: EXPLORING ISSUES OF IDENTITY THROUGH CHILDREN’S LITERATURE.  Part of the drama activities I created is outlined below.  Teachers are welcome to use and adapt any part of it for personal classroom use, but I ask that anyone wishing to use it for other purposes, contact me first.

 

The following is a compilation of possible activities that teachers can do with students using these or other works of children’s literature. You can select a few or do them all depending on the needs of your students.

 Key to the drama conventions & activities

* Context Building Action: conventions that set the scene or add information to the story as it unfolds.

Δ Narrative Action: conventions that speak to “what happens next”. Emphasis is placed on the story itself.

° Poetic Action: when language and gesture is used to convey symbols and representations. This convention increases the emotional involvement of students.

◊ Reflective Action: conventions that place “inner thinking” and reflexive demands on the learners. Learners can review and comment on actions taken in the drama.

(Adapted from Jonathon Neeland’s “Structuring Drama Work”)

Pre-read aloud and drama activities

  • Warm-up:  Students can first write their names on a slip of paper and then discuss the meaning of their names with a partner. Each pair introduces the other partner to the group.
  • Group-building Game:  Write your Name in Space – with an ear, left leg, a burning torch, an ice cube, a wriggling snake…With a partner, write your names together.
During-read aloud and drama activities
  • *Objects of character:  This strategy can be used to introduce students to the main character, Unhei, and to her new life in the North America. Students can try to interpret the items you show them and what they tell about the main character.  It is the responsibility of the teacher to obtain these objects or get images form the internet before doing this activity. Possible “belongings” that can be incorporated:

 

➢ a “dojang” or Korean name stamp image

➢ Korean/ English dictionary

➢ Chopsticks

➢a North and South Korea map

➢ Plane tickets

➢ Letter from a friend back home (written by you)

 

  •  * Collective Drawing: In groups, students make a collective image to represent and establish the family’s motives for leaving Korea while others draw a representation of their final destination to North America. The pictures can show clues about their past and present lives.
  • ° Still-Image: After Unhei and her mother share supper and a conversation, students to create a frozen image that represents an idea, or alternatively two contrasting ideas (e.g., “same/ different” or “belonging/ exclusion”).
  • ◊ Writing in Role: Letters -  After receiving a letter from her grandmother, Unhei (students in role) decides to write a response to her. Alternatively, students can write in role as Unhei, in a journal entry instead. This will allow students to reflect upon Unhei’s experiences.
  • Δ Teacher in Role:   Here the teacher and students negotiate the direction of the drama by working together to solve a problem, generating interest, challenging beliefs, and creating opportunities for students to explore. The teacher should attempt to be a facilitator or mediator of the script that is being developed. The group plays the part of Unhei, and thus it is required that they speak in role using the information that was used by the person before them. (The teacher has discovered that the Name Jar has gone missing.) Teacher in Role: …Soon Mr. Cocotos came in and Ralph shouted at him: “The name jar is gone! The jar with all the names on it!” “Gone?” Mr. Cocotos replied. With a look of concern, he asked Unhei, “Did you get a chance to read all the names?”
  • ◊ Corridor of Voices:   When Unhei is on the verge of making her final decision about her name change, students provide her with advice to the dilemma which she faces. In two lines, Unhei walks between a “corridor” of people offering support, warnings or quotes from the text. This strategy can occur when she returns to class and the Name Jar has gone missing.

 

Developed by Daniela Bascuñán

 

THE NAME JAR Choi, Yangsook. The Name Jar. (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2001.) ISBN 0-375-80613

 

 

Apr
5

By

Latin@ Heritage Month

Category: Must Reads, Tackling Tough Issues 2 Comments

Ever wonder who invented popcorn, chocolate and gum?  Do you know why colourful arpilleras (sewn pictures) were used to send out secret messages from detained political prisoners in Chile to the outside world?  These and many more fascinating facts are available on the two links on this post.

What is this resource exactly?  Well a gathering of tidbits for students and families to view, read and discuss, accompanied by many cool web-based activities to last for months.

View The Primary and Junior calendar here.  These grade 1-6 activities include everything from:  The Tainos, to Candombe, to the Nazca Lines to Victor Jara, even Menudo! (There’s one for every day of the week.)

The calendar for Intermediate and Senior activities includes everything from Santeria to Islamic influences, Los Macheteros to the LGBITQQ2SA movement in Latin America, to Las Madres de Plaza de Mayo.

 

Some of the articles will lead to many questions, as some of these are heavy-duty, specifically the intermediate/ senior pieces.  It is by no means an extensive list of accomplishments but a starting point.  We tried to give it a distinctively Canadian perspective.  Together with other teachers and under the direction of an Equity Instructional Leader at the TDSB, several of us wrote about various people, places and events in the history of Latin America.  Don’t be fooled by the name of the month though, we took an anti-colonialist approach and many of the pieces are based on pre-Hispanic achievements and the contributions of early civilizations of what became known as the Americas.

A celebrar!

 

Daniela

Image taken from:

http://josamotril.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/madres-paloma.jpg

Mar
12

By

The Way Back Home

Category: Must Reads Tags: , , , , , 4 Comments

 

A knot in my throat.  That’s how I feel at the end of this picture book, each time I read it. The Way Back Home offers insights into friendship, the fear of loneliness, and the value of helping a fellow martian.  Or human.  Its author, the very talented Oliver Jeffers delivers the story beautifully in words and captures our hearts with his brilliant illustrations.

 

Want to make like a teacher and take the story further?

The story lends itself to using our “schematic knowledge” which is fancy for making connections.  Try sharing some connections you’ve made, – if any, – with your child and ask them to share any they may have.  Not everyone can connect with an event in every book they read, but who hasn’t dealt with friendship before?  Exactly, so there’ll be lots to talk about.

For children who have a hard time comprehending what they read, give them more support with the way they “make meaning” when they read.  So what you can do to help your child if understanding what they read is not their strength, is have them notice the many words in the book which are not part of the Canadian lexicon.  Because the author is Irish, you’ll find words like, torch which may have different meanings to Canadians.  So a good strategy here (or anytime they come across an unknown word) is to ask your child what they think a particular unknown word to them means by having them re-read and look around the page for clues (such as the pictures and the context of the story).  They might be able to make  a reasonable guess, if they don’t it’s helpful for you to talk about its possible meanings and check in that s/he gets it.  That way they wont “lose meaning” or understanding.

Whether, you need to use those strategies or just relax with the book in a comfy chair, I hope you enjoy the read!

Daniela