I want to begin by saying that I really like this book. Everything she is saying is everything I've been wondering!
One main idea that hit me came from Jago's second guideline: "Don't confuse reading for pleasure with the study of literature," (p. 4). Jago sees popular, young adult fiction as mirrors, because they reflect "students' own experiences with parents, peers, sex drugs and alcohol," (p. 5). It is my personal philosophy that students need to see that they can identify with these characters in order to recognize that they are not alone in the struggles of adolescence. Also, as Jago notes, it is better to have students reading popular fiction than to not be reading at all.
However, Jago says that students also needs books that will act as windows, that "offer readers access to other worlds, other times, other cultures," (p. 5). This is exactly how I have always felt about reading the classics. Yes, reading Twilight is an obsession of mine and I do enjoy most young adult books, but the classics have made me a more well-rounded person. Because of books like "The Grapes of Wrath," "Uncle Tom's Cabin," "Native Son," "The Old Man and the Sea," "The Great Gatsby," "Pride and Prejudice," and "Wuthering Heights" that have made me criticize politics, society, religion and human nature. When I say "criticize," it is not necessarily a negative thing. However, I have formed my own educated belief system and opinions mainly based off of books.
This is why I want to have a fair balance between books that serve as mirrors and books that serve as windows. Both are so important to the students that I will teach, because I want them to enjoy reading and find comfort in literature, but I also want them to become more critical society in order to form their own beliefs and opinions the way that I did.
I hope to incorperate Literature Circles into my classroom as a way of reading young adult novels. This is a way to get students to read the books that serve as mirrors, but to also scrutinize a text and look for important literary elements.
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Jordan,
ReplyDeleteIt is also very important to me to find ways to help students relate to the character they are reading about. Do you think there are ways to do this?
I think by describing character traits for the main characters students will be able to pick out one that they find a personal connection with or like.
It is crucial for the books we teach to be able to open new windows for students. That is the whole point, right? If my students are able to make connections and also alter their own views, I will be one happy English teacher.
I think your post really highlights the power of literature. I agree - I think there is a place for YA lit in the classroom (I like Kelly Gallagher's idea of a 50/50 balance).
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