LTED 618 Chapter 1

Chapter 1
     Chapter one begins with a definition of children's literature.  Short, Lynch-Brown, and Tomlinson (2014) put forth an excellent definition in their book that explains the value of children's literature:

One Word: "experience"

Children's books, first and foremost, are literature.  Literature is not written to teach something, but to illuminate what it means to be human and to make accessible the most fundamental experiences of life - love, hope, loneliness, despair, fear, and belonging.  Literature is the imaginative shaping of experience and thought into the forms and structures of language.  Children read literature to experience life, and their experiences inside the world of a story challenge them to think in new ways about their lives and world. (p. 4)

     When I read this definition it brought me back to a time when I taught kindergarten and we used the Making Meaning curriculum which specifically addressed comprehension and vocabulary skills.  According to their website, "The curriculum intentionally combines academics with social and emotional learning to create an environment in which students learn to collaborate, agree and disagree respectfully, and take responsibility for their own learning. Carefully selected nonfiction and fiction read-aloud trade books provide a rich, rewarding experience as students encounter increasingly complex texts and build their vocabulary."  This synopsis of the  Making Meaning curriculum mirrors what Short et al. (2014) states about the content and quality of children's literature.  I enjoyed using this curriculum because students increased their vocabulary and language skills but most of all they were immersed in a rich world of quality trade books that helped them to make connections to their world and learn about the world around them.  Many of the books had rich characters and quality illustrations that invited you into the story.  In fact when we stopped using the program to start another curriculum, I held onto the books and still use them in the library today.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsdkrebs/5913124811

For example, one of the books I still use is a title called "The Kissing Hand" and it tells a story of a raccoon named Chester who doesn't want to go to school on the first day until his mother shares a secret with him that helps him feel better about leaving her and going to school.  This is a title that young children can relate to and make a connection to as well.  They end up feeling better about being in school and it makes the tears go away.  I love this title and I value this type of literature that allows students to make connections with themselves and the world around them.  This concept is also highlighted in chapter one under the subheading of, "The Value of Story in Making Meaning of Our Lives" where it explains that stories invite us to consider our own meanings and better understand those experiences.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/skokiepl/4710857516/

One Phrase: "We lose sight of literature having value in and of itself for children's lives..."

     Short, Lynch-Brown, and Tomlinson (2014) hit the nail on the head when they state, "We are often so focused on using literature for other purposes that we lose sight of literature having value in and of itself for children's lives..." (p. 6).  This is very true when it comes to using literature to "teach" another subject which does happen and should happen but it shouldn't be the primary focus of using children's literature in the curriculum.  There are a variety of ways that literature enhances our lives and the lives of children.  The authors mention several key purposes such as: enjoyment, personal and cultural identity, imagination and transformation, knowledge and insights, understanding and empathy, and literary and artistic preferences.  Children's literature should bring a feeling of enjoyment and excitement to the reader.  A good story makes you want to hear it again and find more books to read.  When teaching children it's important that they can make personal connections to themselves and furthermore, should be exposed to other cultural experiences as well.  Imagination, gaining knowledge, and being able to connect to the literature to further understanding and develop the ability to empathize with others is essential as well.

     The authors include a table on page nine that features "Landmark Studies on Literature and Reading" which includes a brief synopsis of the studies.  Some of the findings come as no surprise to me.  I have seen children enter into kindergarten in various stages of reading readiness.  In my experience as a classroom teacher I have noticed that in most cases the students who are reading before kindergarten have been exposed to literature at home and have had quality experiences that enhance background knowledge and that lends itself to increased early language development.  The evidence is this table seems to show that more exposure to early reading and having quality children's literature can have a positive effect on reading ability and the love of reading, which is an important factor to becoming a reader and sustaining a love of literature.

One Sentence: "Books do change lives for the better, but you need to be a reader to engage children as readers."

     When I reflect on my own personal reading habits and how that affects me as a person I find some interesting insights.  My genre of choice is fictional mystery.  I read about four books per month and I have a few favorite authors.  I think that I love this type of literature because it takes me away from reality for the time I'm reading.  My life is full of obligations and commitments and like to lose myself in the stories that I read.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gamutless/5346978404

In these books I am exposed to a variety of characters, places, and situations.  I enjoy learning about new places that I've never visited and in certain books, I come to know characters and look forward to seeing them again in the next book.  Another insight that I have is that I believe that being an avid reader helps me to be the good writer than I am presently.  This is another concept that the authors touch upon in chapter one and I firmly believe this to be a valuable benefit of reading.

Works Cited:

Short, K., Lynch-Brown, C., & Tomlinson, C. M. (2014). Essentials of children's literature. (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.

Images:
Denise Krebs (2011). Children's Literature. [photo]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsdkrebs/5913124811
Stoke Public Library. (2010). Kissing Hand puppet/book set. [photo]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/skokiepl/4710857516/
Nick Lee. (2011). Mystery Genre Poster. [JPEG]. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/gamutless/5346978404