by Melissa Summer Wells, Gina Crosby-Quinatoa, and Julia López-Robertson, University of South Carolina
.
Even the silence
has a story to tell you.
Just listen. Listen.
(Brown Girl Dreaming, How to Listen #7, p. 278)
.
We have enjoyed inviting you into the journeys of Enrique and Jaqueline as they made difficult choices, Continue reading
by Melissa Summer Wells, Julia López-Robertson, and Gina Crosby-Quinatoa, University of South Carolina
Will the words end, I ask
whenever I remember to.
Nope, my sister says, all of five years old now,
and promising me/infinity. (p. 62-63)
Our next stop on our tour of young protagonists searching for their places in the world brings us to Jacqueline Woodson, protagonist Continue reading
by Gina Crosby-Quinatoa, Julia López-Robertson, and Melissa Summer Wells, University of South Carolina
On March 2, 2000, he goes to his grandmother Agueda’s house. He stands on the same porch that his mother disappeared from eleven years before. He hugs Maria Isabel and Aunt Rosa Amalia. Then he steps off.
(p. 50)
This week we introduce you to Enrique Continue reading
by Julia López-Robertson, Gina Crosby-Quinatoa and Melissa Summer Wells, University of South Carolina
This month we invite you to join us as we discuss two YA novels we read as a part of a course on Reader Response theories this past spring; we will be discussing Enrique’s Journey (The Young Adult Adaptation): The True Story of a Boy Determined to Reunite with His Mother by Sonia Nazario and Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. Enrique’s Journey is the true story of a young teenager’s, Enrique, perilous voyage from his home in Honduras to find his mother in the United States. Continue reading
By Angeline P. Hoffman, White Mountain Apache Reservation
Stories of Indigenous people matter, the stories influence how we think about ourselves, where we come from and formulate the way in which we think about cultural perspectives and people.
In looking at storytelling, a sub-theme emerged: ethics and teaching. These specific ideas are utilized by storytellers’ characters to convey these particular values. Teaching is very important in today’s Native American society. Teaching of traditions, cultures and sense of place are practices that are passed on through Continue reading
By Angeline P. Hoffman, White Mountain Apache Reservation
Stories of Indigenous people matter. The stories influence how we think about ourselves, where we come from and formulate the way in which we think about cultural perspectives and people.
In Indigenous culture children emerge with clearly delineated, gender-specific roles, much like the distinct roles of adults. Continue reading
By Angeline P. Hoffman, White Mountain Apache Reservation
Stories of Indigenous people matter because these stories influence how we think about ourselves, where we come from, and help formulate the way in which we think about our own cultural perspectives and people.
A topic emerging from our culture includes the significant cultural roles represented within our communities and families. Elders play a critical role within Indigenous communities. One of the unique ways American Indian people obtain knowledge is through the direct teaching of elders. Continue reading
By Angeline Hoffman, White Mountain Apache Reservation
Stories of the Indigenous people matter, because the stories influences how we think about ourselves, where we come from and formulates the way in which we think about cultural perspectives and people.
The one element inherent in Stories Matter is Storytelling. Storytelling, in Indigenous narratives, involves the origins of identity, knowledge systems, and ways of knowing and being, Continue reading
by Deborah Dimmett, University of Arizona
It has often been debated just how much children’s literature is intended for an adult audience to the same extent it is for children. We know from our own experiences with picturebooks that there are some interesting subtleties in the story and the illustrations that hail the adult reader.
A recently released picture book, Little Bird’s Bad Word (2015) by Jacob Grant, is an example of a picturebook that is definitely aimed at both children (ages 3-7) and the adults who read with/to them. Continue reading
by Deborah Dimmett, University of Arizona
As teachers, one of the tasks delegated to us is selecting texts for students to read. But, in choosing a text, we need to ask ourselves what it is we want the text to do for us. And, how will students be supported when they identify conflicting discourses—particularly those that conflict with the teacher’s original intentions? Continue reading