Notes from Allen Webb's Visit

Notes from Allen Webb

English- connect to students, learn about them through their writing, discuss issues.

Make teaching powerful and important, and try to change as many lives as you can.

English and health – some great connections can be made

• Map of the world – equal areas projection
• How maps help us view the world.
• All flat maps are distorted, what does the distortion do?
• –all land mass shown in proper proportion to each other.
• Maps. of U.S. used to be in the middle and Asia cut in half. (This showed that America was the focus)

-who won the wars? The victors write the history.

History & the role of colonialism in the world.

• The last 500 years since Columbus, the history of the world = colonialism by western Europe. (Spanish, Portugese, etc.)
• Columbus 1492
• Cortez 1519 – went to Mexico City – there were 20 million people
• slavery, disease, violence, etc. killed people off

(Trail of death – northern Indiana to Kansas – Natives were forced to move)

• Western European powers colonized all over the place.
• Set up posts in Africa to capture slaves. (The triangle trade – weapons, manufactured taken to Africa, slaves taken to Caribbean or Brazil (1 out of 20 made it to America) made sugar, rum or molasses. The Caribbean colonies were wealthier than the 13 colonies in America.
• (Scramble for Africa)

Why did the Europeans do this? Bring religion? Civilize savages? It was for MONEY!

1884 – Berlin conference – nothing to do w/ geography, languages, etc. People were separated, enemies were put together.

Other Colonization

• Australia (penal colonies), Tasmania, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh – British
• Indonesia – Dutch
• Philippines - Spain (America took the Philippines from Spain so they could bring Christianity.)
• Vietnam, Loas, Cambodia – France
• China was not properly colonized – opium war – fought against Britain, U.S. = divided China up into different sections.
• Japan – engaged w/ European powers was never colonized

Balance of power – divided everything up so that no one county could get stronger than European

Malaria – ½ human beings that have ever lived have died of malaria.

Knowing this history is important in understanding the modern world and what has happened since.

• WWII – seen as a colonial war – Germany missed out on the “grab the planet thing”, tried to get “living room” in Russia, Poland, etc.
• Vietnam War – seen as a colonial war – The U.S. didn’t know what they were doing.

• Rabbit Proof Fence – Film (2002)
• Things Fall Apart – Chinua Achebe
• Life and Times of Frederick Douglass - Frederick Douglass
• Beloved - Toni Morrison
• Flight to Canada - Ishmael Reed

Literature puts you in the shoes of someone else. It allows you to see what they have gone through.

What can you do in a school that would give you some freedom?

• Know the curriculum
• Having information
• Know what is “required” of you
• Know what you want to teach – what you are passionate about, what you care about
• Start down road to educate yourself
• Inform people about your sources – professional, academic, etc.
• Keep parents informed
• Invitation – allow people to come into your class
• Advocate for yourself and stand up to your colleagues

Dumbledore Gay? What Does This Change?

J.K. Rowling revealed that Dumbledore is Gay. Does this affect how you view the text? Would this change how you would teach it? Would you teach the text to begin with?

I'm a die-hard Harry Potter fan and have been since the first book. To be honest this didn't come as a shock to me. It only further explains Dumbledore's character.

Read the news article here

Week 6 - Webb Ch. 3

Chapter Three - Genderizing The Curriculum: A Personal Journey

I really liked the "Am I Blue" activity with the triangles. I like that the question is posed that "What does it feel like for those of you who do not have blue triangles like the rest of the students?" (45) I liked the honest responses of I wanted one, It doesn't matter, Why didn't I get one?, etc. I liked that the students didn't know what was going on until they read the text, and their response to what the color meant, and how some students threw off their triangles because "they weren't gay". I think Tasha handled the question posed to her very well. In response to being asked if she was gay, she said, "Does it matter?" I think that is more powerful than answering yes or no, because in all honesty it doesn't matter.

Womens and Gender Studies -"an effort no so much to look at biological determinants of sexual difference or sexual orientation, but instead to examine the way that roles for men and women - and for heterosexuals as well as for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered persons-have developed historically and culturally, and how these roles continue to be made and contested in the present day." (39)

Week 5 - Webb Ch. 6

Chapter Six - Huckleberry Finn and the Issue of Race in Today's Classroom

In Webb's discussion of teaching Huckleberry Finn he mentions that there were disagreements over teaching the texts. Black students felt like their options didn't matter, their parents decided that the white English teachers ignored their concerns. White students were upset they wouldn't be able to finish the book, black students felt friendships with white students were in jeopardy.

Basically "parents were angry with teachers, teachers felt threatened and misunderstood, administrators went in various directions but failed to follow policies already in place, and student were alienated from the school and from one another." (108)

I see great benefit in teaching controversial texts. But there has to be a better way to handle it. I think a letter should be sent home to parents explaining your purpose for teaching the text. Allow them to ask questions and express concerns, and address them all in turn. It is important to make parents and students feel their opinions are valued. If there is too much disagreement suggest the use of another text.

I was taught Huckleberry Finn in 9th grade. It was required summer reading. I hated it. I found the novel hard to understand, and boring since I had no direction. I was taught the more cannon model - "you will read this text because it is a classic and important". Plot, character, setting, etc. is not the way to teach this text. It is important for student to be able to express their opinions on this text and be guided through it with a more critical eye.

Week 5 - Webb Ch. 2

Chapter Two - Teaching about Homelessness

New Criticism - "emphasized the artistic or "aesthetic" aspect of literature, where metaphor, irony, and poetic devices are interpreted so as to come together to create and "organic unity" of form and meaning." (21)

On page 19, Webb address the topic of teaching issues. "When I have taught about serious, difficult, or potentially overwhelming issues like the Holocaust, apartheid, or homelessness, I know that my students stand to gain vital cultural knowledge and significant academic benefit, but I find that I worry about how such heavy topics will affect them emotionally." I feel like he brings up a good point. Students need to be taught these things, they happened/ are happening and should not be avoided. I understand it can be difficult material, but in understanding these events student will have a better idea of the world around them, and with the topic of homelessness they may be encouraged to help out to fight it.

Historical Criticism

• Biographical Criticism - "literature is read by examining its relationship to the authors life. A knowledge of the life and struggles of an author gives students a clearer sense of the varied purposes of writing, allowing them to make connections between themselves and well-known artists." (23)
• Literary Tradition Criticism - "What matters is not the life of the author, but the relation of his or her work to "great literature" both before and after." (23)
• Political Criticism - "often tied to social change and revolutionary movements" (24)

I like on page 25 that Webb makes the point "A key to cultural studies teaching, then. is helping students make connections between the literature they read in the classroom and the life experience of people in their community and around the world." I like this statement because it causes students to focus on the world around them rather than be detached from the characters in the text. It makes the text more real.

Week 5 - Appleman Ch. 4

Chapter Four - Of Grave Diggers and Kings: Reading Literature Through the Marxist Lens, or, What's Class Got to Do with It?

Similarities between feminist and Marxist lens - "both political, both interrogate textual features with considerations of power and oppression, they both invite us to consider the kinda of prevailing ideologies that help construct social realities in which we participate."(59)

I like that it addresses the diverse literary cannon and how teachers are now addressing background knowledge as well as addressing cultural and historical aspects with multicultural literature, as new reasons to introduce Marxism.

It helps that Appleman explains that Marxism helps us to consider "the political context of texts themselves." (60) It also "encourages students to consider the ways in which literary texts and the reading audiences for those texts - including themselves, their classmates, and their teachers - are socially constructed." (61)

I like that it offers texts such as "The Grapes of Wrath", "Hamlet", and "Of Mice and Men" as examples of texts to teach with Marxism.

I don't like that it focuses only on class. I think when paired with feminism or gender theory it encompasses more, and becomes a better idea, and a stronger topic to teach.

MCTE Conference

MCTE Conference October 5, 2007

9:00am – 10:00am

Keynote Address – Kathleen Blake Yancey

“Literacy, Technologies, and the 21^st Century: Where We Have Been, Are Now, and Are Going”

I found Kathleen Blake Yancey’s keynote address to be very interesting. I thought the presentation of two separate sideshows with key points was interesting, but I wish I would have known so I could have chosen better seats.

I liked that she had crowd involvement, beginning with having us discuss what literacy meant. I discussed this topic with other ENGL 4790/4800 students and we all had the same basic definition; literacy is the ability to read, write, and comprehend. We further elaborated upon what we meant until we came to a firm definition.

Yancey then asked us to define literacy in the 21^st century. I turned to my classmates and we came up with a list of ideas including, internet, television, radio. There are so many different aspects with technology that literacy has grown into a large interconnected web.

She discussed social networking which is an every day occurrence for me. I check-up on my facebook and myspace pages multiple times a day, never really considering their function as literacy tools. I think it might be interesting to create a facebook group about my class, within certain boundaries.

She also discussed the use of Pandora to create an online music collection. I thought this could be applied with a text to have each student create a soundtrack they think matches the text they read.

Yancey also brought up the terms digital native vs. digital immigrant. I consider myself a digital native, but with all the new developing technologies it won’t be long before I’m a new digital immigrant. Where will that leave the old digital immigrants?

10:10am – 11:00am

Session A – Dr. Jill VanAntwerp, Grand Valley State University

“Hanging on by your Fingernails until you gain a Toehold: Advice for Future Tachers from New Teachers”

To be honest I was disappointed with this session. I had hoped there would be a panel of educators to whom I could ask questions. Instead Dr. VanAntwerp had conducted a survey of 50 teachers from the Grand Rapids area. I felt let down. Most of the information I already knew, I felt my time would have been better spent elsewhere. The presentation was all on overheads, and it dragged on far longer than it should have. It was a good refresher on what to expect, but next time I’ll so something more constructive with my time.

11:10am-12:10pm

Session B – Melissa Brooks & Carrie Eade

“Creativity Meets Content Standards: Digital Storytelling in the Secondary Classroom”

Unfortunately this session encountered some technological issues and we were unable to see the clips they had wanted to show us. This is something to consider, because students using digital storytelling could encounter the same issues. Another thing to take into consideration is copyright issues. There are many things you have to cite and get permission for, that digital storytelling seems more of a hassle than a worthwhile project. Instead creating websites could be a good idea with digital media. I’m not sure I’ll be using digital storytelling in my classroom, but it is nice to get resources so I can do it if I wish.

Overall I had a good time at the MCTE conference. It was nice to hang out with my peers in the College of Education. For $25 I couldn’t have asked for more. I even got some amazing deals at the $1 teachers bookstore!

Week 4 - Webb Ch. 5

Chapter Five - Shakespeare and the New Multicultural British and World Literatures

Within the chapter Webb introduces two new literary theories. New Historicism and Postcolonial Studies. I like that they are subsets of the chapter, with their own text box to include them within, but separate them from the text.

What I like about New Historicism is that it "creates the possibility of making the study of traditional literature more contentious, controversial, and considerably more interesting." (83) I can definitely see how this has been used in my ENGL 4440 Novels class. We read Matthew Lewis' "The Monk". We studied the time period in which it was written, as well as social contexts. This helps to explain just how controversial the text was when it was written, and how it maintains that status today.

With Matthew Lewis' "The Monk" I can see a clear connection to Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure". It would be a great way to present a variety of texts on similar subject matter. If possible it would be a great opportunity to pair those novels with a live presentation of "Measure for Measure". Seeing Shakespeare acted out is a very different experience than reading his works.

Post Colonial studies "looks with a critical eye not only at European economic and military authority but also at the cultural traditions and Eurocentric legacy the identified colonized peoples as "savage," "uncivilized," "backward," or "underdeveloped." (92)

To be completely honest, I'm not sure I really understand Post Colonial Studies. I think this is one topic I may have to further research before I understand it's practicality within my classroom.

Oh, and just a side note, the resources at the end of the chapter are amazing. I'll definitely be keeping this book as a resource for my classroom and lesson plans.

Week 4 - Webb Ch. 1

Chapter One - A Course in Contemporary World Literature

I liked that Webb explains how he used "Night" within his classroom. I read it in high school and found it very interesting. I think it's great that he brought in a survivor to speak about the Holocaust. I believe that more can be learned from someone who went through it, than you can just by reading a text about it.

On page 6-7 Webb has a section on Reader Response. This is a review on what we read from Appleman. Basic rundown is that it focuses on what students bring to a text, and the interpretations they make from it.

On page 8, Webb describes Cultural Studies as emphasizing "the integration of literary works, even the most canonical, with the whole range of cultural expression." "It fosters critical thinking and activism as it wrestles with how we see ourselves and others in the process of understanding and acting in society."

I think the best part about this chapter is the Resources for Teaching. He provides more than enough resources to make teaching the Holocaust a month long project.

Week 3 - Appleman Ch. 3

Chapter Three - The Lens of Reader Response: The Promise and Peril of Response-Based Pedagogy

"There can be no denying the power and purpose of a reader-centered approach to literature and the degree to which it has positively informed our practice. It has made the enterprise of literature teaching more relevant, immediate, and important. It has forced us to rethink what we do when we teach literature, why we do it, and whom we do it for." (Appleman 26)

I think Appleman offers a great description of the benefit or reader response, one of the problems we face in teaching reader response is students taking it too far. By too far I mean leaving the text to explore some facet of their life that somehow relates to the text, but getting off track.

There is also the downfall that students feel since it is a personal response that they don't really have to respond, or that their response is correct. I'm not saying a response is right or wrong, but some interpretations and relations to the text can be very misinformed.

I really disliked the reader-response diagram. I don't believe that all students will be able to respond to all texts. Like the activity we did in class. I read a book on an orphan in France, who floated away. 1. I'm not an orphan. 2. I've never been to France. 3. I definitely cannot float, wish as I may. I suppose I can relate to pictures I've seen of France, but I don't believe that is enough to really accomplish a reader-response piece.

I like the idea of reader-response, but I believe it has some serious shortcomings.

Week 3 - Appleman Ch. 2

Chapter Two - Through the Looking Glass: Introducing Multiple Perspectives.

This chapter delves into multiple perspectives and offers four ways in which they can be examined in the classroom.

"My Papa's Waltz" is an interesting example as shown through the emphasis put on specific words. One student focused on words such as papa, waltz, cling, etc. Another's interpretation focused on beat, death, battered, missed, dirt, whiskey, etc. This just goes to show that meaning is taken from how you read it. Both got a different meaning from the same piece, which I believe will be very common within a classroom.

The idea that there is more than one opionion is further brought up in the discussion of Rachel's classroom, where the students are reluctant to offer opinions on "The Scarlet Letter". She employs a number of activities including reading new texts and watching movies to get students to share new perspectives.

I thought she presented some good ideas, but I feel that watching an entire "Star Wars" movie is wasting time. I can see how short clips could be useful, but if you use an entire movie you're using a class and 1/2 - two classes, and that's just lazy.

I felt this chapter dragged on a bit, I understood what Appleman was trying to get across within the first few pages. She made her point well, but I believe she overextended it a bit.

Week 3 - Appleman Ch. 1

Chapter One - The Case for Critical Theory in the Classroom

On page 2 Appleman writes, "This book challenges current theoretical and pedagogical paradigms of the teaching of literature by incorporating the teaching of literary theory into high school literature classes. The guiding assumption of the book is that the direct teaching of literary theory in secondary English classes will better prepare adolescent readers to respond reflectively and analytically to literacy texts, both "canonical" and multicultural."

Upon reading this I felt I could relate to the literature teachers she mentioned a little ways before this passage. She notes that "Literature teachers find it difficult to see, at least initially, how contemporary literary theory can inform their daily practice. They are already overwhelmed as they juggle curricular concerns as well as the competing literacy skills and needs of their increasingly diverse student body. Students and teachers alike find it hard to believe that something as abstract and "impractical" as literary theory could be relevant to their lives, both in and out of the classroom."

I related most to the section on Reader Response Theory. This is the theory I have the most experience with, as it is the most commonly practiced of the theories. I like it because it allows a reader like myself to bring my own experiences to the text, and take my own interpretations from it.

Appleman ends the chapter by explaining the purpose of teaching theory. “The purpose of teaching literary theory at the secondary level is not to turn adolescents into critical theorists; rather, it is to encourage adolescents to inhabit theories comfortably enough to construct their own readings and to learn to appreciate the power of multiple perspectives” (Appleman 9) I think this quote will be an important point to remember thought reading the text.

Week 3 - Appleman Introduction

Appleman opens the introduction with a quote from Stephen Bonnycastle,

"Often literary theories change our views of a work of literature by proposing new distinctions or new categories for looking at the work. This is a bit like putting on a new set of glasses: suddenly you see things more clearly."

I enjoy this quote because I find it true myself. In learning new theories I can look at work in a new and enlightening way.

I like that Appleman begins the book with a real life situation. It's always interesting to hear real stories from real people. It makes the work seem more credible and proven.

I'm interested to get into the chapters and see what Appleman is about.