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Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Forum discussion: The appropriate literature for children

As we have been seeing and discussing in class, there doesn't seem to be any limit to the topics children's literature can handle. The question to discuss then is, should there be any limit for the stories that we choose to work in class?  What topics are proper or improper for the classroom? Why?

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10 comments:

  1. Amilcar FerreroJuly 22, 2014 at 11:58 AM

    Let’s break the ice! I think that those questions are good to reflect upon our work as teachers. I don’t think there are stories or topics which are proper to work in class, and others which are improper. However, some stories and topics don’t carry risks; they are easy to work with children. So, what happens with those stories or topics that are more controversial? The picture shows us a good example of a controversial topic. What would happen if we read that story to our children? As we can imagine, it wouldn’t be easy to do that, and we don’t know how the children (or the parents!) could react. Of course, I won’t say it would be wrong to work with that story; I think it would be fantastic, but we have to be prepared to face the consequences of our decision. To sum up, I think there are stories which are easier to work with children, but that doesn’t mean they are better. There are stories which are more difficult to work with children, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t deal with them. Maybe, it has to do with the way in which we present or work with a story. So, do we want to take the risk and deal with “controversial” children’s stories? What do you think?

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  2. UnknownJuly 22, 2014 at 2:18 PM

    The first thing that came to my mind when I read the questions was a quote from Appendix A: “but should they fall in their way, we firmly believe no risk to exist-if they will read them at one time or another, the earlier, perhaps, the better.”(Elizabeth Rigby, 1844) The quote goes on, but I will keep with this first part. I believe that there should be no limits as regard topics, but there should be certain consciousness or awareness of personal approaches.
    In my opinion, the subject is not the problem, but the many different conceptions or perceptions surrounding it. The way we address and deal with a topic in the classroom (e.g., authoritatively, freely, etc.) is what, to me, can be proper or improper. If we as teachers want to deal with a topic such as Homosexuality, then we should think what our purposes are in doing so, and why. Do I read a book about a gay couple to my students because I want them to learn about love? About gay rights? Just for fun? Or because it is mainstream? And why do I need to teach them something about those concepts? What is proper or improper is “in the eye of the beholder”, and it also responds to what kind of students we want. Then, we will work with those topics which are suitable to achieve our goals or expectations, and avoid those which aren’t. Of course, the subject won’t do the trick on its own. Not because we read a book about love to our students, they will be good and happy. No. We have to work upon that matter, inevitably showing our opinions and perceptions, and also, allowing and hearing our student’s.

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    1. UnknownJuly 24, 2014 at 8:49 AM

      I agree with you Mariana! There is no problem with the topic, but with how we deal with that it.
      I like the quote you share, and I would like to emphasize the words "the earlier, perhaps, the better"... The earlier we deal about some topics with our kids the better for them to become open minded adults. Parents and Teachers are the ones who have problems to talk about certain things in class or at home, but children accept things naturally. We should be conscious about how we read stories dealing with homosexuality, families with no dad or no mum, assembled families, etc. As Mariana said, the problem isn´t the topic, but the opinion or conception we impress while we read the story in class. Wether we don´t impose students how they have to think, and just share with them the multiplicity of realities that coexists in the world, there won´t be problems, consequently any topic will be proper for the classroom.

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    2. UnknownSeptember 2, 2014 at 8:16 AM

      I agree with you Nahir and also with Mariana,I think that we must introduce this topics as early as we can to children.They accept homosexuality as something natural, as you said, they don't see nothing wrong with gay couples, since nowadays they can see it everyday in the real life.Parents and teachers should be more open minded and realize that it's not wrong that children learn about differents ways in which love can be presented.We must put and end to deal with this topic as a taboo, since now we are in the 21st century and things are constantly changing and we must adapt to different ways of thinking

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  3. UnknownJuly 22, 2014 at 9:18 PM

    Well, nowadays, children are aware of many things around them due to their daily life experiences or their constant exposure to the media. As parents and teachers, we should not put children in a “safe bubble” and forbid or hide certain topics that we may find improper for them. I think that respect should be the most important limit (if there is any) not only in choosing the story but also in organizing the discussion towards the topic. Moreover, it is also important to take into account the age and the background of the students because they may approach the topic in different ways according to their experiences. In my opinion, taboo topics like homosexuality should not be thought as proper-improper themselves but it should the way we choose to deal with them. (I mean, it´s not the topic but the way we deal with it). It may be strange to discuss a topic like this in the classroom… but for whom? For children? Or for we adults that are accustomed to choose traditional stories with traditional topics?

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  4. AnonymousJuly 31, 2014 at 5:42 PM

    In my opinion, it is a good book to introduce so important topic as gay rights.However, teachers must take into account the context where they are immersed; just think a moment that it is not the same topic to teach young children to adolescents. I believe that all the topics are suitable to teach or learn from; but always having in mind to whom they are addressed

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    1. Evelyn MalaverSeptember 3, 2014 at 5:08 AM

      I agree with you! It's very important to keep in mind the age of our students. Children have different perceptions of reality as they grow older... Perhaps it is easier to read this book to a 5 years old children, than reading it to a twelve years old kid. They will disagree in the interpretation of the book. I think it is also important to have good communication with parents if we are going to work with a book so controversial. We should let them know, and share opinions before.

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  5. UnknownAugust 11, 2014 at 8:27 AM

    In my opinion the problem is not the topic, the problem consists on what we want to transmit children.
    Nowadays, assemble families are the "normal" ones. I can remember, some years ago, that people called normal families, those who were formed by Mum, Dad, Son and Daughter.
    Today, most of our children´s families are different, so we have to know about their background and we should teach as closer as their realities.
    Values, feelings and context are important at the moment of teaching. Taking into account some older experiencies will help us to have success in our every day work. Love and empathy are our best friends at the moment of transmiting a difficult topic, such as the one that is mention in the picture.

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  6. UnknownAugust 11, 2014 at 6:00 PM

    well, I go along with Nahir´s opinion. It is good for sts to reflect upon topics that sorround them.We´ve got to find the way to engage them and stories are a good tool.They allow them to deliberate, to present their arguments and to accept different viewpoints.It is true too, that we must be overcareful when dealing with certain topics as the ones mentioned before.

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  7. UnknownSeptember 5, 2014 at 3:10 PM

    I think that there are no topics that are improper. there are stories that are uncomfortable for some adults, but for children those topics are totally natural. fortunately, kids are more open, generation after generation. the risk we face when dealing with those "controversial" topics is the reaction of some reactionary retrograde parents. do not forget that there exists a law about sexual education at schools and that some parents refuse that their kids attend at those classes. that's so sad...

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