The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian

I enjoyed this book. I liked that the chapters were short which made it seem like I was reading fast, even if I wasn't. I had to read this book for my Intro to fiction class and it went over well with everyone. It was surprising to me how common death seemed to be on the Rez. In the book itself there were around three deaths, and more were mentioned. They go to so many memorials a year. I haven't been to one in roughly 3 years, and consider myself very lucky. Although sadly that streak is about to end. I didn't like how he lost all his friends after he transferred school, and how poorly they treated him in the first game against each other. It was horrible how they threw things at him and called him names. You wouldn't think just leaving the Rez for school would turn a whole community against someone.
I think it was interesting how even though his friend snubbed him and acted like he didn't care,
Jounier loved him and wanted him to be happy. Even if he wasn't in his life. That shows a level a maturity most people lack. His sister was just wow. I don't know how someone can live like she did. I would never be able to sit in a basement day after day reading romance novels, Then run away with some guy you knew for a short period of time and get married. I did cry when she did and Jounier worked his way through the new.

A theme I have noticed in a lot of young adult books is death, or loss. I first started to notice this in the intro to fiction class from last year where we like six young adult books. All them had death in it...it was slightly depressing. Most of the books we had to read were really good, yet pulled at my heart strings. When I pointed this out to a classmate she stated that loss is something most teenagers have to deal with. it's like the coming of age. How they find who they are and who their true friends are.

Differentiated Instruction

I found an article type thing through scholastic it's definition of differentiated instruction is"Differentiation is a way of teaching; it’s not a program or package of worksheets. It asks teachers to know their students well so they can provide each one with experiences and tasks that will improve learning."  Meaning giving students multiple different ways to for students to learn. They used the example of reading, they talk about how after 4th grade personal reading starts to drop, and once the students get in middle school, and are given more homework, and tough text books, reading for personal enjoyment slips away and students have a lower reading level then they should have. Also in the high level classes reading instruction becomes non-exsistant. The students who are struggling with reading do no get the help they need and tend to fall further behind. I liked some of the instruction strategies that were suggested such as reading outloud, teach finding meaning while reading, using different texts and resources, and encourage discussion. I liked value personal reading time, where they tell you to set aside 15-30 minuets at least three times a week, but from my experience in the classroom there just isn't time, or if you make time students don't always bring their reading books. I know in the classroom, my master teacher makes them take AR quizes on personal reading books, which they need to take on their own time, and givess them credit for it in the grade book.

I Read It But I Don't Get IT

I really liked what I read of this. I'm not going to lie, I started it late so I didn't finish, I got about half way through. I should've started reading sooner. But who has time for that? I like how she talked about how she personally struggled with reading comprehension and didn't learn how to read until her 30's. It shows that you can teach an old dog new tricks. It also helped her to teach her students how to read and she knew what they were going through.  I can definitely relate to "fake reading" I do that more then I would care to admit, but it sometimes is the only way I can keep up with the work load from all my classes. I do my best to actually read the assigned reading, or at least part of it. But sometimes that doesn't happen, and I just fake my way through discussions. I've done it a little bit in this class, but not as much as I've done in others.

The quote "reading involves thinking" is a good one.  To some it's a "well duh" statement but how many times have you picked up a book, and just read it, took in what it was saying, and left it at that. Didn't look beyond the words on the page for the true meaning. I know that's not necessarily what someone wants to do when they read for fun, but practice makes perfect. The more we practice reading between the lines the better we will get at it.  Giving students the tools to think critically about a piece of writing is a tool that will help them for the rest of their lives. However, we have to be sure that students are in fact learning the tools we are trying to give them.

A Response-Based Approach to Reading Literature

I like the line "A literary orientation involves "living through the experience."" it is such a true statement. It is more then just literally living the experience but living through the writing. Through reading people get to live multiple lives and different experiences. However, Langer mean the way we interpret the piece. How the way we think about it, and interpret it affects out understanding and changes how we see the work.  Students get this through their own understanding and through the  understanding of their peers. Through discussion students hear ideas that they didn't think of. They may agree with them or they may not. but it challenges their understand it makes them think, understand and support their own interpretations. I like how it also mentions reading science and social studies text and how they have a point of reference which they try to follow. It is to help students attempt to build upon, clarify, or modify "their momentary understandings". Informational texts help students to understand what they are learning, and they may pick up on a piece of information they find interesting, but wasn't lectured on. I like how she states neither of those two literary orientations can work alone. Together they provide alternative ways of making-sense that can be called upon when needed.

I disliked the research that showed literature is sometimes taught, and often tested in a non-literary way. Meaning there is only one interpretation and one right answer. Different people take different meanings from literature. Sometimes what a person takes is totally different then what the author intended, or the author may not even know about.