Blog 10:Thrasher
What I found really interesting is the pain that some of these skateboarders go through to pursue their thrills and pleasure.I enjoyed the pictures of the ramps and pictured myself going back and forth. Some of the pictures were very graphic of the bone exposed from a bad fall. With bruises cuts and injuries people pursue this sport. I hope the pictures make skateboards more aware of the dangers involved. Still, to them a bruise or scar might be looked upon by fellow skateboarders as a symbol of respect or a tattoo of sorts.
Jason Strylzyck(sp?) played football for the University of Maine and for the Pittsburgh Steelers for 5 seasons during which he suffered a series of concussions. One evening he drove his car onto oncoming traffic on a highway and collided with a gasoline truck killing himself and the driver of the truck in an explosion. Autopsy reports showed he had no drugs or alcohol in his system. He had been suffering from depression and it was thought the concussions might have caused his actions. The New York Times recently wrote about this.
Thrasher also makes me think of the teenage surfer who has one arm.The other arm was eaten by a shark while surfing.She continues to surf.
Though making people aware of the risks is very important , it is not the answer.Athletes will oftentimes participate at all costs.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
The Pact
The Pact: Blog 9
I found this story interesting at parts and I can see how people who have an interest in death enjoy reading it.I pictured the sky to be grey each day with lingering clouds that would not seem to want to move.I was lucky that I had a fortunate childhood in which no caregiver took advantage of me.What Emily went through scarred her before she took her life.It made me think of the Catholic priests and how mighty the act and how righteous too.Yet people still go to church and give money as if nothing ever happened.An isolated incident is bad enough but the scandal involved hundreds of priests.Cardinal Law is retired and donations feet his fat belly while he should be in jail like Geoghan.When I think about what they did and got away with it makes me sick, sick, sick.
I remember a priest at St. Raphael’s in Kittery Maine standing before the church telling everyone how children should not be left an inheritance.I don’t anticipate much but I felt like asking him why he didn’t talk about more relevant issues like his pedophile colleagues.
That man in the Pact took something from Emily which she could never recover.Her art work later in the story depicted doom of sorts.I thought of the boy who committed suicide because he was raped by a priest and I can better understand what Emily went through.
I found this story interesting at parts and I can see how people who have an interest in death enjoy reading it.I pictured the sky to be grey each day with lingering clouds that would not seem to want to move.I was lucky that I had a fortunate childhood in which no caregiver took advantage of me.What Emily went through scarred her before she took her life.It made me think of the Catholic priests and how mighty the act and how righteous too.Yet people still go to church and give money as if nothing ever happened.An isolated incident is bad enough but the scandal involved hundreds of priests.Cardinal Law is retired and donations feet his fat belly while he should be in jail like Geoghan.When I think about what they did and got away with it makes me sick, sick, sick.
I remember a priest at St. Raphael’s in Kittery Maine standing before the church telling everyone how children should not be left an inheritance.I don’t anticipate much but I felt like asking him why he didn’t talk about more relevant issues like his pedophile colleagues.
That man in the Pact took something from Emily which she could never recover.Her art work later in the story depicted doom of sorts.I thought of the boy who committed suicide because he was raped by a priest and I can better understand what Emily went through.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Lord Loss
Lord Loss
This is most clearly a book for teenage boys as there’s a lot of blood and guts in the beginning. Grubitsch handles himself well with the developmental assets he has available considering what he goes through. His family is murdered, the caretaker’s don’t believe him all except for his uncle Dervish. I picture this place being very dark as the tale is weaved from gloom and doom.
Chess is obviously a developmental resource in their home. ”I can beat just about anyone my age-I’ve won regional competitions-but I’m not in the same class as mom, dad or Gret.” This is how they express love and support for one another by trying to defeat one another at what is normally a harmless game. They live chess and his parents make him watch chess videos. Little did he know but they were preparing him for the match of his life against Lord Loss. They don’t pressure him at school.They pressure him at chess.
His retribution towards his sister is one this person would have liked to do to get back at my sisters growing up, though I love them. Rat guts all over Gretelda’s towel.
There is quite a bit of anatomy in this story as he is greeted by Artery and Vein after they have killed his parents. The staff at the hospital won’t believe that demons killed his family.All he has is Dervish and what’s left of his sanity though he handles himself very well for a teenager.I picture him to be 14.
When Grubs goes to Dervish’ in Carcery Vale he learns of all the relatives that have lost their lives young.Dervish has a “long bloody history”that he learns about. He handles himself very well for a boy who has lost so much tragically, teaching young readers to be brave against adversity. He was a reluctant hero for he did not want to fight Lord Loss but took on the challenge.It was when he showed that he didn’t care that this threw Lord Loss off in his strategy and in his game. Grubs is teaching readers to think under pressure.
I was surprised to learn that Grubs was Bill E.’s brother. At first I was convinced that Dervish was a demon.Imagine sleeping in an old mansion after your family has been torn apart with a creepy uncle? Yet, he fights Lord Loss to save his brother. Lord Loss feeds upon pain and sorrow. Shann is once again teaching the reader to remain strong and hopeful. It is Grub’s positive attitude and magic which saves Bill E. Shann is teaching readers to remain positive and hopeful when encountering difficult situations.
This is most clearly a book for teenage boys as there’s a lot of blood and guts in the beginning. Grubitsch handles himself well with the developmental assets he has available considering what he goes through. His family is murdered, the caretaker’s don’t believe him all except for his uncle Dervish. I picture this place being very dark as the tale is weaved from gloom and doom.
Chess is obviously a developmental resource in their home. ”I can beat just about anyone my age-I’ve won regional competitions-but I’m not in the same class as mom, dad or Gret.” This is how they express love and support for one another by trying to defeat one another at what is normally a harmless game. They live chess and his parents make him watch chess videos. Little did he know but they were preparing him for the match of his life against Lord Loss. They don’t pressure him at school.They pressure him at chess.
His retribution towards his sister is one this person would have liked to do to get back at my sisters growing up, though I love them. Rat guts all over Gretelda’s towel.
There is quite a bit of anatomy in this story as he is greeted by Artery and Vein after they have killed his parents. The staff at the hospital won’t believe that demons killed his family.All he has is Dervish and what’s left of his sanity though he handles himself very well for a teenager.I picture him to be 14.
When Grubs goes to Dervish’ in Carcery Vale he learns of all the relatives that have lost their lives young.Dervish has a “long bloody history”that he learns about. He handles himself very well for a boy who has lost so much tragically, teaching young readers to be brave against adversity. He was a reluctant hero for he did not want to fight Lord Loss but took on the challenge.It was when he showed that he didn’t care that this threw Lord Loss off in his strategy and in his game. Grubs is teaching readers to think under pressure.
I was surprised to learn that Grubs was Bill E.’s brother. At first I was convinced that Dervish was a demon.Imagine sleeping in an old mansion after your family has been torn apart with a creepy uncle? Yet, he fights Lord Loss to save his brother. Lord Loss feeds upon pain and sorrow. Shann is once again teaching the reader to remain strong and hopeful. It is Grub’s positive attitude and magic which saves Bill E. Shann is teaching readers to remain positive and hopeful when encountering difficult situations.
Body Type:Intimate Messages Etched in Flesh
Body Type
I can see how this book is very popular. Some of the body marks are very powerful such as the one of the concentration camp identification numbers. These are not “tramp stamps” as they are referred to as sometimes but history. They show how close that person was to death and are a reminder of a horrible time in history which occurred contrary to what radicals believe. The thorns on the arm are a reminder that when love is over oftentimes only painful thorns can remain. It is expression. It is art and has every right to be expressed. Some people want to wear reminders on their body and why should someone stop them provided they are of age. What is legal is another matter.I once saw a woman with a tattoo of a marijuana leaf.Is she harming anyone?And yet a man had a swastika. Who draws the line is the person holding the needle.Do we need to clamp down on tattoos with the voracity that we have revamped our alcohol laws?
The astronauts that have died is so very powerful of the tragedies of heros. I saw messages of Christianity and solidarity against the odds.
I do not know to much about tattoo removal however I hear it is getting better.A spur of the moment decision might not scar someone for the rest of their life.
As body messages become increasingly more popular might they have a place in vocational school as a trade along with hair styling, wood working and automotive?
I can see how this book is very popular. Some of the body marks are very powerful such as the one of the concentration camp identification numbers. These are not “tramp stamps” as they are referred to as sometimes but history. They show how close that person was to death and are a reminder of a horrible time in history which occurred contrary to what radicals believe. The thorns on the arm are a reminder that when love is over oftentimes only painful thorns can remain. It is expression. It is art and has every right to be expressed. Some people want to wear reminders on their body and why should someone stop them provided they are of age. What is legal is another matter.I once saw a woman with a tattoo of a marijuana leaf.Is she harming anyone?And yet a man had a swastika. Who draws the line is the person holding the needle.Do we need to clamp down on tattoos with the voracity that we have revamped our alcohol laws?
The astronauts that have died is so very powerful of the tragedies of heros. I saw messages of Christianity and solidarity against the odds.
I do not know to much about tattoo removal however I hear it is getting better.A spur of the moment decision might not scar someone for the rest of their life.
As body messages become increasingly more popular might they have a place in vocational school as a trade along with hair styling, wood working and automotive?
Thursday, July 5, 2007
I Don't Want to be Crazy Either
I Don’t Want to Be Crazy
I liked and disliked this book. Samantha had all the trappings of a solid foundation.She came from a good home and had the undivided attention of her wealthy parents. She had health coverage, her education provided and a supportive group of friends from which she derived developmental assets.So what’s the challenge?Was this book just something to do?The next step in a rich girl’s life.For a while I couldn’t figure out if she actually lost her virginity because all she talks about is sleazing around with two men throughout the story for which she cannot decide upon. Did she quit smoking marijuana as in the beginning and middle she smokes however her habit seems to disappear into thin air.Might it have been inappropriate with the publishing house and her employer if she was still getting high?Would they have published it?
What kind of friend would I have been if a poor little rich girl had an attack not in a ghetto but in France?Her friends were very understanding.I would have had more respect for this book if she lived in Tyrell’s world with his developmental assets.Would she have survived without the wealthy trappings that surrounded her?While I am sympathetic towards her disability I feel this book would have been better if the story was told by a poor girl and not a rich one.
I do commend her for getting help and sticking with treatment even when she disagreed.As a student with a disability it has been a long road to recovery for me so I can understand what she’s going through.
I liked and disliked this book. Samantha had all the trappings of a solid foundation.She came from a good home and had the undivided attention of her wealthy parents. She had health coverage, her education provided and a supportive group of friends from which she derived developmental assets.So what’s the challenge?Was this book just something to do?The next step in a rich girl’s life.For a while I couldn’t figure out if she actually lost her virginity because all she talks about is sleazing around with two men throughout the story for which she cannot decide upon. Did she quit smoking marijuana as in the beginning and middle she smokes however her habit seems to disappear into thin air.Might it have been inappropriate with the publishing house and her employer if she was still getting high?Would they have published it?
What kind of friend would I have been if a poor little rich girl had an attack not in a ghetto but in France?Her friends were very understanding.I would have had more respect for this book if she lived in Tyrell’s world with his developmental assets.Would she have survived without the wealthy trappings that surrounded her?While I am sympathetic towards her disability I feel this book would have been better if the story was told by a poor girl and not a rich one.
I do commend her for getting help and sticking with treatment even when she disagreed.As a student with a disability it has been a long road to recovery for me so I can understand what she’s going through.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Talk to Teens
Talk to Teens
John Caron
For this assignment 3 teens were interviewed from my hometown, North Andover, Massachusetts. The town has 5 elementary schools, 1 muddle and a high school. St.Michaels is a Catholic School grades k-8. There is a private boarding school, Brooks, and a 4 year college, Merrimack in town.It is predominately middle to upper class. The town library, Stevens Memorial, recently underwent major renovations and is located 200 yards from my residence.Alexandra,16, Julia, 13, and Bijan, 14, are residents of the town and students in the public school system.
Margie Troy is the Library Media Specialist at the Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical High School(Voke) in West Andover, Massachusetts and has served in that capacity for 9 years. The Voke has 1400 students. Four towns are represented in the student body: Lawrence 83% , Methuen 15%, Andover 1% and North Andover 1%. The student body mainly comes from predominately lower to middle income.The school is 80% Hispanic however major emphasis is in English.
The Voke started in 1970 and the new library is 5 years old. The school recently underwent major renovations. The school is geared towards teaching students trades such as cooking &culinary, automotive, woodworking and house building and hair, for example.There are 9 computer terminals in the library which has a collection size of 20,000. The Walter Markham library is also open during lunch and for a half hour after school. Margie and two other staff members provide mentoring for students having difficulty . There are 2 adjustment counselors for students who are on probation(for failing) within school. Margie stated that “there is emergency counseling with guidance counselors who will refer students to counseling outside of school. The Greater Lawrence Family Health Center operates a clinic within school and has counseling available during school hours.” Students are welcome to visit the main office after school hours.
Margie meets with the freshman each year during their Title 1 Reading Enrichment Class. She shows them ten books and reads from the jackets. At the end of the session the students are free to browse and check out books. All ten of the books she shows are taken out by students. She has spent 25 years working with teens in both public and school settings.
She consults School Library Journal, Kliatt, Voya, Teen Genreflecting, YALSA and some award winners. She buys mostly paperback due to cost however will by a “hot” title in hardcover. She buys 5 copies every year of Go Ask Alice, A Child Called It and the Lost Boy. Students at the Voke want to read about peers with terrible lives perhaps to help them make them feel better about their own situations.These titles are in constant demand and oftentimes disappear from the library. “One of the biggest problems that I have is not having duplicate copies of some titles.”
From Margie I learned that teens at the Voke want to follow the reading lists of their friends.The Pact is very popular at the Voke. The students like mob books and have taken a liking to the Godfather, Donnie Brasco and Wiseguys. Horror (R.L Stine and Stephen King) are very popular. Make Lemonade is required reading by the freshman.
For mysteries Joan Lowery Nixon is popular but Agatha Christie is not. “The kids will read Nicholas Sparks and the Love Stories. The demand for science fiction is not high but it exists,” she added.
“Kids don’t want to read ‘classics’ or ‘literature’. They are influenced by their peers and teachers they admire. One of the plumbing instructors reads popular authors like Robert Parker, Harlan Coben, Jeffrey Deaver and Michael Connelly. Whenever he finishes a book he has students waiting to read them because he has talked to the kids about the book,”she said.
The teen interests from a different environment seemed to differ. Each log resembles a DNA template of sorts and we can see through this exercise how each own of us is uniquely different. Each of the 3 teens has read Harry Potter however that is where the similarities end. Alexandra, for example, likes reading newspapers especially the Wall Street Journal along with the local paper, the North Andover Citizen.She started reading at 7:40 a.m. She is currently reading the Headmaster Ritual She believes that books have to be well written , not just about hot topics. She sometimes makes her selections from Oprah’s book list for teenagers. She likes to read the papers with her breakfast. She reads virtually everything but historical fiction. Contrary to what Margie Troy stated, she likes to read mystery and classics. Her favorite authors are Tobias Wolfe and David Mitchell. Her favorite book is Old School and she reads 10 hours per week. In addition to the Wall Street Journal she likes to read the New York Times, the Boston Globe and Newsweek. During the school year she reads primarily newspapers, aside from required reading, as she likes to keep informed. During vacations most of her time is spent reading books. She goes to the school library daily though she doesn’t always read there. She visits the town library on a weekly basis.
Unfortunately, during the school year she doesn’t have much time to read pleasure books as most of her time is spent reading required texts.
Dijan’s reading interests reflect a different template. He began his reading log a little later by reading “A Small Good Thing” by Carver and a paper by Steinbeck.
His sources include both required and pleasure reading and he does more reading than Alexandra. His sources vary from books and the internet to the blackboard, menus and a bulletin board. His topics vary from Latin to Gimple the Fool. He checks his email throughout the day. Bijan is also interested in the classics along with science fiction.His favorite author is Michael Moore. His favorite books are Lord of the Rings, Otherland, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and the Stand. He reads between 35-40 hours per week and likes to read almost anything except for blogs. He spends most of his time reading books “because they are more fun and meaningful than anything else” and homework related reading. He visits the school library several times a day and the town library biweekly. He does not get to do much pleasure reading during the school year.
Julia’s reading day began at 6:27 a.m reading a magazine. She does not check her email as frequently as Dijan.Most of her day is spent studying math and biology and doing related work in these subjects. She likes to read science fiction, mythology and adventure stories. Her favorite author is JR Tolkien. Her favorite books are the Hobbit and the Red Wall series. She reads approximately 2-3 hours per day or 17 hours per week. She enjoys reading mostly books because they are the “most information” and other sources bore her quickly. She visits the school library every day and the public library once a month. Her most recent book read is 37 Short Mysteries.
The ten books showed to them were:
Al Capone Does my Shirts
Flush
The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place
Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy
So B. It
Lush
The Clique
NBA’s Greatest
Ripley’s Believe it or Not
Street Love
Both Bijan and Julia have read Al Capone Does my Shirts. Julia thought is strange how they would put Alcatraz and an autistic girl together. Bijan said, “it was decent but a little confused.”He had not read any of the other titles but said Flush sounded “intriguing”. The Outcasts sounded “boring” along with Lizzie Bright. So B. It sounded “generic”. Julia hasn’t read Flush but has read other titles by the same author. Lizzie Bright sounded interesting and she dislikes “chick books”. Of So B. IT she said, “It seems the author has a lame plot but can put it into good words.” Lush sounds “lame” and she dislikes sport books. Street Love sounds “intriguing” to her.
Alexandra would not read Al Capone looking at the cover as she’s not interested in mob books. She would not be interested in reading Flush after looking at the cover and reading the jacket. She said she might read the Outcasts because she has read other works buy the author. In regards to So B. It she said she might read it but it could be “too over done.” She has read Ripley’s but does not believe it is literature. Out of all the topics she would read Flush.
Margie informed me that her teen students tended to go with the flow when it came to reading.They like to read what their friends read at the Voke or what popular teachers or mentors recommend. Teens at the Voke like to read topics in which peers are having difficulty.
The teens I interviewed seemed to have a vast array of sources they liked to read and titles. This ranged from the simple North Andover Citizen, emails and menus to the Wall Street Journal and Latin Texts. The titles of their books varied as two liked classics which is not popular at the Voke. Some started reading very early whereas one started reading later. Though they had not read most of the titles I showed them they seemed willing to try after seeing covers and reading jackets. The teens I interviewed seemed more self motivated towards making selections for pleasure reading on their own whereas the teens at the Voke, according to Margie, tend to read what other students are reading.
This assignment taught me that there are several common denominators amongst teen readers just as there are differences. One subject I interviewed but did not use reads Mad Magazine on a regular basis. I used to read Mad religiously 25 years ago. While the students at the Voke have a broad interest in reading, the teens I interviewed seemed to have a broader one. As I said while there are similarities there are many differences as reflected in their logs and through the interview. I learned that teens are active and eager readers who embrace their freedom to choose when selecting what to read. Showing them books helps greatly when influencing their choices of what to read and what not to read as is demonstrated by Margie with the freshman class each year and by showing teens the YALSA titles. The teens I showed the books to were willing to try some of the titles The teens I spoke with seemed a little more open minded than the ones Margie described at the Voke.This is probably do to cultural differences where at the Voke many are Hispanic trying to Americanize and in need of guidance by peers and faculty. I am glad that teen reading is alive and well. I learned that their reading sources and interests are quite different with the ones I interviewed whereas with the director they seemed quite similar
John Caron
For this assignment 3 teens were interviewed from my hometown, North Andover, Massachusetts. The town has 5 elementary schools, 1 muddle and a high school. St.Michaels is a Catholic School grades k-8. There is a private boarding school, Brooks, and a 4 year college, Merrimack in town.It is predominately middle to upper class. The town library, Stevens Memorial, recently underwent major renovations and is located 200 yards from my residence.Alexandra,16, Julia, 13, and Bijan, 14, are residents of the town and students in the public school system.
Margie Troy is the Library Media Specialist at the Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical High School(Voke) in West Andover, Massachusetts and has served in that capacity for 9 years. The Voke has 1400 students. Four towns are represented in the student body: Lawrence 83% , Methuen 15%, Andover 1% and North Andover 1%. The student body mainly comes from predominately lower to middle income.The school is 80% Hispanic however major emphasis is in English.
The Voke started in 1970 and the new library is 5 years old. The school recently underwent major renovations. The school is geared towards teaching students trades such as cooking &culinary, automotive, woodworking and house building and hair, for example.There are 9 computer terminals in the library which has a collection size of 20,000. The Walter Markham library is also open during lunch and for a half hour after school. Margie and two other staff members provide mentoring for students having difficulty . There are 2 adjustment counselors for students who are on probation(for failing) within school. Margie stated that “there is emergency counseling with guidance counselors who will refer students to counseling outside of school. The Greater Lawrence Family Health Center operates a clinic within school and has counseling available during school hours.” Students are welcome to visit the main office after school hours.
Margie meets with the freshman each year during their Title 1 Reading Enrichment Class. She shows them ten books and reads from the jackets. At the end of the session the students are free to browse and check out books. All ten of the books she shows are taken out by students. She has spent 25 years working with teens in both public and school settings.
She consults School Library Journal, Kliatt, Voya, Teen Genreflecting, YALSA and some award winners. She buys mostly paperback due to cost however will by a “hot” title in hardcover. She buys 5 copies every year of Go Ask Alice, A Child Called It and the Lost Boy. Students at the Voke want to read about peers with terrible lives perhaps to help them make them feel better about their own situations.These titles are in constant demand and oftentimes disappear from the library. “One of the biggest problems that I have is not having duplicate copies of some titles.”
From Margie I learned that teens at the Voke want to follow the reading lists of their friends.The Pact is very popular at the Voke. The students like mob books and have taken a liking to the Godfather, Donnie Brasco and Wiseguys. Horror (R.L Stine and Stephen King) are very popular. Make Lemonade is required reading by the freshman.
For mysteries Joan Lowery Nixon is popular but Agatha Christie is not. “The kids will read Nicholas Sparks and the Love Stories. The demand for science fiction is not high but it exists,” she added.
“Kids don’t want to read ‘classics’ or ‘literature’. They are influenced by their peers and teachers they admire. One of the plumbing instructors reads popular authors like Robert Parker, Harlan Coben, Jeffrey Deaver and Michael Connelly. Whenever he finishes a book he has students waiting to read them because he has talked to the kids about the book,”she said.
The teen interests from a different environment seemed to differ. Each log resembles a DNA template of sorts and we can see through this exercise how each own of us is uniquely different. Each of the 3 teens has read Harry Potter however that is where the similarities end. Alexandra, for example, likes reading newspapers especially the Wall Street Journal along with the local paper, the North Andover Citizen.She started reading at 7:40 a.m. She is currently reading the Headmaster Ritual She believes that books have to be well written , not just about hot topics. She sometimes makes her selections from Oprah’s book list for teenagers. She likes to read the papers with her breakfast. She reads virtually everything but historical fiction. Contrary to what Margie Troy stated, she likes to read mystery and classics. Her favorite authors are Tobias Wolfe and David Mitchell. Her favorite book is Old School and she reads 10 hours per week. In addition to the Wall Street Journal she likes to read the New York Times, the Boston Globe and Newsweek. During the school year she reads primarily newspapers, aside from required reading, as she likes to keep informed. During vacations most of her time is spent reading books. She goes to the school library daily though she doesn’t always read there. She visits the town library on a weekly basis.
Unfortunately, during the school year she doesn’t have much time to read pleasure books as most of her time is spent reading required texts.
Dijan’s reading interests reflect a different template. He began his reading log a little later by reading “A Small Good Thing” by Carver and a paper by Steinbeck.
His sources include both required and pleasure reading and he does more reading than Alexandra. His sources vary from books and the internet to the blackboard, menus and a bulletin board. His topics vary from Latin to Gimple the Fool. He checks his email throughout the day. Bijan is also interested in the classics along with science fiction.His favorite author is Michael Moore. His favorite books are Lord of the Rings, Otherland, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and the Stand. He reads between 35-40 hours per week and likes to read almost anything except for blogs. He spends most of his time reading books “because they are more fun and meaningful than anything else” and homework related reading. He visits the school library several times a day and the town library biweekly. He does not get to do much pleasure reading during the school year.
Julia’s reading day began at 6:27 a.m reading a magazine. She does not check her email as frequently as Dijan.Most of her day is spent studying math and biology and doing related work in these subjects. She likes to read science fiction, mythology and adventure stories. Her favorite author is JR Tolkien. Her favorite books are the Hobbit and the Red Wall series. She reads approximately 2-3 hours per day or 17 hours per week. She enjoys reading mostly books because they are the “most information” and other sources bore her quickly. She visits the school library every day and the public library once a month. Her most recent book read is 37 Short Mysteries.
The ten books showed to them were:
Al Capone Does my Shirts
Flush
The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place
Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy
So B. It
Lush
The Clique
NBA’s Greatest
Ripley’s Believe it or Not
Street Love
Both Bijan and Julia have read Al Capone Does my Shirts. Julia thought is strange how they would put Alcatraz and an autistic girl together. Bijan said, “it was decent but a little confused.”He had not read any of the other titles but said Flush sounded “intriguing”. The Outcasts sounded “boring” along with Lizzie Bright. So B. It sounded “generic”. Julia hasn’t read Flush but has read other titles by the same author. Lizzie Bright sounded interesting and she dislikes “chick books”. Of So B. IT she said, “It seems the author has a lame plot but can put it into good words.” Lush sounds “lame” and she dislikes sport books. Street Love sounds “intriguing” to her.
Alexandra would not read Al Capone looking at the cover as she’s not interested in mob books. She would not be interested in reading Flush after looking at the cover and reading the jacket. She said she might read the Outcasts because she has read other works buy the author. In regards to So B. It she said she might read it but it could be “too over done.” She has read Ripley’s but does not believe it is literature. Out of all the topics she would read Flush.
Margie informed me that her teen students tended to go with the flow when it came to reading.They like to read what their friends read at the Voke or what popular teachers or mentors recommend. Teens at the Voke like to read topics in which peers are having difficulty.
The teens I interviewed seemed to have a vast array of sources they liked to read and titles. This ranged from the simple North Andover Citizen, emails and menus to the Wall Street Journal and Latin Texts. The titles of their books varied as two liked classics which is not popular at the Voke. Some started reading very early whereas one started reading later. Though they had not read most of the titles I showed them they seemed willing to try after seeing covers and reading jackets. The teens I interviewed seemed more self motivated towards making selections for pleasure reading on their own whereas the teens at the Voke, according to Margie, tend to read what other students are reading.
This assignment taught me that there are several common denominators amongst teen readers just as there are differences. One subject I interviewed but did not use reads Mad Magazine on a regular basis. I used to read Mad religiously 25 years ago. While the students at the Voke have a broad interest in reading, the teens I interviewed seemed to have a broader one. As I said while there are similarities there are many differences as reflected in their logs and through the interview. I learned that teens are active and eager readers who embrace their freedom to choose when selecting what to read. Showing them books helps greatly when influencing their choices of what to read and what not to read as is demonstrated by Margie with the freshman class each year and by showing teens the YALSA titles. The teens I showed the books to were willing to try some of the titles The teens I spoke with seemed a little more open minded than the ones Margie described at the Voke.This is probably do to cultural differences where at the Voke many are Hispanic trying to Americanize and in need of guidance by peers and faculty. I am glad that teen reading is alive and well. I learned that their reading sources and interests are quite different with the ones I interviewed whereas with the director they seemed quite similar
Thursday, June 28, 2007
What it Means to be a Soldier
Blog5 What it means to be a soldier
To be a soldier today I believe teens should try to look at the whole picture.We are not at war with China.We are at war in Irag because of one name :Bush. If there wasn’t any oil there we probably wouldn’t be there just as we wouldn’t have been in Kuwait when H.W was president. Oil.Is it worth it?Kuwaitis are one of the richest countries in the world and it’s all because of oil.George H.W Bush was an oil man as was his son. Oil.
I think it must be hard for teenagers today deciding on the military. It is not my intention to bash the armed forces of this country. Great men fought in WW2 which was a united effort against defined enemies. A country had no choice. Vietnam veterans were treated like garbage when the returned home. Clinton and W. both dodged fighting and lives were and have been lost under their presidencies. I like Clinton, don’t get me wrong but it is fact that W. and Clinton avoided service when it came time to bite the bullet. Is this who teenager’s would like to fight under? Is a mealy tuition payment worth the risk of coming back as a basket case if they come back at all?
I was lucky to have no recruiters approach me in high school to serve in the military.If this was WW2 I’d go. However when we see the atrocities of Vietnam and Iraq is it really worth it? Look at Pat Tillman an X professional football player who gave up millions to serve only to be shot down by his own men. Do military recruiters give the recruit the whole story behind it, that which they covered up. With the war in Iraq every so unpopular, who wants to fight not for this country but for the Bushes?
Do recruiters tell recruits how many millions this country gave Osama Bin Laden
Or how many Bushes are fighting in the Iraq theater?
Dr. Feinman, my Ms.G, used to tell his students how proud he was to wear the uniform during the days of the great JFK.He was speaking of a different time.I think recruits should visit the military hospitals and see the care soldiers receive before making a decision.A decision that should be made consulting with level headed parents and resources.
I was recruited by the Marines and declined their offer.One of the recruiters looked trigger happy and like a real sheep. Jay Toye, God rest his soul, served in Vietnam and was awarded the Purple Heart.He came home intact luckily and built two homes for his family.He never said I owed him anything for his service nor tried to get me to go into the service because he knew he experienced something that never should have happened and for which these veterans were never compensated.
There are many good military stories but I do not think the honor or the glory which was present in WW2 unless one is actually fighting the war on terror and not the war for oil.I believe that it takes parents, school administrators, clergy and coaches to provide the developmental assets when a teenagers is making this decision.
To be a soldier today I believe teens should try to look at the whole picture.We are not at war with China.We are at war in Irag because of one name :Bush. If there wasn’t any oil there we probably wouldn’t be there just as we wouldn’t have been in Kuwait when H.W was president. Oil.Is it worth it?Kuwaitis are one of the richest countries in the world and it’s all because of oil.George H.W Bush was an oil man as was his son. Oil.
I think it must be hard for teenagers today deciding on the military. It is not my intention to bash the armed forces of this country. Great men fought in WW2 which was a united effort against defined enemies. A country had no choice. Vietnam veterans were treated like garbage when the returned home. Clinton and W. both dodged fighting and lives were and have been lost under their presidencies. I like Clinton, don’t get me wrong but it is fact that W. and Clinton avoided service when it came time to bite the bullet. Is this who teenager’s would like to fight under? Is a mealy tuition payment worth the risk of coming back as a basket case if they come back at all?
I was lucky to have no recruiters approach me in high school to serve in the military.If this was WW2 I’d go. However when we see the atrocities of Vietnam and Iraq is it really worth it? Look at Pat Tillman an X professional football player who gave up millions to serve only to be shot down by his own men. Do military recruiters give the recruit the whole story behind it, that which they covered up. With the war in Iraq every so unpopular, who wants to fight not for this country but for the Bushes?
Do recruiters tell recruits how many millions this country gave Osama Bin Laden
Or how many Bushes are fighting in the Iraq theater?
Dr. Feinman, my Ms.G, used to tell his students how proud he was to wear the uniform during the days of the great JFK.He was speaking of a different time.I think recruits should visit the military hospitals and see the care soldiers receive before making a decision.A decision that should be made consulting with level headed parents and resources.
I was recruited by the Marines and declined their offer.One of the recruiters looked trigger happy and like a real sheep. Jay Toye, God rest his soul, served in Vietnam and was awarded the Purple Heart.He came home intact luckily and built two homes for his family.He never said I owed him anything for his service nor tried to get me to go into the service because he knew he experienced something that never should have happened and for which these veterans were never compensated.
There are many good military stories but I do not think the honor or the glory which was present in WW2 unless one is actually fighting the war on terror and not the war for oil.I believe that it takes parents, school administrators, clergy and coaches to provide the developmental assets when a teenagers is making this decision.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)