Chapter 6 & Reading Strategies

I really enjoyed this chapter by Teri Lisene because I felt that it was really relevant to YA literature and the changes that have been occurring within it.  I have always loved YA literature and it is one of the main reasons that I want to teach junior high language arts.  I feel that YA lit can help a child through almost anything.  Just like everything else in our world, YA lit is starting to change too.  Lisene said, "The new YA literature differs in both form and structure" (63).  The books address hard-hitting issues that teens want to read about.  The books talk about sex, drugs, families, friends, and everything else.  Reading a book about something that is going on in your own life can be a really important thing for a child to experience.  A lot of kids can feel like they are alone in the world and simply reading a book can help them with that.  I think that the censorship laws on YA lit are crazy.  Some people are concerned that these topics are not appropriate for teenagers (Lisene 75).  However, the more realistic the books are, the more the kids are interested in them.  The authors are not stepping down and continue to write their stories that include controversial topics.  I think that this is the best thing that can happen.  I have loved to read for as long as I can remember and my parents never tried to censor my books.  Looking back now, I really appreciate that.  YA books can act as an escape for kids that might be struggling and I don't think sugar-coating the topics that can be talked about would be helpful to anyone.  So far this has been my favorite chapter because I feel really passionate about YA lit.  I have written two research papers on book censorship in schools and I feel like this topic is so important to be informed about. 

The reading strategies that were addresses in Jim Burke's book also seemed to be very helpful tips for the classroom.  I particularly enjoyed the section on Silent Sustained Reading (SSR).  When I was in junior high SSR was my favorite part of the day and I thought it was the perfect way to start class.  When I was observing in an 8th grade language arts classroom last semester, the teacher also used SSR.  It was evident that the 10 minutes the kids had to read really made a difference.  They were much calmer after the time and more relaxed and ready to learn.  Burke said, "SSR is considered one of the most effective means of improving students' reading capacity at any grade level" (4).  I definitely want to implement this strategy in my future classroom.  One other strategy I thought was really important was to "Create the Conditions for Effective Learning".  I have always been a naturally quiet person and I think it really says a lot if a teacher makes me feel comfortable enough to talk freely in class.  I want my students to feel like they can say anything they want and not feel like they are being judged or think their response is dumb.  I want to "foster an environment in which students feel secure enough to make their individual voices heard" (Burke 16).  I think this is one of the most important strategies because children have to feel comfortable in their classrooms.