What Mr. C is reading Right now:
Jarhead by Anthony Swofford
This memoir of Scout Sniper Anthony Swofford in Desert Storm is hugely engaging, not because it's full of blood guts and explosions, but because it deals with the day to day of deployment: boredom and camaraderie. You should give it a try if you like: Catch 22, Call of Duty, War Movies. Just a Note: I am very much a believer that "literature" is a subjective and open term, so while many of my recommendations will be books or journal articles, a good deal will be examples those other, degenerate forms of media.
Naturally, these are only a few of the texts you will hear me recommending or talking about. I'll try to update this page fairly often as I come across new things to pass along. Scholarly Musings from The English Journal:
On Sexuality and Homosexuality in Literature:A Topic that, in this enlightened age is hugely important. Sexuality will always be an issue of contention for some, but as educators, we must be prepared to discuss it, no matter how uncomfortable. With Homosexuality in particular, having the right tools to discuss and have our students think critically about the issue at hand can quite literally save lives. I was being serious when I called you all "Superheroes," teachers.
William Greenway examines the relevance of an author's background to classroom discussion through the example of Tennessee Williams.
A fascinating debate on relevance of sexuality and author biography, this time presented in a great Point-Counterpoint fashion. An excellent conversation starter.
This article on the importance of LGBTQ literature is an amazing resource not only for arguing for its inclusion in curriculum, but for finding some texts. The author recommends several and outlines them in some detail.
This poignant article talks about the qualities of homophobia in communities, and how even at the administrative level it has and continues to go unchallenged. It's deeply unsettling and, makes me want to fight harder as an ally.
A Few Other Subjects of Note: Including motivation to learn, and how to use nontraditional literature to engage learners in the classroom and the benefits and downfalls of easy knowledge and the WIki system.
In this very potent article, Steven Wolk condemns the downfalls of the current educational system and outlines how it can be better used to make thoughtful human beings.
This article is all about using modern takes on classic literature to connect with students by using the example of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies amongst others.
|
Just Good Books: Do you have a good book to recommend? Let me know! I'm trying to make this list as complete as possible.
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski Postmodernism at it's best. This terrifying, often heartwarming tale is an amazing experimentation across genre and narrative. Ghosts and Lightning by Trevor Byrne A novel of a lost soul's return to an Ireland he left behind. Funny, scary, and touching all at once and in my opinion one of the best coming of age novels written this century. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams Do you know where your towel is? Don't Panic as you read this classic science fiction adventure. Funny, exciting, and clever, HHG2G has been told in novels, radio shows, movies, television and even video games. Fool by Christopher Moore A tongue in cheek retelling of King Lear that makes a great plus one to any Shakespeare unit. (Recommended for older students due to language and some raunchy humor- just like Shakespeare!). The Watchmen by Allen Moore A story of the Cold War, human nature and of course superheroes (with super flaws), this should be required reading for any Vietnam unit. V For Vendetta by Allen Moore Another graphic novel and a great companion to Orwell's 1984, this story of revolution and vengeance is one of the best around. Games worth Playing: Yes, that's right, I said it: Video games, as technology marches forward are often more than simple entertainment. They are genuine, literary texts, with greatly thoughtful narratives and character development. Furthermore, the interactive element allows the connection with the player in a way that is nigh impossible with a passive storytelling format.
The texts I recommend here are short and inexpensive, thus the most viable candidates for classroom inclusion. Both are available on the Steam software platform which is available for free and cost about ten dollars a piece. Portal by Valve Software. This Science Fiction Puzzle title and its sequel contain some interesting character development and commentary on the nature of scientific progress and the race toward technological advancement. Beyond that, the game can be used to teach lessons on writing smart dialogue and good comedy. The Path by Tale of Tales This dark retelling of Little Red Riding Hood explore and modernize the themes of the old fairytale and very thoughtful use the player's presence to make a deeper impact. Minecraft by Mojang Spec. This open world game provides a versatile digital space in which to create interactive worlds to teach lessons on everything from mathematics and geometry to economic systems or even to recreate literary scenarios (The Hunger Games, for instance). Look! There's even some work being done on using it in the classroom! Other Games to Play: Fun and games have a place in the classroom, and we should always think about how to use them. One of my interests is using a polyhedral dice system to create a dynamic and collaborative creative writing experience that draws on the ideas and strengths of several writers to make a story that proves to be bigger than the sum of its parts. |
Our students will use Wikipedia, so how can we make sure it's used productively?