Moss Roberts has collected and translated a number of Chinese fables, Chinese Fairy Tales & Fantasies, published by Pantheon, copyright 1979. These are kind of traditional stories. There are scores of them usually only a few pages and categorized by theme: magic, greed, animals, women, ghosts, judges. They are easily accessible and also reveal much about Chinese culture.
Many are already using Red Scarf Girl and Iron and Silk, but I'm not familiar with many of the titles listed (e.g., Colors of the Mountain). It would be great if teachers who have read or used them could comment on using them.
Many teachers are found of haiku and enjoy introducing it to their students. One of our NCTA partners, the University of Colorado, is offering a wonderful opportunity this summer. You can travel to Japan and visit places that Japan's great Basho visited. The tour is June 28 – July 28, 2009. Applications will eventually be available at: www.colorado.edu/cas/BashoTeacherInstitute.html
This trip is funded by the Fulbright-Hays program and is open to secondary teachers of world literature or history; teachers of AP Japanese Language and Culture; as well as university instructors of Japanese.
Please mention you heard about the opportunity via the USCI Asia in My Classroom forum.
Can't we build analytical and communication skills drawing upon old favorites from the Western tradition? Why should we go to the bother of adding Asian literature to our courses? Don't we have enough to do just to teach kids to read and write?
Why should we go to the bother of adding African literature to our courses? Why should we bother adding literature written by women? Why should we bother analyzing the literature of the Irish? Mexicans? Columbians? And don't get me started on Canadians...whew!!
Okay, so if we teach by the most literal definition of English literature, wouldn't we only teach the British authors: Shakespeare, Dickens, Marlowe, Chaucer, Virginia Wolf (oops...woman!) and the like?
The most simplistic reason for adding diversity to our curriculum is that, although there are classic works that reveal truths about us as humans, such a canon needs to evolve as the audience evolves. We do teach kids to read and write...but what then? What will the kids want to read? What will they want to write about? If all they ever read is of worlds where there are no characters like them, how will they learn "I matter."? Why is Western tradition more valuable than Eastern? than Southern? Who determines what is valuable and what is a "bother", as Winnie-the-Pooh might say?
Tom Hanks once said, "We study American literature because in order to know who we are, and where we're going, we must know where we've been." ...or something like that...he was on The Actors Studio being interviewed, and the subject of literature came up. My point is, we don't add Asian literature to our curriculum in order for our students to become Asian; we incorporate the literature of Asian, African, Latino, Irish, Islander, and indigenous populations (okay, even Canadian), and all-genders because our students need to have a world view, to have world knowledge, to have an understanding of the ever-expanding, ever-shrinking world around them...and to plan what's next.
p.s. I think I mentioned this in class, but there are a couple of great philosophy books out there that use Pooh and Piglet. I don't remember the author(s), but one is The Tao of Pooh, and the other is The Te of Piglet.
It may be possible to stretch just a bit past the traditions of American literature(or English literature ?) by adding a taste of Asian to the mix. I'm wondering how successful I might be if I asked the students to read the short story "Seventeen Syllables" by Hisaye Yamamoto. Yes, she would be an Asian-American; however, there are cultural differences that are obvious in her story. Then, could I introduce the ideas of Ban Zhao(Zhao Ban) and her "Lessons for Women" thereafter asking students to comment on the behaviors of Rosie and her mother and their conformity(or lack thereof)to Ban Zhao's ideas? I wonder. Respectfully submitted, Walt Banta
The success of this writer in a language and culture other than her own is unique and impressive. It seems to speak to the expression that one can always learn/be taught "new tricks." It reminds me of Joseph Conrad, born in Poland, who moved to England and became a writer of great noteworth. Perhaps the "immersion" in the new language and culture made learning a matter of survival, but numerous people learn another language without becoming noteworthy writers.
Then there are those of us who do not seem to have the same affinity for language acquisition as the aforementioned. For me, Latin and German were an uphill battle to say the least. My hat is off to anyone who can speak and write two languages(or more). Respectfully submitted, Walt Banta
It is interesting what Tom Hanks had to say on Actors Studio. The response postulated we can learn of other cultures as well by reading other literature from other countries. While this is true, I think another equally important component of reading literature from other countries is that, ultimately, human beings share certain common characteristics and that this sharing unites us, regardless of the country of origin or the belief system detailed. Humans share certain qualities that only other humans can appreciate, learn from, and incorporated into their everyday lives.
The Economist newsmagazine marked the 1,000th anniversary of The Tale of Genji, arguing it's the equivalent of the Iliad in scope and influence. You can see the review and discussion of the work at: http://www.economist.com/books/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12811335
Genji-mania is going strong. The book is popular in reading groups and there a wealth of programs about the book. Tea and sweets inspired by the book are sold and a Genji symphony is newly available. The book is also endlessly updated through new versions, at least 7 in the last century.
Perhaps the most fascinating story in the article is how Arthur Waley's English translation of the book which has been retranslated into Japanese. One editor says, "Waley's is the most accessible version for us too."
I think that the very beauty of working with texts from around the world is that it offers avenues for students to become even better readers and thinkers. When we examine texts from other cultures, especially Asian cultures, we get a glimpse into another way of thinking that in some ways can be very different from many American attitudes. I am all for the classics, but certainly "classics" come from all over the world!
Topics: children's literature, chinese american, japanese american, internment, world war II
Icy Smith is a writer and businesswoman. She's written a book entitled Mei Ling in China City. She'll be appearing in downtown Los Angeles on Feb. 7, 2009. The Japan American National Museum is hosting this 2 pm event.
Here's the book blurb: Based on a true story of events during World War II in Los Angeles China City, a 12-year-old Chinese American girl named Mei Ling Lee loses her best friend Yayeko Akiyama when she and her family were interned in the Manzanar War Relocation Center. By writing letters to each other, both young girls recount their painful separation and their lives in China City and Manzanar. The vivid watercolor paintings warmly portray the real scenes of the forgotten China City in Los Angeles and Manzanar. This unprecedented children's book depicts the hardships and cross-cultural experiences of Americans of Chinese and Japanese ancestry during the war years. Close to 50 never-before-published paintings and historical photographs of China City are presented for the first time.
Ages 6+, 10" x 11", 44 pages, available in English only, Bilingual English/Chinese and English/Japanese editions
These relate to our discussion of anime and manga. Nice to see the Batchelder Award (for book published in another language and translated into English) go to such popular stories. Susan Dubin ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sako Ikegami" To: "ccbc-net, Subscribers of" Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 4:35 PM Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] Bachelder Award
> Hi Amy, > > Actually it may not be surprising at all. Both Brave Story and the > Moribito series are children's novels that were very popular and > therefore adapted into anime and manga. This is actually quite common in > Japan, since sadly, the manga- and anime-consuming public far outnumbers > book lovers. > > Since so few books are translated from the Japanese, and as far as I > have heard, so difficult to sell in the States, perhaps books that are > already available in other, more accesible forms such as manga and > anime, are more likely to get published? > > FWIW, there are cases of the reverse, where very popular manga or anime > (or TV dramas and movies) are novelized, but my impression is that this > is much less common. > > Also, Viz Media is actually owned and run by Shogakukan and Shueisha. > Yes, they're the source of tons of manga in Japan too, but the former is > also one of the biggest publishers of children's magazines, books and > educational materials (akin to Scholastic), while Shueisha publishes a > huge number of magazines and books for all ages. > > Sako > > amyg@nyc.rr.com wrote: >> I find it interesting that this is the second year in a row that the >> Bachelder was given to a novel translated from the Japanese, and that in >> both cases, there's a link to the manga/anime industry. Last year it was >> "Brave Story," published by Viz, which is primarily known for publishing >> manga and anime. This year it's "Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit," which >> was adapted into an anime series. Up until a week ago, the show was >> broadcast by Cartoon Network. >> >> http://www.comicmix.com/news/2009/01/26/neil-gaiman-wins-newbery-award-moribito-wins-bachelder/ >> >> > _______________________________________________ > CCBC-Net mailing list > CCBC-Net@ccbc.education.wisc.edu > Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe... > http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
This short piece would allow for many discussions, including Daoist ideas that everything has its place, its nature, and that preserving this is the key to keeping everything in balance. It also fits with ideas regarding diet and environmental preservation, as well as matters of governance.
Today's (5/10/2009) LA Times features an article by Susan Carpenter on the novel A Drifting Life by TATSUMI Yoshihiro. Tatsumi's novel was 11 years in the making. It is set in Osaka after the end of World War II in 1945. Carpenter writes that the novel "represents the 'dramatic pictures' (gekiga) for which Tatsumi is best known -- emotional and realistic renderings of a hard-knock life told from an underdog perspective. Rather than jokes and action, the emphasis is on character and narrative."
Has anyone used Japanese graphic novels in class? I'm fond of the Japan, Inc. novel and have used it with undergraduates and frequently include it among materials we provide teachers. Please share your experiences with using such works.
This year I am teaching a seventh grade core. That is I have Two groups of students to whom I teach English and History. We have a four by four block schedule at my school so every student has two classes of English and two classes of math. They go to four classes every day. English and math every day and P.E., an elective, science, and history every other day. They are in the classroom for more total hours a year than with a traditional schedule and have twice as much time in a year of English and math. Knowing this was our schedule I asked to teach a seventh grade core. Seventh grade history is "World History and Geography: Medieval to Early Modern Times". With the time we have for English I am able to do all kinds of cross curricular things. Where the core really works well is with Europe and the evolution of the English language along with literature like Beowulf, Chaucer, Dante, Cervantes, and Shakespeare but I am also building my curriculum for Medieval Japanese history with Haiku and Japanes literature. I haven't done so well this year with Korean and Chinese literature. That's one reason I took this course. It has been very useful and have I have already integarted things into my curriculum for next year. Why teach Japanese, Chines, and Korean literature? My answer is because its there.
My students tend to enter sixth grade reading at a third grade level. A major challenge I often face is finding books that are written at an appropriate reading level and finding books that interest them. I have had a lot of success giving my reluctant readers graphic novels; they love that they are fun, and the pictures help their comprehension. I looked at the information about A Drifting Life that Clay included in the posting, and it looks interesting, but clearly wouldn't be appropriate for my students. But, I am interested in getting a few copies of age and reading-level appropriate Japanese graphic novels for my students. The website http://mangaforkids.com sells a number of graphic novels written for young people under the age of 12; according to the website, these titles do not feature any of the age innappropriate surprises that some manga contains. Also, these titles supposedly teach lessons; I think I'm going to buy one or two and see what they're like; it could be a cool way to draw reluctant readers in, do a brief introduction to the manga genre, and if these really do "teach lessons" I could maybe incorporate parts into lessons on theme. -Karen ps- this website contains more information about these books and the reasons behind creating a set of manga just for kids Making UDON
I'm glad to hear about Manga for Kids. It will be great to read what you think of the books available. As LA Times readers, at least those who begin Sunday with the comics (yes, that includes me), know, they've carried a manga series for a couple years now. I never read it, but I'm wondering if any of you do or if anyone has students who follow it. It is produced by Tokyo Pop, an LA company which produces English language works that can be found in many bookstores.
For those teachers outside the LA Times area, do you know of any mainstream papers which also carry manga?
Admittedly, I know little about Manga. But I'm curious and would like to potentially use it in my English classes in the future. I thought I'd share this website that I found useful:
I like that it gives me a list of some famous manga with which to start. It also gives a brief description of each and suggests for which grades they might be appropriate.
Manga has been growing in popularity in the schools. We have an Anime Club at Golden Valley High School in Santa Clarita. The students meet to watch, read, create and discuss.
In addition, there were so many great ideas expressed in the Asia in my Classroom session this past fall, that I am going to take the bull by the horns. I was able to get a pass for Comic-Con in San Diego next week. There are numerous manga companies at the site and I plan to pump them for ideas and information. If I get great links, tips and news, I will gladly share the companies names, contacts, links etc. with the forum.
Personally, I'm finishing summer school in my district, and with four weeks off, there is not enough time to begin planning. But I want to make use of the many resources I have been given and all the terrific ideas offered on the forum.
Will check back after next weekend.
Kyle Kulish[Edit by="kkulish on Nov 29, 2:31:06 PM"]Realized this was never updated.
Went to the convention but the workers at the booths had little to no insight, but kept giving me samples for the Anime club at school. I missed one good managa panel and hope to be able to attend this coming summer and seek greater insight.
Because without literature about China (The Good Earth, by Pear S. Buck) how can our eyes be open to the richness told of a poor peasant woman (O-Lan.) SHe is long suffering, delivering babies alone in the rice fields, enduring famines and constant insults about her plainness. She is married to a grain merchant, a greedy and unfaithful man (Wang Lung.) I have never forgotten this story, and the visual representation about the rice fields, the realities of bringing another woman into one's household (Lotus, ) and the imagery of pillaging a rich man's house. Oh, the protectiveness O-Lan had for her two meager pearls! Oh, the humilitation she felt at her husbands infedelities and cruelty. Thank you Pearl S. Buck, who is not opened my eyes to another land in another time.
I teach 6th grade Language Arts, and have found some great resources/stories in the HOLT Language of Literature series. We've recently read Japanese stories: The Bracelet, Wartime Mistakes...Peacetime Apologies, Go for Broke/Purple Heart team, The last Samurai, Japanese Folk Tales and Chinese: The All American Slurp.
The kids had their eyes opened about the predjudice and mistreatment of Japanese Americans, learned about internment camps, and were able to bring stories to the classroom after talking with their familes about their relatives who witnessed, or experienced the atrocities.
The short story: All American Slurp is about a Chinese American girl and her family who have difficulties adjusting to the various cultural norms. There are comparisons between her family and another American fam.. : from PTA meetings, mastering English, having dinner parties, food choices, wardrobe, proper etiquette at a restaurant, etc. There are many faux pas that they survive, and as we watch the family go through all their scenarios, my students can definitely relate to situations that they'd endured and how we all have had embarrasing things happen to us.
It sounds like you are giving up on the art of teaching, but you have to remember that for many of the disabled readers, high interest materials is paramount to creating an interest in reading and getting the students to appreciate learning and what they can get out of it. High interest materials is always a good place to start with those students that do not want to read, because they have had so much trouble with processing information in that specific genre. I would start with the boys by introducing them to Asian Motorcycles, and how they are made. for the ladies, i would start by introducing them to Asian fashion in the world today. Also try Asian soap Operas, that a good interest getter ! Don't give up on them.
And do not forget "The Pillow Book." Sei Shōnagon's musings on people and court life resonates with my students today and they completely identify with her commentaries today. We imagined what it would have been like for her to have an iPhone in the palace and what her comments/apps would be.
One slight selection is: "It's also amusing to witness someone for some reason lose her temper and burst into tears, and roundly abuse anyone who has struck her." -- and it, among other comments, is fit for someone jotting a text or tweeting their thoughts on what they are doing or seeing right now. It mixes the modern with the old and makes for fun connections.
Why not use Asian Literature in the clasroom ? Some of the most magnificent works of literature are either about Asia, China in specific, or written in English from a Chinese or Asian Text. The good earth is a good example of an American written work about the horrors of China during the early twentieth century. Pearl Buck did an amazing job on this book, and I enjoy reading it to this day, time and time again. I know that we use in our eighth grade classrooms literature by Laurence Yep, which is about Chinese Life in San Francisco. It is a heartwarming story about a family that owns a grocery store in San Francisco, and they get invaded by an American Rat. It goes through great detail about the family and its dysfunctional elements between the father and their son, the one in particular that has asthma. The other son is a winner, and can play sports like his father, but the father does not recognize his disabled son as anything important. The story is a heartwarming depiction of Chinese American Life, and our eighth grade English Language Classes love it. Unless students are exposed to language and literature from other cultures, they become like barn sour horses, and they never want to leave the barn. Here ! Here ! for Asian Literature.
The Manga For Kids site is a great resource for finding age-appropriate manga for my fourth graders. A few of my students love to create their own and more of these books in our classroom library will be very inspiring!
It's not just students in the US, Korea, and Australia who have undertaken the study of Chinese. Today's Los Angeles Times has a great article about efforts to teach Chinese in places such as Aguascalientes, Mexico. I'm impressed at how forward-thinking the people behind this initiative are.
Among other things this is a great response for those who think only families of Chinese heritage would be interested in having their kids study Chinese. We can all benefit from learning more about China, its remarkable past, and its dynamic present.
Interestingly, when I thought of Asian Literature I instantly thought of teaching a novel that is infused with Asian culture. However, the more I learn about Asia, the more I could flex my muscle when it comes to integrating Asian themes into my class. For an example, I have connected Fahrenheit 451 to censorship in China and North Korea. Asian Literature does not have to be a whole novel about Asia, but I think as long as the educator is integrating Asian tones/hints into their lesson then they are doing a good job of educating their students about the Asian culture.
I have used videos from youtube to compare the difference in study habits between Chinese, Indian, and American kids. My students were actually really interested in learning about other people's cultures. Another technology that I use is showing videos of Korean Pop, Japanese Pop, Chinese Pop...Music is a medium that connects everyone no matter what country they come from.
This may not be a book for Young Adult readers, given the very adult nature of the dialogue, but it is insightful as to the current state of life in China.
The title is China High – My Fast Times in the 010 – A Beijing Memoir, by ZZ. Published in April 2009 by St. Martin’s Press, the author describes his life upon returning to China after a time in America. He lived in Shanghai until age 14 when his family moved to the states to be with his father. After getting his law degree, he returns, but to Beijing and tries to find a way to fit in with the changing China that is around him. The reason this is not for young readers is the course language, descriptions of sex, drugs and the rock and roll lifestyle of our protagonist.
Yet, it is his insider’s perspective that gives us an interesting view of the current China. He discusses the practice of “guan xi” – the favors that are developed and are a form of currency -- the bartering, corruption, lifestyles of natives, returning Chinese from America and Europe and the foreigners who want a piece of the action. Add to the mix an inside perspective of the Chinese prison system and you have a dark, insightful and enlightening piece of non-fiction.
Here’s one selection of ZZ’s views of the current China:
“In the American jigsaw, people get a bigger piece for freedom of speech, but smaller pieces for other things. Whether on paper or in practice, there is little tolerance for driving without a license, fudging tax records, or unwarranted issuance of prescription drugs for kickbacks from pharmaceutical companies. In the Chinese jigsaw, the pieces are sized just the opposite. In exchange for the masses keeping quiet about civil rights and suffrage, more leeway is given in a great many things related to economics” (210).
While one man’s perspective, I read it while in Beijing and it shined a light on the lifestyles I was able to observe over a five-day period.
Here is a great book for your students enamored with Harry Potter style tales with an Asian influence. Author Cindy Pon creates a strong female protagonist in the novel Silver Phoenix, a tale set during the Xi Xia dynasty. A young woman, Ai Ling, goes in search of her father, rather than being blackmailed into a loveless marriage with a local merchant. But there are dark forces afoot that are challenging her quest. When she meets a young man on a quest of his own, their partnership strengthens and divides them.
I love finding books with strong female characters, as the majority of my student readers are girls and I want them to know there are a wealth of fantasy/adventure tales beyond the vampire tales of Forks, WA. Still, I am thankful Stephanie Meyer has hooked many of them into reading.
This is Cindy Pon’s first effort. Her second novel, Fury of the Phoenix, is due in March 2011 and I hope the San Diego-based author creates more exciting tales.
Language arts teachers know these lists far better than I. Please feel free to add to or comment on these titles. I pulled them from http://crl.startest.org/crl. E = elementary, MS = middle school, HS = high school
How do titles get approved? Can teachers initiate review of a title?
It's striking that none of the approved authors lives in China.
Bosse, The Examination (HS) Buck, The Good Earth (HS) Fritz, Homesick (foreigner in 1920s China, E, MS) Hong, How the Ox Star Fell from Heaven (E) Hong, The Empress and the Silkworm (E) Louie, Yeh Shen: A Cinderella Story from China (E, MS) Mah, Chinese Cinderella (MS) Pilegard, The Warlord's Puzzle (E) Tsuikiyama, Women of the Silk (HS) van Gulik, The Red Pavilion: A Judge Dee Mystery (HS) Young, Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China (E)
Books that are primarily about Chinese American experiences: Lee, Nim and the War Effort (E) Solvenz-Low, Lion Dancer (E) Yep, The Child of the Owl (E, MS) Yep, Cockroach Cooties (E) Yep, Dragonwings (E, MS) Yep, Ribbons (E) Yep, Dragon's Gate (MS) Yep, The Journal of Wong Ming: A Chinese Miner (E) Lee, China Boy (HS)
Portions set in China: Tan, The Joy Luck Club (HS) Mah, Falling Leaves (HS) [Edit by="Clay Dube on Sep 7, 12:07:52 AM"][/Edit]
“People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don't know each other; they don't know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.
… segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality. It gives the segregator a false sense of superiority and the segregated a false sense of inferiority. Martin Luther King Jr.
Your comments remind me of the 'famous' remarks made by the recently deceased Rodney King, who was a victim of the police brutality and became a modern cause celebre' a la Rosa Parks and was one of the basic reasons to change the Los Angeles Charter. Among other changes, the new Charter made the LAPD Chief's term into two 4-years maximum. Prior to that police term was indefinite. His famous remark, "Can't we all get along", was splashed across the Time magazine cover with his photograph!
I have support ELs in my class who struggle with the English language and reading in general. Does anyone know of any short interesting Asian stories that would be good for this type of class to read and maybe spark an interest in Asia?
China's Foreign Languages Press publishes many works for children in English, Spanish, and other languages. These can be purchased via the web from a number of companies.
The interesting thing is students are very interested in reading about East Asia. Studuents love to read about other cultures and discuss how they see themselves in the literature. At least this is what I like to discuss. They are usually trawled with the fact that things are a lot different then what they thought things were like. I also realize how much my students truly enjoy problem solving. With this, they enjoy looking at propaganda, cartoons and political cartoons and trying to figure out the message. These are just a few ways students are reading about East Asia (possibly) without actually reading per say. This is one way, I plan to introduce Asia to my students.
My Language Arts textbook begins with All American Slurp a story about a Chinese immigrant family adjusting to American way of life and the challenges they had at first. This is what I will use at the same time I'm teaching the China chapter in Social Studies.
Thank you Clockwood for the wonderful idea! I am scheduled to visit the Japanese & Chinese gardens at the Huntington in January. My students are only in 2nd grade and I've been trying to think of an exercise they could do when they are there, beyond just walking around and looking at the beautiful gardens. After reading your post, I've come up with an idea. They could take notes and write down what things they see and adjectives to describe these things. The students could also draw sketches of the garden's plants, bridges, statues, ponds, etc. Then back at school they could use their notes for writing a Haiku and also create a beautiful watercolor picture to go with it. Thank you again for the inspiration!
Should we "just camp out" with the old dead white guys who wrote Gatsby, Mice and Men, Hamlet, etc...? That is not who our students are. I have this ongoing conflict with a few of the purists in my English Department, who think that "Multi-cultural literature" is somehow dumbing down the curriculum! Never mind that we are teaching in an urban school in downtown LA, where 50% of the students are bused in from South LA. Never mind that white kids make up about 5% of our population. Never mind that we live in a global community in which being internationally mindedness is a necessity. Never mind building an empathetic bridge to the human beings we are relating our knowledge to and have such a hugh responsibility in bringing up. Go figure!
Naturally purists pooh pooh literature from other countries because it reveals the contributions of peoples thought to be "half-devil and half-child" as stated by Rudyard Kipling himself in the poem "White Man's Burden." I enjoy using literature from other cultures to illustrate state standards and key concepts in World History, US History, and Economics and Government classes.
Thank you Clockwood for mentioning the Japanese Tanka poem. I will be taking my students to a Japanese garden in January, and I have been looking for some other options for poetry writing in addition to Haiku. It looks like the Tanka Poem gives them a little more opportunity to add more meaning. I am excited to have my students really observe the beauty of nature in the gardens and be able to express what the see in great detail and meaning through poetry.
Wow, I couldn't have said it better. So often, teachers are given the task of teaching a subject they don't have the knowledge to do or an elective without a course description. Being literate can be the magic key for many. Many of my students are illiterate but are on the general education curriculum for their grade level. They need to be taught how to read and write. And yes, I spend a vast amount of time editing and having my students rewrite because they can't edit their peers essays nor their own.
I think including Asian literature into language arts lessons is not only a good idea, but is a necessity. Yes, students should read Dickens, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and others; but they should also be exposed to writings from Japan, China, Korea, and other Asian cultures. How can we expect our students to have a complete view of the world and an open mind if we aren't teaching them about the whole world?
I agree that it's important to expose our students to literature from all around the world. It'll help build their knowledge of what's out there and increase their awareness of other countries and cultures. I think this kind of exposure should start at an early age, too! On the other hand, though, to play devil's advocate, there just isn't enough time for me to incorporate all the content I want to teach my students. I teach first grade and we are already held accountable for so many subjects. How am I supposed to squeeze in MORE?
i think there is value to study Asian literature be it from China,Japan, or India because you want students to know and see there is beauty in other literature other than western. I would like my students to understand that all people face the same problems and write about them either in similar or different ways and they are still facing the same problems we face.
Moss Roberts has collected and translated a number of Chinese fables, Chinese Fairy Tales & Fantasies, published by Pantheon, copyright 1979. These are kind of traditional stories. There are scores of them usually only a few pages and categorized by theme: magic, greed, animals, women, ghosts, judges. They are easily accessible and also reveal much about Chinese culture.
One of the participants in this OSU NCTA seminar created a series of lessons utilizing Chinese literature for young adults:
http://ncta.osu.edu/China%20Culture%20and%20Young%20Adult%20Lit%20McBrady.pdf.
Many are already using Red Scarf Girl and Iron and Silk, but I'm not familiar with many of the titles listed (e.g., Colors of the Mountain). It would be great if teachers who have read or used them could comment on using them.
Many teachers are found of haiku and enjoy introducing it to their students. One of our NCTA partners, the University of Colorado, is offering a wonderful opportunity this summer. You can travel to Japan and visit places that Japan's great Basho visited. The tour is June 28 – July 28, 2009. Applications will eventually be available at: www.colorado.edu/cas/BashoTeacherInstitute.html
This trip is funded by the Fulbright-Hays program and is open to secondary teachers of world literature or history; teachers of AP Japanese Language and Culture; as well as university instructors of Japanese.
Please mention you heard about the opportunity via the USCI Asia in My Classroom forum.
Why should we go to the bother of adding African literature to our courses? Why should we bother adding literature written by women? Why should we bother analyzing the literature of the Irish? Mexicans? Columbians? And don't get me started on Canadians...whew!!
Okay, so if we teach by the most literal definition of English literature, wouldn't we only teach the British authors: Shakespeare, Dickens, Marlowe, Chaucer, Virginia Wolf (oops...woman!) and the like?
The most simplistic reason for adding diversity to our curriculum is that, although there are classic works that reveal truths about us as humans, such a canon needs to evolve as the audience evolves. We do teach kids to read and write...but what then? What will the kids want to read? What will they want to write about? If all they ever read is of worlds where there are no characters like them, how will they learn "I matter."? Why is Western tradition more valuable than Eastern? than Southern? Who determines what is valuable and what is a "bother", as Winnie-the-Pooh might say?
Tom Hanks once said, "We study American literature because in order to know who we are, and where we're going, we must know where we've been." ...or something like that...he was on The Actors Studio being interviewed, and the subject of literature came up. My point is, we don't add Asian literature to our curriculum in order for our students to become Asian; we incorporate the literature of Asian, African, Latino, Irish, Islander, and indigenous populations (okay, even Canadian), and all-genders because our students need to have a world view, to have world knowledge, to have an understanding of the ever-expanding, ever-shrinking world around them...and to plan what's next.
p.s. I think I mentioned this in class, but there are a couple of great philosophy books out there that use Pooh and Piglet. I don't remember the author(s), but one is The Tao of Pooh, and the other is The Te of Piglet.
It may be possible to stretch just a bit past the traditions of American literature(or English literature ?) by adding a taste of Asian to the mix. I'm wondering how successful I might be if I asked the students to read the short story "Seventeen Syllables" by Hisaye Yamamoto. Yes, she would be an Asian-American; however, there are cultural differences that are obvious in her story. Then, could I introduce the ideas of Ban Zhao(Zhao Ban) and her "Lessons for Women" thereafter asking students to comment on the behaviors of Rosie and her mother and their conformity(or lack thereof)to Ban Zhao's ideas? I wonder.
Respectfully submitted,
Walt Banta
The success of this writer in a language and culture other than her own is unique and impressive. It seems to speak to the expression that one can always learn/be taught "new tricks." It reminds me of Joseph Conrad, born in Poland, who moved to England and became a writer of great noteworth. Perhaps the "immersion" in the new language and culture made learning a matter of survival, but numerous people learn another language without becoming noteworthy writers.
Then there are those of us who do not seem to have the same affinity for language acquisition as the aforementioned. For me, Latin and German were an uphill battle to say the least. My hat is off to anyone who can speak and write two languages(or more).
Respectfully submitted,
Walt Banta
It is interesting what Tom Hanks had to say on Actors Studio. The response postulated we can learn of other cultures as well by reading other literature from other countries. While this is true, I think another equally important component of reading literature from other countries is that, ultimately, human beings share certain common characteristics and that this sharing unites us, regardless of the country of origin or the belief system detailed. Humans share certain qualities that only other humans can appreciate, learn from, and incorporated into their everyday lives.
The Economist newsmagazine marked the 1,000th anniversary of The Tale of Genji, arguing it's the equivalent of the Iliad in scope and influence. You can see the review and discussion of the work at:
http://www.economist.com/books/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12811335
Genji-mania is going strong. The book is popular in reading groups and there a wealth of programs about the book. Tea and sweets inspired by the book are sold and a Genji symphony is newly available. The book is also endlessly updated through new versions, at least 7 in the last century.
Perhaps the most fascinating story in the article is how Arthur Waley's English translation of the book which has been retranslated into Japanese. One editor says, "Waley's is the most accessible version for us too."
I think that the very beauty of working with texts from around the world is that it offers avenues for students to become even better readers and thinkers. When we examine texts from other cultures, especially Asian cultures, we get a glimpse into another way of thinking that in some ways can be very different from many American attitudes. I am all for the classics, but certainly "classics" come from all over the world!
Topics: children's literature, chinese american, japanese american, internment, world war II
Icy Smith is a writer and businesswoman. She's written a book entitled Mei Ling in China City. She'll be appearing in downtown Los Angeles on Feb. 7, 2009. The Japan American National Museum is hosting this 2 pm event.
Here's the museum website:
http://www.janm.org/
Here's the book blurb:
Based on a true story of events during World War II in Los Angeles China City, a 12-year-old Chinese American girl named Mei Ling Lee loses her best friend Yayeko Akiyama when she and her family were interned in the Manzanar War Relocation Center. By writing letters to each other, both young girls recount their painful separation and their lives in China City and Manzanar. The vivid watercolor paintings warmly portray the real scenes of the forgotten China City in Los Angeles and Manzanar. This unprecedented children's book depicts the hardships and cross-cultural experiences of Americans of Chinese and Japanese ancestry during the war years. Close to 50 never-before-published paintings and historical photographs of China City are presented for the first time.
Ages 6+, 10" x 11", 44 pages, available in English only, Bilingual English/Chinese and English/Japanese editions
Hardcover, ISBN: 9780970165480-English, 2008, $18.95
These relate to our discussion of anime and manga. Nice to see the
Batchelder Award (for book published in another language and translated into
English) go to such popular stories.
Susan Dubin
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sako Ikegami"
To: "ccbc-net, Subscribers of"
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 4:35 PM
Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] Bachelder Award
> Hi Amy,
>
> Actually it may not be surprising at all. Both Brave Story and the
> Moribito series are children's novels that were very popular and
> therefore adapted into anime and manga. This is actually quite common in
> Japan, since sadly, the manga- and anime-consuming public far outnumbers
> book lovers.
>
> Since so few books are translated from the Japanese, and as far as I
> have heard, so difficult to sell in the States, perhaps books that are
> already available in other, more accesible forms such as manga and
> anime, are more likely to get published?
>
> FWIW, there are cases of the reverse, where very popular manga or anime
> (or TV dramas and movies) are novelized, but my impression is that this
> is much less common.
>
> Also, Viz Media is actually owned and run by Shogakukan and Shueisha.
> Yes, they're the source of tons of manga in Japan too, but the former is
> also one of the biggest publishers of children's magazines, books and
> educational materials (akin to Scholastic), while Shueisha publishes a
> huge number of magazines and books for all ages.
>
> Sako
>
> amyg@nyc.rr.com wrote:
>> I find it interesting that this is the second year in a row that the
>> Bachelder was given to a novel translated from the Japanese, and that in
>> both cases, there's a link to the manga/anime industry. Last year it was
>> "Brave Story," published by Viz, which is primarily known for publishing
>> manga and anime. This year it's "Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit," which
>> was adapted into an anime series. Up until a week ago, the show was
>> broadcast by Cartoon Network.
>>
>> http://www.comicmix.com/news/2009/01/26/neil-gaiman-wins-newbery-award-moribito-wins-bachelder/
>>
>>
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Kay Haugaard has a great short story in the "The Kids' Reading Room" feature contained with the comics section of today's (3/8/09) Los Angeles Times.
Here's the link: http://www.latimes.com/features/kids/readingroom/la-et-story8a-2009mar08,0,648681.story
This short piece would allow for many discussions, including Daoist ideas that everything has its place, its nature, and that preserving this is the key to keeping everything in balance. It also fits with ideas regarding diet and environmental preservation, as well as matters of governance.
Today's (5/10/2009) LA Times features an article by Susan Carpenter on the novel A Drifting Life by TATSUMI Yoshihiro. Tatsumi's novel was 11 years in the making. It is set in Osaka after the end of World War II in 1945. Carpenter writes that the novel "represents the 'dramatic pictures' (gekiga) for which Tatsumi is best known -- emotional and realistic renderings of a hard-knock life told from an underdog perspective. Rather than jokes and action, the emphasis is on character and narrative."
The full story is at: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-yoshihiro-tatsumi10-2009may10,0,4667068.story
It's an 840 page novel. Here's the publisher's page for the book: http://www.drawnandquarterly.com/shopCatalogLong.php?st=art&art=a41e32e169aff2. The publisher's page has a link to a sample pdf from the book.
Has anyone used Japanese graphic novels in class? I'm fond of the Japan, Inc. novel and have used it with undergraduates and frequently include it among materials we provide teachers. Please share your experiences with using such works.
This year I am teaching a seventh grade core. That is I have Two groups of students to whom I teach English and History. We have a four by four block schedule at my school so every student has two classes of English and two classes of math. They go to four classes every day. English and math every day and P.E., an elective, science, and history every other day. They are in the classroom for more total hours a year than with a traditional schedule and have twice as much time in a year of English and math. Knowing this was our schedule I asked to teach a seventh grade core. Seventh grade history is "World History and Geography: Medieval to Early Modern Times". With the time we have for English I am able to do all kinds of cross curricular things. Where the core really works well is with Europe and the evolution of the English language along with literature like Beowulf, Chaucer, Dante, Cervantes, and Shakespeare but I am also building my curriculum for Medieval Japanese history with Haiku and Japanes literature. I haven't done so well this year with Korean and Chinese literature. That's one reason I took this course. It has been very useful and have I have already integarted things into my curriculum for next year. Why teach Japanese, Chines, and Korean literature? My answer is because its there.
GG
My students tend to enter sixth grade reading at a third grade level. A major challenge I often face is finding books that are written at an appropriate reading level and finding books that interest them. I have had a lot of success giving my reluctant readers graphic novels; they love that they are fun, and the pictures help their comprehension.
I looked at the information about A Drifting Life that Clay included in the posting, and it looks interesting, but clearly wouldn't be appropriate for my students. But, I am interested in getting a few copies of age and reading-level appropriate Japanese graphic novels for my students. The website http://mangaforkids.com sells a number of graphic novels written for young people under the age of 12; according to the website, these titles do not feature any of the age innappropriate surprises that some manga contains. Also, these titles supposedly teach lessons; I think I'm going to buy one or two and see what they're like; it could be a cool way to draw reluctant readers in, do a brief introduction to the manga genre, and if these really do "teach lessons" I could maybe incorporate parts into lessons on theme.
-Karen
ps- this website contains more information about these books and the reasons behind creating a set of manga just for kids Making UDON
I'm glad to hear about Manga for Kids. It will be great to read what you think of the books available. As LA Times readers, at least those who begin Sunday with the comics (yes, that includes me), know, they've carried a manga series for a couple years now. I never read it, but I'm wondering if any of you do or if anyone has students who follow it. It is produced by Tokyo Pop, an LA company which produces English language works that can be found in many bookstores.
For those teachers outside the LA Times area, do you know of any mainstream papers which also carry manga?
Here's an article which includes mention of Stuart Levy's success bringing manga to the masses:
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jan/17/entertainment/gd-cover17
Here's the Tokyo Pop website, look for Peach Fuzz, the LAT story....
http://www.tokyopop.com/
Admittedly, I know little about Manga. But I'm curious and would like to potentially use it in my English classes in the future. I thought I'd share this website that I found useful:
http://www.koyagi.com/recManga.html
I like that it gives me a list of some famous manga with which to start. It also gives a brief description of each and suggests for which grades they might be appropriate.
Manga has been growing in popularity in the schools. We have an Anime Club at Golden Valley High School in Santa Clarita. The students meet to watch, read, create and discuss.
In addition, there were so many great ideas expressed in the Asia in my Classroom session this past fall, that I am going to take the bull by the horns. I was able to get a pass for Comic-Con in San Diego next week. There are numerous manga companies at the site and I plan to pump them for ideas and information. If I get great links, tips and news, I will gladly share the companies names, contacts, links etc. with the forum.
Personally, I'm finishing summer school in my district, and with four weeks off, there is not enough time to begin planning. But I want to make use of the many resources I have been given and all the terrific ideas offered on the forum.
Will check back after next weekend.
Kyle Kulish[Edit by="kkulish on Nov 29, 2:31:06 PM"]Realized this was never updated.
Went to the convention but the workers at the booths had little to no insight, but kept giving me samples for the Anime club at school. I missed one good managa panel and hope to be able to attend this coming summer and seek greater insight.
My apologies for the delay in follow-up.[/Edit]
Because without literature about China (The Good Earth, by Pear S. Buck) how can our eyes be open to the richness told of a poor peasant woman (O-Lan.) SHe is long suffering, delivering babies alone in the rice fields, enduring famines and constant insults about her plainness. She is married to a grain merchant, a greedy and unfaithful man (Wang Lung.) I have never forgotten this story, and the visual representation about the rice fields, the realities of bringing another woman into one's household (Lotus, ) and the imagery of pillaging a rich man's house. Oh, the protectiveness O-Lan had for her two meager pearls! Oh, the humilitation she felt at her husbands infedelities and cruelty. Thank you Pearl S. Buck, who is not opened my eyes to another land in another time.
I teach 6th grade Language Arts, and have found some great resources/stories in the HOLT Language of Literature series. We've recently read Japanese stories: The Bracelet, Wartime Mistakes...Peacetime Apologies, Go for Broke/Purple Heart team, The last Samurai, Japanese Folk Tales and Chinese: The All American Slurp.
The kids had their eyes opened about the predjudice and mistreatment of Japanese Americans, learned about internment camps, and were able to bring stories to the classroom after talking with their familes about their relatives who witnessed, or experienced the atrocities.
The short story: All American Slurp is about a Chinese American girl and her family who have difficulties adjusting to the various cultural norms. There are comparisons between her family and another American fam.. : from PTA meetings, mastering English, having dinner parties, food choices, wardrobe, proper etiquette at a restaurant, etc. There are many faux pas that they survive, and as we watch the family go through all their scenarios, my students can definitely relate to situations that they'd endured and how we all have had embarrasing things happen to us.
It sounds like you are giving up on the art of teaching, but you have to remember that for many of the disabled readers, high interest materials is paramount to creating an interest in reading and getting the students to appreciate learning and what they can get out of it. High interest materials is always a good place to start with those students that do not want to read, because they have had so much trouble with processing information in that specific genre. I would start with the boys by introducing them to Asian Motorcycles, and how they are made. for the ladies, i would start by introducing them to Asian fashion in the world today. Also try Asian soap Operas, that a good interest getter ! Don't give up on them.
And do not forget "The Pillow Book."
Sei Shōnagon's musings on people and court life resonates with my students today and they completely identify with her commentaries today.
We imagined what it would have been like for her to have an iPhone in the palace and what her comments/apps would be.
One slight selection is:
"It's also amusing to witness someone for some reason lose her temper and burst into tears, and roundly abuse anyone who has struck her." -- and it, among other comments, is fit for someone jotting a text or tweeting their thoughts on what they are doing or seeing right now.
It mixes the modern with the old and makes for fun connections.
Why not use Asian Literature in the clasroom ? Some of the most magnificent works of literature are either about Asia, China in specific, or written in English from a Chinese or Asian Text. The good earth is a good example of an American written work about the horrors of China during the early twentieth century. Pearl Buck did an amazing job on this book, and I enjoy reading it to this day, time and time again. I know that we use in our eighth grade classrooms literature by Laurence Yep, which is about Chinese Life in San Francisco. It is a heartwarming story about a family that owns a grocery store in San Francisco, and they get invaded by an American Rat. It goes through great detail about the family and its dysfunctional elements between the father and their son, the one in particular that has asthma. The other son is a winner, and can play sports like his father, but the father does not recognize his disabled son as anything important. The story is a heartwarming depiction of Chinese American Life, and our eighth grade English Language Classes love it. Unless students are exposed to language and literature from other cultures, they become like barn sour horses, and they never want to leave the barn. Here ! Here ! for Asian Literature.
The Manga For Kids site is a great resource for finding age-appropriate manga for my fourth graders. A few of my students love to create their own and more of these books in our classroom library will be very inspiring!
Hi Folks,
It's not just students in the US, Korea, and Australia who have undertaken the study of Chinese. Today's Los Angeles Times has a great article about efforts to teach Chinese in places such as Aguascalientes, Mexico. I'm impressed at how forward-thinking the people behind this initiative are.
Here's a link to the article:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-mexico-china-20100607,0,7370017.story
Among other things this is a great response for those who think only families of Chinese heritage would be interested in having their kids study Chinese. We can all benefit from learning more about China, its remarkable past, and its dynamic present.
Interestingly, when I thought of Asian Literature I instantly thought of teaching a novel that is infused with Asian culture. However, the more I learn about Asia, the more I could flex my muscle when it comes to integrating Asian themes into my class. For an example, I have connected Fahrenheit 451 to censorship in China and North Korea. Asian Literature does not have to be a whole novel about Asia, but I think as long as the educator is integrating Asian tones/hints into their lesson then they are doing a good job of educating their students about the Asian culture.
I have used videos from youtube to compare the difference in study habits between Chinese, Indian, and American kids. My students were actually really interested in learning about other people's cultures. Another technology that I use is showing videos of Korean Pop, Japanese Pop, Chinese Pop...Music is a medium that connects everyone no matter what country they come from.
This may not be a book for Young Adult readers, given the very adult nature of the dialogue, but it is insightful as to the current state of life in China.
The title is China High – My Fast Times in the 010 – A Beijing Memoir, by ZZ. Published in April 2009 by St. Martin’s Press, the author describes his life upon returning to China after a time in America. He lived in Shanghai until age 14 when his family moved to the states to be with his father. After getting his law degree, he returns, but to Beijing and tries to find a way to fit in with the changing China that is around him. The reason this is not for young readers is the course language, descriptions of sex, drugs and the rock and roll lifestyle of our protagonist.
Yet, it is his insider’s perspective that gives us an interesting view of the current China. He discusses the practice of “guan xi” – the favors that are developed and are a form of currency -- the bartering, corruption, lifestyles of natives, returning Chinese from America and Europe and the foreigners who want a piece of the action. Add to the mix an inside perspective of the Chinese prison system and you have a dark, insightful and enlightening piece of non-fiction.
Here’s one selection of ZZ’s views of the current China:
“In the American jigsaw, people get a bigger piece for freedom of speech, but smaller pieces for other things. Whether on paper or in practice, there is little tolerance for driving without a license, fudging tax records, or unwarranted issuance of prescription drugs for kickbacks from pharmaceutical companies. In the Chinese jigsaw, the pieces are sized just the opposite. In exchange for the masses keeping quiet about civil rights and suffrage, more leeway is given in a great many things related to economics” (210).
While one man’s perspective, I read it while in Beijing and it shined a light on the lifestyles I was able to observe over a five-day period.
Here is a great book for your students enamored with Harry Potter style tales with an Asian influence. Author Cindy Pon creates a strong female protagonist in the novel Silver Phoenix, a tale set during the Xi Xia dynasty. A young woman, Ai Ling, goes in search of her father, rather than being blackmailed into a loveless marriage with a local merchant. But there are dark forces afoot that are challenging her quest. When she meets a young man on a quest of his own, their partnership strengthens and divides them.
I love finding books with strong female characters, as the majority of my student readers are girls and I want them to know there are a wealth of fantasy/adventure tales beyond the vampire tales of Forks, WA. Still, I am thankful Stephanie Meyer has hooked many of them into reading.
This is Cindy Pon’s first effort. Her second novel, Fury of the Phoenix, is due in March 2011 and I hope the San Diego-based author creates more exciting tales.
Language arts teachers know these lists far better than I. Please feel free to add to or comment on these titles. I pulled them from http://crl.startest.org/crl. E = elementary, MS = middle school, HS = high school
How do titles get approved? Can teachers initiate review of a title?
It's striking that none of the approved authors lives in China.
Bosse, The Examination (HS)
Buck, The Good Earth (HS)
Fritz, Homesick (foreigner in 1920s China, E, MS)
Hong, How the Ox Star Fell from Heaven (E)
Hong, The Empress and the Silkworm (E)
Louie, Yeh Shen: A Cinderella Story from China (E, MS)
Mah, Chinese Cinderella (MS)
Pilegard, The Warlord's Puzzle (E)
Tsuikiyama, Women of the Silk (HS)
van Gulik, The Red Pavilion: A Judge Dee Mystery (HS)
Young, Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China (E)
Books that are primarily about Chinese American experiences:
Lee, Nim and the War Effort (E)
Solvenz-Low, Lion Dancer (E)
Yep, The Child of the Owl (E, MS)
Yep, Cockroach Cooties (E)
Yep, Dragonwings (E, MS)
Yep, Ribbons (E)
Yep, Dragon's Gate (MS)
Yep, The Journal of Wong Ming: A Chinese Miner (E)
Lee, China Boy (HS)
Portions set in China:
Tan, The Joy Luck Club (HS)
Mah, Falling Leaves (HS)
[Edit by="Clay Dube on Sep 7, 12:07:52 AM"][/Edit]
“People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don't know each other; they don't know each other because they have not communicated with each other.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
… segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality. It gives the segregator a false sense of superiority and the segregated a false sense of inferiority.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Your comments remind me of the 'famous' remarks made by the recently deceased Rodney King, who was a victim of the police brutality and became a modern cause celebre' a la Rosa Parks and was one of the basic reasons to change the Los Angeles Charter. Among other changes, the new Charter made the LAPD Chief's term into two 4-years maximum. Prior to that police term was indefinite. His famous remark, "Can't we all get along", was splashed across the Time magazine cover with his photograph!
I have support ELs in my class who struggle with the English language and reading in general. Does anyone know of any short interesting Asian stories that would be good for this type of class to read and maybe spark an interest in Asia?
Hi Antonio,
China's Foreign Languages Press publishes many works for children in English, Spanish, and other languages. These can be purchased via the web from a number of companies.
Cheng and Tsui http://www.cheng-tsui.com/
China Books http://www.chinabooks.com/
China Sprout http://www.chinasprout.com/
There are also graphic novels available from these and other publishers (AsiaPac http://www.asiapacbooks.com/ ).
The interesting thing is students are very interested in reading about East Asia. Studuents love to read about other cultures and discuss how they see themselves in the literature. At least this is what I like to discuss. They are usually trawled with the fact that things are a lot different then what they thought things were like. I also realize how much my students truly enjoy problem solving. With this, they enjoy looking at propaganda, cartoons and political cartoons and trying to figure out the message. These are just a few ways students are reading about East Asia (possibly) without actually reading per say. This is one way, I plan to introduce Asia to my students.
My Language Arts textbook begins with All American Slurp a story about a Chinese immigrant family adjusting to American way of life and the challenges they had at first. This is what I will use at the same time I'm teaching the China chapter in Social Studies.
Hi Antonio -
Thanks for mentioning this story. Could you give a bit more info on the story, such as the reading level and author?
I'm guessing this is the story touched upon at these websites:
scroll down to unit 6, exploring cultures for a ppt and more
http://www.scottsboro.org/~flewis/SF%20Reading%20Street/Sixth%20Grade/Sixth%20Grade%20Reading%20Street%20Teacher%20Resources.htm
Glencoe pages
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/literature/course/course1/unit/theme1/webresources/allamerican.shtml
a video lesson using it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN6QSv3zBq8
Holt, Reinhart, Winston handouts on it
http://go.hrw.com/resources/go_mk/la/latm/LITRES01.PDF
a copy of the story
http://smartone.typepad.com/files/all-american-slurp-story.doc
Can others suggest student-friendly stories or articles on cultural collisions?
Thank you Clockwood for the wonderful idea! I am scheduled to visit the Japanese & Chinese gardens at the Huntington in January. My students are only in 2nd grade and I've been trying to think of an exercise they could do when they are there, beyond just walking around and looking at the beautiful gardens. After reading your post, I've come up with an idea. They could take notes and write down what things they see and adjectives to describe these things. The students could also draw sketches of the garden's plants, bridges, statues, ponds, etc. Then back at school they could use their notes for writing a Haiku and also create a beautiful watercolor picture to go with it. Thank you again for the inspiration!
Should we "just camp out" with the old dead white guys who wrote Gatsby, Mice and Men, Hamlet, etc...? That is not who our students are. I have this ongoing conflict with a few of the purists in my English Department, who think that "Multi-cultural literature" is somehow dumbing down the curriculum! Never mind that we are teaching in an urban school in downtown LA, where 50% of the students are bused in from South LA. Never mind that white kids make up about 5% of our population. Never mind that we live in a global community in which being internationally mindedness is a necessity. Never mind building an empathetic bridge to the human beings we are relating our knowledge to and have such a hugh responsibility in bringing up. Go figure!
Naturally purists pooh pooh literature from other countries because it reveals the contributions of peoples thought to be "half-devil and half-child" as stated by Rudyard Kipling himself in the poem "White Man's Burden." I enjoy using literature from other cultures to illustrate state standards and key concepts in World History, US History, and Economics and Government classes.
Thank you Clockwood for mentioning the Japanese Tanka poem. I will be taking my students to a Japanese garden in January, and I have been looking for some other options for poetry writing in addition to Haiku. It looks like the Tanka Poem gives them a little more opportunity to add more meaning. I am excited to have my students really observe the beauty of nature in the gardens and be able to express what the see in great detail and meaning through poetry.
Wow, I couldn't have said it better. So often, teachers are given the task of teaching a subject they don't have the knowledge to do or an elective without a course description. Being literate can be the magic key for many. Many of my students are illiterate but are on the general education curriculum for their grade level. They need to be taught how to read and write. And yes, I spend a vast amount of time editing and having my students rewrite because they can't edit their peers essays nor their own.
I think including Asian literature into language arts lessons is not only a good idea, but is a necessity. Yes, students should read Dickens, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and others; but they should also be exposed to writings from Japan, China, Korea, and other Asian cultures. How can we expect our students to have a complete view of the world and an open mind if we aren't teaching them about the whole world?
I think it is important to expose our students to the world. I want them to have more, be more, know more.
I agree that it's important to expose our students to literature from all around the world. It'll help build their knowledge of what's out there and increase their awareness of other countries and cultures. I think this kind of exposure should start at an early age, too! On the other hand, though, to play devil's advocate, there just isn't enough time for me to incorporate all the content I want to teach my students. I teach first grade and we are already held accountable for so many subjects. How am I supposed to squeeze in MORE?
i think there is value to study Asian literature be it from China,Japan, or India because you want students to know and see there is beauty in other literature other than western. I would like my students to understand that all people face the same problems and write about them either in similar or different ways and they are still facing the same problems we face.
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