JOURNAL ENTRY 14-20
JOURNAL ENTRY #14
MIRIAM L. VELEZ TOLEDO
In Chapter 27-28, we learn that the students are very nervous, because
there’s six weeks left for the exams. This is one of the feelings that I share with my students, because I usually get nervous when it’s time to take an exam.
In the other hand all fifth year students are required to attend career advice meeting with their heads of houses. Harry has decided that he wants to become an auror (a dark wizard catcher). Umbridge as always is against Harry’s inspiration.
After reading these two chapters I certainly believe that this is a book that teachers should use in their classroom, because students can relate many of the events with their personal or interpersonal experience in their school, community and society. The reality is that in our classroom we have students that can share some of the problems that Harry is confronting. Eventhough our students can be from different heritage they are likely to share similarities in their personal experiences.
Getting students involve with the reading and writing task is not easy, but it’s harder when the books used in our classroom usually are not the best. We notice this when our students say “these stories are boring”, I’m not saying that classical stories are bad, classical stories are stupendous stories that teaches a lot of values, but they belong to another era. The truth is that our students prefer stories that they can feel they are part of the story, or they can relate to their personal experience. I usually see this when they are asked to prepare a book report, and they are allow to choose their own stories. When they are allow to read stories that they like they really get into the reading and writing process.
When we read different genre in our classroom not only our students gain values, but they also learn to appreciate other cultures. They become more critical thinkers and they will become more sensitive with their classmates and become more aware of historical events of men and women who made a difference all around the world.
As teachers and future teachers we should remember and provide our students with literature that they can create new meaning for themselves through the writing process.
JOURNAL ENTRY #15
MIRIAM L. VELEZ TOLEDO
In Chapter 29-30, we learn that the students are very nervous, because
there’s six weeks left for the exams. This is one of the feelings that I share with my students, because I usually get nervous when it’s time to take an exam.
In the other hand all fifth year students are required to attend career advice meeting with their heads of houses. Harry has decided that he wants to become an auror (a dark wizard catcher). Umbridge as always is against Harry’s inspiration.
After reading these two chapters I certainly believe that this is a book that teachers should use in their classroom, because students can relate many of the events with their personal or interpersonal experience in their school, community and society. The reality is that in our classroom we have students that can share some of the problems that Harry is confronting. Eventhough our students can be from different heritage they are likely to share similarities in their personal experiences.
Getting students involve with the reading and writing task is not easy, but it’s harder when the books used in our classroom usually are not the best. We notice this when our students say “these stories are boring”, I’m not saying that classical stories are bad, classical stories are stupendous stories that teaches a lot of values, but they belong to another era. The truth is that our students prefer stories that they can feel they are part of the story, or they can relate to their personal experience. I usually see this when they are asked to prepare a book report, and they are allow to choose their own stories. When they are allow to read stories that they like they really get into the reading and writing process.
When we read different genre in our classroom not only our students gain values, but they also learn to appreciate other cultures. They become more critical thinkers and they will become more sensitive with their classmates and become more aware of historical events of men and women who made a difference all around the world.
As teachers and future teachers we should remember and provide our students with literature that they can create new meaning for themselves through the writing process.
JOURNAL ENTRY # 16
DIVERSITY
CAHPTERS 31-32
Reading chapters 31-32, was like being part of the classroom. I believe that Hogwarts Wizards School has a lot of common with today schools.
In these two chapters the characters are going through a lot of emotional problems. I saw that Harry, Hermione and Rod were worried about Hagrid. Harry had to take his History of Magic O.W.L test the next day. During the test Harry was so exhausted that he felt asleep in the middle of the test. All this has created an unpleasant atmosphere for Harry and his friends.
I believe that students certainly like reading this story because they can relate many of their daily problems in school. Even if we have students with different ethnic backgrounds, they will share some of the problems that characters are confronting.
I am sure that students will share some of the experiences that Harry has gone through like taking a test or having a teacher like Umbridge. Actually each and every student no matter from where they come from might share some of the same problems. As a teacher I believe that student inconsistency on test depends in many factors that can affect the results. A test does not indicate that a student is better than another. For example Harry was going through a lot of personal problems. He was worried about Hagrid, and the night before he had not slept well. So the next day he was exhausted and he fall asleep in the middle of the test. I believe that students will likely share their experience after or before taking a test. I believe that a test does not indicate always student knowledge.
Therefore we should remember that students learn in different ways. This is why we should allow peers to safely explore and learn in many ways. We can help students to understand and appreciate their strengths, and identify real world activities that will stimulate more learning.
When students can share real world activities through literature they learn to appreciate different topics such as history, science, math, music and so on. We can do this by introducing these topics through the different genre we read in our classroom.
JOURNAL ENTRY # 17
Language Connection Chapter 6
Chapter 6 of our text books talks about integrating language through the reading process. When we integrate language into the reading process there is no need to chop language into pieces, we do not separate grammar, it emphasithes the whole language. The primary objective is to make learning more interesting and enjoyable. When we do this we are using the whole language approach including the four languages of arts: reading, writing, speaking and listening.
We can use the whole language approach with chapters 33-34 in the following way:
1. Storyround. To review the two chapters of the story and the motivation
of the characters, using the summarizing activity storyround. We start by asking the question “What happened to start the action?” This permits the whole class to participate.
2. After reading the story we can divide the group into small groups, and
have them work in small groups and look for descriptive details (images). An example is: “Hermione led down the stairs into the entrance hall.” “The din of loud voices and the clattered of cutlery on platters echoed from out of the double door……etc”
3. We can also discuss the authors way of using dialect. Example:
Grawp recognizes Hermione and in broken English demand to know where Hagrid is. “Where is Hagger.” “Hermy.” Etc.
4. We can also see the use of dialect to make people think in another way for example Hermione uses dialect to manipulate a situation an example is when Hermione says “ “Please-I didn’t mean that!” I just hoped you’d be able to___ to help us___”.
5. We can ask students what animals like Thestrals are attracted to fresh
blood , eventhough that Thestral do not exist.
6. We can also work with grammar by asking students to look for words
that describe a person , thing or object (adjectives). For example: “Harry felt strong urge to swing around and seize her throat.” Or “They were standing in a large , circular room.
When we read a story we should first read for enjoyment and appreciation further on we can use the whole language approach without making the activity a boring one.
Journal Entry # 18Young Adult Literature and the Classic
Our school system is still reading classical stories, but the truth is that these books were written during another period. This is why students can not relate the stories to their personal experience, and therefore they find the stories boring.
One of the classical stories that we actually read in our school is “The Odyssey” by Homer. My students hate reading this epic not only because they can’t relate their personal experience, but also because the language is too difficult for them to understand.
My experience is that students do not like or understand these stories because English is their second language, and they do not have prior knowledge of the events or it makes no sense to them. Eventhough I introduce the story using a movie of a modern version, they prefer not reading the story.
As I read chapter 35-36, One of the things that I observe is that the author used a language and sentence structure that not only adults can read and understand, but also young adults. And each of the events are described in such an eloquent form that students can almost become part of the story.
Students can share the character’s feeling. For example ,Harry’s frustration and feeling of being guilty for Sirius death. Some may also share the experience of losing a family member or even a close friend.
I know classical books are great, but our students who are English second language learners are not prepared to read these stories, because the difficulty in syntax and vocabulary. If we want to get our students involve in the reading process, we should use books that they can enjoy reading, and relate to their personal experience.
JOURNAL ENTRY # 19
EXPERIENCE WITH THE STORY “HARRY POTTER”
It has been a wonderful experience reading this adventurous story. I believe that this book should be read by all young adults.
I can compare this book in a certain way to the old and stupendous story “The wizard of Oz”. The writer takes us into a totally new world. This world has been constructed with so many beautiful and mysterious places that give the reader the sense of entering a new and exciting world. Just like “The Wizard of Oz” the character in this case Harry Potter takes us by the hand into the world of wizards and monsters that makes this world almost real.
We can also relate many of the characters with our own society. In Harry’s world God and Evil is also presented. We know that many of the problems that Harry and his friends go through are actually some of the problems that our kids go through. Some of the problems that I saw in the story, which I can relate to our society is the abuse of power, actually we can see this not only in schools, but also in our political system. Actually our world is not totally different from Harry’s world. We also have children mistreated and corruption in all our society.
On the other hand Harry has gone through a journey, but not any journey. He has gone through an inner spiritual journey. Harry has learned to deal with some of his deceptions and fears. He has become a mature young man. The wonderful thing is that we have seen all this changes. As I saw Harry grow into a Youngman, I saw not only my children, but also many of my students. Just like Harry we all have to go through life experience to learn what life is all about.
I am certainly sure that anyone who reads this story will be touched in a certain way.
JOURNAL ENTRY # 20
MY JOURNAL EXPERIENCE
During this semester, I was asked to write twenty journal entries. At first I was surprised to hear this. I said to myself “What does this professor thinks” “I will not be able to do so much work twenty journal entries and read Harry Potter.” Many things came to my mind, which I will not express.
In the other hand as we all know there are people who are always making comments about certain teachers. Well I remember telling a friend that I was taking Young Adult Literature with professor Cynthia Schweitzer , she almost had a heart attack. Her reaction was are you crazy. Well I can now say that I would have been crazy if I would have lost the opportunity to take this course with this teacher.
Writing and reading has been a wonderful experience. This has been the second time I have written journals for a course, but never using a text to do so. I believe that writing has not been an easy task for many of us. This is why it is sometimes difficult. My journal entries with the topics that the professor gave us made our writing an easier and even interesting one. I remember my first journal entry, the teacher gave me a point, and I almost fainted. Later on my writing improved and I managed to complete my journal as I was asked to.
If I had the opportunity to take another course like this one I will surely do so. It has not been easy, but I have learned a lot without having to test my knowledge through a test. I believe that we learn more when we are asked to do work on our own.
From here on I will apply what I have learned with my students.
