Readings for Jan. 17th

I found the Leland reading to be very interesting because it discussed the importance of teaching and addressing critical social issues with young children. So often teachers and adults underestimate the ability young children have to understand such controversial issues. In my TE 348 class we talked frequently about the amount of important information children are able to pick up on in literature in grades as early as Kindergarten and first. It is important to teach children to "read between the lines" and to create an environment where children constantly question and discuss what they read. I thought it was very interesting that such differences were seen in the students' writing, in their ability to recognize intertextual connections between different books they had read, and even in their actions in the classroom. This shows how important and beneficial it can be to have discussions about controversial topics in your classroom and to introduce young children to books that address these difficult social issues and topics.