TE 849: Methods & Materials for Teaching Children's and Adolescent Literature -- Spring 2013
Instructor: Laura Apol (apol@msu.edu)
Reflection: In some ways TE 849 was a broad survey of many genres and formats in children's literature, but it also focused focused narrowly on several key themes and issues. As a middle school teacher, my exposure to picture books was mostly limited to the books I had read as a child and I learned much about what picture books could bring to my curriculum. In particular, I plan to incorporate them as mentor texts in some of our genre exploration units. I also learned the ideas of authentic voice, and power in multicultural literature. The coursework inspired me to apply for a summer grant to revise our 5th grade independent reading curriculum to incorporate authors of diverse backgrounds and experiences. Lastly, our exploration of new formats in children's literature exposed me to the power of verse novels and graphic novels to engage readers through powerful language and imagery.
Description: This course is an advanced survey course in children's and adolescent literature. The course examines genres of children's literature, as well as ongoing and contemporary issues associated with various genres. The reading list includes picture books, novels, graphic novels, and film as we try to get a working sense of the "field." The course explores the kinds of conversations that surround pieces of literature, whether those texts are written for children, adults, or both. Teachers will read widely and closely, ask questions, make room for varying answers, and talk in general and in specific terms about how to involve children in literature.
