WELCOME
Welcome, Students! This is our class Blog which will become a mechanism for sharing your reflections about your reading and writing during our time together. I look forward to reading and sharing the gifts of our stories. This class will give you an opportunity to critically look at issues of cultural sensitivity and authenticity when reading Native American literature, focusing on criteria for evaluation. "The stories we tell not only explain things to others, they explain them to ourselves." ~ Donald Norman Frances Vitali NAT AM 361 Course Instructor Summer 2005

Reflection on our course
In designing this course, my role will serve as a guide with a more seminar-like format, structure and organization in keeping with teens learning style - engaging vs. authoritative. Guests have been invited to share their expertise and enthusiasm in topics related to tweens and teens literature.


Above all, this time is an opportunity for you to take time reading YA literature that you would not otherwise have. Granted, it is not a long time, but it represents selective time set aside for this purpose. Therefore, I will not ask you to do any extraneous work that interferes with your reading. Hopefully all assignments will be complementary, informing your reading and learning in this area. Since you will be asked to attend programs outside of our regularly scheduled class times, our final class session will be Tuesday, July 26 to make up for your expended time.

Good educators are those who know children’s literature. Great teachers read and keep current with children’s literature and use stories as a teaching heuristic.

Relying on the resources in our community, we will partner with Farmington Public Library (FPL) who has conducted extensive research on teens-Teen Zone a place by, for, and about teens. (Remember to ask to see Trading Places DVD & Favorite Book Picks in the Teen Zone.) FPL director Karen McPheeters and reference librarian Mary Lee Smith are looking forward to sharing what they have learned about the "Millennials" - this next great generation of teens - with you.

Our first class session will invlolve a visit to the Farmington Public Library Teen Zone and Tweens area. When we can, we will spend time in the FPL-reading and hopefully you will find their tweens and Young Adult collection a resource from which to borrow.

This is our BLOG and your Program Reflections, Author Biographies and book annotations will be kept here. This site is meant to be your friendly server, keeping track of your work and available for viewing on the Internet.

I am looking forward to hanging out together on Tuesdays and Thursdays with you!

Relax, it's summertime and there a lot of good books just waiting to be read, so jump right in!

Frances

DEC. 6 FINALE!
Our last class is this Saturday, Dec. 6!

Thank you for all your assignments - snail mail and email. Booklists & Author/Illustrator should be finished by now and I will be accepting remaining assignments: Literature Sharing Journals, Book Talks, optional Storytelling on Saturday.

REMEMBER to:
....bring something for our Last Supper POT LUCK
....be prepared to briefly introduce your author/illustrator
....be ready to present Book Talks (if you haven't already)
....prepare for Optional Storytelling: Lucy, Rose, Thomascita, Sheila

Check out your NEW & IMPROVED webpages at
https://unm-childlit.tripod.com/unmcollection_f03/index.html

Click on your name and your webpage will open. Make note of your individual web addresses so you can access them later.

If you ever want to edit your page, you can go to www.tripod.com. (Sign in as: unm-childlit and Password:lobos) Go to File Manager, then to unmcollection_f03 file, then to your individual page. PLace check mark next to your file name and click EDIT and you're in!

It has been a great opportunity to work with all of you. I hope you have had a productive and enjoyable semester with your head and hearts immersed in children's books!

In One Gigantic Peace!
Frances

P.S. Maxime is busy thinking of Christmas recipes and sends you his Best!

that was fun!
Saturday was a lot of fun, that is, you are all a lot of fun!
Hope you are able to read our BLOG and access our children's literature web page.

Reminders:-)

1.
story quote reflections (due Sept. 6). Just post them on the BLOG so we all can see OR you can email them to me (abiyoyoyo@yahoo.com)

2.
AT our next class meeting (Sept. 20) I will ask you to introduce yourself as a character (any character-makde up or real). Be ready to give a proper introduction of your character. Keep it fun-unless your character is serious! Let yourself be imaginative and playful.

3.
Maxime and I have decided that a Lake Valley Oral History book will be given to all who receive a final grade of A in our class!

4. Hope you are reading away! For those who still have your genre quiz, bring it with you on 9/20 or else you will have to do another one!

5.
Concerning the October 11th Student Workshops: They are $10! ($35 is a typo). ALso you are free to come on October 10 (friday). check the A La Carte Ticket passes ranging from $5 to $15. Choose the day and price that are best for you and your family. It would be a great way to fulfill your assignment AND hang out with your family doing something fun and memorable!!!!!

That's all for now!

Thinking about your peanut receipes, I am reminded of a joke:
Two peanuts were walking down the road, one was a salted! (get it - assaulted;-)


Frances with regards from Maxime!
P.S. If you have any questions, give a holler-email, phone, or hollering!

Preparations for MidTerm
Check out the Four Corners Storytelling Festival (Oct. 11) at http://www.infoway.lib.nm.us

Attendance will be required as part of your midterm grade. Please make your arrangements and preparations early. A brochure about the storytelling festival will be distributed during our first class meeting.

"The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do."
- Sarah Ban Breathnach

Welcome to our Children's Literature Class!
By the time you read this we will have had our first class meeting.

JOURNAL ENTRY due by 9/13:
Please read through the STORY QUOTES and contribute your reflections about which quote (or quotes) had the most impact on you and why.

Regards from Maxime!