Introduction to Introduction to Children's Children's Literature: Literature:

TraditionsTraditions BEN52602 / NEN52601BEN52602 / NEN52601

Class Time: Class Time: Tuesdays AB - Room R0305Tuesdays AB - Room R0305Mondays 56 – Room R0302Mondays 56 – Room R0302

A literature classA literature class

This is a literature class first, and a class This is a literature class first, and a class about children’s literature second. Our focus about children’s literature second. Our focus here is here is not about how to use books with children (that’s not about how to use books with children (that’s

education) or education) or not how to recommend or categorize books (that’s not how to recommend or categorize books (that’s

library science). library science). We are looking at We are looking at children’s literature as artchildren’s literature as art. What . What

are these texts saying and how do they say it? are these texts saying and how do they say it? What makes some books “better” than others? What makes some books “better” than others? How do we understand texts for children? What are How do we understand texts for children? What are their qualities and characteristics?their qualities and characteristics?

REQUIRED TEXTSREQUIRED TEXTS

Alice in WonderlandAlice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll, by Lewis Carroll The Adventures of Tom The Adventures of Tom SawyerSawyer, by Mark , by Mark

TwainTwain Charlotte’sCharlotte’s Web Web, by E. B. White, by E. B. White BridgeBridge to Terabithiato Terabithia, , byby Katherine PatersonKatherine Paterson Folk stories available through the websiteFolk stories available through the website

GOALSGOALS

To become critical (intelligent) To become critical (intelligent) readersreaders. .

To be able to To be able to converseconverse and write and write critically about children’s literature. critically about children’s literature.

To articulate and modify your To articulate and modify your own own frameworkframework for understanding for understanding children’s literature and culture. children’s literature and culture.

OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVES To understand the To understand the traditionstraditions of English language of English language

children’s literature from a historical perspective.children’s literature from a historical perspective. To understand the basic To understand the basic conventionsconventions of children’s of children’s

literature. literature. To understand the basic To understand the basic genresgenres within of within of

children’s literature. children’s literature. To challenge common To challenge common assumptionsassumptions about about

children’s literature by knowing where they come children’s literature by knowing where they come from. from.

To learn important To learn important vocabularyvocabulary for discussing for discussing children’s literature. children’s literature.

To learn about To learn about authorsauthors in conjunction with their in conjunction with their works. works.

GRADINGGRADING 15% Participation 15% Participation (attendance, discussion, (attendance, discussion,

groupwork, and presentations)groupwork, and presentations) 10% Presentation paper10% Presentation paper (2-3 pages) (2-3 pages) 20% Term paper20% Term paper (5-7 pages) (5-7 pages) 10% Weekly quizzes 10% Weekly quizzes (no make-ups, but the lowest (no make-ups, but the lowest

grade will be dropped)grade will be dropped) 20% Midterm 20% Midterm (multiple choice & short answer) (multiple choice & short answer) 25% Final 25% Final (Multiple choice and short answer (Multiple choice and short answer

covering everything from the beginning of the covering everything from the beginning of the semester but focusing more on the second half.)semester but focusing more on the second half.)

CLASS SCHEDULECLASS SCHEDULE Keep track of the weekly schedule by Keep track of the weekly schedule by

checking the website regularly. You should checking the website regularly. You should do all reading and hand in all work according do all reading and hand in all work according the schedule on the website whether I the schedule on the website whether I remind you or not.remind you or not.

For next weekFor next week Check out the class website. Here you will find Check out the class website. Here you will find

the up-to-date schedule, explanation of the up-to-date schedule, explanation of assignments, and homework for each week. assignments, and homework for each week.

Start reading Alice in Wonderland and think about Start reading Alice in Wonderland and think about your ideas of what childhood is and children’s your ideas of what childhood is and children’s literature is. literature is.

What are we studying?What are we studying?

Let’s start with our Let’s start with our assumptionsassumptions. What do we think or . What do we think or believe about children and children’s literature? Such believe about children and children’s literature? Such questions can be difficult because even though we questions can be difficult because even though we have many ideas and beliefs, we may have never have many ideas and beliefs, we may have never thought about them consciously. thought about them consciously.

Answer the following questions: Answer the following questions:

1.1. What is a child? How are children different from What is a child? How are children different from adults?adults?

2.2. What is the best way for children to learn?What is the best way for children to learn?

3.3. What are the most important things for children to What are the most important things for children to learn?learn?

What about children’s What about children’s literature?literature?

Answer these questions based on your Answer these questions based on your ideas of children.ideas of children. What are the qualities of good children’s What are the qualities of good children’s

books?books? Why should children read books?Why should children read books? What kinds of books should children read?What kinds of books should children read? Do we really need children’s literature? Why or Do we really need children’s literature? Why or

why not?why not?

ASSUMPTIONSASSUMPTIONS

Don’t hold on to your assumptions Don’t hold on to your assumptions and try to prove them.and try to prove them.

Rather, challenge your assumptions. Rather, challenge your assumptions. Try to prove them untrue, or find Try to prove them untrue, or find ways in which they are not always ways in which they are not always true. true.

Try to uncover the assumptions that Try to uncover the assumptions that you didn’t know you had.you didn’t know you had.

An Invitation:An Invitation:

“Come In”“Come In” by Shel Silversteinby Shel Silverstein

If you are a dreamer, come in, If you are a dreamer, come in,

If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,

A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer...A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer...

If you're a pretender, come sit by my fireIf you're a pretender, come sit by my fire

For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.

Come in!Come in!

Come in!Come in!

CONVENTIONSCONVENTIONS

1d. a general agreement about basic 1d. a general agreement about basic principles or procedures; principles or procedures; alsoalso:: a  a principle or procedure accepted as principle or procedure accepted as true or correct by conventiontrue or correct by convention

3d: an established technique, practice, 3d: an established technique, practice, or device (as in literature or the or device (as in literature or the theater)theater)

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition copyright © 2002 by Merriam-Webster, IncorporatedMerriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition copyright © 2002 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated

How are How are assumptionsassumptions and and conventionsconventions related? related?

We often fail to question We often fail to question conventionsconventions, , assumingassuming that the way things are is the that the way things are is the way they are supposed to be.way they are supposed to be.

This is the opposite of critical thinking and This is the opposite of critical thinking and leads to problems where few people leads to problems where few people control the majority. control the majority.

Often, things are the way they are, just Often, things are the way they are, just because it is convenient. because it is convenient.

We most easily recognize conventions We most easily recognize conventions when they are broken. when they are broken.

Where do story conventions Where do story conventions come from?come from?

How do the qualities of children’s How do the qualities of children’s stories reveal what we believe about stories reveal what we believe about the nature of children?the nature of children?

How do children’s stories help How do children’s stories help determine what we believe about determine what we believe about children and childhood?children and childhood?