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Introduction to Western Children's Literature 西洋兒童文學導論 Professor: Jonathan Klassen 孫克強 Class Time: Wednesdays 9:05-12:00 Four perspectives from which people study children’s literature Creative writing Education Literature Library Science A literature class This is a literature class first, and a class about children’s literature second. Our focus here is Not how to use books with children (education) not how to recommend or categorize books (library science). Not how write children’s books (creative writing). We are looking at children’s literature as art. What are these texts saying and how do they say it? What makes some books “better” than others? How do we understand texts for children? What are their qualities and characteristics? Required Texts Folktale Packet (on line) Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry The Tale of Despereaux, by Kate DiCamillo Online resources and articles 10-20 picture books of your choice Expectations Form discussion groups of 4-5 students for the semester. Complete all reading in English before class each week. Come to class on time prepared to both listen and discuss. Use English to discuss with classmates, answer questions, and make presentations. Complete all work on time. Missing a presentation or handing in late work will seriously affect your grade Goals To become critical (intelligent) readers. To be able to converse and write critically about children’s literature. To understand and modify your own framework for understanding children’s literature and culture. Objectives To understand the traditions of English language children’s literature from a historical perspective. To understand the basic conventions of children’s literature. To understand the basic genres (categories) within of children’s literature. To challenge common assumptions about children’s literature by knowing where they come from. To learn important vocabulary for discussing children’s literature. Grading 15% Participation (attendance, discussion, preparation and groupwork) 45% Three Individual Presentations Folk Tale Comparison Handout 15% Poetry Poster 15% Picture Book Critique 15% 25% One Short Paper (3-4 pages) 15% Reading Journal (2 parts), Daily Reading Response, Picture Book Reading log) Class Schedule Keep track of the weekly schedule by checking the class website regularly. You should do all reading and hand in all work according the schedule on the website whether I remind you or not. There are four units in this order. Folktales Novels A (fantasy) Poetry Novels B (realism) Picture books Welcome to this class “Come In” by Shel Silverstein If you are a dreamer, come in, If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer... If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire For we have some flax-golden tales to spin. Come in! Come in! Children, Childhood & Children’s Literature definitions, assumptions, conventions, confusion What are children? Let’s start with our assumptions about children. What do you think or believe about children or childhood? Such questions can be difficult because even though we have many ideas and beliefs, we may have never thought about them consciously. Discuss the following questions in groups: 1. What is a child? How are children different from adults? 2. What is the best way for children to learn? 3. What are the most important things for children to learn? What different ideas about children and childhood do these photos bring to your mind? 13 Consider our answers Try not to think about whether your answers are right or wrong; instead, consider what they say about your own beliefs and assumptions. Why do you think the way you do? Your personal experiences? Society? Media? Careful consideration? Try to think of some of the ways your beliefs and assumptions are not necessarily completely correct. What about children’s literature? Answer these questions based on your ideas of children. 1. 2. 3. 4. What are the qualities of good children’s books? Why should children read? What kinds of books should children read? Do we need children’s literature? Why or why not? What is children’s literature? Literature Literature Literature Literature about children? by children? for children? that children like/read? Author & Audience Who writes, edits, publishes, critiques, sells and buys children's book? and who reads children’s book? Children’s books say a lot about what society thinks is appropriate for children. Do children’s books help to make children more “childlike”? Assumptions Don’t hold on to your assumptions and try to prove them. Rather, challenge your assumptions. Try to prove them untrue, or find ways in which they are not always true. Try to uncover the assumptions that you didn’t know you had. Conventions 1d. a general agreement about basic principles or procedures; also: a principle or procedure accepted as true or correct by convention 3d: an established technique, practice, or device (as in literature or the theater) Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition copyright © 2002 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated How are assumptions and conventions related? We often fail to question conventions, assuming that the way things are is the way they are supposed to be. This is the opposite of critical thinking and leads to problems where few people control the majority. Often, things are the way they are, just because it is convenient. We most easily recognize conventions when they are broken. Where do story conventions come from? How do the qualities of children’s stories reveal what we believe about the nature of children? How do children’s stories help determine what we believe about children and childhood? Homework for next class 1. Download the Folktales packet and read pages 1-12. 2. Be prepared to talk about the different versions of Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood. 3. Know how Charles Perrault and the Grimm Brothers are similar and how they are different.