What does this mean to teachers?
As classroom teachers, we must take into account the interests of our students. Lets say for example there is a library shelf with 20 books. 10 of them are nonfiction and 2 are about cars, student A's interest. 10 of the books are fiction and 8 of them are about cars. What is the likelihood that student A will read nonfiction over fiction? The ratio of fiction to non fiction books is 3/4. This gives student A much more access to books that are fiction pertaining to his interests.
When planning a classroom library, we must make a consensus of what our students are interested in. Ideally, we would like our students to choose books based on balance, choosing fiction and nonfiction reflectively. In order for this to happen, we have to make sure we have a large stock of materials for that child to read. In this chapter, the author mentions the importance of getting to your local library. There is no better way to engage students than to switch out the books in the library monthly. I think this is a great idea, because as a future first year teacher, my income will be slightly low and purchasing materials for the classroom would be very difficult. Taking advantage of the resources we have, can give us the best of both world, keeping our students engaged in a diverse set of books and types of readings.
Table 10.2, partly replicated below, shoes the goals of teaching multicultural non fiction.
Goal
- Contribute to students' self-esteem and self-awareness
- Help children of diverse cultures appreciate the contribution of their ancestors.
- Contribute to the development of respect across cultures.
- Illustrate the history of various diverse cultures in this country and abroad.
- Provide up-to-the-minute portrayals of everyday lives of youngsters from diverse cultures living today.
I incorporated this section of goals because it is a reference we should keep within reach, reminding us the importance of nonfiction references. When learning about promoting multicultural understanding, pg. 272, I learned a technique worth sharing. When teaching a lesson, no matter what subject, use fiction and nonfiction books interchangeably.
In this section of the text, Eric Carls fiction story about a caterpillar was used to introduce a lesson. Because the caterpillar ends up changing his form, to a butterfly, using a nonfiction book about what a chrysalis, is about, is a great way to get your students to understand what the change is and in turn, appreciate the fiction and nonfiction book much more.
When choosing a nonfiction book, we have to make sure that the book meets the proper criteria to be used as an informational book. My Season with Penguins by Sophie Webb is an excellent example of a fictional book. This book introduces the topic and informative text in a way that is organized for a student to make a easy read. Nonfiction books do not need to be complex reads, they need to be reads that work to our students levels of learning.
Myths and Facts About Nonfiction Biography and Information Books
Myth:
Nonfiction is only a dry recitation of facts, badly reproduced photographs, and practical prose.
Fact:
Today's quality nonfiction is a piece of literature that is a work of art.
Myth:
The Information in textbooks is more effective than trade books for learning about a content area.
Fact:
Problems with textbooks have been a major force driving the trend toward using trade books. Trade books generally are more up to date, and provide a more focused, in depth look at particular subjects.
Myth:
Both boys and girls would rather read fiction than nonfiction.
Fact:
Children of all ages prefer reading nonfiction when given the opportunity. First-grade girls and boys prefer nonfiction books; however generally, boys are more drawn to nonfiction than girls.
Below is a short video clip from Patrick Allen, a very well known educational leader who trains teachers on how to incorporate different aspects into their teachings. This clip is about introducing informative books in the classroom using a read-a-loud method. Hope you enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va9UWr7Y6rg
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