Alfie Kohn

Alfie Kohn

Alfie Kohn is a author of 11 books on education, progressive schools and parenting. He is a former high school teacher who currently lectures at many universities in the United States. I was lucky enough to hear him speak and meet him on Monday, May 10th.

I have never read a book by Alfie Kohn and so his ideas about education would be new to me. I briefly leafed though two of his books before he started speaking. Kohn had a large impact on me on Monday.

First: I felt validated as a person and a teacher. Always a sign of a good speaker. Seriously he talked about how homework, tests and grades are detrimental to the learning process. So much of the homework out there is meaningless. Students of all ages should explore and create what they what to learn. Not what is teacher directed or expected.

Second: Classrooms should be student centered. The teacher is merely a vessel to guide students, not the all-knowing goddess of the classroom. Why do we need homework and tests? They do not prove that anyone has learned anything, only that students have jumped through designated hoops.

Third: AP classrooms are not conducive to learning. It takes the choices right out of learning. Students must listen, read and take a test. For some students, this is how they like to learn, for other students the AP model is way off base. Demanding a whole grade to step up to the challenge of an AP class is down-right nonsense. It is setting kids up to fail.

Thanks you Alfie Kohn for validating me as a teacher. I am going to see if I can move my teaching and my classroom into a more progressive model. I am getting off my soapbox now.

The Postman Always Rings Twice

The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain

Written in 1934 this short classic novel garnered lots of publicity for its mixture of sexuality and violence. The book was banned in Boston when it was originally published. Today, this book reads like a standard crime novel, fast paced, original and creative.

The expression "The Postman Always Rings Twice" is a metaphor that refers to the protagonist. The reader must infer that Frank may get away with the crime at first but fate keeps coming until you pay for what you have done. At least that's what I think it means. Just so you know, there is not a postman in the story and the titled expression is not used once.

This book is a type of story labeled Roman Noir. In other words, Roman Noir means English Gothic novel or detective novel and is also called Hard-boiled fiction. Basically these terms refer to the crime novels and authors who published in the decades of the 1920's and 30's. James M. Cain falls into this category.

The movie version, which I have not seen, stars Lana Turner and James Garfield. I am not sure if I will see it. Crime novels and movies about murder cause me to lose sleep at night but maybe since the film is a few decades old it will be OK. Hmmm, I will see if my library owns a copy.

The Postman Always Rings Twice is a book on the list: 1001 books to read before you die. It deserves a spot in the list mainly because of the controversy it caused when released as a Roman Noir novel. I love reading and learning about cultural history and this book was a pop classic of its time.

South of Broad

South of Broad by Pat Conroy

This book was just released in paperback a week ago and I received a free copy in the mail from Random House. Yahoo! I love receiving free books in the mail. I have never read a book by Pat Conroy so I am excited to add a new author to my ever expanding "to read" list.

South of Broad was a NY Times bestseller in hardcover. According to the back cover the book takes place in Charleston, South Carolina and spans two decades. The book begins in June of 1969, and follows a group of high school outsiders as their lives unfold amid racism, class divisions, Vietnam and love. I anticipate this will be a great book group book. Looking forward to reading this so watch for a review in the future.

As always, Happy Reading!

Through the Looking-Glass

Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll

2010 is my year devoted to Alice. I have read Alice in Wonderland and have just finished Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There for the first time in my life. I don't recall ever viewing a film version of the stories, so these books are my first introduction to the brave character of Alice.

I loved the creative use of the chess game as a backdrop for Alice's adventures. Alice goes through the looking glass and begins making moves from a pawn to a queen. She has always wanted to be a queen (what little girl doesn't). This story is strategic and is equally full of exciting and strange characters complete with odd vocabulary, double meanings and living life backwards.

My favorite quote from the book: "There is no use in trying," said Alice, "one can't believe in impossible things." "I dare say you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."

Lewis Carroll wrote these books under a pen name. His real name is Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. He wrote his stories for the "real Alice" a daughter of a colleague of his. Alice and her siblings begged him to write down his stories and so he did. Thankfully generations of children and adults have these books to cherish for many years. Check out The Lewis Carroll Society of North America at http://www.lewiscarroll.org

To continue my journey with Alice, I plan to watch the film when it is released and to read the Young Adult novel THE LOOKING GLASS WARS. Until then I will continue my reading adventures.

The First Part Last

The First Part Last by Angela Johnson

This is a sweet poetic love story. The story between a 16 year old male and his brand new baby, told from the teenage father's point of view. It was original, endearing and true to life. The author does an excellent job telling about the up and downs of teenage pregnancy. I was greatly moved at the end of the book, when I fully expected a predictable ending. It was definitely not predictable!

I recommended this book to one of the teenage mother's in my class. Her baby is about 5 months old. I can't even begin to imagine how hard it is to be a teenage parent. It is hard to be a 40 year old parent, so being a teenage parent offers a unique challenge for the parents and the child. This book will give you a small dose of the reality of teenage parenthood.

The First Last Part won the Printz Award (my favorite YA book award) and the Coretta Scott King Award. The author has won the Scott King Award three times in her career.

The First Last Part begins with the last part first and ends with the first part last. It is a unique way to tell the story. Loved it! There are two more books that continue Bobby and his daughter, Feather's story. HEAVEN is the second book and LOOKING FOR RED the third. I would highly recommend this book to teenagers and their parents. Great talking points!

When You Are Engulfed in Flames

When You Are Engulfed In Flames by David Sedaris

I really wanted to like this book as I hear all sorts of great things about Sedaris. I expected to laugh out loud till I cried. Unfortunately, one shouldn't have expectations when reading Sedaris. I read this book with my book club called "The Itty Bitty Reading Committee". Two members of the group had read previous books by Sedaris and thought this one was great. Two of us disagreed and thought the author self-centered and narcissistic.

This book is a series of short stories about the author's life and his day to day existence. Many stories have the minor theme of death and dying running through them. The stories are entertaining, some funny, some stupid and some just plain ridiculous. Overall, this book was OK, definitely not a page turner for me but some of the stories were thought provoking. I did find it interesting to be a voyeur into Sedaris personal life.

Needless to say, David Sedaris is a author whose personality kinda got on my nerves and in the way of my complete enjoyment of the book. I am wondering if I should try another one of his books or just abandon Sedaris altogether.

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing. Traitor to the Nation. Volume #1 The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson

A book that captured many awards including the National Book Award for Young People, and a Printz Honor. This unique book, would not, in my opinion, appeal to the average reader. It takes place around the time of the Revolutionary War and the language in the book is similar to language used at that time. Much of the novel is founded it fact although it has a very gothic feel to it.

I read this book with a group of high school teachers and staff and many could not finish the book due to the way it was written. The author wrote the book in eighteenth century grammar and diction and it had an authentic historical style to it. I did finish the book and plan on reading the second, but the writing did take some getting used to.

The story is about a slave named Octavian. It is common for slave owners to give their slaves sophisticated Greek and Roman names. Octavian is an experiment although he doesn't know it till later in the book. The experiment has to do with the equality of the races. It is very thought provoking.

Then comes the Pox Party. During the Revolutionary period people experimented with inoculation. Small Pox was an epidemic, killing massive amounts of people and they knew that if you were exposed to it and lived, you built up a immunity. Inoculation in many cases was done by cutting the skin and infecting the person with a hair or thread from a pox victim. Many got sick and died this way. It is after the Party that Octavian's life changes in a dramatic way and the early battles of the war are fought. The story ends but leaves you wanting to find out what happens next in Octavian's journey.

If you love history and you can get past the writing style, you will appreciate the creativeness and the important social issues of the time this book represents. Heck, the issues haven't changed much in over 200 years. Give this book a try, you just might enjoy it.

Knocked Out by My Nunga-Nungas

Knocked Out by My Nunga-Nungas by Louise Rennison

Louise Rennison has written a series of hilarious books for teens and women who remember being a teen. Georgia Nicolson is the main character in the books. She is a rowdy, saucy and a completely out of whack 14 year old. She has a fat old cat named Angus who is in love with a vixen next door. A serious dad who she can't stand because he is ruining her life as a teenager. She has a little sister who follows her around, dances naked in the house and embarrasses her frequently. Her mother has simply lost all control of her.

I have read three books in the series and plan to finish all ten by the end of the year. I consider these stories my book candy. The are funny and a little off kilter but a delicious romp through teenagerhood. I laugh out loud every time I read one. Plus, these are the best book titles out there.

My daughter, like the main character in the books, is named Georgia and so I am saving these books to give to her when she turns thirteen in about four years. Every time I laugh out loud, my Georgia is curious to know what is so funny.

The first book in the series ANGUS, THONGS, AND FULL-FRONTAL SNOGGING won the Printz award. This is my favorite book award because I tend to love all the books on the winners list. The second book ON THE BRIGHT SIDE I'M NOT THE GIRLFRIEND OF A SEX GOD is just as good as the first as Georgia finally gets her man (a much older teen in a band). The third book KNOCKED OUT BY MY NUNGA-NUNGAS has a lot of snogging going on. She learns ear snogging and nip libbling. I love her snogging scale and wish I had thought of that when I was a teen.

I highly recommend these creative books to fun seeking teens and their mothers. You will learn a little British speak, and pee your pants because you won't be able to stop laughing. Oh and now there is a movie!!

Schindler's List

Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally

Most of the world has seen the film, but not read the book. I saw the film years ago and remember not really liking it. So when I picked up the book to read, I was a bit nervous that I wouldn't like it. I started reading Schindler's List in February and during that month something serendipitous happened. I was asked to chaperone a trip to the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. This was a dream come true for me. Literally books can bring you to magical places and bring new opportunities to your life. This is one instance.

It took me about two months to finish Schindler's List. This is not an easy read. The first 200 pages were difficult mainly because of all the Polish and German words and then trying to connect all the different people. I ended up taking a month long break from the book. I never do this, I always read a book cover to cover. But this was the right choice and I when I went back to reading it, I was prepared to finish it.

I read the book on the plane to and from the Holocaust Museum and I am so glad I did. The Museum was such an emotional and moving testament to the people of the Holocaust. Schindler's List really prepared me for what I would see there. Afterwards, it helped me to reflect on the importance of continuing to read about the Holocaust and other difficult life matters, so that we as a world community never forget and we tell our secrets without shame.

While in the bookstore at the Holocaust Museum I found the book THE GIRL IN THE RED COAT by Roma Ligocka. The girl in the red coat is in the story of Schindler's List. So I was immediately drawn to it. The back cover said that the author recognized herself in the film and was then forced to confront her past which inspired her to write this memoir. This book is now on my to be read list.

This book definitely deserves its status as one of the 1001 books you must read before you die. I would definitely recommend this book but give yourself plenty of time to read it. It is not a book that you travel through quickly or easily but it is truly memorable and inspiring.

Book Challenges

Have you ever participated in a book challenge? This will be my first experience with a book challenge. As a book snob I enjoy a challenge even though I have a hard time with anyone dictating my book choices. So the key is to pick challenges that don't interfere with my right to read what I want. I am going to try two book challenges this year and may add more.

The first one is called The Graphic Novel Challenge. My son loves these types of books and I have a few hanging around on my book shelves that need to be read. Plus I thought I could find some good books that would appeal to my son as well and then we could have something to talk about it. I am joining at the intermediate level, which means I pledge to read 3-10 graphic novels by the end of the year. I will review them as I go.

The second one I want to try is The Young Adult Book Challenge. My goal is to read somewhere between 12 and 25 Young Adult novels this year. I am super excited about this because I love YA books and I love reading what my students are reading. It gives me a reason to connect with students about book choices. Plus these books are falling off my shelves begging to be read.

I challenge you to try a book challenge!