Media for Children
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EDCI 311
Fall 2004
Media for Children
The best trips we may be able to afford our young readers can be found in literature. However, unguided journeys into new lands may not change these readers’ perspectives. Often, young people have not experienced or studied lots of diverse literary patterns, and they have not visited lots of diverse cultural localities; they need to explore literature with adults who understand how the mythos of a particular group helps to shape story patterns. [. . .]
As [Clifford] Geertz says, “The problem of the integration of cultural life becomes one of making it possible for people inhabiting different worlds to have a general, and reciprocal, impact on one another.” (Henderson and May xiv)
Professor Jill P. May
Room 4168
Steven C. Beering Hall of Liberal Arts and Education
Office Phone: 4942355; Home Phone: 7433956
Email Address:
Office Hours: Mondays from 8:309:30 a.m. (or by appointment)
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Course Description
Media for Children is a course designed to introduce students to exemplary children’s literature and media. It is a survey of the materials available to contemporary audiences (consisting of both children and adults). As a content course defined around the literary aspects of children’s literature, Media for Children will allow students the opportunity to read critical theory, to practice writing critically about children’s literature, and to define for themselves the place of literature and media in the world of the child.
All writing assignments must be typed. Students must use MLA style for citations and references in critical papers. Papers with spelling errors and grammar deficiencies will be graded down. Papers that are not carefully thought out will not receive high marks. Students are expected to seek writing help from EDCI staff. They may also get help from the Purdue Writing Lab. Two copies of each paper should be handed in on the dates recorded in the syllabus. Late papers will be graded down one full grade. Plagiarism will receive an F in the class.
Participation and attendance in this class are mandatory. Students missing more than three classes will have their final grade lowered by one grade. Their grades will be lowered again by one grade when seven class periods are missed. A student who misses the class nine times will automatically fail the class. Weekly participation is expected of all A or B students. Those students who simply attend class and take notes cannot expect to receive a grade above a C. All students should take notes since they will be responsible for all class presentations and will be evaluated for their learning in the comprehensive examination. All class members will be expected to join the Purdue Student Education Association (PSEA) as a professional activity. Anyone who does not join will lose 5 points on their final grade.
Grading will consist of the following components:
1/3class attendance, small group work, writing done during class sessions, and PSEAmembership and participation;
1/3writing assignments (Weeks Seven and Fourteen);
1/3examinations (Weeks Five and Ten and Finals Week).
Objectives of the Course
1.To understand the basic elements found in good children’s literature.
2.To develop the ability to evaluate a wide variety of printed and nonprinted materials designed for children and young people.
3.To define how literature fits into the world of the child.
4.To understand the role of the critic as an interpreter of literature who defines its role within society.
5.To develop the ability to synthesize and communicate personal observations and research about literary materials for children.
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How to Write Your Formal Term Paper
First readings of books usually do not result in good papers. It is best, whenever possible, to read the book twice; once for your enjoyment and your enlightenment, once as a “close reading” of symbols, language, meaning, tone, and stylistic devices. After you have read the book a second time, you are ready to plan your paper. Steps in planning include:
1.Make an outline of your best thoughts concerning the book. Once you have made note of your findings, it is good to create a plan for your paper that is concise and clearly defined.
2.Adjust your ideas to fit the length of your paper. If the paper is short (three to six pages), your ideas should not be overcomplicated or oversimplified. Be sure your paper starts with a thesis and follows your argument through. Build proof for your arguments in a logical fashion.
3.Write a rough draft of your paper. Set it aside; when you return to the paper, read and edit it.
Remember to do the following:
1.Analyze the book, don’t summarize the action or retell the story. Summaries do not show that you have given the book’s content deep thought.
2.Don’t use too many quotes. All quotes used should be cited in your paper and fully credited on your “References” page. Do use other opinions whenever you consult professional sources. This shows that you were concerned enough to do professional reading.
3.Clearly enunciate your opinions. Make sure that your paper reflects the responses you had after reading the book. Support your opinions with analysis of the book.
4.Don’t relate your own opinion as fact. For example, don’t write “Children in the elementary school will not like the Grimm fairy tales” unless you have proof that they do not. Don’t conclude that a book is poorly written because it does not appeal to you. Try to understand why you don’t like the book and explain that if you wish, but don’t evaluate the book’s overall worth on your taste alone.
5.Sum up your argument and make it coherent. Check all words for misspellings. Look at verb and subject forms and be sure that they agree. Hand in the original typed copy of the paper along with one copy. Make another copy to keep in your possession in case anything should happen to the original.
You should always consult Easy Access: The Reference Handbook for Writers when writing papers. Grammar, bibliographic citations, and reference listings should follow an established format. MLA style is the accepted format for your EDCI 311 writing.
Article Groupings from Hendersonand May
All of the articles on this page can be found in:
Henderson, Darwin L., and Jill P. May, eds. Exploring Culturally Diverse Literature for Children and Adolescents: Learning to Listen in New Ways. Illus. S. Beth May. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2005.
Group A
Article 1:Knoeller, Christian. “‘Not One Voice, but Many’: Reading Contemporary NativeAmerican Writers.” Henderson and May 2241.
Article 2:Cockrell, Amanda. “When Coyote Leaves the Res: Incarnations of the Trickster fromWile E. to Le Guin.” Henderson and May16877.
Article 3:Elster, Charles A. “The Legend of the Golem in Popular Culture and Children’s Literature.” Henderson and May90107.
Article 4:Burch, C. Beth. “Teaching Holocaust Literature.” Henderson and May30013.
Group B
Article 1:Tolson, Nancy D. “The Black Aesthetic within Black Children’s Literature.” Henderson and May6578.
Article 2:Connolly, Paula T. “Telling Secrets and the Possibilities of Flight in I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This.” Henderson and May20515.
Article 3:Mahurt, Sarah F. “The Aesthetics of Caribbean Children’s Literature.” Henderson and May27785.
Article 4:Bigham, Shauna A. “African American Short Stories and the Oral Tradition.” Henderson and May14656.
Group C
Article 1:Van Dongen, Richard. “Reading Literature Multiculturally: A Stance to Enhance Reading of Some Hispanic Children’s Literature.” Henderson and May15767.
Article 2:Harris, VioletJ. “The Cheetah Girls Series: Multiracial Identity, Pop Culture, andConsumerism.” Henderson and May21628.
Article 3:Yokota, Junko, and Ann Bates. “Asian American Literature: Voices and Images ofAuthenticity.” Henderson and May32335.
Article 4:Campbell, Lois M. “Students’ Construction of Knowledge about Native Americans through Children’s Literature.” Henderson and May34555.
Group D
Article 1:Komenaka, April. “Transforming ‘The Crane Wife’: Western Readings and Renderings of the ‘TsuruNyobo’.” Henderson and May4253.
Article 2:Chang, Margaret. “Daydreams of Cathay: Images of China in Modern American Children’s Books.” Henderson and May5464.
Article 3:Yang, Lingyan, and Zhihui Fang. “Rainbow Literature, Rainbow Children, Rainbow Cultures, and Rainbow Histories: The Chinese and Chinese American Adolescent Heroines in Laurence Yep’s Selected Novels.” Henderson and May17895.
Article 4:Glazer, Joan I. “The Mill Girls in Fiction: Exploited Children or Independent YoungWomen?” Henderson and May31422.
Unit One
WHAT IS MEDIA FOR CHILDREN?
Children’s literature contains an American landscape that is also a subjective version of America and its peoples. At first glance, we observe a secure “universal landscape” we might wish to enter; at the same time, these texts and illustrations [as well as the visual representations we see in art and film] defy earlier depictions of many American cultural scenes stereotyped by mainstream Americans. American picture books [media for children] reveal the complexity of the literary [and visual] representations [. . .] for youth; they are the collaborative efforts of women and men who are redefining America with divergent visions of nature, space, and civilization. (Henderson and May 34)
Week One
WHAT STORIES DO WE TELL?
August 2327
Monday. What Is Children’s Media?
Wednesday. Some Ideas about Stories.
Reading: Henderson, Darwin L.,and Jill P. May. Introduction and “In the Beginning: Recognizing Diversity in Children’s and Adolescent Literature.” Exploring Culturally Diverse Literature for Children and Adolescents: Learning to Listen in New Ways. Ed.Darwin L. Henderson and Jill P. May. Illus. S. Beth May. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2005. xiiixviii and110. (ISBN 0205366406.)
Friday. Writing about Literature (meet in large lecture hall).
Reference: Keene, Michael L.,and Katherine H. Adams. Easy Access: The Reference Handbook for Writers. 3rd ed. Boston: McGraw, 2002. (ISBN 007283661X.)
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Week Two
CLASSICAL CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
August 30 – September 3
Monday. Books and Films.
Reading: Lester, Julius, adapt. The Tales of Uncle Remus: The Adventures of Brer Rabbit. Illus. Jerry Pinkney. 1987. New York: PuffinPenguin, 1999. (ISBN 0141303476.)
Wednesday. How Can We Talk about Books and Films?
Assignment: Survey the “Article Groupings from Henderson and May,” located on page 4 ofthis syllabus, and write a short statement explaining why you wish to read a particular group for small group work.
Media: Brer Rabbit and Boss Lion. Perf. Danny Glover. Videocassette. Weston Woods Studios, 2001. (VC7933.)
Friday. Meet in large lecture hall.
Reading: Tal, Eve. “Walking the Tightrope: A Consideration of Problems and Solutions inAdapting Stories from the Oral Tradition.” Henderson and May 33644.
Week Three
CHOOSING WAYS TO READ
September 8 and 10
Wednesday. Subjectivity and the Reader.
Reading: Lehman, Barbara A. “Religious Representation in Children’s Literature: Disclosure through Character, Perspective, and Authority.” Henderson and May 1121.
Friday. Reading Other People’s Experiences (small groups).
Reading: Article 1 from your selected group of articles in Henderson and May.
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Week Four
REGIONALISM AND CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
September 1317
Monday. Defining Realism; Defining Ecocriticism.
Reading: LaMarche, Jim. The Raft. Illus. Jim LaMarche. New York: HarperTrophyHarper, 2000. (ISBN 0064438562.)
Wednesday. Life’s Cycle, Literature’s Cycle.
Media: The Library. By Sarah Stewart. Videocassette. Live Oak Media, 1996. (VC7936.)
Friday. Reviewing Picture Books (small groups).
Week Five
THEORY INTO PRACTICE
September 2024
Monday. Reading Historically and Forming a Canon.
Reading: Henderson, Darwin L., and Jill P. May. “Final Note: Searching for Material toShare” and “Toward a New Perspective: Learning to Interpret Culturally Diverse Literature.” Henderson and May 13335 and 13745.
Wednesday. Revisiting the Classics.
Reading: May, Jill P. “Linguistic Secrets: Subjective Attitudes about Race and Gender inChildren’s Literature.” Henderson and May7989.
Friday.
There will be an examination on Weeks OneFour.
Unit Two
LITERATURE AND CULTURAL IDENTITY
We ask ourselves, “When is a publication authentic? What causes a particular book to be aesthetically pleasing and historically valuable? What are the contemporary stories that are told in the books being published for children? Who are the illustrators and authors I wish to share with children?” (Henderson and May 133)
Week Six
EXPLORING OUR PAST
September 27 – October 1
Monday. Stories about American Children from the Past.
Media: Chaparral Prince. Videocassette. Learning Corporation of America, 1982. (VC0782.)
Media: Flossie and the Fox. Videocassette. Weston Woods Studios, 1991. (VC2775.)
Wednesday. Representations of Class in Early Children’s Literature.
Reading: Wiggin, Kate Douglas. The Birds’ Christmas Carol. 1886. New York: Houghton,n.d. (ISBN 0395891108.)
Friday. Visual Representations of American History (small groups).
Reading: ClappItnyre, Alisa. “The Power of Women, the Power of Teens: Revisioning Gender and Age in the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys Mystery Series.” Henderson and May28699.
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Week Seven
CONTEMPORARY STORIES
October 48
Monday. Books for Adolescents.
Reading: Murrill, Leslie. “Do Young Readers Need Happy Endings?” Henderson and May35668.
Wednesday. Contemporary Children’s Books.
Reading: Henderson, Darwin L., and Jill P. May. “Final Note: Keeping Current.” Henderson and May 25253.
Media: Too Many Tamales. By Gary Soto. Dir. Paul R. Gagne and Leigh Corra. Exec.Prod. Linda Lee. Videocassette. Weston Woods Studios, 2002. (VC7940.)
Friday. Reading Criticism (small groups).
Reading: Article 2 from your selected group of articles in Henderson and May.
Paper One: Choose one of the following four authors and write a seven to ninepage paper that includes critical opinions found in the children’s literature journals listed below and HSSE biographical resources concerning the author’s contributions to contemporary children’s and/or adolescent literature. Use these opinions to frame your critical discussion of one of the books listed with the author’s name. Be sure to build a careful analysis based on the guidelines in Easy Access for writing about literature.
Authors and books:
Robert Cormier. Tunes for Bears to Dance To or I Am the Cheese.
Jack Gantos. Hole in My Life or Jack on the Tracks: Four Seasons of Fifth Grade.
Gary Paulsen. Nighjohn or The Foxman.
Laurence Yep. When the Circus Came to Town or Sweetwater.
Children’s literature journals:
Bookbird, Children’s Literature, Children’s Literature in Education, Children’sLiterature Association Quarterly, Journal of Children’s Literature, TheLionand the Unicorn, and The New Advocate.
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Week Eight
RHETORICAL CONVERSATIONS
October 13 and 15
Wednesday. Listening to the Author’s Narrative.
Reading: Sipe, Lawrence R.,and Patricia A. Daley. “StoryReading, StoryMaking, StoryTelling: Urban African American Kindergartners Respond to Culturally Relevant Picture Books.” Henderson and May22942.
Friday. Listening to Children (small groups).
Reading: Ruan, Jiening. “Responding to Chinese Children’s Literature: Cultural Identity and Literary Responses.” Henderson and May 24351.
Reading: Tsarykovska, Olha. “Picture Books and ESL Students: Theoretical and Practical Implications for Elementary School Classroom Teachers.” Henderson and May 10817.
Week Nine
NEW PERSPECTIVES
October 1822
Monday. International Children’s Literature.
Wednesday. Who Can Write the Stories?
Reading: Ellis, Deborah. Parvana’s Journey. Toronto: Groundwood, 2002. (ISBN0888995199.)
Friday. Reviewing Children’s Books (small groups).
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Week Ten
DIVERGENT IMAGERY
October 2529
Monday. Literary Elements in Culturally Distinct Stories.
Wednesday. Patterns that Shape Literary Appreciation.
Reading: Article 3 from your selected group of articles in Henderson and May.
Friday.
There will be an examination on Weeks FiveNine.
Week Eleven
IMAGINATIVE SCENES IN WORDS AND PICTURES
November 15
Monday. Traveling to New Worlds.
Reading: Sís, Peter. A Small Tall Tale from the Far Far North. Illus. Peter Sís. 1993. NewYork: SunburstFarrar, 2001. (ISBN 0374467250.)
Wednesday. Extending Possibilities.
Media: Antarctic Antics: A Book of Penguin Poems. By Judy Sierra. Dir. Gary Goldberger and Peter Reynolds. Exec. Prod. Linda Lee. Videocassette. Weston Woods Studios, 2000. (VC7932.)
Friday. Words and Pictures: Combined Visions (small groups).
Unit Three
AUDIENCE AND APPRECIATION
Finally, cultural diversity is inclusive. It shouldn’t mean everything other than “white” or mainstream literature. A college student shouldn’t point to a book by a black writer and call it a “multicultural book.” Rather, that student, ideally, should develop a multicultural approach to thinking about literature and culture and living. (Dianne Johnson in Henderson and May 371)
Week Twelve
LITERARY CONSIDERATIONS
November 812
Monday. Talking about Literature.
Reading: Article 4 from your selected group of articles in Henderson and May.
Wednesday. Doing Literary Research.
Friday. Framing a Literary Discussion of Children’s Literature (small groups).
Week Thirteen
LITERATURE’S PLAYFULNESS
November 1519
Monday. Whose Party Is It?
Reading: Soto, Gary. Chato and the Party Animals. Illus. Susan Guevara. 2000. NewYork: PuffinPenguin, 2004. (ISBN 0142400327.)
Wednesday. Imaginative Stories.
Media: The Mouse and the Motorcycle. By Beverly Cleary. Videocassette. Churchill Films, 1986. (VC7938.)
Friday. Nonsense! Nonsense! (small groups).
Week Fourteen
CONVERSATIONS AND EXPLORATIONS
November 22
Monday. Revisiting Our Past.
Reading: Henderson, Darwin L., and Jill P. May. “Defining Cultural Uniqueness: Agency inthe Critique of Children’s and Adolescent Literature”and “Final Note: Continuing Our Conversations.” Henderson and May 25565 and 36971.
Paper Two: Read Cicely DeneanCobb’s paper (“‘If You Give a Nigger an Inch, They Will Take an Ell’: The Role of Education in Mildred D. Taylor’s Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and Let the Circle Be Unbroken”) in Henderson and May (196204) and consider how she constructed an analytical discussion of Mildred Taylor. With this as a model, write a paper that considers the following: What is the role of creativity in children’s literature? How much freedom should an author have when writing for young people? Is it the author’s obligation to present both negative and positive aspects of humanity within literature written for PK9 audiences?