Wellness Grant

Judith Krug 2011 © American Library Association

Another school year has begun and before you know it will be time to celebrate Banned Books Week (BBW), Sept 24-Oct 1. BBW was started in 1982 by American librarian and anti-censorship activist, the late Judith Krug, in response to the number of books that were being challenged in libraries and bookstores all over the country. It’s easy to be a censor. Some parents simply refuse to return books they deem offensive and happily pay a lost book fine instead. I call them the “silent censors.” Indykids, a weekly progressive newsletter for kids, is often refused shelf space in public libraries because it has been accused of being one-sided. Censorship is alive and well in America.

Some of the greatest works of American literature have been the most challenged books, such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, To Kill a Mockingbird, or Fahrenheit 451— ironically, a book about how reading has been outlawed in the future.

A meaningful way to celebrate the First Amendment and intellectual freedom is to attend a local event during Banned Books Week. There are several events in Ohio such as the Word Warriors: Banned Brilliance of African American Authors on Tuesday, September 27, from 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., at the Columbus Urban League, 788 Mt. Vernon Ave. And anyone can participate in the first time ever virtual book reading event, which will be staged on the Banned Books Week Virtual Read-Out YouTube channel by the American Library Association. Two and three minute videos of people reading banned books and telling their stories will be posted for viewing.

Of course, the best way to celebrate BBW is by reading those authors who have been consistently accused of writing books that describe sexual situations, promote occult religions, excessive violence and homosexuality, or encourage racism, the use of four letter words, and the taking of the name of ‘G_d’ in vain. Or lacking any of these supposed characteristics, there’s always one of my favorite reasons for censorship, “being inappropriate for age of audience.” Who decides what age is more ready for a concept than another age?

You could read books by Ellen Hopkins, author of Crank, Glass, and Fallout. Hopkins was recently uninvited to the Humble, Texas, Teen Lit Fest after a handful of parents were encouraged, by a librarian no less, into complaining to Superintendent Guy Sconzo. The librarian said Hopkins’ books talked about taboo subjects — drugs, addiction and suicide — and that this was too offensive for their innocent teenagers. Hopkins had participated in two previous Teen Lit festivals without incident, but I guess that was not considered relevant.

Read John Green’s Looking for Alaska or Will Grayson, Will Grayson, (see wickedawesomebooks.com), Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, or Stephanie Meyers’ Twilight series. These books have been read by millions of teenagers around the world in a time when kids would rather be watching TV, playing video games, playing sports or complain that they simply don’t have time to read. I believe that kids want to read! They want books that will inspire them, entertain them, relate to their lives, and describe what they are feeling in any format that they can get. School libraries, public libraries and parents just need to allow their children to read them — and providing some quiet time and space to do so wouldn’t hurt either.

By Susan Ridgeway, Wooster Education Association

As the 10^th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, we are likely to recollect exactly where and when we were during the news of the terrorist attacks. This has happened time and time again with other generations and tragic events. I remember my parents saying the same thing about JFK or the Kent State shootings. You simply don’t forget days that change the world you know.

Many of our students do not know life as it was before 9/11.  Many were not even alive in 2001. This year’s seniors were only 7 or 8 years old at the time of the attack.  Some may remember the footage on TV, the reactions of adults around them, and the feelings of anxiety and fear. However, the majority of our students see this event as another day in history. September 11^th is a day that they’ve heard about but neither remember nor fully understand.

Perhaps you have already found a way to incorporate Patriot Day into your plans.  Because 9/11 falls on a Sunday, you will need to plan activities for the Friday before or the week after. There isn’t much time to pull ideas together so here are a few quick suggestions:

For younger children:

• Share a story: Choose from a list of Children’s Books about 9/11.
• Sing patriotic songs
• Talk about everyday heroes, firefighters, and policemen
• Have a Red, White, and Blue day

For middle school and high school:

• Interpret poetry: Read and analyze Poems written after 9/11.
• Distinguish between fact and opinion: Students write down five things they know about 9/11.  Upon sharing, sort their ideas as either fact or opinion.
• Compare and contrast: Find similarities and differences with historic events such as Pearl Harbor.
• Develop interviewing, note taking, and reporting skills: Students brainstorm a list of questions and interview an adult that remembers that day.  Students will then report back to the class.
• Create with multimedia: Students incorporate music and photos to create videos about 9/11.
• Study primary sources: Skype with a classroom in New York City to learn about their experiences.
• Explore symbolism: Look at the 9/11 Memorial and the Pentagon Memorial. Discuss the symbolism in the design.  Have students create their own memorials.
• Examine cause and effect: Look at the effects of 9/11 on the economy, gas prices, and security.
• Discuss the use of propaganda in the War on Terrorism.
• For even more ideas….Teachable Moments is a website with numerous activities for the 10^th Anniversary of 9/11, as well as for other current national and world events that promote social responsibility.

They say that history repeats itself, and 9/11 is certainly a day we do not want to see repeated.  What can we do as educators so our students learn from this tragedy? What is the best way to make this event relevant to today? What if you aren’t a history teacher? What if your curriculum is so full you feel you can’t take any time away from your subject area?  What if you don’t?

Everyday, both in the classroom and in the world around us, we are presented with teachable moments and we must make the most of them.  Use the 10^th Anniversary of 9/11 as a way to help students understand, never forget, and grow up to be proud citizens of the United States of America.

Last month, a small group of students from our middle school had the privilege of attending the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) National Innovation Summit in Washington, D.C. Ten years ago, PLTW was designed to promote learning in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and was piloted in a dozen schools in New York. Today, almost 4,000 middle and high schools participate in this program and more than 350,000 students will take a PLTW course this school year.

Students in PLTW are encouraged to use imagination and creativity, as well as scientific processes and mathematics skills, in the classroom and then connect these learning experiences to real-life problems. The team of four students from our school investigated the problems and concerns of our playground and then used a Design Matrix to develop a realistic and innovative solution to the problem. While in Washington, D.C., the team shared their project with other student groups from schools around the country. In addition to their presentation, the team participated in the VEW Robotics Competition and toured various sites in the Capitol.

Over and over again, we, as Ohio teachers, hear how our students are falling further and further behind – behind other states and behind other countries in the world – when it comes to academics and technology. According to an annual ranking by NEWSWEEK, eighteen of The Top 100 Schools participate in the PLTW program. In 2010, only two Ohio schools made the Top 100.

All students in our middle school take a 9-week PLTW course. Some of these students may have never engaged in activities of this kind. By providing this program to everyone, students have a chance to try something new and perhaps, find something they have a passion for. Students are able to continue PLTW courses at the high school level if they choose. Again, the ultimate goal is to see an increase in enrollment in college programs that surround STEM.

The benefits of a program like PLTW are both immediate and long-term. Daily lessons and activities are engaging and promote interaction and creativity. Hands-on learners can experiment, investigate, and problem-solve in the way that best suits their learning style. The connection between the academic content in their core classes and real-life situations is made through meaningful, purposeful activities. But perhaps most important is the indirect teaching of interpersonal skills.

Communication, collaboration, and relationship building are all life-long skills that can be gained from a program like PLTW. The students who attended the conference in Washington, D.C. had the opportunity to work with students from all over the country. The opportunity for interaction, conversation, and social networking provided an experience that many of these participants will not soon forget. It should be no surprise that these students are fostering these newfound friendships on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace.

Teenagers need to learn how to work together, how to collaborate, how to communicate, and how to come together. Imagine the potential of the students who gathered together in Washington, D.C. last month. These teenagers, the ones who roam our hallways today, will soon grow up to become the adults who will be responsible for leading our country. By providing experiences in a “project-based program that engages the hearts and minds of thousands of middle school and high school students,” we are lighting a fire that could fuel the future.

By Melanie Krause, Dover Education Association