Writing for teens

As I think about all these great stories on different sites I keep having the same thought - WRITING - Reading is the skill that will let our youth learn how to express themselves through the written word. Often times we are inspired to do what others have experienced.

Guys Lit Wire

What an exciting time. A time of a personal growth and defining moments. Adolescent literature does a pretty good job of offering selections that can truly speak to kids. The bigger problem is accepting that reading isn’t cool and we need to find another way to reach students. The same person that is facilitating any kind of academic experience can also play a role in not being able to share great literature with our future leaders. An idea that has to be at the front of our experience as, literally, tomorrow’s teachers should focus heavily on carrying these amazing things we’ve literature classes and figure out a fun way to do this with students.
I am an avid reader, now, 10 years later. I did not like to read as an adolescent. The computer and internet are revolutionizing the way literature has to be taught. As I was exploring the different websites I found that not only are these good places for teachers and students to use, but a place where they can do this together. A major challenge in my current academic graduate university career is being able to focus on what a teacher is trying to tell me without ever hearing a voice. The current separation between the virtual teacher and student put too much weight on the student. All students need to have a physical relationship with an open and practical educator in order to ensure academic success.
Current programs that are successful with virtual high-school classrooms incorporate a mentorship type of relationship with the teacher and partner relationships among peers. In addition, taking the “high-stakes” out of enjoying a story makes it much more palatable to anyone, especially a 13-year old may be a key step towards teaching another generation to be life-long people that read for pleasure. A great way to accomplish this goal is through literature circles. However, there cannot be a penalty for not having the “right” answer or having not read the piece at all.
When reviewing http://guyslitwire.blogspot.com/ I, as a guy was immediately drawn to both the name and the visuals including a logo. I was surprised and entertained to find The Holy Goof: A Biography of Neal Cassady as a choice on the site. Additionally, giving an accurate synopsis makes the difference between a student choosing to read or not. The true learning begins to take place as kids read this type of true life story and start to think “Wow this is pretty cool”. This isn’t math or science, literature is art. Using this site as a teaching tool may be very effective in reaching out to current readers as well as those have not begun their reading journey. This particular website appears to be geared toward middle-class white kids, which are a huge demographic of our schools. I would not use this website in a demographically diverse classroom due to the lack of representation on the cover page of any other cultures. Where the site does a good job of is covering different genres that interest teens including comedy and alternative reality books that are generally not on the curriculum at Suburban High USA.
The blog format is current and hip. I will definitely show my sixth grader this site and see if he can pick out a book that he wants to read and then read it. We’ll see…

The Giver

In the not to distant future Jonas brings us into his reality. Drugs, Suicide, Fighter Planes, could this be our future? In THE GIVER you have the oppurtunity to look into and become immersed in a society where breaking "rules" can have life-changing consequences.

The Civil War, World Wars 1 & 2, Sabre tooth tigers, the Vietnam conflict, George W. Bush and energy concerns would be a few of the things you would not know about. They would have all been a part of your community's history, yet only a few would experience the memories of the past or learn about them. Memory is in the eye of the beholder. What are crystals of all different shapes falling from the sky? How about a PA system that would tell the whole community about your snack hoarding?

As I read this book my mind wondered toward the deep questions surrounding our society and personal human experience. Is right and wrong, fundamental good or evil, defined universally or by your experience, environment and spiritual awareness?

Jonas is starting to have "stirrings" towards Fiona. These two young people embark upon a quest of truth and knowledge. Any more and I would ruin the surprises.

Rating
9 out of 10
Some content may be innapropriate for immature students
Suggested Grade 8
Additional Note** Highly Recommend as a book to read with your adolescent. Now that I have read it I plan to read it with my 6th grader. You may want to read the book to prepare yourself for some serious questions.

Initial Course Analysis - Adolescent Literature

Adolescent literature may be the key to ensuring the future of reading for pleasure and being able to read all levels of the written word. This class has immediately begun to identify the cause of symptoms (Teenage Behavior) in adolesents. Talking about the solution rather than the problem is a strategy that I personally agree with. The Front Line investigation was truly intriguing. I learned more about adolescents in the few hours I spent reviewing websites, watching the program and reviewing the Power Point than I have in three years of working in schools amd attending The Urban Teacher Program.

SLEEP! - As a society we do not value this aspect of our lives as we should. This process we spend 1/3 of our lives doing is crucially, especially for the evolving adolescent brain. Patterns and behaviors established during the teen years can have life-long consequences. I learned a lot about myself last night. As a 30 year-old college student I can personally testify to this being true. My teenage behaviors established me a a young adult that behaved in ways that were not always inside the rules. This pattern of behavior does not work as an adult. From the parents perspective it is very challenging to have a positive, productive, and personal relationship with teens. For a matter of 2 or 3 years parents often may feel like they do not know thier own child.

So far so good! Today I will embark upon some remarkeable and hopefully inspiring literature. It is 20 degrees outside, 75 inside and the coffee is ready to go.

As a teacher, former teenager and parent of an 11 year, I am excited to learn and write about my experience in this course.

"You can not dream yourself into character; you must hammer and forge yourself one."

Henry David Thoreau