7.) Good readers investigate the background information.
Readers should consider that what we read has been created by an author with a specific purpose, style, and intent for the piece. Background information about the author, the text, the time period it was written in, the historical contexts, and other influences effect the way a reader interprets a book. It may change the reader's opinions and psychological interpretations having information about the background on the book itself.
Author: Andrew Clements
http://www.onebookaz.org/kids/2005/kidsmedia.htm
Investigating Background on Frindle by Andrew Clements
Though I chose to investigate information about the author after I had already finished reading the story, it may also be useful to know this information prior to reading. I enjoyed taking in the novel on my own first, then experiencing "Ah-Ha!" moments as I drew connections between the background of the author and his story.
Investigations found after reading Frindle by Andrew Clements:
Andrew Clements has a B.A. in English literature.
Knowing that English literature is the basis of the author's knowledge base explains his rich language, frequent use of metaphor, and realistic descriptions. Knowing this after the fact motivates the reader to think back to complex quotes that may be reflective of such an education. If the readers knows this before reading, however, may have prepared the reader to plan for reading artistic, complex writing.
The author also has an M.A. in elementary education, having taught in public schools for seven years.
Having an extended education in elementary education explains how the author is able to provide such vivid detail about the process of teaching and emotions from the view of educators involved. Clements does well to depict the abstract importance of vocabulary in teaching literacy. Instead of doing so with a narrowed lens that literacy is limited to reading and writing, Clements brings attention to the power of meaning and symbol systems in building literacy. A word is a word if a population agrees that it represents the same meaning. This notion supports a modern, multi-modal definition of literacy that includes expressive and receptive communication using the six language arts: reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing, and visual representation.
Andrew Clements has four grown children and lives with his wife.
It is clear that family is important and familiar to the author. He describes Nick's family meeting with the principal similar to how many children might envision it. Nick's mother is quick to defend her child and the father does his best to support what is best for both sides of the debate. I interpret this situation as typical for the author's own life.
Pg. 99- "Please think about this: When I started teaching, no one had landed on the moon, there were no space shuttles, no CNN, no weather satellites. There were no video cassette recorders, no CDs, no computers."
"The world has changed in a million ways. That is why I have always tried to teach children something that would be useful no matter what."
"So many things have gone out of date. But after all these years, words are still important. Words are needed by everyone. Words are used to think with, write with, to dream with, to hope and pray with. And that is why I love the dictionary. It endures. It works. And as you now know, it also changes and grows."
Extending beyond the fictional story, I retraced my thinking back to this quote after discovering that the author has his M.A. in elementary education. I like to think that this author considered the importance of a child to consider outside, societal, and timely influences on someone's opinions and actions. This quote blatently states what I intended to unveil for the reader. Mrs. Granger had a reason for teaching vocabulary out of a dictionary that has deep roots. Because she is old enough to have experienced so much change, she uses the dictionary as a tool that will remain useful to children over the upcoming years. This changes the reader's perceptions of using a dictionary as boring and scary, seeing that there are moral reasons beyond dry content.
Pg. 78- "We got a trademark filed, but it's only like an application. the whole country knows that that little kid made up the word, and unless you make a deal with his dad, you're going to end up with nothing- maybe even a big fat lawsuit. That kid owns that word."
Pg. 81- (Tom's description of the business process that will happen with the word frindle.)
These passages offer the reader content knowledge about the systems and processes of business. The reader may wish to research the study of how a business works and how something like the word frindle can become a trademark. Knowing more about this may change the reader's idea of where the situation is going, their opinion of the characters involved with this, and the money earned because of frindle. This also allows the reader to make connections to the real world that they live in.
Pg. 60- "Mrs. Chatham couldn't very well keep the reporter away from Mrs. Granger because, after all, America is a free country with a free press."
Similar to the previous quote, this passage opens the reader's eyes to the political role of the media and journalism on education. With free press and free speech, the United States is unique. Children may need to investigate further information about the constitution and rights of our country, making connections to why this reporter was able to collect the information she did for her story about frindle. This is an example that can also be connected to the reader's life.
Pg. 10- "Look it up! That's why we have a dictionary."
Education and curriculum change over time. Today's education curriculum incorporates computers and digital dictionaries, as well as other materials for teaching vocabulary. Teachers are trained to teach children the meaning of a word in a variety of multi-modal ways now. In the past, it was acceptable and common to expect all students to learn their vocabulary using paper dictionaries in the same paper and pencil fashion. Knowing these differences may change the attitudes and sentiments of the reader.
Investigations found after reading Frindle by Andrew Clements:
Andrew Clements has a B.A. in English literature.
Knowing that English literature is the basis of the author's knowledge base explains his rich language, frequent use of metaphor, and realistic descriptions. Knowing this after the fact motivates the reader to think back to complex quotes that may be reflective of such an education. If the readers knows this before reading, however, may have prepared the reader to plan for reading artistic, complex writing.
The author also has an M.A. in elementary education, having taught in public schools for seven years.
Having an extended education in elementary education explains how the author is able to provide such vivid detail about the process of teaching and emotions from the view of educators involved. Clements does well to depict the abstract importance of vocabulary in teaching literacy. Instead of doing so with a narrowed lens that literacy is limited to reading and writing, Clements brings attention to the power of meaning and symbol systems in building literacy. A word is a word if a population agrees that it represents the same meaning. This notion supports a modern, multi-modal definition of literacy that includes expressive and receptive communication using the six language arts: reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing, and visual representation.
Andrew Clements has four grown children and lives with his wife.
It is clear that family is important and familiar to the author. He describes Nick's family meeting with the principal similar to how many children might envision it. Nick's mother is quick to defend her child and the father does his best to support what is best for both sides of the debate. I interpret this situation as typical for the author's own life.
Pg. 99- "Please think about this: When I started teaching, no one had landed on the moon, there were no space shuttles, no CNN, no weather satellites. There were no video cassette recorders, no CDs, no computers."
"The world has changed in a million ways. That is why I have always tried to teach children something that would be useful no matter what."
"So many things have gone out of date. But after all these years, words are still important. Words are needed by everyone. Words are used to think with, write with, to dream with, to hope and pray with. And that is why I love the dictionary. It endures. It works. And as you now know, it also changes and grows."
Extending beyond the fictional story, I retraced my thinking back to this quote after discovering that the author has his M.A. in elementary education. I like to think that this author considered the importance of a child to consider outside, societal, and timely influences on someone's opinions and actions. This quote blatently states what I intended to unveil for the reader. Mrs. Granger had a reason for teaching vocabulary out of a dictionary that has deep roots. Because she is old enough to have experienced so much change, she uses the dictionary as a tool that will remain useful to children over the upcoming years. This changes the reader's perceptions of using a dictionary as boring and scary, seeing that there are moral reasons beyond dry content.
Pg. 78- "We got a trademark filed, but it's only like an application. the whole country knows that that little kid made up the word, and unless you make a deal with his dad, you're going to end up with nothing- maybe even a big fat lawsuit. That kid owns that word."
Pg. 81- (Tom's description of the business process that will happen with the word frindle.)
These passages offer the reader content knowledge about the systems and processes of business. The reader may wish to research the study of how a business works and how something like the word frindle can become a trademark. Knowing more about this may change the reader's idea of where the situation is going, their opinion of the characters involved with this, and the money earned because of frindle. This also allows the reader to make connections to the real world that they live in.
Pg. 60- "Mrs. Chatham couldn't very well keep the reporter away from Mrs. Granger because, after all, America is a free country with a free press."
Similar to the previous quote, this passage opens the reader's eyes to the political role of the media and journalism on education. With free press and free speech, the United States is unique. Children may need to investigate further information about the constitution and rights of our country, making connections to why this reporter was able to collect the information she did for her story about frindle. This is an example that can also be connected to the reader's life.
Pg. 10- "Look it up! That's why we have a dictionary."
Education and curriculum change over time. Today's education curriculum incorporates computers and digital dictionaries, as well as other materials for teaching vocabulary. Teachers are trained to teach children the meaning of a word in a variety of multi-modal ways now. In the past, it was acceptable and common to expect all students to learn their vocabulary using paper dictionaries in the same paper and pencil fashion. Knowing these differences may change the attitudes and sentiments of the reader.
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