Mark Bailey - Education 316

Required Text: Tomlinson, C. & Lynch Brown, C. (2005). Essentials of Children’s Literature (5th Ed.) Allyn & Bacon: Boston.

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Course Description:
This course consists primarily of readings, class discussions and small group work surveying excellent authors and illustrators of children’s and adolescent literature. The main emphasis of the course will be on cultivating an understanding of and appreciation for children’s and adolescent literature through a review of text chapters and extensive reading of trade books. The pedagogical methods utilized for this course will be a blend of class discussion, class presentation, online discussion, and problem based learning. The goals of the course are to:
1) Encourage you to read and enjoy children’s and adolescent literature.
2) Help you extend your knowledge of the wide variety of literature that is available for children and adolescents.
3) Increase your understanding of the features that characterize good quality children’s and adolescent literature.
4) Assist you in learning to work with peers to critically analyze children’s and adolescent literature.
5) Facilitate the construction of an understanding of the process of independent and group research.
6) Help you understand and discuss issues related to the use of children’s and adolescent literature.
7) Familiarize you with methods for integrating children’s and adolescent literature into all facets of the school curriculum from preprimary through highschool.
8) Help you recognize the value of using literature with children and adolescents.
9) Learn more about children’s and adolescent literature with you and from you.

Educational Philosophy:
I cannot simply teach you what you need to know about the literature available for children and adolescents. In order for you to effectively learn about this body of literature and its potential use, it is critical that you are an active participant in the learning process. Therefore I will be more of a facilitator than a lecturer. What I will do is be a part of the group process and provide you with a variety of resources that can assist you in learning. Your job will be to utilize these resources, work with your peers, ask questions, do work on your own, and help me to know what you do and do not understand. I have set aside time for office hours so that I can help, you may also drop in unannounced any time I am in the office. Furthermore, I have included my email address in order to encourage your questions and comments, and my home phone number in case you encounter pressing questions or problems. How much you learn in this course will be directly proportional to your level of involvement.

Course Objectives:
1) During class, students will display their understanding of the quality and utility of picture books by being able to evaluate a variety of picture books and demonstrate strategies for sharing them with children.
2) After reading a book written for children or adolescents, students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of the literary elements by identifying and applying criteria for evaluating plot development, characterization, setting, theme, style, tone, and point of view in critical analyses of authors’ works.
3) During class, students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of important issues surrounding the use of child and adolescent literature by identifying and insightfully evaluating these issues.
4) Throughout the course, students will demonstrate the ability to work with peers to critically analyze children’s and adolescent literature by cooperatively working on class scenarios.
5) During this course, students will demonstrate the ability to develop and investigate their own ideas by presenting their independently conducted research during class time, and by designing a final project and seeing it through to fruition.
6) During this course, students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of the breadth of children’s and adolescent literature by identifying the various genres and listing the characteristics and criteria for evaluating each of them.
7) After completing this course, students will be able to demonstrate their synthesis of course materials by being able to select a piece of literature and discuss methods for integrating it into a school curriculum at an appropriate grade level.
8) After completing this course, students will be able to demonstrate their recognition of developmentally appropriate literature by being able to recommend appropriate literature for different age groups.

Course Requirements:
Grades for this course will be based on 4 criteria. Your class attendance and contribution to group discussions, your online reflections, evaluation of the critical analysis paper, and evaluation of the final project.

Attendance: You are expected to attend each class. Because some of the materials that will be presented and discussed in class are not contained in the text, it is important that you attend every class.

Reading Assignments: This is a student-centered course, which means that each class will revolve around the interests and ideas that you bring to the class, and the discussions that we have in class. Therefore it is important that you come prepared to contribute to discussions. You are expected to read the assigned chapter in the textbook and other designated readings and books BEFORE each class period. This will give you time to formulate questions and ideas that you may have about the readings and allow you to more fully participate during that class period. Class participation will be evaluated on the basis of your ability to: 1) come to class prepared and willing to share your thoughts, 2) demonstrate an insightful understanding of the concepts contained in the text and their relationships, 3) clearly identify and discuss the main ideas or themes of trade books, 4) critically analyze trade books and discuss the author’s ideas, technique and efficacy.

Writing Assignments: You will be expected to submit a series of reflections, one paper and a project during the semester. Written work will be evaluated on three criteria
1. Clarity of expression. It is expected that papers and reflections will be well written following the guidelines for appropriate grammar and style. Papers should be written on a computer, double spaced and printed using a #12 font.
2. Level of critical analysis and depth of thought. It is expected that your papers and presentation will go beyond simply describing and applying information, and will include analytical thinking and the synthesis of ideas.
3. Specific assignment criteria. Each assignment has specific criteria and papers will be evaluated on how well those criteria are met.

After I have graded and returned any of your work, you have the option of making whatever changes you would like and resubmitting your paper for a new grade. When you resubmit a paper please be sure to submit your original version with the new version.

Reflection Papers: You are expected to submit an online reflection on the trade book of the day before the beginning of each class. This reflection should be a couple of paragraphs or the equivalent of approximately one written page. In this reflection do not retell the plot or provide multiple quotes, instead describe your reactions to and reflections on the book, its application to teaching and learning, or its relation to material covered in that week's chapter.
During the semester you are also required to post no fewer than 5 thoughtful responses to your peer’s postings. I am hoping that we will be able to foster online conversation about these books before and after the class.

Critical analysis Paper. The paper will involve a critical analysis of the book Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH based on the literary elements discussed in class (see handout). This paper (roughly 5-7 pages) will be due at the beginning of class on March 12th. In your paper be sure to included two components. First a short (1 page) discussion of the story as a whole (a literature review not a plot summary). Second, carefully analyze each of the pertinent literary elements: plot development, characterization, setting, theme, style, tone, and point of view.

Final Project. The object of the final project is to allow you to select some aspect of children's or adolescent literature that interests you, and investigate it more fully. You are free to select any idea from any genre and develop any means of presentation that you would like. Example projects include:
1. Reading a cluster of history books about a specific topic and providing an analysis of the different points of view they provide and how this alters the nature of their analysis of the "facts".
2. Developing a service learning project at a local library or public school and doing literacy or book reading with students. As a final report you would need to document your activities and reflect on your experiences based on the goals of this course and your personal objectives.
3. Writing a children's book using HyperStudio, PowerPoint, iMovie or another application useful in writing or telling a Children's story. This assignment would assist you in learning to use this technology in order to help you be better prepared to use it in your classrooms. A second objective is to encourage you to write a piece of children's literature that you would use in a classroom. A critical aspect of this project will be an accompanying 2-3 page document detailing the process you went through; the choice points you came to and the decisions that you made along the way. Computer programs are available in Lab.
4. Selecting a "milestone" children's book. Analyze the reviews written by literary critics of its time. What makes this a milestone book? What were its innovations? How did the critics respond to the theme, the style of writing, and the behavior of the characters? For example Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. Compare and contrast the reviews of literary critics Ruth Hill Viguers (The Hornbook 41 [Feb, '65]: 74-76.) and Dorothy M. Broderick (School Library Journal, 11 [March '65]: 114-5).
5. Writing a research paper on the evolving portrayal of females in adolescent literature from the 1800's to present day.
6. Constructing a multimedia presentation appropriate for school children. The topic should revolve around one or more books.
7. Using iMovie to document and tell a learning story.

Each project must be approved before you begin. You must submit a short (1 page or less) proposal describing your project due no latter than March 19th. As soon as we have agreed on the parameters of the project you may begin. This project may be handed in at any point in the semester but is due no later than April 30th. The length of each written submission will vary depending on the nature of your project, however a written description of some kind is expected for each project. I will expect every class member to give a short 15-20 minute presentation on their project on the 1st. This project will be evaluated on: the amount of thought and effort you put into your work; the creativity you exhibit in selecting and pursuing a topic; the level of critical analysis you demonstrate in your project; and the quality of your final presentation. The following RUBRIC will be used to evaluate your project.

Graduate Students. You will be expected to do supplemental work for the course. You may choose the form for this work in a manner that would best support your graduate program. This could involve reading a supplemental book and writing a review each week, or developing a second or more elaborate project. Graduate Students in Education are also expected to build on the above work by also submitting a set of lessons involving classroom applications of one or more books. You must do so by utilizing the College of Education Lesson Plan format. Arrangements will be individualized and should be made with me in the first two week of the course. These lessons are due April 23rd.

Grades:
Evaluation of all written assignments and projects will be based on a 5-point scale. A basic guideline for evaluation is as follows.

A score of 5 will be given when a submission is thorough, thoughtful, and demonstrates a level of good insight.
A score of 3 will be given when the submission is adequate, appropriate, and/or demonstrates a basic understanding.
A score of 1 will be given when the submission is cursory, inaccurate, and/or demonstrates a lack of effort and or understanding.

Assessment: You will be assessed on the quality of work that you submit for this course. Final grades will be based on 4 components: your participation in group discussions including your out of class research, daily reflection papers, the literary elements paper, and your final project (for graduate students it includes the classroom application). Your final project will receive heavier weighting. Final letter grades will be assigned based on the following rubric.
Students who have received 5's to 4's on assessments will receive an A-B
Students who have received 4's and 3's on most assessments will receive a B-C
Students who have received 3's and 2's on most assessments will receive a C-D
Students who have received scores lower than 2's on most assessments will not receive a passing grade.

Special Needs. I wish to fully include persons with special needs in this course. Please let me know if you need any special accommodations in the curriculum, instruction, or assessments of this course to enable you to participate fully. I will try to maintain confidentiality of the information you share with me.