Music and the Personal Narrative: The Dual-Track to Meaningful Writing, by Chris Goering

Goering ingeniously evidences the success of his music and personal narrative unit by spotlighting specific students' work as he explains each piece of the project. This fluid, clear presentation makes it easy to understand the unit from both teacher and student perspectives. I could not agree more with Goering when he states that "Music inspires, motivates, and interests a diverse range of students by connecting to their personal feelings and emotions" (2004), and this understanding permeates his article. My personal experience with learning Brazilian Portuguese through song ensured that I integrated cultural aspects of Brazilian speech into my own expression, deeply connecting language to emotions. I would like to teach a unit like Goering's, as I see how this softly intense beginning paves the way for a yearlong experience of thoughtful, engaging, and challenging work for teachers and students alike.

I recommend that the reader also visit these two program sites, for more information on integrating the arts in education:

www.habla.org

www.artslit.org

Thank you.

The Breadwinner, by Deborah Ellis

This novel connects to a theme of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne, in that it emphasizes the impact of a 'costume', and the way that one visually presents oneself to the public. And, like Boyne's novel, it is a historical fiction representation of the courageous actions of a child during wartimes. While Boyne focuses on the life of a boy, Ellis concentrates on that of a girl, and the freedom that dressing as a boy gives her. There are myriad opportunities to explore the strengths displayed by female characters in this novel, and using both books could lend to comparing and contrasting gender relations in different settings. Of course, Ellis's novel could also be used itself as the core of a social studies unit on war in Afghanistan.

Some images (although lighter in content) show how the 'costumes we wear' change how we are perceived:

Image 1: A child prepares for a home performance.

Image 2: A friend in the Dominican Republic sees what it would feel like to dress for an NYC winter (note: It is actually 80˚F)

Image 3: Preparing for a salsa performance.

Center Stage: Arts-based Read Alouds, by Claudia E. Cornett

I am continually convinced that incorporating the arts into instruction "adds essential missing ingredients to the literacy curriculum," as Cornett states. My shift to include story-acting in every meeting with my k-1 group of English Language Learners (ELLs) has expanded their ability to show deep understanding of the literature we read, my ability to assess this understanding, and better informs me on how to focus proceeding instruction. Acting out stories allows students to emotionally connect with literature, increasing comprehension and their repertoire of socio-emotional experiences. It is therefore no surprise that the longitudinal study cited by Cornett found " a strong correlation… between the arts and better test scores." Additionally, my work and research with drama, music, and art therapy reveals the 'safety'people feel in exploring content through 'performance'.

Images 1 and 2: An arts-education workshop at Brown University, led by Patricia Sobral (of Brown U.) and two other educators, in 2007.

Image 3: A workshop in Northeast Brazil that I led in 2010, about using theater techniques to interpret literature.

Image 4: A performance by students from Rozz Nash's dance program in Williamsburg, Brooklyn - exploring personal narratives through dance.

The Jacket, by Andrew Clements

This novel reveals a realistic story of two "different" boys, at the same school, unknowingly connected by one person. When one event joins them, they are allowed to discover their own 'hidden' prejudices, held about each other and other races more generally. The story brings to light how one moment can change the way you interpret surroundings that have enveloped you your entire life, yet never stopped to think about. It is great for young adults, or students in grades 4-9, including themes and events relevant to their lives, and using language that can be easily understood. Clements shows the magic of courage and the discoveries that can take place when one is willing to recognize and reflect upon his beliefs, his family, and the way he experiences his world.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, by John Boyne, is similar to Out of the Dust in that it tells a child's story principally from the child's perspective (although it is an omniscient author). This gives us (the readers) the chance to experience the emotions, confusion, naïve ignorance of a child living next to a concentration camp, with a Nazi commandant for a father. It offers a beautifully heart-wrenching display of a friendship that develops amongst this child and a boy in the camp, separated by the barbed-wire fence. Boyne shows us the implicit understanding that can exist between two children, and reminds us that the costume we wear determines who we are to the outside world - be prepared for the consequences of who you show yourself to be.

Out of the Dust, by Karen Hesse

The Newbery Award-Winning novel, Out of the Dust, by Karen Hesse, offers a portrayal of life during the dust bowl from the perspective of a young child. The presentation of the text - almost as if it were an epic poem - keeps the reader feeling like s/he is always moving forward, giving a constant sense of completion or accomplishment every one-two pages. In this way, the book gives the opportunity for more emergent readers to feel like they are making quick progress in reading a novel - a feeling they may not get too often. Additionally, the language used is very visually-oriented, allowing readers to imagine dust, hawks, fences, eggs, cream, and dust-covered meals. My 6-word memoir for this book: Dust-swept life; kerosene-burnt hands.