vocab strategy

Okay, so I introduced vocab visuals aka V 2 (that's supposed to be a squared) to my students. For each novel we read they have to choose a minimum of 20 words they don't know and use this strategy. I also have subscribed to word of the day which emails a word with the definition, synonym, antonym, etomylogy, etc. They also have to use this strategy for the word of the day.So far it's going well!

Accidentally forgot and added to the end?! Soto what?!

Okay, so I'm not going to ruin the ending of the book for anyone but saying exactly what occurs...
I do think that Soto really crammed in a lot of new ideas in the last few pages and I so am not buying all the coincidences that occur. This wouldn't be the first book or the twentieth that I would recommend to a student but if this happened to be the one that finally got someone to read then more power to them!

Other Young Adult Novels and Wed. class

Hi All,
I'm looking forward to sharing some additional YA novels (and some non-fiction) related to a serious topic--the Middle East and war, as well as other postmodern picture books and graphic novels tomorrow night. I am glad you are reading against the grain with the Soto novel, deconstructing some of its stereotypical elements. This is the essence of critical literacy and the problems you are noticing permeate some (not all) of this genre.

We'll also look at some specific response strategies you may find useful in working with literature and non-fiction texts.

Well, gotta go....more later.
Tom

Yay for blogging!

Hello all,
It is great to see so many posts. I have really enjoyed reading your thoughts and comments about the book. I finished reading it this weekend. I was in Utah with my family and my nineteen year-old niece and my twelve year-old niece both asked me about the book. I will be very interested in their feedback and will share their thoughts with you. While I have many of the same concerns that you have shared I also find myself drawn to Marisa. I find her inner struggle realistic. I'm thrilled that you all are blogging and sharing insights and information with one another!

On the topic of blogs...please check out http://blog.reading.org/jaal/
It is connected to the Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy. It is just getting started and they need voices!! The topic is centered around new literacies and I think you will enjoy reading it and sharing your thoughts and opinions.

Thanks!
Jenni

My response to the novel so far...

I am having a hard time with this novel. Soto has a stilted style of writing. I think he is writing this way to sound like an adolescent, but instead it makes Marisa sound unintelligent. "Marisa could tell that the nerd wasn't familiar with her kind of school, one with security guards who themselves looked like thugs."I have read many young adult novels where the writers create an adolescent voice without making the main character sound silly.

I also find myself getting confused about some of the decisions that Marisa makes. So, she meets Rene and the next day she wants to go to a new school. Marisa is relieved that she doesn't have to go to her old school, and yet she never thought about going to a new school prior to meeting Rene. Given that she makes this decision after meeting Rene you can infer that she has made this decision entirely based on him, however, she thinks about how much she hated her old school all of the time. So, why didn't she try to transfer earlier?

The last difficulty that I have is that there are quite a few stereotypes in this novel. First there is the nerd with the high water pants and fanny pack (which seems like an anachronism when you figure that this novel cannot be set in the 80's or the early 90's because of the prevalent use of cellphones which were pretty expensive then). Next we have the poor school entirely populated by thugs and gangsters where the minority student body is only good at one thing: sports. Then you have the rich school where everyone is nice, involved in clubs, and of course horrible at sports. Then there is the school production of Romeo and Juliet. Last but not least we have a heavy girl who suffers from low self esteem who will become magically fabulous through the miracle that is a diet.

I think that middle school students would read this book, but I am not sure that they would find Marisa to be authentic.

Marisa's Diet

I am torn over Marisa's eating habits. On the one hand I really hate that Marisa isn't happy with her body because she is "chubby." Sometimes I feel that these types of characters only perpetuate the media frenzy of skinny being the only beautiful. At the beginning of chapter 7 Marisa even describes how hungry she is and how she feels weak from not eating!!! On the other hand there are many obese students sitting in our schools. In the novel Soto talks about the healthy foods that Marisa is eating instead of the junk food. Encouraging students better couldn't hurt. So I am not sure where I stand with the "food issues" in this novel. Any thoughts?

Middle School v High School

As I continue to read this book, I wonder who would identify more with it or even get a kick out of it more...middle school or high school students? I think m.s. students and 9th and 10th graders would identify with the story. 11th and 12th graders would enjoy it for its humor and memories aspect. What do you all think?

Accidental Love

The book for me is tolerable, but definitely not a favorite. Every other page seems to being out another stereotype. Marisa's inner struggles is what helps me to pick up the book and keep reading. I don't think she's running away from anything intentionally, I think she just trying to find happiness. I'm pulling for her and hope she is able to find it in the end.

The book so far

It's not too bad. I wonder if adolescents would really be into reading it though. The stereotypes are jumping out at me too now. Honking laugh, white socks, high water pants. It is kind of a corny story but it keeps me entertained. I do think it is odd that she keeps thinking how nerdy and dorky Rene is, and then she wants to make out with him. Usually teenage girls don't want to make out with nerds do they? Have times changed since I was in school?

Response to Podcast 9/16/08

That's so awesome about the podcast website. I'm really excited about having my students learn how to make them. I was actually really surprised to learn that many of my students didn't know what a podcast even was. 

As for the book, it's entertaining for me since most of what I read are the classics for my classes. However, I am definitely seeing a lot of stereotypes popping up in the book. I can see Soto's aim...but I think he could have portrayed Hispanic culture in a little better light.  I'm just curious to see how Marisa continues to deal with the issues of both her old and new schools.