Before this class, I had never read a story with the same flow and format as The Crossover. Even though the book is 237 pages long, it feels like a quick read because of how flawlessly the chapters flow together. I also really dug the way the author chose to format certain stanzas and words because it demonstrates what parts of the story the author wanted to add emotion and emphasis to. Through his word magic Kwame Alexander paints a picture of what goes on inside the mind of the main character, Josh, allowing us as readers the opportunity to put  ourselves in his shoes and forces us to feel every emotion as they come.

   One of the main observations I made while reading was Josh’s continuous battle with creating his own identity separate from his twin brother. Being that Josh is supposed to be in middle school I find this extremely fitting because (as some of my psych-minded friends may know) according to Erik Erikson, identity versus role confusion is the main crisis we face at that point in adolescent development. Another observation I made was how relatable Josh’s life experiences are, specifically the moral dilemmas he faces. Anger, jealousy, swallowing your pride, saying sorry, forgiveness, death, grief, and finding a balance between school and extracurriculars are all challenges Josh is forced to tackle head-on. Seeing as the main audience of this book is children, I think it was an important move on the author’s part to include these moral struggles because it can be used as a guide for the audience as they encounter similar situations. The next immediate observation I noticed was how positive the parental role models are throughout the story. Even though Josh’s dad was a famous basketball player, he didn’t let the fame and money get to his head. His main focus was being the best dad he could be to Josh and his brother. Both of his parents are also extremely supportive when it comes to their sons’ sports dreams, but not to the point where they become the overbearing sports parents we all know and love. Josh’s parents also set an example for what a positive and loving marriage should look like, and how parents should interact with each other and their children. I think this is important for young readers to be exposed to because not every child is fortunate enough to come and learn from a positive home environment.

   Educators can use The Crossover as an introduction to the class poetry unit because it’s not as abrasive as most of the typical bullshit they feed us in K-12 curriculum and it can help ease the worries of hesitant children. For starters, you could have students split into small groups and use the book as a mentor text to learn and gain inspiration from. From there you can do what we did in class by having each group member pick a stanza or two that stood out to them and have them write their own version of that section. Once everyone is done, they can each share their masterpiece with their small group members. Having students share in small groups can help those painfully shy students build the confidence that’s required when speaking in front of the class. You could also go another route and highlight specific sections where the author plays with the form and structure and have students talk within their small groups as to why they think that particular word or section was emphasized. This route would need to be adjusted accordingly depending on the age group of the students.

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Sometimes you have to lean back a little and fade away

to get the best shot.

Your arms heavy as anchors.

But you can’t drop the ball.

When you stop playing your game you’ve already lost.

A loss is inevitable like snow in the winter.

True champions learn to dance through the storm.

Hey, I shout: “We Da Man.”  

 

 

(Ps Sorry I’ve been the worst time-wise with posting these….feel free to kick my ass at any time)

For my series I picked Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney because I wanted to find out for myself why this particular series has remained popular over the years. I immediately dove into the first book I chose (The Third Wheel) expecting to be blown away within the first few pages. Not to burst any avid fan bubbles but I continued to be more disappointed as the book went on. I even completed both books waiting to be impressed by something but the moment never came. I’m not saying Jeff Kinney is a terrible writer and his books are the worst reading material out there, but they’re not my cup of tea. However, I can see why the series is likable. There’s humor, drawings, larger font that’s pleasing to the eye, and loads of relatable scenarios throughout each text…basically anything a kid could want in a book.

If I were recommending this series to a specific audience I would say 4^th through 6^th graders because the main character, Greg, faces middle school-type experiences with an elementary twist added to them. As an adult reading this series, I don’t necessarily like Greg nor do I think he’s a good role model for kids. In fact if I’m being honest, I think he’s kind of a shit-head. After reading both my books and discussing with one my friends who is reading this series as well, I found that we were both annoyed with Greg’s negative mindset and conflict-resolution skills. Throughout the books, Greg does nothing but whine and complain about basically everything, and whenever he encounters a challenge he’ll lie or go behind the other peoples’ backs to get his way. The only reason Greg bothers me so much is because I know that kids tend to idolize main characters in whatever series they’re obsessed with at the moment, and I’d hate for them to believe it’s acceptable to behave in the same manner Greg does.

In her second chapter, Miller focuses on the importance of self-selecting reading material. According to Miller, many children struggle when selecting books because they lack background knowledge about books and how to find books they might be interested in. The ability to self-select reading material helps build children’s self-efficacy and promotes the development of the wild reading skills Miller discusses in the first chapter. As teachers we must help children build these skills because it “allows students to value their decision-making ability, fosters their capacity to choose appropriate material, gives them confidence and a feeling of ownership, improves reading achievement, and encourages students to become lifelong readers” (46).

Throughout the chapter, Miller gave brilliant suggestions of methods teachers can use to help the skills building process. One of my favorite suggestions she mentioned was creating a “book buzz” in the classroom. A book buzz is a chance for us teachers to plan activities to highlight books, celebrate reading experiences, and allow time for students to share or promote their books.  The main goal of a book buzz is for students to be exposed to a variety of books and eventually begin to recognize different authors. I think this is an extremely clever suggestion because it’s an opportunity for students to learn and become actively engaged in class without it feeling forced or boring them to death. I also really enjoyed the selection reflection form and reader notebooks ideas. The selection reflection form is a way for teachers to see what methods each student uses to self-select books that way proper support can be provided when needed. Reader notebooks are where students keep a reading list to document and keep track of every book they read. I think both of these strategies are important in a classroom because they promote an organized, collaborative environment that allows for the teacher and the students to be on the same page when it comes to striving toward and achieving academic reading goals.