I enjoy the fact that literature varies enough to appeal to all individual interests. There are many that I recall enjoying as a child for various reasons. Tall tales like Paul Bunyan were my favorite, but I am also a huge fan of Snow White. As a future teacher, I need to find a way to introduce my students to everything that traditional literature has to offer them. There are so many different values and lessons to be learned from all the fables and folktales, and I can now see them as learning tools instead of kid stories, thanks to this chapter.
I work daily with elementary ESL students as a group. I found out yesterday that only 2 out of my group of 10 knew who Humpty Dumpty was. That upset me, but as I went on with the lesson I learned that none of them were familiar with The Ginger Bread Man! I felt like these children were educationally deprived because they had never been taught with such cumulative tales. I started reading stories like this to my children when they were very young, and they loved reciting the repetitive phrases with me. My daughters’ 2nd grade teacher approached me a couple weeks ago with a hug and thank you for reading literature to my children. The teacher read a folktale to the class and my daughter informed her that it was just like “Three Billy Goats Gruff”. My daughter said that her teacher started crying after that. Folktales and Fables should always be a part of childhood reading, no matter what culture they are from. I now know that every culture is familiar with them so there should be no excuses for not teaching them.
There were a few parts of this chapter that bothered me a bit. My main issue is with some of the Latino Folklore mentioned. The text talks about all the different symbolism, values and lessons to be learned from folktales around the world. However, I don’t understand what can be learned from “La Llorna”. What values do you teach when you tell students about a woman who killed her own children, or a God who caused a woman’s children to parish out of anger? I guess these are stories I will have to read and evaluate on my own. These would definitely be difficult to create a lesson from.
This chapter was so loaded with information that it became overwhelming. I enjoyed leaning the differences between Greek and Norse mythology, as well as the other cultural myths. Stories set out to answer the mysteries of the universe fascinate me. I also found the section on folktale comparisons very helpful. I do not recall being taught about all the versions of famous folktales and fables such as “Cinderella” as a child. I think it is very important to know that there are different versions with different endings that suit different cultures. I did a lot of highlighting in this chapter, and it is certainly one that I will revisit many times in my future.
Whew la la! What a chapter! Three valuable things I got from this chapter. The types of traditional literature-folk tale, fables, myths, and legends were all considered traditional literature. Second, the values of traditional literature for children. The three values are understanding the world, identifying with universal human struggles and pleasures. The third thing that I found important was reading about the folk tales from around the world. I had no idea that some of my favorite stories that had been introduced to me as a child came from other countries. As I was amazed by the differences in the version of tales such in Cinderella. Without really thinking about it the reading helped me to realize how these stories are shared through generations and how they transformed to fit the local traditions and customs. Finally, the storytelling information was very informative and will be helpful for the future.
The values of traditional literature are tremendous. I think it gives students an opportunity to view, read literature that is outside the States or of a different culture. Students tend to love, folk tales, and fables and myths. There is a difference in the versions of stories from culture to culture.
This chapter was so full of information and once again a great resource. My favorite memories of folktales are the Disney princess movies. Many hours have been occupied in our home reading, watching, and acting out the tales. These stories, though, fictitious give young girls dreams and encourage a creative imagination. While all these passed down forms of literature share with us a picture of the past, their transmission helps form the present and future of the reader.
It was interesting to me to see the similar themes acted out in different ways. The comparison of “Cinderella” showed the differences in culture. I was especially surprised to see the more violent actions toward the stepsisters in the Chinese and German variations. I think children would enjoy comparing and contrasting different stories and finding the common theme.
Using these types of stories would be a good way to introduce multiculturalism in a classroom. Many times we are only aware of one viewpoint. I remember the old tapes and filmstrips of American tall tale heroes. Sharing stories promotes tackling a challenge and creates a sense of pride in the “accomplishments” of great legends. Introducing Native American, African, Asian, and Latino folktales would help include children who have heard a variety of stories in the home.
Mythology is more difficult for me, as I have little experience in this genre. I appreciate that the book gives helpful ideas and suggestions for reading. There is now more included in my repertoire than “once upon a time.”
Chapter 6 was fairly interesting. I was familiar with several of the folk tales mentioned, but there were also several that I’ve never heard of. I wondered about the different variations of the stories I have never read. What are the cross-cultural similarities? I’ve read mostly English or North American folktales, along with some Greek and Norse mythology, but I’m not as familiar with stories from the other cultures that were mentioned. It was interesting to see that many of them had some of the same themes and plots. I wondered how far storytellers were able to travel when those stories originated. I thought that some of the teaching strategies seemed fun, but others were a little advanced for the area that I will be focusing in (elementary special education). For example, it would be fun to let kids try to write their own version of a folktale and become a storyteller for their classmates, but I don’t think I’ll be working with critical analysis of cross-cultural elements. I think it would also be fun to take some of the versions and compare illustrations and content, and then have the kids illustrate their own versions, maybe adding in cultural elements of their choice. I think that using a different folktale from a different culture would also help add a fun element to social studies lessons. I could imagine decorating a classroom with a different theme for stories I might use to create a mood for children to soak in whatever culture we might be learning about, much like the teacher mentioned in the text did with Chinese Folktales.
I agree that there is no excuse for students not to have access to different kinds of literature. All cultures, as the text pointed out, have some form of literature and stories whether they are similar or different to our own. There is a lot of merit in learning traditional literature from other cultures (and ours). I worked with some ESL students also, who had never heard of several nursery rymes and folktales we introduced in the IRC class I worked in. It was shocking, but at the same time, we never asked those students what kind of stories they heard from their own culture. Maybe they did have some background in traditional literature that we as educators weren't familiar with because it wasn't part of our repertoire. I plan to hunt down the book "Tortillas Para Mama" that the text suggested in an earlier chapter for some cultural nursery rhymes I could use, and while I agree that La Llorona is not a story I would use for elementary school children, the text I have for my ESL class suggested it as a link to traditional literature for high school students. The text said that using cultural literature would help the students learn their vocabulary, etc. You wouldn't have to use that story in particular, but I think it's interesting that both texts specified it. It's definitely worth reading some traditional literature from other cultures to find stories that would be beneficial in the classroom, especially since there is so much diversity in our students!
This chapter once again had a lot of useful information. I think it is awesome that literature can be appealing to any individual. There is something out there for everyone! I think it is also very important to explore others culture, and literature. It is hard for me to pick a favorite folktale; I believe they are all great stories.
Shadra, I agree with you when you say as a future teacher we need to find ways to introduce our students to traditional literature.
Chapter 6 was another overwhelmingly informational chapter. It was very interesting to read about all the different types of traditional literature and how so many types of tales exist in many cultures but with a few variations. I was amazed when it mentioned that there could be over 1000 variations of Cinderella. My favorite section of the chapter was fables. I always loved reading Aesop’s Fables as a child and it was very interesting to learn who Aesop really was. I have always found fables to be a humorous way of teaching morals and with the majority of characters being animals; it makes them very interesting to children.
The section regarding teaching traditional literature will be very useful. I really liked how the authors explained storytelling and the importance of choosing your story and presenting it effectively and with entertainment. Felt board presentations are a wonderful way of storytelling with children. My son’s preschool uses it quite a bit and I think it makes for a very interactive form of teaching.
The section regarding presenting tales to children and having them write their own variations is a great way of instilling creative writing skills with children. Ironically, as I was finishing reading this chapter while my daughter was home with a 24 hour stomach bug, she came from her bedroom and had written her own version of The Princess and the Frog. It is always fulfilling as a parent when you’re child chooses to do something like that and not be forced to do. I can only hope that I will be able to instill a love of literature with my future students like I have with my children.
Geoff – I completely agree that there are tremendous opportunities when it comes to teaching traditional literature to children. So much can be learned about another culture by analyzing folk tales, legends and myths from their culture.
I liked this chapter. Folktales are interesting to me because it has a lesson to be learned but the are stories that have been handed down generation to generation. So that means a story my mom told me is one I am going to tell my children. It makes it even more personable to know that we can all relate to these folktales. These types of stories are also so much fun. There is magic, mystery, and suspense involved. Designed to engage the reader but not all have happy endings. I really liked learning about all the different folklore from the different countries. Another great opportunity to learn how different but same we all are.
It is interesting to know that some of the more famous disney movies are based on folklore and we all watch them. And it is very interesting to see how the same tale can differ in different cultures. It seems like we tend to tame things down while other countries really involve more maturity to their folktales at a younger age.
There were a few things I really enjoyed in this chapter. First is the discussion of folktales around the world. It was interesting to see the differences and commonalities between the different countries. I also liked some of the activities that were suggested to do with students. I think the use of a felt board would be a fun way to present a book, as well as have the students make up their own story using the board and present it to the class. I can see how by taking some time to invest in preparing for each story just how beneficial it will be for the students. Using the folktales to help students learn about a country and its people is another fun way to incorporate literature into other lessons.
Rebekah, I was glad to see the feltboard mentioned in the chapter. I remember using them as a child. I am in agreement that there is an overwhelming amount of information in the chapters. Our culture definately goes for the happily ever after. Thanks for the story about your little one. You have done a good job introducing a love of literature to her. Hope she is feeling better.
Yes, this chapter had a ton of information. I myself have always loved to read mythology from many different cultures. This chapter had some clear definitions between fables, folktales, myths, and legends that never realized they are all quite different. I am all about children writing their own version of books. It opens their creativity and it’s always good to open your mind and learn to interrupt things themselves.
I loved reading through Chapter six! It brought back a lot of memories of the stories my parents and teachers used to read to me. My favorite part of this whole chapter is knowing that these stories have no identifiable author. Can you imagine one person starting a story and getting it passed down around the world...and even to this day?? It really does amaze me. It reminds me of the telephone game where everyone sits in a circle and you have to pass around a sentence to see if the last person got it exactly right. Either way, these stories are incredible. I think what most people do not know is that there is a difference between a fable, myth, folktale, etc. I really enjoyed reading the different types of tales there are. I had no idea that they were categorized. I also found it helpful to be reminded how to read these stories to children and the right stories to pick out. Most of the ideas were common sense but it was definitely a good reminder to encourage us to become as young as a child's imagination when we read these stories to the little ones.
I agree with several of you that there is no reason that a student should not be able read literature from other countries. Some should be taught in class while others are available at the library or even the internet. Some of the stories from other cultures would not be appropriate for children in our country. Each cultural has its own ways of teaching kids life lessons, some that seem outrageous to us may be perfectly fine to someone of a different culture.
I liked how you noticed about the German and Chinese variations of Cinderella as being more violent. My mom was born and raised in Germany and there were a few tales that she used to tell my sister and I. I do not remember them very well anymore, but I thought to myself that it must be a German thing. My mom has quite a temper on her when something goes wrong. It made me wonder the tales that were told to her as a child and how much different they are.
Chapter 6 provided much more information. Each chapter provides so much knowledge in regards to literature. It was interesting to see all the different culture transformations of stories I have loved over the years, such as Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood. I particularly liked the variations of illustrations for Little Red Riding Hood on page 224. It was interesting to see how the illustrations change the mood of the story. I really found the illustration done by Nicolette Ceccoli was scary. The way the wolf encircles the little girl shows how scary the story could really be. I do not remember thinking little red riding hood was scary more humorous but I believe if I would have seen the illustrations in this book I may have. My favorite part of the Chapter was the adaption's for teaching in the classroom. I enjoyed the section on page 255 of how to encourage the children to be story tellers. It was nice to hear pretending and make believe truly are positives for children. Sometimes I feel this is discouraged in our society. I liked to be informed that children who tell stories can develop self confidence, improve verbal skills, and learn to think inventively. It was also valuable to require to ask the students to read their stories multiple times because this assists them with learning. Outlines can be provided using pictures this may allow the student to visualize the story. And I enjoyed the reference for Hamilton and Weiss's Children Tell Stories as well. I may just have to buy this book to help me when I have my own classroom one day.
Shanna- I have to agree it was nice to see the differences and commonalities between different countries. I too like the felt board examples given in the text. I feel felt adds endless possibilities for applications.
After reading a few of the other comments I wanted to mention I too felt there was a good deal of violence in the variations of stories and the cultural differences are visible. I found it interesting and neat that SMartens could identify with the violence in German adaption of Cinderella and tie it back personal experiences.
SMartens- It is interesting that there are no identifiable authors of these wonderful stories . I never actually gave it much thought before reading this chapter.
I did not realize just how many different versions of the same story there are out there. I guess that is to be expected though. It seems as if as cultures come together they find ways to be similar and to set themselves apart from others as well.
I thought the different books that the author talked about mythology were great. My son has read the Percy Jackson series that are about the Gods as well. He loved this series of books and it brought about a great deal of discussion between him and my husband (I am not that big into mythology and therefore could not do much but ask questions). My son is also into the King Arthur books (reading one now and loves it) and dragon books. He actually own the Dragonology book that our textbook referred to. He got it last year for Christmas and loves it. It is amazing how different styles of books have an impact on kids from many different eras. My son and I are going to read together the Lord of the Ring series, and that is something that we will talk about at a family as well. We also are reading separatly but discussing the Eragon series. It is wonderful just how reading can bring a family together and give them things to talk about.
Jade I would agree with you about Little Red Riding Hood. I too do not remember thinking that this story was scary. I thought it was also humorous. I guess it just goes to show that changing and illustration or a point of view can go a long way to determine the type of story one can get.
Chapter 6 was a very informative chapter as has been all the previous chapters. Now I can relate to alot of these stories mentioned in this chapter because I am a fan of folktales and mythology. I was in awe when I read that there so many different versions of the classical folktales that everyone at one point or another have read throughout their lifetime. I love reading these mythology stories and I enjoy reading them to my children, however I never thought that so many people also read these types of stories, especially all over the world. Knowing about the history of these types of stories is overwhelming. I had never really thought about other cultures or languages having the same stories that we have. It is great that many children are exposed to this literature in different parts of the world. This chapter was detailed very well when it spoke about the different types of mythology books and folktales. It was a great chapter as it gave me even more knowledge about the books my children will be reading throughout there first years in school.
I also think that the adaptation is the classroom was the best part of the chapter. I think that allowing students to make up their own stories is a great way to build the imagination and also have them improve their reading and writing skills. I think that allowing the kids to read their stories out loud in the classroom will also enhance there speaking skills and also build there self-confidence. Public speaking is always scary but if kids are exposed to that at a very early age maybe they will enjoy doing it when they get older.
I fuond this chapter very interesting. I realyl enjoyed reading about allthe different folktales. I never knew they could be broken down even farther. I absolutely love reading ths books theytalked about in this chapter. It brought back some great memories of when they were read to me as a child. I never realized how they were all the same but with different characters. I absolutely love folktakes! And I couldn't agree more with lettings kidsmake up their own stories. Kids have such an awesome inagime that they loose as they get older so let the pretend and make their own as much and as long as possible. It helps them to think on their own and to step outof the box!
I love learning about different cultures and this chapter helped open up the literature side for me. I like how this chapter talks about literature opening up understanding of the world for kids. I think a lot of adults could learn some things about the world from the same literature. My wife and I had a couple of discussions about the German folktales. Her late mother came was from Germany and she used to sing her songs and tell stories from Germany. I think that I am going to make it an emphasis in my classes to do projects on literature around the world. Maybe it will more to open up their interest in reading.
I agree with you on the fact that you can find literature for everyone. I also think introducing interesting concepts of literature will help our kids in the classroom.
Hilary, my children can get lost in their imagination. If I want my kids to be calm and quiet when we are waiting at the doctor or somewhere I can just give them something to pretend they are and they completely jump in. They are so much fun to watch, I can remember my oldest when she was two playing with a dollhouse and started talking the different people and making different voices for them. I was amazed....
Chapter 6~ This chapter was alot of fun to read. It was full of useful information. We have a Brothers Grimm book at home that is full of the fairy tales. It is a bedtime favorite. To hear stories of things that cannot happen to them in everyday life seems to perfect for dreamland. The students in class can also be taken out of their element for a bit. They can go to Fairy tale land and imagine the new world. These stories will always be favorites to entertain children. I enjoyed reading how the stories were the same just with different characters throughout the world. I know there is a children's show on HBO in the morning called "Animated Tales of the World" that brings to life folk tales from around the globe. Storytellers from all over the globe share their stories. It is so interesting. Our children here can be exposed to the rest of the world. I know there are many books listed inthe chapter that I plan to check out and show my children.
I like how a few of you were talking about the abundance of choices that we have for literature and there really isn't any reason for us not to be able to find something to read/enjoy! You really don't think about that until someone points it out to you though. Also, I didn't realize that Disney movies were based on fairy tales and folklore mainly. I knew a few of the more popular movies were, but I didn't realize how many there were out there. I think that I agree also that fairy tales are definitely a way to help explore your imagination and open up new wasy of thinking. How boring would we be without these stories? I think that it really does prove how important everything that our children read really is. It can be fun to learn and especially when you do not even realize you are learning. I think this is true of fairy tales and folklore because children really love these stories and most of them learn some great things from them.
Trisha, I noticed you said that you have a Brothers Grimm book at home. I have a few books at home with fairy tales, but have you noticed how it's harder to get a hold of those kinds of books anymore. Sometimes the books are to revised and I would like to read the ones that I grew up with.
Chapter 6 was pretty interesting. I knew other cultures had their own folkfales but I was supprised to find out that Cinderella was also a Middle Eastern folktale with some differences of course. It was also interesting how certain cultures focus on certain values and philosophical viewpoints that come through in the stories. As I got older my favorite type of stories were of greek mythology. It was a whole other world with their own gods and endless stories of magic, adventures, trips to the underworld. This chapter was very insightful but I wish there were more book recommendations.
I like that you mentioned folktales are handed down from generation to generation. You said that a story your mom read to you, you hope to one day read to your children. I have two children of my own and I have already done that very thing! It’s wonderfulJ You’re able to recall the stories and can pass them on to see the reactions on your child’s face…..I think it’s important that we keep these traditions going. In today’s society, it seems that traditions are being put aside. I hope that more people think like us and keep telling and reading these stories for generations to come!!!
Honestly, who doesn’t like to hear literature and stories containing a bit of magical reflections, humor and adventure? I think that even though we grow up physically and emotionally, there’s still a bit of child in us that never goes away. I didn’t realize there were so many “tales” attached to folktales. It was interesting to read the various kinds and to distinguish between them the differences. Something I found extremely beneficial and so true was the fact that it said traditional tales help children improve their understanding of the world. This chapter and book has really enlightened my thoughts when it comes to choosing literature. I think “good “ teachers have their work cut out for them; not only do they have to be able to efficiently teach children, it’s also important that they choose what to teach. From what we know up to this point, literature is so important in the lives our children; I believe it can shape who a child is/ becomes. Who knew that some of the childhood folktales we heard were from around the world! To read some of the folktales mentioned like; The Three Little Pigs, The Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel and The Three Bears brought back memories for me as I came across them. Near the end of the chapter it talked about storytelling and how to be a good storyteller. Again, we as soon-to-be teachers have to be aware of our audiences when choosing a story to share out loud to our children. The chapter reminds us that storytelling can be used to increase interest in any area of the curriculum. However, when telling a story it is well worth the effort of preparation and presentation.
Tamy H. As I read this chapter, I found that there is so many stories I have never have heard of. I guess you would say that I grew up as a deprived child. If by chance I had heard these stories, I don't remember them. I might have heard them maybe once, but they must not of stuck in my mind. I remember those that I really liked the most: Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Christmas Comes to Monster Mountain, and Little Red Riding Hood, are just a few. I think that it's very interesting how some of these stories have came from many years ago, even centuries ago and how they came about. I agree with the German scholar August Nitschke, who emphasizes the role of the German mothers. They believed that by telling such tales they were teaching their children about the world around them, and help them again courage. Some of these stories tell how the real world itself is like. The world can be so cruel. I think by telling stories, it helps children understand that you don't always get what you want or be treated the way you want to be treated. It's interesting of how these myths, folktales, and fables came about and how long ago some of them were written. Also how they describe how life can be so horrible and then all of a sudden it's all-wonderful. Sometimes life is horrible all the way through and sometimes it does change for the better. We just need to learn to deal with what is handed to us. I think that when telling such stories, we need to remind our children that life isn't a book and that we can't rely on our dreams to come true like the ones in the books. I also agree with Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weisee, that when children tell stories, they can gain confidence, improve their verbal skills, and learn how to think inventively. We need to encourage children to be creative and vocal.
Tamy H. I agree with Shanna S. and Gracie, that it was interesting to learn how folktales, myths and fables came from around the world. It’s just a little irritating that when it changed from language to another language, it change the meaning, outcome of the story.
Chapter 6 Blog
ReplyDeleteI enjoy the fact that literature varies enough to appeal to all individual interests. There are many that I recall enjoying as a child for various reasons. Tall tales like Paul Bunyan were my favorite, but I am also a huge fan of Snow White. As a future teacher, I need to find a way to introduce my students to everything that traditional literature has to offer them. There are so many different values and lessons to be learned from all the fables and folktales, and I can now see them as learning tools instead of kid stories, thanks to this chapter.
I work daily with elementary ESL students as a group. I found out yesterday that only 2 out of my group of 10 knew who Humpty Dumpty was. That upset me, but as I went on with the lesson I learned that none of them were familiar with The Ginger Bread Man! I felt like these children were educationally deprived because they had never been taught with such cumulative tales. I started reading stories like this to my children when they were very young, and they loved reciting the repetitive phrases with me. My daughters’ 2nd grade teacher approached me a couple weeks ago with a hug and thank you for reading literature to my children. The teacher read a folktale to the class and my daughter informed her that it was just like “Three Billy Goats Gruff”. My daughter said that her teacher started crying after that. Folktales and Fables should always be a part of childhood reading, no matter what culture they are from. I now know that every culture is familiar with them so there should be no excuses for not teaching them.
There were a few parts of this chapter that bothered me a bit. My main issue is with some of the Latino Folklore mentioned. The text talks about all the different symbolism, values and lessons to be learned from folktales around the world. However, I don’t understand what can be learned from “La Llorna”. What values do you teach when you tell students about a woman who killed her own children, or a God who caused a woman’s children to parish out of anger? I guess these are stories I will have to read and evaluate on my own. These would definitely be difficult to create a lesson from.
This chapter was so loaded with information that it became overwhelming. I enjoyed leaning the differences between Greek and Norse mythology, as well as the other cultural myths. Stories set out to answer the mysteries of the universe fascinate me. I also found the section on folktale comparisons very helpful. I do not recall being taught about all the versions of famous folktales and fables such as “Cinderella” as a child. I think it is very important to know that there are different versions with different endings that suit different cultures. I did a lot of highlighting in this chapter, and it is certainly one that I will revisit many times in my future.
Whew la la! What a chapter!
ReplyDeleteThree valuable things I got from this chapter. The types of traditional literature-folk tale, fables, myths, and legends were all considered traditional literature. Second, the values of traditional literature for children. The three values are understanding the world, identifying with universal human struggles and pleasures. The third thing that I found important was reading about the folk tales from around the world. I had no idea that some of my favorite stories that had been introduced to me as a child came from other countries. As I was amazed by the differences in the version of tales such in Cinderella. Without really thinking about it the reading helped me to realize how these stories are shared through generations and how they transformed to fit the local traditions and customs. Finally, the storytelling information was very informative and will be helpful for the future.
The values of traditional literature are tremendous. I think it gives students an opportunity to view, read literature that is outside the States or of a different culture. Students tend to love, folk tales, and fables and myths. There is a difference in the versions of stories from culture to culture.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter was so full of information and once again a great resource. My favorite memories of folktales are the Disney princess movies. Many hours have been occupied in our home reading, watching, and acting out the tales. These stories, though, fictitious give young girls dreams and encourage a creative imagination. While all these passed down forms of literature share with us a picture of the past, their transmission helps form the present and future of the reader.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to me to see the similar themes acted out in different ways. The comparison of “Cinderella” showed the differences in culture. I was especially surprised to see the more violent actions toward the stepsisters in the Chinese and German variations. I think children would enjoy comparing and contrasting different stories and finding the common theme.
Using these types of stories would be a good way to introduce multiculturalism in a classroom. Many times we are only aware of one viewpoint. I remember the old tapes and filmstrips of American tall tale heroes. Sharing stories promotes tackling a challenge and creates a sense of pride in the “accomplishments” of great legends. Introducing Native American, African, Asian, and Latino folktales would help include children who have heard a variety of stories in the home.
Mythology is more difficult for me, as I have little experience in this genre. I appreciate that the book gives helpful ideas and suggestions for reading. There is now more included in my repertoire than “once upon a time.”
Chapter 6 was fairly interesting. I was familiar with several of the folk tales mentioned, but there were also several that I’ve never heard of. I wondered about the different variations of the stories I have never read. What are the cross-cultural similarities? I’ve read mostly English or North American folktales, along with some Greek and Norse mythology, but I’m not as familiar with stories from the other cultures that were mentioned. It was interesting to see that many of them had some of the same themes and plots. I wondered how far storytellers were able to travel when those stories originated.
ReplyDeleteI thought that some of the teaching strategies seemed fun, but others were a little advanced for the area that I will be focusing in (elementary special education). For example, it would be fun to let kids try to write their own version of a folktale and become a storyteller for their classmates, but I don’t think I’ll be working with critical analysis of cross-cultural elements. I think it would also be fun to take some of the versions and compare illustrations and content, and then have the kids illustrate their own versions, maybe adding in cultural elements of their choice. I think that using a different folktale from a different culture would also help add a fun element to social studies lessons. I could imagine decorating a classroom with a different theme for stories I might use to create a mood for children to soak in whatever culture we might be learning about, much like the teacher mentioned in the text did with Chinese Folktales.
Shadra-
ReplyDeleteI agree that there is no excuse for students not to have access to different kinds of literature. All cultures, as the text pointed out, have some form of literature and stories whether they are similar or different to our own. There is a lot of merit in learning traditional literature from other cultures (and ours). I worked with some ESL students also, who had never heard of several nursery rymes and folktales we introduced in the IRC class I worked in. It was shocking, but at the same time, we never asked those students what kind of stories they heard from their own culture. Maybe they did have some background in traditional literature that we as educators weren't familiar with because it wasn't part of our repertoire. I plan to hunt down the book "Tortillas Para Mama" that the text suggested in an earlier chapter for some cultural nursery rhymes I could use, and while I agree that La Llorona is not a story I would use for elementary school children, the text I have for my ESL class suggested it as a link to traditional literature for high school students. The text said that using cultural literature would help the students learn their vocabulary, etc. You wouldn't have to use that story in particular, but I think it's interesting that both texts specified it. It's definitely worth reading some traditional literature from other cultures to find stories that would be beneficial in the classroom, especially since there is so much diversity in our students!
This chapter once again had a lot of useful information. I think it is awesome that literature can be appealing to any individual. There is something out there for everyone! I think it is also very important to explore others culture, and literature. It is hard for me to pick a favorite folktale; I believe they are all great stories.
ReplyDeleteShadra, I agree with you when you say as a future teacher we need to find ways to introduce our students to traditional literature.
Chapter 6 was another overwhelmingly informational chapter. It was very interesting to read about all the different types of traditional literature and how so many types of tales exist in many cultures but with a few variations. I was amazed when it mentioned that there could be over 1000 variations of Cinderella. My favorite section of the chapter was fables. I always loved reading Aesop’s Fables as a child and it was very interesting to learn who Aesop really was. I have always found fables to be a humorous way of teaching morals and with the majority of characters being animals; it makes them very interesting to children.
ReplyDeleteThe section regarding teaching traditional literature will be very useful. I really liked how the authors explained storytelling and the importance of choosing your story and presenting it effectively and with entertainment. Felt board presentations are a wonderful way of storytelling with children. My son’s preschool uses it quite a bit and I think it makes for a very interactive form of teaching.
The section regarding presenting tales to children and having them write their own variations is a great way of instilling creative writing skills with children. Ironically, as I was finishing reading this chapter while my daughter was home with a 24 hour stomach bug, she came from her bedroom and had written her own version of The Princess and the Frog. It is always fulfilling as a parent when you’re child chooses to do something like that and not be forced to do. I can only hope that I will be able to instill a love of literature with my future students like I have with my children.
Geoff – I completely agree that there are tremendous opportunities when it comes to teaching traditional literature to children. So much can be learned about another culture by analyzing folk tales, legends and myths from their culture.
ReplyDeleteI liked this chapter. Folktales are interesting to me because it has a lesson to be learned but the are stories that have been handed down generation to generation. So that means a story my mom told me is one I am going to tell my children. It makes it even more personable to know that we can all relate to these folktales. These types of stories are also so much fun. There is magic, mystery, and suspense involved. Designed to engage the reader but not all have happy endings. I really liked learning about all the different folklore from the different countries. Another great opportunity to learn how different but same we all are.
ReplyDeleteChris C,
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to know that some of the more famous disney movies are based on folklore and we all watch them. And it is very interesting to see how the same tale can differ in different cultures. It seems like we tend to tame things down while other countries really involve more maturity to their folktales at a younger age.
There were a few things I really enjoyed in this chapter. First is the discussion of folktales around the world. It was interesting to see the differences and commonalities between the different countries. I also liked some of the activities that were suggested to do with students. I think the use of a felt board would be a fun way to present a book, as well as have the students make up their own story using the board and present it to the class. I can see how by taking some time to invest in preparing for each story just how beneficial it will be for the students. Using the folktales to help students learn about a country and its people is another fun way to incorporate literature into other lessons.
ReplyDeleteRebekah,
ReplyDeleteI was glad to see the feltboard mentioned in the chapter. I remember using them as a child. I am in agreement that there is an overwhelming amount of information in the chapters. Our culture definately goes for the happily ever after. Thanks for the story about your little one. You have done a good job introducing a love of literature to her. Hope she is feeling better.
Yes, this chapter had a ton of information. I myself have always loved to read mythology from many different cultures. This chapter had some clear definitions between fables, folktales, myths, and legends that never realized they are all quite different. I am all about children writing their own version of books. It opens their creativity and it’s always good to open your mind and learn to interrupt things themselves.
ReplyDeleteI loved reading through Chapter six! It brought back a lot of memories of the stories my parents and teachers used to read to me. My favorite part of this whole chapter is knowing that these stories have no identifiable author. Can you imagine one person starting a story and getting it passed down around the world...and even to this day?? It really does amaze me. It reminds me of the telephone game where everyone sits in a circle and you have to pass around a sentence to see if the last person got it exactly right. Either way, these stories are incredible. I think what most people do not know is that there is a difference between a fable, myth, folktale, etc. I really enjoyed reading the different types of tales there are. I had no idea that they were categorized. I also found it helpful to be reminded how to read these stories to children and the right stories to pick out. Most of the ideas were common sense but it was definitely a good reminder to encourage us to become as young as a child's imagination when we read these stories to the little ones.
ReplyDeleteI agree with several of you that there is no reason that a student should not be able read literature from other countries. Some should be taught in class while others are available at the library or even the internet. Some of the stories from other cultures would not be appropriate for children in our country. Each cultural has its own ways of teaching kids life lessons, some that seem outrageous to us may be perfectly fine to someone of a different culture.
ReplyDeleteChris C--
ReplyDeleteI liked how you noticed about the German and Chinese variations of Cinderella as being more violent. My mom was born and raised in Germany and there were a few tales that she used to tell my sister and I. I do not remember them very well anymore, but I thought to myself that it must be a German thing. My mom has quite a temper on her when something goes wrong. It made me wonder the tales that were told to her as a child and how much different they are.
Chapter 6 provided much more information. Each chapter provides so much knowledge in regards to literature. It was interesting to see all the different culture transformations of stories I have loved over the years, such as Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood. I particularly liked the variations of illustrations for Little Red Riding Hood on page 224. It was interesting to see how the illustrations change the mood of the story. I really found the illustration done by Nicolette Ceccoli was scary. The way the wolf encircles the little girl shows how scary the story could really be. I do not remember thinking little red riding hood was scary more humorous but I believe if I would have seen the illustrations in this book I may have.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part of the Chapter was the adaption's for teaching in the classroom. I enjoyed the section on page 255 of how to encourage the children to be story tellers. It was nice to hear pretending and make believe truly are positives for children. Sometimes I feel this is discouraged in our society. I liked to be informed that children who tell stories can develop self confidence, improve verbal skills, and learn to think inventively. It was also valuable to require to ask the students to read their stories multiple times because this assists them with learning. Outlines can be provided using pictures this may allow the student to visualize the story. And I enjoyed the reference for Hamilton and Weiss's Children Tell Stories as well. I may just have to buy this book to help me when I have my own classroom one day.
Shanna-
ReplyDeleteI have to agree it was nice to see the differences and commonalities between different countries. I too like the felt board examples given in the text. I feel felt adds endless possibilities for applications.
After reading a few of the other comments I wanted to mention I too felt there was a good deal of violence in the variations of stories and the cultural differences are visible. I found it interesting and neat that SMartens could identify with the violence in German adaption of Cinderella and tie it back personal experiences.
ReplyDeleteSMartens- It is interesting that there are no identifiable authors of these wonderful stories . I never actually gave it much thought before reading this chapter.
ReplyDeleteI did not realize just how many different versions of the same story there are out there. I guess that is to be expected though. It seems as if as cultures come together they find ways to be similar and to set themselves apart from others as well.
ReplyDeleteI thought the different books that the author talked about mythology were great. My son has read the Percy Jackson series that are about the Gods as well. He loved this series of books and it brought about a great deal of discussion between him and my husband (I am not that big into mythology and therefore could not do much but ask questions).
My son is also into the King Arthur books (reading one now and loves it) and dragon books. He actually own the Dragonology book that our textbook referred to. He got it last year for Christmas and loves it. It is amazing how different styles of books have an impact on kids from many different eras. My son and I are going to read together the Lord of the Ring series, and that is something that we will talk about at a family as well. We also are reading separatly but discussing the Eragon series. It is wonderful just how reading can bring a family together and give them things to talk about.
Jade
ReplyDeleteI would agree with you about Little Red Riding Hood. I too do not remember thinking that this story was scary. I thought it was also humorous. I guess it just goes to show that changing and illustration or a point of view can go a long way to determine the type of story one can get.
Chapter 6 was a very informative chapter as has been all the previous chapters. Now I can relate to alot of these stories mentioned in this chapter because I am a fan of folktales and mythology. I was in awe when I read that there so many different versions of the classical folktales that everyone at one point or another have read throughout their lifetime. I love reading these mythology stories and I enjoy reading them to my children, however I never thought that so many people also read these types of stories, especially all over the world. Knowing about the history of these types of stories is overwhelming. I had never really thought about other cultures or languages having the same stories that we have. It is great that many children are exposed to this literature in different parts of the world. This chapter was detailed very well when it spoke about the different types of mythology books and folktales. It was a great chapter as it gave me even more knowledge about the books my children will be reading throughout there first years in school.
ReplyDeleteJade,
ReplyDeleteI also think that the adaptation is the classroom was the best part of the chapter. I think that allowing students to make up their own stories is a great way to build the imagination and also have them improve their reading and writing skills. I think that allowing the kids to read their stories out loud in the classroom will also enhance there speaking skills and also build there self-confidence. Public speaking is always scary but if kids are exposed to that at a very early age maybe they will enjoy doing it when they get older.
I fuond this chapter very interesting. I realyl enjoyed reading about allthe different folktales. I never knew they could be broken down even farther. I absolutely love reading ths books theytalked about in this chapter. It brought back some great memories of when they were read to me as a child. I never realized how they were all the same but with different characters. I absolutely love folktakes! And I couldn't agree more with lettings kidsmake up their own stories. Kids have such an awesome inagime that they loose as they get older so let the pretend and make their own as much and as long as possible. It helps them to think on their own and to step outof the box!
ReplyDeleteI love learning about different cultures and this chapter helped open up the literature side for me.
ReplyDeleteI like how this chapter talks about literature opening up understanding of the world for kids. I think a lot of adults could learn some things about the world from the same literature.
My wife and I had a couple of discussions about the German folktales. Her late mother came was from Germany and she used to sing her songs and tell stories from Germany.
I think that I am going to make it an emphasis in my classes to do projects on literature around the world. Maybe it will more to open up their interest in reading.
Randi,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the fact that you can find literature for everyone. I also think introducing interesting concepts of literature will help our kids in the classroom.
Maria, it seems to make the world a little smaller place knowing that we share the same stories...
ReplyDeleteHilary, my children can get lost in their imagination. If I want my kids to be calm and quiet when we are waiting at the doctor or somewhere I can just give them something to pretend they are and they completely jump in. They are so much fun to watch, I can remember my oldest when she was two playing with a dollhouse and started talking the different people and making different voices for them. I was amazed....
ReplyDeleteChapter 6~ This chapter was alot of fun to read. It was full of useful information. We have a Brothers Grimm book at home that is full of the fairy tales. It is a bedtime favorite. To hear stories of things that cannot happen to them in everyday life seems to perfect for dreamland. The students in class can also be taken out of their element for a bit. They can go to Fairy tale land and imagine the new world. These stories will always be favorites to entertain children. I enjoyed reading how the stories were the same just with different characters throughout the world. I know there is a children's show on HBO in the morning called "Animated Tales of the World" that brings to life folk tales from around the globe. Storytellers from all over the globe share their stories. It is so interesting. Our children here can be exposed to the rest of the world. I know there are many books listed inthe chapter that I plan to check out and show my children.
ReplyDeleteI like how a few of you were talking about the abundance of choices that we have for literature and there really isn't any reason for us not to be able to find something to read/enjoy! You really don't think about that until someone points it out to you though. Also, I didn't realize that Disney movies were based on fairy tales and folklore mainly. I knew a few of the more popular movies were, but I didn't realize how many there were out there. I think that I agree also that fairy tales are definitely a way to help explore your imagination and open up new wasy of thinking. How boring would we be without these stories? I think that it really does prove how important everything that our children read really is. It can be fun to learn and especially when you do not even realize you are learning. I think this is true of fairy tales and folklore because children really love these stories and most of them learn some great things from them.
ReplyDeleteTrisha,
ReplyDeleteI noticed you said that you have a Brothers Grimm book at home. I have a few books at home with fairy tales, but have you noticed how it's harder to get a hold of those kinds of books anymore. Sometimes the books are to revised and I would like to read the ones that I grew up with.
Chapter 6 was pretty interesting. I knew other cultures had their own folkfales but I was supprised to find out that Cinderella was also a Middle Eastern folktale with some differences of course. It was also interesting how certain cultures focus on certain values and philosophical viewpoints that come through in the stories. As I got older my favorite type of stories were of greek mythology. It was a whole other world with their own gods and endless stories of magic, adventures, trips to the underworld. This chapter was very insightful but I wish there were more book recommendations.
ReplyDeleteShanna S, totally agree that the folktales from around the world was one of the more interesting parts of this chapter.
ReplyDeleteDanica,
ReplyDeleteI like that you mentioned folktales are handed down from generation to generation. You said that a story your mom read to you, you hope to one day read to your children. I have two children of my own and I have already done that very thing! It’s wonderfulJ You’re able to recall the stories and can pass them on to see the reactions on your child’s face…..I think it’s important that we keep these traditions going. In today’s society, it seems that traditions are being put aside. I hope that more people think like us and keep telling and reading these stories for generations to come!!!
Honestly, who doesn’t like to hear literature and stories containing a bit of magical reflections, humor and adventure? I think that even though we grow up physically and emotionally, there’s still a bit of child in us that never goes away.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t realize there were so many “tales” attached to folktales. It was interesting to read the various kinds and to distinguish between them the differences. Something I found extremely beneficial and so true was the fact that it said traditional tales help children improve their understanding of the world. This chapter and book has really enlightened my thoughts when it comes to choosing literature. I think “good “ teachers have their work cut out for them; not only do they have to be able to efficiently teach children, it’s also important that they choose what to teach. From what we know up to this point, literature is so important in the lives our children; I believe it can shape who a child is/ becomes.
Who knew that some of the childhood folktales we heard were from around the world! To read some of the folktales mentioned like; The Three Little Pigs, The Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel and The Three Bears brought back memories for me as I came across them.
Near the end of the chapter it talked about storytelling and how to be a good storyteller. Again, we as soon-to-be teachers have to be aware of our audiences when choosing a story to share out loud to our children. The chapter reminds us that storytelling can be used to increase interest in any area of the curriculum. However, when telling a story it is well worth the effort of preparation and presentation.
Tamy H.
ReplyDeleteAs I read this chapter, I found that there is so many stories I have never have heard of. I guess you would say that I grew up as a deprived child. If by chance I had heard these stories, I don't remember them. I might have heard them maybe once, but they must not of stuck in my mind. I remember those that I really liked the most: Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Christmas Comes to Monster Mountain, and Little Red Riding Hood, are just a few.
I think that it's very interesting how some of these stories have came from many years ago, even centuries ago and how they came about. I agree with the German scholar August Nitschke, who emphasizes the role of the German mothers. They believed that by telling such tales they were teaching their children about the world around them, and help them again courage. Some of these stories tell how the real world itself is like. The world can be so cruel. I think by telling stories, it helps children understand that you don't always get what you want or be treated the way you want to be treated.
It's interesting of how these myths, folktales, and fables came about and how long ago some of them were written. Also how they describe how life can be so horrible and then all of a sudden it's all-wonderful. Sometimes life is horrible all the way through and sometimes it does change for the better. We just need to learn to deal with what is handed to us.
I think that when telling such stories, we need to remind our children that life isn't a book and that we can't rely on our dreams to come true like the ones in the books. I also agree with Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weisee, that when children tell stories, they can gain confidence, improve their verbal skills, and learn how to think inventively. We need to encourage children to be creative and vocal.
Tamy H.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Shanna S. and Gracie, that it was interesting to learn how folktales, myths and fables came from around the world. It’s just a little irritating that when it changed from language to another language, it change the meaning, outcome of the story.