Bruce's Best

            Playing in Traffic by Gail Giles

            This book automatically appealed to me because of its title. One of my close friends wrote a novel titled Freeze Tag on the Highway, and Giles title reminded me of Brian Krans’ second book. Giles book is about Matt who is a high school nobody. Matt’s life is transformed by a Gothic girl named Skye when she offers him experiences he would have never thought possible. Don Gallo’s article “The Very Best Possibilities, Part Two” brought this book to my attention. 

            Harlem Summer by Walter Dean Myers

            I have always been interested in Harlem. Again, I was immediately attracted to this book because of its title. Once I read Gallo’s description in his article “ Summer Reading 2008,” I was hooked. In this work sixteen-year-old Mark Purvis gets a job at a magazine and subsequently meets some of Harlem’s finest, such as Langston Hughes and W.E.B. DuBois. This adventure story could easily be paired with a unit on the Harlem Renaissance. 

            Street Love by Walter Dean Myers

            I really need to read Walter Dean Myers apparently. In “Off the Shelves” Myers rap inspired verse novel is described as “ideal for reading aloud” (90). This is the type of book I would love to use in the classroom. The verse also reads like rap lyrics, which could be very appealing to students today. I could see this novel working very well in urban areas. The book also is related to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet because it follows a teen romance and the theme of star-crossed lovers. 

            Paper Towns by John Green

            I’ve been hearing all about John Green in our class, so it is only fitting I choose one of his novels for my list. This novel follows Quentin as he is reunited with Margo who soon disappears sparking a road trip search for her. Quentin’s narration outlines a comical and reflective journey for love. This book will obviously appeal to high school students. I could see this novel working very well in any environment because of the familiar themes discussed throughout its pages. Mark Letcher’s article “Off the Shelves” is a great resource for texts that will appeal to high school students, and John Green’s Paper Towns seems to be one of the most interesting.

            Black Duck by Janet Taylor Lisle

            In Don Gallo’s article “Rarefied Air” many gritty Young Adult novels are discussed. The one that stuck out the most to me was Janet Taylor Lisle’s Black Duck. I was attracted to this novel because I have always been intrigued by the Prohibition era. I would love to teach a unit on it. I think students love the stories of the Untouchables and Al Capone. I always enjoyed learning about the stories of that unique time in American History. Lisle’s novel revolves around an old man in Rhode Island and his experiences with a liquor smuggling operation when he was younger. According to Gallo, “there are mystery, suspense, intrigue, betrayal, and a satisfying ending” (115). 

Nonfiction: Clear and Close

            Until College I was not exposed to a great deal of nonfiction reading in the classroom. Nonfiction writing was always a part of my schooling, but it usually seemed dry and boring. It was not until I started reading scholarly articles and more periodicals that I began to appreciate and enjoy nonfiction.  Publications like The New Yorker and The Economist perked my interest in the library during study breaks, and I found myself reading more and more newspapers and editorials. My professors also made great use of nonfiction. I specifically recall my time in Dr. Grant’s Rhetoric course when we would read through nonfiction works and pick them apart slowly. This deconstruction of rhetorical pieces helped me to become a better constructor of arguments. Now I truly believe nonfiction to be a valuable and engaging classroom tool that is clear and very close to students. Nonfiction is all around us, and it is written in such a way that captivates and calls the reader to action.

            In Jennifer Wells’ article “’It Sounds Like Me’: Using Creative Nonfiction to Teach College Admissions Essays” the author describes how nonfiction opened up an entire new set of knowledge for her students. Wells used nonfiction because “it is grounded in truthfulness, requires authorial reflection, and reflects stylistic techniques usually ascribed to fiction” (48). I believe nonfiction is truly one the best types of literature we can rely on for the reasons stated above. Not only that, but I believe nonfiction is more effective in helping teachers improve student writing. Nonfiction tends to be what students respond to most. The issues and problems addressed in nonfiction are done so in a much different way than fiction. When reading nonfiction it is clear what you are reading about. Nonfiction also offers a degree of freedom and a change from the usual academic assignments. Anything in which “the author doesn’t pretend to be objective and unbiased” seems to appeal to students (48). I know it appealed to me.

            The appeal of nonfiction also stretches to the idea of motivating students to speak and take action. The main goal of nonfiction works is sometimes just that. According to Pace and Adkins “nonfiction addresses important issues in a way that is interesting and easy for a reader to understand” in order to engage students (Fist 48). The authors state that nonfiction is about “real people with intriguing stories” (49). Those are exactly the types of stories students need to read if they are struggling with English or Language Arts classes. It is those types of works that get students thinking, talking, and writing. Nonfiction is close to students, and it can ignite a flame within the classroom if used correctly. The issues found in nonfiction works can be the spark teachers are looking for. I wish more time would have been spent on nonfiction during my high school days, but thanks to this week’s reading I am definitely more invested in becoming an expert.  

Dr. Pamboukian interviewed by Pittsburgh City Paper

A local English professor looks at portrayals of medicine in Victorian lit — and how they inform thought today.

Dylan Thomas Recording

A Brazen Approach

            I should first state that I am an avid supporter and reader of poetry. I also try my best to compose my own poetry. I have been working on a chapbook for the last six months, but I am definitely reserved about my talent. I believe my personal experience with poetry has helped me to better understand why it appears so difficult for most students. Poetry is not form. It is not vocabulary. Poetry is most definitely not something that can be explained entirely. It means different things to different people. I believe we must recognize how close poetry can be to someone. For this reason we should also figure out how to tie poetry in more closely with our students. One approach I have seen work is having them actually write their own poetry. Below is an example of a poem I have been working on titled “The Brazen Head.”

The Brazen Head

We don't fully comprehend the foundation,

the bricks, the mortar,

and the legends of the oldest pub in Dublin.

We drink fiercely.

Underneath stars and stone we are overtaken by the spirits of drink and dream.

Our heads full of grainy imagery from days past,

we waltz with the wonder of words once whispered within these walls.

Are we a part of history as well?

Will the Irishmen tell stories of the rowdy Americans:

the men with spotty mustaches,

the woman a bit plump?

There is no way of telling.

The dark black pints make us more honest.

We slide over to share our stories with the stone faced locals.

We clink our silver trimmed glasses

and we tend to the scroll written in the stone.

The scripture of stone rarely shows its face,

so let us have another pint.

A round for all my new friends.

If history be made let us not remember it.

            I’m not sure if this poem is effective in conveying the message I hope it will, but I do know that I’ve learned a lot from writing and reading poetry. I tend to imitate my poetic idols in one-way or another. This particular poem was inspired by the life of Dylan Thomas and the work of William Butler Yeats, who are two of my favorite poets. Thomas is an interesting character to me just because the way he lived his life. He had immense talent, but choose to throw it away at the bottle of a bottle. Yeats is probably my biggest inspiration. Something about his words just speaks to me in a way that few poets have. I study their poetry to unlock my own feelings on their subject matter, and I often style my work after theirs. This has helped me to become a better poet and to define my own style. I think activities like imitating or transcribing other poets’ work could be very valuable in the classroom. 

            Here are a few more poems I would like to use in my classroom:

W.B. Yeats “No Second Troy”

Dylan Thomas “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night”

William Carlos Williams “A Celebration”

Walt Whitman “O Captain! My Captain!”

Samuel Taylor Coleridge “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”

Carl Sandburg “Chicago”

Langston Hughes “The Weary Blues”

Joan Bauer “On a Flight to Cedar Rapids”

“At the lake shore there was another rowboat drawn up.”

            Ernest Hemingway is one of the most intriguing personalities in Modern English Literature. For quite some time I have been engrossed in not only Hemingway’s works, but in his life as well. My interest started in high school when I read The Old Man and the Sea, but has continued to this very day. I am currently reading A Farewell to Arms, and I have watched the HBO original film Hemingway and Gellhorn multiple times. When searching for short stories I was naturally attracted to some of Hemingway’s shorter works. Once my eyes set on his story Indian Camp I knew it would be a text to further discuss and examine.

            Indian Camp is truly a great short story to teach in the classroom mainly because of the importance of the themes found in the work. Initiation, death, and race are just a few of the themes found in Indian Camp. The story got me thinking about my feelings on those themes, and I could see the story sparking great discussions within a high school classroom.  Most high school students have experienced some sort of death by the time they would read this story, and students could easily relate to the questions Nick Adams has at the end. The short story is very clearly written and, Hemingway’s simplistic style makes it very easy to read and understand.

            After reading Indian Camp one activity quickly came to mind. I would link Hemingway’s biography, specifically his work as a journalist, to a unique writing assignment. I would have my students re-write Hemingway’s short story as a newspaper article. I would also ask the students to create a photograph or illustration to accompany their newspaper article. After the articles were turned in I would organize them onto an online newspaper blog for all students to read. From there we could vote as a class on which article should be the front-page article, or we could critique each others article as well. After the blog has been explored we could develop one issue of the Hemingway Times as a class featuring articles relating to Indian Camp or Ernest Hemingway.

            I believe this short story would be a great introduction to a Hemingway novel, specifically The Old Man and the Sea, because it presents the author’s true style as one students could handle. After reading Indian Camp I think students would feel confident about tackling The Old Man and the Sea and possibility other Hemingway novels. For this reason and the reasons stated above, I would recommend Ernest Hemingway’s Indian Camp to just about any English teacher.

           

The Battle on Student Loans Continues

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-and-house-republicans-face-off-over-student-loans--again/2012/06/21/gJQAtJ3osV_story.html

Article on the Pittsburgh Promise scholarship fund

"Pittsburgh Promise scholarship fund reaches $160 million"

Everyone should check out this article featuring some quotes from Saleem Ghubril, who spoke at this year's graduation ceremony, speaking on the increase of funding for the Pittsburgh Promise.

A Quiet Self Portrait

"Feed" is on my list

Feed (Amazon)
Do you think students might be interested in this Young Adult work? I can see many opportunities to engage students using this novel just after reading the description. Is this something you might be interested in reading or teaching?

Some "Novel" Ideas

The truth about Carol Jago’s article “Much Ado About Something” is that her words made me love her. I even wrote, “I love you, Carol Jago” at the top of my print out. The reason I loved Jago’s article so much is because she echoed many of the thoughts I have had about teaching the classics. While I agree that “teenagers are hungry for stories that mirror their lives,” I also believe our students have the necessary ability to relate any text to their own lives, including the classics. The selling point for me was Jago’s reference to The Odyssey. Without this particular work, my high school experiences would have been completely different, and I will definitely try my best to teach Homer’s epics in my classroom. Like Jago, I will also try my best to teach my students “to read with care.”

Just as I was sold on teaching the classics I read Donald Gallo’s article “How Classics Create an Aliterate Society,” and my beliefs began to shift. I found myself relating to the author’s background story, and I felt as if I was a lot like him. Like Gallo I did not get really interested into reading until college, and I was never one of the best English students during high school. While I do agree with Gallo’s main goal of creating a “love of reading” in our classrooms, I do not agree with his view of the classics. Required readings have been around so long for a reason. I do not see any value in doing away with them all together, but Gallo does provide some interesting viewpoints on how to use Young Adult Literature. The main argument for teaching YAL novels is the comfort that they can provide to students. In addition, after reading Gallo’s article I have begun to recognize Young Adult Literature as an important genre of texts that need to be addressed because they are now such a large part of literature as a whole. 

William Broz’s article “Not Reading: The 800-Pound Mockingbird in the Classroom” was by far my least favorite article. At first, I found myself arguing with Broz and thinking there was far too much personal bias in his article, but he saved himself with this line: “we must have the integrity to admit that some small number of students who can read will not read, no matter what we do.” Well thank you, William. For a second there I thought you were delusional, and I still sort of believe that. I found Broz’s lists of dos and don’ts to be very helpful, but I also found myself disagreeing with his main premise. I am not sure what I think about the classics yet because I have not taught any of them yet, but when I do, I’ll be sure to revisit this article. Maybe then I will respond more favorably. 

The final assigned article by Gibbons, Dail, and Stallworth titled “Young Adult Literature in the English Curriculum Today: Classroom Teachers Speak Out” was definitely the most data driven text of the four. The biggest thing I took away from this article is that it is very possible to create an effective and engaging curriculum using both the classics and Young Adult Literature. The authors started the article off with why to use YAL novels, and I was hooked. Because of this article and many of the other assigned readings, I now see great value in teaching Young Adult Literature. I was not very interested in how the authors went about surveying, but the three themes that emerged from their research proved to be very helpful. I agree with all three themes presented, but I really liked the idea that YAL relates to students’ interests and addresses time constraints of a crowded classroom. I was not surprised to see that theme cited. Overall, I enjoyed reading this article, but found myself not taking that much away from it. I would only recommend it to certain teachers.

Rest in Peace Ray Bradbury

“With school turning out more runners, jumpers, racers, tinkerers, grabbers, snatchers, fliers, and swimmers instead of examiners, critics, knowers, and imaginative creators, the word 'intellectual,' of course, became the swear word it deserved to be.”

I think Ray would have a few more things to say about how to teach literature in the classroom. How many of you have read one or more of his works? 

How the Common Core Standards affect Textbook Sales

Wall Street Journal Article "Textbook Sales Likely to Rise on New Rules"

I don't think auto tune was around in the 20's

What do you think about this trailer? I am always very weary of adapting successful novels into films, but I have to say, I am intrigued by this one.

Five Yummy Things I've Gained from Reading Literature

1. What piece of literature has stayed with you, even though you haven't read it recently? 

The most resounding and most memorable text I have ever read is Jack Kerouac’s “On The Road.” I still pick it up from time to time, and I will never forget the first time I began to read it. I was in tenth grade when I first encountered the book that brought Old Jack his fame. At this point in my life I was already well traveled, but once I read “On The Road” I was transformed forever. I took to the road whenever I could, making trips to Chicago, Omaha, Madison, Iowa City, Des Moines, and Peoria. Before I knew it I was making treks to New York City and California multiple times a year. I couldn’t get enough of the experiences that come with traveling. I encountered so many strange and wonderful things during my era of travel, which strangely enough continues today. All of it started with “On The Road.” Now, I’ve driven more places and more miles than most people will in their entire lives. In fact, I’m leaving tomorrow for a trip totaling over 1400 miles. 

It continues. I still remember Sal Paradise’s sponge-like observations of life on the road. I still find myself meeting up with the various Dean Moriartys I know. I still ride on the same roads Kerouac did when he was penning the scroll that eventually became the inspiration for an entire generation.  I still drive into the night, talking to the radio and searching for wildlife. I still meet everyone I can, shake their hand, and give them my best. I still chase the same sunsets as the beats once did. Or, as Kerouac said “We were all delighted, we all realized we were leaving confusion and nonsense behind and performing our one noble function of the time, move.”

2. What character or story has influenced something you've done?

The character Socrates from the novel “Way of the Peaceful Warrior” by Dan Millman significant influenced me to change many aspects of my life. In the novel, Socrates pushes Dan Millman to become the best possible human he can be. Socrates acts as a mentor and teacher to Millman on his path to becoming a peaceful warrior. During his transformation, Millman changes many things about the daily happenings his life. He eats better. He meditates. He practices breathing techniques and yoga. He is more kind and more understanding of the suffering going on in the world. At the same time, Millman is molded into an insanely healthy human through rigorous and unusual training methods. Socrates is on his side for the majority of this training, but also challenges Millman to work hard by himself. Socrates is truly an inspiring character (and possibly a real human).

Socrates inspired me to begin to eat more healthy, to practice yoga, and to begin to mold myself into a more compassionate, yet agile human. Of course I am no Dan Millman, so the transformation has been slow, and I still have many changes to make. Nonetheless, Socrates really spoke to my soul and has challenged me to always strive to better myself in every arena of life no matter the amount of pain or resistance I encounter. Maybe one day I will meet someone just like Socrates. I would be sure to thank him.

3. What character or piece of literature seemed to relate to a recent news story or personal experience?

The Kid from Cormac McCarthy’s “Blood Meridian” relates directly to the experience I had in high school of falling in with a ruthless, older group of people. Although the Kid and I did not have the same experiences, since I was not killing and scalping Native Americans, we do share the experience of being forced to group up faster than usual. When I was thirteen things became very complicated at home, so I starting spending the majority of my time rollerblading with older kids. I saw and did a lot of things that I found myself regretting later in life, much like the Kid. I was always the youngest in my group of friends and was subject to more pressure because of various circumstances. However, I’d like to think I turned out a little better than the Kid. 

4. What character has made you wonder why he or she did/said something?

Sheriff Ed Tom Bell from Cormac McCarthy’s “No Country For Old Men” is by far the most puzzling of characters. In the last part of McCarthy’s novel, the Sheriff, after giving up the search for a killer, reflects on two of his recent dreams. The book ends with Ed Tom Bell’s recollection, and I have been stuck on it since I read the lines. I couldn’t be more confused to as why McCarthy would end the book as he did with the Sheriff’s dream talk. If I ever meet Cormac that will be the first thing I will ask him about.

5. Name something from a work of literature (such as a character, setting, or quotation) that you find beautiful or vivid.

I find most of what the novelist Tom Robbins writes to be beautiful and vivid. I have read every single one of his ten novels and find each one to be exceptional in it’s own right. One quote, however, has always stuck with me: “There are only two mantras, yum and yuck, mine is yum.” This quote from “Still Life With Woodpecker” seems simple enough, but I found a deep meaning from Robbins’ simplicity. This quote told me there are two ways of looking at the world. You can look at it negatively and say “yuck,” or you can embrace it and let “yum” roll off your tongue. Try it. “Yum.” Now, try “yuck.” Notice the difference? Yum rumbles out of your mouth longer than the Mississippi. Yuck, on the other hand (or should I say tongue) is forced out of your mouth with the ferocity of Hurricane Katrina, and no one likes her anymore. 

Use Robbins’ mantra next time you see something beautiful. Yum at your husband, your wife, or your lover, yum at the sun, yum at the moon, and most importantly, yum at every ugly or negative thing you encounter. Even those things won’t be able to stop the rumble from your mouth.

Welcome! Stay Skilled.

Welcome to my blog for the Summer 2012 ELIT 6020 course with Dr. Ruzich at Robert Morris University. My name is Bruce James Bales, and I am a 26 year-old student finishing my Instructional Leadership Program. I plan to teach at a private school after I complete the two summer courses I am currently enrolled in. I am originally from Iowa, and I received a Bachelor's degree in English Literature from RMU in 2008. I have lived in Pittsburgh for seven years now, and I am definitely open to staying longer depending on my career implications. I am also an avid photographer, filmer, and video editor. I run a small business by the name of Deft Productions, and I am currently involved in a wide range of interesting projects from shooting for globally distributed publications to weddings and from music videos to documentary shorts.

Education is the most important aspect of my life. I truly believe I was born to teach, and I will continue honing my skills for the rest of my life. Thank you for stopping by my blog, and please feel free to look around. Be sure to check back frequently, as I will be posting many intriguing writings, links, and news. Stay skilled.

My websites:
Deft Productions Online Store
The Iowa Connection