B. Reading and Writing about Childhood - Home and School

1. Reading and discussion about schools

You may have many books in your class collection or local library which have powerful descriptions of school, and which capture some of the emotions of being treated badly, told you cannot learn or, in some other way, having a hard time at school. You could pick from those or use some of the extracts included at the end of this chapter (page 56 - page 64). You need to choose two or three extracts that students in your group or class, will relate to. If there are First Nations students you might want to include something set in a residential school; students who have been labeled with mental disabilities, or who have physical disabilities, might relate to something about labeling or something set in an institution. You should gauge what type of pieces your group would want to work with. If you have worked with a group for a long time and built trust, you might feel ready to read an emotional piece. If you don't know the group well or you fear the ways they might put each other down, you might choose a less explicitly violent piece. You might choose to read any number of these pieces. You could choose many different ways to read them, depending on the reading levels of the group and whether they prefer to read silently to themselves, to read out loud, or to listen to you or a taped reading. If you choose to use several different readings you could divide the class into groups based on interest in different themes, or different reading styles chosen, or different levels of reading material. Each small group could read a different piece in a way that works for them. This could include listening to a tape several times if necessary.

* The small groups could discuss any or all of the pieces. Some questions to consider:

• What is the piece about?
• Why do you think the author wrote about it?
• What do you think it would feel like to be that child?
• What do you think that child would be like as an adult learner?
• What does it feel like to read this description now?
• What does it make you remember about your own schooling?

* After the discussions, groups could report to each other.

* Then, if students are interested, groups could switch readings and report again, adding to the earlier groups' reports.

2. Writing

* Students could write on any of these themes:

• the first day of school, or the last day;
• the worst and the best of school;
• a particularly wonderful occasion or terrible occasion at school;
• special days;
• recess, or ....

* See if students want to share their writing, by reading it aloud themselves or asking someone else to read it, or by putting it on a notice board for others to read later.

3. Reading and discussion about home

* Readings included at the end of the chapter (page 65 - page 67) or others selected to prompt talk about childhood could be used with the same sort of reading and discussion process followed for the readings about school.

4. Writing

These readings could also be followed by a writing exercise if there is interest. Similarly, the themes could be:

• the best or worst. . . .
• a wonderful occasion or a terrible occasion;
• a fictional story;
• some advice you would give yourself as a child knowing what you know as an adult.

5. Change the picture

* Brainstorm words and phrases that describe how school and home should be. Then ask everyone to write about their idea of the ideal home or ideal school.

* After everyone has finished writing, discuss how society would need to change so that more homes and more schools fit the ideal.