Sei's Reflection on Graves (Ch. 6&7)

Graves Chapter 7 Reflection
Surround the Children with Literature

As stated in the title, Graves emphasizes the importance of “surround[ing] the children with literature” in this chapter. According to Graves, “the children need to hear, speak, and read literature. Literature provides more than facts. It provides drama, problem solving, and precise language”. It is important to encourage students and provide them with the opportunities to “live the literature”, whether it’s through storytelling, role-playing, or talking about their favorite authors.

Graves also takes his readers on a journey of surrounding students with literature through classroom scenarios with Mr. Lopes, Mrs. Andersen, and Mrs. Peckrull. Mr. Lopes immersed his twelve-year-olds with literature by having them write daily for four weeks followed by receiving and questioning “favorite authors’” works and later even their own. Mr. Lopes went as far as even asking a local author to come and speak with his class about a favorite piece and the thought/writing process that went along with composing that piece. Mrs. Andersen surrounding her seven-year-olds with literature through poetry and storytelling. Mrs. Peckrull reached out to her students by role-playing and answering the students’ questions as if she was that certain author.

My immediate reaction after reading this chapter was that to be a teacher that surrounds her students with literature, I must enjoy literature myself. Not only must I adore it, I must be well knowledgeable of it in order to teach my students well. I know that I can reach my students through mediums that I’m comfortable with and I enjoy so when I read Mrs. Andersen’s approach about teaching them through poems and storytelling, I felt eager to try that technique. I’m glad that there are so many different ways of immersing children with literature because it gives teachers a wide range to choose from. For instance, working with poems and storytelling would be really exciting for me and I’m hoping that my students would be able to sense that eagerness and enthusiasm and approach literature with that same attitude. After all, I’m sure students can tell when their teacher isn’t eager or confident about teaching a certain subject. I’ve also concluded that I must be willing to take the time and effort to not only read and analyze books, but to also research authors and their writing techniques.