Re: [LM_NET] ELE: Sticky notes to censor

[Lisa Hunt <lisa3moon@YAHOO.COM>]

We can embrass our responsibility to teach students about many things, and ethics 
is one.  I am currently training 6th grade assistants and one very sincere boy 
asked, "Ms. Hunt what do you do with the books that have bad words?"  His 
classmates turned to see what I would say, and there was silence in the library.  I 
asked him which bad words?  He smiled and said, "Ms. Hunt I can't really say those 
words."  I asked, "Why can't you say 'stupid' or 'shut-up'?"  Our discussion went 
from there, and we are still talking.  He deserves a serious conversation about how 
to fit your personal sensibilities into a community, and I am an experienced 
professional who is willing to talk.  

I also used Shannon's book on Tuesday as my example.  I did a genre lesson with 5th 
grade students.  I explained that they might not know the word genre, but they have 
been learning about genres since 1st grade.  I asked, "Who remembers that Easy book 
No, David?"  They did, they laughed, and of course someone said, "That's the book 
where he runs down the street naked!"  We laughed, and I said, "Yes, but that book 
is realistic fiction and you have read lots of that.  See, David and his story is 
realistic.  That boy could live next door to you."  AND, then a student said, 
"Yeah, my little neighbor boy ran down the street naked this summer."  We all 
laughed again, and it was good.

If you don't feel comfortable with a book just don't share it.  There are so many 
good, wonderful books you will be able to find what suits your needs.  I don't 
change books.  PS:  If I was in a high school I wouldn't put the Hoffman book on my 
shelves either.  I have a selection policy to help me make that decision.  

 
Lisa Hunt
School Library Media Specialist, elementary
National Board Certified Teacher
Moore, OK
lisa3moon@yahoo.com 



----- Original Message ----
From: Grace Oliff <grace_1335@YAHOO.COM>
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2007 5:40:54 AM
Subject: Re: ELE: Sticky notes to censor


Here's a thought,- instead of using a sticky note to
diminish the impact of Shannon's carefully constructed
art, why not use the Silver Caldecott Medal the book
garnered the year of its publication? From the ALA
page on terms and criteria for the Caldecott:

1. The Medal shall be awarded annually to the artist
of the most distinguished American picture book for
children published in English in the United States
during the preceding year. There are no limitations as
to the character of the picture book except that the
illustrations be original work. Honor Books may be
named. These shall be books that are also truly
distinguished.

http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/caldecottmedal/caldecottterms/caldecottterms


"These books are also truly distinguished"- I don't
recall the committee adding a postscript when awarding
Shannon the medal, saying " except for that one page
when David is careening down the street sans
clothing..." 

No, David-Aside from the fact that a sense of humor is
eventually what makes life bearable, the social
development of a child can in many ways be measured by
what he understands to be funny. "No, David!" is a
perfect example. A child only sees David's actions as
funny because he understands that they are NOT
socially acceptable.David careening down the street
sans clothing brings gales of laughter because it
isn't done ( at least not in my neighborhood:)) Kornei
Chukovsky referred to this as " the sense in
nonsense"- In short, the kids love this book so much
because they are in on the joke.  Just as Sendak's
reasons for choosing to leave Mickey unclothed in "In
the Night Kitchen" should be taken into account,
Shannon had his good reasons for David's nakedness.
There is nothing gratuitous about it, and covering it
with a sticky note shows a lack of respect for the
artist. 


Grace Oliff, Librarian
Ann Blanche Smith E.S
1000 Hillsdale Ave.
Hillsdale, N.J. 07642
grace_1335@yahoo.com
Library Web Page- http://home.earthlink.net/~david916
Part time Lecturer, Children's and Young Adult Literature
Rutgers SCILS
Fairleigh Dickinson University


      
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