TheApple

Dear John,

Someone says reading = traveling. What do you think about it? Another question is: what is the use for children to read and write?

Dear John,

Thanks for your answer. You mean books are the sources of imagination. Then it may be good for children to read some fantasy novels in addition to realistic novels when they are in elementary schools. Can we say there is a critical period for children to develop their imaginations?

When you have fallen in love with someone, you may not pay attention to someone else. This case is like my love for Swordbird. Of course, I do talk about other topics as you can see from my dialogues with John. I also like the way John talks --- sincere and serious.

 Dear Swordbird,

Don't mind dhastings - I suspect that he's really an old softy underneath that sometimes gruff exterior. I've used the old curmudgeon persona myself, and it takes one to know one.

I think the sooner you can get kids started using their imaginations, the better. Kind of like a muscle, the more you exercise it, the stronger it gets. So sure - fantasy novels in elementary school are excellent. Heck, in Head Start, almost ALL the reading was fantasy (Dr. Suess, The Hungry Caterpillar, etc.)

What use is it for children to read and write? My goodness, it's ALL good, ALL useful. Reading's how they're going to get most of their information about the world, and, one hopes, much of their entertainment. Get them hooked early because there's a lot of competition out there: TV, movies, video games, the computer - most of which is mind-dulling and passive. And writing's how they can express their own ideas, their own creativity. I've often thought that we don't really know WHAT we think until we sit down and write it out.

More later, inshallah, but I've got to run now.

johnslat says ...

 Dear Swordbird,

Don't mind dhastings - I suspect that he's really an old softy underneath that sometimes gruff exterior. I've used the old curmudgeon persona myself, and it takes one to know one.

I think the sooner you can get kids started using their imaginations, the better. Kind of like a muscle, the more you exercise it, the stronger it gets. So sure - fantasy novels in elementary school are excellent. Heck, in Head Start, almost ALL the reading was fantasy (Dr. Suess, The Hungry Caterpillar, etc.)

What use is it for children to read and write? My goodness, it's ALL good, ALL useful. Reading's how they're going to get most of their information about the world, and, one hopes, much of their entertainment. Get them hooked early because there's a lot of competition out there: TV, movies, video games, the computer - most of which is mind-dulling and passive. And writing's how they can express their own ideas, their own creativity. I've often thought that we don't really know WHAT we think until we sit down and write it out.

More later, inshallah, but I've got to run now.

 

Dear John,

Wow, I like your metaphor of muscle building as well as the point that writing is an active way of reflecting oneself and creating something new. Thank you.

Another question: Why do some adults tend to neglect children's voices although they know the voices are lovely?  

Dear John,

I like your point that some adults often forget what it's like to be a child.  Maybe their minds can hardly go back to the sweet memories of their childhoods because of the sophisticated adult reality. When kids write something, these adults usually don't have the patience to enjoy the beautiful worlds the kids portray.

When I read Swordbird, I could see a kid's world, a real one that made me recall my childhood. But I don't understand why a few adults like to say satirical words about the book without reading it.

johnslat says ...

 Dear Swordbird,

As adults, most of us assume various personas, masks we wear when interacting with others. Many of us (myself included) often put on the mask of skepticism or even cynicism, and in that guise, we often make sarcastic/ironic/sardonic remarks. This is usually to show that we "know the score", "have been around the block more than a few times", are "worldly-wise", and "nobody's fool."

It's a defense mechanism - at least it is for me. Life can be hard and unfair, so most of us adopt some kinds of defense mechanisms.

I like to think that there are three stages we can go through: 1. Innocence; 2. Cynicism; 3. Inner Sense (couldn't resist the pun.)

The first stage, Innocence, is usually in childhood, and while it's engaging and appealing, it can be dangerous, for in it, we often make choices and decisions based on little or no experience.

The second stage comes about because of the hurt we receive in the first stage - those bad choices/decisions made. So, often we swing to the other extreme, skepticism or even cynicism. To quote "The Who", "We won't get fooled again."

The third stage is much like the first, except that this time we HAVE the experience, and we have passed through the skepticism/cynicism to an better understanding of ourselves and why we are here. We're not afraid anymore, so we don't need the defense mechanisms. We believe intuitively that we can handle whatever comes our way and that we are a part of all creation, connected through time and space in the infinite web of being. We feel (although we cannot know) there is a purpose to everything and that we are part of that purpose.

 Personally, I'm still mostly in stage two, although I do have moments when I think I've reached stage three.  Maybe, in a few more years, inshallah.

Dear John,

Your words are acute and to the point. I like them very much. I think in the forum of teachers like this one I really have the chances to meet good people like you.

In fact I should belong to stage two now but I'd rather stay in stage one forever.  I also wish I could do what Nancy Yi Fan can but I know I wasted lots of time in the past (maybe it's not that bad at all).

If I can't be a writer, I wish to become either a teacher or a bookseller.

Do you think that nowadays most of the teachers are forced to be teachers or they really want to be?

Don't you think people who sell books are great? To encourage kids to read is lofty. Parents always do that to their own children, but not necessarily to others'  kids; teachers can encourage all the kids to read but not necessarily heartily.

johnslat says ...

 Dear Swordbird,

...

 Once children get hooked on books, there's a lifetime of enjoyment, inspiration, and wisdom ahead of them.

Dear John,

I like your sentence above! There are many ways to let children get hooked on books such as teachers' recommendations, parents' guidance, peers' influences, bookstore and library tours and book clubs. Among the ways, I think peers' influences are the most powerful. What books are peers reading? What can peers write? The hidden message is "They can do it. So can I. And I cannot be left behind. I don't want to let peers say I'm ignorant.

Sometimes I was wondering why children like the Swordbird series. They contain a real child's voice and can arouse kids' curiosity to read them and find out how a peer role model has written them. What's your opinion about this? 

johnslat says ...

... I'd say it's the home-life that is even more important in getting a child started reading - even before they go to school.

Dear John,

Your words are wisdom-loaded! Talking about parents' guidance, I also think the atmosphere that parents create for reading books is important. But nowadays there are many other alluring things for kids such as video games and internet chatrooms. Should parents put kids in an environment of books away from other entertaining things at a certain period of time?

I know your "home-life" covers more things. Besides providing children with books, what else do you think it is wise for parents to do in order to let them love reading and writing?

Dear John,

Thanks. Since we can find most of the published books in the public libraries, why do parents or kids buy books? I was wondering what the reasons are.  Maybe they think books bought from bookstores or online are clean or they buy books on special occasions as birthday presents or inspiring gifts. Or they buy books in order to build small libraries at home and create learning environments? ...

Dear John,

Yes, people like to be owners of anything! Once kids have books, how can parents and teachers let them read them? What can draw kids' attention? In class, discussions could be one way for no one wants to listen to things that they don't know at all; at home, should parents also talk about books enthusiastically so that kids will be involved?

2008 Boys’ Life reading contest winners

Third Place: Tyler Tate, Roseville, Calif. (“Swordbird” by Nancy Yi Fan)

As a kid, did you ever want to write your own book and have it published? I found a great book this year titled “Swordbird” by Nancy Yi Fan. She was 12 years old when she wrote the book. I selected this book to read because a kid wrote it and it was about birds. I like all animal stories, especially ones that have fighting in them.

The story begins when the cardinals and blue jays go to war. They each think the other is responsible for stealing their eggs. On the other side of the forest, the evil owl lord, Turnatt, was building a fort using slave bird labor. He and his army of evil crows were the ones who were actually stealing both the cardinals’ and blue jays’ eggs and eating the eggs. When one of the slave birds escapes, he finds one of the clan members and tells them what is really happening. The cardinals and blue jays make peace and set out on a quest to find Swordbird, the legendary bird that can stop evil. In the end, Swordbird brings peace throughout the land.

This was my favorite book because it was exciting, adventurous and had a good lesson. The lesson was that we should communicate with each other and not resort to violence first. The war occurred because the cardinals and blue jays jumped to conclusions instead of talking to each other and finding out the facts. In the end, their suffering could only be relieved by working together.

Why are you guys so hostile to birds? ;-(

Peck at bobblehead

Crows in Swordbird are "evil", you know, but most of the birds in it are lovely.