Tikki Tikki Tembo

 Tikki Tikki Tembo

Written by Arlene Mosel

Illustrated by Blair Lent

Published in 1968

Grade Level: 2nd-3rd grade

Synopsis: Tikki Tikki Tembo is a story set in ancient China and based on Chinese folk lore.  The story claims that it was custom during this time period in ancient China for parents to honor their first-born son with long and intricate names.  People were supposed to call the first-born son by his given name and not allowed to give him a shorter nickname.  The second son on the other hand was usually given a shorter, less important name.  The sons in Tikki Tikki Tembo are named Tikki Tikki Tembo-no Sa Rembo-chari Bari Ruchi-pip Peri Pembo and Chang.  One day, the brothers are playing near a well, despite being warned not to.  Chang, the younger brother, falls into the well and his older brother runs to their mother for help and Chang is quickly rescued.   Obviously not learning anything from their previous experience with the well, the brothers play near the well a second tie.  This time the first-born son falls in the well and Chang runs to his mother for help.  He shouts, "Tikki Tikki Tembo-no Sa Rembo-chari Bari Ruchi-pip Peri Pembo has fallen into the well" over and over again because she cannot hear him.  Chang stops shouting for his mother and runs to get the Old Man with the Ladder.  He uses the ladder to get Tikki Tikki Tembo-no Sa Rembo-chari Bari Ruchi-pip Peri Pembo, first-born son, out of the well in the nick of time.  The lesson or moral that is intended to be taken from the story is that one reason current Chinese names are typically short and only one syllable long is because of the time it took for Chang to explain to people what happened to his older brother, Tikki Tikki Tembo-no Sa Rembo-chari Bari Ruchi-pip Peri Pembo as a result of his ridiculously long name.

Theme/Skill:  The story gives the message that every person is important. The story starts off with the view that the first born son being all important, while Chang, the second son is cast aside. Yet, after the heroic actions of the second-born son, Chang becomes appreciated and both children are loved and finally seen as important. However, in the end Chang is the hero and both children are important and loved. 

Pre-reading activity: Talk about names; why people are given names, how people are named, the benefits of long and short names.  Students can reflect on their own names (how they got them, what people call them (nickname), why they do or do not like their name.  This discussion will prepare students for what the story is about.  They can use their own feelings about the opinions of their peers to help them interpret the moral of the story of Chang and Tikki Tikki Tembo-no Sa Rembo-chari Bari Ruchi-pip Peri Pembo.

Post-reading activity: The teacher will use descriptive language and details to describe a hidden object to students without using the object's name.  The teacher could bring in a barrel or large bucket and put random objects, appropriate and familiar to students, in the barrel, which represents the well that Chang and his older brother fell into.  The teacher will model how to do this and the student who guesses correctly will be the next describer.  (Idea adapted from Scholastic).

Assessment: During the activity with the barrel (well) each student will be given a rubric to assess their peers.  They will assess their peers using smiley faces in which the surprised face represents the highest score (4), a smiley face (3), a confused face (2), and a sad face (1).  Students will assess their peers on presentation and effectiveness of descriptions.  They will also give them one positive comment and one thing that they could improve upon. 

Reflection: In 1997, Tikki Tikki Tembo was selected by The New York Times as a part of its list of the 50 best children's books of the previous 50 years.  This just shows how enduring the story is.  Since its publication in 1933, the story of the two Chinese brothers who fell in a well has been a classic.  Whether at home or at school, Tikki Tikki Tembo is a great story to read to children.  Recently a film version, narrated by Ming Na and B.D Wong, has been released.  "Tikki Tikki Tembo and More Stories to Celebrate Asian Heritage" is a wonderful media version to accompany and reinforce the text version.  I would suggest that both versions of the story be on the shelves of all elementary school teachers.  

Where the Sidewalk Ends

 Where the Sidewalk Ends

Written and Illustrated by Shel Silverstein

Published in 1974

Grade Level: 3rd-4th grade

Synopsis: Where the Sidewalk Ends is a compilation of poems by talented writer and illustrator, Shel Silverstein.  He wrote many poems that would be appealing and relatable to young readers.  The poems in the book are often playful and are about unusual or far-fetched situations.  "Where the Sidewalk Ends" is the poem that the book is named for.  It is printed below for your reading pleasure.

Where the Sidewalk Ends 

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends. 

Theme/Skill: The poems in Silverstein's book do not directly relate to one another, yet they all create similar feelings of silliness and childhood.  This book of poems could easily be used to teach various elements of poetry such as personification, hyperbole, simile, metaphor, alliteration, etc. 

Pre-reading activities: Students will be given poems that exemplify a particular poetic element.  The teacher will guide the students to an understanding of that element and provide them with various examples of poems that incorporate that element.  Students will work in partners or small groups as they read poems and identify the poetic elements. 

Post-reading activities: After the students have had time to work with the poetic elements (this may take several days/lessons) they will begin reading selections from Where the Sidewalk Ends.  Students will read poems and identify the poetic elements.  Students will then write poems of their own that include elements of poetry.  These will be compiled into a portfolio that will monitor students' progress. 

Assessment: The poetry porfolios will be graded on neatness and presentation, a definition page of the poetic elements used, ten of their best poems (at least five different elements must be utilized), and a typed reflection in which students will talk about what they learned, what best helped them learn it, the meaning behind their poems, and how they will use poetry again in their future lives. 

Reflection: Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, and Falling Up are three books by Shel Silverstein that I remember being on the bookshelves of my classrooms in elementary school and high school.  They were books that you could pick up and enjoy again and again.  You could read one poem at a time or read several in one sitting.  His poems could be silly, totally far fetched, relatable, or portray the childish concerns that we all had at some point in time.  That is what I like best about how Silverstein wrote and organized this book.  Some titles that I remember and suggest for any readers unfamiliar with Where the Sidewalk Ends are "The Edge of the World," "Eighteen Flavors," and "Dancing Pants."  If you purchase the thirtieth anniversary edition of the book, released in 2004, you will receive not only the original version, but twelve new poems included as well.  

Little House on the Prairie

 

Little House on the Prairie

Written by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Illustrated by Garth Williams

Published in 1935

Grade Level: 3rd-5th grade

Synopsis: Little House on the Prairie is the third installment of a nine book series written by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  The stories chronicle the life of the author and her family in the Midwestern United States at the end of the nineteenth century.  In this installment of the Little House series the Ingalls family, which consists of Charles (Pa), Caroline (Ma), Mary, Laura, and Carrie, leaves their small house in the Big Woods of Wisconsin and head for Kansas.  Pa has made the decision to relocate to Indian country due to overpopulation of the Big Woods.  Although Ma wants to put off the move until the warm weather arrives, Pa tells the family that they must cross the Mississippi river before the ice cracks.  
     As the Ingalls move West they make camp in a new place each night.  They are faced with storms, flooded land, and overflowing rivers. There are several times that they almost lose the lives of their horses and dog, not to mention their own lives.  As the family continues their journey across the prairie, Pa stops the wagon and announces that he will build their house in this exact location, not far from the Verdigris River.  While building the house Pa makes friends with Mr. Edwards, a kind neighbor who is also building a log cabin for himself.  Mr. Edwards helps Pa and together they finish the cabin.  
     While the family is getting settled in their new home, there are several sightings of wolves and groups of Native Americans.  Pa tells his daughters not to worry because he will always keep their family safe.  While become acclimated with the area, Mary and Laura go on many explorations, spending their days chasing snakes and playing in the grass. (I looked at the plot summary at AllReaders.com in order to help me recall this wonderful book from my childhood).

Theme/Skill: Often classified as fiction, the Little House series is actually very autobiographical.  With an underlying theme of togetherness, hope, and the promise of a good future through hardship and setbacks, Laura Ingalls recalls her childhood in great detail.  Perhaps writing an autobiography could be a skill that the students could practice.  The process of writing about their own lives would show the students that writing is personal and relevant to each of them.  It could also teach them firsthand the process of writing in this genre; chronological order, the collection of memories and facts, interviews, etc. 

Pre and Post reading activities: This book would lend itself nicely to interdisciplinary lessons connecting literature to history.  Teachers could form many lessons and activities for students to teach them about the lifestyle of people living during the time of the Ingalls family.  Topics such as exploration, westward expansion, colonization, and railroads could be introduced.  Teachers could also teach lessons and assign projects about the similarities between the life experiences and family relationships of Laura to those of their own. 

Assessment: Students would be formally assessed on their autobiographies and visual aids.  The students could brainstorm ideas for visuals to accompany their biographies.  Together they would decide what should be included, how long presentations should be, and how many life events should be hi-lighted (i.e- moving, divorce, birth of a sibling, etc).  Some ideas for students could be to create family trees, timelines, photo albums, birth announcements, a hopes and dreams poster, plus many more ideas.

Reflection: I was first introduced to the Little House series by my mother.  She had grown up reading them and wanted me to have the opportunity to to read and fall in love with them as she did.  I remember reading them with her; she would read a page, then I would read a page.  When we had read all of the books I was almost sad.  The stories came alive again through the television series, Little House on the Prairie, which I think is possibly one of the best shows ever to appear on television.  I always felt good after watching an episode, just as I had felt good after reading the book.  Laura's life was like a great adventure that I wanted to go on.  I thought my life was just plain and simple, but now I realize that no life is plain and simple.  Laura experienced bumps in the road just as I do.  Those bumps are different because of the different time periods that we both grew up in, but nevertheless, Laura made me feel that hope and love was at the other end of every dark tunnel.  The books are a great read for boys or girls. 

Think Piece 9- Visual Literacy

            This week I chose to read Visual Literacy, an article about “broadening conceptualizations of literacy” and extending that view to the visual and communicative arts.  The article began with a brief account of a young girl’s day as she woke up in the morning until she stepped into her classroom.  In that short time frame, Maria, the second grade girl was surrounded by sounds, images, and movement by means of television, music, billboard advertisements, hand-held video games, expressive dance, read-alouds, and computers.  There is no doubt in my mind that technology plays a significant role in the lives of all people, especially young people.  “Technology, which has ranged from chunks of charcoal to the latest in video and sound electronic transmission, has always mediated the visual and communicative arts and provided socialization in the ways of using them” (Flood, 1997, p. 343).  In a sense, technology creates a divide between older and new generations and those who are not technically literate and those who are. 

            In this day in age, children are raised in a world of technological gadgets, toys, and software.  They become proficient at using it because it is normal and familiar to them.  There is no denying that technology should own a place in any classroom.  It will most likely be challenging for teachers to incorporate technology and use it as both a learning and instructional tool, but it has to be done.  If teachers are going to prepare students for the real world, the world outside of school, then it is one of their many duties to teach students how to use technology to its highest capacity.  

Samples of Visual Literacy

Think Piece 8- Multilingual Learners

                                                 (in English)          (in Spanish)           (in Italian)

           

            At this point in my life, I have not yet had the opportunity to work extensively with bilingual students or English Language Learners (ELLs).  I am positive that I would not have felt confident in my abilities to teach these students to write in English if I had not read chapter 14, What is Sound Writing Instruction for Multilingual Learners? by Jill Fitzgerald and Steve Amendum.  I wouldn’t expect teachers to learn the native languages of all their students, however in order to make lessons relatable to ELL students teachers must make the effort to familiarize themselves with the cultures their students came from.  This is something that I am excited to learn as a teacher.  I found that the suggestions, strategies, and examples of specific lessons, genres of writing, and the possible settings for teaching these lessons mentioned in the chapter were beneficial for my learning style.  The authors did not just give statistics, formal jargon, and research results.  They provided the readers with the experiences that Mrs. Chen had when teaching the writing process to multilingual learners. 

            I thought the practices mentioned in chapter 14 of Best Practices in Writing Instruction stemmed from Vygotsky and sociocultural theory, a theory that I too believe in.  Fitzgerald and Amendum wrote that “learning a new language involves active thinking and thinking with peers and adults” (p. 302).  These social experiences are essential for English Language Learners because it is likely that for many, school is the only place that they speak and hear English.  Even friendly or informal conversation will increase their vocabulary.  Even though speaking and writing have similarities, one of the main differences between them is that formal writing has rules, such as structure, tense, and grammar that can be difficult for any student, even when writing in their native language. 

            The description of the strategy known as TREE was creative and applicable to me as a teacher. 

“TREE is a four-stage mnemonic strategy used for writing a persuasive or opinion essay.  Students plan their essay using a structured format: 1) Topic sentence-tell what you believe; 2) Reasons (several)-Why do I believe this?  Will my readers believe this?; 3) Explain reasons-say more about each reason; 4) Ending-wrap it up right” (p. 301).

 I actually got excited when I read it because ideas began flying through my mind about how I could adapt and apply it to my own classroom, which will most likely be somewhere in high school, middle school, or upper elementary school.  This type of writing instruction could be first used as a modeling activity and gradually evolve into an individual writing planning strategy in a general education classroom, pull-out ESL classrooms, foreign language classrooms, or bilingual classrooms. 

Think Piece 7-"Immigrant Students and Literacy"

            Almost immediately as I opened Immigrant Students and Literacy; Reading Writing and Remembering by Gerald Campano, I was able to make a connection to the experiences he was speaking about.  I was able to relate to the issue of immigrant and other low level English speaking students in schools because I had seen it first hand during an observation placement that preceded my student teaching. 

            In chapter one, “From the Heart of the World and Back Again,” Campano writes about the fact that New York State requires that ESL students take state examinations and assessments at all the required benchmarks/grade levels. 

During the first half of the school year, the students were required to take a fairly extensive state examination that involved, among other tasks, reading long paragraphs and marking answers by filling in circles on a test sheet.  Many of the children were from immigrant families and spoke English as a second language (p.10). 

In this case, Campano is speaking about kindergarten students, yet the issue affects students of all ages.  He also mentions that this school, once a high achieving institution in comparison to others like it, was brought down in its ranking.  This was what was happening to Lackawanna Middle school because of the influx of Muslim and other Middle Eastern families.  Many of these students had only been in the United States for less than two years.  They spoke Arabic or other native languages outside of school and in their homes, yet they were required to read, write, and comprehend all things English on the Regents exams. 

            Due to the fact that ESL students are required to take the NYS assessment exams with no regard to how long they have been living in the United States or speaking English.  Therefore, the school’s scores tend to suffer.  By no means am I saying that the ESL and immigrant students are to blame.  In fact, it is just the opposite.  New York State has such a highly acclaimed and respected education system that one would think that they could come up with a better way to test ESL/immigrant students’ progress and knowledge in a way that they could understand.  Without sounding insensitive I would like to say that I do think that ESL and immigrant students should be taught American history, language, and studies because they are a part of the United States.  On the other hand I think that perhaps there should be some leniency in testing students so that they can be first evaluated on the information in their native language before being shoved into a completely English environment in which no learning will occur. 

Think Piece 6

           I am not sure if it is by sheer coincidence that I read two pieces by Bruce Saddler this week or if what he had to say was meant to have a significant impact on my methods of teaching English.  Either way, I found what he had to say about sentence combining in the article entitled, “Sentence Combing: a Sentence-level Writing Intervention” and spelling and handwriting in chapter 9 very intriguing. 

            When I began reading Saddler’s article, I thought for sure that it was not going to pertain to me because I am certified English 7-12, however my doubts were quelled as I continued to read.  “Researchers have found that sentence-combining practice can help young writers write qualitatively better stories and increases the amount and quality of revision” (Saddler, p. 468),  yet I can see how the modeling techniques mentioned can be applied to adolescent students.  In order to get students used to the true revision process the teacher could alter sentences from literature or take sentences from student work.  Together, the class can work in pairs or as a group to identify run-on sentences, fragments, and areas that lack detail.  This oral practice in the classroom encourages “group discussions, feedback, evaluation, reflection, and praise” (Saddler, p. 469).  Similar to Saddler, writer Bob Schlagal speaks on spelling and handwriting; two aspects in education that have changed significantly with the advancement of technology. 

            In chapter 10, Schlagal says, “As is always the case, heavy emphasis on one aspect of the curriculum leads to neglect of others, but recognition of that fact does not mean a return to historic concepts and practices is in order” (Schlagal, p. 179-180).  This statement is written in regards to the author’s opinion that education no longer puts weight on spelling and handwriting.  I can definitely understand his position because I too think that all children should be able to write legibly and have knowledge of spelling (or at least be capable of looking a word up in the dictionary).  “Reading and spelling are both rooted in knowledge of the spelling system and its patterns.  This relationship between reading and spelling is seen in the fact that most poor spellers are poor readers” (Schlagal, p. 180).  On the other hand, I do acknowledge that technology is moving at a rate in which things like Spell Check and word processors are available to a great chunk of the population.  This is where I am torn; I do not thin that just because technology is so readily available that people should discard some of the basics of education because there will always be situations that people will have to write using a paper and pen and handwriting will need to be correct and legible.