I wanted to reflect upon some of the responses that I received when I used a particular article for my abstract. I read and created an abstract for an article in the Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy by Steven Wolk (2009) called “Reading for a Better World: Teaching for Social Responsibility with Young Adult Literature.” I felt that his article was entirely appropriate, and the basic premise of his idea is that through the use of literature, teachers need to make students more socially sensitive and aware of what is happening in the world around them. The responses that I got from my group, however, varied quite a bit from what I expected. I noticed that quite a few comments had to do with the opinion that it is primarily the parents’ responsibility to teach for social responsibility, and the conversation also lead to discussions of teen behavior. I guess my concern is that you really need to read the article in order to get a clear understanding of what Wolk is suggesting. He’s not preaching, but discussing how important it is to make teens aware of what is going on in the world~and what better way to do this but through the use of literature? Doesn’t interest in reading occur when readers make a connection with the characters, thoughts, or feelings expressed within a book? Why not use literature that portrays social issues in order to help to encourage these connections? Exploring social responsibility through literature is also a way to spark conversations among teens-with each other and with the teacher. It’s especially significant if the issue is dealing with topics that are directly relevant to students’ lives.
As I said in my notes on this abstract, I feel strongly that teaching for responsibility is partly a teacher’s duty, and that students will better understand as well as question and think about what they see within society if they are exposed to issues within the classroom. As I have said before, when students can read about issue that they may be dealing with in their own lives, it helps them to understand their situation as well as to know that they aren’t alone in this world. I think that literature is a great way for teens to find out who they are and where they stand within their lives.
Wolk, Steven. (2009). Reading for a Better World: Teaching for Social Responsibility with Young Adult Literature. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52 (8), 664-673. Retrieved from EBSCOhost
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