112Asp01.html

English 112A: Literature for Children
Spring Semester 2001
San José State University
Professor Carolyn Sigler

Office: FO 111
Phone/Voicemail: 408-924-4457
E-mail: csigler@email.sjsu.edu
Web: http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/csigler
Office Hours: T-R 10:00-11:30 a.m. and by appointment
Click here for class handouts.
"Only the rarest kind of best in anything can be good enough for the young." --Walter de la Mare

REQUIRED ITEMS
The required items below may be purchased at the Spartan and Robertsí Bookstores, or ordered online or through a local bookstore. Please purchase only the editions listed below so that you will have the same page numbers as the rest of the class and be able to follow class discussion and lecture. Be sure to buy your texts early, as the bookstores will begin returning unpurchased fall textbooks in March to make room for summer and fall orders. Byrd Baylor and Peter Parnall, The Desert is Theirs (Aladdin)
Eve Bunting, Smoky Night (Voyager)
Beverly Cleary, Ramona the Brave (Avon)
Barbara Cohen, Molly's Pilgrim (Bantam)
Christopher Curtis, The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 (Dell)
Paula Fox, Radiance Descending (Laurel)
Roberto Innocenti, Rose Blanche (Harcourt)
Francisco Jimenez, The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child (U New Mexico
Gail Carson Levine, Ella Enchanted (Harper)
J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Scholastic)
Jon Scieszka, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs (Puffin)
Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are (Harper)
Virginia Walter, Making Up Megaboy (Bantam)
An activated e-mail account
2-4 blue exam booklets for midterm and final exams
RECOMMENDED
Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting (FSG)
Molly Bang, Picture This: How Pictures Work (SeaStar)
Jean Craighead George, The Missing Gator of Gumbo Limbo (Harper)
Diana Hacker, EasyWriter (Bedford)
Carol Lynch-Brown, Essentials of Children's Literature, 3rd. Ed. (Allyn and Bacon)
Sharon Bell Mathis, The Hundred Penny Box (Puffin) COURSE PURPOSES AND PHILOSOPHY
The following passage is taken from Richard E. Ishlerís "The Preparation of Elementary School Teachers," which appeared in the Spring 1995 Phi Kappa Phi Journal: Persons who will spend their professional lives as elementary school teachers must be liberally and broadly educated, more so than individuals with other careers, because of their positions as role models for our children--positions that are crucial not only to the students whose lives are directly affected, but to the general society as well. Other than a student's parents, no other person has such an opportunity to influence, to motivate, and to inspire a child to value the intellectual life. In fact, acting as an intellectual role model may well be the single most significant aspect of the teaching profession. (4) As a means of developing your "intellectual life," this course will introduce you to the history, forms and functions of literature for children, as well as provide you with a variety of critical tools for reading, discussing, and writing about literary as well as pedagogical discourses. Our survey of children's literature will cover both classic and popular texts, including discussion of film and television, as both have a profound influence not only on books for children but on the very ways that children read books. Through the readings, lectures and our class discussions you will develop your awareness of social and pedagogical issues that impact the use of children's literature both in and outside of the classroom, your ability to read texts carefully and with attention to their literary merit, and your ability to write clear, thoughtful and persuasive prose.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Two exams, consisting of in-class short-answer questions and a take-home essay (20% each); a 7-10 page class project (20%); class presentation (10%); participation, quizzes, contribution to class Web project, and short writing assignments (30%). Attendance and improvement are also considered in determining the final grade. Out-of-class writing must use MLA format, be word-processed, free from mechanical errors, double-spaced, and printed in "best quality" using a standard 12-point font and one-inch margins. Please keep a copy of any work you hand in, and retain graded work until the end of the semester. Assignments must be turned in on time to receive full credit. Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date; written work submitted in any other time or place, or by students dropping by the classroom only to hand in work, will be considered late.

QUIZZES
We will have frequent unannounced quizzes. They will be varied in format, may be given at any time during the course meeting time, and may be on current reading material or on previous class discussions. In-class quizzes may not be made up; however, the lowest score will be dropped at the end of the semester, and one or two opportunities for extra credit will be offered during the semester.

ATTENDANCE
Roll is taken at each class meeting, as participation is a significant part of the final course grade for any writing workshop. Remember that each student is responsible for all material presented and discussed in every class, including any changes in the greensheet; if you miss a class, it is your responsibility to obtain class materials, assignments and information from the professor and/or colleagues. I appreciate it when students arrive on time and stay for the entire class. Tardiness is disruptive to the class, and may cause you to miss announcements, quizzes and/or important class material; if you arrive late, you are responsible for letting the professor know at the end of class so that you can be marked present. All beepers, phones or other electronic devices must be switched off during class time.

CLASS WEB SITE
The class Web site provides a number of online resources to help you with writing, revision and research. These include links to grammar guides and interactive grammar exercises, research method and style guides, online dictionaries and encyclopedias, links to online writing centers, and links to research topic sites. Copies of course handouts and assignments will also be available on the Web site.

GRADING POLICY
The following statement has been adopted by the English department for inclusion in all syllabi:
In English Department Courses, instructors will comment on and grade the quality of student writing as well as the quality of ideas being conveyed. All student writing should be distinguished by correct grammar and punctuation, appropriate diction and syntax, and well-organized paragraphs.

The department of English reaffirms its commitment to the differential grading scale as defined in the official SJSU catalogue ("The Grading System"). Grades issued must represent a full range of student performance: A = excellent; B = above average; C = average; D = below average; F = failure. Courses graded according to the A,, B, C, No Credit system shall follow the same pattern, except that NC (No Credit) shall replace D or F. In such classes, NC shall also substitute for W (Withdrawal) because neither grade (NC or W) affects studentsí GPA.

In English 112A, writing grades are based on the following criteria:

An A essay (outstanding) presents a cogent, well-articulated critique, demonstrates a high degree of competence in writing, demonstrates facility with conventional correctness, includes a variety of sentence structures, stylistic devices of rhetorical nature, complex thought and diction, logical organization. It will provide original and provocative ideas, show development and complexity of thought appropriate to college level, and support abstract concepts with well-selected, relevant details and examples from the literature. Writing in this category will reflect serious, mature, and original ideas at a high level. It will comprehend the dynamics or polarities inherent in the work of literature at a significant level above the simple and superficial realm. It will demonstrate superior comprehension of a text's literary language. It will also show sensitivity to the figurative and general metaphoric nature of the text.
A B essay (strong) presents a well-developed critique and demonstrates good control of the elements of effective writing. It will be similar to an A paper in readability and mechanics, although its understanding of the literature and/the assignment may be slighted, or somewhat superficial, may provide more general supporting evidence, and display a slight weakness in organization and structure. A few minor errors in logic may be present, but the basic content is very good. An essay in this category usually demonstrates a clear, solid grasp of the ideas, but is more conventional and not as well organized and developed for rhetorical effect.
A C essay (adequate) presents a competent critique and demonstrates adequate control of writing. It may have occasional problems with mechanics, but it contains no serious errors. It may have some paragraph development and transition difficulties, sentence structure may be somewhat awkward and simple. Errors in diction and idiom may occur. Nevertheless, a C essay will demonstrate a solid awareness of the significance of literature, and will display a good, competent understanding of it. The supporting evidence is often irrelevant, and it usually introduces irrelevancies and vague paraphrases. An essay in this category is average; it generally has good ideas, but lacks development, fluency, and preciseness.
A D essay (limited) will treat the assignment in a superficial manner, misinterpret the literature, or give irrelevant and cryptic supporting material. The thesis statement is usually poorly conceived. There will be marked deficiencies in organization, a serious lack of development, and contain many elementary flaws in grammar, diction, mechanics, sentence structure, and coherence. Even though a D essay may contain some moments of insight, it has serious problems in readability and mechanics.
An F essay will fail to fulfill the assignment, will lack any comprehension of the literature, and express general confusion regarding the issues. Generally, it also has very serious problems in the areas of style (readability) and mechanics. Any paper that does not demonstrate basic competency in the English language, regardless of how hard the student tries, will not pass the standards set by the department of English. Students who anticipate having problems in this area should sign up for the English writing lab and arrange for special help.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
The misrepresentation of another's work as one's own, whether the original work is published or not, is plagiarism and will result in a failing grade. The incident will also be reported to the dean of students for possible further action. All quotes must be enclosed in quotation marks or, when more than three lines, put in an indented block. Full citation of the original author and source must also be included. Copies of SJSU's Policy on Academic Dishonesty are available in the office of the Dean of Student Services.

DISABLED STUDENT SERVICES
Students with disabilities who need special accommodations should register with the Disabled Student Services Department. Please advise the professor immediately of any special needs.

READING AND ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE FOR SECTION 2: TR 13:30-14:45
The following schedule may be slightly modified during the course of the semester, but students will be notified of any change at least one class day in advance. Detailed descriptions of the exams, reports and project will be distributed in class. All reading assignments must be completed by the first date listed, and texts should always be brought to class on the day they are to be discussed. Titles with an asterisk (*) are films, which will be viewed in class.

	1/25 WELCOME! Introduction to the class
1/30 HISTORY OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE Early Childrenís Literature (photocopy)	2/1 CLASSIC FAIRY TALES Disney, Beauty and the Beast*
2/6 THE "DISNEYFICATION" OF CLASSIC FAIRY TALES Disney, Beauty and the Beast* (discussion)	2/8 MODERN FAIRY TALES Levine, Ella Enchanted
2/13 MODERN FAIRY TALES Levine, Ella Enchanted	2/15 NO CLASS
2/20 MODERN FANTASY Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcererís Stone	2/22 MODERN FANTASY Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
2/27 HISTORICAL REALISM Curtis, The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963	3/1 HISTORICAL REALISM Curtis, The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963
3/6 MODERN REALISM Cleary, Ramona the Brave	3/8 CENSORSHIP AND THE CLASSROOM
3/13 OPTIONAL CONFERENCES	3/15 MIDTERM EXAMINATION
3/20 PICTURE BOOKS and VISUAL LITERACY	3/22 PICTURE BOOKS Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are; Scieszka, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs; Baylor, The Desert is Theirs
3/27 SPRING BREAK	3/29 SPRING BREAK
4/3 VIOLENCE AND THE CLASSROOM Innocenti, Rose Blanche Bunting, Smoky Night	4/5 VIOLENCE AND THE CLASSROOM Walter, Making Up Megaboy
4/10 MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE Fox, Radiance Descending	4/12 CHILDREN'S LITERATURE RESOURCES ON THE WEB
4/17 MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE Cohen, Molly's Pilgrim; Bryant, Molly's Pilgrim*	4/19 MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE Jimenez, The Circuit
4/24 STUDENT PRESENTATIONS	4/26 STUDENT PRESENTATIONS
5/1 STUDENT PRESENTATIONS	5/3 STUDENT PRESENTATIONS
5/8 MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE Fleishman, Seedfolks	5/10 CREATING A READING-CENTERED CLASSROOM Final Project Due
5/15 CONFERENCES	FINAL EXAM Friday, May 18 12:15-14:30

READING AND ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE FOR SECTION 4: R 16:00-18:45
The following schedule may be slightly modified during the course of the semester, but students will be notified of any change at least one class day in advance. Detailed descriptions of the exams, reports and project will be distributed in class. All reading assignments must be completed by the first date listed, and texts should always be brought to class on the day they are to be discussed. Titles with an asterisk (*) are films, which will be viewed in class.

1/25 WELCOME! Introduction to the class HISTORY OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
Early Childrenís Literature (photocopy)

2/1 CLASSIC FAIRY TALES
Disney, Beauty and the Beast*

2/8 THE "DISNEYFICATION" OF CLASSIC FAIRY TALES
Disney, Beauty and the Beast* (discussion)
MODERN FAIRY TALES
Levine, Ella Enchanted

2/15 NO CLASS

2/22 MODERN FANTASY
Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

3/1 HISTORICAL REALISM
Curtis, The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963

3/8 MODERN REALISM
Cleary, Ramona the Brave
CENSORSHIP AND THE CLASSROOM

3/15 MIDTERM EXAMINATION

3/22 PICTURE BOOKS and VISUAL LITERACY
Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are; Scieszka, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs; Baylor, The Desert is Theirs

3/29 SPRING BREAK

4/5 VIOLENCE AND THE CLASSROOM
Innocenti, Rose Blanche; Bunting, Smoky Night; Walter, Making Up Megaboy

4/12 CHILDREN'S LITERATURE RESOURCES ON THE WEB
MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE
Fox, Radiance Descending

4/19 MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE
Cohen, Molly's Pilgrim; Bryant, Molly's Pilgrim*; Jimenez, The Circuit

4/26 STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

5/3 STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

5/10 MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE
Fleishman, Seedfolks
CREATING A READING-CENTERED CLASSROOM
Final Project Due

5/17 FINAL EXAM
17:15-19:30

Links to help you plan your class project

and presentation:

Click here to search for award-winning books by subject, author and title:
Information on censorship from Banned Books Online
Information about children's authors and illustrators from Kay Vandergrift's Children's Literature site.
A wealth of resources from The Children's Literature Web Guide.
The Fairrosa Cyber Library of Children's Literature.
The Internet Public Library's Youth Division.
Hone your research skills: help with using electronic sources and databases, evaluating sources, using databases, and quoting and citing sources.
Help with using MLA Style.
Help with writing and editing from Writing Help Online.