[LIT] book therapy

[Ginny White]

Maryanne, do you have a strong enough relationship with the student to 
talk privately and just ask what she needs or if she might be 
interested in any of a few titles you can suggest?  When I do quick 
book talks (ala Nancie Atwell), I often tell how a book impacted me 
personally (although not "inner demon" but when my husband died and I 
was lost in grief).  I also book talk as many as I read that I think 
any of my students would be interested in, including some of the titles 
you mentioned.  My kids (whom I teach for three years) know how much I 
believe in the power of books, so it's not uncommon when we're talking 
privately (usually on our library day) that I ask if there's anything 
in particular they want to read, need to read, etc.  They are used to 
my making suggestions with a little gist statement about various books 
- then I let them choose.  If you have enough of a connection with this 
student, you can handle it this way.

As a bit of an aside, I bought the Girls' and Boys' (puberty) books 
recommended in this group last spring.  No one will actually sign them 
out of the classroom library but they come back in and then go back out 
again.  I did a quick book talk on both and just pointed out the place 
where they were and to which they needed to be returned.  I think when 
kids have ideas about a book's content, they can choose if it's the 
right time.

Good luck to you - let us know what happens -
Ginny White
Fernandina Beach (FL) Middle School

On Jan 28, 2008, at 6:39 PM, mdesmond at jd.cnyric.org wrote:
> student of mine has been having some trouble at home and he/she has 
> turned
> to unhealthy ways to relieve this stress. As a 7th grade Language Arts
> teacher should I encourage her to read books about the type of 
> situation
> she is in where the protagonist of the story overcomes her problem 
> (eating
> disorder, depression,etc.) that my student is directly dealing with(i.e
> Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson,Fat Chance by Leslea Newman,  etc.)or 
> should
> I steer her towards books,such as Ida B by Katherine Hannigan, with a
> strong female protagonist that overcomes a problem indirectly related 
> to
> the one this student is experiencing.I have a HUGE independent reading
> component in my curriculum, and I just don’t know what way to go in 
> order
> to motivate this student to read while coping with her “inner demons.” 
> I
> know for me,as a reader, I would want to read about other people’s
> experiences that are similar to mine. However,can a 7th grader
> conceptualize and understand the larger issues of what he/she is 
> reading
> about and how it relates the him/her?Does anyone have experience with 
> this?
>
> Maryanne Desmond
> JDMS