Significant Literary Event in My Life as a Reader:

There were times in my life when I really thought that I had it all figured out. My life and the relationships around me fit into a nice little box and everything was as it should be. I read a book by R.T. Kendall called Total Forgiveness. When I first read the book, I really just skimmed it and because there were so many people around me that I thought that needed to get their lives together I began giving Total Forgiveness away as Christmas and Birthday presents. Most of these people would get back to and let me know how "the book had transformed their lives" and made them feel more complete. They thanked me profusely and I went on with my life.

Then my life took a drastic turn. I was at a writer's conference and R.T. Kendall was speaking and doing a book signing. I met Mr. Kendall and his wife and he shared with me the story behind the story. My favorite aunt passed away two days later and then my uncle died suddenly. Just as I felt all was well, my brother too passed away and I knew I was not OK. It took me some time and I began to realize that I hurt and issues that I had not ever dealt with. I decided to investigate the issue of "forgiveness" in my life. Most of this was happening while I was pursuing my Masters in Elementary Education and things in my heart were getting darker.

Reflection: 
I dusted off my original copy of the book and read it again and it became a new book to me. I learned that it was not others that needed to make changes in their life but me. Changes in how I approached my past, my family and my friends. Each day became this new gift because I learned that it was "OK" to not always be "OK". The book really helped me be a better teacher because "students" are not always "OK" either. This journey lead me to The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. The connection is that in The Giving Tree no matter how far away the boy gets in life he comes back to the tree where life was real.

Total Forgiveness by R.T. Kendall allows me to do two things. One, is to always be able to regroup, forgive and start over. The other is that I learned to forgive myself for things I thought were broken forever. I am listening to Total Forgiveness on audiobook and it means even more today than ever.

Learning Log Week 2 - Darryl Bryant

Learning Log Week 2: This week’s reading really allowed me to refocus on my own experiences with reading. When I was an elementary student in the late sixties and early seventies, I read for learning and also really connected with the text. Whether reading Richard Wright, Dick Gregory or S.E. Hinton the continuum of reading was never satisfied by any one book or poem. Tomkins’ An Introduction to Reader Response Criticism forced me to assess what impacted me as a part of my environment and what connected with me as a reader. Such works as Maya Angelou’s I know why the Caged Bird Sings and The Malcolm X Story by Alex Haley literally drove me to dig into each word to learn about my heritage and respond to waves of emotion that often went unanswered.

            It was in this search for answers that my world was shaped. Values, motivations and assumptions were molded.  I reflected and an obligation to life-learning was committed. Swafford (2005) and Mills et al (2004) as pontificated by Rosenblatt (1978) our matriarch of Reader Transactional Theory may better posit whether reader response criticism was birthed from discussions by I.A. Richards or out of the continuum of readers’ responses. However, I know that my sixth graders will be reading A Thousand and One Nights and The Count of Monte Cristo and hopefully experience and learn concurrently.

Rosenblatt defines literature as the experience the reader has with the text (Rosenblatt, as cited in Swafford, 2005).  This seems to be the argument that threads commonly through this week’s reading and is well documented. Four decades later,  I personally found all three readings relevant and meaningful. I plan to continue to assess the texts, short stories and poems that my students engage and ask questions that check for understanding and embrace connections. I would like to build bridges between aesthetic and efferent stances while also focusing more on experience versus genre (Swafford and Akrofi, 2005). The biggest challenge moving forward with the reading from this course and the teaching in my classroom is to look for effective ways to measure both transactions and experience in the exploration of literature.

Mindful Branch Reading

(To Read) 9/6/11

• Rosenblatt, L. (1985). Continuing the conversation: A clarification. Research in the teaching of reading, 29, 349-354
• Author: Rosenblatt, Louise (cited by Swafford, p. 24)
• Note: When I look at literature there are so many components that allow us to connect with students. Reading is an art that we can teach learners to experience and to make a transaction.
• Reason for using:Reading Swafford and reconnecting with Rosenblatt allows me to better define literature. I am working with the parents of students that really want to know how my class will help their child prepare for college. I want the parents to realize that for me to do this we need to work together.

(Read) 9/11/11

•                Rosenblatt, L. (1995). Continuing the Conversation: A Clarification."Research in the Teaching of English 29, 349-354

•                Author: Rosenblatt, Louise (cited by Swafford, p. 24)

• Rosenblatt reiterates that "the reader surely brings something to the table when interacting with the text."                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
• Reason for using: Reading Swafford and reconnecting with Rosenblatt allows me to better define literature and to be practical about the reading process and the impact that reading can have on children if we allow them to be engaged in the process.  
• Note: Interacting with text is more than actively looking for a framework in which to categorize the reader but an opportunity to deeply engage the learner. 

The Under Just One Tree Blog

For years I wanted to get started with Blogging. I have always been a very private person but the techie in me wanted to stay connected with people regarding my readings, writing and music. Reaching out during LLSS 528 class has come at the right time in my life and I look forward to connecting with everyone and building authentic relationships. I write screenplays and really enjoy listening to and writing music.

I write music reviews for an international magazine and hope to finish a project before the end of the year. I also plan to do more writing in 2012.  Yes, 2012 since I am so engaged in teaching and academics this semester. I will share more about Under Just One Tree if anyone asks.

Happy Blogging,
Darryl