My mother writes a weekly column for two newspapers. I thought you might
like her review of the Bluford High Series. Cathy
----- Original Message -----
From: June Rice <mailto:jrice13@mikrotec.com>
To: Paintsville Herald <mailto:news@paintsvilleherald.com> ; Butler County
Banner <mailto:bcbanner@logantele.com> ;
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2006 11:12 AM
Subject: When I Learn something I share it
2/01/06 When I Learn Something, I Share It By June B. Rice
Last week I was obligated to go to a State Woman's Missionary Union
Committee meeting in Louisville, so I went a day early in order to spend a
day in the Barret Traditional Middle School's library, where my daughter and
her efficient clerk, a retired bank manager, preside.
It is so rewarding to get to observe the middle school students and the
library that is so much an integral part of the school. After 36 years in
the school room--32 of which were in the library, I feel right at home.
I also enjoy visiting a school where the students are acting like students
used to act. The main complaint about a student's behavior that I heard at
this visit was that one student had been dared to put x number of (some kind
of food) in his mouth, and looked disgusting in the lunchroom. Sometimes a
student gets nailed for having his shirttail out.
I sometimes read poetry to reading classes when I visit, but this time my ox
was in the ditch, and I had to spend my time addressing 350 + envelopes to
send notices to people who had donated to Haven of Rest last year saying,
for the benefit of the IRS, that they did not receive any goods or services
for their donations.
But I did learn something that I think will be of interest to reading and
English teachers.
Cathy brought home four new books: one for her to read, and three for me. I
read hers while she got supper and then the other three before 11:00. They
were four of the Bluford Series, which is published by the Townsend Press.
They are pitched to the middle-school/high school. The reading level is
about 5th grade, but they are high interest. There are ten books in the
series, half have a girl as the main character, and half deal with boys'
issues. They are about the same cast of characters, but a minor character in
one book will be a main character in another book.
When I got home I looked up the Bluford Series on the website
www.townsendpress.com <http://www.townsendpress.com>. The website
states:"The Bluford Series. Stories that speak to today's diverse readers
$1.00 books. The Bluford Series is a powerful collection of ten short novels
that will make your students want to read. Set in urban America and
featuring teen characters, the series speak to the interests of today's
middle and high school students."
I was totally taken by the main character in the books I read: Darcy, a high
school sophomore,who is living with her mother, younger sister, and
grandmother who has had a stroke and is no longer lucid, in a downtrodden
area with grafitti on the surrounding buildings . Her father has walked off
and left the family five years ago and the mother is an emergency room nurse
and works all night. She is too tired to pay much attention to Darcy and her
sister, and Darcy is left to cope with her grandmother and her younger
sister.
I found that I had to read every paragraph or I would miss something. I
couldn't just do a "librarian read" (a chapter at the beginning, middle and
end).
The books dealt with problems that many youngsters face, and managed to give
advice about what to do with a severe problem without preaching. I was also
impressed with the price. One dollar a book. With a thirty-dollar order, the
company furnishes a teacher's guide. With fewer than 30, the teacher's guide
is $3.00.
I wanted to teach the "June Rice Reading Exercise Salon" all over again. I
would buy the series of ten for as many students as I had and we would read
them together and discuss them in turn, as they build on each other.
I talked with a group that were reading the ones my daughter had, and all of
the students, who admitted they didn't like to read at all, said they
couldn't put their book down. I am not a slow reader, and I like to read,
but I did not notice that the books were "easy." The girls' books were
written by a woman, Anne Schraff, and the boys' books were written by Paul
Langran.
My hat is off to both authors. It takes some powerful writing to make me
want to go back into the classroom!
Cathy Mattingly, Media Specialist
Barret Traditional Middle School
2561 Grinstead Drive
Louisville, KY 40206
502.485.8207
Fax: 502.485.8579
cmattin4@jefferson.K12.ky.us
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