[LM_NET] HIT: Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

[Debra Gniewek <debgniewek@GMAIL.COM>]

I thought I posted this Hit more than 24 hours ago, but I never saw it
posted. Forgive me if this is your seond receipt of this posting.
************************************
 Debra Gniewek, Librarian
CRHS South
Holland, PA
 vm: 215-944-1175
 fax: 215-944-1144
 dgniewek@crsd.org
debgniewek@gmail.net
**************************************************

Thanks so much for all your responses. As promised, I'm posting this HIT:


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Subject: RE: Target: Curious Incident Used in High School Classrooms

I have used this for the past three years at the Senior Honors Level. I use
parts of it for teaching the trait of Organization with my Juniors. For
example, the first page to discuss hooking the reader and the letter from
his mom to talk about transitions. I always hope to get to it with my Senior
Regents, but seem to run out of time. Though I do think they could handle
it. I don't think there is a challenge at the senior level with the langauge
or content. And actually it lends itself to so many different types of
lesson and projects for class. The possibilities are endless. And the
students love it every year and pass it around to other students to read. It
opens up the world of disabilities for them in a way lecturing about it
never could.

________________________________

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This is a wonderful book!!!  The language might offend some but the story
has so many wonderful lessons in it that it would be worth fighting the
challenges!  I really hope ya'll decide to add it.

Laurel Hill, NC

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*
In our district it's used as a tenth grade text. No challenges that I know
of so far.

*

*
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*



*From:*
*To:* Gniewek, Debra
*Subject:* Re: Fwd: Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Hi Debra-  We have been teaching Curious Incident in the 10th grade
curriculum for a few years now (right after the book came out in
paperback)-  The students seem to like it-  We have had a few parents
question the language, but it has not gone beyond that-  Once they actually
read the book, they have seen that it has merit.



Downingtown PA


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We teach it in 10th grade.  We have had no challenges--but we are a fairly
liberal community.

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We used it in 10th grade last semester....Many protests resulted. We
probably won't be using it again.


Rochester, New York

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When you say classroom text , do you mean that all 10th graders would read
the book?  I use this book at grade 7 as part of an outcast unit and it has
worked out wonderful but the kids also have lots of other choices.  We sent
an annotated bibliography home for parents and we are very up front with
them about which books have language considerations.  They decide which
books their children will be allowed to read.  We offer about 16 choices.
Another choice we offer that has language is Sherman Alexie's new book The
Absolutely True Diary of A Part-time Indian but we also offer others like
The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place, Dairy Queen, So B. It.  and more.  I just
returned from seeing our students presentations after reading a number of
this books and they were amazing.  One girl wrote a short story about what
is it like to be the sibling of an autistic child.  One student wrote a poem
about a student who was bullied and ended up bringing a gun to school.  One
student presented a PowerPoint about his own experience living with ADHD.
Very powerful learning has taken place and I believe it is because we gave
them books with enough substance, though some of them did have offensive
language.  When I told them about your situation they said they didn't read
anything they hadn't already heard on school bus.  They also said the
language made the book more authentic.  So....would I require every students
to read the book....no....would I offer it as a choice and be up front with
parents about the language....absolutely.  We haven't had one complaint and
our parents thanks us for including them.  I would be happy to email you the
letter we sent to parents if you are interested.  Just so you know, I am
from a very conservative school district and one of the students is the son
of a school board member.  We planned this very carefully and it paid off in
what our students have been able to learn.




Teacher Librarian
DC MS

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 My son read that as a required reading book for summer reading in our
town's
public high school at the end of his 9th grade year. I read it also and
loved it, but I do understand that some parents might have issues with the
language.
I have not heard of any formal challenges to it in our town.
Billerica, MA
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-------------- Forwarded Message: --------------
From: "
Subject: RE: Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
>
> Our 11th grade English teacher has used this with her students for about
two
> years with no issues.  Let me know if you have any other specific
questions for
> her.

> New Hope, PA  18938
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-------------- Forwarded Message: --------------
From:
Subject: Re: Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
> We've used it successfully in 8th grade for several years now -
> interesting side research on autism, and no complaints from parents that I
> know of.
>
>{ Independent School}
> Philadelphia, PA 19118

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-------------- Forwarded Message: --------------
From: >
Subject: Re: Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time


> We use this text for our Regular English 12s, our "lowest" senior English
class
> because it fits with the British Literature curriculum which our students
study
> in 12th grade, and it's readable as opposed to much of Brit Lit.  No
problems
> here.
>
> Kennett Square, PA  19348

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-------------- Forwarded Message: --------------
From:

Subject: RE: Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time


> Two teachers in our school use the book--one 10th grade and one 11th
> grade.  There have never been any challenges as of today.  I think this
> will be the third year that the book is being used in the classroom.
>
> Hope this helps,
>
> Wyncote, PA  19095
>
>

ORIGINAL POSTING:

 The 10th grade English classes in our district  are  considering the
addition of
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time to the curriculum. Does
anyone
know of any other high schools using this as a classroom text? If so, what
grade
is using it? Have there been any challenges because of the language?

************************************
 Debra Gniewek, Librarian
CRHS South
Holland, PA
 vm: 215-944-1175
 fax: 215-944-1144
 dgniewek@crsd.org
debgniewek@gmail.net
************************************

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