Just got back from taking 22 students to see New Moon

[greenbriar]

I was pleasantly surprised. New Moon is my least favorite book in the series, but the movie was pretty good.

[Odin2005]

1. I don't get it.

I thought the books were moronic and sexist. I certainly ain't gonna see the movies.

[greenbriar]

2. well, my 8th graders loved it and we have all read the entire series

and it was quite a great time

[Name removed]

3. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rcrush]

4. Really?

8th grade sure isn't what it used to be.

[Fleshdancer]

5. I agree....

It's my least favorite in the series too, but the movie was better than Twilight. I could have done without the screaming tweens in the audience, but that's what I get for going on opening night. :D

[CBHagman]

6. You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din.

Just the thought of taking nearly two dozen young people anywhere, let alone to the opening night of New Moon, makes me want to brew another cup of tea and take the phone off the hook. :crazy:

[greenbriar]

7. it really wasn't bad at all we pre-ordered the tickets

and the kids were really great!

[soleiri]

8. I'm getting my teaching credential and masters

and if I teach that age group, and my students are reading the Twilight series, heck yeah I'd read it too.
Despite the fact that I have zero interest in sparkly vampires.
We'd even use the books for in class discussions.
Students would probably be more likely to recognize plot, theme, etc. in a book they were interested in over a book that someone else picked. In addition, there might be more class discussion.
Of course we'd also include a wide range of books, including classics.
Good for you, for getting your students to read on their own.

[greenbriar]

9. it really is fun when students WANT to talk to you about a book they have read

and they can give great detail!

[WolverineDG]

10. bingo

congrats on getting the kids to read. Maybe they'll want to read Dracula next.

dg

[greenbriar]

13. many of the girls are getting into Jodi Picoult

a lot of us read My Sister's Keeper long before the movie came out.


I have not seen the movie yet but I thought the book was good.



I myself like Danielle Steele, Steven King and John Grisham. I bring my books into my room and let the kids check them out from me if they want.

It has really opened a lot of dialog between students and teachers. Their vocabulary knowledge has increased as well.

[WolverineDG]

21. Well shame on you for not doing all that with *classical* literature

;)

My uncle was an American Lit prof & he used to say that anything that gets kids reading is a good thing since it leads to (sit down for this shocking announcement) more reading. And besides, a lot of what is considered *proper classical literature* was considered trash in its day.

:patriot:

dg

[XemaSab]

26. "A Christmas Carol"

was written to pay the rent. :P

[soleiri]

14. I observed a class last year

Of third and fourth grade students in Special Education. The teacher used a spider man movie to help students understand plot development. Every single one of the students had seen the movie. At the end of the lesson, they all understood what happened at the beginning. middle and end.

The newest book in the 6-8 grade range that I like is The Giver. So there are new books for kids that are pretty good.
I know it's used in high schools, but I love House on Mango street, absolutely beautiful writing.

[kid a]

11. I agree. Reading for enjoyment is a good habit to form.

You have 12-13 year old kids reading 500 page novels.
Stephanie Meyer isn't a bad writer.
It's teen literature - not a negative thing.

I'm surprised at the vehement anger by some in this thread.

[WolverineDG]

12. no kidding nt

[greenbriar]

15. par for the course I guess

I am thrilled that students are reading this much.


I need to read the Harry Potter series because a lot of students have read all of the books and I am not able to talk with them about the books since I haven't read them. It puts me at a disadvantage

[WolverineDG]

30. Read them

not only for the cultural references, but you will enjoy them. :)

dg

[Odin2005]

22. I think it's because Meyer is a stuck-up Mormon and the plot is percieved as misogynistic.

[noamnety]

27. Sometimes I show movies in class

that have some troubling issues like that. Not often, but once or twice a year maybe. I make sure that we discuss those issues though.

We watched Born Into Brothels (in a high school class, with permission slips). Everyone was pretty taken with the movie, and I let them have that, but then also afterwards we had a discussion about the ethics of movies that have a white character going in to "save the day" for people of color in their own communities, and we talked about how many other shows and movies followed that missionary-style plot, and whether or not it was offensive in that regard.

I am not suggesting the OP did that with their kids, and honestly I doubt I would have shown this movie because I'm pretty leary of sexism in pop movies - just saying that as a teacher, if I am showing something with isms that should be addressed, I ensure we have a discussion about them. My personal opinion is that if they aren't old enough to look at that aspect critically, they aren't old enough to be absorbing the messages.

[greenbriar]

28. I taught a humanities class once

we had a unit on relationships

great dicussions on everything.

I showed The Burning Bed

[Odin2005]

31. Sounds interesting!

[WolverineDG]

29. Harry Potter books get the same treatment

yet those books turned my cousin's kids & their friends into absolute book fiends. They practically eat books like they're candy.

dg

[greenbriar]

16. many of these students had not been to the theater we went to

it is more upscale than the rest in our city


They serve a full menu of food items. You sit down and press a button and a waiter/waitress comes to your seat takes your order and brings it right to your chair.

It was great fun and a cultural event for many of our students.


We have over 600 students in our building. The students had to answer 35 questions from the book without referring back to the book or asking their friends. We took the students that scored the highest on the questions.

Monday we will be discussing the differences between the book and the movie. It will be interesting to hear their point of view.

[kid a]

17. are you in atlanta?

there's a theatre like that in buckhead - the tower place on piedmont.

I saw Year One there this summer, but walked out - bad movie and the theatre smelled of old french fries and bleach.

[greenbriar]

18. No, Kansas

I would LOVE to live in Georgia. I hear it is really beautiful there.

[kid a]

19. I'm in Montana now.

I have family in Atlanta and went to high school and college there.

I lived in Kansas from 1st - 7th grade. Junction City (dad was stationed at Fort Riley).

:hi:

[greenbriar]

20. I HATE Kansas in the winter

if I had my way, I would love to live in Georgia, South Carolina or Florida

[SoxFan]

23. This is called "alternative sentencing"

[XRubicon]

24. I thought you took them outside for a minute...

To look at the night sky. My bad.

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[davsand]

32. I'm taking my 12 year old and one of her pals to see it tomorrow.

While I was not impressed with that series, SHE was, however, and that is what matters when it some to getting her to read. She is also a fan of the House of Night series which is a much stronger female message (kick ass girls seem to be the rule, and the entire Goddess religion for the vampires is quite nice...) and that makes me much happier. I figure that if she is reading for fun, the battle is won. Someday she will be exposed to good writing--it is inevitable.

I also have to admit that I read anything and everything--no matter the quality or perceived critical value. Her "role model" just got done with the back-list of Butcher's Dresedn Files series and is awaiting the next release. Pot meet kettle, I guess...

:shrug:


Laura