Maus I Discussion

For anyone who wants a break from studying on Monday and wants to continue thinking about Maus:

Schuler Comic Book Discussion Group Meeting
(Eastwood store)
Monday. December 10. 7:30 p.m.
Join us for a meeting of our monthly Comic Discussion Group, exploring and investigating the publishing industry’s biggest boom medium - comics and graphic novels! This month’s title is Maus: A Survivor’s Tale by Art Spiegelman, completing our discussion of the Big Three comics that changed the comics industry in the mid-80s.

I talked to the woman who is organizing the event. She was very knowledgeable and excited about graphic novels. She also said that she was planning on having the group read American Born Chinese next!

Since I can't seem to leave a bookstore without a couple of purchases, I picked up The Invention of Hugo Cabret and The Arrival. I promise I'll finish working on the final projects before I open them up.

Hearing on Autism Services

Melanie asked me to post this so that more people would see it:

Hi,

I have worked with some children with autism and have seen many families who don't get insurance covered for diagnosis and treatments for those on the Autism Spectrum. There was a press conference scheduled today at the Capitol in Lansing. There is a hearing on December 13 at 9am in front of the Health Policy Committee at the Capitol to get the bills about the insurance coverage for families passed. You can find more information on their website: http://autisminsurancemichigan.blogspot.com/.
On this website there's an email address that you can send a letter about your experiences with families who have children with autism and let them know how a lack of access to Autism Services has impacted these families. This website also provides the address, time, and more information about the bill.

Please attend this hearing on the December 13, 2007 to support these families!! We need as much support as possible!

Melanie

Talk on No Child Left Behind

“Considering the Policy and Practice of No Child Left Behind”

Wednesday, November 14, 2007 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Erickson Hall, room 252
Refreshments served

Since it was signed into law in 2002, the reauthorization of the Elementary & Secondary Education Act (more commonly known as No Child Left Behind – NCLB) has been a controversial piece of federal legislation designed to improve the educational opportunity and achievement of students across the country. For this conversation, we have invited panel of educators to talk about the law from their perspectives, including involvement in reauthorizing the law, urban classroom teachers, and urban principals. We will explore the disparities and connections between the policy and the practice, as well as the effects and potentials of the law.

Additional Information:
Overview of No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/education/no_child/basics.html

Evaluating 'No Child Left Behind' by Linda Darling-Hammond. http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070521/darling-hammond

A Chance to Make it Better: Reauthorization of the ‘No Child Left Behind’ Act by Sharif Shakrani. http://www.educ.msu.edu/neweducator/spring07/NewEd-spring07.pdf, see pp. 28-31.

Urban Perspectives is offered through the Urban Educator Cohort Program -MSU College of Education

Safe Schools Seminar this Thursday!

For anyone who wants to continue our discussion of the Harry Potter series and get a preview of some of the ideas we'll be talking about in class later in the semester, come to the Safe Schools session! If you haven't attended one, I think you'll find them low-key and informative. Everyone is welcome.

Beyond Dumbledore’s closet: Issues and Trends in

GLBTQ Children’s and Adolescent Literature

--Why is everyone talking about the Harry Potter series? Why does representation matter?

--Where can you find GLBTQ adolescent and children’s literature? What professional resources are available to help you think about these books?

Time: 5:00-6:30 FREE PIZZA

Date: Thursday, November 8th

Location: Erickson 252

Stereotyping Native Latin Americans in the Film Industry

The Carney Latin American Solidarity Archive (CLASA) at the University of Detroit Mercy presents:

(Sorry for the incorrect information in class! I thought this was on the MSU campus!)

Dr. Rocio Quispe-Agnoli, MSU
“The Fear of the Other: Stereotyping Native Latin Americans in the Film Industry”

Tuesday, October 30 (Tomorrow morning!)
10:00 am
Jane & Walter O. Briggs Building, Room 10

ROCIO QUISPE-AGNOLI is Associate Professor of Colonial and Postcolonial Latin American Studies and Acting Director of the Center for Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities at Michigan State University (MSU), and is also affiliated with MSU’s American Indian Studies Program. She earned a Master’s degree and Ph.D., both in Hispanic Studies, at Brown University. She has published “La fe ind�gena en la escritura: asimilaci�n y Resistencia en los Andes coloniales” (Lima: Universidad de San Marcos Press, 2006). She recently edited “Beyond the Convent: Colonial Women’s Voices and Daily Challenges in Spanish America” (2006). She has co-directed an intensive summer institute for teachers which, among other topics, critically examines how Latin America/Latin American-ness is represented and how stereotypes may be reinforced in K-12 textbooks and curricular resources. Dr. Quispe-Agnoli will discuss the films “The Royal Hunt of the Sun,” “Cabeza de Vaca,” “Pocahontas” (2005), and “Apocalypto” (2006), with critical emphasis on how the films portray Native Latin Americans. She will also mention how a new documentary by Nova helps to dispel myths about the Andean Indigenous past. Historians and archaeologists are discovering new data which has helped them to rewrite Incan history.

Co-sponsored by Women’s and Gender Studies

For more information contact CLASA Director Dr. Gail Presbey at 313-993-1124 or visit the CLASA Website at http://liberalarts.udmercy.edu/clasa/.

Jim in Bold: Safe Schools Event

Here's an announcement up the Safe Schools
event that is happening this week!

Jim in BOLD
View the award-winning documentary film
Jim in BOLD. This film explores the
complicated struggles and hopes of gay
and lesbian teens in America.
Discussion will follow the film.

Wednesday, Oct 24, 2007 4:00 - 6:00 252 EH Erickson Hall
Pizza will be served.

Community event: Cowboys and Indians

This isn't really a "community event" in the sense of how we've used the term so far, but it is happening in our community...

A friend of mine has a daughter who goes to East Lansing High School. She mailed me today and wrote:

It's homecoming week, 2007. Students dress up every day with a different theme. Yesterday was CEOs and Secretaries. The theme of Homecoming this year is Cowboys and Indians. The seniors are the Cowboys.

What do you think? (I'll weigh in later!)

Jewish Studies Events Calendar

I just received the Fall 2007 MSU Jewish Studies Program Calendar and will post it on our Angel site. (I'll also bring a hard copy to class.)

The Jewish Studies Program holds a workshop on teaching about Holocaust each spring. I went last year and learned a great deal. If you are interested, keep your eye on the Jewish Studies program website for details.

Safe Schools Seminars (GLBTQ)

Seminars for Fall, 2007

One in Ten: Issues of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Schools

One in Ten? GLBTQIAA? What do these terms mean and why are they relevant to schools? This seminar kicks off our six-part series with an introduction to GLBT-issues in education. We will hear from a diverse panel explain why paying attention to issues of sexual and gender identity in schools is important.

Monday, Oct 1, 2007 6:00-7:30 252 Erickson Hall

Jim in BOLD

View the award-winning documentary film Jim in BOLD. This film explores the complicated struggles and hopes of gay and lesbian teens in America. Discussion will follow the film.

Wednesday, Oct 24, 2007 4:00 � 6:00 252 EH Erickson Hall

GLBTQ Children's and Adolescent Literature

Wondering what books to include in your inclusive classroom library? Join us as we explore examples of children�s and adolescent literature that address GLBTQ issues. Samples of books will be available for viewing.

Thursday, Nov 8, 5:00-6:30, 252 EH Erickson Hall

Guillermo Delgado Visit

Click on the image to make it large enough to read!

Michigan Indian Day Event: September 28th

Michigan Indian Day Event
Friday, September 28th
8:15 am -5:00 pm

$15 per student
$40 per "professional"

Contact Emily Proctor at proctor8@msu.edu for information and registration.

The Michigan Indian Day Event is a day long conference focusing on issues related to Native American children. In addition to sessions throughout the day, the afternoon keynote is: "Do Mascots Really Impact American Indian People? (Origins, Perceptions, and Actions for Future Generations"!

I'm planning on attending the conference and would love for any of you to join me! (Or attend on your own.) I'll bring the flyer which includes more information to class with me this week.

Community Event: Jane Addams Book Awards Celebration

One of the ways we'll use this blog is to share information on community events related to literature. If you attend an event, write about it on your blog and tell us about it in class!

On Thursday, September 6th there will be a "Jane Addams Children's Book Awards Celebration" at the East Lansing Hannah Community Center. Since the award is given for books that "engagingly and effectively invite children to think about peace, social justice, world community, and the equality of the sexes and all races", this event would be a great opportunity to start thinking about the role of awards in the world of children's literature.

For more information on the event, including links to information on the Jane Addams Award, check out the description on the Everybody Reads website.