Blog 9

This novel was SOOO FUNNY. I caught myself laughing out loud a bunch. I could just picture Junior and see him saying this stuff. I also laugh a bunch and at pretty much everything so Junior kept me giggling. Junior is a tall, lanky Indian with a huge head and glasses. Of course he does not fit in. His best friend is Rowdy who seems to always have Junior’s back, until Junior betrays him by switching schools. Junior transfers into an all white school. He is a really big outcast here, until he beats up some kid and then is socially accepted. I was proud of Junior for going to the reservation. His teacher gave him the advice and it would be the only way Junior would be able to succeed in life. If he stayed on the reservation, he would not be able to be any better than the poor people there. I feel that this would be a great book to introduce to my class. Probably not my six graders, but I feel that eighth graders will definitely be able to handle the language in this book. The language is not THAT bad… nothing different than what students hear in the hallways.

            I’d have to say my favorite part in this book is when Junior’s team beats Rowdy’s team. I really felt that I knew Rowdy by reading this book. I was cheering for him the whole time. I do have to admit I did also feel like a traitor when Rowdy beat his old team. I mean he used to be one of them. He still is “one of them” at heart. This is the classic under-dog example. It was interesting to read about a culture different than my own or one I do not know a lot of information about. I believe students will find this novel an interesting read, and most will be able to relate with the issues of being able to fit in and being popular.

NATIVE AMERICAN’S IN CHILDRENS LITERATURE

I think it is interesting how Pocahontas is represented as a positive heroine. I guess I never thought about Native Americans being embarrassed about their heritage. I obviously have not given it much thought. I have always looked up to Pocahontas- I am in love with every Disney movie out there. She was a brave princess who had no fear. She was also kind and caring. Children may view Pocahontas as a figure representing Native Americans as a whole. This is far from true. Native Americans are not “savages” like they were represented back then. They are successful and STILL Indian. It is not one or the other, you can be both now. I feel that there need to be some updated use of books about Native Americans in the classroom. It is important to learn about the history, but to also know that Native Americans are normal people too.

THE INDIAN WARS

I was torn between what I believed during this Sports Illustrated article. Sometimes I would agree with how sports teams should not be named Redskins or after any other tribe name. Then someone would say something in the article that would change my mind. I would have to say I ultimately agree with this quote, "To a lot of the younger folks the name Redskins is tied to the football team, and it doesn’t represent anything more than a team”. Before reading this article, I had no idea that there were people out there who took offense to the use of tribe names for sports teams. I also had no idea that “chief” is equivalent to “nigger”. I don’t know how true that statement is, or how much the bad implication is upheld because my whole family used to call my grandfather Pappap Chief, and I am pretty sure my parents would not have let me say that if it was a negative name.

Alexie, S. (2007). The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York: Hachette Book Group USA.

Harris, V. J., & Reese, D. (1997). Native Americans in Children's Literature.Using multiethnic literature in the K-8 classroom (pp. 155-185). Norwood, Mass.: Christopher-Gordon.

Price, S. (2002, March 4). The Indian Wars. Sports Illustrated, 96, 66-72.