Graphic Novels

I think the Gene Yang article is a really nice view on the art of graphic novels. I specifically love the image of the graphic novel as a link between the TV and the book -- pictures and words. I have thought for a long time that graphic novels are a great way to teach children to read because they are often very fun, and also to analyze art. Because there are fewer images in the comic book than in a movie, every image is precisely chosen, so it would be a good tactic to ask the students why the author and illustrator chose the images they chose. It gives the children a good perspective on the use of effective story telling images and how to use them in their own creations. Another example of this was used in the Yang's comic when he never directly addressed the old and new teachers, but he used the images to show another way of explaining what he meant. This shows children that words and images are important to story telling in a graphic novel.

I think that in my classroom I will DEFINITELY use graphic novels. I read them all the time for fun anyway, so this would be a GREAT opportunity for me to teach something I love. I actually, as nerdy as it may seem, have already looked up ways to use graphic novels in schools, and this is one of them: http://www.scholastic.com/Bone/. As a kid, I read these comics. They meant SO much to me and I didn't understand why. I read a litte bit of this webpage and now I know that there are story elements that Jeff Smith covers that is truly hard to find in other forms. I would love to use this book in my classes and eagerly await the opportunity!

Davis Haines
Syracuse University

I think that the Rube Goldberg style of learning is a fantastic style. It is a great way of showing that kids are capable of understanding concepts of physics, for example. They can show how if you step on a pair of scissors, it will cut a string that is attached to a pail of water which rushes down a slope and fills up a cup on a scale which tilts a stick that hits the switch on a toaster that cooks for three minutes and pops up with your breakfast. (I just made that up...) Though they may not necessarily be able to comprehend and acknowledge the terms and equations involved in their creations, they understand how feasible the actions of the machine are. I think, as it is said in the article, it is a great sign of intelligence!

 

I remember in my elementary school art class we would create creations like these. It was such a blast! It allowed me and my troublemaking friends to create contraptions that we might actually think were useful (and cool). I remember my friends and I tried to make a machine that would trip our teacher. Even though it had a violent intent, our teacher was impressed with our concepts and gave us praise for our efforts along with a stern warning that if she caught us trying to make it, she would be very mad. I would say that our Rube Goldberg lesson was one of the most exciting we did at school and I still remember it to this day. It will definitely find a place in the classrooms of my future. Thanks, Rube!!

 

Davis Haines

Syracuse University