The Literature of Texting

Niall Ferguson, professor of history at Harvard, recently published an article detailing how teenagers don't read any BOOKS any more, particularly books that make teenagers (and me by extension) "literate" and connected with their "ancestors".  Ferguson laments teenagers loss of reading for pleasure and places blame on their increasing reliance on technology, particularly texting.

He lists as must-haves the Aeneid by Virgil, Don Quixote by Cervantes, Faust by Goethe and Pride and Prejudice by Austen, among others.

I admit...I LOVE to read.  I read between 2-3 books a week, staying up far too late at night just to finish that last page of the chapter of my favorite heroic fantasy or to see what happens next in my favorite crime novel (see my Shelfari).  Every student should be encouraged (by "encouraged" I mean pushed) to read for enjoyment and personal interest...novels, non-fiction, graphic novels, everything.

However, I have absolutely no interest in reading any of the books Ferguson listed.  After undergraduate and graduate+ degrees, I would have to be forced to read them and I might opt to read the SparkNotes online instead.  Am I burnt out on "required" reads or am I struggling with my freedom to choose?  Do we all meet students like this?

Does abandoning the classics make me less literate?


Two points

First, the classics have value...most definitely.  There is beauty in the English language that cannot be lost and is rarely replicated in contemporary literature.  I know of only a handful of authors I read recently that inspire the same feelings in me through language that Orwell or Conrad do.

However, is it the books and characters themselves or is it the themes, motifs and symbolism that are truly important?  Great themes transcend time and re-invent themselves in "classics" for the modern age.  The themes of 1984 by George Orwell--the dangers of totalitarianism, the psychology of manipulation, the effects of physical control, and the control of information--play out well in Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games.  And there are so many others...

By circulation counts, in which Librarians hold all truths, students actually check books at a excellent rate.  We also devote an incredible amount of time reviewing new materials (particularly fiction) to find great literature for students of all ages.

Second, technology enhances our ability to think and be creative.  I read an interesting article in Scholastic Instructor called "Can Texting Help Spelling."  The article sites two recent studies from England that demonstrate that texting actually helps aspects of reading and spelling like phonemic awareness and phonology, improves creative use of language (developing new "textisms") and encourages word play.  [As a note, there are some great lesson ideas for using texting in class in this article.]


If we could just translate Shakespeare to text...



Wisdom for Infusing Technology Into The Classroom

"Lyf S lk ridin a bke.  2 kip yr balNs, u must kip movN." -Albert Einstein

Meet Me in St. Louis

Just a quick note from my spring vacation...

The family and I decided (meaning my wife) to go to St. Louis last weekend.  Being the ever-hesitant traveler and diehard homebody, I looked longingly at the earlier-than-normal yardwork piling up, the spring cleaning waiting patiently and the disaster I call a garage needing some serious TLC.  The thought of 8 hours in a car with 4 boys under the age of 11 also made me pause.

Better judgment (meaning my wife) won out.

Much to my pleasure, St. Louis is filled with wonderful adventures for all ages and all budgets.  Here is a sampling of our adventures:

Day 1

Going up in the Gateway Arch.  The egg-pod ride was a cozy 4 minute ride to the top.  Amazing views on a totally clear day.

Riverboat cruise down the Mississippi with some excellent history of the city from its founding, through the Civil War to the modern day.  I think the images of the one of the first coal-driven power plants (still in operation) are pretty amazing.  Can't wait to run this through multiple iPad image apps.

A tour of Busch Stadium, home of the Cardinals (yes, Brewer's rival, but an awesome stadium).  Standing at street level, the field actually goes down.  Top row center field is sidewalk level.

City Museum...pictures cannot do justice to how absolutely cool this place is.  This is an absolute MUST for all ages.

Day 2

St. Louis Zoo...lovely free zoo (for the most part).  Buy the Safari Pass for $10 and enjoy the "extras" at the zoo...3D movie, 4D simulator, train, seal lion show, carousel.  My four year old LOVED the 4D simulator, partly because of the Happy Feet themed show and partly because his chair malfunctioned and sprayed him with water the whole time!

Make absolutely sure you visit the penguin house.  You are separated from the penguins by 1/2 inch pane of plexiglass.  I could have reached out and snagged one out of the water if I wanted to risk a seriously angry penguin.  Instead, my son and I got splashed!

Hippos are oddly interesting...huge, but can swim like fish.

Day 3

Anheuser-Busch Tour...Excellent free tour of the largest beer maker in the world.  Being an aficionado makes no difference (I prefer Irish influences).  The smell of hops and fermentation in the air...

Perhaps the coolest part of the tour, for the Pendletons at least, were the "stables" for the Clydesdales.  I use the word "stables" lightly as they were really more like a cherrywood, 5 star hotel.

Can you believe they make beverages here?

Hope you enjoyed your Spring or Easter Break as much as I did.

(Special thanks to my lovely and patient wife for "encouraging" me to adventure!)

Wonderstruck

Brian Selznick, author of The Invention of Hugo Cabret, continues to amaze me.  His new book, Wonderstruck, tells the story of two people and their journeys, through life, towards acceptance, awareness and understanding.  The beauty of Selznick's work lies in his ability to combine traditional storytelling with graphic storytelling in one book.

Wonderstruck is the story of Ben, a boy longing for a father he has never known, and Rose, a girl longing for a mother who was never around.  Their lives are chronicled in words (Ben) and images (Rose).  I absolutely refuse to give away the story or the ending of the book other than to warn you to enjoy the artwork and the wonderful twists.

Wonderstruck, and Selznick's other works, are appropriate for ALL ages.

Why does my brain work like this, or Six Degrees...

This is actually a true story, odd, so bear with me.

I was reading the CDC website about their Vegetable of the Month...yes, odd, but an entirely different story.  March is the month of the Leek, nothing quite as nice as a bowl of potato and leek soup...particularly during St. Patrick's Day celebrations.  The leek is an excellent source of vitamin A which is key to not only healthy skin but to a healthy retina important for low light vision.

Low light vision brings me to several conversations I have had about purchasing/implementing Kindles in the library and in the classroom.  First, I always recommend the cheap Kindles, hence the "low-light" vision thought.  Second, DON'T purchase them at this point unless you are doing a trial run.  The issue is Amazon, not ebooks.

[As a side note, if you are looking at Kindle Fires for professional uses, buy an iPad instead.  Kindles Fires are awesome--my wife has one--for book/video/email/websurfing--media consumption.  But I think they are not creative or dynamic enough for professional use.]

Which brings me to the real crux of the conversation... Ebooks or "real" books?


One year ago, I would swear by the experience of reading a "real" (as in print) book.  I was born as a librarian.  I love libraries, books, information, collecting, even the "grandma's basement" smell of old, well-loved books.  "You will never convince me to read an ebook" I have said on many occasions to many friends.

This August I purchased an iPad to better facilitate my new mobile professional activities...and to play.  I lasted 3 months before I broke down to read my first ebook on IBooks (it's a must-have).  Now, sadly, I won't read anything BUT an ebook, unless I can't find the book I want for free or a reasonable price.  Then I wait.

As a librarian, this mentality will put me out of business!

Ebooks are now my preferred method of reading.  The ability to have my entire reading library in one place is dynamic and thrilling.  I can purchase new books, download the classics for free, add any textbooks or PDF documents I want for later, and create my own books.  I also read faster, up to 3 books a week from 1.5 with print.

As a reader, does it really matter whether the book is print, digital or audio?  A great book is still a great book.  You just need to find a niche and read.

Techie Tools for Teachers

I've been putting together a variety of resources for professional and classroom use and thought I share the link to the site.  I like these sites, iOS or Chrome apps and other tools very much and their applicability is quite diverse.

Peter's Tools & Apps Site

I encourage you to check the Web 2.0 section out in particular.  There are many great tools listed and I am adding daily.  I would recommend playing with arcGIS (either as an app or a website)...it calculates the square area, perimeter, etc...using satellite photos.  Amazing!

Please feel free to contact me if you need help.  I would love to collaborate and work with your classes.

I would also LOVE suggestions and tools that you use that I don't have listed.  Please feel free to leave comments or email me.