Teaching with Comics
A teacher in Miami is using graphic novels to turn kids onto reading.
‘’I have to limit them to one at a time, but there are students who come in two to three times a day to return one and get another,’’ Kaiser said.
Before anybody explodes about kids reading comic books when they’re supposed to be doing quadratic equations or studying Shakespeare, know that comic books have changed, and so has reading.
Under the spiffier label of ‘’graphic novels,’’ these bound books feature every stripe of hero and story. ‘’The themes and genres can range from science to biography, and from memoirs to yes, superheroes,’’ said John Shableski of Diamond Book Distributors, which
specializes in comics. ``Every subject is available in the format.’’
Let’s hope more schools do this because there are many excellent graphic novels nowadays, and they’re more likely to get some kids into reading than a book. Whatever gets them reading is a good thing.
I just hope some enthusiastic teacher and librarian actually bothers to check out some of these graphic novels BEFORE they lend them out to kids.
While the Marvel and DC Comics of the 1960s are excellent material for kids—in addition to decades’ worth of excellent visual adaptations of classics like Frankenstein, A Christmas Carol, Treasure Island, and others from other comic book publishers-- one does have to be careful with material and from whom they get it from.
Most of Alan Moore’s work, for instance, wouldn’t be suitable for children, up to and including Lost Girls (an alternate, sexualized retelling of the adventures of several famous fairy tale/fantasy heroines) and Watchmen. Highschoolers could probably handle Watchmen, but I don’t think that’s who the article is referring to.
And could we please get kids into something other than just another beat ‘em up manga (Bleach, Dragonball Z, Naruto) or manga wannabe? Most of that stuff IS plain moronic!
Posted by on 03/23 at 07:10 PMWell, Moore did those ABC comics which are pretty harmless (if a little dull). But there are plenty of comics that aren’t offensive at all. I do think, however, in this day and age, kids are exposed to a lot more stuff that we were growing up. Movies and TV are pretty graphic these days.
Posted by on 03/23 at 07:15 PM
Next entry: How Spiderman 3 Should Have Ended
Previous entry: The Fall of the Jacksons
