I particularly like this quote on p.93:
"texts can be used as a catalyst for bringing troubling issues to the surface where they can be discussed with caring adults."
I think this statement informs me on how I might approach using graphic novels. Using texts that I feel are questionable can still facilitate my goal as an English teacher - to help students discover and develop their own value systems. I think I am a caring adult and I hope that students would feel comfortable talking to me. More importantly I hope that I could help students talk to the adults in their lives about what they are reading and vice-versa. At the same time, I recognize that there is unfortunately a lack of communication which puts great responsibility on me as a teacher to properly address difficult materials in the classroom. If parents ignore this type of education, I don't think it should be the teacher's responsibility. But if parents won't do it, I don't want to ignore the teaching of values and the "hard talks" in the classroom.
Darn. I need to have people send me reminders about Blogs. . . And what a good quote to note--these texts are precisely the way that we can sometimes get an opening in to the very private world of our students (well, private except on social media, that is!). Just a caution--don't try to use the books for bibliotherapy unless you get some training.
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