Pytash: Jago Ch. 2

             I loved this book so I had to just keep reading this chapter! I know it wasn't assigned but I think it offered many points worth discussing. My favorite part was honestly the quote from a student's paper, "Every book is made of words. In Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger uses many words." This quote made me think for a long time about what a novel or other literary work means and should mean to a student, because essentially they are simply words. But what those words mean what emotions they evoke are what is important to students and the novel. Words are what make us identifiable as humans and as unique individuals. I sit in class sometimes or on the bus and listen to people talk and it baffles me how different everyone is even with the similarity of being or getting educated. According to Jago the difference is mostly in how much these people have read and what they have read. I couldn't agree more. Jago also emphasizes that this is a natural process for people, this I also agree with, but I believe the process needs some help. Obviously with the information in the previous chapter we as teachers and even parents eventually have to jump-start the process by allowing or even making kids read. It's that simple! Yes some students will be reluctant but it will pay off in the end to find a way to get them to read. I really like the activity Jago introduces with Shakespeare's Julius Caeser. By making students focus on those words and on the character you bring them closer to the character and give them the opportunity to learn new words. This is a great way to kill two birds with one stone so to speak. Finally I'd like to say the last activity connected to the words given for Julius Caeser where she has the students rate themselves was brilliant. This really gives the student a chance to relate to a character and even to the piece of literature. Again killing two birds with one stone.