Reading Response Log

Rationale

As I am trying to get certified in secondary education, I do not yet know if I will be teaching middle school or high school. Because of that, I know that in the meantime, I need to be prepared to instruct students in either setting, whether it be one where students are learning the basics of history, geography, and culture in middle school, or whether they have already been over these things and are moving on to greater challenges and critical thinking situations with social studies in high school.

However, in my own estimation of my educational experience, one cannot do without resources such as books in their teaching. Going along with that, though, one can also not be one-dimensional with their use of books, meaning that one should not simply hand out a book to the class, require that they read the book from cover to cover, and then write a report with every book used. Though this may be effective in some specific situations in which the book directly matches up with a focal point of the class, it is not applicable to all situations in the classroom, and even more importantly, that method is not applicable to all students.

Books can be used for the individual passages and chapters they contain, the illustrations they provide, the content, etc. Though these factors may be obvious to some, perhaps even most, one of the most overlooked uses of books in education, in my estimation, is supplemental education. Though it may not happen often, some students may become interested in a certain subject, event, person, etc. and will want to learn more. In my opinion, as a teacher I should be willing to facilitate that, but in order to, I must have the resources.

I chose these five books because they cover a span from both middle school to high school, as well as providing information that will come up in every fixture of history, such as Texas history, local history, world history, and United States history. Not all of the books are ones that, especially in middle school, I would always see fit to hand out to the class and have them write a report over (though some would work), but they are all resources that would be great to pull passages out of as supplementary information for a curious student or as potatoes to go along with the meat of a classroom lecture. In one of the books, even the illustrations would go a long way in drawing attention to the subject, in either middle or high school.

The Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest

Author: Matthew Restall

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2004

ISBN: 0195176111

Genre: Nonfiction

Library: WTAMU Library

Summary:

Restall uses this book to correct several misconceptions that many have about the Spanish Conquest. Using quality research, including studies from other respected historians, he is able first describe the history that most of the public knows as truth, and swiftly corrects it with hard facts. Restall throws away such myths as the native peoples' relative savageness and lack of intelligence, and overall, tries to make the reader see both sides of every story.

Personal Response:

Though this book was printed by a university and was probably written for university purposes, the vast majority of this book is to-the-point and simple enough for high school students to understand and learn from. Especially in a high school setting, students have to see that everything presented to them cannot immediately be taken as fact, and that extra fact-finding is nothing but beneficial in academics and in life, and Restall illustrates this in his book. After reading this book, I was already thinking about ways to use snippets of this book in a history class as a way to show students how history is about perception more than anything else.

Use in classroom:

In a high school or middle school setting, this would not be the kind of book to have students read from cover-to-cover, as some of the book is college-level material. However, as I stated before, using selected passages out of the book could teach students additional information about the Spanish Conquest, as well as illustrate a brilliant model for research and learning history.

Sleuthing the Alamo

Author: James E. Crisp

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2005

ISBN: 0195163508

Genre: Nonfiction

Library: Amarillo Public Library

Summary:

In this book, Crisp uses his experience as a student growing up in Texas to write an incredibly informative book on the Texas Revolution. His main goal is to explore some of the often-heard stories about the conflicts that he learned as a Texas youth, and is able to inform the reader in a way that is educational and even entertaining. His writing especially connects to fellow Texans, who have heard all of the same stories and tales.

Personal Response:

What a book. In what is now one of my favorite Texas history books I have read, Crisp breaks an unwritten rule of historical writing and takes an incredibly personal approach in this book, one that will attract high school students quickly. He describes in detail his journey to discovering the truth behind the stories he has heard all of his life, and at the same time, describes with the same amount of detail the facts that he obtained. What you're getting with this book is a combination of personal discovery and truly interesting information.

Use in classroom:

This is one of the first books that I would suggest to any student that wanted to do more personal study on the Texas Revolution. Also, during a unit on the Texas Revolution, I could rip virtually any one chapter from the book and have my students gain benefit from the information, clarification, and even the illustrations that Crisp includes.

Revolutionary Mothers

Author: Carol Berkin

Publisher: Vintage Books, 2005

ISBN: 1400075327

Genre: Nonfiction

Library: Amarillo Public Library

Summary:

Berkin discusses the often overlooked but important issue of important women in the American Revolution. Berkin writes the book in chronological order, going from the tension before the war all the way to the end of the war. Berkin even includes her research on the roles of Indian and African American women in the Revolution. Her research is thorough, detailing the lives of many little known women and the great, usually behind-the-scenes impact that they had on the long-term future of the United States.

Personal Response:

Though I am certainly not an expert on women's history of any kind, I actually became engrossed in this book, as I had no idea that so many women had so much of an effect on Revolutionary America, and additionally, the men that are known for building the country. Reading this book made me want to learn more about American and indigenous women in this time period.

Use in classroom:

To be honest, the main reason I wanted to include this book is the fact that I have seen firsthand a large number of female students get somewhat frustrated with the emphasis on men in history classes, and such frustration is completely valid. This book backs that validation by showing that the impact that women had during the Revolution was not only present, it was significant. This book would be an essential resource to have handy for a student wanting to do more personal study, and I would definitely use this book in passages while discussing the role of individuals in America's advent.

The American Revolution: A History

Author: Gordon S. Wood

Publisher: Random House, 2003

ISBN: 0812970411

Genre: Nonfiction

Library: Amarillo Public Library

Summary:

Wood writes this book in stages, from the initial American dependence on Britain, to the building tension between the two, to eventual resistance, war, and America's early stages as a new independent nation. However, this book is not simple facts and figures, as Wood's writing focuses on the individuals that made the Revolution happen, and how their opinions, beliefs, relationships and decisions shaped the country.

Personal Response:

I don't think that I have ever learned so much from one book. The reason that the book is so useful is the way that it is written: from the perspective that, in Wood's opinion, things did not just happen in the Revolution. The laws that made the colonists angry were not just passed for no reason; there were people and motives behind them, and that is true for every facet of the Revolution. I learned about people who are immensely important to our country's history that I had never heard mentioned before.

Use in classroom:

An all-around resource that could honestly be used in any way. Any student interested in learning more about the American Revolution could pick the book up and be satisfied with all of the new knowledge. A lecture could be given even more substance when adding any given passage from the book. The students need to see that people are the driving force in history, and this book, more than anything else, shows exactly that.

Amarillo: The Yellow Rose of Texas

Author: Sarah Williamson

Illustrator: Arvis Stewart

Publisher: Eakin Press, 1996

ISBN: 1571681337

Genre: Children's

Library: Amarillo Public Library

Summary:

Through rich illustrations and poetry, Williamson is able to describe a great amount of the city of Amarillo's features, as well as a history of the city and the Great Plains region in general. From the addition of railroads to the area, to the native peoples that lived here in the past, to migrants, businesses, schools, etc. in the area, one learns a healthy portion of Amarillo info after reading this book.

Personal Response:

I initially picked up this book just to skim the pages, as I had not seen it before, nor knew that a children's book about Amarillo had been written. However, after reading the book, I was surprised at how much good information was contained in the book, and though it was written the better part of 20 years ago, much of it is still relevant, although the mentions of the past only add to the reader's knowledge of the city's history. The other great feature of the book are the ludicrously detailed and beautiful illustrations that Arvis Stewart provided for the book. I spent just as much time staring at the colorful pages as I did reading the words.

Use in classroom:

Though it may not be a focal point, local history is important, and this would be a useful book in providing history on Amarillo, particularly in middle school. The only factor against this book is the campy poetry that Williamson writes in, as the information is good. I like the idea of using the book as a way to both show some Amarillo history as well as have a fun time just sitting down like the old days, reading a picture book. It would be something to get students' attention and keep them involved.