lens3_serdman

Sara Erdman March 6, 2012 True Notebooks Critical Analysis  //True Notebooks// by Mark Saltzman covers the course of a year that Mark spends with over a dozen teenagers being held in a juvenile detention center. While reading the book Dr Sherry broke us up into Literature circles to discuss the book. In our discussion group both Jamie and Jeni brought up the topic of how Mark disliked the fact he could not praise the boys when they performed well in his class. All of the individuals in our group have been told time and time again in our education classes to praise our students and to use positive reinforcement.  Through out our discussion we brought up how hard it would be for us to not praise our own students, especially students like the boys of K/L unit who should receive positive reinforcement. As we continued discussing how the guards of K/L unit never compliment the boys, if anything they put down the boys as a way of “reminding” them that they are still in prison. Further into the book, however, there are some points where the guards and staff do praise the boys. It might not be over the top praise but it is praise none the less. For the boys having someone simply saying “good job” means the world to them even if that is all they receive.  Going to school to become a teacher we are always told to be ready and on our toes to help our students to the best of our ability. I enjoyed the fact even though the staff enforces and constantly reminds Mark to not praise the boys he still finds ways to make them feel as if they are accomplishing something and they are doing well. Mark shows that he cares for the boys by performing with his cello and being a guest at the graduation of the majority of the boys who graduate from school. He even goes as far to send them personal notes to let them know he appreciates the effort they have put forth and how much they mean to him. I believe that the fact he teaches these classes and helps with other activities speaks for itself that he does care and that his way of giving the boys praise. Even when Mark shows up every week the boys originally question why he keeps coming back. Mark never really answers them, but just coming back gives the boys hope. As a student, I feel that the best way to push someone to do their best and to continue to work hard is by giving constructive criticism or by posing more questions for the student to answer in their own way.  Even though Mark was told that he should not treat the boys in his class special because they are not special. However, I think that by just allowing a select few boys to be a part of the class is showing that they are different or “special” from the other boys. Mark still finds a way to praise the boys in his own special way. Sometimes in order to be a special teacher or someone who makes a difference you do not have to throw a parade to show someone is doing well. By showing an interest in someone who is struggling gives that student the motivation needed in order to perform to their best ability. Mark not only teaches the boys that they can write about their personal lives and their feelings, but he also learns a great deal from the boys rather than the stereotypical point of view of prisoners. When it comes to //True Notebooks// the best phrase I can use to describe the book is, “don’t judge a book by its cover.”

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