1. An Approach to Teaching The Bluest Eye Roger S. Baskin, Sr. Educational Specialist Office of Student Achievement Instructional Services Department

2. For whom is this presentation? Teachers looking for a way to incorporate American literature into the curriculum Teachers who are looking for multicultural literature for their classroom Teachers who are looking for engaging literature and exercises for all students

3. The National Standard Accomplished teachers know a wide range of high- quality texts... These include traditional and contemporary classics of literature, young adult literature, and multicultural literature. Teachers constantly seek out new resources that allow students to “see themselves” in selected texts and to expand their awareness of the world around them. Teachers might address issues of racial or gender stereotyping through the study of a particular character while also addressing the literary techniques for methods of characterization National Board for Professional Teaching Standards

4. About the Author: Toni Morrison Born February 18, 1931 in Lorain, OH Published her first book, The Bluest Eye, in 1970 Her fifth novel, Beloved, wins Pulitzer prize in 1988

5. About the Novel Protagonist: Pecola Breedlove, African-American female, 11 years old Setting: Lorain, OH; early 1940’s Major Conflicts: 1. Internal—the protagonist feels a profound since of self-hatred that leads her to believe that if her eyes are blue her life will improve 2. External—American society’s standard of beauty and how it impacts those who do not meet that standard

6. An Example of American Naturalism Like other examples of the genre, the novel portrays a protagonist whose attempts at exercising free will are thwarted by forces beyond her control. The barriers faced by the protagonist may be biological, psychological, or economic. Practitioners of the genre include Richard Wright, Upton Sinclair, Stephen Crane, and John Steinbeck.

7. A Question about the Genre Why do we need literature that shows how people fail to overcome certain obstacles? Some student responses from the past: “Because people need to know the truth.” “So that it doesn’t happen to others.” “Because not everybody has the same experience.”

8. Activating Prior Knowledge Students bring their own unique prior knowledge to the reading of any text... To activate students’ prior knowledge, teachers may ask students to draw on their personal experiences... Teachers can assist this process by showing pictures, encouraging the sharing of anecdotes, and using graphic aids related to the story... Educating Everybody’s Children: Diverse Teaching Strategies for Diverse Learners: What Research and Practice Say about Improving Achievement Robert W. Cole, Editor

9. A Rat’s Chance Given the rat’s current environment, does it have a chance to survive and live a long life? What barrier exists? Can this rat’s reality mirror the reality of some people?

10. The Importance of Opening Questions Questions are effective learning tools even when asked before a learning experience. We generally think of questioning as something teachers do after students have been engaged in a learning experience... Teachers, however, can use questions before a learning experience to establish a “mental set” with which students process the learning experience. Classroom Instruction that Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement Robert J. Marzano

11. Exercise 1 Have students to respond to the following question, either in writing or in a class discussion: Given a person’s environment at birth, can we predetermine their future (especially if there is no intervention)? As students continue reading, have them revisit this question in a journal that they keep to see if their response changes.

12. Exercise 2 Have students read the opening Dick and Jane story. Draw a picture of what you read. Now read the italicized section at the beginning of the novel. Draw a picture of what you read. Students do not have to share their pictures. Using the pictures as a guide, have students write about the contrast between both environments. Later, write about how Morrison creates this contrast (symbols, archetypes, imagery, etc.).

13. The Importance of Drawing Pictures Drawing pictures or pictographs (i.e., symbolic pictures) to represent knowledge is a powerful way to generate nonlinguistic representations in the mind... [it] helps students understand content in a whole new way. Marzano

14. Exercise 3 Have students research interventions that could change the story of Pecola Breedlove and her family. Come up with recommendations for a plan of action to remedy Pecola’s situation. Students should work in groups of no more than five to focus on one of the specific intervention areas: psychological, economic, educational, media. Students may research organizations that work to address the issues faced in the novel.

15. Sources of Information Psychological: American Counseling Association, local school psychologist Economic: National Urban League, NAACP, Children’s Defense Fund Educational: FCPS Office of Student Achievement, National Alliance of Black School Educators Media: National Association of Black Journalists, Black Actors Guild

16. Reality-Based Learning The combined process of analyzing real problems and then suggesting solutions to them not only motivate learners, but also enable them to range in their thinking processes from recognizing information they need... to gathering relevant information... to summarizing ideas... to generating potential solutions... to analyzing... their solutions. Cole

17. Exercise 4 Have students read excerpts from the following texts and compare similarities in effect, form, characterization, theme, and atmosphere: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Woman at Point Zero “The Man Who Was Almost a Man” “Roselily” The Handmaid’s Tale

18. Exercise 5 Read and discuss links on Blackboard: 1. http://www.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/nat ural.htm http://www.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/nat ural.htm http://www.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/nat ural.htm 2. http://varenne.tc.columbia.edu/class/com mon/dolls_in_brown_vs_board.html http://varenne.tc.columbia.edu/class/com mon/dolls_in_brown_vs_board.html http://varenne.tc.columbia.edu/class/com mon/dolls_in_brown_vs_board.html 3. http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/commi ttees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/masl ow.htm http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/commi ttees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/masl ow.htm http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/commi ttees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/masl ow.htm

19. Discussion Board Comments After reading the link on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, discuss how this theory may explain the characterization of Pecola Breedlove. After reading the link on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, discuss how this theory may explain the characterization of Pecola Breedlove. After reading the hierarchy of needs, it became more clear to me just how lacking Pecola's life is. Above physiological needs, she does not meet Maslow's requirements for a fulfilling existence. She does not feel safe, as her parents are constantly fighting, often physically, instilling a feeling of instability and violence in her home environment. Love, affection, and belongingness needs are not met because neither of Pecola's parents show that they care for her on a consistent basis, sometimes being abusive instead, physically and verbally. Also, Pecola is made to feel as if she does not belong in the community, as she is black and "ugly", and is ignored or made fun of in school. Therefore, her esteem is almost non-existent, from herself and others. It seems that self-actualization may not ever be possible for her, as she has become a social outcast with minimal education, no self-esteem, and no stable relationships. How many black Americans have faced such difficulty in finding their own identity?

20. Discussion Board Comments After reading the link on Dr. Clark, explain how this information may help to explain Pecola's characterization and her self-loathing. Pecola is characterized as wanting blue eyes. Quite obviously, she wants to be similar to the white doll, the "nice doll". I also found it interesting that even in desegregated states, the results of the survey could hold true, but this seems to apply to her as well. Being around Maureen, the blonde girl, did not allow Pecola to better accept her race but instead caused her to see proof of what she considered her inferiority in the way her classmates and teachers treated the other girl. Where she was abused, Maureen was worshipped. In that way, the book was very much like the survey: the white doll was able to be beloved by everyone (except the occasional disgruntled child like Claudia), and the black doll was looked down on. Perhaps what the schools really needed went past desegregation to actual equality, so that Pecola's teachers could be attentive to her as well. Pecola is characterized as wanting blue eyes. Quite obviously, she wants to be similar to the white doll, the "nice doll". I also found it interesting that even in desegregated states, the results of the survey could hold true, but this seems to apply to her as well. Being around Maureen, the blonde girl, did not allow Pecola to better accept her race but instead caused her to see proof of what she considered her inferiority in the way her classmates and teachers treated the other girl. Where she was abused, Maureen was worshipped. In that way, the book was very much like the survey: the white doll was able to be beloved by everyone (except the occasional disgruntled child like Claudia), and the black doll was looked down on. Perhaps what the schools really needed went past desegregation to actual equality, so that Pecola's teachers could be attentive to her as well.