Lindsay Spencer 67712067

LLED366-301 Credo: Finding a Students Voice Ultimate Praise In ages past, when I was young, and one still danced cheek to cheek, things were super, spiffy, swish or swell, perhaps awesome, wicked as well, funky, groovy, fab or just hot, brilliant when things hit the spot. A holiday weeks sunning could be absolutely stunning. Tip-top, top-notch, or bonzer, the grand prix at Monza; And if it werent a bore, I could think of many more. To what verbal heights does youth now aspire? Their vocabulary almost entire confined to a single descriptive droolEverything tops is simply cool.1 Geoffrey Spencer, 2007 At 93, my grandfather says rambling on about something that catches his eye is a prerogative of old age. While I disagree that a youths vocabulary is so limited, his piece addresses exactly why I want to teach. I believe that youth are graced with an opportunity to explore language and writing. School is a short period in life where ones voice can be tested and developed before the pace of life, careers and responsibility envelope an individual. As such, students have the ability to push their boundaries beyond cool and discover their own means of expression. My interest in literature has been nurtured through my grandfathers writing and my reading of fiction as a means of escape from the trials of life. That being said, my true passion lies with the spoken word. Throughout my high school career, I was a debater and public
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Spencer, Geoffrey. Ultimate Praise. Rambling On. Vancouver: The Bookworms Press, 2007.

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speaker. For the past five years, I have coached a debate and public speaking team. It is in this arena that I have discovered my fervor for teaching and language. I was inspired to pursue reading and writing to augment my abilities as a speaker. This translated to an appreciation of language and voice. My pedagogical conviction is to aid a youths journey in finding their own voice. My first pillar is to establish a need for literature in youths minds. I think that students tend to forget that literature is not limited to texts and poems from centuries past. Rather, literature is the art of the written word. Furthermore, the effect of a text is not limited to the page it is written on. Regardless of the type material, literature is a social necessity. I tend to agree with the socio-cultural learning approach. Learning is a social activity.2 As such, literature isnt meant to be left on the page. Instead it should be felt, discussed and debated. We tell stories and we listen to stories, both for pleasure and knowledge. Literature is a foundation for our communities. The key is to listen and discover ones own voice within that context. My second pillar is to nurture an appreciation for language. Language has a life of its own. It is amazing to me that I can read Martin Luther Kings I have a dream speech and get chills every time. Encouraging this appreciation can be a challenge in this electronic age. Students can simply google Martin Luther King, watch him deliver his speech via a recording on YouTube, and experience a similar response. However, I truly believe that there is no substitute for the written word. Language has existed far longer than recordings or technology. It is fascinating to read the thoughts of those in our past. Furthermore, it is intriguing to examine their use of language to express their voice.

Beach, R., Appleman, D., Hynds, S., & Wilhelm, J., eds. Teaching Literature to Adolescents. 2nd Ed. New York: Routledge, 2011.

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Both of these pillars are a tall order. Putting them into practice will be a challenge. But then I recall that it was my teachers that extended literature beyond the pages of my books. We read texts; we performed plays; we became the characters; and we felt the speakers while in our classes. This is what made literature and the exploration of language an enjoyable learning experience. My ultimate conviction is to aid students in determining their voice. I truly believe that literature is an avenue via which we discover our voice. Whether we agree, disagree, or simply pause to think for a minute, it is the words of others that help to establish a foundation for our communities. Finding ones voice doesnt require someone to make a statement or publish a lengthy political commentary. Rather, literature sparks an emotional investment in the words we read. As such, we develop a sense of identity. It is through literature and language that we determine our voice and how to express it to another.

Works Cited: Beach, R., Appleman, D., Hynds, S., & Wilhelm, J., eds. Teaching Literature to Adolescents. 2nd Ed. New York: Routledge, 2011. Spencer, Geoffrey. Ultimate Praise. Rambling On. Vancouver: The Bookworms Press, 2007.