AUTHOR
Christopher Paul Curtis was born and raised in Flint, Michigan. He earned his degree at the University of Michigan-Flint. Curtis' writing career did not come easy following his graduation. He worked in an assembly line welding cars at Flint's Fisher Body Plant. He worked several other low-paying jobs before diving into his passion for literature. He started with writing young adult literature and remained throughout his writing career. He is a contemporary author who focuses on African-American preteens and teens. Curtis' first book The Watsons Go to Birmingham- 1963 received praise from several critics. The book was a runner-up for the Newbery Medal and was one of the New York Public Library’s 100 Great Children's Books of the Last 100 Years. The book featured on my site, Bud, Not Buddy has won the Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award. Bud, Not Buddy is significant to the world of young adult literature because it shows a preteen boy dealing with real-world issues. Many people feel as though children cannot experience real hardship, however, Bud, Not Buddy contradicts that myth. Christopher Paul Curtis is a unique author because where he resides is also where he gets his inspiration from. He is from Flint, Michigan and the setting in several of his books are in Flint, Michigan. He now resides in Canda, and the setting in his books Elijah of Buxton and The Madman of Piney Woods is in Ontario, Canada.
Text Introduction
Bud, Not Buddy focuses on a young African-American boy who is growing up in and out of foster homes during the Great Depression. His mother has passed away, and his father is not around either. His mother died without giving Bud his fathers identity, but Bud has an idea of whom his father is. Bud's frustration with being an unloved orphan reaches an all-time high, and he runs away to find his long-lost father. Bud's expedition presents brief glimpses into systematic racism along with poverty in the 1930s. On his journey, he encounters several people who encourage him, guide him, and ultimately become his extended family. His quest to find his dad ends in an unexpected way, but Bud learns there is a silver lining in every outcome. Bud, Not Buddy, has several different genres. The genres include children's literature, young adult literature, historical drama, and historical fiction. The simple formatting and wording make the book appropriate for upper elementary students and middle school students. So, typically fourth-graders and eighth-graders.
Teaching Challenge #1
I absolutely love history, and that is why I have a concentration in it. Every book I read I search for the historical perspective of the book first. I am a firm believer that knowing the historical setting of a book will broaden your understanding of the book. While teaching this text, you might run into a few challenges. One challenge is the historical context of Bud, Not Buddy. Bud, Not Buddy, is set in the Great Depression era. Many students between the fourth and eighth-grade have presumably not covered this era yet. Teaching your students about the Great Depression could help them visualize the hardships Bud went through. Learning the historical context can also aid students to conceive a more realistic setting. Simply displaying photos of women and children in shabby tents or men in line for a bowl of soup could give your students an idea of that era. If you want your students to have a clear idea of how the Great Depression was, a simulation game is your best bet. Another excellent way to get your students to understand the overview of the Great Depression is to show them a few minutes of a documentary. A documentary has authentic photographs, videos, and audio messages to present your students a clearer idea about what the Great Depression looked like. I highly suggest a simulation game over a documentary because kids prefer learning while being active. Hands-on learning (or kinesthetic learning) allows children to learn while more retaining information. Lecturing, independent homework assignments and a documentary might help with visualizing history, but it will not help retain a lot of information. Numerous amounts people during the Great Depression sacrificed basic necessities to stay afloat. Online games like SPENT can show students the difficulty of having to sacrifice food, clothing, or shelter to get by.
SIMULATION GAME: A Great Depression simulation game is a superb way to educate your students about the Great Depression in a timely manner. The games creator Rebecca Benedix designed the game to be a group task. A simulation game contains a mixture of skill, chance, and strategy to simulate an aspect of reality. Simulation games require students to be active and hands-on with a specific subject. The groups of students have different jobs and incomes and are trying to get by in an uncertain economy like The Great Depression. Some of the kids will run out of money completely and lost what they have, while other students will have just enough to be comfortable.
SPENT GAME (a similar game but the whole class is playing together): http://playspent.org/
DOCUMENTARY: Many students are visual learners and cannot always picture a situation in their head. So, playing a documentary for students learning about a historical event can be helpful for students who want to visualize an accurate setting. Real video footage and firsthand accounts can offer students an idea of what era Bud went through. Documentaries can also provide different perspectives of people who lived through the Great Depression. Depending on who you were, you probably experienced the Great Depression differently. The document is rather long but playing ten to twenty minutes of the documentary will be enough for the students to imagine the historical event. ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQ_lizW5zSI
Teaching Challenge #2
Bud, Not Buddy has a couple of touchy subjects such as being a foster child, having a dead parent, and an absent parent. In books like this one, it is imperative to have empathy for kids who feel uncomfortable reading this novel. Surely, it is crucial to inform students that they cannot run from life tragedies, but as teachers or future teachers, we have to develop empathy in situations like this. We also have to teach our students to have empathy. Students will feel reluctant to read a book that brings about raw emotions. Students may also choose not to read the book if it makes them uncomfortable. As a teacher or future teacher, we have to respect our students either way. We can offer a new book, or if the student wants to read the book but feels emotional while doing so. We could recommend counseling and support for the student. Making your classroom a safe zone is crucial. Students should be aware that they can express their discomforts without being reprimanded or bullied. Overall, have a listening ear and an open heart. There are several resources, activities, and lessons that will help a teacher and students of all ages gain empathy.
EMPATHY ACTIVITIES:
The Postive Psychology Program offers interactive activities that teach students and teachers about empathy. The activities range from simply listening to each other to challenges involving completing random acts of kindness. Teaching students the power of having empathy is essential. Although you may not relate to others tragedies does not mean you cannot share their pain and help ease their grief with helpful nonjudgemental behavior. Create a family in your classroom. Students may get one each other's nerves but established respect and compassion will always be there. Kindness is contagious, and before you know it, other teachers may be following your lead. https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/kindness-activities-empathy-worksheets/#empathy
CREATING A CLASSROOM FAMILY:
I previously mentioned the importance of creating a classroom family. I know you cannot see the connection between creating a classroom family and reading a book. But, let me explain, I truly believe that kids will express their discomforts and hardships to you if they are comfortable enough to speak to you. I have no doubt in my mind that as a future teacher, I will cover a book or a topic that may be troublesome to a student. I will do my best to be a caring, compassionate, and transparent teacher. I will create a classroom that encourages kindness. https://www.lauracandler.com/classroomfamily/