LITERATURE JOURNEY By Rick Bhugtana Term One Kittle

LITERATURE JOURNEY By: Rick Bhugtana

Term One “Kittle” Goal: 5 pages/10 minutes x 6 = 30 pages/hr. x 2 hours per week = 60 pages per week 60 pages/week x 8 weeks in term = 480 pages/term one 480 Pages

Write Beside Them by Penny Kittle 236 pages Having taught for over ten years, and being a math/science graduate, English Language Arts was never my calling. Over the years, however, this subject has grown on me. In my eighth year of teaching grade eight English, my practice is evolving. I have Penny Kittle to thank; for inspiring me through her teachings and her two books Book Love and Write Beside Them which focus on the craft of teaching reading and writing respectively. I’m more interested in students finding books that interest and challenge them to think. Students need to feel inspired to write through journals and creative means. While formal papers are necessary, they are not the be all and end all of relevant writing today.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green 313 pages Hazel Grace’s final chapter extends a few more pages as Augustus Waters enters her life… Cancer is one of the tragic “equalizers”; very few have eluded its impact as it makes fighters out of family members and friends. It forced me to reflect on my priorities when words like “future”, “forever”, and “when” were no longer certainties. Now having been clear for almost a decade, I continue to prioritize what is important in life and what I want out of the rest of this life that I have been gifted. Family time is important regardless of time or distance. Having fewer but meaningful friendships is far better than having many acquaintances. Finally, it’s never too early or late to work on one’s bucket list.

The Intouchables Starring Francois Cluzet & Omar Sy Running Time: 112 min. A true story, en francais, about an employer and employee; each differently-abled. Regardless of health, wealth, heritage, or station, learning from others who are different empowers us and can lead us to discover how we are alike. I am a firm believer that we all have a place in this world and make our contribution through a particular talent or skill. Sometimes life throws us a curveball and we must adapt. Our resiliency can bring us together and while we may appear different, we share common values, interests, and goals. Focus on the positives in your life and don’t dwell on what is missing. The journey is far more enjoyable that way.

Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern 158 pages My “birth father” was not the ideal role model; he drank, he yelled, and he hit. Dave is my “stepfather” and I am told that, more often than not, I call him Dad. He is the textbook definition of the “strong, silent type. ” He is not one to yell or swear and has only ever raised his hand to comfort and support. He has been quieter with advice but because of him, I learned to ride a bike, play sports, and drive. His father was not an involved parent and as I vow to be a better father than mine was, perhaps my dad did for me as way to be more involved than his own. We are closer since my mom’s passing and he continues to be supportive of all my wants, needs, and decisions. I am thankful, like Justin Halpern, for all that my Dad has taught me. I am thankful that he stepped up to the plate years ago and have enjoyed sharing with him a six pack… of Coke… once in awhile.

“Alive” by Edwin Album: Another Spin Around the Sun (1999) Running Time: 6 minutes 10 seconds “Alive” was a song I listened to while on treatment. It was what I wanted to be, feel, and made me think about life afterwards if I were gifted it. “…spin around the sun…” – In science, we learn that one of ‘these’ is equivalent to a year. I thought about what and where I would be in one years time… I looked forward and vowed to appreciate all those things I had taken for granted like walking and eating because I spent many days crawling from weakness with no appetite. “…angels working overtime…” – Nurses are overworked as are any caregivers who watch over so many in our society who are stricken with the epidemic we call cancer. “… sun against your face…” – It always felt amazing to be outside, out of my bed, out of my room and breathing the fresh Vancouver air. I relished basking in the sun; not necessarily doing anything but just closing my eyes and breathing. …”a baby’s born pure to the world…” – Innocence is lost as we grow up. We witness or experience the atrocities of the world. I think that makes many of us jaded and we lose touch with what’s important. Hence we need to ensure that, in sickness or in health, we appreciate what we have.

Making Bombs for Hitler By Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch 185 pages A horrifying first hand account as Lida Ferezuk is tragically separated from her sister Larissa during the Second World War. The holocaust is an event in our world’s history that is difficult to fathom; where people could be so inhumane in taking a difference of opinion to the extreme. During my first European trip, I visited Auschwitz; the most recognized of all the concentration camps. I entered under the iconic Arbeit Macht Frei (“Work Sets You Free”) sign. As I walked along the gravel paths following the tour guide, a deep remorse and sadness flooded my heart. I was walking where others had, decades ago… entering the prison, traveling to their work detail, or to and never from the gas chambers or firing wall. I’ve kept a stone from one of the pathways… it serves as a reminder of the ultimate consequence of hate.

Term One Reflection: By Rick Bhugtana My “Kittle Goal” for first term was 480 pages and I am proud to say that I met it! It’s ironic… I am the English teacher who didn’t read. I also think that I have not considered myself a reader because I compare myself to childhood classmates, colleagues, and my own students who have been voracious in their reading habits. My reading rate calculation this introductory term was slow. Reading a professional text (Write Beside Them), where I’m focusing on content, annotating, and lesson planning did not translate well to “speed reading” for understanding. Finding it difficult to choose or find texts that interest me, I purposely thought that I could gain some momentum with my journey by finding some I could more easily relate to despite them being more “simple” texts. In this case they happened to be via my profession, health, and emotional travel experience. I found they were manageable as I was able to gain rate momentum but also reflective enough to make the reading valuable. I noticed, by the frequency of flipped pages, my reading rate increased particularly during Making Bombs for Hitler. I complimented my reading this term with a film and a song. One reaffirmed different points of view and our similarities while the latter helped me reminisce about my thoughts and feelings during my first chemotherapy treatments. My goal for second term is to continue the trend towards a higher reading rate, thereby increasing my number of pages to 1000. This may not seem like much but for me, as an educator with many responsibilities and one that is establishing what Penny Kittle calls “a reading life”, I think it is perfectly acceptable. I would also like to begin discussing texts with my students, perhaps establishing book studies and film studies. “Read next” books for second term include Stolen, The Hate List, and Unbroken.