What NCSS theme does this book fit within?

From my personal interpretation I believe it falls within the following two themes: individual development and identity, as well as time, continuity, and change. The theme of individual development and identity focuses on how we learn, behave, perceive and grow, as well as the examination of human behavior and the relationships among social acceptance and personal growth. The storyline examined ideas of culture, institutional influences and our place within groups. I also thought that since the time of the storyline, there have been many changes in the educational practices dealing with learning disabilities, which is why I referenced time, continuity, and change. What was my personal reaction to the book? After watching the video of Patricia reading her story, and re-reading it at home, I am now much more aware of others cultural backgrounds and learning experiences. It was beautiful the way Patricia described her relationship with her family, and how painful it was when her grandparents passed away. I sympathized with her as she experienced frustration and humiliation as a child struggling with learning disabilities. It made me realize how far education has come in the recognition of learning disabilities and student needs. It was wonderful the way the storyline developed into a story of perseverance, anguish, acceptance, and finally, inspiration. I have no doubt this story has inspired many individuals to be more aware of how we relate to others, and what our place is in society. The only question that continues to linger in my mind is- where was her mother, the school teacher, during her early childhood. It was interesting that she was missing from the story. If her mother was a teacher,

why didn t she recognize her daughter s struggle with reading? Maybe this question is a connection to the time, continuity and change theme. Our society has made great strides in the overall awareness a multiculturalism and acceptance of our differences. Compared to the 1950 s, society is much more involved in their children s education, as well as being better educated about learning disabilities. Here are a few ideas of how I would use this book in teaching social studies: Develop a lesson plan about relating to others. I could introduce the theme by reading this book to the class. We could then have an answer and question period to process the meaning of how we relate to each other. y This book would be a good way of exploring the struggles a student experiences when they have a learning disabilities. This would give the students a chance to make a connection through their own personal experiences. y As in the Annenberg video we watched last week, children could learn about stereotypes. This type of exploration introduces children to the concept of making a judgment and being prejudice.