ALL CLASS DISCUSSION #3: Carnival at Bray or Girl books, Sex, and the smart kids.

10/18/2017

I know that Carnival is not a text for 6th graders. This is a mature look at a young woman in her late teens. It’s emotionally complex and, in terms of narrative, occasionally challenging. It’s also a beautifully written book.

And I can hear all of you already: boys won’t like it. And I say again, tough. Young women have been reading books about boys for centuries. Young men can live with a few books that aren’t focused on them. It can be how we teach rather than what we teach that makes the difference.

About trigger warnings & parents: There is some debate among college faculty about the idea of warning students of material that might cause undue stress and, for lack of a better term, PTSD, in students. There is a scene in Bray that I thought about alerting readers to. You will, I think, know what I’m talking about it. It’s not the sexual nature of the main character early in her time in Ireland, it’s the vaguely violent, not exactly non-consensual but certainly not loving experience of it. It’s a rough moment.

I think that managing a text that deals explicitly with sex and teenage girls can be a difficult sell. But this is my point: it’s not like students aren’t bombarded with sex at every turn, and why not have real and meaningful exposure than cheap exposure? I’m honestly not sure you could get a book like this into a curriculum, but I think it is worth a try.

This Week’s Prompt: Let’s say that you managed to convince the faculty and parents at Brockton High School to let you teach this book in a 12th grade English class that meets the outcomes for the International Baccalaureate Programme. Th IB is sort of like an internationally recognized version of AP. You can read about it here. Some quick facts about Brockton High (from Wikipedia, so, you know, grain of salt) and in general:

The high school is 60.9% African American, 20.8% White, 2.5% Asian, 12.3% Hispanic, and 3.5% other. In 2016 it was made so everyone could get free lunch. Out of its 4,250 students, 2,161 are male and 2,089 are female.

In 2005, 98% of the senior class (850 students) graduated. In 2008 78% of the graduating senior class planned to pursue a college degree.[citation needed] In 2006, Brockton High School was a recipient of the National School Change Award.[citation needed] Brockton High School was one of 7 schools in the United States to receive this award. Out of the seven schools, there were only two high schools.[citation needed]
In 2008, Brockton students had a higher level of improvement on the English MCAS than 90% of the Massachusetts high schools. By 2010 it was one of the highest performing schools on the MCAS.[7]
Keep in mind that 12th grade Lit is often a British Literature Survey. The IB syllabus is a little more adventurous. This might help or hurt.
Do consider the supplemental reading as you ponder the JOYs and the COMPLEXITIES of teaching this text
Try to be specific in both HOW you would teach this text and also HOW YOU MIGHT USE IT to teach other texts. For the purposes of thinking about that second part, Here is a link to the IB curriculum at Brockton High. This takes you to the IB page for Brockton High. Click on the English HL link for the actual syllabus.

I’m really enjoying the back and forth in these discussion boards. Here’s to another good week.

31 Comments

Herby Jolimeau

10/18/2017 11:44:02 am

When teaching a book like "The Carnival At Bray" I need the class to be prepared to discuss mature subject matter like drug use and sex while being able to express there feelings towards these types of literature. Because this class is 12th graders I'll assume the majority of the class is familiar, and comfortable with these topics. Because sex, drugs, and alcohol is promoted almost everywhere. Most kids are desensitized to hearing, and seeing these certain things at an early age. But it is the job of the teacher to help students understand the world they live in outside of just the classroom. Because carnival at bray focuses on the female coming of age story I would have a lesson where both genders can easily relate. rather than focusing on some of the more mature material. Because I feel music is a major theme throughout the story more so then the sexual parts of the book. I would have the class break into small groups and have them decide amongst the groups the type of music or specifically musical artists that speak for there generation. Hoping that the groups have many different selections, I'd have them try to connect moments in there life to songs that were popular at the time. Demonstrating the influence music had on Maggies character and some of her decision making. From that I would hope students are able to draw connections between some of the things Maggie is going through in her life to what there dealing with in there lives.

Leah O'Bryan

10/18/2017 05:34:22 pm

I seriously love this idea. I never would have thought of it, and am kind of mad I didn't because for Maggie music was such an amazing escape for her and is for everyone else, including myself. I agree with you, "it is the job of the teacher to help students understand the world they live in outside of just the classroom," and I feel like it will forever be that way. As teachers, especially those who are teaching secondary ed. are building our students up, to instill good values and help them reach their ultimate goals, like that diploma, that college or that job after they leave high school. I also think that a lot of teens, or even middle schoolers know more than some people like to believe, so this book would be relatable, if not good for their age group.

Cayla Marks

10/19/2017 12:33:25 pm

Hello, Herby! I love connecting music to this novel, and I think you are absolutely correct that sex takes a back seat compared to music throughout Bray. I think this idea would motivate students immensely and really get them interested in the novel. Music is monumental to many students. I also love the idea of connecting students' personal experiences to Maggie's because she is very relatable. My fear for this would be the comfort in sharing personal stories. Also, if a student shares specific details it may prompt you, as the teacher, to report certain things (because we're responsible for disclosing certain circumstances to the administration if we hear certain alarming stories).

Amy

10/20/2017 12:25:58 pm

The idea of incorporating music into the lesson is such a good idea. I know it was a huge part of the book, but it didn't even cross my mind to address it, which is why discussions are clearly important! Music, at least in my opinion, is something everyone feels passionately about regardless of the genre. Especially as a young adult, music can be therapeutic and allow individuals to feel connected to something greater. I think your idea of a lesson is really smart and would motivate students to actually participate in the text.

Jennifer Sinnott

10/20/2017 01:40:31 pm

I am so in love with the idea to focus on music as the major theme in your teaching of this text. I actually had a teacher in high school one year who did a whole unit on Music, she paired it with poetry. She even had some of us right aroun I am so in love with the idea to focus on music as the major theme in your teaching of this text. I actually had a teacher in high school one year who did a whole unit on Music, she paired it with poetry. She even had us try and write our own songs and raps, and it was really fun and entertaining and honestly that you didn't even realize that you were being poetic in doing so. That's an assignment you could consider. And i'm glad you took the time to try and pick a theme in which both genders could fully enjoy, because like we have discussed boys don't like to read books that they find "girly", even if this is a ridiculous concept.

Leah O'Bryan

10/18/2017 05:30:42 pm

If I was ever able to actually get The Carnival At Bray into my school curriculum I would truly be a) shocked and b) extremely happy to see it there. But with a state not allowing To Kill A Mockingbird in their classrooms, I feel that this would be unbelievably difficult, but because I loved this book, I love this scenario. If I were to bring this book into Brockton High, I would expect my students to be exposed to drugs, sex, step parents and the other family dynamics, as well as suicide already based on their age. With that said, I feel like you could use this book as a good way to get to know your students thoughts on such heavy topics that are real, connect it to real world issues and let them dive into a story that is relatable for anyone and maybe everyone. With the opioid epidemic at a steady high, 13 Reasons Why streaming on Netflix, and the age of my students, this novel is a great one to teach to a senior class. They are about to embark on the, “real world,” and it would be beneficial to let them explore literature and connect it to their own life. So for this novel I would have my students split into groups that I assigned. I want to assign them because by senior year you have your own cliques and friends and I am hoping to weave each person into different groups to open their minds to new people. Before each class I would post some questions on the board that each student would answer in a notebook, then discuss their answers in their book clubs. For example, “What do you think the theme is?” and “What was your favorite part from chapter 1-5 and why?” then all the way to, “What did you first think of Laura’s actions at the bar during the holidays?” This would validate that they are actually doing the reading, and allow each student to hear each other’s opinions and take on the book. And since I am not sending the questions home, they cannot Google or Sparknote it. After reading and getting to know the book itself, I would have each student reflect on their over all thoughts for the book, and write an essay about one specific character. I want them to make a connection to a character, pick a character they felt like they knew and explain why they choose said character. I then want to take the opportunity to connect this book to the real world by having each student bring in an article, whether online or in the newspaper (but it has to be legitimate… they share everything on Facebook that isn’t real these days) and tell the class why they chose it, how it relates to the book and how we can learn from it. This would practice their researching skills, help them make real world connections, and work on their public speaking skills as well. My plan is a lot but my ideas kind of flew after I started.

Gabrielle Rosson

10/18/2017 07:49:30 pm

I really like your lesson planning around this story. I think you could pull in a lot of neat project/research ideas from this book. Addiction, sex, suicide, travel, family dysfunction--and I think it could hit a lot of nerves. This is useful though because it was connecting with literature that saved me growing up. I remember the first time I read Henry Miller and I read the words "cunt" and "fuck" in the text--I thought I would die. Not because I had never heard the words but because I had never read them. It was so shocking I became hooked on books and got everything I could get my hands on that had the same (honest, no bull-shit, true-to-life) voice. I think there's something about reading a really raw novel for the first time that creates connectivity for readers. For this reader I love your idea about finding one character to connect and write about. I'm sure the kids would learn a lot.

Stephanie

10/20/2017 03:31:15 pm

Hey Leah,
I really like that you brought up 13 Reasons Why because I actually brought that up in my journal this week. Though I'm on the complete opposite side as you because I did not like this book. From the sounds of it i may be the only one (so far) that didn't like it and I'm okay with that. But mu point is that i too brought up 13 reasons why because of the controversies it has caused through out the "teen" world.

Gabrielle Rosson

10/18/2017 07:40:15 pm

I think The Carnival at Bray has a lot of important young adult themes. When I was growing up, I went to many different schools because my mother moved us around a lot. One move that was particularly hard for me was the move from sunny California to rainy Seattle. I remember feeling like an outsider and being overwhelmed by the adaptation process. Yet, this experience gave me insight that many of my classmates did not have. For example, many of the kids I met had never even left their home state. So I think a character such as Maggie, not only speaks to kids who have been though a life altering mood, but also to kids who might want to someday leave home and see the world. Additionally, Maggie's experiences with addiction, sex, and suicide are all things that kids (for better or worse) can relate to. So, I agree that these themes have a place in the classroom. Although I personally feel uncomfortable at the thought of exposing kids to sex in literature for possibly the first time, I do see the validity in exposing them through literature. This might be the first time they realize that there actually is literature on the subject and it might just inspire them to do their own research on the subject. So, it's not so much that In would hope that kids related to Maggie's experience in the book, so much as that I would hope it would help them realize there are safe places to explore the subject matter. Finally, I think this book would be a joy to teach. I might ask students to discuss why They feel Maggie stays in Ireland. Is it just love? Or something more? How do they interpret her decision, and would they have done the same. I'm looking forward to hearing about how other's would approach the material; like some have said already--yes, it's risky, but kids are going through so much more than they let on. Why not explore these things through literature.

Gina Mendes

10/19/2017 10:32:52 am

I really like your idea about focusing your discussion with your students on the reasoning behind Maggie's decision to stay in Ireland, because I feel as though it should be looked into deeper. When you ask the question whether it is love that makes her stay or "something more" I believe the something more could be her own internal growth since the beginning of the novel and the ability to make decisions for herself that allows her to stay in Ireland, as opposed to doing it simply for her love for Eoin. An important thing to focus on would be how Maggie has changed throughout the story as a result of her experiences, sexual or not, and how those changes have affected her decision at the end of the novel. I wouldn't be too worried about exposing these particular students to sex because about 62% of high school senior are already sexually active, but I do agree with you that there is much more to discuss and learn about through Maggie's personal experiences throughout the novel, rather than just her sexual ones. I, too would be interested in how students interpret her final decision and what they would have done if they were in her shoes, nice job!

Cayla Marks

10/19/2017 12:27:49 pm

I attended Brockton High School, as well as grew up in Brockton. I still live there currently. The youth faces unimaginable situations that force maturity from extremely young ages. AP and IB students, from experience, tend to lean toward the mature population of high school students, as well. A novel like The Carnival at Bray lends itself perfectly to Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger. Both novels tell the story of a rebellious teenager full of angst and alienation. Gender has a place thematically between these two texts; The Carnival at Bray recites a female perspective, whereas, Catcher in the Rye depicts Holden Caulfield's experiences. This thematic relationship may blend with a discussion on feminism. I'd need to reread Catcher in the Rye to develop the masculine perspective in order to teach the novel effectively from this lens; however, both novels are controversial from the education perspective. Catcher in the Rye was banned for a number of years, while Bray probably would not blow over well with the administration, nevermind parents. But sexual encounters occur in teenage lives-- as we see in Bray-- and they occur in our students' lives. Sometimes they are consensual, but sometimes not. Surely this topic may arise in discussion so a disclaimer/warning, I believe, is necessary with reading Bray. working with these two novels from a feminist perspective paves the way toward an argumentative paper, potentially regarding controversial topics. To water-down the material, I thin, is wrong. I think we'd be wronging our students, but that is also the danger and the struggle in teaching this material. Some students simply may not handle the subject matter well at all. Others may come off as offensive with their opinions on these topics. Perhaps an English classroom is the place to talk about these unfortunate topics, though. If necessary, I may even ask a guidance councilor or school therapist to co-teach this lesson, or at least participate in the discussion, in all honesty. To ignore the importance of discussing domestic violence does-- to some degree- a disservice to students.

Cayla Marks

10/19/2017 12:42:34 pm

I forgot to mention one thing: Catcher in the Rye is not on the syllabus for the IB program at Brockton High so potentially it would not precede Catcher in the Rye; however, IB is a two year program. Catcher in the Rye is covered Freshman year, I believe, by all Freshman English classes, so students would (hopefully) be familiar with this text. I meant to include the fact that Carnival at Bray would be a portion of the Third Section of the IB program (the third semester). This section focuses on theme of relationships, which Bray highlights beautifully between Maggie and Kevin, Maggie and Eoin, and many other combinations.

Dan Chahine

11/13/2017 11:59:26 am

I really like how you are able to understand that some people from Brockton have been forced to mature at an early age due to their living situations and like how you compared Carnival to Catcher in the Rye. Also, I competely agree that a lot of books in high schools focus on racism but not many focus on sexism and how the educational system needs to adapt to help educate people on feminism and what the CORRECT definition of feminism is. It drives me crazy how people believe feminism is a belief that woman are superior over men and has gained a negative connotation due to peoples ignorance. Students need to understand what feminism truly is and need to understand the importance to equality because that is still a major issue in our country and educating them about that can be very helpful to their development and can have a big impact on their lives.

Gustavo Barandas

10/19/2017 12:47:31 pm

I read the IB English curriculum from Brockton High and I really liked how some international literature books have been incorporated in the course. Adolescents need to be exposed to other cultures to be able to learn more about different customs and experiences other than their own. I have read Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, which is one of the international books listed under the IB English curriculum, and it is an amazing book about colonialism in Africa and the countless challenges faced by a tribe trying to keep their traditions intact in light of white man colonization. Another perspective is always welcomed in the students’ lives. I honestly believe that books like The Carnival at Bray should be thought in high school, especially in 12th grade. The more students are exposed to critical issues in our current society the more they can learn and debate about positive and negative choices. In my opinion, American schools are too conservative in this regard. We cannot keep adolescents living in a bubble as the world around us was completely perfect, ignoring real world problems during a crucial teenager developmental phase of discovery and character formation. Teenagers need to be exposed to more discussions about sex, drugs, suicide or any other issue affecting our society. Also, I don’t think that books like The Carnival at Bray portray any type of apology to promiscuous sex or drugs in any way, it only tells the life experience of a teenager, which can convey a lot of important information for students to learn positive lessons about things that they might not talk about with their families at home. The whole experience about moving and adapting to a new country can be reassuring for some of the Hispanic and Asian kids that are trying to fit in just as Maggie was.
If I was allowed to teach this book I think I would ask students to do work in groups and do a little research about the 90’s, including what was happening in terms of music, especially the grunge movement and Nirvana, so they could better understand the influence of its music within that context. Perhaps show them a video and how much Nirvana and the grunge movement have influenced a whole generation of young people around the world. I would ask them to analyze Uncle Kevin’s character and how he was influenced by the music in his personal choices, and debate about the influence of drugs in music on peoples’ choices and decisions. They would have to debate whether Uncle Kevin was a positive or negative influence in Maggie’s life (which I believe would create a great whole class discussion). I also would ask foreign students to share their experiences in a brand new country so native students can better understand what it’s like to adapt and adjust to a new culture. It seems that sex is always a taboo to be debated in schools; however Maggie’s sexual experiences with Paul and Eoin can be an eye opener to students to think about their own decisions amidst adolescence. Lastly, I would right on the board all the positive and negative reactions from the students’ perspectives about the book’s characters and themes.

Amelia Fuss

10/19/2017 04:45:51 pm

This would definitely be difficult to get on a curriculum. I think the situation posed this week would potentially be one of the rare cases it could be argued because of the mature themes encountered, especially because Maggie is only 16. The joys of teaching this book come, for me, in the rich language and style in which she writes. I have so many phrases underlined that could be read 100 ways and I’m curious what an advanced 12th grade student could get out of some of the metaphors and juxtapositions. I’d also be curious as to how the students would react to the different defining moments of Maggie’s life. I think this book would work well paired with Part 1 of the course description posted on Brocton’s website for this course. Part 1 currently consists of 2 works: So Long a Letter, Paradise of the Bind, and House of Spirits. The Theme of this part of the course is international authors writing on the theme of women. I think Carnival at Bray would fit in even though it is written by an American author. I would explore the role of gender in our western society. How the students see gender roles, how they define everyday experiences. I think that, although it is mentioned in the prompt about catering to women, gender roles affect everyone so the male students would be able to see the affects of gender privilege, roles, and expectations on themselves as well. This is a extremely difficult topic and with such a diverse community with students coming from different cultures, their views on gender would vary based on these factors. I think it would depend on the specific students in the class because all cultures view gender in different ways. However, comparing gender roles across culture could work in a respectful way that allows students to look at their heritage, as well as the local culture in a new way. I think the best way to approach this topic would be in a discussion setting but with myself as a strong facilitator/ lecturer to make sure that the atmosphere stays civil and respectful.

Kasey Pelletier

10/20/2017 02:18:28 pm

I really liked your idea about using the book to open up a discussion about gender and focusing on the female perspective. I think sometimes we forget, at least I did, that throughout high school we read so many male centered texts that we leave women in the dust. I like how you would use this as an open discussion kind of book, there are so many topics that could be covered in it. The language of it, as you noted, is wonderful and unique from some of the other works studied, so having students look at that could generate a lot of conversation. A study of gender and what it means is incredibly important too, especially for high schoolers about to enter college or the work force. This book could make men understand the struggles of women more than they may have considered in the past but it can also make women think more about their own gender and thoughts too. I also like that you chose to tie in heritage. I don't think heritage is typically focused on, at least not in my experience, and it could spawn some family research which could encourage a better cultural understanding. Overall, I think your ideas most certainly encourage students to connect to the book, but also themselves and the students around them, which can help create a wonderful environment of learning and respect.

Kasey Pelletier

10/20/2017 12:38:27 pm

While The Carnival at Bray was a book I found myself vastly invested in, I do feel that I would have difficulty bringing it into a classroom environment, even if they were seniors. Brockton's IB program includes some very intense books, like Conrad's Heart of Darkness, which could make for some wiggle room for a somewhat controversial book such as this one. I think it would be wonderful to add the female perspective to the curriculum and encourage young women. Though I hadn't thought of it much before, high school truly does push male narratives more frequently and women need to be equally represented in my opinion. I also like how this book could pose as relatable for many student. Students in a 12th grade room likely have been around drugs or alcohol, or maybe they have felt the immense feeling of romance or can understand family struggles. The book presents a journey of a teenage girl being put in a difficult situation and she grows so much, which I think is extremely important. As for the downsides of teaching this, there are a few. Teaching books that involve sex in any way seems taboo, even if students do encounter this. Also, suicide can be a very heavy and difficult topic as we saw when the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why came out. For these issues, it seems important to give students a heads-up about some of the intense material so that they are not overwhelmed. To teach this book, I think I would like to focus on the theme of self-acceptance and personal growth. I would love to have discussions on how Maggie’s struggle with herself affects her behavior and how it changes as she becomes self-assured. To help students connect, I would want students to write a letter giving advice to their past self. I realize the letters could get personal, so I would have a reflection portion to the letter that would be graded as opposed to the letter itself. They would write in the reflection ways they connected to certain characters and how their writing reflected their own growth, which I think would encourage critical thinking and wouldn’t cross a personal line. I hope the activity would help students see how they have changed and connect themselves to other people’s situations, which I think the book would lend itself to. To be honest, I don’t know what books this one could lend itself to, potentially Pride and Prejudice because of the feminine power and headstrong nature of the lead character.

Cristina Almeida

10/20/2017 04:07:24 pm

I like the idea of focusing on the themes of self-acceptance and personal growth because these two themes are a good way to ease into a discussion about the more tragic ideas presented in the novel. The letter assignment you have come up with is also great because, as Katie Kapurch explains, it’s important that “serious attention” be given to texts, like The Carnival at Bray, in a way that “confirms the sincere, human feelings that seemingly ordinary circumstances can elicit” (179). By deeply considering the emotional experiences of students when teaching a text, students will have a “greater sensitivity to its imagery, style, and structure” (Rosenblatt 52). A contemplative and personal assignment like this is just what 12th graders need as they prepare for life after high school.

Jennifer Sinnott

10/20/2017 01:36:40 pm

The Carnival at Bray is such a great young adult novel, I enjoyed reading it so much, personally. The first thing I thought of when I read this text was that it is a coming of age story. So if I were to teach it in a classroom, especially at a stage where students are about to cross that threshold of adulthood; in a sense that they are graduating and either going to college or entering the workforce, I would teach this book as such. We would've read the text together and have group discussions all along the way. I don't think my students are going to be too surprised at some of the scenes that involve sex and drugs as it's a huge factor in our society and at the age of 17-18 they are used to hearing about things especially in our media. However, those will definitely be things that we discussed in our group discussions as I feel as though they need to be talked out because students only get glimpses of them where we can rather go in depth about such situations healthily. But I would also need to do this carefully to be fair and safe for all of my students. The main assignment I would give to the students as I would probably have them write their own coming-of-age story. Whatever this means to them, a place in time where they really felt themselves mature as a person, as we saw a Maggie do in her text. and the main assignment I would give to the students as I would probably have them write their own coming-of-age story. Whatever this means to them, a place in time where they really felt themselves mature as a person, as we saw a Maggie do in her text. I think a classic text to pair with this book would be Catcher in the Rye, which has very similar themes in it. And as discussed in last weeks discussion board, having a more modern easy to read text is a great way to open up to a harder more classical text. It'll allow students to fully understand the themes that play within both of the books. Overall, I think it would be extremely difficult to get this text into a classroom, but if we were able to do it I think that would be very beneficial to the students that got to read it.

Amy Keith

10/20/2017 02:10:29 pm

While I understand that this text would be difficult to incorporate in the curriculum, it is a book that would be extremely beneficial for students to read. It portrays the hardships of being in a family, drug and alcoholic addiction, death- natural and suicide, and sex. These are all difficult topics to discuss, but necessary for students to be aware of. In a school like Brockton High School where the population is demographically diverse, this text would be easy for almost every student to relate to. In a classroom, it would be important to allow the students to discuss these connections with one another. This text holds a lot of implications for teaching, both positive and negative. In a positive light, this text is very mature and students may respond well to reading about these topics that are often considered taboo in other classes. Also, the book is written very well and would be easy for students to follow. While “easy” is not a teachers’ priority, for students it is a more enjoyable reading experience when the plot and narrative runs smoothly. On the other hand, teaching this book would hold negative implications as well. Due to the emotional and personal nature of the topics covered in the text, it is hard to say how students with similar experiences react to the coverage of them. Also, the presence of underage drinking and sex would be difficult to cover. As both are important parts of the book, it would not be something able to ignore in the classroom. However, if the book was taught in an IB classroom, it is likely the students are mature enough to handle it and may use the experiences in the book to positively influence them in their own lives

Cristina Almeida

10/20/2017 02:40:07 pm

Based on the IB curriculum at Brockton High, I think that The Carnival at Bray would be best taught alongside the books that deal with the theme of relationships in part three of the curriculum. More specifically, comparing the different relationships found in Jessie Ann Foley’s book with those found in Who’s Afraid of Virginia (whether it be in an essay or found poems) would be interesting since both focus on the roles sex, alcoholism, and discontent can play in relationships. Teaching Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf alongside this young adult novel might result in students enjoying the curriculum more since this “[validates] the seriousness of coming-of-age experiences” (Kapurch 166). Also, using The Carnival at Bray alongside the more tragic and grimmer story of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf might balance things out and make the unit more fascinating for students since “joyful reunions,” like the one found in Foley’s book, “speak[s] to contemporary readers” (164). In order to wrap up part three of the curriculum, students could create different reading lists, like Kevin does for Maggie, that groups together all part three books based on their similarities and differences (in terms of the different relationships depicted) and explain the logic behind their lists. These lists could repeat books in a variety of categories (as many as the assignment would require) and use a similar style of humor and lightheartedness found in Kevin’s own lists. Overall, it would be a good way for students to reflect on their reading and understand why these books are grouped together in the curriculum.

Stephanie Doyle

10/20/2017 03:44:50 pm

So I am a lone duck it looks like. I would probably be the person that was fighting against this book being read in the class room. I'm sorry! We all have our own opinions and mine is this. I think that the same problems that popped up with 13 Reasons Why and how its not a good for teens to watch would be a problem here. Having a character kill themselves but go on to do "good" things for Maggie is something that is unrealistic in the spectrum of suicide. Only 15-38% of suicide victims even leave a note for their loved ones let alone send out care packages with things to do in your life. I personally know more people then id like to admit commit suicide and its never the way that is shown here or in shows such as 13 reasons why. I think that portion of the book is something that would really need attention and I can't ignore it. I also can't imagine my child (at any age) reading this book and thinking thats how you get your point across or get people to do things that you think is good for them.
However, if I were required to teach this book I would do my best to point out the good lessons in the book such as how to deal with the moving around a lot, the mother dealing with break ups and things like that. How she dealt with 'helping' her friend when she ended up kissing Paul (did I miss something in that scene? was there more then kissing that went on there?). I guess there are a few topics in the book that would be good for older teens to read about and learn. I just think that the Author could have gone about some of it in a different way is all.

Greg Arthur

10/20/2017 05:56:35 pm

The Carnival at Bray is obviously a text that provides some insight that most schools would not want on the curriculum, but it is so necessary it hurts. I remember being a senior in high school, reading the same out dated books that most of you guys read, and thinking “When are we going to read something that is relevant?” When are schools going to recognize literature that is created within the past 20 years as appropriate for students? Students have access to resources that will teach them about subjects a lot quicker than a school can, however nothing will be able to replace that human connection that teachers can have with their students. Regarding the teaching scenario, it is utterly important for these topics to be written about first. Engaging in a large group discussion when trying to talk about suicide is a bit aggressive to do off the bat. I feel that students would value writing about this book first and if they would like, can discuss what they wrote. The goal here is to get students to begin to talk about these topics that Carnival brings to the table with a group of people. Every student has a different life experience, and especially in a city environment like Brockton, these topics may be a reality for some of these kids. I have personal experiences with some of these aspects of the book as well: why should I shy from sharing my stories to the class? I grew up in the city and have witnessed some things that kids in Brockton might be able to relate to. In order to get students to talk about these subjects more freely, it is key for me as a teacher to be able to open the door a bit for them. I think that schools shy away from talking about drug use, uncomfortable sexual experiences, suicide and depression because they fear the fact that some students are going through some of these problems or know of family members who are struggling as well. The only way to fix a problem is to embrace it, and when teaching this book it is necessary to acknowledge that students might feel embarrassed to speak up, or might be completely comfortable with it. This book teaches kids to respect one another’s personal battles and whether or not a person feels comfortable with the book, it teaches some lessons and perspective about real life that kids need to face one day.

Laura Gittleman

10/20/2017 09:06:25 pm

I didn't consider that they might be more comfortable writing about the book first rather than talking about it, but after reading your post that makes a lot of sense. I can definitely relate to you in that I always wanted to read books that are more relevant to me in high school. I also like that you don't want to shy away from talking about drug use, suicide, and sexual experiences because I feel like not talking about these things only makes the problems worse, not better. I also really respect you wanting to share your experiences with your students, because building that rapport is SO important in my opinion, because then it allows them to open up more and have open conversations about these difficult topics which is so important. I'm wondering what else you might do with the book, and how you would use it for a text from the IB list. Some of Sylvia Plath's poems were on the list, maybe you could use "The Carnival at Bray" to tie into those? Just a thought. Again, I really liked how you approached this situation!

Jess Baccari

10/20/2017 06:43:13 pm

For this week’s discussion board I want to go back to the text brought up in last week’s board: Romeo and Juliet. Personally I did not encounter this book until college and I am truly great full for that, I think you need to have a certain level of maturity to read that work and really appreciate it for what it is. I think that the main reason so many people do not like this play is because they read it when they are too young for it, for that reason I am going to bring it back in this senior level English class. I am going to pair Romeo and Juliet with The Carnival at Bray. I would love to just teach The Carnival at Bray on it’s own because I feel it shows real world issues in way that lends them to be discussed by teens, as well as displaying the idea that no matter how bad things get they can always get better. However by pairing it with Romeo and Juliet I think I will be able to do a lot with the forbidden love storyline. In both there is a great force trying to stop the young love, but in The Carnival at Bray the students will get to see what it is like for love to win in live. In Romeo and Juliet one could argue love also wins, but in death. I think that by examining these two storylines side by side could lead to some passionate discussions by the students. Nothing excites me more than the thought of my future students taking passionate stances on books, themes, and issues. I would love to teach this lesson.

Gina Mendes

10/20/2017 07:02:19 pm

Teaching A Carnival at Bray to students, or trying to convince someone that it should be part of the curriculum would be a challenge in itself when regarding the sexual nature of the book. Thankfully, this week our group of students happens to be high school seniors. This is an advantage because 62% of high school seniors have already had a sexual experiences, so they will be familiar with the language and content in A Carnival at Bray. Sometimes the most racy novels are the ones that have the most to offer students! I would have appreciated this novel in my high school because it is real, and depicts a relatable experience that I would have enjoyed studying. Aside from that, because my classroom cannot spend all of our time talking about Maggie's sexual experiences, I think that my students should focus on the development of Maggie's character from the beginning of the novel to the end. Looking closely at Maggie, readers are able to understand that this is a coming-of-age story, which depicts a young-naive Maggie that blossoms into someone who can make decisions that will benefit herself. When she decides to stay in Ireland with Eoin, she demonstrates the way in which she has grown as a character and is finally able to recognize that she is in charge of her own happiness. A lot of students struggle with discovering their own identity and often resort to acting out the way in which Maggie does. I know that the common misconception would be that this book could not be taught in high school, but there are much more pressing elements of the novel that develop Maggie's character aside from her sexual experiences. When students are able to understand Maggie's motivations for acting out, it will assure that the classroom conversation is not just about sex.

Sam Correia

10/20/2017 08:16:48 pm

I would agree that it's important to acknowledge the sexual aspects of the books, while also focusing on other things such as her character development. I'm glad that you included that statistic because much of the content in this book, especially the themes of identity and what it's like to be 16 or 17, will really resonate with these students. I would say that it's important to have these conversations about sex in the classroom, especially female sexuality because when we talk about sexuality in the classroom, it's usually from the male perspective. I think students will welcome these sorts of conversations because they will be treated like adults. In a way, I think we have a responsibility to talk about these issues because students might not be having conversations with their families about teenage issues. Which brings me to my next point, and I'd love to talk to you or someone in the class about this: how would you talk to a parent who is concerned about the reading material in the class being inappropriate for their child? I've asked this question in my education class and got some feedback, but I am always looking for opinions from other people. And do you think we have a responsibility to have conversations with kids about sex and drug use (in the context of the book of course)? I think a lot about the moral obligation that teachers have and how we should be dealing with that, especially as English teachers where we deal with many social issues. As for the joys of reading this text, I'd say that it's pretty modern and that kids will (hopefully) understand the references in the book. For the difficulties, I already kind of talked about it, but it would be talking to parents about the books their students are reading.

Laura Gittleman

10/20/2017 08:53:04 pm

Teaching a novel like "The Carnival at Bray" could be very difficult because of the mature themes and how parents might react to it being taught. Twelfth graders are pretty mature, but I would definitely have a class discussion for the themes of suicide, drugs, unreliable parents, isolation, sex, and death in general. These themes would definitely need to be addressed because they all play a role in the novel, and they all might be real life things that the students may deal with in their own lives. But I would then have them talk about Maggie, and how they can relate to her rebellion, or her connection to Kevin through music. We could also talk about Ronnie, and how she's relatable, or Eoin. The students could write journals about which characters they liked best or related to and why, or they could also talk about it in small groups. One play I saw on the IB list that I think "The Carnival at Bray" could tie into is "A Long Day's Journey Into Night" by Eugene O'Neill. In the play, the mother is a morphine addict, leaving her family to live with the effects her addiction has on their lives. While this definitely relates to Kevin and his addiction and eventual suicide, I think it also relates to Laura because of her role as a sort of unreliable parent in Maggie's life. My students could maybe do a project comparing the two texts, like a poster or even a Pecha-Kucha. I'm not sure whether or not parents would approve of "The Carnival at Bray" being in the curriculum in the first place, but it really would be a great book to teach, and it could definitely tie into "A Long Day's Journey Into Night," and maybe other texts on the IB list.

Gustavo Barandas

10/22/2017 01:42:27 pm

All class discussion respondent role:

This week’s discussion board asked to us write about how you would you teach The Carnival At Bray for a senior class at Brockton High School. The English syllabus of the International Baccalaureate Programme (IB) for 12th grade includes a series of acclaimed international books, such as Things Fall Apart from Chinua Achebe. We also had to take in consideration the diverse student population comprised most of African Americans, followed by a smaller number of whites, and Hispanic and Asian minorities.
Most students from our class stated it would be difficult to get this book on the school curriculum. Even though this week’s prompt states that “you managed to convince the faculty and parents at Brockton High School to let you teach this book in a 12th grade English class”, several students started off stating about the struggle of this book being accepted due to its controversial and mature topics. Amelia Fuss, Kasey Pelletier, Jennifer Sinnot, Amy Keith, Gina Mendes, and Laura Gittleman shared this concern. Gina Mendes cited an interesting statistic, stating that “62% of seniors have already had some type of sexual experience”.
Most students agreed that despite this book’s difficulty to make in the school curriculum, it would provide an excellent way to debate real life issues, as most 16-17 years old have already experienced some of the mature topics of The Carnival At Bray. Several students stressed the importance of students being connected to real world issues. Gabrielle Rosson stated the book tackles important adult themes that kids can relate to. She also states an interesting point that debating these issues in class is important as literature is a safe place to explore mature themes.
Another great topic raised during the discussion is Maggie’s coming of age story. Cristina Almeida made a great point about “validating the seriousness of coming to age experiences”. Gina Mendes wrote about the story’s focus on Maggie’s personal growth. Kasey Pelletier also wrote about self-acceptance and personal growth. According to Jennifer Sinnot, students can feel mature as Maggie eventually did in the story.
Cayla Marks and Amelia Fuss detailed the importance of interpreting the book form a female perspective and portraying a feminist approach. Cayla also states the importance of debating controversial topics without watering down the material. She also suggests having a school counselor or therapist coteaching with the teacher. Amelia wrote about the role of gender in the western society and how students from different backgrounds might have other gender roles opinions. Kasey Pelletier also stressed Maggie’s female perspective and how most books often portray only male perspectives.
Music was another topic discussed from The Carnival At Bray. Herby Jolineau would focus on music by making groups of students to talk about music to make connections with their own lives.
Cayla Marks chose Catcher In the Rye by J.D. Salinger to compare with The Carnival at Bray. According to Cayla both stories are controversial and would render a good theme discussion. Jennifer Sinnot also would pair both books as they have similar themes.
Two students raised conflicting opinions about teaching this book. On one hand Greg Arthur raised a good point about teaching recent literature texts published during the last twenty years. He asked when schools will recognize it as relevant and he thinks that embracing current problems is the best approach to debate real world issues. On the other hand, Stephanie Doyle who is against The Carnival at Bray being read in class due to her personal beliefs that it portrays a negative influence for adolescents just as 13 Reasons Why from Netflix, as it portrays a deceiving image of suicide.

Alexandra Krista Dewey

10/22/2017 03:34:34 pm

Discussion Board Respondent

This week’s discussion board focuses on teaching “The Carnival at Bray” in the classroom. Many of you agreed that this would be a very difficult text to bring into the classroom, but if you accomplished doing so- the results would be well worth it. Jessica, Greg, and Amy all think that this text would be a great way for students to relate their own life experiences to what they are reading. Yes this book is mature and heavy, but because of this it has so much to offer. Teenagers are in a constant battle with themselves, and sometime those around them. Growing up and having to deal with the hardships of life is difficult, however Amy mentions that “students may respond well to reading about these topics that are often considered taboo in other classes”. Some of the major themes mentioned in this text focus on are drugs, sex, family, alcohol and suicide. Sometimes dealing with such things can seem impossible, but Jess mentions that this text will be a great way to teach students that things always get better. Stephanie also points out that there are some good lessons in the book that students can relate to. Greg talks about how during his high schools, they never read texts that were relevant. He wants students to involve their own life experiences to the books they are reading and expresses how having the teacher involved can make all the difference. Leah, Herby, Cayla and Laura all agree that though this book has many mature themes throughout, it offers some wonderful life lessons to teenagers who are going through the same struggles as Maggie. Because 12th graders have been chosen to read this text, we can assume that many of the students have been exposed to these themes already, and if not, we as teachers can help create a safe environment to do so. I liked how Cayla mentions that “perhaps an English classroom is the place to talk about these unfortunate topics”, and she proceeds to state that having a councilor present could offer some relief to the students in need. I think this is a wonderful idea because having a safe environment for students to express themselves is crucial at their age. They need to build trust and feel comfortable opening up about their experiences and having a professional there to guide them will also help make a huge difference. Also, I think Leah’s plan to “weave each person into different groups” will help the students to build new friendships so they can open up and feel more comfortable talking to their peers. Kasey had stated that in her classroom she would like to focus on the theme of self- acceptance and personal growth. I think it is imperative for students of this age to learn to love and value themselves so they can build respect for each other as well as themselves. These ideas are great ways to teach about literature, and the life lessons books have to offer. Along with focusing on creating a safe environment for students to open up and learn, a few people mentioned the importance of gender roles. Cayla, Amelia, Kasey, all talk about how this book is a great way to include more female based texts in a classroom where most books are prominently male oriented. Though this book is from a female point of view, it is wonderfully written and has something to offer for both genders. Now that we’ve covered why this book would be a good fit, let’s look at how you each would teach this text! I loved reading about all the different lessons and activates everyone came up with to get their students involved and engaged with this text. Gina and Jessica both think that though this text is heavy with mature content, there are ways to get the students engaged. Herby, Gustavo and Gabrielle go on to mention how the themes of music and travel are two huge influences in this book. Teenagers, being the impressionable young adults they are, are often influenced by many different factors. I like how Herby talked about getting music involved by having the students relate their own life experiences to certain songs. I also appreciated how Gustavo came up with the idea of having his students research 90’s music so they are familiar with the time period. Gustavo and Gabrielle would also like their students to be exposed to the idea of travelling. Gabrielle mentions how students might want to leave home someday and Gustavo thinks that having foreign students talk about their experiences would help us better understand what it's like out in other places. Finally, Gina and Jennifer talk about teaching this text by focusing on the characters and their development throughout the story. Gina talks about how Maggie realizes she’s “in charge of her own happiness” and I think having students realize this for themselves will help them grow, develop and become independent. Jennifer would like her students to write their own coming of age stories so that they can use their life exp

Dan Chahine

11/13/2017 11:53:58 am

I would be very shocked if this story was actually allowed to be taught in any high school system and being more mature and having experienced more than a lot of highschoolers, this is a story that made me feel sick to my stomach in many different instances, and there are a couple of things I would like to stress if an educator actually taught this in a high school class. For example, I feel as if the class that is being taught MUST be a respectable class because of how many inappropriate scenes that take place in this novel. An educator I observed once told me and I will never forget it, he said "A class has to earn their right to participate in activities that allow them to explore their own thoughts on controversial topics and assessments, allowing them to freely act as they wish is something they have to earn by showing they are responsible" (I am paraphrasing here, no way I remembered every word the educator said) but I completely agree with this. If you are going to teach a class about this novel than make sure they are mature enough to discuss it.

Like the novel "How to Kill a Mockingbird" (which someone referenced up in another post) this story has many controversial topics and can have a significant impact on many students.One thing I would like to do when teaching about Mockingbird is about empathy. Mockingbird is supposed to educate young adults about what life was like during this era and to really make them think about what the world was like and for it to have a significant impact on the reader's point of view of the world they live in now while being educational. So what I would like them to do is to try to put themselves in certain situations that happen in Carnival where they can try to feel empathy towards the protagonist and these horrific instances that happen to her so they can broaden their horizons. These will typically be one page papers referring to a specific chapter of scene in the play to make sure they actually read the novel while broadening their horizons and allowing them to think about how these type of events still happen today.

I feel like a very important part of stories are not just to educate or entertain the reader, but to change their perspective of life as they see it. This story has some very dramatic scenes that as you stated above, can cause PTSD, if that PTSD is taught in a way that won't traumatize the reader but change their perspective on life as they know it then it can change many lives and that is what I want to do when teaching this story.

ALL CLASS DISCUSSION #3: Carnival at Bray or Girl books, Sex, and the smart kids.

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