TCH 236: Rhyme Schemer!

Wow. Just read such a fun read! Overall, the novel Rhyme Schemer, by K.A. Holt is so funny, and witty, and perfectly hones in on what just might be happening in the mind of a middle schooler. (Pretty cool!) In the book, characters Kevin and Robin act very aggressively towards one another, and it is evident there is some competition going on. Both socially and perhaps emotionally as well. They act this way particularly due to the fact that they're in middle school, different groups form in middle school, and we see the emergence of more opinionated, strong personalities begin to form. This is not to say that strong personalities and opinions are bad, they are GOOD; however, when these things begin to be constructed, especially in middle school, conflict can happen~aka, the conflict in this book! Additionally, a teacher may be able to help foster a positive environment for students, one that emphasizes respect and caring for one another, by encouraging personal connections between students and faculty within the classroom, and outside of the classroom. By being more closely related, and working together as a team, things can run more efficiently and people are treated how they wanted to be treated! This book connects to so many real world problems, but most important~RESPECT. The golden rule of treating others how you would like to be treated is a prominent theme within the book, and we even see this described outside of the classroom. Simply tolerating each other and just being aware of one another's existence is not enough, we need to respect each other by having empathy, and really wanting to see each other succeed in life. The problem of lacking respect, and not taking account of other people's feelings is a big one, and is even illustrated in this book! This does include, *cough, cough* Kevin's parents and older siblings. They oftentimes make Kevin feel unnoticed, and that no one cares what he may be doing. False, Kevin! We do care! In middle school, children feel like they are going through a period of time in their life where they may feel alone, and like they are not going to get through it. That's a huge hurdle to overcome, and the issue here is, that we as society need to let them know that there is people there for them, and we care for our middle schoolers!

Alright, I'd love to switch gears now! When I first started reading this book, I noticed the format, which was verse. To me, it gave the book a very poetic vibe to it, but also made it very personal, and almost more relatable. I felt as though I was really talking to a middle school student, and hearing their thoughts about what is going on throughout their day. This kind of unfamiliar approach to writing is perfect for young adult literature, because it describes the emotion that these children may have throughout this period of time in their life, SO much better! It's easier to read in some cases, and can be very entertaining! Oftentimes, different is far more captivating as well! This experimental nature of this young adult genre is one that shows how we teach our students. Through creativity! Creativity is extremely important in many aspects of life, but teaching with creativity not only makes the learning more fun, but it also creates a learning experience. With learning experiences, it is far easier to learn more and gain more out of something or an cavity, because you're living it!