Hello, and Welcome, Honors 11 Students to our Summer Reading Blog!
The first thing I would like you to do for me, is to send your blogger username to me at evigue@msad48.org. Please use that opportunity to tell me a little about you, your interests AND about the sorts of things you like to read and write. It would be a nice time to ask me any questions you might have for me, and you could also tell me if you already know an American author you might like to spend your 11th grade year researching. ________________________________________________________________________________________________
Our first book, Touching Spirit Bear, is meant to set the tone for the rest of the readings and for the year. Here’s how:
As you read the first two chapters of Touching Spirit Bear, I am going to ask you to take note of items, places or concepts that might be unfamiliar to you. Examples might be: Circle Justice; traumatic brain injury; Ketchikan, Alaska; the Tlinglit tribe; First Nation; birds of coastal Alaska; at.oow; typical policies for a juvenile detention center; a list of what one would need for a year long camping trip; Kermode (Spirit) Bears; totem poles; tips for dealing with rage
Choose two or three of these unfamiliar items and look them up.
Log onto our blog, share your information with the class, and, here’s the key…APPLY it to the book.
This will start to turn us into a community of readers who are pooling our knowledge to build greater understanding of the book and the world around us.
___________________________________________________________________
Here’s what a sample blog from you might look like:
I thought I would get us started by researching the at.oow. It’s obviously going to be an important symbol in the story. In our story, the at.oow given to Cole by Garvey is a blanket, but, apparently an at.oow is not always a blanket. One site I looked at run by Tlinglits from Sitka, Alsaka, defined the at.oow as “clan regalia… owned by the clan or house group.” Regalia means an item that shows your affiliations, such as costumes native to your ethnic group. It could also be a family crest, passed down through the years. I was wondering why the author chose to make this at.oow a blanket. Is it because blankets suggest warmth and comfort? I don’t think this particular at.oow is going to provide much of that for Cole in the pages to come, since he’s already tried to burn it, but that might change, if his attitude changes. Here’s what I found out about the importance of an at.oow to Tlinglit culture. The following picture is not labeled as an at.oow, but it is from a reliable source, and seems to be similar to what is described in the book: http://www.mnh.si.edu/arctic/features/croads/tlingit.html One site I looked at said that at.oow “can refer to land or sacred sites, celestial bodies such as the moon and sun, names, stories, songs, spirits and crests” (Worl). Own the moon? Wow! It then said, “The ownership of a clan's at.oow is validated through ceremonies most often referred to as "potlatches” (Worl). So, one way or the other, this gift from Garvey was more meaningful (to give away an heirloom so precious to his tribe) than Cole, or us, as readers might expect.) Another thing that I read about was that many at.oows were taken away by white people and placed in museums for their protection, but, today there is a movement to return these precious items to the people to whom they belong.
Works Cited:
Brady, Isabella. "Our Culture." Sheet'ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi: A House for the People of Sitka. 2000.
Southeast Alaska Indian Cultural Center. 15 Jun 2000
.
Worl, Rosita. "Introduction to the Tlingit Culture and Repatriation." 1899-2001 Harriman Expedition
Retraced: A Century of Change. 2001. PBS. 15 Jun 2007
http://www.pbs.org/harriman/explog/lectures/worl.html.
The first thing I would like you to do for me, is to send your blogger username to me at evigue@msad48.org. Please use that opportunity to tell me a little about you, your interests AND about the sorts of things you like to read and write. It would be a nice time to ask me any questions you might have for me, and you could also tell me if you already know an American author you might like to spend your 11th grade year researching. ________________________________________________________________________________________________
Our first book, Touching Spirit Bear, is meant to set the tone for the rest of the readings and for the year. Here’s how:
As you read the first two chapters of Touching Spirit Bear, I am going to ask you to take note of items, places or concepts that might be unfamiliar to you. Examples might be: Circle Justice; traumatic brain injury; Ketchikan, Alaska; the Tlinglit tribe; First Nation; birds of coastal Alaska; at.oow; typical policies for a juvenile detention center; a list of what one would need for a year long camping trip; Kermode (Spirit) Bears; totem poles; tips for dealing with rage
Choose two or three of these unfamiliar items and look them up.
Log onto our blog, share your information with the class, and, here’s the key…APPLY it to the book.
This will start to turn us into a community of readers who are pooling our knowledge to build greater understanding of the book and the world around us.
___________________________________________________________________
Here’s what a sample blog from you might look like:
I thought I would get us started by researching the at.oow. It’s obviously going to be an important symbol in the story. In our story, the at.oow given to Cole by Garvey is a blanket, but, apparently an at.oow is not always a blanket. One site I looked at run by Tlinglits from Sitka, Alsaka, defined the at.oow as “clan regalia… owned by the clan or house group.” Regalia means an item that shows your affiliations, such as costumes native to your ethnic group. It could also be a family crest, passed down through the years. I was wondering why the author chose to make this at.oow a blanket. Is it because blankets suggest warmth and comfort? I don’t think this particular at.oow is going to provide much of that for Cole in the pages to come, since he’s already tried to burn it, but that might change, if his attitude changes. Here’s what I found out about the importance of an at.oow to Tlinglit culture. The following picture is not labeled as an at.oow, but it is from a reliable source, and seems to be similar to what is described in the book: http://www.mnh.si.edu/arctic/features/croads/tlingit.html One site I looked at said that at.oow “can refer to land or sacred sites, celestial bodies such as the moon and sun, names, stories, songs, spirits and crests” (Worl). Own the moon? Wow! It then said, “The ownership of a clan's at.oow is validated through ceremonies most often referred to as "potlatches” (Worl). So, one way or the other, this gift from Garvey was more meaningful (to give away an heirloom so precious to his tribe) than Cole, or us, as readers might expect.) Another thing that I read about was that many at.oows were taken away by white people and placed in museums for their protection, but, today there is a movement to return these precious items to the people to whom they belong.
Works Cited:
Brady, Isabella. "Our Culture." Sheet'ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi: A House for the People of Sitka. 2000.
Southeast Alaska Indian Cultural Center. 15 Jun 2000
Worl, Rosita. "Introduction to the Tlingit Culture and Repatriation." 1899-2001 Harriman Expedition
Retraced: A Century of Change. 2001. PBS. 15 Jun 2007
http://www.pbs.org/harriman/explog/lectures/worl.html.
______________________________________________________________
Now, a relatively short lecture from me, Mrs. Vigue, (in my most serious tone) to you, my incoming class of Honors students. Did you see how I cited the at.oow information? A lot of people plagiarize “innocently.” No, wait, they don’t plagiarize innocently. Any time you write something that appears to be from you, but really is coming uncredited from another source, even if it’s your Mom, it’s plagiarism. Not kidding, there’s a way to cite an interview with your Mom in MLA format. When you do your research, you should just get in the habit of citing any and all sources you use, and, yes, if you haven’t already, you should get used to doing it in MLA format. I bet you’re thinking, “What’s wrong with just putting the URLs of the sites in there? Maybe she’ll ignore it if I alphabetize them.” Mmmm, well, what’s wrong with that is that for now and years to come, you’ll be writing papers that require you to use MLA format. Time for a famous teacher cliché, a cliché that should be delivered in my best Napoleon Dynamite voice (well, if I had one): Shut up, guys. You’ll thank me someday, guys. However, I’ll make it easy for you. I use a site called Son of Citation Machine. http://citationmachine.net/ Use it. It’s stronger than EasyBib, too, a site with which you may already be familiar. Who, us? Take the time to look at the website thoroughly and cough up as much of the required data as is available. Yes, I am prone to checking such things. Alright, lecture over. PS Look out for Wikipedia. It is NOT always reliable. However, it’s an okay place to start, and it can point you to stronger sites or at least give you an idea of some KEYWORDS you could put into Google.
Your first response, to the first two chapters of Touching Spirit Bear, will be due by June 29. I can’t WAIT to hear from you. Feel free to post sooner if you wish. I know at least one of you has already started the reading! I don’t THINK most of my blog posts will be this long, but I don’t PROMISE anything. Have fun!
Now, a relatively short lecture from me, Mrs. Vigue, (in my most serious tone) to you, my incoming class of Honors students. Did you see how I cited the at.oow information? A lot of people plagiarize “innocently.” No, wait, they don’t plagiarize innocently. Any time you write something that appears to be from you, but really is coming uncredited from another source, even if it’s your Mom, it’s plagiarism. Not kidding, there’s a way to cite an interview with your Mom in MLA format. When you do your research, you should just get in the habit of citing any and all sources you use, and, yes, if you haven’t already, you should get used to doing it in MLA format. I bet you’re thinking, “What’s wrong with just putting the URLs of the sites in there? Maybe she’ll ignore it if I alphabetize them.” Mmmm, well, what’s wrong with that is that for now and years to come, you’ll be writing papers that require you to use MLA format. Time for a famous teacher cliché, a cliché that should be delivered in my best Napoleon Dynamite voice (well, if I had one): Shut up, guys. You’ll thank me someday, guys. However, I’ll make it easy for you. I use a site called Son of Citation Machine. http://citationmachine.net/ Use it. It’s stronger than EasyBib, too, a site with which you may already be familiar. Who, us? Take the time to look at the website thoroughly and cough up as much of the required data as is available. Yes, I am prone to checking such things. Alright, lecture over. PS Look out for Wikipedia. It is NOT always reliable. However, it’s an okay place to start, and it can point you to stronger sites or at least give you an idea of some KEYWORDS you could put into Google.
Your first response, to the first two chapters of Touching Spirit Bear, will be due by June 29. I can’t WAIT to hear from you. Feel free to post sooner if you wish. I know at least one of you has already started the reading! I don’t THINK most of my blog posts will be this long, but I don’t PROMISE anything. Have fun!
33 comments:
Circle Justice
In the novel Touching Spirit Bear the protagonist Cole has been banished from society as a part of Circle Justice rehabilitation. After growing up living a life of crime, Cole seemed to have no future other than a jail cell. All thanks to his probation officer, Garvey, Cole learned that there was an alternative to jail, Circle Justice. Appealed by the fact that he wouldn’t be sentenced to juvenile prison, Cole agreed to apply. However, Garvey warned Cole that it was more than just an escape from jail and he would have to be fully committed to wanting to change for the better.
The Circle Justice system began thousands of years ago in Native American tribes, such as the Navajo and Tlingit.(Reiger). The purpose of Circle Justice is to rehabilitate and assume responsibility rather than to just punish. “Circle sentencing is a form of restorative justice, one of a number that have emerged over the past decade in response to demands for community and victim involvement in the justice process.” (Rieger). The offender works with the victim and community seeking to heal themselves as well as repair harm done to all others involved. “The theory behind involving the community is that sentences will be more meaningful if created by consensus within the community, that the interests of the community will be better protected, and that victims and offenders will have the best chance for healing, particularly in situations where anonymity is not an option and relationships must be adjusted.” (Rieger).
In Touching Spirit Bear the story’s plot will revolve around Cole and his rehabilitation within the Circle Justice program. By being sent away to deserted island and forced to fend for himself Cole began his healing in the first 2 chapters. The remainder of the novel will follow Cole through his rehabilitation and we will see how Circle Justice works out for him.
Works Cited:
Rieger, Lisa. "Circle Peacemaking." Alaska Justice Forum. 2001. 26 June 2007 http://justice.uaa.alaska.edu/forum/17/4winter2001/a_circle.html.
The Tlingit Tribe
Touching Spirit Bear, the award - winning novel written by Ben Mikaelsen, features a tribe of Native Americans called the Tlingit tribe. Two men represent this tribe in attempt to help save the troubled protagonist Cole - Garvey, and an elder named Edwin. These two men are peaceful and very patient with the young Cole Matthews, whose life has been shaped from his habitual acts of violence and crime.
This tribe seems to be exclusive to the coasts of Alaska, from Yakutat Bay to Cape Fox. The novel Touching Spirit Bear often references that Cole is transported to Alaska to a secluded island for complete isolation. The Tlingit culture is known for art and money, and their origins are traced from Canada. Like many traditional Native American cultures, the Tlingit seem to be mainly matriarchal, especially in the fact that their identities are established through the family of their mothers, whereas traditional American families tend to take the naming of their father's family.
The Tlingit tribes also use nature to the fullest extent, and veiw water as being their main route of transportation. They value the land, and all of it's materials, such as the cedar tree. This tree is used by the Tlingit tribes for houses, totem poles, canoes, utensils and other tribal needs. These uses of one single material show the appreciation that this tribe shows for the many gifts of nature.
The peaceful tribe Tlingit also views all of the animals commonly referred to as predators as vital parts of nature. Instead of considering the Orca whale to be a predator, the Tlingits view the Orca as a "custodian of the sea".
Tlingits honor the water as much as the land, as they use it not only for transportation, but also for food, such as salmon. There is also a surviving myth common to the Tlingits stating that the people believe themselves obligated to carve a totem pole out of a washed up log that has appeared on shore. They make use of all that is given to them in the most respectable and kind way possible.
Conclusively, the Tlingit people are seemingly kind, peaceful and respectful people. They honor tradition and virtue, and inherit their myths and philosophies from their ancestors.
The Tlingit tribe are the people who seem to be taking Cole under their wing, in the sense that they are allowing him to adapt their ways of change and care. For the rest of the novel, Cole will be stranded on the Alaskan island with only the Tlingit way of life as his guide for survival. As the book is to be completed, Cole's journey and adaptation will be followed.
Here is an example from WikiPedia of the image of a Tlingit individual:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Taku.jpg
"Tlingit." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 26 June 2007 (http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9072686).
"Tlingit Indians of Southeastern Alaska." Alaska Native Knowledge Network. 21 Aug 2006. 26 Jun 2007 (http://www.ankn.uaf.edu/IKS/subsistence/Tlingit/section1.html#tlingitworld).
Snow Owl. "The Tlingit Nation." Native American People/Tribes. Apr 2005. 26 Jun 2007 (http://www.snowwowl.com/peopletlingit1.html).
In Response to Alex's Post -
First of all, your citation was excellent. You state that the information you gave was from Rieger three times in one paragraph, which to me demonstrates that you used your source wisely.
I like the concept of Circle Justice that you researched. This author believes it to be more appealing than prison or county jail, and the involvement of the community sounds as though it would engage the people of a community in the activities of their town or county.
The theory of the victim and offender working together to come to a consensus on a deserved punishment makes for a well compromised and happy medium.
I thought that overall, your post was very informative and gave little bias or room for arguement.
Katelyn
The Spirit Bear (Kermode Bear)
When reading Touching Spirit Bear, written by Ben Mikaelsen, I immediately became interested in the mythical bear Cole had encountered within the first two chapters. Being a young, troubled, and frustrated man with an uneasy past, Cole was involved in Circle Justice. This was a program for those who were in trouble with the law, and needed a way to make a difference in their lives, or make a new start. For Cole, he was sentenced to an island in Ketchikan, Alaska, where he would learn to make peace with himself, rather than be forced by punishment in jail, or Juvenile Hall. Here was where he saw the Spirit Bear for the first time. At that moment, I knew this bear would become a huge aspect to the novel, and play a considerable role in Cole's journey to a better life.
The Kermode Bear, which we commonly refer to as the Spirit Bear or Ghost Bear, is actually a black bear. In the book, the bear is described to be white in color. This is because of the rare double recessive gene it carries, which masks the black coloring the bear usually has, with a white colored fur. Popularly found in the North and Central Coast of British Columbia, Canada, and certain areas of North America, the Spirit Bear is a rare animal, and is well respected. Therefore, mankind has given this animal enough respect not to hunt it. "According to one of many Native American stories, the spirit bear was made white by the creator of the universe to remind its people the past period of time known as the ice age," says Michael Rose, editor of "NativeWire." In Indian Mythology, the bear was said to represent peace and harmony. Overall, the Spirit Bear is a well-known, majestic, and respected symbol to many and has been for centuries.
To conclude, what made this bear really impact the book was that on this island, a place that seemed so secluded, and so cold, something almost surreal appeared. A creature greatly respected by the Native American people was here to impact Cole's life-changing stay on the island. Being as angry and as troubled as he was, he didn't appreciate what he saw at first.. To me, I feel that Cole and this animal are going to develop a special relationship, that will change Coal for a lifetime, and make the book a great read for all audiences.
Works Cited:
Airton, Erin; Scott, Grant. "Kermode Bear." Klemtu Tourism. 2007. Klemtu Tourism Ltd.. 26 Jun 2007 http://www.kitasoo.org/forestry/landplan/Kermode.html.
British Columbia, Government. "Spirit Bear Facts ." British Columbia . 2001. Government of British Columbia. 26 Jun 2007 http://www.bcspiritbear.ca/more_about_spirit_bear.htm.
Rose, Michael. "How to Spot the Spirit Bear." Indians.org. 2006. Indians.org. 26 Jun 2007 http://www.indians.org/articles/spirit-bear.html.
Alex, Katelyn and Alley: Each of you did a great job with your blogs and you will recieve your scores very soon via email. I'll email the completed rubric to you and I'll put any comments/suggestions at the bottom of the rubric, okay? Alex, at the end of your first paragraph, you hit the nail on the head when you wrote that Cole would have to be fully committed to CJ for it to work; at this point in the book, what would you predict for Cole? Katelyn, your response about the Tlingit tribe was very well structured. Did you know that Tlingit is pronounced similarly to "Klink-it"? I would like to know which of the Tlingit customs/beliefs you mentioned might help a boy as hardened as Cole. Alley, you've already recognized that the Spirit Bear is going to be a symbol in this story. Which aspects of your research on Spirit Bears do you think will make this a useful symbol? Excellent job, guys.
"The Kermode bear is a genetically-unique subspecies of black bear found in the central coast of British Columbia" (Kermode bear). “About one in every ten black bears has cream-coloured or white coats” (About the Spirit Bear)."The white bears are known as Spirit bears and have a place in the native mythology of the area" (Kermode bear). Furthermore, in February 2006, the British Columbian government announced that they wanted to make the Kermode or the Spirit bear the official animal of British Columbia.
The Kermode bear, Ursus americanus kermodei, is named after a naturalist by the name of Frances Kermode. The First Nations tradition felt that the white bears should be honored and protected. These people were probably responsible for the term "Spirit bear." "Today the Tsimshian people call it "moskgm'ol," which simply means "white bear" (About the Spirit Bear).
Furthermore, in Touching Spirit Bear, "There is a special black bear called the Spirit Bear. It’s pure white and has pride, dignity, and honor. More than most people" (Mikaelsen). When Cole first meets the bear he is angry because the bear does not fear him. The bear is noble, steadfast, and majestic.
Suddenly, the bear attacked Cole. While Cole is lying on the ground, the bear comes up to him and allows Cole to touch him. The author describes the interaction by saying that Cole felt trust. This was the first time that Cole had been trusted. Cole developed a sense of wonder because this powerful bear trusted him. Cole had been alone and consumed with anger on the island. Thereafter, Cole tries to make himself invisible so he can see the proud, careful bear. The Spirit bear is also beautiful to watch. Later on in the book, fishermen see the bear and tell everyone. This proves that the bear has importance and is special to see. For example, if a person sees a fly no one says anything. This is because flies are common and not significant.
In the book Touching Spirit Bear, Cole Mathews is on an island alone. While he is there he learns valuable lessons from animals. He sees salmon, birds, wolves, and bugs. These animals are often seen in the same habitat as Spirit bears. In conclusion, the author takes the true existence of a rare bear and creates a story with morals and adventure.
Works Cited:
"About the Spirit Bear." Valhalla Wilderness Society. 26 Jun 2007 http://www.savespiritbear.org/project/spiritbear/about_bear/index.html\.
"Kermode bear." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. June 14. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., . 26 Jun 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_bear.
Mikaelsen, Ben. Touching Spirit Bear. New York: HarperTrophy, 2001.
There were several topics in the first 2 chapters of Touching Spirit Bear that I thought would be interesting to research, but the topic that interested me the most was the Spirit Bear. When Cole asks Edwin what there is to learn on the island, he replies by saying he can learn patience, gentleness, strength and honesty. Edwin tells Cole that “animals can teach us more about ourselves than any teacher.” He tells the fifteen year-old how the Spirit Bear has more pride, dignity and honor than most people. Cole declares that if he saw a Spirit Bear, he’d kill it. Edwin tightens his grip on Cole’s shoulder and tells him that anything he does to an animal, he is doing to himself.
“Spirit Bear” is another name for the Kermode Bear. It is name after Frank Kermode, who is the former director at the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria. It is a unique species of black bear, because one in every ten bears is either white or cream colored. The Spirit Bear only lives on the British Columbia, Canada (Pacific coast).
The term “Spirit Bear” is most likely connected to the First Nations tradition. They believed that these white bears were to be respected and protected. The Spirit Bear is called “moskgm’ol” by the Trismshian people. This term means “white bear.” The white color of the Spirit Bear may be caused by its inheritance of one gene for hair color.
A large part of the Spirit Bears’ homeland has been logged. The Valhalla Wilderness Society started a program in 1987 to establish a sanctuary for the Spirit Bears in the rainforest on Princess Royal Island. On February 7, 2006, an announcement was made that the First Nations and Province had agreed to increase protection for the bears on British Columbia’s north and central coast. They agreed to tripling the size of the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Sanctuary and to creating a new SSCC (Spirit Bear Conservancy Complex). This reminds us that even animals have troubles. Spirit Bears are losing their homes, which you would think would cause them to be angry. They remain calm and respected bears.
Cole is going to have to live on the island only for a short period of time. He is going to have to live in the wild because he lit his shelter and supplies on fire. A Spirit Bear can live in the wild for more than 25 years.
Edwin says Spirit Bears have pride, dignity and honor. I wonder why he thinks this. Are Spirit Bears respected so much because of their color? They aren’t albino, because they have brown eyes and a brown nose, but they are all white. I wonder if they respect the bear so much because its like an angel (being all white). Did they get the nickname “Spirit Bear” because they look like a spirit?
Works Cited:
“Spirit Bear Facts.” British Columbia the Best Place on Earth. 2001. Province of British Columbia, British Columbian Government. 26 June 2007
http://www.bcspiritbear.ca/more_about_spirit_bear.htm.
“About the Spirit Bear.” Valhalla Wilderness Society. 2003. Valhalla Wilderness Society. 26 June 2007.
http://www.vws.org/project/spiritbear/about_bear/index.html.
“The Spirit Bear.” Valhalla Wilderness Society. 2003. Valhalla Wilderness Society. 26 June 2007.
http://www.vws.org/project/spiritbear/index.html.
Ally & Autumn,
We all did research on the Spirit (Kermode) Bear, but we all had some different information.
Ally,
In your post, you said that mankind has given the Spirit Bear enough respect not to hunt it. I can’t really remember, but I think its only illegal to hunt it in Canada. I like how you talked about the Native American stories and Indian Mythology. I didn’t have anything like that in my post and it was interesting seeing how big a part the bear played in their beliefs. You also talked about the bear’s impact on the story, which got me thinking in a different way.
Autumn,
You said that in February of 2006, the British Columbian government announced that they wanted to make the Spirit Bear the official animal of British Columbia. Why do you think they wanted to do that? I also found out that in February of 2006, an announcement was made that the First Nations and Province had agreed to increase protection for the bears. They agreed to triple the size of a grizzly sanctuary, and to create a Spirit Bear Conservancy Complex. Why do you think the First Nations might have come up with the name “Spirit Bear.” You went further in the book and ruined it for me by putting it in your post, by I really liked when you talked about the bear attacking Cole, then allowing Cole to touch him. Earlier in the book, the author talked about how Cole didn’t trust anyone. You said that this was the first time Cole had been trusted, which probably begins Cole’s transformation in Circle Justice.
Jess--
First, I really liked how you used quotes//excerpts from the book. That was a good idea, and really showed a connection between your topic and the book. I also liked how you talked about the fact that the bears were sacred and respected, therefore there are many sanctuaries protecting them. It was cool to know that this animal is so well known, and people are making an effort to keep the bear from becoming endangered. Also, referring back to your question about my response, the Bear's habitat is predominantly Cananda//British Columbia, and you agreed as well. So, it would be illegal to hunt them, because they only live in Canada. I also found that they were rarely found in North America, so I'm not sure about the hunting policy there, and couldn't find further information. Like I said, it's a rare sight. Overall, your response was well researched, and reading the other details of the bear I hadn't covered was enjoyable. Good Job =)
Alex--
The topic you picked was actually one I was thinking of doing. It interested me as well, so reading your response was interesting. Also, I noticed that you used your source very well, and that showed with three examples. To me, your response was very well written, and I agreed with everything said. Also, I never knew that Circle Justice was even an option, and before reading the book, or your response, I knew nothing about it. Personally, it sounds pretty interesting.
Great job Alex =)
So, did you guys know that Circle Justice is currently used in Maine in many counties and, particularly, as a part of our juvenile system? Perhaps you’ve seen local news reports about Circle Justice programs in Maine…
*In Waldo County, restorative justice is being used to prepare offenders and their families for release from incarceration. They focus on helping offenders find jobs, housing and support groups to deal with substance abuse problems.
*In another Maine community, the concept is being used to deal with a family whose “good” deeds led to allegations of sexual abuse.
In Rwanda, it’s being used to try to heal the wounds of mass genocide.
*A month or so ago, we had a guest speaker at Nokomis who described a number of real life scenarios for us. If you guys were interested, I am sure that he would be willing to visit with us as a class.
*I think that we need to really grow our Peer Mediation program, and, one way to do that, would be to apply some of the principles of restorative justice in our school.
So, if you're interested in the concept, there's a lot more reading you can do, for instance at RestorativeJustice.org which is the most comprehensive site I know of.
Locally, the most comprehensive site is: http://www.justalternatives.org/
Totem Poles
A totem pole is usually several carvings in a row on a large piece of wood or log. The totem pole is used in Alaskan Native culture primarily to tell stories. However, they also tell of the clan the Native or Natives belong to and the individual's heritage as a member of that clan. There are three types of totem poles used in Alaskan Native culture, the first being the crest totem pole. The crest totem pole is the type used to display ancestry. The second type commonly found is a story-telling totem pole, which is used to, well, tell a story or tell about an event. The final type of common totem pole is the mortuary totem pole, which is used to honor the dead. Usually a carving of the individual was the only symbol on the totem pole, and the individual's ashes were kept inside of the pole itself.
As a character, Cole seems to have nothing to do with any of the symbolism within a totem pole. However, because of his anger and the book's obvious anchor on his journey to become a respectful and far less angry juvenile, I believe later in the book he will have to face his own totem pole of sorts. The story-telling totem pole seems to be something that could possibly become important in this book because of Cole's journey both on the island and off it. Also, because Cole is banished to a remote Alaskan Native island, it's plausible that he could come in contact with a totem pole or two.
The Native American/Alaskan aspect of this book is probably what makes it as popular and interesting as it is - the concept of the Spirit Bear which comes later in the book, the Tlingit tribe, Edwin and Garvey and the idea of Circle Justice are all concepts derived from Native Alaska and Native Alaskans. The totem pole, I believe, because it was previously mentioned will become a symbol of Cole's struggle with his journey and rehabilitation.
Sources Cited
Malloy, Betsy. "Totem Poles." About.com. 27 Jun 2007 http://gocalifornia.about.com/od/ak/a/totempole.htm.
Kaylee--
You picked an interesting topic, the totem pole. In your first paragraph you did a really good job at sharing what you researched on it. Your second paragraph made really good connections with the book. I liked how you predicted how the totem pole will eventually become a larger part of Coles experience. Last, it was interesting how you incorperated other parts of "the Native American/Alaskan aspect of this book".
The only thing I would suggest, as I learned from my own post, is using more than one source.
Overall, good response =)
Alley--
Your background research on the spirit bear was good. You found a lot of relative information and used a wide variety of sources.
I liked how you concluded your response in the last paragraph by connecting it to what you have read so far as well as making predictions as to how the spirit bear will play a role in the rest of the novel.
As you said in your post, the spirit bear is both rare and well respected. From Coles bad temperment and lack of respect on the island in the first two chapters, I wonder how he will respond to the rare creature and if he will actually treat it with the same respect it gets from the Native cultures.
Your post was very insightful =)
First Nation
In Touching Spirit Bear one subject that caught my interest was when Garvey said "You don't have to be Native American or First Nation". It got me wondering about First Nation, because I've never heard the term before. I assumed it meant the same thing as Native American, but in fact it's different.
When looking up the term in google many websites pop up, talking about websites about First Nation, websites made by the First Nation, and lists of First Nations and their locations. One thing I've noticed they all have in common is the fact that they're all Canadian based. The term First Nation is literally the meaning of Native of Canada (kind of like our Native American).
It goes on to explain the First Nation citizens are the "aboriginal" people from Canada. The actual term of "First Nation" came into play in the 80's when they used it to replace the term "Indian Band".
Currently in Canada there are over 600 registered First Nation governments.
Just like our Native American tribes, they've had battles for power, and are currently working to gain back the rights to their lands and resources. Many people refer to Native Americans as First Nations, or First Citizens on occasion, but in reality the "First Nation" name or "label" originated from those of the Canadian decent.
Works Cited
First Nations Development Institute. 28 June 2007. First Nations Development Institute. 28 June 2007
http://www.firstnations.org/.
"First Nations." Wikipedia. 28 June 2007. Wikimedia Foundations INC. 28 June 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Nations.
Alley-
I like how you incorporated your research with applying it to the book. I also like how you began your response with ..When reading Touching Spirit Bear, written by Ben Mikaelsen, I immediately became interested in the mythical bear Cole had encountered within the first two chapters... I felt this captured the reader and was a great beginning for the rest of your paper. You also used direct quotes which I think made your paper stronger. In addition, you used overall adn to conclude which made your paper flow. Which of the bear's qualities (majestic, well-known, pride etc) that the author presented in the book do you think had the greatest inpact on you or on Cole?
Kaylee-
I liked the totem pole idea. When I first read about that the idea of presenting a story carved into wood was also interesting. I like how you concluded your paper with Cole's journey and how you gave insight into what you think the importance of the poles later in the book would be. "The totem pole, I believe, because it was previously mentioned will become a symbol of Cole's struggle with his journey and rehabilitation.".. I felt this conclusion was very strong. It summed up what you were saying and left the reader with a thought...how is this going to be accomplished?
You also used big words which made your paper more professional. Do you think that historians could interpret the totem poles and learn from the past of others?
Kaylee,
I like how you chose a subject that was very different than the rest, and took some time to research. It was very interesting.
Katelyn,
Yours was very developed and was well researched. It really caught my interest and I think it'll help me in reading the book when it comes to talking about the tribe.
Overall nice job to everyone, everything written really does help me understand the subjects in the book better. It gives me a stable background to work upon.
The only two concepts I didn't understand very well were the ones Mrs. Vigue had already written about so I used those and just found different places of research. The first is the At.oow which is, in Touching Spirit Bear, a blanket given to Cole by one of the men transporting him. The At.oow however can be nearly anything however. What an At.oow simbolizes is the spiritual bond between past present and future generations. The possession of whatever the At.oow may be is decided by the clan or tribe and is given down through generations. Perhaps an even better way to describe how the At.oow works is in the words of Rosita Worl "They note the "thing" may be land, a heavenly body, a spirit, personal name, an artistic design or other "things." They indicate that the ownership of "thing," purchased with the life of an ancestor, is transferred to the descendants."
The next idea that was not as well known to me was the idea of Cirle Justice. It was explained to an extent in the beginning of the book but some parts of it still remain fairly vague or unknown. As it turns out the whole process is rather complicated with many steps to go through before you can even be put before the Council. The thing that I found most intriguing about the Circle Justice idea is that it could in idea be used for any crime done. This was just a surprise to me that even something maybe along the lines of murder could be brought to one of these councils and if approved you would go through the process of "healing".
Ohh and here is my sources..
Henderson, Douglas. "Correctional Service." Correction Services of Canada. 18 Feb. 2002. South-East Ottawa Centre for a Healthy Community. 25 June 2007 http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/home_e.shtml
Worl, Rosita. "Art & Haa At.óOw, Our Treasures." Sealaska Heritage Institute. 2003. Sealaska Heritage Institute. 27 June 2007 http://www.sealaskaheritage.org/celebration/new_page_27.htm
In the novel Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen, a boy fights his entire life with the anger that he has held up inside. Cole Matthews is a fifteen year old boy who resorted to crime to fend off his anger. Over the years his anger has multiplied and now he was caught in a very hard time. Usually his parents bail him out of Jail to show how they love him, yet this time he�s on his own. He was given the choice of Jail or Circle of Justice. Circle of Justice is where he must prove that he has forgotten his old ways and have changed for the best. Cole thought that he could fool everyone that this Circle of Justice worked, but knew that it wouldn�t change him. Cole agreed and was sent to a small island off the coast of Alaska where he was to learn to be one with nature and find new ways to deal with his anger.
There are many was to dealing with anger. According to the organization called �Men for Change� who specialize in anger management, there are three type of anger that can be triggered two different ways. The three ways for dealing with your anger is aggressively, passive aggressively, or assertively. Some of these are bad for dealing with anger but some can be good, yet all are triggered either internally or externally.
Aggressive anger management is where the anger that you�re expressing is articulated through a physical, mental, or psychological action. In either way someone or something else gets hurt. First this could happen is when someone puts us down. This is called an external influence on our emotions. With an external influence and an aggressive way of managing the anger, the external influence gets hurt. For instance, the outside influence for Cole was his parents. When he would get in trouble he would lie to his parents making them feel guilty and they will bail him out. That is a psychological plot that hurt his parents emotionally. Also, when he would get in fights the outside source would be the person that he is fighting with because of what they would say to him. An internal influence is a thought that we have go through our head that make you angry about something that may not be true. For Instance, when Cole�s parents didn�t bail him out this last time, he thought that he didn�t love him anymore and that was way he was on �this stupid island.� That was not true, yet he went into a rage and started all of his supplies on fire. Thus, this time his supplies are destroyed because of his rage.
Passive Aggressive anger management is when you repress or bottle your anger up inside by deny that it is happening. The people who use a Passive Aggressive form of anger management seem to be tolerating the internal and external influences, such as annoyances and insults. For instance, these anger management behaviors show when people are driving. When someone pulls out in front of you when you are driving, you could be Aggressive or Passive Aggressive. The Aggressive person would yell at the other driver and then speed away angrily, or would get out of the car and hit the other driver�s car. The Passive Aggressive driver would just keep going and getting even more livid as these things happen in the future. This seems like it would be better for the anger management because no one is hurt. But, the Passive Aggressive person would get fed up with it in the future and end up hurting the driver. Thus, Passive Aggressive anger management can turn into the worse Aggressive solution.
Lastly, there is the Assertive anger management. To be Assertive with your anger management is to not jump to any conclusions or be irrational but to stop and think about what you�re going to do. Then, you come up with a safe and effective way to deal with the problem that is at hand in a constructive and harmless way. Cole should have taken his anger out this way. Such as the time where Cole was talking to Garvey about being sponsored and Cole told himself not to get angry. Saying to himself that it is a bad choice to fight with him because then he would go to jail and wouldn�t be able to try the Circle of Justice. Henceforth, Cole has already started his transformation even before Circle of Justice has begun and Cole will change by this new experience. However, we cannot be certain to how or what will change his outlook until the conclusion of his experience.
"Anger." American Psychological Association. 2007. 29 June 2007 http://www.apa.org/topics/controlanger.html#anger
"How to Deal with Anger." Men for Change. 1994. Chebucto Community Net. 29 June 2007 http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/communitysupport/Men4Change/anatomy.html
Justin - You went very in-depth with your research on the different types of anger management. You incorporated the book in several ways, good job. Your response is informative and it links all the information back to Cole as well as some other characters. Your sources also seem reliable. Your writing style was very professional. I liked it.
Erin - Your response was very well-written and organized. The topic you picked was researched thoroughly. I also like how you picked a different topic than most others. Overall, it's a very organized response and it hits on the key points of First Nation. Good job.
Though Erin already researched this topic (first, I might add) I also wanted to find out more about First Nation, something I supposed was another type of tribe or some type of Native American culture. In Touching Spirit Bear, Garvy shares about "circle justice" healing, to which Cole replies, "I'm no Indian!"; Garvey (his probation officer) assures Cole (the main character) that he doesn't "have to be Native American or First Nation" to heal. This lead to wonder what exactly "First Nation" was.
First Nation is the politically correct way to refer to a Canadian "Indian", and they're also termed Inuit or Metis. Many Fist Nation tribes are also native to the United states as well as Canada. The word "Indian" is used as interchangably in Canada as in America.
Many First Nation tribes form band societies (groups working for the same cause, often with some type of informal leadership) or even larger mutlti-nation groups, like the Iriquois tribe in this country. Though small conflict stirs over whether native Canadian peoples are "First Nation" or "First Nations", it is wholly agreed that either is better than the original common and incorrect term, Indian Band.
Sources Cited
"First Nation(s)." Canada. Indian and Northern Affairs: Canada. 29 Jun 2007 http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/
pr/pub/wf/trmrslt_e.asp?term=10.
"First Nation." Answers.com. 29 Jun 2007 http://www.answers.com/topic/first-nations-of-canadaasp?id=3.
Alley-I liked how you used quotes to add to the effectiveness to the believability of your rrsearch. I also liked how you ended the essay with how the Spirit Bear and Cole may have a strong relationship in the end.
Kaylee- You choose a hard point to research and connect to the book. So far we haven't had much about Totem Poles to connect Cole to them. Yet, you brought up what might happen in the future. I believe that was a great way to handle this topic. Great job.
Higgins- To me this way a lot less formal than everyone elses' essays. You went more on a formal/post type essay. I liked how you connected your concepts to the book by symbolism. I think to have added more to your essay you could have put it in more of a formal format, but it still came out very well.
Alex- Nice citing. Adding the citing where it was needed in your paper really made it much better. Very formal... i liked it.
Angela- You posted right before I put my comments in... so I'm giving you your own comment box :)... I like how you put how "First Nation" was the more politally correct way of saying Indian, Inuit, and Metis. This helped with the understanding of why it was called "First Nation."
In response to Autumns blog I was very brought into what she said by the way we spoke about the bear with a very professional and knowledgable tone. I was also very impressed with the amount of knowledge she had gathered about the bear she went as deep as to even find the scientific name of the animal in question.
Next in reponse to katelyns comment i was, as in with autumns, very drawn in by the amount of knowledge she had gathered on one specific topic. It also is clearly evident she did lots of research on the topic by the citiation she had.
In response to Autumns blog I was very brought into what she said by the way we spoke about the bear with a very professional and knowledgable tone. I was also very impressed with the amount of knowledge she had gathered about the bear she went as deep as to even find the scientific name of the animal in question.
Next in reponse to katelyns comment i was, as in with autumns, very drawn in by the amount of knowledge she had gathered on one specific topic. It also is clearly evident she did lots of research on the topic by the citiation she had.
Jess:
I really liked that your blog post was not only informative, but the reader got to see your anylization of the situation; when you talked about the universal troubles of living things, saying, "This reminds us that even animals have troubles," it made it hit closer to home. Your "wondering" at the end of your post also made it possible to see your reactions to the book and the spirit bear. Most can find the information, but your connection to society was unique, and your queires brought up a lot of interesting points that you can't browse for on the internet. Awesome job!
Kaylee:
I liked how you also did more than just regurgetate information. You gave an overview and feedback on the book as a whole and gave Cole's relation to the topic you researched. It was interesting to read.
Cole Matthews is a troubled young man. He has experienced many encounters with the law. His previous encounter has Cole pleading for Circle Justice, anything to stay out of jail.
Circle Justice is an Indian custom in an effort to break the cycle of crime. Volunteers help sentence offenders and then help them lead better lives. The program begins with an offender pleading guilty and agreeing to accept a community-imposed sentence. With a prayerful appeal to seek the common good, the offender, victims, supporters, and interested community members meet in a circle to discuss the crimes impact. Once they choose a sentence, circle members stay involved with the offender to make sure their plans are carried out.
Cole's plan was to fool Circle Justice. Tell the counselors what they wanted to hear. Anything to get accepted and stay out of jail. Cole is set on not taking this seriously. Will Circle Justice have an effect on Cole or will he skid by unaffected and unchanged.
Olsen, Fred H. "Circle Justice." 29 June 2007 http://freenet.msp.mn.us/~fholson/circles-mn/circ-stb.htm.
Alex, I found your summary of the first two chapters very interesting. You wrote with a nice hook that captivated me. I thought your research was very informative and was able to get a better understanding.
Alley, I liked how you researched the Kermode bear. The thought of researching the bear had not even occurred to me. By learning about the Kermode bear I will be able to better understand the bear’s impact in the story. I like your writing style and it easily explained the plot.
Jess, I found your post to be very informative. I liked how you took actually quotes from the book and added them to your summary. By reading your post it is easy to tell that you read and fully understood the meaning in the first two chapters.
To Katelyn's response,
You really researched your subjects, and cited all sources. Great job :)
You gave many examples and explained everything very clearly so that they could be easily understood. Great job Katelyn
To Katelyn's response
I love how you deeply researched each subject, and cited all sources correctly.
I also like how you almost wrote your response to be a paper, only it really wasn't a paper. I don't know if you understand what I'm saying, but great job!
To Angela's response,
I like the quotes, you learned something from Viles' class haha. It really added to your response. I also like how you used your own writing style, like you usually do, and explained different ideas in ways that could be easily understood. Great job.
Before even beginning to read Ben Mikaelsen’s Touching Spirit Bear the cover drew me in. The enormous kermode bear looming over a startled Cole Matthews who when asked his opinion of the bear responds “I’d kill it.” Cole a toughened juvenile who acts fearless appears to be quite scared of a peaceful animal.
These are the things that peaked my interest in the “spirit bear”
Spirit bear are actually a sub species of black bear that was named after Francis (frank) Kermode in 1905, former director of the Royal British Columbia Museum and activist. The bear was then dubbed the ”kermode bear” (after frank) or Ursus kermodei. Further research into the kermode gene pool revealed that the bear was actually a black bear that like many other black bears had varied hue, The bear was reclassified as a black bear in 1928. Isolated populations resulted in black, red, yellow – orange, brown, blue gray and white color variations but regardless of color all “black” bears are scientifically known as Ursus americanus. The isolation also made it so kermodei never developed a fear of humans. The Kermode bear is also known as “the ghost bear” it is found between Princess Royal Island to Prince Rupert Island and inland from the British Columbian coast.
The white fur is simply a recessive trait and it is NOT albinism. Color diversity is great among black bears and depending on region and isolation many colors have arose. Although the spirit bear is the rarest the are some areas where 1 in 10 is a kermode.
The kermode bear is currently threatened by the logging industry. In past years logging companies have threatened the black bear species and especially the areas where the kermode inhabit along with many other species of wildlife such as eagles, salmon and wolves. This bear has played an important role in several native tribes such as the Tlingit, Haida, Inuit and the Tsimshiam who refer to the bear as Moksgm’ol. Although there are several thousand square miles of preservation area for the 400 or so remaining kermodei, people don’t always follow the rules.
To conclude here’s a Tsimshiam story of the origins of the Moksgm’ol “Long ago, the story goes, the world was covered in ice and snow. One day, the raven, the creator of the world, came down from heaven and turned the world green, as it is today. But as a reminder of the time when all was white, the raven went among the bears and turned every tenth one the color of snow. The raven decreed that the white bear, would live forever in peace.” (“PBS” http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/ghostbear/html/body_intro.html)
Works cited:
Aristotle, steve. “This is a Black Bear.” Steve’s menagerie.
15 july 2007 . hodge page . 13 Jul 2007 http://users.sristotle.net/~swarmack/kermode.html.
“Kermode Bear.” Wiki. 12 july 2007 . wikipedia. 13 Jul 2007
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/spirit_bear
Pbs, “behind the scenes.” Grand Canyon. Public Broadcasting.
13 Jul 2007 http:/www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/ghostbear/html/body_intro.html.
in response to Kaylee, nice job, good information. I like how you related totem poles in a metaphoric way (cole will have to face his own totem of sorts)
Autumn- your thouroughly researched topic inspired me to research it as well.
you have so much info and it really interested me.
Post a Comment