Bring Life into Learning: Create a Lasting Literacy

One of America's most beloved authors on literacy education, Donald Graves has not only revolutionized the way we teach, he has deeply touched the lives of millions of people--educators, parents, policymakers, and students alike. But beyond his groundbreaking observations on reading and writing, it is Graves's deep humanity that has endeared him to readers over the course of two decades. How fitting, then, that this, his nineteenth book, is an eloquent "how-to" for teaching the most important lesson of all: becoming human.

Graves writes, "It is common in literary circles to discuss character in relation to plot. I want to broaden the discussion . . . to include people wherever they are found, especially in curriculum. Events happen in history because of people. Scientific breakthroughs are made because people observe, formulate hypotheses, and share their results with others. We are surrounded by art because people slowed their lives down to see the world differently and share it with us."

Teachers will not only resonate with the book's philosophical underpinnings, they will applaud its practicality. Each chapter includes several "Actions" designed to bring the human aspect of various disciplines center stage while teaching essential learning skills. There are sample scripts for historical role plays, charts for delineating characters' motivation, art exercises, interview scripts, lists for recording personal observations on science and nature, and more.

With its multidisciplinary applications, Bring Life into Learning is broad in scope, but unwavering in its focus: " to ignore people in any field is to lose out on the greatest stake of all, the journey of becoming human ourselves."

To learn more about Donald Graves, visit www.donaldgraves.org.

Donald H. Graves has been involved in writing research for two decades. His books Writing: Teachers & Children at Work (Heinemann, 1983) and A Fresh Look at Writing (Heinemann, 1994) are best-sellers throughout the English-speaking world and have revolutionized the way writing is taught in schools. Dr. Graves has been a teacher, school principal, and language supervisor, education director, and a director of language in bilingual, ESL, and special programs. He has also been a co-director of an undergraduate urban teacher preparation program and a professor of an early childhood program. He is currently Professor Emeritus at the University of New Hampshire and lives in Jackson, New Hampshire.