Comic Books As Part of Common Core

Common Core had just landed as a giant blip on my radar when my family headed down to Comic Con in New York City. So imagine my incredible surprise when I saw this panel on a list outside Room 1A14:



It was coming at me from everywhere!

Even had we gone on Thursday we would not have been able to listen in anyway, since the panel was "for professionals". (Professional what? It was Comic Con!) Weirdness aside, it behooved me to try to find out what it was all about.

The description in the Comic Con program that I brought home says:

"Not just for reluctant readers anymore, every child would benefit from including graphic novels in the classroom. Comics and graphic novels are incredible learning tools that not only help support our Common Core State Educational Standards, but also teach literacy and comprehension skills beyond those of traditional books."

Then I found the slide show that the speakers used during the panel (gotta love the internet). This is the info that accompanies the slide show:

Comics and the Common Core: The Case to include Comics in the Curriculum. Presented at New York Comic Con 2013 by Amie Wright, New York Public Library; Stephanie Gabelmann, Boonton Holmes Public Library; and Emily Weisenstein, Madison Public Library. Not just for reluctant readers anymore, every child would benefit from including graphic novels in the classroom. Comics and graphic novels are incredible learning tools that not only help support our Common Core State Educational Standards, but also teach literacy and comprehension skills beyond those of traditional books. Presentation includes information on Common Core State Standards, history of comics in the US (including the Comics Code and Senate hearings of the 1950s), comics as tools to enhance and create visual literacy. Presentation also includes a Resource, Links, and Reading List (last 7 slides).

The slide show has a means of sharing it via embedding, so you don't need to head over there to watch it, you can do right here:



I have to admit that my initial response in seeing that panel on that poster was not good. Common Core was invading everywhere. But I have to say that now that I clicked through the entire slide show I have to applaud the three librarians who put the panel together. Regardless of how individuals may feel about using comics, or "graphic novels", as part of education in general, one has to admire how these librarians managed to make their agenda "fit" the Common Core requirements. It makes me feel like there is a sparkle of hope that the creative teachers out there will take the time to mold the Common Core around their lessons instead of the other way around.

Naive? Probably. But hope is what is keeping me going, so I have to grab it where I can.

Please share your own thoughts below.