"When Mark Brian, a young priest, is sent to the Indian village of Kingcome in British Columbia, he finds himself in an astonishing place of salmon runs and ancient totems. Yet amidst the beauty, the old culture is under attack, slowly being replaced by prefab houses and alcoholism. Mark has not long to live, and so he sets about sharing the hunting and fishing, the festivals and funerals, the joys and sorrows of a once proud tribe. Perhaps here he will learn enough of life to be ready to die.
With all the qualities of a legend or fable, I Heard the Owl Call My Name is a journey of discovery, and a story about the transforming power of love. Exploring the clash of old and new, it is an outstanding modern classic, both wise and tragic."
Cited from: Pan MacMillan Website: https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/margaret-craven/i-heard-the-owl-call-my-name/9781447289579
This book was one that I had never heard of until I began student teaching at a middle school that uses it as a part of supplementary curriculum. This book is short, and is an easy read, making it feel more like a young adult read more than anything. I was finding myself getting lost in the details, connecting to Mark, and the scenery that was so beautifully described. I am trying to become more aware when I read books, of how I think my students would react to it, would they enjoy it as much as I did, would they find the details boring or hard to relate to, would they be able to understand the complexity of his life and his problems? Since becoming a student teacher I found myself reading more through the lens of my students rather than as myself. This twist has created friction in my reading ability and enjoyment. Since I have adapted this new way of looking at books, I find myself getting bored more quickly, seeking out action or drama, looking into plot lines that I remember connecting to as a young kid, rather than sitting down with a good book that might have a slow start or a boring character and still being able to plug through the book, getting something out of it in the end. Reading has and always will be a fundamental part of who I am as a person. I love reading, everything about it, as I like to say, the book is always better, and that has in life been proven true time and time again. Unfortunately not all middle school kiddos feel the same way that I did, and still do about books, so when it comes to a text like this one, rich in meaning and with a powerful plot, I still second guess my ability to teach it effectively, wondering if my students will get out of it what I want them to? So how would I teach this book, because I do think this book should be taught... what do I want them to get out of it, and how I am going to hold them accountable for doing so? Well, here are a few of my ideas ...
Since this book deals with unexpected death and the uncertainty of life I feel like the lessons that work with the book should be reflective or at least aware of that. The students might have a hard time with the fact that he dies, he dies not even from the illness he was "supposed" to die from, he dies tragically, but his death is also a beautiful moment that allows him to realize he has become a part of this Native American tribe, he has learned from them and become their family, he knows this is certain when he hears the owl call his name. Dealing with death at a young age can be hard for students, and this pinnacle moment in the book should be explored to show them that while death is sad their can be beauty from it, or at least a deeper, more rich understanding of life. Students will be asked to write either to the author, or to death. They will have the ability to ask the author why she had Mark die the way she did, how was that important for her, what did it do for the overall understanding of the character, by allowing the students to ask these types of questions it will propel them forward into their own inquiries about why the book ended the way it did. The students that choose to write to death will be writing to better understand the purpose of death, is it to show us the importance of life? They will begin to understand how death can be seen as an end and a beginning, this activity will show them how writing to something rather than someone can be cathartic and help release any questioning, doubt, or anger they have about something, kind of like what the main character did when he left his old life to understand the meaning of all life. The students would have to take an end of unit test on this book specifically, and it would show me how much they paid attention during the reading, and how engaged they were in the activities that took place with the text as well. The final assessment for a text like this would be either a discussion or a mind map, some type of verbal or visual representation that can be shared with others that they have mastered this text, both in understanding its purpose, but also its content, the plot, the characters, and the significance of all literary elements within the story. I really enjoy doing end of unit tests by allowing the students to be creative with their thinking while also demonstrating that they understand the purpose of using this book, and can show me and their peers what they got our of their experience. Overall I really enjoyed this book, I also enjoyed finding fun ways for my students to think about this book, and how they would show their knowledge of I Heard the Owl Call My Name.
