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How does the teacher plan to meet those problems?
Assuming that the objectives are met, how would students be different because of their reading of
this book? (p. 166)
Fundamentally, Sacco, Shutgert, and Donelson concur that the role of the rationale is to provide a written
statement of teachers' best professional perspective on their curriculum. The following guidelines for
preparing rationales draw upon and synthesize their ideas.
The bibliographic citation. A rationale should begin with a complete bibliographic citation including
author's name, complete book title, publisher, publication date, and edition.
The intended audience. The rationale should articulate the type of class and the range of grade levels at
which the book will be used. The rationale should indicate whether the book is going to be used for
individual study, small-group work, or whole-class study, along with an explanation of reasons for why the
book is being used.
A brief summary of the work. There are a number of reasons for summarizing a book in the rationale.
Writing a summary requires an in-depth look at the book. The summary provides an overview of the book
for anyone who chooses to read it, and it can also reflect aspects of a work that the teacher considers
most important and aspects that relate to its educational significance.
The relationship of the book to the program. Reading a book is not an isolated educational experience; as
a part of the total program, the book should be consistent with the ongoing objectives of the class.
Regardless of fthe quality of a book, if it does not make sense within the broad goals of the program, it is
an inappropriate choice in that particular classroom. Any discussion of objectives should also include an
examination of how a book will be used, including the teaching methodology and methods of assessment.
The impact of the book. One of the significant arguments for any work is the ways in which it will open
new perspectives to its readers. In determining the reasons for using a book, teachers should also
consider the potential impact it will have on students' behavior or attitudes.
Potential problems with the work. Teachers and districts are often blindsided by complaints that they
never anticipated. The reflective process of developing a rationale is an opportunity for anticipating uses
of language, actions, and situations in a work that might be the source of challenges. Additionally, as
teachers examine potential problems, they have the opportunity to make decisions about how to address
the problems, establishing a framework that supports the book's quality and strengths. For example, a
teacher might anticipate an objection to the language in Walter Dean Myers's Fallen Angels. The issue
can be addressed within the context of the realistic portrayal of young men fighting in Vietnam; the
language, while inappropriate in many settings, helps build the portrait of the war's horrors. The language
quite simply adds to the book's credibility.
Collection of information about the book. It is useful to collect references about the book, especially
published book reviews. Professional journals and booklists from various associations (e.g., NCTE, the
International Reading Association, American Library Association, journals like ALAN Review, Horn Book,
and New Advocate, as well as non-school sources like the New York Times Book Review and Time
magazine, are rich resources that can be searched via various databases for reviews of particular books.
Reviews that address any controversial issues in the book are particularly helpful. These materials should
be kept in a file with the rationale.