Running head: NARRATIVE 1

Narrative

Erika Paredes

Fresno Pacific University

NARRATIVE 2

Narrative

When deciding what book to read to the children in class it was not as hard. I decided to

read the rainbow fish book to the children for this assignment. The reason being is because

through out the years I have children that have a difficult time either sharing their toys, friends or

they do not want to be each other’s friends. I have read the rainbow fish to the children multiple

times, but never in a way were they catch on to the story. However, with this assignment it was

interesting for the children and eye catching that it engaged them to listen to me act out the story

to them. I work with preschool children and they are constantly fighting or crying because

somebody does not want to play with them or be their friend. Either it being while playing indoor

or outdoors. The book can be used to help children not only expand their knowledge about

animals, but also to generous.

As I read this book to myself before sharing it with my children at work it helped me

realize how every child faces the similar issue of sharing. If sharing is sometimes difficult for us

as adults it is more difficult for children who are just starting to expand their social skills. The

rainbow fish book can be used to help the children by sharing the meaning about sharing. The

children can see through out the story how the other fish admire the rainbow fish shiny scales.

However, they could also see how the rainbow fish struggles to makes friends, but than once he

shares his scales he makes friends. The story can be told in so many different ways that it could

help the children understand the meaning behind being kind, caring and share friends and

objects. Once I had finished doing my storytelling to the children they were able to understand

the meaning about sharing. The story can also be read in a way were they could be kind to

others not just their friends maybe their family members or siblings.
NARRATIVE 3

In recent studies it has been shown that when introducing children to literature and using

it successful it can help children with their comprehensive development. Books can help children

cope with stress, find meaning in life, provide solutions to problems and help develop a more

positive sense of self. “ Children learned about how to solve problems by observing the way

characters in books solve problems.” When a child is read a book that relates to them it will help

the child handle their own problem. In this article the rainbow fish was used in children

classrooms to help discuss interpersonal relationships. For example teachers can read books to

children to help them understand the situation they are in and how others solve or cope with the

problem they are going through. Teachers can read Nine Candles (Testa,1996) for a child who’s

parent is in jail or Zachary’s New Home (Blomquist,1990) for a child who was adopted from a

foster care.

The rainbow fish is a story that could be told in more than one different way. The story

could be implemented to help children learn something else besides sharing. It could help the

children learn about animals that live in the ocean. The storyteller could implement the

movement that octopus makes or the type of food that the fish eat. When picking out a story for

the children it has to be a story that the children are going to like and that they are going to learn

out of. The rainbow fish is one of those books that could also help the children with their social

skills, vocabulary, math operation and ecology. The scales from the rainbow fish can help the

children with their math. The way that the fish live and what they eat can help the children with

ecology and sense of the natural world. Especially the vocabulary that the children will be

learning throughout the book it will help them expand their vocabulary knowledge and the

meaning behind the words.

NARRATIVE 4

“ This book poses the moral that being selfish and unkind will leave you lonely, but it

also leaves the door open for discussion on the topic of how much you give in order to make

friends.” The rainbow fish book also helps the children reflect the value that a friend actually is.

As well if they should give personal things they cherishes in exchange of a friends. As the

rainbow fish did in the book by giving or sharing his scales to be happy himself and be happy.

The rainbow fish sharing his scales it also helps the children reflect in a clear case of moralizing.

To help them reflect or help them express about things that are right or wrong.

“The story also relates to a core notion of basic utilitarianism, the happiness of the group

vs. the happiness of the individual.” The rainbow fish book comes to show how this book can be

used to help children through school. The book is very helpful especially to those children that

are less social at school and have a difficult time interacting with others. I was one of those

children at school. I had no social skills and I was very shy most of the time to talk to other

children. I would had wish I had a teacher that took the time to show us books that we could

relate to as growing up. It is easier for a child to relate to a book and a character than when an

adult tries to help them. A child finds connections to when they see others going through the

same situation.

In conclusion of this assignment that was given to us for this course it has helped me

understand the reason behind storytellers. As a teacher we have to be creative and find different

ways to use books not just read out of the book and show the pictures. We as future educators

and teachers we could use books to help children find the solution to their problem no matter

how old they are. Storytellers have more fun and find ways to be creative with the props or even

their own facial expression. The rainbow fish book has helped me understand how the book can

be used in many different ways. To help children with they’re problems and the teachers as well.
NARRATIVE 5

We should never judge a book by its cover, because a book can help a child more than a teacher

can.
NARRATIVE 6

References

Jackson, S. A., & Nelson, K. W. (2002). Use of Children's Literature in a Comprehensive School
Guidance Program for Young Children.

The Rainbow Fish. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2018, from

https://www.teachingchildrenphilosophy.org/BookModule/TheRainbowFish

Testa, M., & Schaffer, A. (1996). Nine candles. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books.

Blomquist, G. M., Blomquist, P. B., & Lemieux, M. (1993). Zacharys new home: A story for
foster and adopted children. Milwaukee: G. Stevens.