Patricia M. Sorrentino
Making connections seems simple to many people, but can be difficult for students who do not feel any connection to the work they are reading/viewing. It is easy to show students an image of a dog and ask them to connect to the image. Many students will have a personal connection to the dog and will share a short story. However, when students are given a lengthy novel, which may include themes that may seem unrelated to their lives, students do not feel connected in any way. Asking students to find connections can be difficult, but is necessary. Students should master the art of learning how to relate to different situations, so they can become more open–minded and further educated about worldly issues.