Once we have learned to really observe, as defined in chapter three of Sparks, then our chances of recognizing the patterns that surround us in every area of our life increases. While imaging helps us to re-envision the common into something unique, patterning helps us see how even the unique, complex things are ultimately formed by starting from that which is simple or common. Personally, I have grown so accustomed to looking at things as a whole—incorporating all of a thing’s complexity at once—that many times patterns go unrecognized. The examples from chapters six and seven show over and over that even the most complex music, formulas, paintings, literature, etc. grow from a combination of simple patterns that intertwine into something that the untrained senses cannot separate into parts. Understanding that patterns can be recognized by breaking down complexities is a key to helping us in learning how to form patterns and teach students how to form patterns.
The example of the Aka Pygmy music, found on pages 119-120, which shows how the simple, separated beats come together to form a complex sound, reminded me of an example of a Tuvan Throat Singer that I encountered at a Bella Fleck and the Flecktones concert. What was fascinating about his was song was his ability to sing two notes at once at different octaves. If you listen closely, you can hear the separate patterns which sung simultaneously can baffle your sense of hearing.
Poetry also opens the door for many types of pattern examples to be recognized. Some of the more playful ones can be found in haikus, acrostics, ballades, cinquains, diamantes, etc. One of my favorite is the diamante poem which displays the pattern of a diamond shape as well as specific word patterns. Having students create their own shape-patterned poetry while at the same time playing with word patterns would be a fun way to creatively teach figurative language; not only would they gain understanding of the topic, but they would be expressing their creativity as they play with the possibilities of new types of poems.
The “Zoom In” project for this module forced me to take a closer look at my surroundings. I found myself looking closely at brush strokes in paintings, ceiling textures, wood grains, etc. This was a good exercise, personally, because it forced me to look past the obvious. I kept thinking of the artwork called autostereograms, where you have to look past the surface in order to see the hidden picture. The examples given in chapters 6 and 7 were similar to this artwork; if we can train ourselves and our students to look past the surface, then we will be able to identify patterns that will not only bring about clarity for some, but new perspectives and new methods of understanding. This chapter proved important to me as a Language Arts teacher because recognizing word patterns is a tremendous part of understanding literature. If students can see these patterns and be given the freedom to create their own, then, I really believe, it will only increase their own love of language and literature.
Figurative language is one of the many patterns that can be seen when we look past the surface of literary text—poetry or prose. When we look closely, we can see everything from patterns of metaphors, symbols and allegory to patterns of alliteration, hyperbole and personification interwoven into the language. These patterns are what bring life to the text. One way to get students to recognize the importance of figurative language and to become familiar with how it is used and how they can use it, is to present students with a text where the patterns of figurative language have been removed. The text becomes dry and less engaging. A discussion with students about what could be added to make the text more appealing will most likely result in adding descriptive, figurative language. Once they understand what they are adding (a pattern of figurative language) they can then look at the original text, find these patterns more easily and recognize how figurative language patterns in literature create a text that is richer and more stimulating.
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