What
would your ideal 21st century English class reading list look like? Is there a way to prevent the death of the
love of reading?
I think the ideal English class would read a little of everything but
not a lot of anything. I think we should be at least exposed to everything. We should
read a classic. I also think we could read a play even if it’s A classic play. I
liked the crucible because it was good but I could understand it. I don’t think
we should read an entire Shakespeare play unless there are footnotes in modern English
or it’s completely translated into modern English. And I don’t think another play
or classic should be read if a Shakespeare play is read. I think Shakespeare is
not good to read completely in old English because we read Shakespeare and I nor
most of the people that I talked to understood any of the book. Even after we
agonized over it in class it’s still not clear exactly what all happened. Going
over a few passages a couple days in class is good though so we are exposed to
it. Then I think the rest of the books should be modern books like Harry Potter
or The Hunger Games, but they should change every few years because The Hunger
Games won’t be modern 15 years from now. These books are good and since a lot of
teenagers don’t like the classics these books will give them a chance to enjoy English
and I think a lot more people will do well because they’re actually interested.
I also think that we don’t go over the book every day. They could say you have
to read these 4 chapters in a week and on the day their due, go over and talk
about them. I understand the tests over them to make sure people are reading
but not as many worksheets and things. Last thing is that I think they’re
should be a project where kids get to pick their own book and say write a paper
on it so they can develop their own thoughts. I think the main reason teenagers
hate reading is because we are told how to think about them and we analyze
every sentence.
I completely agree with your last sentence. I like to read a book for the fun of it. Definately not to agonize over every sentence and the meaning of every word. It takes the fun out of reading if you have to think about it a certain way instead of developing your own thoughts. Of course, it's helpful to have and idea to base your own on, but it shouldn't be forced down our throats that it is the only idea.
ReplyDeleteI really like your point about how we need to be reading "little of everything but not a lot of anything." I think too much of classics is not good but neither is too much modern novels. And on the topic of modern books, I liked that you said about changing the modern books with what is relevant. It really is all about the balance. And I like what you said about being exposed to Shakespeare in a way that we read a little in class but not so much because the language he used specifically is still not relevant today.
ReplyDelete