For my "classic school text" I'm using something from another class. As it turns out, that text is in itself a classic school text, so in a way, it still fills the criteria despite its being read for another class.
I'm reading To Kill a Mockingbird in 450 (Seminar), and so far the experience has been nothing short of excellent. I've also taught two thirty-minute lessons on the book, both of which have went well. The experience in teaching has been great, as the book yields a plethora of topics to discuss, themes to interpret, avenues to explore, et cetera, etc. I remember the book being assigned reading in 11th grade... but I don't remember reading it... because I didn't. Reflecting on that fact, I really wish I had. If you haven't read the novel, I suggest you do, if not for its literary value, at least for its entertainment value. This is one of the most entertaining and engaging novels I've read in a long time. It's one of those novels that you lose sleep over, not because you can't help but think about it or because it stresses you out, but because you don't want to put it down. Few classic high-school texts affect me in such a way, but this one's right up there with 1984 and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - two of my favorites.
As for the novel's content, I don't know where to start. It encompasses many themes, from racism, to dehumanization, to coming of age, to "walking in another person's shoes," the list goes on. The book has a lot of great lessons to teach, and speaking of teaching, would be a great novel to use in the classroom. Having taught a few lessons on the novel, and observing others doing the same, its safe to say that this is a novel I would really enjoy teaching when I have a classroom of my own. If you pick it up and read it, you'd probably feel the same way.
Tim, I have read TKaM, in school and several times since then. I've also seen it taught in student teaching so many times that it's like reading the thing again. What I appreciate about it, in addition to the many strong points you mentioned, is the perspective. Scout is a wonderful narrator, and we learn a lot about the world peeking through her young eyes. She offers an innocence to the whole unfolding scene that we couldn't possibly encounter if the story were told by someone else. Because she's telling the story after the fact, we also benefit from her observations of her younger self. Now, here's the question--why didn't you read it then? Did it feel old? Was it pitched as a morality tale? What did you do in class?
ReplyDeleteI have thought about adding TKaM to Adolescent Literature, but I know that it's often used in Seminar, so I've avoided it. What do you think? Should I drop Monster for it?