Choosing which books to teach has been something I have been contemplating for about a year, now. In high school, I only read about a handful of these texts that we talk about in class. I've also been worried that I'm personally biased towards the ones that I have read, therefore, I may be more inclined to teach them if I loved them. From reading this chapter, I have learned that it may be okay to do this. As long as I have a solid belief of why my specific students should read this book, then I will have the "stamina," as Jago calls it, to pull students through the difficult text and "reach the heart of the matter," (p. 39).
Jago gives a good list of criteria when deciding to teach a text, if it is not already decided for you. I think that the most important qualities of classics are: "expose students to human dilemmas," "include compelling, disconcerting characters," and "challenge readers to reexamine their beliefs." However, all of the criteria makes the classics exactly what they are: classics! I have come to the conclusion that I need to get to reading! I have never read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, I guess I should! I hope to read everything on these lists so that I can be as prepared as I can be!
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Deciding which book to read can be difficult. I feel like I am behind in classes sometimes because I too haven't read a lot of the books that are brought up. I think it is okay to teach books you love, but if you can't teach them you can always suggest them to your students :-).
ReplyDeleteAlways introducing a text with human dilemma will draw in the attention of students. Students will be able to relate to the text in some way, regardless if they themselves have dealt with the situation in the text.
I feel like I'm in the same boat, Jordan. Everyone talks in class about this awesome novel they read junior year or whatever, and I've never heard of it! I've been making a list, though, of all the books I want to read before next fall. It's a long list....
ReplyDelete- Holly
Holly, my list is long, too! I'm going to be reading all summer long. I just want to be prepared. I want to be familiar with what my school teaches. Even in student teaching. Perhaps it will help me to teach my unit if we can draw from prior knowledge, but I'd need to be familiar with the books that they've read in the past in order to do that!
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