tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959057724654014625.post4809629633729846747..comments2023-10-28T09:07:35.251-07:00Comments on Lost in My Library: Thoughts on Required ReadingClarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08014163537005483710noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959057724654014625.post-60498089118383127972016-02-14T15:02:09.566-08:002016-02-14T15:02:09.566-08:00I definitely get the cultural literacy thing. Read...I definitely get the cultural literacy thing. Reading <i>The Iliad</i> took me forever, and I didn't really like it, but I'm glad I read it because I understand so many more mythology allusions. That's definitely one work that's important enough that I think everyone should at least be familiar with it.<br /><br />I also understand about having works in common. Once, I had a teacher who let us each pick a book from a list of 5. I liked that it gave some choice, but even with 5 discussions for 40 students, things got a bit chaotic. Having everyone just choose any book would probably end up as a bit of a mess!Clarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08014163537005483710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959057724654014625.post-12185619432287234982016-02-14T14:41:32.453-08:002016-02-14T14:41:32.453-08:00Super interesting! It makes sense the sometimes a...Super interesting! It makes sense the sometimes assigned books are books you wouldn't have read, and it can be a great introduction to them. And sometimes they are just books you don't like, and you have to suffer through in the interest of passing the class and/or increasing your cultural literacy. Like, I didn't enjoy Walden or The Stranger, but I'm okay with having read them. But to "have to" read a book that you have enjoyed, and to have class kill it for you--that would be lousy.<br /><br />As a classroom teacher, I have really mixed feelings about assigning books. There are times when I feel like "Suck it up, this book is important," but usually I believe in offering as much choice as possible. Still, having works in common makes discussion and direct teaching a lot more feasible. Wendyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06296827820807569574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959057724654014625.post-90398521699275242582016-01-31T07:55:00.238-08:002016-01-31T07:55:00.238-08:00Having to give a monologue would make ME hate Shak...Having to give a monologue would make ME hate Shakespeare, too. WHY do teachers do that?? I definitely get what you mean with understanding the themes and symbols, but sometimes, there's just too much of that for me. I really liked my sophomore year Lit teacher, but all he wanted to discuss about Macbeth were birds and bodily fluids. I thought they were important, but not THAT important.Clarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08014163537005483710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959057724654014625.post-23129341685409257952016-01-30T22:19:44.229-08:002016-01-30T22:19:44.229-08:00Well, I've had both positive and negative expe...Well, I've had both positive and negative experiences with required reading. I hated any Shakespeare we did, but I'm not sure if it was because I couldn't connect with any of the characters or because of the assessment (both a monologue (I would rather give my resume to Darth Vader to work in the sewage department on the Death Star than do a monologue) and an essay exam). We read a few other books that I thought was stupid (one about lying, Looking for Alibrandi and a story story collection) but there were a few I loved too like Of Mice and Men and The Handmaid's Tale. I think required reading definitely makes you enjoy a book less because you know the assessment is coming but you get more out of it because you understand the themes and symbols better. That's really interesting that you didn't enjoy Pride and Prejudice as much. (I haven't read it yet (it's on my TBR) but I'll get there.) Thanks for sharing!Victoria Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15036742461356732142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959057724654014625.post-12627382766512584652016-01-30T15:18:44.487-08:002016-01-30T15:18:44.487-08:00I love when you're allowed to pick a classic a...I love when you're allowed to pick a classic and have it count as schoolwork! I never got to pick ANY classic I wanted (lucky you!), but there have been times when my teacher gave everyone a list of half a dozen books and let us choose from those. I wish that happened more often!Clarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08014163537005483710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959057724654014625.post-87931187644016292002016-01-30T15:04:54.907-08:002016-01-30T15:04:54.907-08:00I'm so sorry you've had bad experiences wi...I'm so sorry you've had bad experiences with required reading! :( I don't think I had too many negative experiences with required reading in high school, mainly because they were a direct part of my curriculum and so it didn't feel so much like school. I was homeschooled, and so it worked out well. I know there were a couple books I probably wouldn't have touched had I not been required to do so, and I know at least one reread wasn't all that fun because it felt rushed. But one of my courses also balanced things out because I was allowed to choose whatever classic I felt like tackling, so I was given more freedom in following my own interests. <br /><br />But I can totally understand feeling a bit trapped in a book because you have to read it and you're therefore not reading it solely for enjoyment. I do think I experience more fulfillment now from the classics I read on my own time than I did from the books I read in high school, chosen or not. But I do think I have a lot of positive memories from required reading? I'd really have to think about that before giving a solid opinion though. <br /><br />Great post! :) And thanks for commenting on Out of Coffee, Out of Mind. :) Liz Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15823595869843889438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959057724654014625.post-30836958806131253942016-01-30T13:55:10.448-08:002016-01-30T13:55:10.448-08:00I think there's lots of benefits to required r...I think there's lots of benefits to required reading, especially for people who don't do a lot of reading outside of school. When something like this happens, though, I tend to get VERY frustrated.Clarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08014163537005483710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959057724654014625.post-26869630316072826592016-01-30T13:21:13.649-08:002016-01-30T13:21:13.649-08:00Interesting - I remember loving lots of books that...Interesting - I remember loving lots of books that I read in school, and I don't know that I would have picked them up otherwise, so I still think required reading is a good thing. But it IS interesting that a book you loved lost it's luster for you when you were forced to read it. Very interesting, indeed!<br /><br />Nicole @ <a href="http://feedyourfictionaddiction.com" rel="nofollow">Feed Your Fiction Addiction</a>Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addictionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08637114079800138680noreply@blogger.com