Quote:
Originally Posted by JSWolf
I'll disagree. If you want kids to confront their ideas about the world, you have to have them reading books that are more relevant to the world as it is now and not as it was. That's part of the problem. Teachers need to pick more modern books that kids can relate to in some way.
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I think that if we want children to enjoy their literature classes, their teachers should assign books that they themselves liked and can talk about. A good teacher can find plenty that's relevant in nearly any book that's survived to be labeled a classic (people haven't changed that much) but the enthusiasm that can lead a reluctant class towards appreciation is harder to come by.
My high school daughters have been complaining bitterly about the 'relevant' young adult novels that they've been forced to read for school, with one daughter consistently choosing older books whenever given a choice. Although her favorite book of all books is Dracula, to the point where she asked for a study edition with ample footnotes so she may not be a particularly good exemplar.
BTW she discovered a new appreciation for Fahrenheit 451 after I went over what American life was like in the early 1950's. A good lit teacher should discuss where the writer was coming from.