I began to reflect upon this as I read the quote "Great literature deepens our experience, heightens our sensibilities, and matures our judgement," which Jago stated on page 47. This, in coordination with her explanation of how her students read 20 books, made me realize that I was never really challenged to read until I reached college. That being said, I truly struggled at first when I found myself reading several novels in a month. Therefore, I am the embodiment of Jago's aforementioned quote, for if I was asked to stretch my reading ability when I was in high school, I would have been much more prepared for college. This is significant to me, as I will learn from my experiences to ensure that I provide a better opportunity for my students to succeed through reading than I was given by my high school curricula.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Response # 2 for Dr. Pytash-- Classics in the Classroom Chapter 3
After reading the third chapter of Jago's Classics in the Classroom, I was given a new perspective on teaching literature. At my high school, I was an honors student, and in our honors English classes, writing was focused upon much more than reading. Unfortunately, I did not read many books such as The Odyssey, Beowulf, and The Great Gatsby until I reached my studies at Kent State University. As a result, I have grown to excel in writing, but I often struggle with reading. Although I can read, my pace is slow and my skills are underdeveloped in comparison to many of my peers.
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I agree with what you have to say. Although I was shocked at the amount she expects her students to read, I am ashamed to say that I was never challenged in high school as her students are. Because of this fact I feel like I was cheated out of a lot of good stories. However I feel like I was cheated even more by the teachers who expected too much and forced me to sparknote through books to keep up with the class. I missed the opportunity to read many really good books because the class was moving at too quick a pace for me to keep up with it.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up a good point - we have to have a balance so students are reading and writing. I also agree with Kyle's response to your blog - we have to challenge our students without overwhelming them.
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