Chapter 4: yes ... and no.

As a future English teacher, I think I will have an easier time applying the notion that students should read a variety of writing than perhaps those in other content areas. Though it might seem a little odd in a science or math classroom to read fiction or a non-fiction narrative, such as is suggested with biographies on Einstein’s theory of relativity, it is completely normal in an English classroom. Really, I only occasionally used “English” textbooks growing up and usually they were anthologies, or once in awhile a grammar workbook or a Greek and Latin roots book, which were helpful references. The only thing I disagree with is that the book says that there is time to implement extra/different novels because standards are seeking for teachers to cover less topics with deeper understanding. Well, perhaps, but that ignores the fact that there are still required texts within that “smaller” number of topics. Teachers I know, good teachers, tell me time and time again how they have to cut out extra reading in favor of making sure they fit in every book mandated by the state, or how they have to get rid of lesson plans because the state has decided that they’re superfluous to what “should” be taught. Also, the book hates on older texts some, which I find a bit ridiculous. Think of The Outsiders, one of the best stories of prejudice to be written, so timeless that kids often don’t even realize that it was written 50 years ago, and was one of the first true young adult novels to exist. Yes, there are dozens of books that are more recently written, that might mention cell phones or the internet, but it doesn’t mean they’re more relatable. Often the classic is the way to go because it was so wonderful and well-liked that it spawned hundreds of authors to attempt to recreate the feeling it gave but only the original will have all the power. Other times, it is perhaps better to start with a newer version or novel, but not as a replacement. I can attest to the power watching 10 Things I Hate About You as a way my teacher unlocked Taming of The Shrew for me (and made me truly appreciate it), as well as nearly any other modernized version of Shakespeare, but it was a mutual appreciation- I couldn’t fully appreciate the film without knowing the play nor could I fully appreciate the play without the help the movies gave me. It never meant deleting the text all-together.