tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11044955.post5363358470890093716..comments2024-02-20T21:48:16.978-05:00Comments on The Beak Speaks: Where is AOW on thisbeakerkinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06088967209404588378noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11044955.post-24869647514513115862012-12-10T05:03:16.363-05:002012-12-10T05:03:16.363-05:00Duck,
Including the essay is certainly something t...Duck,<br />Including the essay is certainly something that I do in my English courses -- essays written by famous authors and essays written by the students themselves. Of course, extensive study of nonfiction can be more agenda driven and propagandize more.<br /><br />The in-depth study of fiction is critically important as well -- as I explained above.<br /><br />Think of it this way: the study of great films should include both documentaries and non-documentaries, with emphasis on the latter.Always On Watchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08192688822955022541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11044955.post-39420809899206027032012-12-09T15:35:04.533-05:002012-12-09T15:35:04.533-05:00You must accept that the essay is an important par...You must accept that the essay is an important part of high school English, AOW.<br /><br />I remember Addison and Steele in junior English. Kind of blurs the boundary between fiction and non fiction. Ducky's herehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14608115001116619877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11044955.post-31873734035630536152012-12-09T05:26:32.436-05:002012-12-09T05:26:32.436-05:00Beak,
The reason that I've had to incorporate ...Beak,<br />The reason that I've had to incorporate some nonfiction is that neither history teachers or students' parent seem to understand that teaching courses should always involve some reading in addition to the textbook. This trend has been going on for some years -- all across the education spectrum (public schools, private schools, and homeschool).<br /><br />I worry that we are becoming a nation of non-readers!Always On Watchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08192688822955022541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11044955.post-39281799354373805522012-12-08T23:14:52.636-05:002012-12-08T23:14:52.636-05:00AOW English class should be reserved for fiction. ...AOW English class should be reserved for fiction. It should impart a love of reading. Let the other classes handle non fiction.beakerkinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06088967209404588378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11044955.post-73827573894470419922012-12-08T16:06:48.543-05:002012-12-08T16:06:48.543-05:00Boring?
Your talking about everything from Henry ...Boring?<br /><br />Your talking about everything from Henry Adams to George Orwell to Virginia Wolf.<br /><br />In what class would they read:<br /><br />The Education of Henry Adams?<br />A Room of One's Own?<br />Homage to Catalonia?<br /><br />I'm not sure what grade you are considering here but try a few more:<br /><br />Maus I : A Survivor's Tale<br /><br />Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance<br /><br />A Moveable Feast <br /><br />Slouching Towards Bethlehem<br /><br />Let Us Now Praise Famous Men <br /><br />Notes of a Native Son <br /><br />The Other America <br /><br />Out of Africa <br /><br />... you get the idea. Some may be reading in history classes but if you think that list is boring then your lack of imagination is showing.<br />It's also a list of very talented writers with individual styles.Ducky's herehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14608115001116619877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11044955.post-29095565139472337692012-12-08T13:39:14.739-05:002012-12-08T13:39:14.739-05:00BTW, the best English-course discussion on nonfict...BTW, the best English-course discussion on nonfiction that we've ever had: John Gunther's <i>Death Be Not Proud</i>. Damn near had a firefight of a discussion as students squared off on that one!Always On Watchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08192688822955022541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11044955.post-48082042974332567132012-12-08T13:36:41.445-05:002012-12-08T13:36:41.445-05:00Beak,
I've been keeping up with developments r...Beak,<br />I've been keeping up with developments related to Common Core State Standards. In fact, I discussed this matter earlier this week with my homeschool group.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.corestandards.org/" rel="nofollow">Common Core Standards Web Site</a><br /><br />In my view, the shift from fiction to nonfiction is a <b>HUGE</b> mistake!<br /><br />But here's the thing....The reading changes are supposed to apply across the curriculum -- not just apply to the English departments. But the science, social studies, and math departments don't want to incorporate the nonfiction recommendations, which include <i>The Federalist Papers</i> and Alexis de Tocqueville’s <i>Democracy in America</i>, just to name two of the books.<br /><br />The reading of fiction clearly does help students to develop an interest in reading itself. Furthermore, it is through reading fiction that we discuss themes, character, and motivation.<br /><br />To drop <i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i> from core reading is a travesty! I could say the same about numerous other novels. This school term, my class had an incredible discussion on <i>The Scarlet Letter</i> and <i>The Merchant of Venice</i> (I know that you aren't fond of those works, Beak, but the students really got into the discussions). We've had similar discussions of the poem "Enoch Arden" and <i>Of Mice and Men</i>.<br /><br />Next up this school term: Bradbury's <i>Fahrenheit 451</i>.<br /><br />I do favor the reading of nonfiction, too, of course. But not so much in English courses.Always On Watchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08192688822955022541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11044955.post-25960586518615208262012-12-08T07:08:32.235-05:002012-12-08T07:08:32.235-05:00Wrong again duncy. Students read non fiction in Hi...Wrong again duncy. Students read non fiction in History and science classes. They read it in other classes as well. There is no need for <br />boring non fiction in upper levels.beakerkinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06088967209404588378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11044955.post-76996685777664613072012-12-08T00:53:49.549-05:002012-12-08T00:53:49.549-05:00Assigning uninteresting non fiction ...
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...Assigning uninteresting non fiction ...<br />---------<br /><br />Since you don't state what non fiction was on the reading list I assume you consider all non fiction "uninteresting".<br /><br />This may give you insight into why you may not be taken seriously at times. Ducky's herehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14608115001116619877noreply@blogger.com