While reading the first chapter of "Classics in the Classroom" my first thoughts were of how much this book acts as a different opinion on all that we have learned about using young adult literature in the classroom. The use of young adult literature cannot be underestimated, but at the same time classics must not be forgotten. This is the main message I gained from chapter 1.
Seven Guiding Principles for Literature Teachers is the title for chapter 1. The seven ideas that follow are definitely invaluable lessons for future and present teachers. When it comes to teaching classics I keep thinking back to the books I read in high school and how boring most of them were. I really only had one teacher who helped me to look beneath the surface of these ancient books and see the universal themes that could be uncovered there. Jago made me realize what he was doing and why it was necessary in order to improve my abilities as a learner.
Getting this idea across to the average high school student seems like one of the most difficult aspects to the job. This chapter provides the bare essentials to getting started with incorporating classics into the classroom. I'm hoping that by the time I have finished reading the rest of the book I will have a decent understanding of how to get the students interested and the books exciting and fresh as old as they may be.
Jago makes an interesting argument for classics that cannot be ignored. YA Lit may seem more relevant, but very rarely is it as layered as the classics. I think a failure to see these layers by student and even some teachers acts as the great downfall of us progressing as readers and in turn as intellectuals, or at least being able to maintain an intellectual conversation.
Whether the book is classic or modern literature it must serve a greater purpose and that must not be forgotten. The Zone of Proximal Development must be noticed and utilized. Bettering the students is the number one priority of a teacher and this book certainly helps in learning how to do that efficiently.
I agree; I was also struck by the difference between Jago's opinion of young adult lit and other opinions we have been presented. I think there are value to both Y.A. lit and the classics; it just depends on how they are used in the classroom. We can't teach the classics without helping our students understand them. But we also can't just teach Y.A. lit because it is easier. I think that will be one of the hardest aspects of the job, at least for me: making sure the literature is at the right level for my students.
ReplyDeleteI also really liked how Jago argued for classics in the classroom. I know that sometimes the canon can seem a little dry but after reading her argument, I see how many teachers are just going about the classics in the wrong way.
ReplyDeleteI specifically selected this text because it does provide a very different view than last semester.
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