A great article appeared over at Commentary a few days ago that I strongly recommend. It’s fairly long, but it’s worth the read.
Too many young people today hold a view that literature is either a technical document, in which words are dissected until they no longer contain any valid meaning; or it is a political document, meant to expose the evils of the past and help us address sociological conflicts in our present. Neither method of reading is very fun, and I don’t blame kids for drifting away from literature, if this is what is happening in today’s high school and college classrooms.
We teachers have forgotten what literature’s true value is and how it can shape the lives of its readers, while also being enjoyable. Perhaps we need a reminder from time to time, and this article effectively does the trick, if only we are willing to listen.
Do yourself a favor and check it out. And whenever you get discouraged that your kids don’t care about the literature you’re teaching, revisit this article to make sure you are the one on the right track. Enjoy!
Too many young people today hold a view that literature is either a technical document, in which words are dissected until they no longer contain any valid meaning; or it is a political document, meant to expose the evils of the past and help us address sociological conflicts in our present. Neither method of reading is very fun, and I don’t blame kids for drifting away from literature, if this is what is happening in today’s high school and college classrooms.
We teachers have forgotten what literature’s true value is and how it can shape the lives of its readers, while also being enjoyable. Perhaps we need a reminder from time to time, and this article effectively does the trick, if only we are willing to listen.
Do yourself a favor and check it out. And whenever you get discouraged that your kids don’t care about the literature you’re teaching, revisit this article to make sure you are the one on the right track. Enjoy!