Comments on: Kids Today – They’re Young! http://tpsaye.wordpress.com/2008/08/26/kids-today-theyre-young/ Standing Athwart History Yelling "Bumpers All Round, Gentlemen, And No Heel Taps!" Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:39:16 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: lumps937 http://tpsaye.wordpress.com/2008/08/26/kids-today-theyre-young/#comment-141 lumps937 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:01:15 +0000 http://tpsaye.wordpress.com/?p=211#comment-141 I didn't bother to read the original article, mostly because angsty english teachers make my skin crawl. Perhaps the problem is that the teacher isn't sufficiently emphasizing why the Great Books are studied, as you pointed out. Kids are more willing to put up with stuff if they know why. The Young Master has been exposed to classics since he was young (he particularly enjoyed Hamlet) and his school starts teaching some Shakesphere in 5th grade. My wife has helped a friend of hers who teaches 8th grade at another school with Shakesphere appreciation from a performance aspect, and why those old words reflect the same concerns the kids have today. Classics can be taught, without dumbing them down, but it takes effort. BTW, the Young Master starts Gilgamesh today (7th grade) and will get to Beowulf sometime this year. I didn’t bother to read the original article, mostly because angsty english teachers make my skin crawl. Perhaps the problem is that the teacher isn’t sufficiently emphasizing why the Great Books are studied, as you pointed out. Kids are more willing to put up with stuff if they know why.

The Young Master has been exposed to classics since he was young (he particularly enjoyed Hamlet) and his school starts teaching some Shakesphere in 5th grade. My wife has helped a friend of hers who teaches 8th grade at another school with Shakesphere appreciation from a performance aspect, and why those old words reflect the same concerns the kids have today. Classics can be taught, without dumbing them down, but it takes effort.

BTW, the Young Master starts Gilgamesh today (7th grade) and will get to Beowulf sometime this year.

]]> By: beth http://tpsaye.wordpress.com/2008/08/26/kids-today-theyre-young/#comment-135 beth Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:24:15 +0000 http://tpsaye.wordpress.com/?p=211#comment-135 If the HSET can't find ways to make Dickens, Shakespeare, and Faulkner (among others, but those are the easy ones!) relevant to her students, then perhaps it's time to retire. Seriously, each one of those authors addressed problems that are still alive and well today -- which is, of course, what pushes them into the category of <i>classic literature</i>. As for laments 2 and 3, well...reference previous comments about perhaps being time to retire. Honestly, to some degree it sounds as if the HSET is simply too lazy to refine her choice of teaching methods and look for ways to point out similarities between people today and the people written about by said classic authors. While kids may not fall in love instantly with every classic they're forced to read, there is liable to be one gem among the hundreds that speaks to each - and they'll never find it if they're not made to read them. Beyond that...when did teaching become a popularity contest? If the HSET can’t find ways to make Dickens, Shakespeare, and Faulkner (among others, but those are the easy ones!) relevant to her students, then perhaps it’s time to retire. Seriously, each one of those authors addressed problems that are still alive and well today — which is, of course, what pushes them into the category of classic literature.

As for laments 2 and 3, well…reference previous comments about perhaps being time to retire. Honestly, to some degree it sounds as if the HSET is simply too lazy to refine her choice of teaching methods and look for ways to point out similarities between people today and the people written about by said classic authors.

While kids may not fall in love instantly with every classic they’re forced to read, there is liable to be one gem among the hundreds that speaks to each – and they’ll never find it if they’re not made to read them.

Beyond that…when did teaching become a popularity contest?

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