After reading Fiction Vs. Nonfiction Smackdown, I really thought about how much nonfiction I have had to read over the course of my high school career. As I've had to read only nonfiction for Social Studies and Science classes, I've almost never had to do so for an English class. I never really saw this as a problem, but I can see where there would be controversy over the topic. Although I don't feel majorly in favor of one side or the other seeing as how there is little evidence for either side, I can tell you this: I haven't read much nonfiction over the course of my lifetime, mostly fiction, but reading has been my strong suit since childhood. I don't really buy into the whole idea that reading a lot of nonfiction would help students grow in the English department. Analyzing and understanding classical fiction works is much harder (in my eyes) than reading nonfiction anyhow. I can't begin to explain how much I've learned in the few months we've been in school this year just by having to read everyday. It's really challenged me to analyze what I'm reading and find a deeper meaning for things instead of just being able to tell someone what happened. The problem with the generation is that we are born into a society that hates reading in any way shape or form regardless of the type. I don't know too many kids that pick up a book unless they have to for school. When an English class only forces you to read two books a year like it has been for the past three years, than reading scores and reading levels aren't going to go up. I've been assisting with an 8th grade English class since the start of the school year and they haven't been assigned one reading assignment or have plans to read a whole book and discuss them as a class at all. The teacher informed me that the standards have changed, but when I was in 8th grade, for school I read 5 books total all year which is a combined total of how many I've had to read in high school (minus AP Senior English). So to go back to the original topic, I have my doubts that reading more nonfiction in an English would help any. Although I do find reading nonfiction to be important, I just think we do enough of that in the Social Studies and Science classes throughout high school. I'm not genius, but I have come to the conclusion that reading scores would go up if kids were forced to READ MORE.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Kimothy For President
After reading Fiction Vs. Nonfiction Smackdown, I really thought about how much nonfiction I have had to read over the course of my high school career. As I've had to read only nonfiction for Social Studies and Science classes, I've almost never had to do so for an English class. I never really saw this as a problem, but I can see where there would be controversy over the topic. Although I don't feel majorly in favor of one side or the other seeing as how there is little evidence for either side, I can tell you this: I haven't read much nonfiction over the course of my lifetime, mostly fiction, but reading has been my strong suit since childhood. I don't really buy into the whole idea that reading a lot of nonfiction would help students grow in the English department. Analyzing and understanding classical fiction works is much harder (in my eyes) than reading nonfiction anyhow. I can't begin to explain how much I've learned in the few months we've been in school this year just by having to read everyday. It's really challenged me to analyze what I'm reading and find a deeper meaning for things instead of just being able to tell someone what happened. The problem with the generation is that we are born into a society that hates reading in any way shape or form regardless of the type. I don't know too many kids that pick up a book unless they have to for school. When an English class only forces you to read two books a year like it has been for the past three years, than reading scores and reading levels aren't going to go up. I've been assisting with an 8th grade English class since the start of the school year and they haven't been assigned one reading assignment or have plans to read a whole book and discuss them as a class at all. The teacher informed me that the standards have changed, but when I was in 8th grade, for school I read 5 books total all year which is a combined total of how many I've had to read in high school (minus AP Senior English). So to go back to the original topic, I have my doubts that reading more nonfiction in an English would help any. Although I do find reading nonfiction to be important, I just think we do enough of that in the Social Studies and Science classes throughout high school. I'm not genius, but I have come to the conclusion that reading scores would go up if kids were forced to READ MORE.
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Wow! I cannot believe that 8th grade doesn't have to do too much reading anymore. Just recently I read a wonderful non-fiction book for reading extravaganza called The Year We Disappeared, and it was interesting. It was not helpful in analysis but it was surprisingly enjoyable and easy to read. Taking this class makes me appreciate novels more. We spend so much time analyzing the works, but I think we often lose sight of the enjoyment that reading can provide!
ReplyDeleteGREAT blog!! I hope you don’t mind me visiting :-) it’s always good to find other Lexington area bloggers!! keithawynn2011.blogspot.com
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