AP English teacher never read Orwell?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She was probably hoping for some "new" suggestions.
I had a list of books to check out for my elementary age kids and NONE of them were at the public library. The children's librarian said, and I am not making this up, "We try to stick to 21st-century books here."

Public librarian here. If that’s how she said it, I can see how it would come off as snarky. But we are 25 years into the 21st century, and you’d be shocked at how quickly all but the most popular children’s books go out of print. Most things can’t be replaced when they wear out.

And even for things in good condition, public libraries need to clear things out to make space for new things. If it’s not being checked out, we don’t keep it.

I applaud any teacher who tries to keep reading lists up to date. It’s shocking how often kids come in with a list provided by their teacher and the newest book is from the teacher’s first year teaching. The older the book, the less likely we’ll have a copy - for the reasons already mentioned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She probably was an education major NOT an English major.

Not if she's certified to teach in a public HS. That's not how education certification works in this country,

There are countless loopholes and alternative certification options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She was probably hoping for some "new" suggestions.
I had a list of books to check out for my elementary age kids and NONE of them were at the public library. The children's librarian said, and I am not making this up, "We try to stick to 21st-century books here."

Public librarian here. If that’s how she said it, I can see how it would come off as snarky. But we are 25 years into the 21st century, and you’d be shocked at how quickly all but the most popular children’s books go out of print. Most things can’t be replaced when they wear out.

And even for things in good condition, public libraries need to clear things out to make space for new things. If it’s not being checked out, we don’t keep it.

I applaud any teacher who tries to keep reading lists up to date. It’s shocking how often kids come in with a list provided by their teacher and the newest book is from the teacher’s first year teaching. The older the book, the less likely we’ll have a copy - for the reasons already mentioned.

I'm sure PP's books were in the list.

If you need to keep books that are in demand, why aren't you stocking the classics that kids come in looking for?

[Anonymous]

*I'm sure PP's list contains books that are still in print

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is taking 11th grade DE through FCPS and they haven't read even one book. 9th grader in honors also hasn't read one book. Just "excerpts". Honestly, its very disappointing.

This can’t be the norm. My 8th grader’s English class is on their 3rd book. How hard is to pass out 20 paperback books so they can bring them home and read them?

I wonder how many students ended up buying the book to find out how it ends or how it begins or what it was actually about.

AP Lang, and the first semester of community college English, which is the DE taught in most public schools, are primarily writing classes, and the literature they include are selected to be models for writing. So there may be more memoirs, or short stories, or speeches than in other grades, and those aren’t “books”.

Excerpts are not the same as short stories. Memoirs are books. It’s a common complaint that English classes at too many schools are only reading excerpts and students are never given actual books to read.

Even if they are only focused on 1 or 2 excerpts they’re better off reading the whole book, a book not on screen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is taking 11th grade DE through FCPS and they haven't read even one book. 9th grader in honors also hasn't read one book. Just "excerpts". Honestly, its very disappointing.

This can’t be the norm. My 8th grader’s English class is on their 3rd book. How hard is to pass out 20 paperback books so they can bring them home and read them?

I wonder how many students ended up buying the book to find out how it ends or how it begins or what it was actually about.

AP Lang, and the first semester of community college English, which is the DE taught in most public schools, are primarily writing classes, and the literature they include are selected to be models for writing. So there may be more memoirs, or short stories, or speeches than in other grades, and those aren’t “books”.

Excerpts are not the same as short stories. Memoirs are books. It’s a common complaint that English classes at too many schools are only reading excerpts and students are never given actual books to read.

Even if they are only focused on 1 or 2 excerpts they’re better off reading the whole book, a book not on screen.

Memoirs are to books what muzac is to music.

[Anonymous]

Wow thought Orwell’s Animal Farm eas read by everyone, specially a teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is taking 11th grade DE through FCPS and they haven't read even one book. 9th grader in honors also hasn't read one book. Just "excerpts". Honestly, its very disappointing.

This can’t be the norm. My 8th grader’s English class is on their 3rd book. How hard is to pass out 20 paperback books so they can bring them home and read them?

I wonder how many students ended up buying the book to find out how it ends or how it begins or what it was actually about.

AP Lang, and the first semester of community college English, which is the DE taught in most public schools, are primarily writing classes, and the literature they include are selected to be models for writing. So there may be more memoirs, or short stories, or speeches than in other grades, and those aren’t “books”.

Excerpts are not the same as short stories. Memoirs are books. It’s a common complaint that English classes at too many schools are only reading excerpts and students are never given actual books to read.

Even if they are only focused on 1 or 2 excerpts they’re better off reading the whole book, a book not on screen.

Memoirs come in all different lengths. Given that students in the English 101, which is a composition class, aren't usually writing book length pieces, it's not uncommon for them to be reading things that model the length they are writing, which includes short memoirs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She was probably hoping for some "new" suggestions.
I had a list of books to check out for my elementary age kids and NONE of them were at the public library. The children's librarian said, and I am not making this up, "We try to stick to 21st-century books here."

Public librarian here. If that’s how she said it, I can see how it would come off as snarky. But we are 25 years into the 21st century, and you’d be shocked at how quickly all but the most popular children’s books go out of print. Most things can’t be replaced when they wear out.

And even for things in good condition, public libraries need to clear things out to make space for new things. If it’s not being checked out, we don’t keep it.

I applaud any teacher who tries to keep reading lists up to date. It’s shocking how often kids come in with a list provided by their teacher and the newest book is from the teacher’s first year teaching. The older the book, the less likely we’ll have a copy - for the reasons already mentioned.

I've been going to this library for 15 years. I never had a problem before finding anything I needed. The shelves were full and many of the books, while old, were that unmistakeable "library binding".
Around 2021 they completely purged their collection. Most of the shelves are half-empty now and all the books are brand new with gleaming dust jackets. It's like walking into a bookstore that needs restocking.
This goes for the adult section and the kids. I can order whatever I am looking for but kids especially like to browse and maybe read the first few pages which is impossible now.
I understand the need to get rid of damaged book or to make room but again, the shelves are half empty. They are filling them up with framed pictures of library memes so it doesn't look so weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is taking 11th grade DE through FCPS and they haven't read even one book. 9th grader in honors also hasn't read one book. Just "excerpts". Honestly, its very disappointing.

This is true in DCPS as well. 8th grade at Deal, no books this year. My older child is at JR. They also barely read. My kids do read on their own, especially the younger one who is very advanced in reading and bored at school. the older one is busy with APs, including lang.

Reading at home is not the same as reading together as a class. Discussing the book in class, working in groups. It’s typically a major part of an English class. What has replaced reading books as a class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow thought Orwell’s Animal Farm eas read by everyone, specially a teacher.

No, why would you think that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow thought Orwell’s Animal Farm eas read by everyone, specially a teacher.

No, why would you think that?

Don't gaslight people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a bizarre thing to be upset about.

This.

The canon is huge and an individual doesn’t need to read all of it to be well read. Sounds like she’s well aware who he was and what he wrote.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow thought Orwell’s Animal Farm eas read by everyone, specially a teacher.

No, why would you think that?

Perhaps, the PP thinks that because they are narrow minded. There is no single book that "everyone" reads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow thought Orwell’s Animal Farm eas read by everyone, specially a teacher.

No, why would you think that?

Perhaps, the PP thinks that because they are narrow minded. There is no single book that "everyone" reads.

More like hipster condescending. There are a few books that almost every American old enough to be a parent read. Animal Farm, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Gatsby.