How many assigned books in 8th this semester?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread makes me so relieved that I left FCPS, but so sad for the kids still in the system. This year, my 7th grader has already read The Outsiders, Nothing but the Truth, and Monster, and he has already written two 3 page papers and another three 5 paragraph essays on these books. They're about to start reading The Poet X, and then Animal Farm and MacBeth. All of these were whole class novels, complete with socratic seminars and other full class discussions. I can see why regular 7th and 8th grade English might not be able to do the same, but Honors and AAP absolutely should have this level of rigor.

My homeschooled 7th grader has read many of the books you listed and has also written essays for each book.

Yeah but without the class discussion.

How do you know they didn’t discuss it in a co-op or online group? This group is so close-minded.

[Anonymous]

Is The Giver a good choice for 7th graders?

[Anonymous]

Enough hand-wringing over “the classics”. Fwiw I *love* the classics and have read many on my own time since elementary school and I am now reading annotated versions of books I read a few decades ago. But my love did NOT arise from English class. If anything, English class could have killed it because it was *so boring* discussing these books with classmates who clearly did not give a F.

Let students pick from a variety of books, modern and classic, written by a diverse set of authors about diverse themes. If they don’t enjoy what they are reading, why will they put energy into analyzing it? I do put a hard stop at Harry Potter though - the prose is so poor it makes my brain hurt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread makes me so relieved that I left FCPS, but so sad for the kids still in the system. This year, my 7th grader has already read The Outsiders, Nothing but the Truth, and Monster, and he has already written two 3 page papers and another three 5 paragraph essays on these books. They're about to start reading The Poet X, and then Animal Farm and MacBeth. All of these were whole class novels, complete with socratic seminars and other full class discussions. I can see why regular 7th and 8th grade English might not be able to do the same, but Honors and AAP absolutely should have this level of rigor.

That’s interesting. My FCPS 7th grader also read The Outsiders this year. So sorry you left for private? Hefty price tag.

No. Public in another state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Enough hand-wringing over “the classics”. Fwiw I *love* the classics and have read many on my own time since elementary school and I am now reading annotated versions of books I read a few decades ago. But my love did NOT arise from English class. If anything, English class could have killed it because it was *so boring* discussing these books with classmates who clearly did not give a F.

Let students pick from a variety of books, modern and classic, written by a diverse set of authors about diverse themes. If they don’t enjoy what they are reading, why will they put energy into analyzing it? I do put a hard stop at Harry Potter though - the prose is so poor it makes my brain hurt.

I think most of the hand-wringing here is that they’re not being assigned any books at all, classics or otherwise. Not are they really being taught to write well. No spelling, no vocabulary, very little grammar. I honestly have no idea what middle school English is all about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid has read several in AAP throughout the years but I notice that they don’t seem to read the classics anymore. Do they even do that in HS?

We read the classics in middle school growing up because the concept of young adult literature was in its infancy. Today we have access to high quality literature written for teens. Yes, my high school counterparts still have students read the classics. I still read some classic short stories with my students and offer up a few classics when we do literature circles. When we did vertical articulation with the high school, they asked us to pull a few titles we were offering so that they could use them in 9th and 10th. Many of the classics are still available for students to check out in our school library and the librarians are more than willing to borrow any from high schools if a student asks for suggestions.

Many students won’t willingly read a classic if they have to check it out of the library. At least one a year should be assigned and the whole class reads it.

Why should a 12 year old be forced to read a classic? Whole class novels should not be assigned anymore. It is no longer best practice and has not been for at least 10 years. Studies show that readers are built by giving them access to books, CHOICE in what they read, and a purpose for reading.

There is a place for choice. There is a place for reading something someone more experienced than you assigns, especially if you wouldn't have chosen it yourself. There is also a place for analyzing a well-know, well-written, highly acclaimed, historic work of literature as an educational setting. Bonus if people in the room react to the novel in disparate ways, engendering discussion of the rise of the novel and the place of novels in culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid has read several in AAP throughout the years but I notice that they don’t seem to read the classics anymore. Do they even do that in HS?

We read the classics in middle school growing up because the concept of young adult literature was in its infancy. Today we have access to high quality literature written for teens. Yes, my high school counterparts still have students read the classics. I still read some classic short stories with my students and offer up a few classics when we do literature circles. When we did vertical articulation with the high school, they asked us to pull a few titles we were offering so that they could use them in 9th and 10th. Many of the classics are still available for students to check out in our school library and the librarians are more than willing to borrow any from high schools if a student asks for suggestions.

Many students won’t willingly read a classic if they have to check it out of the library. At least one a year should be assigned and the whole class reads it.

Why should a 12 year old be forced to read a classic? Whole class novels should not be assigned anymore. It is no longer best practice and has not been for at least 10 years. Studies show that readers are built by giving them access to books, CHOICE in what they read, and a purpose for reading.

There is a place for choice. There is a place for reading something someone more experienced than you assigns, especially if you wouldn't have chosen it yourself. There is also a place for analyzing a well-know, well-written, highly acclaimed, historic work of literature as an educational setting. Bonus if people in the room react to the novel in disparate ways, engendering discussion of the rise of the novel and the place of novels in culture.

Agree, and this place should be your FCPS school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is The Giver a good choice for 7th graders?

My daughter read it with her 5th grade class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is The Giver a good choice for 7th graders?

I think so.