I love literature.
I like reading classics. Some of my top ten favorite books are classics. Jane Eyre is one of my favorite of all time books. I get lost in the language of Sense and Sensibility. The Scarlet Letter taught me so much. I fell in love with Macbeth in tenth grade English Lit. The only time in my entire school career that I had a good English teacher. Walden, Thoreau, Plath…….have moved me to tears reading them.
This lead me to the book I just read. LIT UP by David Denby.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I agree with the synopsis that a great teacher is key. Let teachers teach with their heart, let them teach for teaching, not for testing or grades, but for knowledge and personal growth. How the teacher gets there adequately should be primarily up to the teacher, in my opinion. This book portrays teachers who are ‘all in’. It’s just amazing. My personal favorite part of the book was reading the parts about the students. Obviously I love reading a book about reading books! I also love the idea of teaching kids to read classics, old literature, and really dive into them. I do believe it is a necessary part of educating the whole child.
That being said, I do read a lot of young adult books that are current, and so extremely well written, that I do not think they are all garbage. Some of them are, for sure. Some make me cringe! I think there is a place for both types of books. If the only way to get a child to start a love of books is with a current popular book, as long as they are reading, I’m pretty happy. Just don’t leave them there. Push them to then read out of their comfort zone by trying a piece of literature they may never have considered. Reading the teaching methods in this book made me just smile over and over. Gave me such hope. Also we do not give enough credit to teachers.
My joke for when I have to read a book I do not particularly want to is ‘ I feel like I’m in high school and I’m dividing how many pages to read a night so I can get through it!’ This happens because I have read with people, in book clubs, much older than I am and much younger than I am with differing tastes in books. Both of these groups have brought me to read books I never would have looked at before, let alone read. I don’t always enjoy the read, but I usually learn something, and have found myself conversing about them down the road. I believe the same is true for classic literature reads in middle school and especially high school. A better well-rounded person does come from reading outside of your comfort zone or initial understanding. The introduction of classic literature with a good teacher is essential to this outcome. You may just create in a child the sheer love of this type of reading. You for sure with create a good student of life.
Although I wish there was more of the kids in the book and less of the author, I would recommend this book. So head to the library or the bookstore and pick up a copy. I need to figure out a way to find my old English teacher and send him a copy.
Contrary to popular belief, I know a ton of kids who love to read and are addicted to books. Not every kid is an electronic kid only. I fully believe books are making a big comeback and I have seen more kids who read than those who do not read in the middle school and high school age groups lately. This brings me so much joy.
The kids are alright.
Peace.
