Reflection 12/04

We should continue to teach literary fiction but not so exclusively. I think this because while it’s good to have some experience with the “classics”, it doesn’t have to be everything that we read in school. For someone who doesn’t like to read, their dislike is only heightened because of the books the school chooses. Books in school should inspire us to read, yet in a way they are almost discouraging. It becomes a chore, especially with the amount of work tied into reading it. I think that more genre fiction should be added to the list. I also think that there should be more student choice in the books we read or maybe even a vote to decide. If we have a say in what we read, it’ll only make the experience better. I’m not saying that we should switch out Of Mice and Men for Twilight, I’m just saying that we could switch it out for a book that was popular in the more recent times so that the students can either relate to what they’re reading or actually enjoy what the school requires. I know, for me at least, it’s rare for me to say, “I can’t wait to get home and read my English book!” Yet with the changing of a couple classics and swapping them out for something more relatable, might change my whole outlook completely. Who knows? Maybe I’ll look forward to my next English book.