Dilemma: English for next year--British, American, or combine?

[StaceyL in Canada]

Despite my plans of long past to do Great Books with my boys, that never worked out. My oldest ended up attending private Christian school for grade 12, where he did have an excellent English instructor, fortunately. My second son will be doing the same next year. I will be left with son #3, who will be in grade 10, and son #4, grade 5.

 

My dilemma: what to cover? Last year, when son #3 was in grade 9, I taught a co-op English lit class with 5 students, including him. We spent the first part of the year using Windows to the World to learn about literary analysis via short stories, then ended with a couple of novels and a play. Despite WW, however, most of the kids still struggle mightily with writing a literary analysis essay. I would like to offer another co-op English class this coming year, but I'm uncertain what to cover. I had been thinking British lit, with the thought of covering some American lit next year (assuming son #3 will still be at home). I'm uncertain, though, about the following questions:

 

1) Would it be best to spend one year on British, then the next on American (maybe some Canadian)--or to mix it up and have some each both years? One reason I'm thinking of a mixture is because I really like Progeny Press's poetry course, which covers a mix, and would like to use that next year as part of the course of study.

 

2) Is there any particular curriculum worth following, or should I just "wing it"? I do have LLATL Gold, both the British and the American books. I also am familiar with/ use the Teaching the Classics socratic approach. What about Hewitt's British lit courses?

 

3) How far back should we go with British lit? LLATL Gold covers Romantics, Victorians, and Early Modern. Much as I enjoy older lit, I'm not sure how accessible it would be to these students who had a hard time with 19th-20th C. lit last year. Should I fit in a Shakespeare play? If so, when? Might it be best to try doing different units throughout the year--say, Shakepeare; some novels; and poetry interspersed throughout? Or should I just pass on the Shakepeare at this point, since my own son is familiar with a few of the Bard's plays, and will likely encounter yet one more if/ when he heads to school for gr 12 (and I'm no Shakespeare expert)?

 

4) What material would you ideally like to see covered in British and American lit, remembering that time is limited and the students have not covered much literature so far? I like LoriD's "smorgasbord" plan, but am still not sure exactly what to pick out of such a list.

 

Maybe I've bitten off more than I can chew. I've taught many co-op classes over the years, but only two high school level it courses. One was Literary Lessons from the Lord of the Rings--good, but I'm not inclined to revisit it, as I'm not that much of a LOTR fan. The other was last year's, as mentioned above. So each time, I've had some sort of curriculum/ guide to hold my hand at least part of the way. I'm a little leery of just plunging into assorted books sans guide or plan, despite my own background in literature. Any thoughts/ ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.

[StaceyL in Canada]

...

[Storm Bay]

My thoughts. If you're in Canada you really need to include some Canadian lit. If you spend a year on British, then American with some Canadian, I strongly urge you to do at least fifty percent of that year on Canadian lit, especially if your ds is going to go to university or college in Canada. But even if he isn't he should if he's Canadian or living there.

 

I don't have any suggestions for a good guide. We're following the WEM method. It doesn't include all lit, but has so much good info & questions to be asked. Here is a link someone here gave me, since I plan to incorporate some Canadian lit into our high school reading plan at some point (or perhaps some each year.) http://reviewcanada.ca/reviews/2006/01/01/the-lrc-100-canada-s-most-important-books/ Anne of Green Gables is already on our list for this fall as we're going to finish the books in Stobaugh's Skills for Literary Analysis book, but with our own system derived from WEM, tips from Nan in Mass et al and what I determine to be a good fit. It's the only Canadian one in it, but it's also number 11 on that link I pasted in here.

[MicheleinMN]

No ideas for you, but, as always, I would love to see what you do decide to do!

 

I'm struggling with a similar problem in that I don't know what to do for literature this coming year. Modern, American, British....how to decide? How many books to cover? How to cover them? And I only have my 2 high school students to consider.

 

I'm looking at Kolbe's 12th grade literature plans, but my dc have already read some of the books.

 

Wishing you the best in your decisions.

[StaceyL in Canada]

My thoughts. If you're in Canada you really need to include some Canadian lit. If you spend a year on British, then American with some Canadian, I strongly urge you to do at least fifty percent of that year on Canadian lit, especially if your ds is going to go to university or college in Canada. But even if he isn't he should if he's Canadian or living there.

 

I don't have any suggestions for a good guide. We're following the WEM method. It doesn't include all lit, but has so much good info & questions to be asked. Here is a link someone here gave me, since I plan to incorporate some Canadian lit into our high school reading plan at some point (or perhaps some each year.) http://reviewcanada.ca/reviews/2006/01/01/the-lrc-100-canada-s-most-important-books/ Anne of Green Gables is already on our list for this fall as we're going to finish the books in Stobaugh's Skills for Literary Analysis book, but with our own system derived from WEM, tips from Nan in Mass et al and what I determine to be a good fit. It's the only Canadian one in it, but it's also number 11 on that link I pasted in here.

 

 

 

Thanks for the thoughts. As you might notice from that list of 100, very few are actually fiction/ novels. Proud as I am to be a Canadian, I have to confess that I really do not like most Canadian lit. It really only "came of age" in the mid-20th C, and mostly in the secular/ feminist/ hetero- and homo-sexually graphic/ dark and despairing mode typical of modernist lit. Fifth Business by Davies might be a read, from what I recall; but I would have to reread in order to ensure that it's appropriate for teens. Atwood is often offered as "independent study" in grade 12, but popular as she is, I find that her books tend to be page-turners without anything much worthwhile on the next page : ) Black Robe by Moore (not sure if that was on the list) is a deeply moving story--we watched the film version last year as part of Canadian history, with two scenes quickly cut--but the novel,which I also read, contains highly graphic language --for valid reasons, but still not, I think, appropriate for teens. I was thinking of possibly including The Life of Pi, which I taught in a freshman university course a few years ago--postmodern and strangely compelling. But again, if I teach this as a course with other hs'ers involved, I would have to be *very* careful re my selections.

 

Hence my preference to focus on "the classics"--not that they are all upbeat and cheery, but I think they are more "foundational" to subsequent lit, whether Canadian or other.

 

Further, my plans are to cover lit for grades 10 and 11 (the next two years) with son #3; but then most likely he will head to school for grade 12, where there might be the option of covering some Canadian lit. We don't have much time left at home, and I do want to ensure that my son has read at least a few of the "greats", even if they are specifically British and American.

[Susan C.]

We are doing World Literature in 10th grade, American in 11th, British in 12th.

 

This is child #2. British Lit. was challenging for us with #1, glad it was in 12th!

[Storm Bay]

Thanks for the thoughts. As you might notice from that list of 100, very few are actually fiction/ novels. Proud as I am to be a Canadian, I have to confess that I really do not like most Canadian lit..

:iagree: I just found a list someone sent me once when I asked for suggestions from Heather in Savannah. Here's a quote from her post on that thread:

I remember reading Margaret Laurence, Margaret Atwood, Farley Mowat, and lots of others in highschool. They were grim books. Here are some Canadian books which I think might be a good substitute:

The King's Daughter - Suzanne Martel

Rebellion - Marianne Brandis (she has written a number of books)

Anything written by the Moodie sisters or Connie Brummel Crook.

These suggestions are all Canadian historical fiction if that is helpful.

 

Anne of Green Gables isn't grim, and it's a whole series. Some of those books are better than others, but the first 3 or 4 and the last 1 or 2 were pretty good. At any rate, I'm going to use these suggestions when I get there.

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24425 This is the thread. At least one of Eliana's suggestions, Stephen Leacock, is not dark. Also, Farley Mowatt does have a couple of funny ones that aren't so bad, but those are mostly kid's books like Owls in the Family.

[StaceyL in Canada]

:iagree: I just found a list someone sent me once when I asked for suggestions from Heather in Savannah. Here's a quote from her post on that thread:

I remember reading Margaret Laurence, Margaret Atwood, Farley Mowat, and lots of others in highschool. They were grim books. Here are some Canadian books which I think might be a good substitute:

The King's Daughter - Suzanne Martel

Rebellion - Marianne Brandis (she has written a number of books)

Anything written by the Moodie sisters or Connie Brummel Crook.

These suggestions are all Canadian historical fiction if that is helpful.

 

Anne of Green Gables isn't grim, and it's a whole series. Some of those books are better than others, but the first 3 or 4 and the last 1 or 2 were pretty good. At any rate, I'm going to use these suggestions when I get there.

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24425 This is the thread. At least one of Eliana's suggestions, Stephen Leacock, is not dark. Also, Farley Mowatt does have a couple of funny ones that aren't so bad, but those are mostly kid's books like Owls in the Family.

 

The books Heather suggested (except the Moodie sisters) really are not high school level material--but much of Canadian lit which is used in high school classes is indeed grim, cynical, dark. That isn't to say grim, cynical, and dark books should never be read--after all Fahrenheit 451 and 1984 or staples on high school reading lists too. But it's the all too often sexually graphic language or scenes in these Canadian novels which troubles me as material for high school kids. They really are adult novels and most high school students are not yet at that stage when they can read such material in the right light. And--dare I confess it--I find too much Canadian fiction just plain dull : )

[Storm Bay]

The books Heather suggested (except the Moodie sisters) really are not high school level material--but much of Canadian lit which is used in high school classes is indeed grim, cynical, dark. That isn't to say grim, cynical, and dark books should never be read--after all Fahrenheit 451 and 1984 or staples on high school reading lists too. But it's the all too often sexually graphic language or scenes in these Canadian novels which troubles me as material for high school kids. They really are adult novels and most high school students are not yet at that stage when they can read such material in the right light. And--dare I confess it--I find too much Canadian fiction just plain dull : )

 

 

Good point. I read many books in hs that weren't on a hs level because I read what was around the house. I don't remember Leacock being a hard to read book, though, and he was on Eliana's list. I haven't actually looked at Heather's suggestions yet, but saved the thread in my hs lit folder for future reference. I'm more concerned about content and stories not being really dark than I am about reading level by the time we will get to later hs. Would you be able to use any of those by the time your ds number 3 is a year or two older? Is it reading level or content that you think is too adult in those? I ask, because they are authors I don't remember reading.

 

While I think Canadians ought to study Canadian lit at some point, even the occasional dark one, the age in question might be different. My parents didn't pay attention to the same things you and I are paying attention to, so I read many dark novels, such as those by Margaret Lawrence (sp?), and things like The Tin Flute. My mother reads a lot of Canadian lit, so there was plenty on the shelves.

[StaceyL in Canada]

...is what concerns me. I studied lit in university, including Canadian lit, and by that point I could deal with the darkness/ dreariness of most of the content. However, I was a girl very interested in language and literature; I'm now dealing with teenage boys who couldn't care less. I know that these sorts of novels exploring the female psyche, or the immigrant experience, or the ethnic immigrant black female psyche, or whatever, just will not crab their interest, and once again I will be faced with reactions of "booooring!" Of course, they could well find many "classics" boring too, but I think they have a better chance of relating to, say, Great Expectations in British lit, or Huckleberry Finn, or even Moby Dick, in American lit.

[StaceyL in Canada]

When I said that the novels Heather suggested were not high school level material,I meant they are actually for a younger audience, not an older one. Meanwhile, the Canadian lit that one hears about through the media--Margaret Atwood et al--is for a more mature adult audience. Very hard to find anything in between.

[Storm Bay]

When I said that the novels Heather suggested were not high school level material,I meant they are actually for a younger audience, not an older one. Meanwhile, the Canadian lit that one hears about through the media--Margaret Atwood et al--is for a more mature adult audience. Very hard to find anything in between.

 

 

Thanks! It's tough, isn't it. I loathe Margaret Atwood's writing. There has to be something somewhere. But then, perhaps the Canadian publishing industry likes that kind of stuff.