Jean in Newcastle Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 This year ds13 read "The Jungle" by Sinclair Lewis. We both agree that we detest this book. But we also agree that it had some very important themes that led to some interesting discussions. I'm glad that I assigned it. I also assigned "To Kill a Mockingbird" that we both agree that we like very much. Again, important themes and interesting discussions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 (edited) I was ready to tell you that of course I do, but then I thought of Gulliver's Travels which I detest and don't think it's important enough to assign. Oh and there's that book that my sil loves to assign to her 11th graders that I can't stand. I let my ds graduate without suffering through it. Oh and I don't like Austin and never made ds read those. I'll quit now and reevaluate my literature plans and my qualifications to teach them. ;) Edited February 23, 2011 by Karen in CO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theYoungerMrsWarde Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I would do it at least one time as a practice in self-discipline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiebird Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I'm about to because I detest Hemingway, but I think it's important for my son to know about Old Man and the Sea and A Farewell to Arms. Just so he'll be in on the joke when DH and I occasionally add, "In the rain," to each other's sentences when someone is way too brief with an answer. Actually, the reference thing does play a big hand in what books we choose for the kids. Even in animated shows, there are huge literary references or tribute shows where you have to know something about the source material to get the joke. You wouldn't believe how many lit-refs there are on the Simpsons :lol: and I'm not even the one that really watches that show! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Elliot Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Yes, regularly. And you know what? Sometimes they love the ones I couldn't stand. As you said, the themes make for valuable discussion, and while I might not enjoy the book, the discussion is usually quite enjoyable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photo Ninja Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I have assigned books that I don't personally like. Sometimes my dc like the book, and other times they don't. That's okay. There is value to the books I assign even if I don't care for the literature. I don't expect my dc to like all the literature they read. But it is still worth reading and understanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I tried not to b/c I'm so opinionated I was afraid I would spoil certain books for my dc. It all worked out... Anne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I was already to tell you that of course I do, but then I thought of Gulliver's Travels which I detest and don't think it's important enough to assign. Oh and there's that book that my sil loves to assign to her 11th graders that I can't stand. I let my ds graduate without suffering through it. Oh and I don't like Austin and never made ds read those. I'll quit now and reevaluate my literature plans and my qualifications to teach them. ;) UGH!! Gulliver's Travels!! I wish the Lilliputians would have killed him, so that I wouldn't have to read parts 2 and 3! :lol: I'm not sure I would have started it, had I known how painful it would be.. shh, don't tell me kids, they seem to like it! Ah! Now, I love The Jungle. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Sometimes, sometimes not. Sometimes they seem tedious to me and I am reluctant to assign them (or read them aloud) and they are a hit, such as Ivanhoe which I would never have dreamed my kids would have loved and I probably wouldn't have got through myself- I got through it only because they were enjoying it, which helped me enjoy it. I am not sure I would have even made it through The Lord of the Rings if it weren't for my kids so I try not to go on my own propensity alone! The Brendan Voyage- assigned on Ambleside and which we read- great hit for my kids because they are both sailors, and really not that interesting to me but I read it to them. Truth is we didn't get to many classics because we didn't get through highschool, but I tended to assign according to whether I felt my kids would enjoy it, to a large degree. There are a lot of classics out there and no, I didn't assign Pride and Prejudice to my son. My dd did not love it either but she did develop some appreciation for it. I have a friend who wouldn't assign any Dickens to her 2 daughters because she detests Dickens- which I always felt was a bit of a shame. I think one of the reasons I love homeschooling is being exposed to so many things i would otherwise not expose myself to- including many classics. BUt I am sure I have been influenced by my own interests in what we studied, for sure. I am only sad we didn't get to read more or that my dd in particular was not more of a reader. I wanted her to love Jane Eyre and Tess of the D'Urbavilles the way I did at school. I wanted my son to read David Copperfield. We never got to them and I doubt they will ever read them on their own except perhaps later in life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I do once in a while. The greater issue for me is that Dh is teaching the boys Visual Basic programming and I am not only tech challenged, but generally not fond of computers. They yammer on and on about what they are doing while I try to pull the corners of my face into some semblance of "not quite completely indifferent". But, the killer is if Dh asks me to "check" how many frames of animation ds has coded that day! 'Really, are you really going to ask me to find this out? Are you really going to make me check on this? Do I ask you to correct dd's fingering on a Bach Fugue or the Sibelious Concerto she is learning? Do I? HUH???" I can't stand Hemingway either, Prairiebird, and I do think I should assign one of his novels. It's going to be a real challenge to keep my apathy under wraps! Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiffnkids Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 For all you Hemingway haters . . . I really liked The Sun Also Rises. So if you feel inclined to assign Hemingway, I would recommend it. I disliked Old Man and was luke-warm about Farewell, but I read The Sun Also Rises (and it wasn't even assigned;) and I really loved it! That said, I'm not a Joyce fan (unless I have insomnia and need to fall asleep ASAP)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Nope, I gave my teens a list of American lit, a list of British lit and a list of world lit and had them pick one per month of school year for three high school years. For 9th grade they were allowed to pick whatever they wanted. They are better read than their father who was a lit. major. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2bee Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Removed by the Author. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 When I was teaching in school, absolutely not. But I could assume they would have different teachers... SO... that's a good question. My kids are too young to get assigned the sort of heavy classics reading yet, but I refuse to read aloud a book I don't enjoy at least on some level. When they're older, I'll probably push them to read examples of literature that fits into various styles, time periods, perspectives - but allow them some choice on the matter. So, yes, I would probably offer the choice of books I didn't actually like myself. They're allowed to form their own opinions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebug42 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I have decided that it is more important for my daughters to love to read than be forced to read anything. I give them some choice in the matter. I have put out books that I wouldn't necessarily read myself if given the choice but they like them. I personally could do without the entire fantasy genre but it is my daughter's favorite so I can't pass it up completely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 My dd is still pretty young but I would assign books I didn't like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Yes, I have, although I have also sometimes substituted books that were on a similar theme or set in a similar time for one that I thought was not as interesting. DS had to read A Tale of Two Cities earlier this year, and that was a book I had tried earlier and couldn't get into, but we ended up reading together and I enjoyed it. Plus I "got" a lot of references that I hadn't known where they came from before. OTOH, I took a look at Conrad's Heart of Darkness and decided no way, so I subbed A Nun's Story for it, which I had read before and liked. I wouldn't totally dismiss an assigned book unless I knew there was something really objectionable about it, or it was really tedious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Ds is reading Huckleberry Finn right now :lol: Dd has "The Most Boring Fish Story Ever" on her list for next year. You may know it by its other title, "Moby Dick." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Yes, just because I didn't enjoy a book doesn't mean that they won't enjoy it. Plus-some books are just part of a given culture and to understand them is part of understanding the culture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Yup. Because I love some classics that most people can't stand- The Sound and the Fury, for one- and I loathe some books that most people love. Like anything by Mark Twain. I'm not going to dictate my dd's literary tastes according to my own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I did not assign Austen novels - not because I don't like it but because my ds would have dragged through it forever. He did watch "Emma" by Austen and enjoyed it actually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Ah! Now, I love The Jungle. :) The Jungle is one of those books that really make you appreciate what you have. I read it every decade or so if I'm feeling down about my job. It would be a great job for career counselors to assign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoradoMom Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 No - life is just way to short for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Nope, I gave my teens a list of American lit, a list of British lit and a list of world lit and had them pick one per month of school year for three high school years. For 9th grade they were allowed to pick whatever they wanted. They are better read than their father who was a lit. major. Now that is a terrific idea. I remember in high school having a list of books to choose from each year and a type of paper to write about it. Hmm. Now, I'm really rethinking. Especially since my ds hated Tolkien when we did the Lord of the Rings study just because it was assigned. When he picked it up on his own, he loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Nope. If she wants to read them she can, but there are some books I will never slog through again for any reason. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I detest both Gulliver and Moby Dick. For crying out loud, go home you crabby old geezer!!! But over the past year, I did force myself to finish Mody uh, 30 years after I was supposed to have read it. (Why, thank you oblivious English teacher for only caring if we found the three major themes!!) So yes, I do plan on making my kids read stuff that isn't good but is classic. :D Actually, I look forward to it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Nope, I gave my teens a list of American lit, a list of British lit and a list of world lit and had them pick one per month of school year for three high school years. For 9th grade they were allowed to pick whatever they wanted. They are better read than their father who was a lit. major. Smart! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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