wagingpeace Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 Hello, If you are familiar with both the regular and the kids' version of "How to Read Literature Like a Professor," which one would you use for a student in grade 9? I am not so much worried about the mature content, but the kids' version is a lot shorter, which is kind of appealing to me. Any insights as to the difference between the two? Also, how did you use this book? Just read and discuss? Or something more formal? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama25angels Posted May 29, 2018 Share Posted May 29, 2018 Bump! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilaclady Posted May 29, 2018 Share Posted May 29, 2018 For a strong student I will recommend the regular but with a caveat to look at some chapters that deals with sex etc. even my dd’s AP Lit teacher who assigned the text did tell the parents to pretend those to make sure it was appropriate. The children’s version isn’t really good and does not do as good a job for a high school student. It will be good for a middle school student. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted May 29, 2018 Share Posted May 29, 2018 We used the regular version. Since DD did it in the fall with the plan of taking college English in the Spring, it seemed a better fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagingpeace Posted May 30, 2018 Author Share Posted May 30, 2018 15 hours ago, Lilaclady said: For a strong student I will recommend the regular but with a caveat to look at some chapters that deals with sex etc. even my dd’s AP Lit teacher who assigned the text did tell the parents to pretend those to make sure it was appropriate. The children’s version isn’t really good and does not do as good a job for a high school student. It will be good for a middle school student. Thank you for your input! Did your daughter's teacher just have the kids read it, and then keep an eye out for when they saw the various techniques in literature that they read, or did they do any assignments or class discussion about it? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagingpeace Posted May 30, 2018 Author Share Posted May 30, 2018 14 hours ago, dmmetler said: We used the regular version. Since DD did it in the fall with the plan of taking college English in the Spring, it seemed a better fit. Thanks, that's helpful. Did your daughter just read it and absorb it, or did you discuss it together, or something else...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 We read and discussed, and applied to short selections and wrote a few essays. She also did an 8 week online class on literary elements in Harry Potter-an easy read for her, but a good one to pick apart at the same time. I think it ended up being somewhat redundant with the class she took in the Spring, but I’d rather err on the side of too much than too little. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilaclady Posted May 31, 2018 Share Posted May 31, 2018 12 hours ago, wagingpeace said: Thank you for your input! Did your daughter's teacher just have the kids read it, and then keep an eye out for when they saw the various techniques in literature that they read, or did they do any assignments or class discussion about it? Thanks! They read it a summer read before the class startered and then applied them during the class when they are reading the literature selections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deerforest Posted June 1, 2018 Share Posted June 1, 2018 We used the kid version in 5th or 6th so I wouldn't use it in high school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschoolmom3 Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 The adult version would be fine but I just deleted or had him skip the inappropriate parts. Uhh... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arliemaria Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 11 minutes ago, Homeschoolmom3 said: The adult version would be fine but I just deleted or had him skip the inappropriate parts. Uhh... What sections would you say are inappropriate? I have this book on the shelf, but it has been a long time since I’ve read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bocky Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 I have both the regular and the young readers’ editions. The young readers’ edition has substantially the same ideas, with the text shortened and simplified, and some of the examples drawing on children’s literature. For example, chapter one (Every Trip Is A Quest (Except When It’s Not)) starts with the same hypothetical example of a quest story, explains the elements, then breaks down an example of a quest story. The regular version uses The Crying of Lot 49 and the young reader’s uses How the Grinch Stole Christmas (which I think is the only picture book used; mostly it’s works like Gaiman’s Graveyard Book). Chapter three, Nice to Eat You: Acts of Vampires, the young reader’s edition is perhaps a third the size and only discusses Joyce’s “Daisy Miller”. The regular discusses Dracula and The Turn of the Screw as well as “Daisy Miller”, and how Victorian era writers used monsters symbolically to invoke sexuality. The young reader’s edition does not include chapters 11 (violence), and 14 (Christ figures), 15 (flying=freedom), 16 (sex), 17 (sex), and 18 (baptism). How we used the books: DD16’s PS 10th grade English teacher recommended her class read the regular version. I think DD (who doesn’t like English very much) read the parts on the themes she wanted to discuss in her essays. She rates it two thumbs up, and would have been fine reading it in 9th grade too. In contrast, I gave DD14 the young reader’s edition. She read a chapter a day and we discussed the concept and how it might be applied to both her literature reading and to books she knows well. I encouraged her to use her insights in her literature response papers. It was both fun and useful for her. DD14 has preferred to keep things light this year. She isn’t interested in engaging in heavy themes – To Kill A Mockingbird was the level she was comfortable with; no Lord of the Flies for her. The young reader’s edition worked well for her at this time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 Since my goal for a high school student would be to read literature for grownups, I would have them read the full version because they would need to learn to interpret grownup themes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 3 hours ago, Bocky said: DD14 has preferred to keep things light this year. She isn’t interested in engaging in heavy themes – To Kill A Mockingbird was the level she was comfortable with; no Lord of the Flies for her. I am very puzzled: domestic violence, a false rape accusation, racism, a lynch mob, and the death of an innocent are "keeping things light"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bocky Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 Very true! Sorry not to be clear. To Kill A Mockingbird was not an example of lighter reading but the most heart-wrenching of the books DD read for modern lit this year. It was the straw that broke the camel's back, and it inspired DD to rebel against our booklist and forcefully request some more upbeat reading. Fortunately the hive came through with lots of great recommendations as I scrambled to reorganize. Her favorite book from this year ended up being The Mouse That Roared. I do agree that the full version of How To Read Literature is a good choice for most high schoolers. But the young reader's edition also was good short version for a more sensitive soul. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagingpeace Posted June 5, 2018 Author Share Posted June 5, 2018 Thank you so much, everyone, for sharing your experiences and recommendations. Based on your feedback, I'll probably go with the grown-up version. I'm still not sure exactly how to schedule it in. Maybe we will read it together and discuss it. Thanks again! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted June 6, 2018 Share Posted June 6, 2018 We skipped it and went with the Art of Reading lectures from The Great Courses instead. It was a favorite with all of us! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 On 6/2/2018 at 1:54 PM, Bocky said: Very true! Sorry not to be clear. To Kill A Mockingbird was not an example of lighter reading but the most heart-wrenching of the books DD read for modern lit this year. It was the straw that broke the camel's back, and it inspired DD to rebel against our booklist and forcefully request some more upbeat reading. Fortunately the hive came through with lots of great recommendations as I scrambled to reorganize. Her favorite book from this year ended up being The Mouse That Roared. I do agree that the full version of How To Read Literature is a good choice for most high schoolers. But the young reader's edition also was good short version for a more sensitive soul. I will be in this position -- modern era with a sensitive soul -- in the next year or two; could you share your booklist or maybe link the thread(s) that really helped you? If you'd prefer I can start another thread with that question or PM you for it. OP, thank you for asking this on the board: I am learning a good deal about the resources -- the sensitive/not-so-sensitive axis wouldn't have occurred to me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bocky Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 On 6/6/2018 at 6:43 PM, serendipitous journey said: I will be in this position -- modern era with a sensitive soul -- in the next year or two; could you share your booklist or maybe link the thread(s) that really helped you? If you'd prefer I can start another thread with that question or PM you for it. OP, thank you for asking this on the board: I am learning a good deal about the resources -- the sensitive/not-so-sensitive axis wouldn't have occurred to me. My thread was https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/663447-funnyuplifting-20th-century-reading-for-8th-grade/ . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bocky Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 On 6/5/2018 at 12:05 PM, wagingpeace said: Thank you so much, everyone, for sharing your experiences and recommendations. Based on your feedback, I'll probably go with the grown-up version. I'm still not sure exactly how to schedule it in. Maybe we will read it together and discuss it. Thanks again! One option for scheduling, Build Your Library 9 (9th grade) includes How To Read Lit. It is scheduled for one chapter a week. BYL 9 has a workbook-style study guide with focusing questions (2 to 6 per chapter) with space for the student to write answers. For example, for chapter 2, one of the three prompts is "Write a list of all the things that eating in literature can represent." There is no answer sheet. Discussing each chapter worked well for us. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janeway Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 My son's high school AP class is using the "For Kids" version. I have looked it over. It seems kiddish. So, I figure...well, it IS the public school. Homeschoolers are usually way ahead of public schoolers. But, just know that the "for kids" version is being used in AP classes for public high school. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 On 6/8/2018 at 12:54 PM, Bocky said: One option for scheduling, Build Your Library 9 (9th grade) includes How To Read Lit. It is scheduled for one chapter a week. BYL 9 has a workbook-style study guide with focusing questions (2 to 6 per chapter) with space for the student to write answers. For example, for chapter 2, one of the three prompts is "Write a list of all the things that eating in literature can represent." There is no answer sheet. Discussing each chapter worked well for us. Bocky, did you use other stuff from the BYL9? Just wondering ... I'm trying to figure out if/how to incorporate some of BYL's books/scheduling into our homeschool. (And: thank you for the thread link above! We're traveling this week, it took me several days to get back to the board, now I'm headed to the thread.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 On 6/2/2018 at 1:54 PM, Bocky said: Her favorite book from this year ended up being The Mouse That Roared. I went back and read the thread you linked https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/663447-funnyuplifting-20th-century-reading-for-8th-grade/ and was happy to see that I was the one who recommended The Mouse That Roared. The book and the movie were both hits here. Did you ever get the chance to read Don Camillo? Regards, Kareni 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bocky Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 Yes, I finally managed to wrest Don Camillo away from my DH who snagged it when his parents' visit finished. Loved it! I think I graze from a similar reading niche to you. Must get back to reading the Book A Week thread now that I have more time on my hands for summer... We are planning to watch The Mouse That Roared for movie night one weekend this summer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bocky Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 On 6/9/2018 at 6:13 PM, serendipitous journey said: Bocky, did you use other stuff from the BYL9? Just wondering ... I'm trying to figure out if/how to incorporate some of BYL's books/scheduling into our homeschool. (And: thank you for the thread link above! We're traveling this week, it took me several days to get back to the board, now I'm headed to the thread.) I used some of BYL 8 this past year. I haven't used BYL 9 yet, but am planning to use Prehistoric Life, Evolution the Human Story, and Lord of the Rings this coming year as part of 9th grade. I am planning to use half of the poetry and literature from BYL 10, but not the year 10 science reading as DD has asked for integrated science. We're focusing more on Ancients, and will read Chaucer and Sir Gawain in 10th grade. The plan is to begin with the Big Bang and finish with early Islamic history. I really like BYL, but I am an incorrigible curriculum tweaker. I think the strength of BYL is in the amazing resources, which are clearly set out in an easy to follow weekly schedule. It has great daily discussion questions for one literature book at a time but doesn't include answer keys or teacher guides; you need to read the books along with your student. For writing it has a weekly copywork/dictation passage and suggested writing topics and projects; you need to have a separate program or plan for actual writing instruction if this gentle, Charlotte Mason style approach to writing doesn't work for you. I think BYL works well for students who love to read and teachers who also love to read and are comfortable teaching writing, either WTM across the curriculum style or with a program. I'd love to hear what you're thinking of using. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 37 minutes ago, Bocky said: Must get back to reading the Book A Week thread now that I have more time on my hands for summer... I'll look forward to seeing you there. 37 minutes ago, Bocky said: We are planning to watch The Mouse That Roared for movie night one weekend this summer. I hope you'll enjoy it! Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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