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EditorPS Administrator 
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As for censorship, I think that by the time our high-school aged students have gotten to the required summer reading list, there's little they haven't been exposed to. I didn't like the Color of Purple being required not so much because I thought my son would be scarred by reading it, but because reading it totally turned him off. The explicit sex between two women, the blatant adultery, the triangle between the husband, his lover and his wife may be part of a real world, but for me, the more important point is that my son was required to read and therefore he read -- it was a precious opportunity to expose him to the many values of reading and this book left him cold, as it did so many other teenagers I talked to. Unfortunately, despite the fact that we read feverishly when he was little, my son will probably never be someone who is hungry for a book. But, I wonder if some of the required reading selections had not been so laborious to read (you try reading a Tale of Two Cities by yourself and then go take a test on it), or its subject matter such a turnoff, the love of reading could have been sparked rather than extinquished. We have to realize that not all children like to read -- therefore, when we're requiring it, we have a precious opportunity to capture their attention. I just think we need to think very carefully about how we're gong to use that opportunity. Last edited on Aug 5th, 2006 12:31 pm by EditorPS |
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Vicki White-Lawrence Member 
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As always, good points, Patti! My sons aren't avid readers either, so I've always been so thrilled when they found books that did interest them. When Philip (who just turned 19) was younger, he was all into the Goosebumps series, then others like it. He also read the Harry Potter books, and the movies got him into the Lord of the Rings books. Later, he got into Orson Scott Card's books and I took him to one of his book signings, which was a really big deal for him. Some of these books I've read, some not. I've always loved reading, but he wouldn't necessarily like my choices. Now my younger son is into Harry Potter and I'm hoping he'll continue to find things that interest him. All of our talk about the reading lists and censorship has made me wonder how particular selections make the list. Obviously, some selections are better than others. Just this morning another mother and I were talking about how classics get to be classics. I mean, the author developed characters and plots years, sometimes centuries, ago. Who determined they were classics? I realize that teachers must determine which books would benefit their students, but I wonder if they incorporate feedback from students, or if students are on any of the committees that determine what the reading lists are? What is relevant now may not be what was relevant 10 years ago. There just might be a way to strike a balance between dull or complex books that turn kids off and ones that might keep their interest and still help acheive the goals of the classes. Learning and reading don't have to be chores -- they can be exciting and something kids want to do. I think the key is to figure out how to do that. BTW: Do you plan to move the discussion that took place about censorship yesterday from the "feedback" forum to this one? |
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Cracker Jax Member 
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Vicki White-Lawrence wrote: BTW: Do you plan to move the discussion that took place about censorship yesterday from the "feedback" forum to this one? Got a request from Sandra to do just that Vicki! I'll get out the Xerox machine and the moving boxes and get that stuff moved over here ASAP. |
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Cracker Jax Member
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DToney wrote:
DToney wrote: sorry... macca wrote: The article about summer reading also said that alternative reading choices can be requested. DToney wrote: macca wrote:The article about summer reading also said that alternative reading choices can be requested. |
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Cracker Jax Member
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And here's where it started getting all wordy.....  Cracker Jax wrote: DToney wrote:DOGGETTJA wrote: What a great discussion Dtoney and Cracker.DToney wrote: I could not agree more with both of you! Harry Potter is one that was on a previous required reading list that I bucked... sorry just don't like the exposure to "Wizardry"... no matter how innocent some folks think ol' Harry is....macca wrote: Well, DToney, we're all entitled to our opinions. My kids love Harry Potter and talk with me about the books as they read them. As long as my kids (and others who want to) can read what they want, I guess we'll all get along. I tend to agree with Crackah, though, about high school students. By that time, they're on their way to becoming adults and need to at least realize there is a different whole world out there. That doesn't mean they have to go to "the dark side" or anything, just realize it's there....I guess, too, there needs to be a level of trust that the system wouldn't present anything that would be harmful to our kids. If we think it is, then we can research and read for ourselves to make that individual determination for our children and make an alternative selection for them.♥♥♥ Last edited on Aug 7th, 2006 02:39 am by Cracker Jax |
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macca Member 
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Cracker Jax wrote:Vicki White-Lawrence wrote:BTW: Do you plan to move the discussion that took place about censorship yesterday from the "feedback" forum to this one? CRACKAH!!! You are just s-o-o-o good!!!♥♥♥ |
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Cracker Jax Member
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Still moving....... Hang on..... Cracker Jax wrote: DToney wrote:Cracker Jax wrote:I could not agree more with both of you! Harry Potter is one that was on a previous required reading list that I bucked... sorry just don't like the exposure to "Wizardry"... no matter how innocent some folks think ol' Harry is.... macca wrote:DOGGETTJA wrote:I guess, too, there needs to be a level of trust that the system wouldn't present anything that would be harmful to our kids. If we think it is, then we can research and read for ourselves to make that individual determination for our children and make an alternative selection for them.♥♥♥ Some how we need to make our schools sensitive to all these ideas with out censoring any body. Is that possible?Cracker Jax wrote: Well I think as long as they have alternate selections available for parents who object, which I understand they do, then the school is doing their part. Right? That and not hiring a teacher who'd put Madonna's bookDToney wrote: Really... most teachers do a fabulous job of making the reading lists so diverse they have choices... for that I am thankful!! I've always enjoyed Literature in particular my college studies of poetry. I previously worked in a library... one of the original Carnegie Libraries... a fabulous place! I worked closely with the Children's Librarian & worked the research desk, circlulation desk & drove the Bookmobile! |
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Cracker Jax Member
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FatPappy wrote: Wow. Well said, y'all. Pappy's comin' in late to this discussion, but I want to add my two cents. I want my young'uns to develope the capacity to think an' feel fer themselves. And they do an' we talk about things. They're learnin' how I think about things, how I see the world, an' I'm seein' them thinkin', actually thinkin', not just claimin' somebody else's opinion as theirs. I don't want them just to believe in somethin', no matter how good, just because some group says this is what it is. I don't want them to condemn somethin' either, just because some group says we're all against this or that. I want them to know WHY they believe somethin'.Cracker Jax wrote: DToney wrote:macca wrote:That is why I'd love to see a library in the NW territory... one we could all go to and just relax... read the paper... check out books.... and just be there and be able to take our kids there and not have to drive 20+ miles....... (if anyone knows of a branch closer... please tell me where...) I've heard some folks in this area talk about going to the Kernersville library. They say it is nice, easy to get in and out of and it doesn't matter that we are in a different county. ♥♥♥DToney wrote: Cracker Jax wrote:Cracker, that is the one we usually go to... it is really nice! They even have a walking trail behind the building.... We go to the one on Holden too when they dont have the book we need at KC Edwards branch. It would be nice if we didn't have to drive so far.... I'd like to try the Kernersville one... typically they will allow you to become a member because Forsyth considers us their sister county or something & don't charge a fee like some counties would. |
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Cracker Jax Member
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Goodness! What a mess I made doin' all that moving! I hope it's understandable. Anyway about the summer reading selections.... For our grade level first it was Cyrano de Bergerac and Nectar in a Sieve. Kid # 1 liked both of those. We are now trying to get thru page 1 of Siddartha. She saved it for last and not because it was the best either!!! She stopped reading it to read "Twelfth Night" which is not on the list.... then duty called so she started reading Siddartha again and stopped reading it to read "Twelfth Night" again.... Can't say I blame her. I've been on page one for a week. OH - MY- GOODNESS! |
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ff12 Member 
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I still love to read and fortunately we did not have required summer reading , i probably would not like to read as much now. I tend to think most people no matter what their age do not like what they are forced to do and probably dont retain as much. |
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EditorPS Administrator
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Cracker, thanks for all your hard work in moving those comments to this forum! Has anyone read "A Tale of Two Cities" recently? That's on my daughter's list this summer and goodness, that's a tough one to read on your own -- which brings me to another point ... some required reading books undoubtedly have a lot of value, but why can't they read books like that during the year when the teacher has guided classroom discussions and can help explain what's going on? I remember reading the Odyssey in 10th grade -- we read one or two chapters at a time as homework, then our teacher explained it in class and made it come alive, we had discussions, and I actually enjoyed it -- had I read it on my own, however, it would have been painful and I would have been turned off by it just as so many of our kids are turned off by some of their required summer reading selections. I don't think the goal should be just to expose our kids to reading material that they might not gravitate toward on their own, but to help them understand and develop an appreciation for them. Last edited on Aug 7th, 2006 04:17 am by EditorPS |
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ff12 Member
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Walkertown Library Branch only 11 miles from Stokesdale |
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Cracker Jax Member
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ff12 wrote: I still love to read and fortunately we did not have required summer reading , i probably would not like to read as much now. I tend to think most people no matter what their age do not like what they are forced to do and probably dont retain as much. We didn't have required summer reading when I was growing up either ff12. Of course we had to choose classics to read during the school year though. The great thing was that we had a long list to choose from so that you had the luxury of choosing your preferred genre. Of course given that option, some people would take the lazy route and choose the shortest looking books.... That's how I got caught in the trap of reading Billy Budd and Typee by Melville anyway!
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dmauser Member
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I have to agree with the side that says censorship shouldn't be allowed for ADULTS-- and if my child CHOOSES to read a book that is fine, but to have someone else's ideas of proper reading material pushed on him is not acceptable. As long as he is a minor then as his parent it should fall to be do do the censorship or lack there of. |
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DToney Member 
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EditorPS wrote: why can't they read books like that during the year when the teacher has guided classroom discussions and can help explain what's going on? I remember reading the Odyssey in 10th grade -- we read one or two chapters at a time as homework, then our teacher explained it in class and made it come alive, we had discussions, and I actually enjoyed it -- had I read it on my own, however, it would have been painful and I would have been turned off by it just as so many of our kids are turned off by some of their required summer reading selections. I don't think the goal should be just to expose our kids to reading material that they might not gravitate toward on their own, but to help them understand and develop an appreciation for them.My sentiment exactly! My fondest memories of literature was from open discussions with my teacher & class! Even in college when studying Literature... the open discussions really made the story "come alive" like you say! but more so in the lower grades... |
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