Blog #6

I think that Gallagher argument is a good reason why schools are committing readicide in their curriculum. Books are over or under taught to the point that majority of students are frustrated or fed up with it. Books are meant to be enjoyed or un-enjoyed and disused their purposes and ideas. While everyone can express their opinion if they liked the book or not I think there are literary books that everyone should be exposed to. If you are forced to read for example, To Kill A Mockingbird you don’t have to necessarily enjoy it but at least understand it. The story is relevant to understand American culture and struggles during the time period where we weren’t all equal. Stories of these hardships are meant to be passed down for everyone to hear so we don’t forget it.

Different teaching ways can help maximize the students experience with a literary text. The more flexible the curriculum is the better students with different learning styles and abilities can  obtain the best way for them to understand and gain something that they are reading. Engaging students into the text to a personal or logical level may help them also connect where they may have lacked before. Pre-learning of a historical text may help a student understand the time period, political background or important people in a book.

Choices are also important when it comes to a students learning ability. More independent novel readings should be allowed or added to school curriculums to allow student with choices to read more modern genre fiction. Students get an opportunity to choose what they want to read and are able to independently asses and understand what they are reading. Students who are able to have choice in their learning will be more involved with it.