I'd love to sit in on your quarter. Besides 1984 and F451, which books do you cover?

I love the idea of encountering a Montag or Clarisse in your classes. I see that every semester, not because I'm a great teacher, but because there are points in life where people are ready to "hear the truth" out there and are ready to be turned on.

I enjoyed the articles. They were long, but she is always interesting. Although I didn't read all of it, Ravitch's "The Troubled Crusade: American Education 1945-1980" was really interesting.

Usually includes the likes of:
Julius Caesar, Animal Farm, 1984, F451, Night, Little Prince, The Pedestrian, Usher II, Harrison Bergeron, Truman Show, and a final project in which the students do a presentation in front of the class based on discussions of
rhetoric/propaganda/commericalism/persuasion.
These are always very creative and insightful to the fact that kids really do "get it"!!


[This message has been edited by fjpalumbo (edited 09-11-2003).]

Thanks for the list. I love "The Little Prince". The freshness of the writing still amazes me. I read it first in HS. I also loved "the Truman Show". The others all look good, also.

We semester, so time goes quickly and many other titles and units must be covered. Mr. Dark, could you suggest a short work that would fit in with those mentioned within the theme of the readings?! Thanks.

When I was little I remember seeing a tv/movie version (I don't know which) of "All Summer in a Day". Has anyone else seen this or know where I could find it? I've been searching for several years and have had no luck.

Thanks.

Here is a description of the film: http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0195517/
From what I gathered when other people asked for it, the video is extremely rare and hard to find.

I have two minds on the subject of censure, since I teach in a public school.

On the one hand I want my children to experience the mind bending work of author's like Ray Bradbury and Stephen King. On the other hand, I want to keep my job and eat.

Just yesterday I found out that Glencoe, our literature book publisher, had published two versions of Steven King's "Sorry Right Number," in two different printings of our textbooks. One version had been edited, the other had not.

Imagine my shock when I was reading the operator at the school's part while my children-7th grade Academically gifted students-were reading other parts. My part read, "Christine the sex queen is still in the shower, Arnie." Some of the kids had this version and started laughing.

We switched over to the edited version.

Now I am all for mind bending work, but I would like to suggest that sometimes, just sometimes, authors go a little to far just to shock.

I know some people may say that these author's are not appropriate for children that age, and they may have a point. But, have you seen the insipid stuff that is written for most middle school students. The children I teach have an average IQ of 120 with a few of them far over the 140 line. Try finding mind stimulating books that are appropriate sometime.

I've now written a ghost/mystery story for the kids, and also a suspense story that is not in possesion of profanity or vulgarity. They have enjoyed them just as much.

And, more importanly, they are working on writing their own original stories.

teacher,teacher:

Trying to locate the quote I read a while back by John Adams. It went something like this:
'Freedom of speech is for those who know how to intelligently handle it.'

The start of the 21st Century sees everything already exploded into a furious stream of personal idealogy of expression that is less than intelligent.

Now a generation asks:
What is freedom? What is right? What is wrong? What is truth?

Those questions had an answer generations ago. Now it it would seem to be that they were never answered at all.

Earlier today, at work, the radio was jokingly turned to a hip hop station of sorts. The 3 of us in the room could only listen in something like surprise at the lyrics coming over the air waves. Crude. Terribly mean and base. Generations ago things like this, accepted today, were considered allocated to the back alleys. Now we give these things "respectability". Even the word is now re-defined.

Does America have as 'big a problem' INSIDE' as we do OUTSIDE? It may not be the first time, but it sure is very complicated in comparison....

And of course, you have a very tough... tough job as teacher....



[This message has been edited by Nard Kordell (edited 10-29-2003).]

We actually had banned books week in my high school just a few weeks ago. And yes, F451 is prominent on the list. I believe it's because of a) the scene with the drug overdose and the subsequent treatment, b) the "damn"s and "hell"s or c) the generally shocking subject matter.

Whatever the cause, banning books is just a generally silly practice, and I'm very glad it's fallen out of use today. Although the fuss about Harry Potter makes me worried...

Excuse my stupidity but who exactly banned F451?

Yes, who is banning these books? I live in Georgia, and my senior english teacher in high school(I graduate only 4 years ago) has Lady Chatterley's Lover on his reading list for us. I read it. I understand it not being allowed in schools. But Farenheit 451? It is clearly a tale that is most important in our times. I'm Christian(hardcore Calvary Chapel bible reading sold out for Christ kind)and I see nothing wrong with it, and if the Christians can find no fault in it, why should anyone? Anyway, they later banned Of Mice and Men, but I think they appealed it, and they just made it where you have to have the parents sign making sure that they know that their child will hear the bad language. Perhaps we are more liberal than I thought.

My mom's a third grade teacher and she has to have the parents permission if a kid wants to borrow any Harry Potter books from the classrom bookshelves.

ergo: you mentioned that the Harry Potter fuss has you worried. Worried in what way?

Is there really Freedom of Speech?
Then, why is it against the law to hollar out 'FIRE' in a theatre? Well, of course, because the law states that it'll cause harm to others if some "idiot" decides to do such a dastardly thing. Very simple, and very demonstrative.

The trouble is no one knows...that is when it comes to the final law makers...what constitutes danger in the Print realm. Tens of thousands upon thousands of people are addicted to one thing or another, let's make that Millions....and one of them is, for instance, (speaking of print,) pornographic materials. There are many psychiatrist offices visited daily with those looking for help to find their emotional way back to a calm mind. Why doesn't somebody pass a law on that? Is it because others do not seem bothered by it?

Everything is like some giant kettle of soup, that we sip from all the unknown ingredients that go into it. We're supposed to me immune from all the distardly things that may have been drop into the mix. The problem of all this freedom is, every new generation that comes around either has the right and common sense to judge rightly, or shackled with the long process of "growing up" thru terrible experiences and heartache and bewilderment, some coming to their senses, others naught.

Even Christ censored free speech, if you want to look at it that way. Don't take the Lord's name in Vain!