I recently heard from a homeschool mom who expressed concerns that her student might not be ready for the challenge of classic high school literature. I was quick to assure her that this need not be the case!
Although classic literature can sometimes be challenging for the 21st century student, the literature portion of my workshops is designed to support students. I am not suffering from any delusions that all students are ecstatic about classic literature, but choosing literature with high interest for high school students is key. Classic lit offers plenty of it. My job is to make it as palatable as possible. That's why I thoroughly introduce each author, then the selection, broken down into manageable doses with plenty of enriching and engaging activities that keep things interesting.
For example, we may begin with a gentle summer reading before we hit the ground running with something more meaty such as a Shakespeare play. For especially challenging material like Shakespeare, we'll read or listen to much of it aloud in class. In the past, activities have included "hashtagging" our way through a play as a form of review each week. For a novel like Frankenstein, we'll have a "Why are you the way that you are?" discussion to dissect character motivations. Another fun final project for any piece of literature may be to create a Twitter convo between 2 favorite characters followed up with an "Escape Room" activity. And, of course, we'll tackle that academic essay process along the way as well. These kinds of varied activities provide opportunities for different types of learners to genuinely engage.
While every kid will not love every piece of literature, excellent literature doesn't have to be boring. It's rich and tasty, sometimes weird, but it's always thought-provoking. We discuss and compare notes. They are encouraged to express their preferences and particulars. And be challenged.
As homeschool parents, we have a fantastic opportunity to guide our kids through fabulous literature. We don't want less for them. We want more!
As an English tutor, I have a fantastic opportunity to guide students through a world of new places to meet characters and gain empathy and understanding of them & their stories. Watching them use the tools to articulate all these things is an additionally amazing bonus. Sometimes less is more but, with literature, more critical thinking is the goal!
Will classic literature be a challenge for some students? Most definitely. This is actually one goal of exposing them to classics!
Will they be thrown into the deep end and left to drown? Definitely not. Intentionality about the process of guiding and encouraging is the name of the game!
If you're considering one of my classes, don't hesitate to contact me with questions. I'm happy to help answer any questions! Find out more about my unique offerings in the Memphis-area HERE.
~ Heather Jones
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