When I taught American-Jewish fiction at Michigan State, I did a whole class on the different religious branches, Jewish identification, and a primer on European Jewish history. Students needed all that since they had no prior knowledge.
Yep, and I don't entire blame them or even the system, because even with a bachelor's degree in history, there is so much I don't know! But hopefully teaching these history lessons makes them curious to understand even more.
I didn't blame them, but in all my classes, whether lit or creative writing, it was clear they had not been taught grammar basics--and the system is to blame for that. I remember taking a German class at a local community college where half the students were from MSU, half a range of older adults. When the professor started explaining points of grammar there was deadly silence on one side and they had no idea what she was talking about, so she assigned English Grammar for Students of German (it's part of a series).
Oh, you've hit a topic that HS English teachers have discussed for years. My belief? It's reading. Reading is the core to writing and grammar. If kids aren't reading they don't know what good writing looks like and therefore they can't spell or understand good sentence structure.
I don't completely agree, though I know it's the prevailing wisdom. You cannot just absorb grammar by reading alone. Lessons in grammar are crucial--even my English majors reported not understanding grammar and they read extensively in high school and before. Even some of my devoted writers/readers had trouble with grammar (and that included students from one of the best high schools in the state).
Oh I agree that lessons matter. I mean, it's why we study grammar in languages ☺️ But the reading definitely matters too. Unfortunately, THAT is a problem I haven't solved yet 🤷🏼♀️
I have the opposite problem but the same solution: I'm a history teacher who is always trying to work more engaging reading into my classroom, so I'm all about historical fiction as well. I just read a few pages of Maika and Maritza Moulite's DEAR HAITI, LOVE ALAINE to my 10th graders who are studying the Haitian Revolution and now a few kids are arguing over who gets to borrow my book first. Success!
That is fantastic! I had one history professor who was determined to have us read literature in World Civilization. In fact, that was the first time I read Things Fall Apart.
Love your approach so much! I teach foreign languages, but, as I have a soft spot for literature, I always try to include fiction books and short stories in my classes.
When I taught American-Jewish fiction at Michigan State, I did a whole class on the different religious branches, Jewish identification, and a primer on European Jewish history. Students needed all that since they had no prior knowledge.
Yep, and I don't entire blame them or even the system, because even with a bachelor's degree in history, there is so much I don't know! But hopefully teaching these history lessons makes them curious to understand even more.
I didn't blame them, but in all my classes, whether lit or creative writing, it was clear they had not been taught grammar basics--and the system is to blame for that. I remember taking a German class at a local community college where half the students were from MSU, half a range of older adults. When the professor started explaining points of grammar there was deadly silence on one side and they had no idea what she was talking about, so she assigned English Grammar for Students of German (it's part of a series).
Oh, you've hit a topic that HS English teachers have discussed for years. My belief? It's reading. Reading is the core to writing and grammar. If kids aren't reading they don't know what good writing looks like and therefore they can't spell or understand good sentence structure.
I don't completely agree, though I know it's the prevailing wisdom. You cannot just absorb grammar by reading alone. Lessons in grammar are crucial--even my English majors reported not understanding grammar and they read extensively in high school and before. Even some of my devoted writers/readers had trouble with grammar (and that included students from one of the best high schools in the state).
Oh I agree that lessons matter. I mean, it's why we study grammar in languages ☺️ But the reading definitely matters too. Unfortunately, THAT is a problem I haven't solved yet 🤷🏼♀️
The grammar issue, that is.
Your lessons sound fantastic. I wish I were in your class
I wish more of my students felt that way 😂
I have the opposite problem but the same solution: I'm a history teacher who is always trying to work more engaging reading into my classroom, so I'm all about historical fiction as well. I just read a few pages of Maika and Maritza Moulite's DEAR HAITI, LOVE ALAINE to my 10th graders who are studying the Haitian Revolution and now a few kids are arguing over who gets to borrow my book first. Success!
That is fantastic! I had one history professor who was determined to have us read literature in World Civilization. In fact, that was the first time I read Things Fall Apart.
I always time my imperialism in Africa unit to coincide with when the English teachers do Things Fall Apart :)
Love it ♥️
Love your approach so much! I teach foreign languages, but, as I have a soft spot for literature, I always try to include fiction books and short stories in my classes.