In my Pre-AICE English class, I read
"classic" literature. Some authors are Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and
William Shakespeare. Personally, I don't really care about
Utilitarianism, old hogwash about relationships between the sexes, and
Julius Caesar. What I do care about is what is happening right now. In
my opinion, English is one of the most important subjects in the world.
Yet, as students, we are given balderdash that we all think is boring,
boring, boring. Some English teachers say that only classic
literature can teach someone good vocabulary, syntax, and diction. They
also say that classic literature is the best to analyze and write about.
However, I'm sorry to break it to you, but you're wrong. While the
archaic books from the 1800s may teach someone good grammar, newer books
from the 20th century can teach the exact same things, and, guess what?
They're interesting. These books resonate more with the students,
they might actually read them instead of going onto Sparknotes, and they
probably won't fall asleep.
For example, in Steven King’s “The
Dark Tower,” (which, by the way, has received critical acclaim and
numerous awards) within the first page, the word apotheosis is
mentioned. I’d like to think that I have a good vocabulary, but I have
no idea what that word means. The Dark Tower isn’t a piece of “classic
literature,” but you can analyze the book the exact same way a piece of
“classic literature” can be examined.
Another gripe of mine about high
school curriculum is that we don’t have a class that teaches us basic
skills that one really needs to be successful in life. While history,
mathematics and literature classes are important, I think that too many
students don’t have a clue about the real life. How to get insurance on
your car, home and life are all significant parts of one’s life. Saving
money, getting a loan and filling out a resume are also major things
needed to succeed in life. However, we, as students, are put into
useless classes such as Keystone and don’t really learn anything. If the
school board could replace this class that is anathema to all students,
then most students would gain knowledge of the real world that normal
education can’t teach.
I know that the budget for the
school district has been slimmed down. I know that it would be hard to
implement some of these changes, such as making new classes, hiring new
teachers, and getting other textbooks. However, if the school board
could implement some of these changes, some way, I believe it would be
better for students and teachers in general.
