[etni] Fw: re: literature and textbooks

From: "Ask_Etni" <ask@xxxxxxxx>
To: "ETNI" <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2009 19:23:16 +0200
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Bari Nirenberg - bnirenberg@xxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: literature and textbooks

I'd just like to add that some of us LIKE teaching some of the "oldies".  I 
haven't taught Eveline or A Summer's Reading in years, but I still teach All 
My Sons and I enjoy it, as do my students.  I'm in no hurry to find a 
different play to teach because although I've read All My Sons over and 
over, it's always new to my students and it's the one piece of literature 
that very few of them have ever complained about.

Bari


Laurie wrote:
>I'd like to relate to a few points raised here.
>First, many teachers choose to teach the "traditional" or maybe "worn out"
pieces of literature in the textbooks for 2 reasons:
>1. If the school has a book program, it must keep reusing the books; they
can't be changed frequently - only every few years (don't remember the
number!) We have such a program and when we do make changes, due to lack of
budget, the lit. books do not get priority and we change only a textbook
here and there. I believe, that the Ministry regulations also forbid
changing textbooks every year. We can't just go out and buy novels, books
we'd like for our pupils.
>2. Many teachers feel insecure, don't know how to prepare their own
materials or just don't want to spend the time required to do so. The books
do it for you!
>That said, I do bring modern and more interesting pieces to my class and
encourage my teachers in the schools where I work to do the same.  Just
yesterday, a teacher in El Hoashallah school taught a very relevant poem,
"Incident" by Countee Cullen, an American poet from the Harlem Renaissance.
We often photocopy behind the backs of the administration at times to do
this.
>Bottom line, the publishers are making a pretty penny out of this (much 
>more
than us!)  and I'm sure we'll very soon be seeing the publication of the
newer than new editions of some of the lit. books, all packed and packaged
with HOTS.



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[etni] Fw: re: literature and textbooks

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