[etni] Re: literature
- From: Mitzi Geffen <mitzi1002001@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, rsheffer@xxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2009 21:06:11 -0800 (PST)
Hi Ruthi,
Don't be loathe to make suggestions. Now is the time that suggestions
are being collected. The most common suggestions will be on the list of
choices. If you don't "vote", you will certainly have no say.
Judy Steiner, our chief inspector addresses all questions and comments
sent to her at the anglit.net site. She does not address messages sent into the
etni list. I think it's most unfair to say that all suggestions to her have
been ignored. Changes have already been made in the Literature module based on
the suggestions of those who participated in the pilot - learned the program
and tried it out. I'm sure that as more teachers take the course, more
suggestions, based on a real acquaintance with the module, will be made, and
decisions will be made about implementing some of them. The fact that a
suggestion is not accepted does not mean that it was ignored. Do write to Judy
and voice your concerns. Be assured that she reads and considers all
suggestions.
All the best,
Mitzi
--- On Tue, 2/3/09, Ruthi <rsheffer@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
From: Ruthi <rsheffer@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [etni] Re: literature
To: etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Tuesday, February 3, 2009, 1:17 PM
I for one would be really happy to suggest some good pieces of literature.
There are some wonderful pieces that are taught in schools throughout the
country. I have taught poems by the Liverpool Poets for many years with much
enjoyment on both sides, but I am loathe to contact anyone in the Ministry
to suggest anything of the sort.
In the past when suggestions have been made they have been ignored.I really
don't think anyone wants to know what teachers think. Sorry Adele.It is
clear from this list's comments that there is much dissatisfaction with the
new Module for a great number of reasons.Why are these concerns not being
addressed?
Ruth
2009/2/3 judy <judyewc@xxxxxxxxx>
> One of us wrote: *Our aim is to get the students to understand literature
> and appreciate the great works.
> *What* *does that even mean?* *How do we know that someone
"understands"
> literature? When he agrees with our interpretation, or the one we learned
> in
> high school? * *
>
> And who really decides what is a "great work"?* * Jane
Austen's work
> reflected her times, and so does Douglas Adams', and Kurt
Vonnegut's, and
> Barbara Pym's Who knows which, if any, are truly great? I see some
"works
> of literature" in 3 and 4 point books that I think are a wase of
time. On
> the other hand, our older literature collections suggest that nothing of
> worth has been written either in the last 50 years or in the Southern
> hemisphere. And in English class, should we be teaching translated
> literature (we have a few of those in the books)?
>
> This is such a complex issue, and it deserves a process of thinking and
> discussion that the kids could be part of. Instead both we and the Hebrew
> literature departments just try to jazz up the lists once in a while. In
> Hebrew literature the situation is worse: the teachers care less about
the
> kids' understanding or learning from the literature than they do about
the
> kids' knowing who the great writers are and loving them
unconditionally
> (the
> phrase* "*nichsei tzon barzel" is bandied about regularly by
literature
> teachers). Oh, and everyone should be able to reel off a list of genres
to
> you.
>
> You wouild think that with such a wealth to choose from, we could carry on
> a
> dynamic process of finding, testing, using and sharing age-appropriate
> literature from which the students could actually learn about themselves,
> their lives, their culture as opposed to other places and times, about the
> experiences of being human that writers have undertaken to describe,
> clarify
> and comment on for us. You would think that literature would be the most
> fun of both teaching and learning English. Or at least, I would think so.
> Apparently I'm wrong.
>
> Judy Cohen
>
> --
> "Music will save the world." Pablo Casals
>
>
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