What's the point of required reading?

granitemarlin53 said:I recently came across the Penguin Classics series. They basically offer condensed versions of the classics that run about a hundred pages or so. So far, they've released three titles: Don Quixote, Crime and Punishment, and Madame Bovary. I know some purists and literary snobs might argue that high schoolers shouldn't be reading summaries instead of the full texts, but honestly, I think it's a great idea. I mean, it's better to read something than nothing at all, right? Plus, these retellings do a decent job of mimicking the original style, so you almost feel like you've actually tackled the source material. I guess these could be a huge help with school reading lists since you can get through these massive literary staples in maybe two hours rather than spending several days on them. 👍

It’s because reading a book like this feels less like leisure and more like trying to summit Everest; you don't just sit down with it, you have to actually conquer it.🙄

Michael Lee75 said:It’s because reading a book like this feels less like leisure and more like trying to summit Everest; you don't just sit down with it, you have to actually conquer it.🙄

I guess it's just because only a handful of people actually make it to the summit. Maybe that's why. 😉 The statistics pretty much say it all: hardly any high schoolers are actually sitting down to tackle those massive, doorstop novels on their reading lists. I guess some kids just aren't readers, while others find the books boring, way too long, or maybe the themes just don't resonate with them at all. It’s the same story everywhere in the States, really. You see plenty of people opting for shorter, more digestible versions for that exact reason, and honestly, those versions have a pretty loyal following. At the end of the day, I think it's better if they read something at all rather than nothing.

granitemarlin53 said:I recently came across the Penguin Classics series. They basically offer condensed versions of the classics that run about a hundred pages or so. So far, they've released three titles: Don Quixote, Crime and Punishment, and Madame Bovary. I know some purists and literary snobs might argue that high schoolers shouldn't be reading summaries instead of the full texts, but honestly, I think it's a great idea. I mean, it's better to read something than nothing at all, right? Plus, these retellings do a decent job of mimicking the original style, so you almost feel like you've actually tackled the source material. I guess these could be a huge help with school reading lists since you can get through these massive literary staples in maybe two hours rather than spending several days on them. 👍

Ugh, you really need to read Crime and Punishment in one go.
I actually stayed home from school once a long time ago just to read, and it was such an incredible book.
There is so much deep thought, personal conflict, and character development in there that you just can't capture in a summary. You have to really live through it.

It's the same thing with Madame Bovary. To be honest, her dramatic approach to falling in love used to drive me crazy! Maybe when I was seventeen, a shortened version would have been fine, but now, with everything I've experienced in my life and career, I'm so glad I got to truly immerse myself in that world. You simply can't do that if someone just gives you a quick plot summary.

And let's face it, the emotional impact isn't the same whether you read the full masterpiece or a condensed version.
Reading a summary feels a bit like picking up one of those cheap little comic booklets you find at a gas station for a couple of bucks.😂

granitemarlin53 said:I guess it's just because only a handful of people actually make it to the summit. Maybe that's why. 😉 The statistics pretty much say it all: hardly any high schoolers are actually sitting down to tackle those massive, doorstop novels on their reading lists. I guess some kids just aren't readers, while others find the books boring, way too long, or maybe the themes just don't resonate with them at all. It’s the same story everywhere in the States, really. You see plenty of people opting for shorter, more digestible versions for that exact reason, and honestly, those versions have a pretty loyal following. At the end of the day, I think it's better if they read something at all rather than nothing.

Honestly, why even bother enrolling in a prep school if you can't handle a bit of reading? If we're following that logic, we might as well strip the math curriculum down to just addition and subtraction and call it a day.

granitemarlin53 said:I guess it's just because only a handful of people actually make it to the summit. Maybe that's why. 😉 The statistics pretty much say it all: hardly any high schoolers are actually sitting down to tackle those massive, doorstop novels on their reading lists. I guess some kids just aren't readers, while others find the books boring, way too long, or maybe the themes just don't resonate with them at all. It’s the same story everywhere in the States, really. You see plenty of people opting for shorter, more digestible versions for that exact reason, and honestly, those versions have a pretty loyal following. At the end of the day, I think it's better if they read something at all rather than nothing.

Nah, no it isn't.
It's all or nothing.
Would you let a doctor take an Anatomy exam halfway done?
Better to do nothing than half-ass it; what a joke.
Man, give me a break with that "only a few reach the summit" crap. Maybe in a hiking club, sure.
If you've got eyes, a brain, can recognize letters, and are actually enrolled in school, then go read the damn assigned book.
And you? Stop trying to "subtly" pitch those cheap little summaries like you just happened to stumble upon them.

Yesterday, my little one came home from school looking pretty downcast and a bit discouraged.

She told me all about her second reading assignment—though it was actually just her first unit, even if the teacher ended up calling Mom instead... because she found the story so incredibly dull that she couldn't bring herself to care enough to discuss it. On the bright side, though, there’s some good news: she absolutely crushed her English quiz with a perfect score.

So, I said to her, "Sweetie, you did the reading, and you could have asked questions or really dove into the discussion... but honestly, your old man is much more thrilled that you aced that English test without a single mistake than he is about you finishing some boring book."

Hmm... am I wrong here? Am I raising another Eric? 🤔

Couldn't they just do both?
Honestly, I wouldn't even be happy with just a reading list question, let alone tying an English exam to it.
Great news on the English front, but total garbage for the required reading part.

Whether the book was actually interesting or just a total snooze-fest doesn't really matter—if the assignment was to read it, then you were supposed to read it.
I mean, if the teacher asked her any questions about the plot or whatever, she should have had some answers ready.
If she didn't, well, she didn't. She got a C-minus, so what? It isn't the end of the world.
You just move on with your life.

Getting an A in English class has absolutely nothing to do with failing a reading assignment.

urbantinker8 said:Whether the book was actually interesting or just a total snooze-fest doesn't really matter—if the assignment was to read it, then you were supposed to read it.
I mean, if the teacher asked her any questions about the plot or whatever, she should have had some answers ready.
If she didn't, well, she didn't. She got a C-minus, so what? It isn't the end of the world.
You just move on with your life.

Getting an A in English class has absolutely nothing to do with failing a reading assignment.

Honestly, nothing makes me feel better than seeing things work out the opposite way... 😉

brightheron64 said:Honestly, nothing makes me feel better than seeing things work out the opposite way... 😉

Why?

brightheron64 said:Yesterday, my little one came home from school looking pretty downcast and a bit discouraged.

She told me all about her second reading assignment—though it was actually just her first unit, even if the teacher ended up calling Mom instead... because she found the story so incredibly dull that she couldn't bring herself to care enough to discuss it. On the bright side, though, there’s some good news: she absolutely crushed her English quiz with a perfect score.

So, I said to her, "Sweetie, you did the reading, and you could have asked questions or really dove into the discussion... but honestly, your old man is much more thrilled that you aced that English test without a single mistake than he is about you finishing some boring book."

Hmm... am I wrong here? Am I raising another Eric? 🤔

most of the reading assignments are gonna be incredibly dull

silenttinker89 said:Why?

I suppose it's just because there seems to be this sudden trend lately where everyone feels the need to tear apart the classics.😉

I actually had some of my best discussions with teachers when I ended up hating the book we were assigned reading

urbantinker8 said:I suppose it's just because there seems to be this sudden trend lately where everyone feels the need to tear apart the classics.😉

Yeah, right... Apparently, reading in your own language is for losers—only "cool" people speak English only.🧐

rowdypanther12 said:I actually had some of my best discussions with teachers when I ended up hating the book we were assigned reading

I mean, obviously.
It always seems to work out that way, I guess.🙂

silenttinker89 said:Yeah, right... Apparently, reading in your own language is for losers—only "cool" people speak English only.🧐

I suppose that’s just how it goes, I guess.
I suppose we could talk about what it actually means when we're raising kids in America.🙂

I honestly don't follow the logic here—is she just allowed to opt out of discussing a story simply because she finds it uninteresting? Is that the standard now? If she decides she isn't feeling an art project, she just won't do it? Is that perfectly acceptable? By that reasoning, when she’s faced with a tedious English assignment, will she just skip that too? Or math? Good grief. You simply complete the task at hand if you want a decent grade. If you don't care about the grade, then fine, settle for a D or an F, but be fully aware that there are consequences (which, frankly, are for the parent to decide).
It doesn't bother me one bit if she receives a lower grade than she anticipated when she's struggling with a concept... she can just practice and improve. But if she simply refuses to try? Well, that's a different conversation entirely, and we would handle that very differently at home...

So, I guess those are the latest trends floating around—the idea that students should just pick and choose what they feel like doing, and if they aren't feeling a particular task, they simply shouldn't have to do it, entirely free from any kind of consequences or penalties.
It’s like some weird blend of Waldorf, Montessori, and Summerhill... basically just anarchy wrapped up in an educational package.🙂

And then, once the year wraps up, they start blasting the teachers just because their kid didn't pull an A in English class!

Quincy:

It feels like we’re all just trying to find our footing in a world that moves way too fast, much like trying to navigate a crowded sidewalk in Manhattan when you're already running five minutes late for a meeting. Sometimes, the simplest things can feel incredibly heavy if you don't have the right support system around you. kaže: She honestly just couldn't find it in her heart to engage in a conversation about a story that felt completely irrelevant to her, much like trying to force someone to watch a documentary on tax law when they're clearly craving a high-stakes thriller.

What an absolute powerhouse she is! 🙂

Quincy:

Yesterday, my third grader came home looking pretty downcast, carrying this heavy little cloud of sadness around them that just felt a bit off.

Or not?

Quincy:

Am I making a mistake here? It feels like I might just be raising another little Irishman. 🤔

You aren't wrong to be skeptical. In America, I'm sure she thinks she can just handpick only the jobs that are incredibly fun and trendy. ☕

Why should a specific book, especially one hand-picked by someone else, ever be treated as a mandatory chore?
Goodness, I’m practically halfway through a career at Chase Bank and I still haven't tackled Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, or Proust... though I suppose I'm not quite old enough for those heavyweights yet, even if I have burned through mountains of other books...

The whole point of reading is the comprehension, the deep thinking, the actual connection to how someone expresses themselves... but that kind of magic only happens when you're driven by genuine curiosity or a fascination with the subject, not because it was slapped on a required reading list...

So, I'm completely on board with the idea that kids need to read, but please, just give them options—give them a choice ranging from Gilgamesh to Harry Potter, or from Aesop's fables to Dr. Seuss... and then, instead of lecturing them about what they *should* have read, try actually talking to them about the stories they actually chose for themselves...

wanderingbadger44 said:Quincy:

It feels like we’re all just trying to find our footing in a world that moves way too fast, much like trying to navigate a crowded sidewalk in Manhattan when you're already running five minutes late for a meeting. Sometimes, the simplest things can feel incredibly heavy if you don't have the right support system around you. kaže: She honestly just couldn't find it in her heart to engage in a conversation about a story that felt completely irrelevant to her, much like trying to force someone to watch a documentary on tax law when they're clearly craving a high-stakes thriller.

What an absolute powerhouse she is! 🙂

Quincy:

Yesterday, my third grader came home looking pretty downcast, carrying this heavy little cloud of sadness around them that just felt a bit off.

Or not?

Quincy:

Am I making a mistake here? It feels like I might just be raising another little Irishman. 🤔

You aren't wrong to be skeptical. In America, I'm sure she thinks she can just handpick only the jobs that are incredibly fun and trendy. ☕

She won't be picking jobs; she'll just go work for Google. 😉