I remember reading Hamlet in high school. With the right teacher, it can probably still connect with students anxieties and pains. But those definitely seem greater today than 25 years ago.
Agreed. It’s a weird time. My dad’s almost 80 now. He’s an English teacher. He teaches some Shakespeare and all the other classic “high school” books—To Kill a Mockingbird, etc. Those books, poems, and plays provide words and direction for thoughts and emotions, grappling with the universe. And prior generations have needed those same books during trying times as well—I think of the existential threats felt during the Cold War.
I remember reading Hamlet in high school. With the right teacher, it can probably still connect with students anxieties and pains. But those definitely seem greater today than 25 years ago.
Agreed. It’s a weird time. My dad’s almost 80 now. He’s an English teacher. He teaches some Shakespeare and all the other classic “high school” books—To Kill a Mockingbird, etc. Those books, poems, and plays provide words and direction for thoughts and emotions, grappling with the universe. And prior generations have needed those same books during trying times as well—I think of the existential threats felt during the Cold War.
yes! I wonder what modern books appeal to those same needs. Hard to say, especially for the high school kids, where the anxieties become more complex.
I’ll find out soon. My middle son is starting high school :) We’ll see what the reading list looks like in a couple weeks.