Changing the System (Entry #6)

My favorite books, most of which I have chosen to read independently - I recommend them all!

While having had the privilege of experiencing both private and public schools, I can honestly say that there are several changes that I would make to the public school curriculums regarding literacy. I believe many students suffer from a general distaste for the literature they are forced to read in school from an inherently early grade. It would be most imperative to rectify the malaise that surrounds reading in English classes by providing more opportunities for choice. While it is important to read and analyze books as a class in a structured manner, I think that it is structured to a fault. Instead of feeling like a prisoner to certain novels, students should be allowed to at the very least, have choices of certain books that may be offered within a certain topic of study. This could, in turn, allow them to feel like they have more control over their learning experience. I know personally, I would always dread reading school-assigned books. I would doom myself to a poor experience, regardless of whether or not I would have enjoyed the book on my own, simply because I knew I was forced to read and internalize it without a say in the matter. The day I was able to independently choose a book for a school assignment, the stars aligned, and my zeal for literature was revived. Students in the public high school (or at the very least, those in higher level English classes) should have the ability to frequently choose their own novels for independent assignments so they can have a more self-guided and motivated experience.