One Half Of The Books For Summer example essay topic

962 words
Picture this, you " re at home, a week after school lets out for the summer. You work a steady 5 days a week, and its summer, so you want to relax. You grab for the remote just as you " re parents come home, and lug in the 4 hefty books required for the next school year. You moan as you think to yourself how you can possibly fit in time to read these enormous, time-consuming books.

For many students, summer is a busy time, with summer jobs to uphold, sports, or vacations. Its hard enough to fit in 4 bulky books as it is, but with the dull subjects, and non-relating plot lines chosen for summer reading, its twice as hard. Most schools, such as St. Marks, and Salesianum, dont even have a summer curriculum. If insists on forcing 4 books down the throats of its students, they should relate more to students or catch their attention with more exciting plot lines. Although's summer reading is incredibly bulky, it can be made somewhat easier on students if the books can relate more to them.

Creating a summer reading curriculum that will connect more with students at, will not only make it easier for the students to complete all of their reading, it would also greatly boost students grades. The first days of school summer reading tests are always a bear. What makes them even more difficult, is when the book youre being tested on was impossible to relate to, and you find yourself just reading words, and not even processing the storys plot. This seemed to be the case from 11 out of the 12 students that were interviewed for this report. Each of the 11, when asked if due to uninteresting text, found their minds wandering as they read, said it happens a lot, and usually hurts them come test time. This grade happens to be a big one for the first quarter and if one receives a ba grade, it haunts them throughout the semester.

When interviewed, Tim said I try to read the books, and eventually get through them, but when its time for the test on the first day, I cant remember anything because I couldn't pay attention as I read. Another student, Brian, when interviewed also felt this way... Brian answered basically the same as Tim, and when asked if he felt that reading on his part would be easier if the material related more to his life, and sparked some enchantment he replied, Oh definitely. If the books were cooler, newer, and had something to do with people my age with similar problems and situations, it would be great. These were just a few of the responses received while interviewing, and clearly a big majority favors the idea of a hipper change in the summer reading curriculum at. Changing the summer reading curriculum would allow Archmere students to enjoy reading more, resulting in better grades as well.

Although students at would clearly benefit from a more modernized, age-relating summer reading itinerary, one could argue that the books being taught now certainly have a good effect on students long term as well as short term. When interviewed, Mrs. Carol expressed her feelings on the matter, saying these books being taught now are taught because they are necessary preparation for college English. This statement is definitely true in that you will need to know about these books for college. Many other things can benefit from reading a book that relates to the student, and similar situations that he / she might run into throughout life. Sure these books might prepare you for college literature, but other books, may offer lifetime advice, or things to help in the real world. These problems could easily be fixed by taking some time out by faculty to research books that contain similar features of other books that are required to be taught, such as foreshadowing, symbolism, aphorism, hyperbole's, etc.

A faculty member would then present this book to the rest of the faculty, and get responses, and maybe replace just one of the normal four books regularly taught, and see how the students respond. This solution can also be met at an easy compromise; for instance, one half of the books for summer reading would be more modernized, relating books, and the other half the normal reading material that has always been taught. This idea would sill keep the older literature a big part of Archmere, but also give some new authors with new ideas a chance to make an impact. It is indeed important, for future schooling that a majority of these highly acclaimed, regularly taught books be read at; however, the summer reading curriculum could use a change of pace, something Archmere students can more easily relate to. In conclusion, students can greatly benefit from newer summer reading material, with more focus towards the interest of high school students; books that they can relate to more, and feel on the same level with.

Students would benefit in many ways, such as gaining a bigger interest to read instead of having a bad feeling because books have been forced upon them, or getting better grades due to the actual knowledge of the books. By taking a risk, and adding one or two new books to the summer reading curriculum,'s English faculty may in fact come upon a new book that will not only serve to the interest of the student, but will also become a new book to be taught in school for years to come..