Comments on: Reading the Classics

By: Lori

Lori — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:00:16 +0000

i’m not sure how this works. i am a big reader and read all the classics when i was a child. i loaded up my sons’ bookshelves with all the classics and they have read them along with contemporary YA stuff. we always read a mix of books aloud — classic, new, fiction/nonfiction. maybe it’s just personal taste, but i suspect it helps to introduce it young. you know how you always like your mom’s cooking just because it’s what you were used to. ;^)

By: This Little Piggy

This Little Piggy — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:37:22 +0000

Sweetums reads abridged versions. This way I know that she’s been exposed to the classics in a language that she can understand. Works for us.

By: JoVE

JoVE — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:03:51 +0000

I’ve not read many of the “classics” myself but then I’m not a writer, either, in the way Tigger is. Tigger has moved into them largely through drama. She’s doing Dickens Great Expectations adapted as a play so we’re doing some 19th century lit alongside that. So she’s read Jane Eyre. And then a neighbour was selling a bunch of books and Mat picked up some classics and he read Gullivers Travels to her. I’m not sure.

I think I agree that there is no point in requiring your kids to read them. Look where that got you (and so many others). But having them lying around might be good. And given Marie’s interest in movies, maybe watching some of the better adaptations would be a good way in.

By: Tammy

Tammy — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 02:14:47 +0000

David and I read lots and lots of classics. . . right now, we are reading The Count of Monte Cristo, Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde, The Black Arrow, Ivanhoe, Rob Roy, and I could name more . . . My fault is I do not like most modern novels, but I figure he’ll get plenty of those in college. We are reading C. S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters and Perelandra plus some good modern biographys (John Perry’s Unshakable Faith and also David McCullough’s John Adams).

By: Heather

Heather — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:51:45 +0000

Our homeschool group we spend time with each week has decided to have our kids read classic novels in a book club format. We thought it might be more fun for them to be reading these books with friends, and be able to discuss them with each other. We’ll guide them along with discussion questions. Pinkmonkey.com has some good notes on many of the classic books.

By: lovelyloey

lovelyloey — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:09:04 +0000

I think perhaps it all boils down to what is considered “good” writing. Is it merely being communicative AND contemporary, or is the style in the Classics regarded as the target?
I guess such a question really needs to take into account language education as a whole.

By: Sara

Sara — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:28:59 +0000

I think it’s more important to just read a lot of variety. Instead of assigning “the classics”, I would just encourage the reading of lots of different stuff. I’m always wary of anyone saying there are certain books that “have to be read”, because who gets to pick that? There’s not enough time in life to read everything that’s worth reading, so no one can ever be done reading. Thank goodness!

By: Meg

Meg — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 01:10:44 +0000

Hmm, have you read Mind Games post about classics? or maybe the two of you are building off the same “conversation.”

Anyway, my thoughts are laid out for her. If you read a lot of whatever, you’ll trip over the classics sooner or later.

My kids certainly have – though I think Newberry has worn out it’s welcome. Giving them something marked Newberry winner is a sure way to turn them off.