The answer is, understandably, complicated. Literary classics such as Shakespearean plays and “The Odyssey” aren’t boring and horrible, or else they would have never become classics. Yet they are consistently despised by students across the United States. School administered novels are rarely enjoyed by students often because of the over-analysis that occurs in class. The amount of analysis work done on novels often renders them non-enjoyable, and classwork is then treated like a chore. Quite frankly, students aren’t energized by analyzing poems nowadays, especially if certain themes and ideasare treated as fact when poetry is very subjective.
Obviously some sort of reform is needed to create an English renaissance in public schools. One major change that could be considered would be a restructure of the curriculum that would give teachers more creative power, letting them form their own lesson plans while being loosely kept to a basic curriculum. This could result in fun and informative lessons that keep the attention of students much more effectively. Previously dull components of English such as sentence structure and identifying themes could become more interesting with teachers having more input in their own lessons.
Another frequent qualm of English students nowadays is the boring nature of books they are made to read. There are a couple of roads to avoid students from forever distancing themselves from works like Shakespeare once they leave high school. One could be trying to limit mindless analyzing of diction while trying to elicit themes out of the students themselves; this could promote understanding in a less dull manner. Another solution could be promoting choice with the books that students have to read, modernizing these books while keeping classic themes available.
Book choice is also important when it comes to age, as often times, books with high school values and subjects are presented to students in the 6th and 7th grades. Books such as “The Diary of Anne Frank” and “The Catcher in the Rye” should really be reserved for age groups that can appropriately discuss and relate to them. Middle schoolers should read books that they can relate to, not the deep romances of Shakespeare.
Tailoring the curriculum and allowing alternate book choices can much better personalize the English experience for the modern day student, which could raise interest and learning productivity in general. Having students talk and analyze things they care about could easily streamline English classes and make more fluid situations for learning. This, coupled with more freedom for teachers, would move English forward in leaps and bounds.
