Comments on: Meme: High School Daze to Praise (For Mature Audiences Only) http://beyond-school.org/2008/04/10/meme-high-school-daze-to-praise-for-mature-audiences-only/ . . . and beyond "schooliness" - notes of a 20th c. teaching drop-out Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:53:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Mark Coovelis http://beyond-school.org/2008/04/10/meme-high-school-daze-to-praise-for-mature-audiences-only/#comment-4357 Mark Coovelis Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:24 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/?p=637#comment-4357 I just (an hour ago) found Rule of the Bone in a thrift shop. I'm a high school English teacher rooting around for something to teach in the fall. I teach at a continuation high school where the kids for the most part don't read. When they do, it's because the book speaks to them. I've taught Noah Levine's Dharma Punx, which is full of drugs, sex and punk rock and the kids like it, and so far I've gotten away with it. I use power point and scan whole novels onto slides one page at a time. We read the book together off the screen and answer the discussion questions I insert every page or two. It works. I tell you this because this method lets me edit out the most dangerous passages. (Dangerous to my credential, not to the students.) I doubt I could get away with teaching these books at a comprehensive high school. Lolita, my favorite book for many years, is beyond the pale and well beyond the reach of most of my students. Leave that sweet discovery for college or for some summer thrift shop browsing. I just (an hour ago) found Rule of the Bone in a thrift shop. I’m a high school English teacher rooting around for something to teach in the fall. I teach at a continuation high school where the kids for the most part don’t read. When they do, it’s because the book speaks to them. I’ve taught Noah Levine’s Dharma Punx, which is full of drugs, sex and punk rock and the kids like it, and so far I’ve gotten away with it. I use power point and scan whole novels onto slides one page at a time. We read the book together off the screen and answer the discussion questions I insert every page or two. It works. I tell you this because this method lets me edit out the most dangerous passages. (Dangerous to my credential, not to the students.) I doubt I could get away with teaching these books at a comprehensive high school. Lolita, my favorite book for many years, is beyond the pale and well beyond the reach of most of my students. Leave that sweet discovery for college or for some summer thrift shop browsing.

]]> By: Jeff Wasserman :: Blog http://beyond-school.org/2008/04/10/meme-high-school-daze-to-praise-for-mature-audiences-only/#comment-4179 Jeff Wasserman :: Blog Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:27:39 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/?p=637#comment-4179 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] Clay tagged me. Let’s knock out the rules, then on to the meat of this [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> Kramer auto Pingback[...] Clay tagged me. Let’s knock out the rules, then on to the meat of this [...]

]]> By: Around the Corner - MGuhlin.net http://beyond-school.org/2008/04/10/meme-high-school-daze-to-praise-for-mature-audiences-only/#comment-3559 Around the Corner - MGuhlin.net Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:41:15 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/?p=637#comment-3559 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] while it may not be much to read, it is fun to write. However, the discussion about why or whether Nabokov's Lolita Should be Taught in High School cuts to the heart of who we are as human beings. For Americans, it challenges us to face our fears, [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> Kramer auto Pingback[...] while it may not be much to read, it is fun to write. However, the discussion about why or whether Nabokov’s Lolita Should be Taught in High School cuts to the heart of who we are as human beings. For Americans, it challenges us to face our fears, [...]

]]> By: To Ban or Not to Ban? Students Respond to Nabokov's Lolita | Beyond School http://beyond-school.org/2008/04/10/meme-high-school-daze-to-praise-for-mature-audiences-only/#comment-3359 To Ban or Not to Ban? Students Respond to Nabokov's Lolita | Beyond School Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:46:01 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/?p=637#comment-3359 [...] secondary. This is the third in the Why We Should Teach Lolita in High School series.  See Number One here, Number Two here, with many interesting comments. If you want to comment, please read those posts - [...] [...] secondary. This is the third in the Why We Should Teach Lolita in High School series.  See Number One here, Number Two here, with many interesting comments. If you want to comment, please read those posts - [...]

]]> By: Meme: High School Daze to Praise | When the hurly-burly's done http://beyond-school.org/2008/04/10/meme-high-school-daze-to-praise-for-mature-audiences-only/#comment-3274 Meme: High School Daze to Praise | When the hurly-burly's done Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:29:51 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/?p=637#comment-3274 [...] Clay tagged me.  Let’s knock out the rules, then on to the meat of this [...] [...] Clay tagged me.  Let’s knock out the rules, then on to the meat of this [...]

]]> By: Wrestling with Lolita: Final Thoughts - KIS AP Lit 07-08 http://beyond-school.org/2008/04/10/meme-high-school-daze-to-praise-for-mature-audiences-only/#comment-3273 Wrestling with Lolita: Final Thoughts - KIS AP Lit 07-08 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:41:44 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/?p=637#comment-3273 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] "the only convincing love story of our [20th] century." What do you think they meant by that? 3. I blogged about teaching this novel, and my readers were split on whether AP Lit students should be allowed [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> Kramer auto Pingback[...] “the only convincing love story of our [20th] century.” What do you think they meant by that? 3. I blogged about teaching this novel, and my readers were split on whether AP Lit students should be allowed [...]

]]> By: Lindsea http://beyond-school.org/2008/04/10/meme-high-school-daze-to-praise-for-mature-audiences-only/#comment-3268 Lindsea Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:41:35 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/?p=637#comment-3268 With teachers like you, that fear is unnecessary. I trust you as a friend and human being, and that's how I see you, not as teacher per se (although you are one of my favorite teachers). I've learned more from you when we relate in a friendly person to person way than I've learned from many teachers in a teacher to student way. I don't like to fall into that authority versus subordinate role that so often creates the mold for student/teachers relationships. Almost like the Stanford prison experiment, I see teachers who can't stop being in the position of power and talk to me like a person. A lot of times it actually shuts me off from what they're trying to teach me, because, as you know, I am not one to accept authority for authority's sake. The undeniable fact is that there are people who exist that aren't as honorable as you or the other teachers I relate with. Maybe Lolita will become a proxy for students to talk about it and for awareness to be raised. It's a definite possibility. It's hard for me to relate to all of this, because I come from a pretty liberal school. We've read some books that were way more sexually graphic and, frankly, burnable. I'm still trying to understand how it must feel for you to have to combat this kind of ignorance at your school. And, thanks to this post, I'm much more enlightened. <em>Lindsea's last blog post..<a href='http://lindseak.wordpress.com/2008/04/12/meme-high-school-daze-to-praise/' rel="nofollow">Meme: High School Daze to Praise</a></em> With teachers like you, that fear is unnecessary. I trust you as a friend and human being, and that’s how I see you, not as teacher per se (although you are one of my favorite teachers). I’ve learned more from you when we relate in a friendly person to person way than I’ve learned from many teachers in a teacher to student way. I don’t like to fall into that authority versus subordinate role that so often creates the mold for student/teachers relationships. Almost like the Stanford prison experiment, I see teachers who can’t stop being in the position of power and talk to me like a person. A lot of times it actually shuts me off from what they’re trying to teach me, because, as you know, I am not one to accept authority for authority’s sake.

The undeniable fact is that there are people who exist that aren’t as honorable as you or the other teachers I relate with. Maybe Lolita will become a proxy for students to talk about it and for awareness to be raised. It’s a definite possibility.

It’s hard for me to relate to all of this, because I come from a pretty liberal school. We’ve read some books that were way more sexually graphic and, frankly, burnable. I’m still trying to understand how it must feel for you to have to combat this kind of ignorance at your school.

And, thanks to this post, I’m much more enlightened.

Lindsea’s last blog post..Meme: High School Daze to Praise

]]> By: Fear-Based Curriculum: A Language Arts Tragedy (More on Teaching Lolita) | Beyond School http://beyond-school.org/2008/04/10/meme-high-school-daze-to-praise-for-mature-audiences-only/#comment-3247 Fear-Based Curriculum: A Language Arts Tragedy (More on Teaching Lolita) | Beyond School Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:39:32 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/?p=637#comment-3247 [...] my last post on why I think Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita should be required reading at some point in high [...] [...] my last post on why I think Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita should be required reading at some point in high [...]

]]> By: Clay Burell http://beyond-school.org/2008/04/10/meme-high-school-daze-to-praise-for-mature-audiences-only/#comment-3244 Clay Burell Sun, 13 Apr 2008 22:48:20 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/?p=637#comment-3244 I know, Lindsea :P My 3 a.m. response didn't communicate that. But what I was trying to do was draw you in a bit more into the purpose of this post, the issue: that a lot of people are too fearful to encourage other students to do what you're doing on Twitter, etc, and are too fearful themselves to have the kind of interactions we have as two human beings, because they fear being accused of being like the teacher in the Police song. To me it's one of The Issues today. <em>Clay Burell's last blog post..<a href='http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/cburell/~3/267656315/' rel="nofollow">Meme: High School Daze to Praise (For Mature Audiences Only)</a></em> I know, Lindsea :P My 3 a.m. response didn’t communicate that. But what I was trying to do was draw you in a bit more into the purpose of this post, the issue: that a lot of people are too fearful to encourage other students to do what you’re doing on Twitter, etc, and are too fearful themselves to have the kind of interactions we have as two human beings, because they fear being accused of being like the teacher in the Police song.

To me it’s one of The Issues today.

Clay Burell’s last blog post..Meme: High School Daze to Praise (For Mature Audiences Only)

]]> By: Lindseak http://beyond-school.org/2008/04/10/meme-high-school-daze-to-praise-for-mature-audiences-only/#comment-3243 Lindseak Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:56:43 +0000 http://beyond-school.org/?p=637#comment-3243 Clay, chillax. A little joke that was only funny at 2 a.m. in Hawaii evidently. There were no implications, I was only admiring Police's rhyming skills. <em>Lindseak's last blog post..<a href='http://lindseak.wordpress.com/2008/04/12/meme-high-school-daze-to-praise/' rel="nofollow">Meme: High School Daze to Praise</a></em> Clay, chillax.

A little joke that was only funny at 2 a.m. in Hawaii evidently. There were no implications, I was only admiring Police’s rhyming skills.

Lindseak’s last blog post..Meme: High School Daze to Praise

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