The study of English should be considered less a scientific study of language and more like an art form to be appreciated. I enjoy reading poetry and prose where the author draws the reader into the story with good imagery. Last year I read more books on my own than were assigned by the teacher. Unfortunately, the books that were reading assignments last year were required to be dissected chapter by chapter, ruining the flow and magic of what I considered to be good literature. Also, discussion about themes and strands were highly structured, with little opportunity for open discussion and debate. We stuck too closely to a prescribed curriculum, without the chance to make meaningful connections beyond the boundaries. Because of the mismatch between my expectations of the course and the actual classes, the year seemed to pass slowly and disjointedly. For instance, in Novel Study we would read a chapter, then stop and thoroughly analyze that section of the book. I could not sustain interest in the novel with this kind of approach. Thus, I ended up putting less effort into the "study" of the book. Students should be encouraged to read simply for the pleasure of it. We can -- and will -- make the literary connections to our lives when it becomes relevant in our lives. That is what our memories are for! Years later, a passage/book will make sense once we have had the right life experiences. .
There are many types of creative writing. I like writing descriptive passages rather than plot-driven action stories. Last year, we focused on individual aspects of writing, but we never combined these inter-related styles of writing into one flowing piece.
Literature is all about relationships in our world - imagined or real. I see myself as closely connected to some students and miles away from others. I want to have the power to influence not just my close friends, but the larger community.
