From: lmollett@lunatix.uucp (Laura Mollett)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written,rec.arts.books
Subject: Re: SF + PC
Date: 1 Jan 93 07:08:22 GMT
Organization: Lexington Public Access Unix. -KY- (606) 255-9121

In article <C05GoB.EK1@spss.com> markrose@spss.com (Mark Rosenfelder) writes:
>In article <1992Dec31.221640.6275@netcom.com> dani@netcom.com (Dani Zweig) writes:
>>markrose@spss.com (Mark Rosenfelder):
>
[much deleted]
>>The students who
>>will reap most of the benefit from a thoughtful selection are those
>>who read, or will be inspired to read, other books as well.  
>
>I think the opposite: those are the students who don't need a reading list.
>The books I read in school form a miniscule fraction of all those I've read,
>and an even smaller fraction of those that have meant a lot to me.
>
I agree with this, though maybe it's due to a personal prejudice.  I've read
voraciously for all of my life as far as I can remember.  I've also *hated*
reading lists for all of that time.  I'm afraid I didn't garner much at all
from books that were "force-fed" to me.  I'm not even sure why I dislike
being told what to read so badly, but the simple fact that someone tells me
I *must* read it has often taken all meaning or enjoyment out of a work (with
only one or two exceptions).  As a matter of fact, when faced with a "must-read"
work, I often read the first, middle, and last chapters, and listened to class
discussions (that is always enough to get by) as opposed to ever reading the
work at all.  Yet, when I come to the same work naturally...that is something
I'm reading and interested in leads to an interest in reading that work, I 
often find it fascinating.  I *hated* Shakespeare in high school, and only
came to appreciate and love (and actually read him ;) much later; ditto Poe.
I've
never managed to read _The Turn of the Screw_ or anything by Washington Irving
due to force-feeding in early schooling.  Fortunately, I was never introduced
to Chaucer or many medieval works.  That might have put me off one of my major
interest groups now.  So I suppose I have a prejudice against reading lists
that I can't quite figure out where came from.

>A century or two ago "English Literature" wasn't taught in schools at all;
>English literature managed to exist anyway.  
>
>>One of the goals of the exercise is to offer those students guidance
>>in choosing among the tens of thousands of candidate books, and
>>a foundation to enable them to read their choices critically and
>>with understanding.
>
>I wonder whether this goal amounts to more than stuffing students' heads
>with the latest critical fashions-- and whether the process even succeeds
>in doing that.  
>
Again, I agree with this.  I'm _very_ confused about the "offering guidance"
concepts in regard to reading.  As a matter of fact, I have an (only slightly)
off-topic question for RAB readers.  I have 3 children.  The older 2 are both
readers (IMO, the best way to have children who read, is to read yourself), and
the baby (2 years) is still a little young yet, but, of course, loves being 
read too.  Anyway, I have always let (and encouraged) the children to read
whatever they want to for pleasure  (tho I do sometimes insist that they
read _something_ instead of TV or nintendo :).  I figure they get enough of
reading the required stuff at school (tho maybe not) and anyway, if they're
reading for fun, they should have fun at it.  Sooo, my 5th-grader brings home
a couple of a series called _The Babysitter's Club_.  (This wasn't around when
I was young, seems to be very popular now, and is one of the few things _not_
included in our home children's library...it's apparently Nancy Drew/Hardy     
Boyish, tho I haven't actually read them yet, so I'm not sure).  Anyway, my
2nd-grader immediately decided this was great stuff, and started devouring
them.  She had read 2 and was 1/2 way through a third, before I realised she
was reading them on the older child's library privileges (and making him
take the books back late).  Sooo, I asked her why she didn't check them out
for herself.  She told me she was limited to "Easy" books (as is all the
second grade) and these were "Junior's".  (They did this to me when I was
in elementary school as well, but I had forgotten until it came up again with
her).  Soooooo, I wrote the librarian a note, and asked that she be allowed
to check out the books (and mentioned the "Easy" books were not challenging to
her anyway) and this privilege was immediately granted.  (OK, don't ask, we
live in KY...the backwater of the world <grin>).  Problem solved, yes?  

No.  Sometime later I get a note from the librarian that says, in part:
	Of course, Amanda may choose more challenging reading material.
	I will be delighted to help her select something more substantial. 
	However, I really feel that there are more appropriate choices for
	Amanda's maturity level than _The Babysitter's Club_.  I hope when
	she finishes the series she will embrace the multitude of excellent
	literature we have at Ashland.  I will be glad to provide you with
	a list of books if you so desire.

Hmm...Problem Number 1)  I have always assumed that if a book was "too old"
	for one of my children, they would become bored with it (whatever they
	don't understand goes right over their heads).  Amanda has now read
	6 or 7 of these books (including immediately devouring her own and
	Jason's Christmas gifts of two of them).  If they were too mature
	would she still be reading them?

2)  Is there any reason at all why I should choose her "for fun" reading for
	her from a list.  What's wrong with what she chooses for herself?

3)  How in the world do I respond tactfully to this woman's letter, and at
	the same time tell her I think Amanda should choose her own reading
	material - even if she _is_ an elementary school librarian?
(As an aside, we noticed the library had very few books...basically less than
we have at home, and very, very few were the science fiction/fantasy I loved
as a child...we were tempted to donate a whole series of things.)

4)  How seriously should I take this persons list, anyway (and opinions on
	what my child should read)...and her opinions on my child's 
	"maturity level"?

and
5)  (related to 1)  Has anyone actually read these books and could they
	comment on whether a 2nd grader should read them?  I am certain
	there is none of the "traditional" hot spots (that is, sex and drugs
	etc.) concerned.  They seem to be about a group of girls who have
	various "adventures" and boyfriends etc....tho as I said, I
	haven't read them myself yet.
[much more deleted]

Any suggestions?
			Laura Mollett