High School Literature Approaches/Alternatives

[1shortmomto4]

The post about the BJU DVDs got me thinking (actually so has the fact that my checkbook is shrinking) but is there another way to teach kids literary skills and how much picking apart, evaluating, opinions, etc. is necessary. My ds, who is not a strong reader (nor does he enjoy it), really needs the visual portion of the DVDs to stick with the lesson. I tried Progeny Press and TLP and he just didn't seem to get much. We've worked through BJU (I actually used the 8th grade level) and he finally was beginning to enjoy the literature. Not sure why. He didn't always enjoy filling out the sheets about character, setting, plot, and answering indepth questions, but he did it - some stories better than others. Are there other options that would work? Would Teaching Company be an option if he were to read just a few works rather than abbreviated portions. Not sure that I necessarily want to rock the boat but looking at other options - especially with another high schooler closing in on his heels (and she is a reader).

[crosseyedparent]

Have you looked at IEW's Window to the World?

[Ruth in NC]

Have you considered Teaching Company's Masterpieces of Short Fiction? This uses short stories rather than larger pieces.

[Mommyfaithe]

You know...I am a big CM advocate and I really love using whole books...real...books...beautiful books...BUT my dd really blossomed using A Bekas High School Lit courses. I am even embarassed to admit it...but she thrived on these textbooks. They use parts of books to analyze...which dd finally was able to do...and the beauty of it all was she then decided which books touched her and she would get the book from the library and read the whole thing on her own. She loved these books so much she slept with them. They made her feel successful. She no longer felt lost!!

These text books are not easy! BUT, they held her hand enough that she could see the forest for the trees. She is now a straight A student of humanities in our local CC. A textbook lit course gave her the courage to attack real lit.

HTH
~~Faithe

[Susan C.]

I also struggled with whole books vs. parts in a lit. book. Both of my kids have loved A Beka and BJUP. My son did World, American, and English in A Beka. He liked the last one enough to do Brit. Lit. in BJUP in his senior year. They get a wide selection and exposure in the lit. books that they wouldn't get reading whole books. Then they can read the whole books of the authors they like. A Beka's World Literature book is very good. (Did w/o dvd). My son liked BJUP British Lit. because the DVD teacher was incredible!

[mamaluvs2hs]

The post about the BJU DVDs got me thinking (actually so has the fact that my checkbook is shrinking) but is there another way to teach kids literary skills and how much picking apart, evaluating, opinions, etc. is necessary. My ds, who is not a strong reader (nor does he enjoy it), really needs the visual portion of the DVDs to stick with the lesson. I tried Progeny Press and TLP and he just didn't seem to get much. We've worked through BJU (I actually used the 8th grade level) and he finally was beginning to enjoy the literature. Not sure why. He didn't always enjoy filling out the sheets about character, setting, plot, and answering indepth questions, but he did it - some stories better than others. Are there other options that would work? Would Teaching Company be an option if he were to read just a few works rather than abbreviated portions. Not sure that I necessarily want to rock the boat but looking at other options - especially with another high schooler closing in on his heels (and she is a reader).

What a good question! I've been thinking about this also.

BJU is so expensive, but my ds is very similar to your ds.

I'm looking at BJU because I'm just not confident in my teaching him what he needs to know for Literature.

I would love to know if there are other options out there similar to BJU.

[Mommyfaithe]

You know...I am a big CM advocate and I really love using whole books...real...books...beautiful books...BUT my dd really blossomed using A Bekas High School Lit courses. I am even embarassed to admit it...but she thrived on these textbooks. They use parts of books to analyze...which dd finally was able to do...and the beauty of it all was she then decided which books touched her and she would get the book from the library and read the whole thing on her own. She loved these books so much she slept with them. They made her feel successful. She no longer felt lost!!

These text books are not easy! BUT, they held her hand enough that she could see the forest for the trees. She is now a straight A student of humanities in our local CC. A textbook lit course gave her the courage to attack real lit.

HTH
~~Faithe

Oh, we didn't use the dvd stuff at all...way over my budget and we did fine without it. I did have her choose one writing assignment every unit etc. Did the job and did it well.
Faithe

[1shortmomto4]

After I posted this question I really started thinking - hello? are you the one learning or is he? If he is finally making progress and understanding concepts and growing and maturing in his literature skills, why are you even considering rocking the boat? I guess I was just wondering if there were other options for my other kids coming down the pike because they do learn quite differently than big brother. I've really struggled with the whole literature analysis concept because I was an avid reader as child (grew up overseas with no tv so I played and read A LOT) but when I attended high school in the US I remember only 1 literature analysis - Great Expectations. We read the book and watched the movie. That was it. I headed off to college and I didn't read a whole book there, either - we read a portion of the Great Gatsby and somehow I managed to eek out a B+ (my writing portion was weak at the time). I know things have changed (seeing as I attended college over 16 years ago) so things are much more challenging I'm guessing? I want my kids to be prepared for college - whether they end up there or not. This particular child I believe is leading in the direction of youth ministry but he'll still need to be able to read a lot and understand what it all means sooooo.... I'm going to stop analyzing and just keep notes of suggestions that come up over time to keep in mind for my other little students. All this really said to read - I'm not confident that I would do a good job in the English/Lit department so I'm going to leave it up some professionals at this point.