I taught English and creative writing in Ontario for 27 years until 2011. The steady decline in standards and expectations, particularly in my final six years but before that too, was demoralizing, especially for the kids who wanted to be challenged and pushed, by teachers and by peers. Luckily for me I had academic English classes as part of my teaching right to the end but even these classes began to decline in intensity and rigour. The push in Applied English classes to find books that would interest students who weren’t “readers” began before 2001 and, to its credit, resulted in the teaching of books that many reluctant readers did enjoy. But when this goal - enjoying reading because it has been made “easy” or “palatable” - filters to all English classes, it is only just sad. I recall with fondness the eagerness with which my students approached Shakespeare, especially their attempts to bring his words to the stage (our classroom) which is why he wrote the stories as plays, to be acted. Hard things are hard because they’re worth the struggle to come to understand them. Duh.
Thank you for your comment. I first came to Canada as an exchange student from Switzerland when I was 16 and remember reading Romeo and Juliet in my English class. It was very challenging for me but I loved the sense of achievement when I completed the play. I think your point about the down-grading of curriculum having a demoralizing effect is spot on. One of my daughter's friends took a grade 9 English course in the public system where the only required text was written in rap about a guy who lived in a basement.
An absolutely accurate and well written article that succinctly summarizes the key threats to the demise of the English language and even worse to the development of critical thinkers. Great prophetic article.
I taught English and creative writing in Ontario for 27 years until 2011. The steady decline in standards and expectations, particularly in my final six years but before that too, was demoralizing, especially for the kids who wanted to be challenged and pushed, by teachers and by peers. Luckily for me I had academic English classes as part of my teaching right to the end but even these classes began to decline in intensity and rigour. The push in Applied English classes to find books that would interest students who weren’t “readers” began before 2001 and, to its credit, resulted in the teaching of books that many reluctant readers did enjoy. But when this goal - enjoying reading because it has been made “easy” or “palatable” - filters to all English classes, it is only just sad. I recall with fondness the eagerness with which my students approached Shakespeare, especially their attempts to bring his words to the stage (our classroom) which is why he wrote the stories as plays, to be acted. Hard things are hard because they’re worth the struggle to come to understand them. Duh.
Thank you for your comment. I first came to Canada as an exchange student from Switzerland when I was 16 and remember reading Romeo and Juliet in my English class. It was very challenging for me but I loved the sense of achievement when I completed the play. I think your point about the down-grading of curriculum having a demoralizing effect is spot on. One of my daughter's friends took a grade 9 English course in the public system where the only required text was written in rap about a guy who lived in a basement.
Definitely food for thought and gives hope that common sense will prevail. Thank you.
An absolutely accurate and well written article that succinctly summarizes the key threats to the demise of the English language and even worse to the development of critical thinkers. Great prophetic article.
Perfect