This is my 40th year as a high school English teacher, and I have weathered many changes, trends, and developments in eduction, technology, and society in general. I still love what do, and I am grateful to God that He continues to call me, equip me, and sustain me in this career. However, the intensity with which the challenges have escalated over the past decade has been nothing short of daunting. (And don’t get me started on the use of AI to complete assignments.)
With all that said, I am also grateful that God has been faithful to provide affirmation and encouragement when I most needed it. And listening to this podcast was one of those moments! So thank you! It’s encouraging to hear someone whom I respect and appreciate as a sister in Christ, an astute student of literature, and a master teacher affirm the value and effectiveness of close, carful reading and engagement with language.
My passion for literature is rooted in close reading and a love of language, but that seems in many places to have fallen out of favor because it requires commitment of time, attention to detail, and an appreciation for the aesthetic. None of these are easy to come by in a culture that is looking for an immediate and tangible payoff, particularly for any endeavor the requires a commitment of time and effort—effective reading demands both.
Thank you again! Your perspective and words are greatly appreciated!
This conversation pricked at a pain I carry… that my 20 and 21 y/o sons do not read books, and that reading aloud to them fell off through their grade school years. But it also encouraged me that this is a public conversation. I keep encouraging my sons to read a good book, hoping they’ll spike an interest. My sister and I and our 19 y/o niece do a book club together. It’s been really good. I love the idea of family book clubs!
This is my 40th year as a high school English teacher, and I have weathered many changes, trends, and developments in eduction, technology, and society in general. I still love what do, and I am grateful to God that He continues to call me, equip me, and sustain me in this career. However, the intensity with which the challenges have escalated over the past decade has been nothing short of daunting. (And don’t get me started on the use of AI to complete assignments.)
With all that said, I am also grateful that God has been faithful to provide affirmation and encouragement when I most needed it. And listening to this podcast was one of those moments! So thank you! It’s encouraging to hear someone whom I respect and appreciate as a sister in Christ, an astute student of literature, and a master teacher affirm the value and effectiveness of close, carful reading and engagement with language.
My passion for literature is rooted in close reading and a love of language, but that seems in many places to have fallen out of favor because it requires commitment of time, attention to detail, and an appreciation for the aesthetic. None of these are easy to come by in a culture that is looking for an immediate and tangible payoff, particularly for any endeavor the requires a commitment of time and effort—effective reading demands both.
Thank you again! Your perspective and words are greatly appreciated!
This conversation pricked at a pain I carry… that my 20 and 21 y/o sons do not read books, and that reading aloud to them fell off through their grade school years. But it also encouraged me that this is a public conversation. I keep encouraging my sons to read a good book, hoping they’ll spike an interest. My sister and I and our 19 y/o niece do a book club together. It’s been really good. I love the idea of family book clubs!