”
GHS students study Shakespeare’s work in English I, English II
and British Literature for seniors. They don’t in English III
because that class focuses on American Literature. The current
reading list includes both books that are considered to be classics
and more contemporary.
”
“GHS students study Shakespeare’s work in English I, English II and British Literature for seniors. They don’t in English III because that class focuses on American Literature. The current reading list includes both books that are considered to be classics and more contemporary. ”
So wrote Gilroy Unified School District Superintendent of Schools Edwin Diaz in a guest column published in the Dispatch, Nov. 18, 2003.
“I am not an ardent defender of its place on the core curriculum but I think that removing it, without expanding the list to include a significantly more diverse group of authors, would have exacerbated an already wretched situation. The school board clearly recognized this when they voted to pilot 10 new books by diverse authors in the coming year.”
So wrote Bernadette Arellano, regarding “Rain of Gold” and a decision to pilot a slew of books by Chicano or Hispanic authors next year, in a guest column published in The Dispatch a month ago.
Since Edwin Diaz is the superintendent of schools, I put more weight behind his words having an impact on the classroom than Ms. Arellano’s. What Mr. Diaz said a few months back is an accurate reflection of reality.
In English I, students will use a textbook and read “The Odyssey,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “The House on Mango Street,” and most likely “The Miracle Worker.”
Honors English I is similar, and includes the textbook, “The Odyssey,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “Bless Me Ultima,” “Lord of the Flies,” and most likely “Great Expectations” and “The Miracle Worker.” Every ninth grader will read two classics of literature. Every ninth grader will also read a book by a Chicano or Chicana author.
In 10th grade, English II will cover the textbook, “Antigone,” and a selection of short stories, non-fiction, poetry and drama. The core reading list will be “MacBeth,” either “Black Boy” or “Native Son,” “Night,” “All Quiet on the Western Front,” “Animal Farm” and “Bless Me Ultima.” Honors English II will be the same, except for “Bless Me Ultima” which these sophomores read in their freshman year. Honors English II will also read “Julius Ceasar.”
English III is American Literature, it says so right on the textbook. In addition to the textbook, students will read “The Crucible,” “The Scarlet Letter,” “The Great Gatsby,” “Huckleberry Finn” and “The Grapes of Wrath.” AP Junior English will read all of these, plus “East of Eden.”
English IV is British Literature, always has been, and that is what the textbook covers. In addition to the textbook, students who choose to take English IV will read “Beowulf,” “Gulliver’s Travels,” “Hamlet,” “Brave New World,” “A Tale of Two Cities,” “Frankenstein” and “Jane Eyre.” AP Senior English will consist of the textbook, plus “Pride and Prejudice,” “Heart of Darkness,” “Wuthering Heights,” “Of Human Bondage,” “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man,” “Return of the Native,” “Silas Marner,” “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie,” “The Metamorphosis,” “Northanger Abbey,” “Candide” and possibly “Crime and Punishment.” Either “The Picture of Dorian Gray” or “The Importance of Being Earnest” will fill out the AP list.
Some students will opt not to take British Literature or AP Senior English. They will opt instead to take the only two semester classes offered, which are “Women in Literature” and “Chicano Literature.”
Since all of these core works and the textbook will take up the vast portion of time, I won’t bother getting into the supplemental lists. These books will never be required reading, there simply won’t be time for them. Edwin Diaz sees the value of Shakespeare being part of English I, II and IV. He also sees the absurdity in having Shakespeare included in American Lit.
Rounding out the English curriculum, this year there is a summer reading list in place at Gilroy High which can be accessed online. Every student taking standard English classes has the opportunity to read for extra credit. Every student taking Honors or AP English is required to do the reading and have a parent sign off, as summer reading will count towards the semester grade.
When I look at the list of books that Gilroy High students will be reading, I don’t see the “wretchedness” that Ms. Arellano sees. “Black Boy” and “Animal Farm” and “Antigone” and “Bless Me Ultima” on their own merits make English II diverse. Also, the textbook will add to course diversity.
I hope that Ms. Arellano can see the absurdity of piloting a bunch of “similarly diverse” books next year. When will there be time? How will these titles fit in American Literature or British Literature? They simply don’t fit into those courses. Maybe all the new books should be piloted in a Chicano literature course that course could be expanded to a year-long class. This would free up a semester for something truly different, like science fiction.
