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Would Like a Recommendation...
| Mon, 09-25-2006 - 11:25pm |
14 yo dd is in AP English and To Kill a Mockingbird was their first book of the year. DD read the book cover to cover and still did horribly on the tests. I even caught up with her and read it with her after she failed the first test. Her grades with my help were only slightly better.
The Bean Trees is up next, one of my favorites, and I will read it with her again but I'm wondering about using Cliff Notes or SparkNotes as we go along to help her get out of it what she must for the tests. I will have to order it online and there are

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We've used cliff notes and the spark notes and they are both equally informative. I think my dd preferred the spark notes because they gave more analytical descriptions.
DD16 HATED To Kill a Mockingbird and although she read it, she also did poorly on the tests.
What I don't understand is why so many school districts continually use the same old curriculums in today's schools. I realize this book and many others are 'classics' but haven't millions of other amazingly wonderful, well written books been published between then and now? Books that might somehow spark an interest in a teen's mind moreso than those older antiquated books? Books that can somehow feel relative to what's going on in the current teen student's mind?
Okay, that's my rant on this. I like the idea of books on tape - sounds like a wonderful way to reinforce what your dd's already read. Also, my dd watched the movie so she could have a picture in her head of what was going on. The teacher actually approved this.
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DS had a teacher like that last year in 8th - she had her own agenda. Unfortunately in that case if tests and assignments are so subjective, your choices are putting up with it or asking to switch teachers. We stuck it out; it wasn't fun and got ds discouraged in his ability. But this year is proving better; they do have that old depressing freshman curriculum similar to what we had way back when (also To Kill a Mockingbird, and many short stories that are sad or brutal like The Scarlet Ibis, The Most Dangerous Game, etc.) - I don't get that either. But at least she's nurturing and encouraging vs. just running with what she wants and giving bad grades like last year!
Sue
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