Lessons are the life of teachers. They prepare, give, and revise them on a daily basis. But lessons can be taught and learned from more than the teacher at the front of the class.
"We have only one story. All novels, all poetry, are built on the never-ending contest in ourselves of good and evil. And it occurs to me that evil must constantly re-spawn while good, while virtue, is immortal. Vice has always a new fresh young face, while virtue is venerable as nothing else in the world is."
Stories have been since the beginning of time, a way to learn. Cave paintings, songs, fairy tales all have a deeper meaning in history than simple entertainment.
"Of the river's secrets, however, today he saw only one that seized his soul: This water ran on and on, it always ran, and yet it always was there, it was always and ever the same and yet at every moment new! Lucky the man who grasped this, who understood this!"
Students can gain so much from reading these stories. Whether it be from a Charles Dickens classic, a graphic novel about the Holocaust, or a fairy tale that promotes a warning, the lessons are as true as they were when first penned. They may have changed a little over time and taken on a new meaning but by bringing in stories from different periods of history it can grab those students that aren't being reached in the normal way of learning.
"Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day."
These quotes are from books that touched my life. George Steinbeck's East of Eden, Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha, and Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. I was introduced to these authors during high school and guided to others from friends who had a passion for reading as well. Stories have been such a large part of my education and have made me a far better person because of the lessons they teach.
Stories are history. They are vital to understanding the people of the past. Reading and comprehending not only the story, but its deeper meaning is how we can get to know the people that came before us. Plus...its fun. But don't take MY word for it.
Monday, October 1, 2012
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4 comments:
First of all, I just have to say I think you are a very talented writer. Your blog post was fun and different from others I have read. I totally agree with you that all stories, poems, and other kinds of literature have a lot to offer. I think all forms of literature should be used throughout student's education and not just in English classrooms. I also love to read, and I hope to encourage my students to pick up a book and be able to enjoy it.
I loved your post. I think that bringing three very powerful quotes from books that are meaningful to you was a brilliant stroke, and said a lot. I completely agree with your statement that stories are history- I've always thought so too. Finally, can I just say how much I LOVED the Reading Rainbow reference and video?!
Great post! I love the "dont take my word for it." Oh for childhood memories. Great post as well. There are so many sources for kids to look into and all of these sources have phrases, sentences or even just main ideas that can significantly impact students. I know Robert Frost and other poets had some great lines that I learned in high school that I still remember!
What a beautifully poetic posting! Those quotes moved me too.
Yes, students learn from us, and yes, they learn from books. I also think they learn from each other. I wonder how you could structure learning from books and each other in your history classrooms...maybe students could read period books of their choosing in book clubs and you could give them time to discuss them with each other in class? The best teacher I've ever had was a European history teacher who required us to read books that would teach us about the time, such as novels by Charles Dickens.
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