And we wonder why so many high schoolers stop reading...

(And no, I didn’t buy any of these. I Sparknoted my way through this book once and that was enough.)

It’s not even about The Scarlet Letter specifically. (But, seriously, how many young (or old) people look at those covers and get excited?) It’s about refusing to acknowledge that what we’re doing/reading in far too many classrooms is not working for far too many students.

Life is short. The school year is short. The Scarlet Letter is not “essential.” Many students will continue to fake read or play the game to get the grade. Some will shut down. A few may like it! Not the point. There are better books. We could be using that time in better ways.

To those who feel the need to defend their favorite books (but stay silent about the real shit going on in the world), my ask:
1. What does your curriculum look like? Please share!
2. How do your students feel about it?
3. What books have you read recently?