Canon Analysis
When I really start analyzing what I teach and why I teach it, I do not think about the novels read, or the essays assigned in my classroom; instead, I think about my students’ experiences and reactions to the material they are exposed to. It is their reactions that communicate their level of interest in what they are learning, or if my delivery of the material is supported. Students’ reactions are what have taught me purpose and focus in the classroom.
In 2007, the required reading for Freshman English became The Odyssey, Romeo and Juliet, Animal Farm, Of Mice and Men and The Diary of Anne Frank. The Michigan Department of Education’s High School Content Expectations for English Language Arts indicates in Reading Standard 3.3 that students in English 9 will “read and analyze classic and contemporary works of literature (American, British, World) representing a variety of genres and traditions and consider their significance in their own time period as well as how they may be relevant to contemporary society”. English 9, students are required to analyze, interpret, and critique various genres and time periods including: Contemporary Literature, Poetry, Realistic Fiction, Epic Poetry and Shakespearean Tragedy. The English Department rearranged the original reading list, pulled The Odyssey in for the Epic genre, kept Romeo and Juliet, Of Mice and Men, Diary of Anne Frank and the poetry unit and added Animal Farm. The justification for Animal Farm was that it classified as contemporary literature because it is written in 1946 (which is technically after WWII). I had observed a lesson on the general allegory of Animal Farm and each of its parallels during an Honors English 9 class, and thought it seemed interesting, so I did not mind its presence.
It is interesting that the same titles and authors appear in high school classrooms across the board. The “established high school canon” represents more than tradition, but also security. These novels and their authors have commonly appeared on a list that was generated and labeled as standardized. Their popularity and reputation defend their placement in the classroom, and their familiarity provides comfort to teachers, students, parents, and administration. An analysis entitled Diversifying the Canon: Onward and Upward lists the top ten most taught titles in high school English classes:
Romeo and Juliet (taught in 84% of 9-12 English classes)
Macbeth (81)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (70)
Julius Caesar (70)
To Kill a Mockingbird (70)
The Scarlet Letter (62)
Of Mice and Men (56)
Hamlet (55)
The Great Gatsby (54)
Lord of the Flies (54)
The statistical breakdown for the top ten list confirms that 81% of the books read in the secondary schools were written by male authors, 98% were written by white (non-Hispanic) authors, and 99% of those were either written in the U.S. (63%), U.K. (28%) or Western Europe (8%). Each of the above texts is on the required reading list for one of the grade levels at Gull Lake High School. With the exception of Diary of Anne Frank, Animal Farm and The Odyssey, nothing has been altered on the reading list (since any of my department members have taught here). Before my arrival, and adopting the MMC, Freshman English was primarily used to introduce the students to the basic concepts of evaluating literature (such as the plot line and analysis of figurative devices). The textbook, filled with short stories, was the perfect resource for this level of evaluation. The fact is, when I first walked in the door to teach at GLHS, I did not question what I had to teach. When we were confirming the reading lists for each grade, just prior to the start of the first MMC school year, I did not question the existence of any piece of literature. Eight of us confirmed these lists, and not one of us offered a novel that was not already on the preexisting list. I question, then, the type of communication from the top down (chain of command). The History of Public Education in the United States explains Local and Federal involvement in education,
“Individual states—rather than the federal government—have primary authority over public education in the United States. Eventually, every state developed a department of education and enacted laws regulating finance, the hiring of school personnel, student attendance, and curriculum. In general, however, local districts oversee the administration of schools, with the exception of licensing requirements and general rules concerning health and safety. Public schools have also relied heavily on local property taxes to meet the vast majority of school expenses. American schools have thus tended to reflect the educational values and financial capabilities of the communities in which they are located” (Thattai 2).
If local districts oversee the administration of schools, then which policies are truly required in the classroom? Am I required to teach my classes according to the state requirements, local district requirements, or both? How can I distinguish between the two in the future? The entire concept of phantom curriculum and phantom policy is disturbing.
When I consider how I teach anchor texts in my classroom, I realize that all my lesson plans have centered on the historical and biographical influence, and events that took place during the creation of the novel. It has always been this information, more than the text itself, which has inspired and motivated my students. The assignments that relate directly to the novel are not the assignments that I find myself spending time revising to target the needs of my students. This is because the novels are used as tools for discovery. The anchor texts in English 9B were initially utilized as a means of inspiration. My entire unit needed these support beams (novels) to develop my class. However, my unit itself now stands alone, and it is time for them to be removed.
Now, it is not only time to change evolve the novels and their function in my classroom, but to evolve the concepts that these novels represent. In regards to Animal Farm and Of Mice and Men, I use these novels to encompass the central purpose behind the Holocaust, but these are not the only novels that I am capable of doing this with. I love teaching the Holocaust, but not because of Anne Frank. In fact, with all respect to her, she provides the most limited perspective (as she is in hiding) in being able to evaluate and communicate the magnitude of the Holocaust. There are several other novels that I would use to teach the concepts I am looking to achieve.
In regards to revolutions and genocide, there are plenty of modern situations that can be used to reflect the concepts I find interesting and valuable. For example, according to The World Revolution, there have been over 250 major wars in the world since World War II. Over forty million people have been killed by wars in the 20th century. Three times more people have been killed in wars in the last ninety years than in all the previous five hundred. There are over thirty five major conflicts going on in the world today that can be used to teach the information I want my students to comprehend.
The experiences students have in the classroom trump the novel being taught. When students benefit from the classroom experience, then it does not matter if the novels they read are from the traditional or contemporary literary canon. I have not forgotten the concept of student directed curriculum and/or student choice, and I did not provide it to them in the ways that I now know I am allowed to. Students choosing their own reading, and having a voice in their education, will experience more success because they are capable of selecting the appropriate length, and target their level of interest accordingly. I look forward to spending time with contemporary literature and identifying some “meritable” pieces to bring into my classroom.
In 2007, the required reading for Freshman English became The Odyssey, Romeo and Juliet, Animal Farm, Of Mice and Men and The Diary of Anne Frank. The Michigan Department of Education’s High School Content Expectations for English Language Arts indicates in Reading Standard 3.3 that students in English 9 will “read and analyze classic and contemporary works of literature (American, British, World) representing a variety of genres and traditions and consider their significance in their own time period as well as how they may be relevant to contemporary society”. English 9, students are required to analyze, interpret, and critique various genres and time periods including: Contemporary Literature, Poetry, Realistic Fiction, Epic Poetry and Shakespearean Tragedy. The English Department rearranged the original reading list, pulled The Odyssey in for the Epic genre, kept Romeo and Juliet, Of Mice and Men, Diary of Anne Frank and the poetry unit and added Animal Farm. The justification for Animal Farm was that it classified as contemporary literature because it is written in 1946 (which is technically after WWII). I had observed a lesson on the general allegory of Animal Farm and each of its parallels during an Honors English 9 class, and thought it seemed interesting, so I did not mind its presence.
It is interesting that the same titles and authors appear in high school classrooms across the board. The “established high school canon” represents more than tradition, but also security. These novels and their authors have commonly appeared on a list that was generated and labeled as standardized. Their popularity and reputation defend their placement in the classroom, and their familiarity provides comfort to teachers, students, parents, and administration. An analysis entitled Diversifying the Canon: Onward and Upward lists the top ten most taught titles in high school English classes:
Romeo and Juliet (taught in 84% of 9-12 English classes)
Macbeth (81)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (70)
Julius Caesar (70)
To Kill a Mockingbird (70)
The Scarlet Letter (62)
Of Mice and Men (56)
Hamlet (55)
The Great Gatsby (54)
Lord of the Flies (54)
The statistical breakdown for the top ten list confirms that 81% of the books read in the secondary schools were written by male authors, 98% were written by white (non-Hispanic) authors, and 99% of those were either written in the U.S. (63%), U.K. (28%) or Western Europe (8%). Each of the above texts is on the required reading list for one of the grade levels at Gull Lake High School. With the exception of Diary of Anne Frank, Animal Farm and The Odyssey, nothing has been altered on the reading list (since any of my department members have taught here). Before my arrival, and adopting the MMC, Freshman English was primarily used to introduce the students to the basic concepts of evaluating literature (such as the plot line and analysis of figurative devices). The textbook, filled with short stories, was the perfect resource for this level of evaluation. The fact is, when I first walked in the door to teach at GLHS, I did not question what I had to teach. When we were confirming the reading lists for each grade, just prior to the start of the first MMC school year, I did not question the existence of any piece of literature. Eight of us confirmed these lists, and not one of us offered a novel that was not already on the preexisting list. I question, then, the type of communication from the top down (chain of command). The History of Public Education in the United States explains Local and Federal involvement in education,
“Individual states—rather than the federal government—have primary authority over public education in the United States. Eventually, every state developed a department of education and enacted laws regulating finance, the hiring of school personnel, student attendance, and curriculum. In general, however, local districts oversee the administration of schools, with the exception of licensing requirements and general rules concerning health and safety. Public schools have also relied heavily on local property taxes to meet the vast majority of school expenses. American schools have thus tended to reflect the educational values and financial capabilities of the communities in which they are located” (Thattai 2).
If local districts oversee the administration of schools, then which policies are truly required in the classroom? Am I required to teach my classes according to the state requirements, local district requirements, or both? How can I distinguish between the two in the future? The entire concept of phantom curriculum and phantom policy is disturbing.
When I consider how I teach anchor texts in my classroom, I realize that all my lesson plans have centered on the historical and biographical influence, and events that took place during the creation of the novel. It has always been this information, more than the text itself, which has inspired and motivated my students. The assignments that relate directly to the novel are not the assignments that I find myself spending time revising to target the needs of my students. This is because the novels are used as tools for discovery. The anchor texts in English 9B were initially utilized as a means of inspiration. My entire unit needed these support beams (novels) to develop my class. However, my unit itself now stands alone, and it is time for them to be removed.
Now, it is not only time to change evolve the novels and their function in my classroom, but to evolve the concepts that these novels represent. In regards to Animal Farm and Of Mice and Men, I use these novels to encompass the central purpose behind the Holocaust, but these are not the only novels that I am capable of doing this with. I love teaching the Holocaust, but not because of Anne Frank. In fact, with all respect to her, she provides the most limited perspective (as she is in hiding) in being able to evaluate and communicate the magnitude of the Holocaust. There are several other novels that I would use to teach the concepts I am looking to achieve.
In regards to revolutions and genocide, there are plenty of modern situations that can be used to reflect the concepts I find interesting and valuable. For example, according to The World Revolution, there have been over 250 major wars in the world since World War II. Over forty million people have been killed by wars in the 20th century. Three times more people have been killed in wars in the last ninety years than in all the previous five hundred. There are over thirty five major conflicts going on in the world today that can be used to teach the information I want my students to comprehend.
The experiences students have in the classroom trump the novel being taught. When students benefit from the classroom experience, then it does not matter if the novels they read are from the traditional or contemporary literary canon. I have not forgotten the concept of student directed curriculum and/or student choice, and I did not provide it to them in the ways that I now know I am allowed to. Students choosing their own reading, and having a voice in their education, will experience more success because they are capable of selecting the appropriate length, and target their level of interest accordingly. I look forward to spending time with contemporary literature and identifying some “meritable” pieces to bring into my classroom.
