Tis a sad day. Instead of killing a mockingbird, everyone’s favorite father has been murdered. Oh yee, of literary bent, read and mourn, read and mourn. I am including a link to the story but it does not seem to connect. Go to www.washingtonpost.com home page today and scroll down to the story if the link does not take you there.
Thorn founded A Word with You Press in 2009, having Jack-Londoned his way across the globe sleeping with whatever country would have him, picking up stray stories along with way. A litter of dog-eared passports that have taken up residence in his sock drawer are a constant temptation, but, having at last discovered paradise, it’s not likely he will stray too far from his adopted city of Prague.
He has helped hundreds of writers reach their potential, including best-selling authors and award winners. He is the author of Fire in the Belly: How to write your novel with Purpose and Passion, Almost Avalon, The Boy with a Torn Hat and The Courtesans of God saga, and multiple anthologies.
16 thoughts on “Atticus Finch shot dead”
Stars Fall On My Heart says:
Oh, a misunderstanding of words? Perhaps if we hadn’t cut out all of that good literature, maybe they’d know how to read between the lies.
Had I said “Read this. It is interesting” Might not have been as likely to happen as if Atticus Finch Shot Dead. Mockingbird, Finch. Killing two birds with one stone?
Of course we wouldn’t have read it. As writers, we’re trained to make a decision on ‘yes/no read’ in the first few words. Damn good job with the hook……….you just won a free ride on Bob next time we load him in the chute.
As I read the article it doesn’t take the ‘classics’ out of English Classes. It only suggests/requires other disciplines to add reading requirements relevant to their curriculum. That’s something new and of course anything new in education is immediately rejected by the masses.
Colleges that require specialized admissions tests like the LSAT and GMAT and MCAT don’t care if Addicus killed a rabid dog or if Huckleberry Finn said the ‘N’ word. They care that the applicant can read, digest and interpret a Supreme Court Decision or a complex study of some new/original scientific discovery and that after reading those documents, the applicant can intelligently discuss the material in those documents because that’s the central measure of potential success in advanced fields such as law and medicine. Where better than the Public School curriculum can we insert those non-fiction documents and require students to be exposed to something beyond fun fiction.
The change does not forbid students or anyone from reading the classics or complex documents or business or government non-fiction books. What it does is force students to rise above the fun and easy ‘A’ and easy to read stuff and actually learn to process real information relevant to the real world.
Ok – so that’s my two cents worth – but fear not – Big Brother is not coming to a public school near you to burn Addicus Finch and Huckleberry Finn and Robert Frost in the public square.
I just lost my opinion adding a new comment. (jfeorhu9hongoewn) Just as well. I was at the point saying that Hillfield (?) removed King Aurthor for god sakes. Better to leave it alone. Diane, I wouldn’t translate that one if I were you.
While I can understand the need to teach nonfiction readings in schools, it is fiction that encourages the young to want to read. As a teacher I saw what happened when history curricula were changed to no longer include the Founding Fathers. Middle School kids didn’t know Alexander Hamilton even when the man on the ten-dollar bill stared them in the eye. Now students will hear the names of famous fictitious characters and ask “Who?”
Its interesting to read this article – for even within the article – there is dissention on the directions from the directors of the guidelines. Ok so now the teachers are to deal with literature that is nonfiction. Question = what are textbooks? Nonfiction and boring. The classics of nonfiction are somewhat boring unless you have a mindbent to explore the techniques of the language in which they were written. Read them and except for a very few – boring! Unfortunately for today’s children – their attention spans are very short. So yes an adjustment is needed to change that – making sure that cell phones and computers are locked down and not to be used in any way shape or form while reading. And before I get all kinds of retorts here – I was and still am a bookworm and read many things including the dictionary. If I were a teacher now – I would be questioning the lists of nonfiction and asking whether my kids could read something other than what is listed! Subjects that would be interesting to explore, to question the thinking process, see the world from a different perspective that just might stimulate children to read something other than easy books. I can think of a dozen books already that would be better suited to read than what is listed. Although after sitting in many coffee shops – I have seen some of the books that kids these days are reading and they are not easy reads!!!! My question is this…do we really need more “experts” telling the education departments of schools on what to read more of – or maybe get back to guidelines that emphasize the teaching of EDUCATION to hungry minds opening up their minds further in exploring and questioning more of what this world is about rather than stiffling their creativity, thinking and learning with procedures and directives that make little robots out of the children expecting them to be all on the same page without any inspiration or imagination that takes them to places of thinking that go far beyond the books? I’ve watched this happening for a long time in our schools, watching the kids get dummied down – not even knowing what comprises the states of this country – not knowing history or geography or spelling, or being taught science that is outdated and a myriad of others inadequacies within our school districts because some “experts” decide that the kids are lacking whatever in complete educational skills. Can we change the education system to see the children as something other than dollar signs? Wonder where it all started??? Change is good, but changes that are forced or are without a higher direction can be stupid changes. Like where our education systems are now sitting. Ok Cowboy – I’m off my soapbox now. The little rebelrouser is just saying. Oh yah, I come from a long line of teachers…love them and they are stiffled!!!!
Oh, a misunderstanding of words? Perhaps if we hadn’t cut out all of that good literature, maybe they’d know how to read between the lies.
Had I said “Read this. It is interesting” Might not have been as likely to happen as if Atticus Finch Shot Dead. Mockingbird, Finch. Killing two birds with one stone?
Of course we wouldn’t have read it. As writers, we’re trained to make a decision on ‘yes/no read’ in the first few words. Damn good job with the hook……….you just won a free ride on Bob next time we load him in the chute.
I don’t give a chute
That is why you are the Sneaky-in-chief!
I think our in-house cowboy said it all and said it well. pd
Does Homer know we are all hot for you?
Closer to the heart
As I read the article it doesn’t take the ‘classics’ out of English Classes. It only suggests/requires other disciplines to add reading requirements relevant to their curriculum. That’s something new and of course anything new in education is immediately rejected by the masses.
Colleges that require specialized admissions tests like the LSAT and GMAT and MCAT don’t care if Addicus killed a rabid dog or if Huckleberry Finn said the ‘N’ word. They care that the applicant can read, digest and interpret a Supreme Court Decision or a complex study of some new/original scientific discovery and that after reading those documents, the applicant can intelligently discuss the material in those documents because that’s the central measure of potential success in advanced fields such as law and medicine. Where better than the Public School curriculum can we insert those non-fiction documents and require students to be exposed to something beyond fun fiction.
The change does not forbid students or anyone from reading the classics or complex documents or business or government non-fiction books. What it does is force students to rise above the fun and easy ‘A’ and easy to read stuff and actually learn to process real information relevant to the real world.
Ok – so that’s my two cents worth – but fear not – Big Brother is not coming to a public school near you to burn Addicus Finch and Huckleberry Finn and Robert Frost in the public square.
Not yet
…Honestly, I don’t think I’d grieve as much for Huckleberry Finn. He knocked over my pie while it was cooling!
That, and it was one of the more difficult reads when I was a teenager
I just lost my opinion adding a new comment. (jfeorhu9hongoewn) Just as well. I was at the point saying that Hillfield (?) removed King Aurthor for god sakes. Better to leave it alone. Diane, I wouldn’t translate that one if I were you.
Language is the mechanism that allows us to be misunderstood.
already did…lmao good one!!!!
While I can understand the need to teach nonfiction readings in schools, it is fiction that encourages the young to want to read. As a teacher I saw what happened when history curricula were changed to no longer include the Founding Fathers. Middle School kids didn’t know Alexander Hamilton even when the man on the ten-dollar bill stared them in the eye. Now students will hear the names of famous fictitious characters and ask “Who?”
Its interesting to read this article – for even within the article – there is dissention on the directions from the directors of the guidelines. Ok so now the teachers are to deal with literature that is nonfiction. Question = what are textbooks? Nonfiction and boring. The classics of nonfiction are somewhat boring unless you have a mindbent to explore the techniques of the language in which they were written. Read them and except for a very few – boring! Unfortunately for today’s children – their attention spans are very short. So yes an adjustment is needed to change that – making sure that cell phones and computers are locked down and not to be used in any way shape or form while reading. And before I get all kinds of retorts here – I was and still am a bookworm and read many things including the dictionary. If I were a teacher now – I would be questioning the lists of nonfiction and asking whether my kids could read something other than what is listed! Subjects that would be interesting to explore, to question the thinking process, see the world from a different perspective that just might stimulate children to read something other than easy books. I can think of a dozen books already that would be better suited to read than what is listed. Although after sitting in many coffee shops – I have seen some of the books that kids these days are reading and they are not easy reads!!!! My question is this…do we really need more “experts” telling the education departments of schools on what to read more of – or maybe get back to guidelines that emphasize the teaching of EDUCATION to hungry minds opening up their minds further in exploring and questioning more of what this world is about rather than stiffling their creativity, thinking and learning with procedures and directives that make little robots out of the children expecting them to be all on the same page without any inspiration or imagination that takes them to places of thinking that go far beyond the books? I’ve watched this happening for a long time in our schools, watching the kids get dummied down – not even knowing what comprises the states of this country – not knowing history or geography or spelling, or being taught science that is outdated and a myriad of others inadequacies within our school districts because some “experts” decide that the kids are lacking whatever in complete educational skills. Can we change the education system to see the children as something other than dollar signs? Wonder where it all started??? Change is good, but changes that are forced or are without a higher direction can be stupid changes. Like where our education systems are now sitting. Ok Cowboy – I’m off my soapbox now. The little rebelrouser is just saying. Oh yah, I come from a long line of teachers…love them and they are stiffled!!!!