CLASSICS: Why and how we can encourage children to read them

by Fiza Pathan

Overview

With the aid of the various techniques mentioned in this book, I hope to propagate the reading of Classics to everyone . . . every student, parent, and educator. Through the use of these techniques, parents and educators will be able to introduce students to the rich world of classic literature without the negative feelings that often result when students are exposed to new, more difficult material. The book also focuses on the importance of reading good literature, methods for encouraging students to do so, and the lifelong benefits children will reap from exposure to classic literature. It is my hope that this book will encourage everyone to make reading the classics a habit rather than a chore. We must do so, for the welfare of the modern generation and those to follow.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9788193290637
Publisher:	Fiza Pathan Publishing OPC Private Limited
Publication date:	03/16/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	310
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Fiza Pathan was born in Mumbai, India on March 19th, 1989. She finished her high school education from Bombay Scottish School, a reputed ICSE School in Mumbai. She then attended St Andrews College to pursue her B.A. degree in History and Sociology and graduated with a first class. A trained teacher, she graduated with a first class from the St Theresa's Institute of Education, Santa Cruz, her special subjects being History and English She has written nine award-winning books and won over forty literary awards. She lives now with her maternal family in Mumbai and writes novels and short stories which include almost all genres. She has been 'adopted' by two stray cats who answer to the names of Lopez and Ayn Rand. You may follow her on Twitter @FizaPathan and subscribe to her blog http: //insaneowl.wordpress.com/feed/

Table of Contents

Contents
     A Short Note from the Author
     CLASSICS Why We Should Encourage Children to Read Them
     Why We Should Read the Classics
     Favourite Classics
     Improves Language Skills and Vocabulary
     Develops Imagination
     General Knowledge
     Check This Out
     Descriptive Powers
     Love for Literature and Classics
     Artistic and Scientific Temperament
     My Encounter with Dracula
     Frankenstein and Science
     Classics and Morals
     Fun Quiz
     Abridged or Unabridged? That Is a Silly Question
     Middle School and Classics
     Classical Characters Who Have Influenced My Reality
     Classics and Reading Sessions
     Conclusion
     CLASSICS How We Can Encourage Children to Read Them
     Preface
     Introduction
     Basic Direct Techniques
     The Study Room Break Method
     Indirect Techniques
     The Importance of Reading Classics Method
     School Initiatives
     Libraries and Book Fairs
     Library Method
     Born To Read
     Audio Visual Aids in Teaching and Imparting Value Education
     Miscellaneous Techniques
     Conclusion
     My Take on the Classics A MEMOIR
     The Baskerville Comforter
     Sailing in the Wrong Boat
     Blood Is The Life
     Hard Times - Ninth and Tenth Grade
     A Morbid Antiquarian
     A Letter To My First Student
     Classics That I Read When I'm Happy
     A Letter To A Student Who Became A Friend
     To Scrap Or Not To Scrap The Bard
     A Letter To My Protege  
     A Letter To A Prodigy In My Book Club
     A Letter To A Young Lady
     Abridged Tales Of My Youth
     A Letter To A Young Man of Sixteen
     Uncle Blaise and the Classics
     Anne and Emily
     A Letter To A Beginner
     A Letter To A Musician
     My World Is A Wonderland
     Afterword
     Appendix A, B, C
     Works Consulted
     Index
  
       

Editorial Reviews

"An instructor and avid reader shares lessons from years spent introducing children to classic literature." -Kirkus Reviews.

“. . . Comprehensive and appealing discussion of literary education.” -Kirkus Reviews.

“Enthusiastic and engaging . . .” -Kirkus Reviews.

"Pathan’s strategies for turning students into fans of the classics are wide-ranging and constitute the most useful elements of the work, addressing ways of encouraging reluctant readers and students whose interests lie in other subjects while advocating the cross-generational sharing of books. The memoir elements are often charming . . . " -Kirkus Reviews.

"A bible for anybody working with children’s literature. Fascinating and informative."-A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review.

"With its wealth of information that ranges from book clubs for young people to notes about obstacles to reading and comprehension and the myriad benefits of classics, CLASSICS: Why And How We Can Encourage Children To Read Them is a treasure trove of insights highly recommended for teachers and adults who want to pass on the legacy of classic reading to kids."-D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review.

"Beautifully presented, authoritative and articulate, Classics: Why and How We Can Encourage Children to Read Them is an absolute must read and is recommended without reservation." - Book Viral.

"CLASSICS is a persuasive explanation of why the classics still matter, which should inspire readers to revisit old favorites and lead their children to new ones." -Discovery Awards 2017.

"Classics provides useful information and resources for teachers hoping to encourage childhood excitement around reading." -Forward Clarion Review

"Three sections work together to articulate the author’s teaching experiences and to provide tools for supporting young readers. The second section, “Classics and How We Should Encourage Children to Read Them,” includes quizzes and puzzles, along with examples of classroom techniques for using technology, social media, and imaginative games to cultivate interest in certain authors and books; it is a particularly useful section. “My Take on the Classics: A Memoir” is more personal, relating the story of the author’s relationship with reading and with her students. Whereas the first two sections deal primarily with why and how to educate young audiences, this section includes touching personal moments, including a list of characters and authors that are thanked for the impact they had on Pathan’s life, and letters written to her students. A reflection on the unfulfilled life of a young girl killed in a car accident is remarkable." -Forward Clarion Review.

“. . . a must-read for parents and teachers." -Reader Views.

"Classics by Fiza Pathan provided me with all sorts of ideas, guidelines, and techniques for getting my kids interested in classic literature." -Readers´ Favorite

Awards:

The Mom's Choice Awards ® Silver Medal (May 2017)

Gold Medal- 2016 Readers' Favorite International Book Awards (Non-fiction/Education)

2015 Beverly Hills International Book Awards- Education/Academic

Bronze Medal- 2015 Readers' Favorite International Book Awards (Non-fiction/Education)

The Mom's Choice Awards ® Silver Medal (Kindle Version)

4th Beverly Hills International Book Awards- Education/Academic

2015 Eric Hoffer Book Awards- Honorable Mention (eBook Non-fiction category)

2016 EPIC EBook Awards - Finalist Non-Fiction

2015 Next Generation Indie book Awards - Finalist (Education/Academic)

2015 IAN Book of the Year Awards - Finalist (How-to)

From the Publisher

2017-05-18
An instructor and avid reader shares lessons from years spent introducing children to classic literature. In this education book, Pathan (Raman and Sunny: Middle School Blues, 2015, etc.) combines three previously published works into a single volume. The first presents arguments in favor of encouraging young people to read the canon of Western literature; the second offers strategies Pathan has used to develop enthusiasm for the classics among her students; and the third details the author's experiences teaching and learning about books. Pathan's own love of literature is evident from the first animated pages ("Classics therefore are like bound movie scripts for our brain production house"). The rationale for teaching the classics is a familiar one—improving writing skills, providing moral lessons, understanding the human condition—but also emphasizes the opportunities for fostering a love of reading among even the youngest pupils. Pathan's strategies for turning students into fans of the classics are wide-ranging and constitute the most useful elements of the work, addressing ways of encouraging reluctant readers and students whose interests lie in other subjects while advocating the cross-generational sharing of books. The memoir elements are often charming, like Pathan's account of how Frankenstein helped her "cope with" science when her teachers did not, her gratitude to Oscar Wilde for giving her a broader understanding of sexuality, and the letters of appreciation she writes to former students. While the volume's focus is on classic literature, Pathan avoids demonizing more contemporary books and discusses her admiration of those works as well. The account overreaches at times (as in the suggestion that "tribal culture" is something students can learn about from Robinson Crusoe ) and never addresses the lack of diversity inherent in a canon drawn almost entirely from European and American novelists writing in the 19th and early 20th centuries. By eliding entirely the debate over which works should be considered classics, the book avoids a crucial question teachers must wrestle with, thus limiting the effectiveness of an otherwise comprehensive and appealing discussion of literary education. An enthusiastic and engaging—but somewhat narrow—argument in favor of teaching beloved books.

Kirkus Reviews