Brewing Ideas

After the last class, it seems as if everyone has got the ball rolling already! That’s great, this is what senior work is all about! As for me, I am excited to meet again later today to discuss some of the ideas that I have been thinking about in the past week. There are certain ideas I have about how a proper research thesis should be completed. I have a traditional belief that a thesis work should be pages of research and study, however hearing the ideas and learning about different styles of work I now realize that I need to broaden my approach to this project. I am interested to see how I can be more creative in this approach.. 

My main idea is to study teaching approaches in school. Specifically cannons of literature. This is something I am interested in because throughout my life there have been many books that I was interested in reading and learning about, however, I had to do most of this (fun reading) outside of the classroom curriculum. Inside the classroom teachers are teaching the same repetitive books that are thought over and over again to different generations of students. Teachers teach common authors like Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, and other old century poets. In today’s day and time school administrators and curriculum boards should move more towards pleasing students in the classroom as far as reading choices instead of always expecting the common books and authors. Reading options should become more diverse and effective relating more to life in the 20th century.

Although my debate to change the choices in the reading curriculum is insightful I suppose this is a difficult topic to discuss, primarily for the counter debates that teachers will also present.

For example: 

• Some teachers will argue that canonical authors are essential for reading and writing skills. 
• Students should learn how to reach different styles of text 
• The canonical authors present the best forms of writing 
• British literature is the foundation for the English language
• & other possible debates

While these arguments are valid and understandable they can always be debated and this is what I plan to do in my research thesis. I intend to present the lack of reading choices in the school curriculum and offer diverse and more fun reading options.

Option 2

Another idea that I would like to delve more into is the idea that ESL classes are an advantage for foreign/ immigrant students. I am sure other teachers and scholars have also agreed with that idea. ESL classes are essential for school districts especially in communities with a large immigrant population. As an immigrant student myself, I found that ESL classes played a major role in my success in grade school and further academic studies. My ESL classes were the transition point connecting me from my native language Haitian-Creole to English. Luckily my school district offered ESL classes at every grade level. If this type of class was not offered I would have a more difficult time transitioning to both the American lifestyle and learning. This is the idea I have now. I will think more on this during the week. See you all soon : )