![]() ![]() But, there are other ways to test that same concept that don’t force us to taint our leather bound parcels of bliss and felicity. I understand that annotating serves another small and nearly negligible purpose, to confirm whether the students actually read the books they were supposed to. ![]() How do we actually take notes on character changes and plot developments and hints of foreshadowing in a way that doesn’t distract us from our main purpose: to read and enjoy the book? Instead of perhaps forcing us to annotate books during the school year and over the summer, english teachers should consider teaching us how to annotate correctly if this is an act we have to perform anyway. Instead of properly finding the time to sit in a quiet and comfortable room, jot down notes and actually reap benefits from annotating, students find it a waste of time and randomly underline and highlight sentences and write useless commentary in the margins, just to get the grade. Though teachers look at annotating as an opportunity for students to correctly and efficiently interact with the text, students don’t always view the opportunity as such. And frankly, teachers shouldn’t repel the small and elite group of students who enjoy the company of books.īesides just contaminating students’ reading experience, annotating books is a time consuming and fruitless venture. I understand that annotating has a purpose, to assist students in engaging with the text, but is being completely disinterested in a book an appropriate price to pay when the actual intent of annotating is to introduce students to the love of the written word on a deeper level? Most students already think of reading as a punishing activity, but annotating makes the few of us who do adore books look at the objects with disgust. How do teachers expect us to become engrossed in books when we have to stop reading in the middle of an enticing scene to jot down literary terms? How are we supposed to relate to the characters emotions and the author’s thought process when we need to highlight vocabulary every three sentences? Well, it’s not possible to enjoy what is supposed to be an enlightening and enriching experience for the soul in the midst of all the pressure to underline key concepts and infer motives of major characters for a grade. ![]() Though I am an avid and passionate reader of books, annotating turns me away from wanting to read for school. However, what turns my smile upside down is one thing: annotations.Īnnotations, I believe, should be banned from English classes because frankly, everyone hates them, especially me. Summer reading excites me and the more books I have to read, the better I just pretend to groan with the rest of the kids in my class when I receive my list for summer reading books. I like writing long letters, doing things by candlelight, and craziest of all, I love to read. I’m one of those odd kids you find these days that seem like they should be born in another century. I go home and settle on my comfiest beanbag with a dainty pen in hand, ready to annotate my books for school. ![]() The glossy cover, smell of unruffled pages, and prospect of falling in love with yet another book make me giddy and seems to give the endless days of summer a purpose. I always start out excited to read the so-called “classics” that have been raved about by college professors, literary scholars, critics and students alike. Some I buy for leisure and the others I buy for summer reading, mandatory books to read for school. Every year towards the end of school, I head over to Barnes and Nobles, which is undoubtedly the happiest place on earth, to buy books. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |