I must get back to reading for class now that I have finished this book. I just can't stop thinking about it. I hope my daughter has a Miss Rain every year in school.
Off to read about New Criticism. A bit daunting now. While the text says that this form of criticism is out of vogue now (everything you need to know to analyze a text is found within), I would argue that state assessments are still asking students to read this way. During my inference interviews (conducted with teachers) one teacher went on at great length how she has to teach her students NOT to put themselves "in" what they have read when tested on thier reading in May. She commented again and again about the importance of text evidence, especially when the class was doing, "test genre."
So is "close reading" gone? I would say no.
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Wow! That's really close to home, as you know. That's all the reading tests are and what we are told we must emphasize. It only makes sense that the schools are still using 'old' strategies since we're still using agrarian calendars to mark our school year. Some districts are even reverting to basal reading programs, so why shouldn't we use outdated testing strategies, too? Do I sound cynical? It's late and I'm tired and the more I read, the more frustrated I get. It's wonderful that you got to read a book for pleasure, though. I don't remember what that's like.
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