Independent Reading
I am unlike most English teachers in the sense that I have not always loved to read. As a child, I would have preferred playing outside. However, I did not hate reading either. It was merely an assignment that I would complete with minimal complaints. Nonetheless, as I grew older, I began to appreciate reading more and more. Reading gives me stories and I love sharing in on other people's stories. I love trying to wrap my brain around the complexity of human existence and the stories that contribute to this unfathomable cat's cradle we call life.
This webpage is for your reference when seeking inspiration or reading ideas. I love English language arts as an academic discipline because it is so daunting. Even the most learned scholars will not have read every story ever written. I personally prefer classics, but I also have a growing soft spot for Young Adult literature and the writers who are attempting to utilize the YA title to spark divergent and critical thinking among teenagers and young adults.
This webpage is for your reference when seeking inspiration or reading ideas. I love English language arts as an academic discipline because it is so daunting. Even the most learned scholars will not have read every story ever written. I personally prefer classics, but I also have a growing soft spot for Young Adult literature and the writers who are attempting to utilize the YA title to spark divergent and critical thinking among teenagers and young adults.
Independent Reading Assignment (4th Quarter)
Due may 6th (At the start of class)
ira_book_4.pdf | |
File Size: | 80 kb |
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Sample IRA Literary Analysis
The Beloved Outline
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Sample IRA Paper
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Ms. Fougerousse's
Independent Reading Assignment No. 4
My fourth quarter independent reading novel will be White Teeth by Zadie Smith. I have been increasingly interested in post-colonialism, London's East side, and multiculturalism in literature. Therefore, I believe this text will further add to my knowledge while also engaging me through the art of fiction.
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Spring Break Reading
Over Spring Break, I read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I am ashamed of my own lack of knowledge regarding Afghan culture in general. I have studied a lot of Western literature and African literature, but failed to really delve into any literature from the Middle East. With that being said, this text piqued my interest and deepened my respect for cultural values. In addition, Persepolis (a graphic novel) is an amazing text as well. I feel like there is so much literature that I have yet to read. I would highly suggest reading The Kite Runner. The literary technique is unique and tactfully implemented and the story is engaging and compelling. It also causes the reader to critically question loyalty, honor, tradition, and truth. These moral undertones add a philosophical depth to the novel. It is a powerful text. I also read a collection of short stories and essays called The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan. The collection is more or less a shout-out to middle-upper class Gen Y girls. Her stories show the start of great literary talent. She displays a talent for descriptive writing. My favorites were "The Ingenue," "Winter Break," and the one about whales. I also enjoyed the reflection on her first car. Then, I read The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. This is not normally the type of story I would enjoy, but the inner psychologist in me thrived while reading this text. In addition, I have noticed recently that there is a trend in dividing chapters based on character perspectives to challenge the linear go-to mindset of the Western mind. Instead, it forces the mind to comprehend information more holistically and more laterally. Furthermore, the three girls can be seen as three types of one person and the complexity of relationships. It is a good read depending on how you approach the text. |
2016 Reading List for Ms. Foug
1. Behind the Beautiful Forevers
by Katherine Boo 2. Radiance of Tomorrow by Ishmael Beah 3. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Adichie 4. California by Edan Lepucki 5. White Teeth by Zadie Smith 6. NW by Zadie Smith 7. On Changing My MInd by Zadie Smith 8. The Man Who Quit Money by Mark Sundeen 9. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie 10. Re-Read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho 11. Re-Read The Outliers by Malcom Gladwell 12. How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster 13. Re-Read Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe 14. Re-Read Feed by M.T. Anderson 15. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini 16. How Literature Works by John Sutherland 17. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins 18. The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan 19. The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney 20. Re-Read Kindred by Octavia Butler |
Other Book Recommendations
Part One
Book recommendations
Part Two