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time4tea
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| Posted: Dec 21 2005 at 3:24pm | IP Logged
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Hi Everyone,
After reading the thread "I have to admit that.....", I have to admit that I am partially in the same boat. I did read some classic literature growing up, but not nearly enough (and I was in Honors English in high school! Yet another ringing endorsement for a public school education.). I would like to start reading more, and being able to share it with my chidren, but I am not sure how to begin. Would it be best to purchase a study guide to go along with a particular book, so that I could pull out certain aspects of the book that I might overwise overlook if left to my own devices? And if so, what kind of study guide?
Thanks so much in advance!
God bless!
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ALmom
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| Posted: Dec 22 2005 at 2:20am | IP Logged
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What ages are your children? If they are young, I'm not sure I'd worry about study guides. They become tedious and sometimes take the joy out of reading.
I'm not sure about high school. People kept recommending Progeny Press to us, but I have to admit that I never read them or used them because I knew they were Protestant and wasn't sure if they'd really be for us.
I've always felt I needed more guidance for helping me with high schoolers - what I really want is a good summary of literary devices used in the book, historical background, and explanation for any archaic language or references. I wouldn't mind having some discussion starter type questions - not those that kill further conversation but something to really help stimulate a discussion (plus a hint of things that we might expect to notice). I haven't really found anything. I will say, sometimes different editions of the same book do a better job. A Tale of Two Cities (the edition that Our Lady of Victory sells)made all the difference in the world - we were getting utterly bogged down in obscure historical references before someone told us that Dickons was famous for doing just that and that these people were probably mentioned in a local paper of his day but would not be in any history book anywhere(I was hunting all my history books trying to find out who it was). I also had to explain sarcasm - wish someone had suggested a little lesson on it before dc started reading the book. The first edition of the book we had gave us no background, no footnotes, nothing. When we bought the other, we enjoyed it much more. Same thing happened with Merchant of Venice. We used the cliffs complete (- not the cliff notes) and tore out some of the goofier ideas - but liked having the drawing of the theater, word definitions, etc. on the same page or at least in the same book. The larger print also helped.
I have noticed that CHC has some aids for GK Chesterton's Battle of the White Horse (I looked it over quickly and plan to use it with my 2nd dd in high school). They also have Murder in the Cathedral study guides.
I'm looking forward to other suggestions as literature is one area I feel imcompetent in - I think teaching high school has made me much humbler!
Janet
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ALmom
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Forgot to mention that Kolbe has some helps/ study guides for a lot of their literature. I think you can order these even if you are not enrolled. We used the study guides for the Iliad and we could not have done it without this. I had no idea what an iambic pentameter was - just knew it was some sort of poetry scheme. I think they also have study guides for some of the other literature and they are working on more.
Janet
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Victoria in AZ
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time4tea wrote:
| Would it be best to purchase a study guide to go along with a particular book, so that I could pull out certain aspects of the book that I might overwise overlook if left to my own devices? |
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I answer yes. Same experience as you ladies. Honors English and little study of literary devices. I agree that this type of study can wait until high school; younger grades can simply enjoy wonderful literature. Ds and I have been using The Discovering Literature Series, The Hobbit: A Teaching Guide by GarlicPress (see www.garlicpress.com for their other titles).
Part of me did not want to dissect his favorite book. Leave it DOA! As this type of study does not appeal to him, at least The Hobbit is making it palitable. I am pleased with the guide; it offers the basics on plot, setting, characterization, point of view, etc.
Switched on Schoolhouse offers a few literature study guides as well.
For us adults, I have enjoyed Susan Wise Bauer's The Well Educated Mind. And there's always the classic How to Read A Book by Adler and Doren. I feel silly admitting it, but I have tuned up my basics of the classics through the old-fasioned Cliff Notes (now on line).
I am sure for some well-read mothers the discussion of themes, allusion and parody come quite naturally, alas not for me 
Back to baking gingerbread--they are turning out real cute!
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Your sister in Christ,
Victoria in AZ
dh Mike 24 yrs; ds Kyle 18; dd Katie 12; and one funny pug
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time4tea
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Thanks everyone for your suggestions!
My two oldest are 12 (almost 13) and 10. I'l admit I have at times felt intimidated about reading literature with them for fear that they may ask a question that I cannot explain and, worse yet, do not know where to go to find the answer (although I'm sure that many of you ehre would be an immense help!). For example, one book my older son has been dying to read is Alice in Wonderland. I explained to him that it was a political satire (to some degree, anyway), and he has been wanting to read it and try to decipher what each character was meant to represent. Do you all think this book would be a good place to begin with a nearly 13 year old and a 10 year old? Is there another book (or any other book(s)) that any of you could recommend for family read-alouds with this age group?
Thanks so much and Merry Christmas!
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ALmom
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My reaction - read it and have fun and see where it goes. IMO beginning with something they are wanting to dig into is a great place to start. Don't worry about it - have fun. (just my opinion)
Janet
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Cay Gibson
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Hillside Education has study guides.
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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TracyQ
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I didn't know Cliff Notes were free online! GREAT resource! Jake is reading A Tale of Two Cities right now, and I feel SO dumb! My dh is doing the literature with him, but not thoroughly enough for my taste for high school, so I'm going to use these.
The problem is that I do NOT want to READ! I just don't have time. 
Ah well, I'll have to facilitate it somehow.
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Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
 homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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4Real Forums : Living Literature
Topic: What kind of study guide?
