The truth behind required reading at FHC: the series

At some point throughout FHC’s student’s high school careers, they are bound to read at least one—if not many—required novels in their English classes, which is something AP Lang and AP Lit teacher Lisa Penninga views as not only necessary but beneficial. To Penninga, these required readings are a positive asset in the classroom setting and a great opportunity for students of all ages to tak...

Name: Sarah Chesner Grade: 12 Former English Class: Middle Eastern Lit 1. How do you feel about being required to read books for school? “I think it’s a good requirement because I wouldn’t read without the requirement, and I think it’s good.” 2. What book from Middle Eastern Lit taught you the most? “When Things Fall Apart” 3. How do you feel about the amount of ...

Name: Alex Schenck Grade: 11 Former English Class: Honors English 10 1. How do you feel about being required to read books for school? “I think reading is important; it’s definitely an important skill to have. Therefore, I think there should be required reading.” 2. What book from Honors English 10 taught you the most? “I think the Grapes of Wrath taught me the most, not ab...

Name: Serena Thiede Grade: 10 Former English Class: Honors English 9 1. How do you feel about being required to read books for school? “I think it’s really good to be required to read books for school. I feel like most kids otherwise, unless they’re an Honors [English] kid, don’t really like reading, and reading is really important. So, I feel like to have that kind of mid-grou...

Name: Maggie Jenkins Grade: 12 Former English Class: Lit of the Americas 1. How do you feel about being required to read books for school? “I feel like it’s just a part of school, and you kind of have to deal with it whether you want to read them or not.”  2. What book from Lit of the Americas taught you the most? “We didn’t really read full books. It was a lot of small...

With countless English classes offered at Forest Hills Central, the opportunities to learn from literature are endless; yet, certain books litter the English department’s curriculum. In this series, The Central Trend’s staff investigates the reasoning behind required reading, and strives to understand what our students are learning from these novels. With interviews with English teachers and stude...

Name: Julia Beaumont Grade: 12 Current English Class: AP Lit 1. How do you feel about being required to read books for school? "I feel as though required reading is extremely important to our personal development as learners as it exposes us to various settings, topics, and characters, as well as informational text. It also serves as a great supplement to our lives as high schoolers be...

Name: Adam Gray Grade: 9 Current English Class: Honors English 9 1. How do you feel about being required to read books for school? "I feel like having to read books for school is a good thing. Having to read daily will help me get in the habit of reading more and more for future high school years and college years." 2. Did your stance on reading influence what English class you chose to take thi...

Name: Sophie Kovachevich Grade: 10 Current English Class: Honors English 10 1. How do you feel about being required to read books for school? "I think it depends on what book it is and how well the teacher explains it. I have less fun reading the book when I'm confused or simply just not enjoying the book." 2. Did your stance on reading influence what English class you chose to take t...

"You are all required to have the book Things Fall Apart by next week Wednesday. We will start reading that book for our next unit; I have the reading schedule of what you are supposed to read by each night." Last year, that is what my English teacher said to the class before we left. Ever since I can remember, required reading has been a component of all English classes. I have struggled with co...

My experience with required reading began the summer before ninth grade: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. In hindsight, this was the beginning of the end as far as “enjoyable” books go. While Honors English 9 offered some diverse writing consisting of multicultural texts—such as The House on Mango Street by Mexican-American author Sandra Cisneros—Honors English 10 brought on an onslaugh...