A Look Into How Teachers Choose Texts

When selecting books for English courses, there are many things that teachers must put into consideration: diversity, connection, and awareness. From 9th to 12th grade, the options for books within the English curriculum are endless, from books like The Great Gatsby to Born a Crime. Therefore, the question remains: How do English teachers go about choosing books for their English curriculum? 

Principal Adaelekan makes students a major priority in the process of book selection. “As the principal, I just want to make sure that the books and the stories represent the diversity of the student body,” Mr. Adelekan asserted. “There is research that says that when kids see themselves and what they’re learning, the neurons in the brain are firing off and it’s making deeper connections, which helps kids understand the material better.” 

According to Samantha Ager, who’s the head of the English Department, book options are provided strictly by the county. English teachers who instruct 9th and 10th grade students have less flexibility when it comes to selecting books compared to 11th and 12th grade English teachers. 

When asked about how the county’s book options affect the process of selection, Ms. Kim, the teacher of English Honors 10 and AP Literature commented, “It does make it harder.”  Moreover, the 9th and 10th grade curriculum require specific texts such as The Odyssey, and Fahrenheit 451, ultimately minimizing the ability of teachers to maintain a variety of authors. On the other hand, Ms. Kim recognizes that AP Literature has significant freedom in picking books in comparison to other levels within the English department. In fact, Ms. Kim states that she selects books of her choice!

“I think that one of the most important things to consider is the variety of authors and style of writing,” Ms. Kim commented. “Especially with AP Lit because it’s often the last literature class that kids ever take. I want to expose them to as many different voices as possible.” 

Along with Mrs. Kim’s consideration student’s ability to learn more about different cultures, Mrs. Ager believes it is important to value the ability of students to experience different perspectives of reality. “[She felt] like I’ve walked through time and space with books,” she states. 

In the light of book selection, Mrs. Ager acknowledges that while classic books like The Odyssey hold a lot of significance, those books may not receive as much student engagement as other books. “It’s challenging, and students should be reading grade level texts. But again, if [she wants] them to read..it needs to be something that they might find high interest,” she states. According to Mrs. Ager, many graphic novels have received a lot of engagement from students taking the ninth grade curriculum, such as Magic Fish and Poet X. Mrs. Ager points out that when she used to teach 12th grade kids, she received a lot of student engagement from the texts, Born a Crime, and 1000 Swung and Sons. 

“I think that the opportunity from student engagement also comes from how exciting the teacher makes it,” Mrs. Ager suggests. “You know, if the teacher is excited about the book, then the kids are also going to get excited about it.”

Though Blake is limited in their accessibility in books, English staff and teachers prioritize student feedback as well as their ability to connect with different pieces of literature. Student engagement along with their willingness to learn and connect with the material are the most important factors for considering books for Blake’s required reading.