From: buffhunter@my-deja.com   
      
   In article , your.name@isp.com says...   
   >   
   > "Hunter"  wrote in message   
   > news:MPG.268e1cfb5cb8271c98a528@news.optonline.net...   
   > > In article  > 116.dial.dyn.ihug.co.nz>, your.name@isp.com says...   
   > > > In article , MDH   
   > > >  wrote:   
   > > >   
   > > > > "Your Name"  wrote in   
   > > > > news:hvts7a$soc$1@lust.ihug.co.nz:   
   > > > >   
   > > > > > Dropping Shakespeare and other such nonsense to have time to   
   > actually   
   > > > > > teach useful and necessary things makes a school better.   
   > > > >   
   > > > > YEah, you just lost all credibility.   
   > > >   
   > > > Yep, because studying Shakespeare's garbage is just so worthwhile, while   
   > > > learning how to spell correctly is pointless.  :-\   
   > > ---   
   > > Shakespeare is garbage? No wonder you don't like the new BSG IIRC.   
   > > The new BSG has a heavy Shakespearean bent. "Star Trek" is famous for   
   > > using Shakespeare in its plots. "Star Wars" takes a lot of its cues   
   > > from "The Bard".   
   > >   
   > > Granted it is hard to understand because it uses a lot of words we   
   > > don't use anymore or they have changed meaning. But teaching modern   
   > > English with Shakespeare's classics isn't incompatible. We went on   
   > > for years teaching Shakespeare in English classes and graduated the   
   > > large majority of students who can used common English intelligently   
   > > and learned the rudiments of Shakespeare. I'm taking about from the   
   > > 1960's back thought to the 19th century, so teaching Shakespeare   
   > > along with standard English rules isn't why students seem to not know   
   > > basic English.   
   >   
   > Schools don't teach the basics because they waste too much time forcing   
   > students to read books that are worthlessly boring, including Shakespeare,   
   > Catcher in the Rye, and numerous other so-called "classics" ... and yes they   
   > are boring, the vast majority of students will tell you that.   
   ----   
   And a lot of people would tell you that they are grateful for when   
   they were forced to read the classics, ancient (Homer), middle age   
   (Shakespeare) and modern (Moby Dick, Catcher in the Rye, Tom Sawyer   
   etc). Student will tell you they hate math too. The less athletic   
   ones would tell you they hate gym. Some who hate math wonder what is   
   the practicality of learning calculus.   
      
   Just because the students hate it doesn't mean it isn't good for   
   them. I am sorry if some didn't get the meaning behind those book and   
   had a hard time in school with them but that doesn't mean they   
   shouldn't be taught in public school.   
   >   
   > It's much more important to know how to do things like spell and use grammar   
   > correctly, rather than uselessly knowing what "To be or not to be" is on   
   > about,   
   ---   
   You mean learning about the dilemmas faced in life isn't worth while?   
   What paths one might choose? That is the meaning behind that famous   
   quote. Speaking of which choosing between teaching literature and   
   practical English is a false one.   
   >   
   > let alone trying to figure out the stupidity of "what was the author   
   > thinking when they wrote that" style questions (they were probably thinking,   
   > it's time for lunch so I'll finish this chapter quickly)   
   ----   
   If someone can't do that then it is possible that a person can't   
   analyzed what producer and writer are trying to say in a TV show.   
   >   
   >  ... no doubt it's   
   > this last idiocy that leads so many fools around the Internet to try and   
   > read between the lines instead of what's actually typed. :-\   
   ----   
   And I repeat, we did just fine teaching the classics AND have highly   
   literate people leaving our public schools. The two aren't in   
   compatible even if some didn't appreciate or understand it in school.   
   >   
   > It's even worse in today's schools where they've completely lost common   
   > sense and are so busy sticking their noses into kids' lunchboxes, home life   
   > and recreation that they don't even remotely have time (nor the money thanks   
   > to idiot government wastage!)  to teach the basics.   
   ----   
   Those are different issue entirely, sometimes maybe I would even   
   agree with you, but teaching Huckleberry Fin or Shakespeare isn't   
   even the same issue.   
   --   
   ----->Hunter   
      
   "No man in the wrong can stand up against   
    a fellow that's in the right and keeps on acomin'."   
      
                  -----William J. McDonald   
              Captain, Texas Rangers from 1891 to 1907   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)