Teaching Literature in an Urban Setting

[ellenfeig]

So book bloggers of the world...here's a question that I hope you can all help me with. Not only do I read and review books on literaturechick.com, but I teach English and composition at two colleges in an urban setting. I find that the books on my syllabus are simply not approachable for my students and would love to hear your thoughts on essays/short stories or books that might work. Any new authors (besides the usual suspects), new books?

Thanks,
Ellen

[KittyCat]

Hi Ellen - I taught introductory literature and college composition courses a few years ago. Could you share the books listed in the syllabus? That way, I can share with you what I think as I'm not sure why you feel they'd be unapproachable.

In today's digital world, anything in PRINT seem unapproachable to all students LOL

[ellenfeig]

Right now we are using The Prentice Hall Reader and Literature in Writing. I teach at a Berkeley College in Newark and Bergen Community College in Paramus - most of my students are either Hispanic or African American and are simply not "feeling" the essays in the book. I have tried to think out of the box

[KittyCat]

Have you tried talking to them about shared experiences first before approaching the essays? I tend to take the theme of one essay and build a discussion on that before starting any "serious" work. That way, my students can relate their own experiences to what they are going to read...

I've taught a mix of Chinese, Indonesian, Malay, Arabic, Indian, Thai and Brazilian who all limited exposure to English and English literature. All the best and do keep in touch!

I really miss teaching :)

[Valerie Russo]

I minored in English in college and one of my favorite courses (besides Shakespeare) that really spoke to me was my multicultural literature course.

I would suggest looking at contemporary novels writing by authors with a diverse background that students can relate to within their own experiences. Books like Free Food for Millionaires By Min Jin Lee and The Gifted Gabaldón Sisters By Lorraine López

Look for contemporary novels from Hispanic, Asian and African American authors or books that speak to contemporary issues from any author.

[ellenfeig]

Thanks Valerie!

[Joannie]

Hi...I teach alternative high school seniors (many of them are 5th year seniors and the majority of them are gang members)...I agree that getting them to even touch a book is amazing. I know that they've all loved "My Bloody Life: Once a King, Always a King" by Ray Munos Sanchez and "Always Running" by Luis Rodriguez which are biography/non-fiction books by former gang members. I think if you start with something like this, that they will relate to and love, then you can introduce novels with similar themes and then move from there. You have to hook them first! :-)

[ellenfeig]

Thanks so much!

[Rachel]

Hi. I"m not sure if this will help, but I recently read and reviewed A Long Way Gone by Ismael Beah. I personally believe this book should be read by all college students EVERYWHERE. Its a pretty intense read about a boy soldier in Sierre Leon. Here's the review. I thought there was a lot of aspects that could be discussed in a lit class or as a writing assignment.

[Joannie]

Ooo...I agree. This is great and makes you appreciate what you do have.

[C.S. Bhagya]

Have you tried Jeanette Winterson? Her books are not only contemporary, but also philosophical and endlessly experimental. I love the author and would've loved it even more if someone had taught it to me in college.
But her writing is complex and it might involve a lot of work to teach and learn Winterson.

I've blogged a lot about her recently... check it if you're interested in her. Link

[Dave Rosenthal]

Junot Diaz gave a reading at Baltimore's City Lit festival last week, and lots of kids -- high school and college age -- greeted him like a rock star. I haven't read The Brief Wondrous Life of Junot Diaz, so I can't give an opinion of it, but I was encouraged by the reception he received. It would be worth a look, as long as the f-bombs and other language did not disqualify it.

[Caitlin Martin]

Always Running by Luis Rodriguez is excellent - very well-written gang memoir.

Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble & Coming of Age in the Bronx by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc - this journalist spent 10 years following 2 Latina women from the Bronx beginning in the late '80's.

The Corner by David Simon - A year on a drug corner in Baltimore. This what Simon did before The Wire & it's one of my all-time favorite books, although it might be a bit long for your students.

There Are No Children Here by Alex Kotlowitz - follows 2 young boys in the Chicago projects beginning in 1985.

Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison - I'm incredibly fond of this novel about growing up "white trash" in South Carolina.

Anything by Sandra Cisneros is wonderful - both poetry & novels.

Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race & Inheritance by President Obama - wonderful memoir & something your students might relate to.

I'm sure I'll thing of 5 or 6 others once I send this reply, but this list is probably long enough.