Ooooh this is like asking me who is my favorite grandchild or which is my favorite dog. BUT I can choose a category and put some favorites in that.
Favorite Books to Teach:
I taught high school English for nearly 30 years and I did have books that I loved to teach.
1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
There was so much I could do with this novel. I could focus on the obvious Civil Rights issue. There was the "coming of age" angle or father/daughter relationships. Depending on my group of students there were many paths to choose. I love the point of view. Scout's voice as an adult looking back on her childhood is heartbreakingly beautiful.
2. Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
Now this is a polar opposite! Again, there is so much here. To look at this from a "social issue" perspective, I love the discussions surrounding relationships: husband/wife, sister/sister, society/individual. Oh what a character Blanche is!
3. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Do you get the idea that I like discussing society! Another great book about relationships and societal expectations. Our curriculum also uses this book to discuss the American Dream.
4. The Stranger by Albert Camus
12th grade English covered this book. "Mama died today. Or was it yesterday?" One of my favorite openings.
I am going to stop with four. There are a few others I enjoyed teaching but my enthusiasm often depended on my group.
- Native Son by Richard Wright
- Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
- Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Lesson Before Dying by Earnest Gaines
- The Crucible by Arthur Miller
- Macbeth by Shakespeare
- Hamlet by Shakespeare
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