NewsUpper SchoolStudent LifeFaculty/StaffAcademicsResidential Life
English Department changes summer reading program
Apr 23, 2004 8:00 AM
By Stefan Eady - Faculty
Students preparing for next year at Darlington School will find radical changes in our Summer Reading program. In keeping with the aim of summer reading, to stimulate independent reading for interest and enrichment, the English Department has widened the scope of the book list to include many disciplines and fields of interest.
First, the school-wide book project will continue. Next year’s school-wide book is Gerda Weissman Klein’s All But My Life, the first full-length first person account of a holocaust survivor printed in the United States. Mrs. Klein will visit Darlington and speak with students on Oct. 1, as part of Fall Parents Weekend. Rather than keep a journal, however, students will read the book and take an objective test on it the very first day of class next fall. After that, English classes will study All But My Life in more detail, and further writing assignments will be made after the class has discussed it further.
In addition to the school-wide book, Upper School students will have the option of reading another book from a list chosen by teachers from all academic departments. More than 20 teachers have volunteered to sponsor books on many subjects and disciplines. Along with fiction, the list will include books about science, math, history and other books that fit into no one category. Students will sign up for the book of their choice. In the fall those students will meet with the sponsoring teacher for dinner and a discussion of the chosen book. A modest writing assignment will be required which students will bring to the discussion.
This second book is completely optional, but students who participate will receive credit for it under the “Honors and Awards” section of their permanent academic transcript.
The list of books, sponsoring teachers, and assignments will be posted on the web page and sign up for the books (limit twenty students per book) will be first come, first served. Sign-ups can be done through the Student Intranet or during online registration this summer.
First, the school-wide book project will continue. Next year’s school-wide book is Gerda Weissman Klein’s All But My Life, the first full-length first person account of a holocaust survivor printed in the United States. Mrs. Klein will visit Darlington and speak with students on Oct. 1, as part of Fall Parents Weekend. Rather than keep a journal, however, students will read the book and take an objective test on it the very first day of class next fall. After that, English classes will study All But My Life in more detail, and further writing assignments will be made after the class has discussed it further.
In addition to the school-wide book, Upper School students will have the option of reading another book from a list chosen by teachers from all academic departments. More than 20 teachers have volunteered to sponsor books on many subjects and disciplines. Along with fiction, the list will include books about science, math, history and other books that fit into no one category. Students will sign up for the book of their choice. In the fall those students will meet with the sponsoring teacher for dinner and a discussion of the chosen book. A modest writing assignment will be required which students will bring to the discussion.
This second book is completely optional, but students who participate will receive credit for it under the “Honors and Awards” section of their permanent academic transcript.
The list of books, sponsoring teachers, and assignments will be posted on the web page and sign up for the books (limit twenty students per book) will be first come, first served. Sign-ups can be done through the Student Intranet or during online registration this summer.
