August 20, 2014

In Future, PHS English Department Should Reconsider Assignment of “Odyssey” for Ninth Grade Students

To the Editor:

Princeton High School requires its students to read the Robert Fagles translation of The Odyssey when they enter the ninth grade. This summer they are also being given a head start: they are required to read the first four books and fill out an extensive packet that includes answering comprehension questions, completing a vocabulary sheet, filling out a questionnaire about the major gods and goddesses, and completing a crossword puzzle.

The packet contains no introduction to this ancient classic. The students will begin reading with no knowledge of the characters in the Trojan War that precedes this story; they will not know why Odysseus is lost at sea or why his family awaits him patiently at home. Although they may carefully collect the names of the gods and goddesses who rule Mt. Olympus, they will lack an understanding of how or why the world of the gods influences the world of mortals. They may be confused that the first four books are not about Odysseus at all, but about his son.

As a former English teacher and current reading and writing tutor in Princeton, I wonder about the wisdom of teaching The Odyssey to ninth graders. We must recognize that not all of our students are advanced proficient readers, and they, like Odysseus, will find obstacles in their way at every step of this reading journey. Ultimately that means they will either read the Spark Notes or they will just give up. This assignment will reinforce their belief that they are not readers, will never be readers; they must somehow just make it through English class.

Although some English teachers may contend that it is their job to teach the classics, I would like to suggest that we have another more important goal, especially for young readers: we must inspire in our students a love for reading. In order to do that, we need to give them texts that they are capable of reading and enjoying. Our students must leave our classes eager to read more.

Meanwhile, I would like to make a few suggestions to parents of ninth grade students. Make sure your child devotes plenty of time for this assignment, offer to help him/her read it, or suggest that he/she works on it with a friend or two. If you can, find an oral telling of The Odyssey on CD. Storyteller Odds Bodkin’s beautiful retelling is available at the Princeton Public Library and online. You might also wish to find a simplified version to help your son or daughter become familiar with the story and its characters before reading the Fagles translation.

To Princeton High School’s English department: I hope that you will reconsider the choice of this book in the future. Instead of thinking of the rigorous challenge the text offers, I hope you will contemplate its appropriateness as your relatively young readers transition from young adult fiction to adult literature. As teachers of literary imagination, choose from the many accessible and beautifully written texts, both contemporary and classic, that are available to young readers. Above all, inspire your students to become lifelong readers.

Susan Danoff

Clover Lane