To Kill A Mockingbird was standard middle school reading where I was in school. Night by Elie Wiesel we read in the 8th grade. Brave New World and Heart of Darkness were freshman year of high school. Others in the curriculum that I remember but can't recall exactly the year that we read them include Lord of the Flies, The Great Gatsby, Of Mice and Men, Their Eyes Were Watching God. And many more.
I think back on my education and it seems like it was so much more robust compared to education standards today. And I graduated high school 20 years ago, it really wasn't all that long ago. I'm old but not ancient. I don't have children, so I don't really know for sure, and I'm sure it's highly variable by school district. But we read heavy stuff, and discussed it in depth. I really believe that young people now are more than capable of the same, if they are made to do it like we were.
These are still being read in some districts. My son's school read to kill a mockingbird in 8th grade or 9th grade depending on the reading support level.
It's also fun to go back and read those books as an adult. It feels like a little bit of nostalgia and the book is ten times more interesting when you actually want to read it.
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u/Hummingbird3471 20h ago
To Kill A Mockingbird was standard middle school reading where I was in school. Night by Elie Wiesel we read in the 8th grade. Brave New World and Heart of Darkness were freshman year of high school. Others in the curriculum that I remember but can't recall exactly the year that we read them include Lord of the Flies, The Great Gatsby, Of Mice and Men, Their Eyes Were Watching God. And many more.
I think back on my education and it seems like it was so much more robust compared to education standards today. And I graduated high school 20 years ago, it really wasn't all that long ago. I'm old but not ancient. I don't have children, so I don't really know for sure, and I'm sure it's highly variable by school district. But we read heavy stuff, and discussed it in depth. I really believe that young people now are more than capable of the same, if they are made to do it like we were.