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Show Page 12 The Ogden Valley news Volume XIX Issue XIX November 1, 2011 Well-Educated Mind: A Book Review Snowcrest Skyhawks of the Month ByThe Forrest Brown spirits, it is important to capture those epiphanies The October Skyhawks of the Month students were selected by their teachers based on “Best Attitude.” The students were invited to eat lunch in the conference room and played a game identifying old and new cartoon characters. Teachers vote on students in every department, and there is one boy and one girl selected from each grade, who is then awarded as “Skyhawk of the Month” and recognized for their excellence above and beyond. Congratulations to the following students: Front Row: Clara Stokes – Foods, Gabbi Chieppa – PE 9, and Bailey Wilkins – Drama II. Back Row: Kiley Allman – Algebra, Jennifer Tidwell – Spanish II, Carson Clark – Math I, Landon Bassett – Earth Systems, Noelle Roskelley – Computer Tech, Lexi Harris – English 9, Lindsey Ashment – 9th Grade Skyhawk, and Tanner Burrows – Spanish B. Not pictured: Camille Ewing and Sarah Earl. Front Row: Ian Martin – CTE, Bryson Farley – English 7, and Logan Fuit – 7th Grade Skyhawk. Back Row: Garrett McFarland – Spanish A, Megan Harris – Social Studies 7, Ambry Nielsen – Pre-Algebra, Brigham McKay – 9th Grade Skyhawk, Morgan Tatton – 8th Grade Skyhawk, Claudia Schnieder – English 8, Emily Jones – 7th Grade Skyhawk, and Mack Storey – 8th Grade Skyhawk. FitneSS ClaSSeS in the Valley Shuttle Available to Valley Elementary for $3. Call for details. Fitness Classes start at 8:30 AM in the High Altitude Kids Tumbling Room Do you ever feel like there are too many good books out there and that you will never get to read most of them? The task does seem quite daunting; however, after reviewing Susan Wise Bauer’s book, The Well-Educated Mind, you definitely will have a different outlook on this. Her book offers brief and entertaining histories of five literary genres; fiction, autobiographies, history, drama, and poetry. Every analysis is accompanied with detailed instructions on how to read each type of literature. The author reassures those who worry that they read too slowly or with below-average comprehension that if you can understand the daily newspaper, you can learn to comprehend using her methods. Soon you will be enjoying Shakespeare’s sonnets and many more of the “Great Books.” She also teaches you how to allocate time to reading on a regular basis, how to master a difficult argument, how to make literary judgments about what you read, and how to appreciate the significant links among many of the great works. In the first chapter, the author explains her journey through graduate school starting at age thirty. She was a wife and a mother of four children and somewhat older than the rest of the students. Her major was literature, which gave her the opportunity to read many of the classical books. She says, “But you don’t have to suffer through the graduate school wringer in order to train your mind . . . . For centuries, women and men undertook this sort of learning—reading, taking notes, discussing books and ideas with friends . . . . University lectures were seen by Thomas Jefferson as unnecessary for the serious pursuit of historical reading. In 1786, Jefferson wrote to his college-age nephew Thomas Mann Randolph, Jr., advising him to pursue the larger part of his education independently. Go ahead and attend a course of lectures in science, Jefferson recommended. But he then added, “While you are attending these courses, you can proceed by yourself in a regular series of historical reading . . . and if you pursue it by yourself, you can accommodate it to our other reading so as to fill up those chasms of time not otherwise appropriated.” What Susan Wise Bauer has hit upon is phenomenal! We are actually in charge of our own education—not the school, not the professors; it ultimately falls on our own selves. The author also references some things that Isaac Watts felt strongly about. In essence, he thought observation, reading, conversation, and attendance at lectures were all important in the pursuit of education, but that reading was the most important method of self-improvement. Reading is, however, more than just reading the words of a book. As Ms. Bauer points out, “reading is a discipline: like running regularly, or meditating, or taking voice lessons . . . . Yet, because we can read the newspaper or Time or Stephen King without difficulty, we tend to think we should be able to go directly into Homer or Henry James without any further preparation. And when we stumble, grow confused or weary, we take this as proof of our mental inadequacy. . . . The truth is, the study of literature requires different skills than reading for pleasure.” She even suggests in chapter one how we set aside time for reading, saying, “We all juggle multiple jobs, housework, bill paying, paperwork, children and family, and dozens of smaller distractions: meals, groceries, e-mails, the ever-present lure of late-night television. In chapter three Ms. Bauer discusses the importance of keeping a journal of what we read. She calls this “A record of new ideas.” After we read something of great worth to our minds and or “ah ha’s” before we forget them. Many, including this author, suggest that we develop a record keeping process. Susan Wise Bauer says that journaling “is modeled on the last century’s commonplace book, a looseleaf or bound blank book in which readers copied down quotes and snippets that they wanted to remember . . . . Occasionally, though, commonplace books took on a more personalized form. Their authors carried them around and jotted in them at odd moments during the day . . . . The journal is the place where the reader takes external information and records it . . . . As you read, you should follow this three-part process: jot down specific phrases, sentences, and paragraphs as you come across them; when you’ve finished your reading, go back and write a brief summary about what you’ve learned; and then write your own reactions, questions, and thoughts . . . use your journal to jot down questions that come to your mind.” As we read we should all develop some type note taking so that when we need to recall a specific of passage, we can do so readily. Another great tool that can aid us in educating our minds through the art of reading is to read with someone else or as Ms. Bauer suggests, choose a reading partner. She states “your reading partner will read more or less the same speed as you do . . . it isn’t necessary for you to come from similar backgrounds, educational or otherwise. As a matter of fact, a reading partner with a very different background can help you to think more precisely, as you discover that you need to explain, clearly, ideas that you’ve always taken for granted.” The author relates the story of an elderly Thomas Jefferson who in his isolation searched out and found an avenue of communication with John Adams. Both of them let go of their passed feelings of discontent. They read and commented on each other’s writings and points of view. It is very interesting to note that these two great men both died on the same day, July 4th 1826, fifty years to the day that the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the U.S. Congress. Now, according to Susan Wise Bauer, you are ready to jump into the Great Conversation. First of all, what is the Great Conversation? Basically, it is the name given to the exchange of ideas that has been going on for years. The ideas have to do with discussion on God, our world, relationships, truth, knowledge, existence, hope, despair, purpose—in short, who we are and why we live. What reading and writing does, as noted by this book, is prepare you to become part of the Great Conversation. Essentially, this is the main reason Ms. Bauer wrote this book. We are able to participate in the Great Conversation with whomever as we begin and continue to read and discover the hidden knowledge from many of the great classics. In her book, the author summaries some of the best known classics of our time; novels such as Don Quixote, The Pilgrim’s Progress, Gulliver’s Travels, Pride and Prejudice, Oliver Twist, Jane Eyre, The Scarlet Letter, Moby-Dick, Uncle tom’s Cabin, Anna Karenia, Huckleberry Finn, The Red Badge of Courage, 1984, and several other great novels. Her short synopsis of these works doesn’t replace one’s actual reading of them, but it does give you a taste of what lies ahead. She summarizes the main point to the stories that are presented in each of these books, helping build a desire to consume them and become a part of the Great Conversation. In her own words she states, “Reading the first words of a novel is like glimpsing the first crack of light along the edge of an opening door. What’s inside that invisible BOOK REVIEW cont. on page 13 801-678-7959 or 801-745-2444 Subscriptions available for out of area residents at $18.00 annually. Located at 4776 E. 2600 N. in High Altitude Fitness in Eden behind the old car wash. Send payment with mailing address to: $40/month unlimited MWF classes ~ $5/class drop in rate ~ All fitness levels & ages welcome. The Ogden Valley news P O BOX 130, EDEN UT 84310 |