Hey there...I was interested in the references that some of the people posting on this site have made to the use of TEA in the classroom. I teach high school in Ohio and would love to use this book in my classroom...is it usable for 10th grade do you think? If anyone has used it in a high school setting I would love to know. I have recently discovered the books and have already lent one to a student. They are fantastic for provoking interest in classic literature...I have never HAD to go buy a book before, but after reading TEA, I bought the next two within a week!
Anyone who has used this book in a high school classroom (or who might be in high school and read it in class), I would love to know how the students responded, and what you did with it! Thanks!
Mag

I remember reading that it's officially been approved for use in schools in the Australian state of Victoria, somewhere in this site (perhaps in the Appearances page?), but I don't know what 'year[s]' that was for...


************************************************************

"Customers are advised that this product may
contain meat from re-engineered species."

I know that about a year ago it was used for a seminar at a German university. I think it was about Jane Eyre, Wide Sargasso Sea and The Eyre Affair. Both the teacher and some of his students were posting here.
Maybe you can find some helpful suggestions by doing a search on here for postings by "teacher" and "barbie" (one of the students)



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colourless green ideas sleep furiously.

(N. Chomsky 1957)

I think it was approved for years 11 and/or 12 in Victoria. Drakynda might have read it in class, or Intrigue.

I'm in college now, and didn't discover the books until after I started college, but I'll definitely say that if I had discovered TEA in high school I would have looked for any excuse I could find to use it for an assignment. I would say it's definitely appropriate, since it is so intelligenly written, challenging to catch all the references while still a quick and compelling read, and so full of literary references. I can even think of an assignment you could give: Jasper writes all these brilliant pastice scenes from stories like Kafka's Metamorphosis, Alice in Wonderland, and more. You could assign students to chose another book or story they're familiar with and write a short pastiche scene or story in which Thursday goes into that book. (Then of course you could post some of the best ones on this forum (with the students' permission, of course) for the delight and amusement of the rest of us!)

I discoverd the books last year as a high school senior, they were suggested to me by a classmate. I later used them for a book report and the topic of a short paragraph on one of my tests. My sister The Eyre Affair for a book report for her 9th grade English class, but I did most of the work because she never finished reading it. I think it would have been great to be used as part of the class. It would be more appealing, than classical British authors, to modern American highschool students. I remember most of my study of British literature in Highshcool involved Shakespare and Chaucer. I personally liked that, but I think students would respond better to more modern works.

I only discovered these books through 1st year university. it was funny because they told us if we wanted to write an essay on it the only academic paper on it in existence is currently been written by our lecturer. so if you use it for ur class next year look for the only paper on it by Erica Hately

I've just tried searching for it and Erica Hately on google but couldn't find it- is it on the net anywhere?

I am a 10th grader in an honors english II class. We just finished reading The Eyre Affair in class actually today. All the kids including myself loved the book. I am looking forward to reading the second and third as well. My teacher had us read it as we are working on a research project right now and needed a novel that was easy to understand, and kinda a way to relax. Our assignment was to find examples of allusions, parody, irony and humor and then right a review on the book. I absolutely loved the book and highly recommend you to share this awesome opportunity with your students. All kids should get the chance to read it. If you can't fit it into your curriculum bring up the novel's name and encourage the students to read it. They will love you for it!

I'm in year 12 in NSW and i'm using TEA as my text for a postmodernism lecture in extension 1 english.
i would definitely recommend it, mostly becoz it was so much easier to read. (i still haven't finished the french lieutenant's woman - if you put it down for too long you lose it :-\) and also becoz it has all the postmodern traits i need to mention, and they're everywhere!

Onya goanna,
You're onto a good reference but Jasper is ONLY (get what I mean?) a reference - I'm not sure if he's post modern, referential fantasy, science fiction fairytale, or a whole new genre. There are certainly elements of all these and more.

Go back to (or even restart) TFLW and finish it in better surroundings (so you don't have to 'put it down' at all).
Talk to your teacher about Jasper and ask about how TEA corrolates with something like Sargasso Sea.

Talk to your teacher.

I have been a HT English with the DET in NSW and what you're describing will get you a mark or two (which are WELL WORTH getting!) but I'd be mighty affeard if you based much more than a para or two on Jasper...
as much as I'm a fan of his.

You can continue this discussion here, if you wish (and I'm happy to give advice which may be contradicted by any number of other Fforumites) or you can come over to "Nextian Chat" (click on jasperfforde.com, below and then click on 'forum/chat') and you'll find that most people will disagree with me or change the subject entirely.

Honestly though, the other thread (as well as this one with specific questions) is worth a visit. Just keep posting questions and there are a lot of people on this site with great ideas about what you're considering.

Regards from Wagga Wagga.



Post Edited (03-28-06 23:35)

I think if you tried it in a creative context. Of course it does show power tripping in Goliath's monopolization of everything. It also teaches staying true to what you beleive in. Of course maybe this applies more to grade 11 english, now this is far stretch but compare it to 'To Kill a Mockingbird' Goliath is the town, only going along with what is supposed to be. Jack Schitt being Bob Ewell the jerk who started the whole thing, and Thursday as Atticus, trying her hardest to do whats right. Its a huge strech but it is an amazing story. If you must try and sneak it into a creative writing class.



SpecOps-27 Wordage is our business Grammar is our game.

hmmmm....Quite a stretch indeed.

I would hate to do this as a set work book.
I have not read a single setwork book I've enjoyed....

Analysing books kills them for me.



__________________________________
'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland