<p>Prompt: Should each individual student be allowed to choose the books he or she reads for English class?</p>
<p>America's English classrooms have come to a new era. Gone are the days in which reading Shakespeare was an unanimous (and dreaded) event in all high school English classrooms and in are the days in which students are encouraged to read literature that "interests" them. Today, in many classrooms, there is no assigned reading list, and students are encouraged to read whatever they want to for their English classes. I do not believe that this is a good trend; today's students need to read outside of their comfort zones to expand their thinking. By being required to read certain literature, students are furthering their critical-thinking skills and becoming better global citizens.</p>
<p>Today's average high school student is far from a "great-works" reader. Rather, he or she is likely to be content with reading the latest Stephen King horror story or Nicholas Sparks romance. This average student has probably only briefly heard of Huxley, Orwell, Fitzgerald, Emerson, or Sinclair Lewis, fine writers that every student should at least briefly read. This is why students should be required to read certain literature in class. If teachers do not mandate that their students read at least some of these great works, a plethora of knowledge will be lost to a new generation of people growing up in the hostile global economy of the 21st century. Studies show that schools in America are falling behind, and allowing students to completely read what they wish is sure to make this problem worse.</p>
<p>By engaging in a "class novel", students are not only reading "quality" literature, but also getting the opportunity to participate in a class-wide discussion on certain elements of the story and their implications. Even the most difficult novels become easier to digest for the "average student" as it is discussed in detail on a class-wide level. This type of discussion is invaluable for the preparing students for college, a world in which these types of deep analyses often take place.</p>
<p>When students choose books to read for a book report or some other class project, some will inevitably choose a book that the teacher has not read. This is okay, as long as the student actually read the book. In many cases, however, this is not the case. Oftentimes, high school students claim to have read books that they, in fact, have not, and this sometimes goes unnoticed by the teacher. By requiring students to read certain books, the teacher is more likely to notice if a student has not read a book. This, in turn, makes the student more likely to read the book, which is of benefit to both parties.</p>
<p>Both teachers and students need to place a higher emphasis on reading. By reading quality literature, a student builds greater reading and writing skills, as well as a larger thought scope. By requiring students to read certain materials, teachers are nourishing their students' minds. The alternative to this is a classroom in which most students choose to read a narrow scope of material. This, of course, is not beneficial to students or society as a whole. Because of this, every English teacher should have some type of required curriculum in his or her classroom.</p>