What Harry Potter can teach the textbook industry

Jewish World Review ^ | August 6, 2003 | Diane Ravitch

[js1138]

Here's the rub: the same children complain incessantly that their textbooks are boring. Whereas they hunger to get a Harry Potter book of nearly 900 pages, they can barely tolerate the equally large books that are assigned in school.

What does Harry Potter have that the textbooks don't?

Today's textbooks represent a major achievement in visual design. They glitter with charts, photographs, drawings and pedagogical advice to the reader. But they are boring.

[js1138]

ping

[Twinkie]

I haven't read any of the Harry Potter books, but one
thing I am honestly wondering. Is there a single actually
human person (not a wizard or supernatural being) who is
not either a dull doofus or evil in any of the books?
Just wondering.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

A plot that is thought out in advance of writing, fully developed characters, an absence of archaic phraseology and forms, and a topic which appeals to a broad spectrum of readers.....

[js1138]

I suppose the abundance of dull doofus characters is what causes millions of kids read 900 page books, generally more than one time.

[txzman]

Uh, the difference is one writer who puts together an entertaining, very literate work vs. liberal educators who demand political correctness and pandering to every group imaginable first and foremost.

The educators of this country don't give a damn what the books do for teaching, just that all colors are properly and nicely represented. Oh and don't forget "Jamie and his Two Mommies".

[StatesEnemy]

Heroes have become passé in the group-thought of 'educators'.

The revisionists have won.

[js1138]

Is there a single actually human person ...

OK, actually reading your post, I get your point and apologise for the sarcasm. the short answer is yes. The serise isn't really about non-wizards, but the major theme -- still in progress -- is about wizards (read nazis) trying to set themselves up as a master race, lording over the less gifted.

[cyborg]

You can have the best textbook but if your teachers SUCKS or he/she hates his/her job, hates you, etc. it's not going to make a differnce. Sometimes I wonder how people learned before flashy texts. OR>>> how kids in Africa with ten year old handmedowns from America come to be more educated than kids with the works.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

The political correctness movement has purged textbooks of colorful phrases and meaningful words. The result - dullness. Their intention? The intention is to not educate and this is easily an avenue for that.

[StatesEnemy]

. Is there a single actually human person (not a wizard or supernatural being) who is not either a dull doofus or evil in any of the books? Just wondering.

Yes, Muggles.

[js1138]

Hermionie's parents, for two. The only Doofus characters are Harry's Uncle and cousin.

[js1138]

The political correctness movement has purged textbooks of colorful phrases and meaningful words. The result - dullness.

I don't think that's particularly new. I don't remember textbooks from the 50s being particularly exciting.

[Richard Kimball]

The only non-magic people mentioned much in the Potter series are his aunt, uncle and his cousin, and they're all pretty bad. However, the books are centered around a magical world, not a human world. Each book begins with the start of a year at Hogwarts (wizard school), and ends at the close of the term. Since Harry lives on campus, practically everyone he encounters is magical in some way.

I thoroughly enjoy the books, yes I'm a Christian, and no I don't see anything wrong with them.

To expand on the point of the article, textbooks are also changed as frequently as possible to require the state (or the student, in the case of private schools and colleges) to purchase new books as often as possible. And they are boring, boring, boring. Unimaginitive writings by boring people.

[cyborg]

Where have you been? Don't you know the in thing is WHOLE LANGUAGE? and NEW FUZZY MATH? Kids do not understand the social engineering as we do, but they can spot crap and get tired as other people do.

But just turn to ADD pills and your kid will become a mindless robot too... and read Heather Has Two Mommies.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Have you seen any of todays text books? Well, I haven't either (blush, but I stayed at a Holiday Express last night.) but I have read several articles on the subject. It seems that any reference to gender, race, and all the other politically correct stuff has been purged. I would imagine that would make for some pretty sterile reading.

By the way, the 50s were my main school years and I don't remember the text books as exiting but they weren't awful.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

I never did learn the whole language and my math is getting a little fuzzy but I understand and agree with what you say. Their goal is to not educate and they are doing that well.

[supercat]

You can have the best textbook but if your teachers SUCKS or he/she hates his/her job, hates you, etc. it's not going to make a differnce. Sometimes I wonder how people learned before flashy texts.

Reminds me of how my Mom suggested I should read ahead in my high-school English Literature textbook if I wanted to enjoy the material. Worked wonders. Reading the material after some of the introductions given by the teacher made it seem dreary and dreadful. Reading it without the benefit of such "introductions" made it seem lively and vibrant.

[cyborg]

Hey your mom and I are on the same page. I knew if I didn't want to hate 'summer reading' I would do well to read them before.

[zeromus]

Is there a single actually human person (not a wizard or supernatural being) who is not either a dull doofus or evil in any of the books?

There is not really supposed to be. These sorts of books are about exceptional kids stuck in a world full of mostly stupid and cruel adults. And as someone else mentioned, that sort of kid-power attitude is some factor in the attractiveness of the books.