Literature and Ethics in High School English Classes

Literature and Ethics in High School English Classes: Reading Together with Moral Vision is a highly accessible book that rethinks the role of literature in English education. Ross Collins’s defense of ethics-focused reading is continually illuminating. His clear and compelling voice, penetrating moral vision, and pedagogical mindfulness bring both classroom practices and literary texts vividly to life. By seamlessly blending moral philosophy with practical examples, Collins convincingly demonstrates that ethics is integral to literature and life itself. Literature and Ethics in High School English Classes has important lessons for educators struggling to raise ethical questions in the context of their teaching without lapsing into moralism. It is a deeply humane and edifying read -- Megan J. Laverty, Professor of Philosophy and Education, Columbia University, USA In this engaging book, Collin draws on his teaching experience to provide detailed classroom activities to document the value of having students collaboratively share their responses about characters’ ethical actions. In contrast to students perceiving literary texts as having predetermined moral lessons, Collin documents how engaging in these classroom activities leads students to formulate moral visions that shape their lives. He also posits the need for supporting pre-service teachers in acquiring methods for facilitating these responses, reducing a focus on standardized testing, reading morally complex texts, reducing class sizes, increasing teacher salaries, moving away from scripted curriculum, and resisting censorship of texts. -- Richard Beach, Professor Emeritus of English Education, University of Minnesota, USA