Open your books.

Schools, including Bullitt East, use modern and classic texts in their classes and there are many benefits to both.

Most students prefer to read more modern texts in class over classics because they can be easier to understand. On the other hand, some students like to read classic texts for the challenge. Teachers also have some preferences of their own of what they like to use in their classes.

Modern texts would be something relatively popular or recent, like The Fault in Our Stars or Song of Achilles, while classic texts would be something relatively famous or from a while ago, like The Great Gatsby or Pride and Prejudice.

Junior Josie Wales prefers to read modern texts in her classes because, “it’s easier to understand and it’s less complex.” She believes that a benefit of using modern texts is that it allows you to do better on whatever you’re working on.

For many English classes, nonfiction text is required but it is up to the teacher whether to use modern or classic texts.

English Teacher Leo Craven, also prefers to use modern texts in his class because he feels the students can learn from it and relate to it. “Just relatability, like students can relate to it and connect to it, rather than feel like it’s outdated and relative to life,” Craven said.

Modern texts are very popular especially in schools, but also in everyday life. Freshman Olivia Stoner likes reading modern books. “I really like Twilight. It’s not too new but it’s not old either. I kind of grew up on it, reading it and watching the movies with my mom,” Stoner said.

On the other hand, other students and teachers prefer to use more classic texts. 

English Teacher Leslie Lloyd likes to use classics text in her class to prepare her students for their future. “It depends on what I’m teaching so, if I’m teaching an AP style class, a lot of times I go to the classics or the texts that are going to show up on the exam. So, I kind of prepare students for what they see on the exam,” Lloyd said.

Junior Sophie Boguszewski also likes to read classic books for enjoyment, but also for the challenge. “You learn a lot of history, like The Picture of Dorian Gray, started a whole aesthetic and you get to strengthen your skills. It definitely makes me a stronger reader in all genres,” Boguszewski said.

Reading is essential to our daily lives and teaches us new things no matter how old. “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page,” St. Augustine of Hippo.