Asian Lit in LAUSD Schools

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

Does anyone know of any LAUSD high school ever offering an Asian literature class (analogous to a Brittish Literature class)? I'd love to see a syllabus or read some objectives for one.[Edit by="jfirestein on Jul 26, 8:04:32 PM"][/Edit]

[Anonymous]

South Pasadena HighSchool has a course called Asian Cultures. That might offer some help to you.

[Anonymous]

Thank you thank you! I'll check it out. I know LAUSD has offered this course in the past, but I have yet to hear of it taught in recent history.

[Anonymous]

If you find one, I'd like to see what's included -- if it's organized by culture or by topic, for example. Thanks. BBK

[Anonymous]

Try this link:
http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/lausd/offices/instruct/instruction_guidelines
It's will let you download a huge document from LAUSD giving descriptions of ALL courses offered for your discipline. The "requirements" for Asian Lit are listed as an elective literature course.[Edit by="jfirestein on Jul 28, 2:17:28 PM"][/Edit]

[Anonymous]

I really want to recommend the author Jhumpa Lahiri whose first book, The Interpeter of Maladies, won the 2000 Pulitzer. She is English born of Indian descent. The book is a collection of wonderful short stories all set in the U.S. but complied of Indian characters who deal with common situations in sometimes American and sometimes Indian ways. It's a cross-cultural slice-of-life look at blending but not blending. Very interesting read. Read about the author here http://saja.org/lahiri.html
Edie

[Anonymous]

For anyone interested in starting an Asian Lit Class, here is the section of the LAUSD course manual that lists its objectives.

English-Language Arts
Guidelines for Instruction
LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Division of Instructional Services
Publication No. SC-863.8 (Revised June 2001): 151

Asian Literature (Semester Course---Grades 9--12)
Course Code Number 23-04-07 Asian Lit

Course Description The major purpose of this course is to study selected literature and English translations of representative works and literary classics by Asian and Pacific people. The course examines the artistic qualities of the literature and its contribution to understanding the life patterns and historical background of non-Western people and identifies universal human concerns. (See also the preceding general description and objectives for Literature Courses for Grades 9—12.)

[Anonymous]

Iliad As I reviewed the state standards for social studies last week for a district workshop I attended I was reminded again of a pet peeve of mind regarding these standards. Their overwhelming emphasis is on political and economic history, with very little mention of intellectual or cultural history. This of course is a modern perspective on what is important, but ignores what was important to people in the periods being studied. The words "art" and "literature" are not mentioned in the 6th grade sections on Mesopotamia, Ancient Hebrews, and China, though Egyptian art and architecture, and Indian literature, incuding the Bhagavad Gita, are to be discussed, and of course the "significanceof Greek mythology... and how Greek literature continues to permeate our [my emphasis]literature and language today...such as Homer's Iliadand Odysseyand...Aesop's Fables" are to be explained. Roman art, literature, language, and law are "legacies" to be discussed.

In the 7th grade, again art and literature are not mentioned in the unit on China, but they are mentioned in the unit on Japan, specifically the "ninth and tenth centuries'golden age of literature, art, and drama and its lasting effects on culture today, including Murasaki Shikibu's Tale of Genji." Aside from the fact that we learned it was the tenth and eleventh centuries when most of the great works were done, I've always wondered why the state and the text paid so much attention to Japan and so little to Chinese culture. My theory is that Japan had become an industrial leader and major trading partner, while China has been seen as less important to the global economy--though of course that has changed drastically in the last few years. However, in my class, since I know China was the mother of much of the art and literature styles and values in other Asian countries, I do attempt to cover some of the aspects of Chinese art and literature. I use the 1 1/2 pages in the text (pp.202-3) and some supplemental readings and activities. Thankfully, from our class this summer, I have much more background information and actual examples that I can use now also.

[Anonymous]

Steve, I whole heartedly agree with your assessment. I think it gets worse as students progress into high school because the curriculum really focuses in on the US and more or less excludes the global perspective. As I have been going through the standards intensely lately looking for standards to put on my website, I have noticed that there are huge gapiing holes in what students learn about the world.

Often I think that what we find in the state approved texts is there only to tie in to America's wars or economics. For example, Vietnam is ONLY mentioned in this context. Apparently, the country never exsisted before our involvement. Don't even get me started on Africa or South/Central America.

Come on Steve, lets go to Sacramento and kick some butt.

Enjoy,
Edie

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