harry potter and teachers

[mrflynn6]

> --- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., "dawbin99" <dawbin99 at y...> wrote:
>   I was wondering if any teachers use Harry Potter in their 
> > classes and if they do:
> > - what grade?
> > -are there any objections from fellow 
> staff/teachers/parents/students?
> > -how do you handle the objections?
> > 
> > Any advise and information is greatly appreciated!
> > Thanks
> > Dawn
> 
> -----------------------

I am also a teacher (high school level), but not currently teaching 
as I am at home with our children.  I have a soon to be 5th grader 
and twins that are going into second grade.  My oldest was in 2nd 
grade when the Harry Potter craze hit our town.  I got him SS for 
Christmas and we began to read it together.  He couldn't wait to 
finish the book and reading outloud took too long.  He devoured the 
book.  I had to run out and buy the other two (at that time).  He has 
re-read the books several times.

The first grade teachers in our school read the books aloud in 
class.  The kids LOVE the book.  My twins have both read SS and CoS.  
We have listened to PoA and GoF on CD's.

The books are so wonderfully written and make the children think.  
Most kids we know would be able to handle the first 2 books, for 
sure, by 3rd grade and all of them by 4th grade-but that would depend 
on the school at which you teach and the academic level of the kids.

A friend of ours is an English professor at a major University and he 
started teaching a class on Harry Potter.  He has had to add several 
sections of the class because of the popularity.  

Using Harry Potter is a wonderful idea for 3/4th grades.  I would 
also say to anyone that objects that you will not listen to 
objections until they have read the books.  Once they have done that, 
you will then listen to them and consider their objections.



Gretchen