Utilization of Harry Potter Series in Schools

[Angela Burgess]

No: HPFGUIDX 22960

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., mspond1 at a... wrote:
> I teach Business Education at the High School level, and I am 
> seriously considering using the series as an extra-credit project 
for 
> my Intro to Business course.  We ordinarily deal with Labor Laws--
the 
> EEOC, discrimination statutes, state and federal, business ethics, 
> etc. and I can see many places where there is a correlation between 
> these topics and the stories.
> 
> What is your opinion.  As a second year teacher, I don't mind 
pushing 
> the envelope some, but is this being too much of an HP fan?
> 
> Marilyn

As a fellow second-year teacher, I completely understand the problem 
of wanting to work HP into the curriculum somehow, but needing to 
make it so completely course-related, that no one can question why it 
is there.  I think making it an extra-credit project it great.  I 
have the first 3 books in French and for my lower-level students, 
they can get extra-credit simply by reading the books and telling me 
what happens page by page.  Next year, I am also teaching some upper-
level classes and have decided that this won't work for them.  So I 
am considering having them write mini-essays (in French, of course) 
about various quotes throughout the books.  I think that offering it 
as extra-credit is wonderful.  That way, when you have extra stuff to 
grade, it is stuff you love.  Also, it allows the students to apply 
what you are teaching them to something that they (hopefully) enjoy 
reading.So, everyone wins.  The only thing I might do is offer more 
than one project, since some parents might complain.  I have many 
different books for my kids to read in French, so my list of quotes, 
while definitely HP-heavy, will also include others.  Has anyone else 
tried incorporating HP into their class on a high school basis?  I'm 
interested especially in Lit teachers.  
Angela