While reading this chapter, I could not help but agree with what Jago was saying. Honors students seem to read all of the classic texts, and actually apply what they read to worthwhile assignments, where as general students (the ones who really need the help) watch the movie or do a project on the novel that tells them nothing. If you work with your students, then you may learn that they can read more challenging texts, like the classics, with a little bit of help. Even if they are stuck in the Zone of Minimal Effort, it is our job as educators to help them get out of it and read the classics.
Jago states, after reading a part of the newspaper that confused her, "Repeated exposure to familiar words in new contexts will deepen my understanding of specialized vocabulary" (Jago, pg. 11). She is basically saying that if she keeps trying to read things that she struggles with, she will eventually be able to understand her future readings in that area better. By not exposing our students to classic literature, we are making them miss out on an important part of our history.
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I like how you brought up honor's classes and how they do more in-depth readings. I was always being recommended for honor's English classes when I was in high school, but I refused to join them because I didn't want to do as much work. In fact, I knew a lot of kids like this. If all the classes did the same amount of work and went into the same amount of depth with the books, then I think more students would join the honors classes without worrying about the workload.
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