Looking for the Literary Canon

Experts wonder, what happened to the canon? As the English curriculum evolves, are students reading works that will prepare them for college and for life?

Schools have traditionally sought to ground students in the academic skills and literary works that will allow them to thrive in higher education—as readers, thinkers, writers, and speakers, who not only understand and articulate the ideas of others, but also can do the same with their own informed opinions, insights, and conclusions.

ascd_canon