Inspire Ideas with Great Books
A message for the start of a new school year from president Joseph P. Coulson.
Teachers and students are the heart and soul of the Great Books Foundation. Nothing is more important to us than working closely with educators to engage young students in reading and thinking.
Starting in kindergarten and through the early grades, Junior Great Books® brings the power of Shared Inquiry™ to students of all abilities, fueling their imaginations and encouraging them to ask questions. Through collaboration and discussion, students can share their thoughts and opinions while listening to the ideas of others.
As students advance, we give them an opportunity to discover and explore essential ideas in ethics, citizenship, and world culture. We give them the skills to think critically about new and unfamiliar points of view as expressed through fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
Together we seek an active discussion that allows students and teachers to understand the influence of a wide range of great thinkers and writers such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Lois Lowry.
Together we demonstrate through the regular practice of Junior Great Books (grades K–5), Great Books Roundtable (grades 6–8), and Great Books Seminar (grades 9–12) the ways in which engagement with literature drives social and emotional development and our capacity to understand the world from different points of view.
The Great Books Foundation was established in 1947 and became a leader in educational reform.
We continue to lead through our methodology, books, school collaborations, outreach, and community participation. In schools that invite our books and method of learning, in partnership with the teachers who care so deeply about their students, we at Great Books stand for the importance of talking to students about the great ideas and values of the past and their absolute necessity in shaping the future.
Join us as we continue to inspire great ideas, dialogue, and lives.
Great Books President Joseph Coulson with students attending the Great Books Summer Program at Stanford.
Wish my memories were more specific — it was at least 30 years ago! I do remember how the children ‘s minds [and mine!] really opened up as they realized there was no one “right” answer but many right questions. Our minds learned to examine, imagine, and apply the ideas of a story to our personal lives. I remember meeting with my co-leader to plan and as we discussed the book together we both had many “aha!’ moments. I participate in a book club today and am an avid reader, in part because of that wonderful experience years ago.
Thanks for sharing Jean! Those “aha!” moments are the best, aren’t they? We’ve heard many teachers and students use the same language when describing their time using Junior Great Books—it’s awesome that “aha!” seems to be a universal experience. We’re going to be in touch with you soon so we can send you a book to thank you for sharing your memories. Watch for an email that ends with @greatbooks.org.
Be well,
your friends at Great Books
When my children were in a parochial grade school, I offered to lead an after-school Junior Great Books Discussion group. I had learned the Great Books Method of discussion as a student teacher and had spent 4 years working my way through law school, where the Socratic Method of teaching neatly mirrors the GBM.
The kids surprised me. They wanted to be there and wanted to learn. It was not merely their parents insisting on their taking this course. We really dug into “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”, which I had never read before. Its easily close to twenty years ago since I taught the course, so my memory is a little hazy on details, but the fact that I was able to captivate children of a range of ages, differing skills and different interests remains in my mind as the most important aspect of my season of teaching Great Books Method.
I started an Adult Book Club close to 10 years ago, and was the leader for years (until I just wore out). Our discussions were based on GBM of discussion and we always an in depth discussion. When we started rotating the leadership, we started getting questions like “Who was your favorite character?”…almost made me go back to leading.
Hi Erica! Thank you for sharing your impressive experience and commitment to Great Books. You represent the best of our Great Books community—bringing Junior Great Books to students and later starting a Great Books group. We’re indebted to people like you, and are grateful for your time and support. We’ll be in touch with you soon—please watch from an email that ends with @greatbooks.org.
With thanks,
your friends at Great Books
I am currently working on a Masters of Education in Literacy at Judson University in Elgin, IL. In today’s course, LIT520 Reaching Second Language Readers and Writers, the professor mentioned the Junior Great Books program and how beneficial it would be for educators to get trained. I was so excited to hear another person mention Junior Great Books. During break, I immediately went to your website and came across this post about alumni. I had to share! I have asked colleagues whether they were a part of this program growing up, but much to my dismay no one had participated or knew about Junior Great Books.
I remember in 6th grade at Dearborn Street School in California (LAUSD), I would stay after-school and read and discuss great books in the teacher’s lounge of my school. This was over forty years ago, so the details are long forgotten, but the memory of participating in this reading group has stayed with me. Perhaps this was the impetus for my great love of reading, and the catalyst that launched my teaching career. I will never know; however, the fond memories associated with reading and Junior Great Books remains!!
I am a former student that read Junior Great Books in my GATE class in 5th through 8th grade, over 35 years ago. I am now a 1st grade teacher with a highly gifted student in my class that is reading at a 5th to 6th grade level. I am in search of resources to keep her challenged, and the first books I thought of were the Junior Great Books I remembered digging so deeply into. It was the first time I remember having to really think deeply and analyze a story. I particularly remember reading “To Build a Fire” and being deeply affected by it.