Common Core’s Informational Text vs. Classic Literature

   
    Literature allows all students to have a richer education that is enjoyable at the same time. Students are already showing that nonfiction is less interesting for them, with “juvenile fiction [outselling] nonfiction by more than 4 to 1” (Goodwin, Miller and Milliot 1). Informational text is also not easily accessible, even in the well to do school libraries. In “the mean number of informational books per child was just 1.2 in the low-income districts” and only “3.3 in high-income districts” (Duke). Why would we want to offer a supposedly better education, but only make it available to some and not others?  
    The Core Knowledge standards are not being used widely, with just a “10 to 48 percent overlap” according to Porter, McMaken, Hwang, and Yang (2011) (qtd.in Goodwin and Miller 1) between them and the standards of various states which could also be a hindrance. However, literature has been the same for years, regardless of what state the reader lives in, and its themes are still relevant for the future generation, because we know “students will live in a world with other people” (Jenkins 1). Literature also gives critical literary background necessary for the “Common Core [requirement] that ninth and tenth graders understand the literary device “allusion”” (Jenkins 2)


Literature goes beyond the standardized tests for a well- rounded learning experience. Reading is not simply about “[asking] students to analyze, not summarize” in their book reports (Goodwin and Miller 2), but also to learn important life lessons. Literature allows us to explore our emotions and “there is research that people who are emotionally mature are more likely to succeed in life” (Jenkins 1). Students learn about “ethics” (Jenkins 2) instead of reading information to just get them through high school and college. History is also brought alive by literature by helping students realize that history “affected real people” (Jenkins 2). Literature helps students see things from others’ point of view instead of reading about them in dry “essays; biographies and autobiographies” (Goodwin and Miller 1) by “[opening] new worlds and people to students that textbook excerpts cannot.” (Jenkins 2).
Although some may argue that the Common Core system of reading informational text is the better option because research has shown that students “have a high probability of earning a C or better in an introductory-level college course in U.S. history or psychology” (Goodwin and Miller 2) when they participated in the programs prescribed by the system. However, the reason is not that the text itself was superior to literature, but that a significant change in the teaching of what was being read. Reading was done in the format of "structured silent reading of self-selected challenging books, accompanied by supported, individualized reading instruction … may be a promising way to increase reading fluency" (qtd. by Goodwin and Miller 2). However, literature can be considered complex text too, not just informational text.