Of the hundreds of teachers who use Daniel Quinn’s work in the classroom, here a few teachers share their thoughts and classroom activities with you.
Not just for classroom teachers
It was a great surprise to Daniel when he began getting letters from teachers telling him they were assigning Ishmael to their classes. Even more surprising was the fact that they were not just teachers of literature, who might be expected to use a novel in class, but teachers of biology, anthropology, sociology, psychology, philosophy, history, and more. He heard from teachers in universities, in graduate schools, in high schools, and even middle schools. They told him how they were using Ishmael in their classes, but they also asked if he knew of other teachers with whom they might compare ideas and notes.
That’s why we put together a guide we called The Ishmael Companion. Published in 1995, it was a compilation of notes from teachers representative of all those who were using Ishmael in their classrooms. It detailed their thoughts, observations, student activities, and more, demonstrating the many different and creative ways in which the book could be used with a broad range of students.
The Ishmael Companion is out of print, but the notes of the contributing teachers are timeless. They’re also adaptable to modes of teaching and learning outside the traditional classroom. Homeschoolers, book clubs, even individual readers of Ishmael may find inspiration and stimulation in the experiences of these teachers. We hope so. –RMQ
Download & Print: Ishmael Study Guide PDF