My registration and financial support have all been sorted out for my next year of study at the Open University. I can't recommend their distance learning program enough; it's been possible to fit around my crazy life and the "tutors" (professors) that we have have been so helpful during stressful periods.
The government here in the UK is pretty amazing in their support of adult learners. For two classes that would have cost me almost £1500, I only have to pay £400 and the Open University have helped me spread that out through the school year.
My next two (and hopefully last!) courses are going to be A230 Reading and Studying Literature and EA300 Children's Literature. Reading and Studying Literature is my required class and Children's Literature is my elective. After these two classes, I should have my BA in English Language and Literature.
I had some difficulty deciding on an elective this year. The past two years, I chose The 18th Century Novel and The 19th Century Novel as my electives. That's some pretty heavy reading. I have to be honest, I'm surprised I made it through them! I wanted something a bit lighter this year. Creative Writing was one option and it was the one I almost went for. There are reasons I decided against Creative Writing. Hopefully I can share some of this with you in a few weeks' time.
Children's Literature seemed like a good choice. It seemed like it would be a bit of fun - and a bit more light-hearted than my last two electives! Watch... It'll probably be the hardest of the two! Lol.
I logged on to the site today to check if my results for this year's exams were available (still waiting!) and saw that they've put up assignment due dates for next year's classes. I'm trying not to think too much about that!
The required reading lists have been up some time. They look like this:
A230 Reading and Studying Literature:
Oroonoko, Behn, Aphra
Wuthering Heights, Bronte, Emily
The Sign of Four, Conan Doyle, Arthur
Dancing at Lughnasa, Friel, B
Dubliners, Joyce, J
The Emigrants, Sebald, W G
The Lonely Londoners, Selvon, S
Othello, Shakespeare, William
Candide, Voltaire
The Duchess of Malfi, Webster, J
EA300 Children's Literature:
Little Women, Alcott, L M
Voices in the Park, Browne, A
Junk, Burgess, M
Coram Boy, Gavin, J
100 Best Poems for Children, McGough, R
The Other Side of Truth, Naidoo, B
Tom's Midnight Garden, Pearce, P
The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Potter, B
Northern Lights, Pullman, P
Swallows and Amazons, Ransome, A
Mortal Engines, Reeve, P
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Rowling, J K
Treasure Island, Stevenson, R L
Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry, Taylor, M
Luckily, I have two books already from the lists (Wuthering Heights and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone). The rest I've been trying to get from sites like readitswapit.co.uk and bookcrossing.com. The hunt is not going well, I'm sorry to say. I've only managed to get two books so far from swaps (Othello and Northern Lights); most of my swaps have been rejected. (I've had 25 declined already!) Time is ticking on and I'm worried that I may have to just go and buy the rest. I really hope not, though, considering our financial situation. I could use my grant money when it arrives but then I'd have to wait until both classes were well underway and the thought of being that far behind makes me twitchy.
Oh... There are two assingmed movies as well: Metropolis and Peter Pan. Also, my husband has Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Case Book so I can see us sitting down to watch The Sign of Four together. And you know I don't need any excuse for a Harry Potter marathon! (But I'll take it when it comes along. Lol.)
