Learning Letter

Taking this course Teaching Literature to Adolescents has taught me so much about myself as a teacher. This course really opened up my eyes to so many aspect of teaching that I never even considered before. For starters, I completed my first team-teaching mini-lesson on a young adult text. This was a new experience for me because until then I had never co-taught before, and I got to experience the dynamic of working with a fellow (teacher). It showed me a side of teaching that incorporated team work and compromise, and I know somewhere down the line I will need that experience.

Then was the 3-week unit plan: this was the most time-intensive project I have ever completed, but I am so glad I did it. Not only am I more than comfortable now with TPA’s, but I also know the time, organization, and planning it takes to construct a whole unit. I am glad I completed it on a novel I know I will have to use in the future, so I know my time was spent wisely. I am so excited to teach it for real one day.

All the readings and discussions we’ve had in the course have also been significantly helpful and eye opening to me. It has helped so much for me to hear other students’ experiences with their past teachers, experiences they’ve had in their student teaching classrooms, and theories and techniques they believe work in the classroom and things they don’t. I agree that reflecting not only on our own experience and learning this quarter but reflecting on things we’ve heard and learned from other students (future teachers) has been more helpful than I ever thought. A

One very important thing I also learned this quarter was all the good insight I gained on the not-so-fun or easy realities that also comes with being a teacher. We learned about how to handle or prepare for some pretty tough topics that we will most likely experience at some point once we are teachers. These are the things I will most remember when I have my own classroom one day. I am so glad I took this course and I cannot wait to be a teacher!

In the Name of God

In The Name Of God by Paula Jolin was an amazing, yet emotionally difficult read. I have never read a book with this type of content yet, and it opened up my eyes to situations and events that I didn’t even really knew existed within novels. Not only did I learn and become empathetic to the Muslim religion and their lifestyle, but I learned about the different ways in which they live, communicate, and protect themselves that are so different from Americans. I think this book is so important to read in high schools, because it shows the students examples of different cultures, religions, and lifestyles that they might be blind to without literature experiences like this. Paula Jolin does such an outstanding job drawing the readers in, and keeping them on the edge of their seat. I know how intrigued I was while reading this, and I think that it is a great read for reluctant readers because it is different from probably anything they’ve ever read. It is action packed, emotional, and not extremely difficult to get through. There are many different activities and writing lessons that could come with teaching this book in a unit plan, and I think it should be a standard requirement for maybe juniors or seniors in high school. I think it is so important to expose our students to the themes and emotions presented in this book, because as I said before, they might not be regularly introduced or exposed to outside cultures, and this book actually touches on what goes on in the real world outside of America. It is so crucial that our students realize and are aware that there is so much more that goes on in this world than just what they see on the news in our country.

Romeo and Juliet

The first time I read Romeo and Juliet, I was a freshman in high school. Back then, it wasn’t half as intriguing to as it is now. I remember not understanding the way Shakespeare wrote, what he was saying, or why this piece of his work was so famous. But being a junior in college now, and having taken in depth American literature classes and learning about Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet holds so much more significance to me now. It makes it so much more fun and easy to read when I understand the language and diction being used and can identify the major themes and turning points within the novel. Reading this for the second time around was so much more significant to me. I think Romeo and Juliet is so important to teach not only in a high school setting but a college setting as well, because not only is it probably Shakespeare’s most well-known piece of work, but it is complex enough to be engaging and challenging for students but also short and an easy enough read that it isn’t overwhelming. It provides many fun activities and writing assignments for lesson plans, engages students with its (at times) light hearted romance, but also plays on a darker side of relationships that may be more intriguing and relatable to students. In high school I thought it was the longest book ever and I skipped so many important parts, but looking at it now, it truly is a quick read for most people. This makes it very teachable because you can get through the unit fairly quick, keep students engaged, and also introduce them to Shakespeare in a fun way. A lot of times students can think Shakespeare is intimidating, that’s why I believe this piece is so important to introduce first. It’s short, easy to read, and fun. Romeo and Juliet is a classic that I don’t think is going anywhere anytime soon in the education world.

Maus

Art Spiegelman's Maus is the first graphic novel I have ever read. From the first page I was so intrigued. The fact that he wrote this graphic novel to tell the story of his father is so special because not only does it set it apart from other graphic novels, but it draws the reader in with sentimental value and emotions. The concept of using cats and mice to represent the Jews and Nazi's is so genius because it deals with such issues, but makes them readable and understandable to a younger audience by the metaphorical characters.

Even though I plan on teaching English, I feel this book could also be taught in a history or social studies class as well. I have personally never seen it taught in school, but by what I hear it is wildly popular among students of various ages. I think they like the fact that it's engaging by the pictures and the easily readable text. It teaches such important topics and ideas that can be difficult for students to understand and care about at times. The way Spiegelman designed this makes it so much easier for students to understand the level of hatred between the two sides during the German-Nazi time period. Translating it in a way that draws students in not only helps them understand but also makes them interested in the content. If we can do this with every novel we teach, we are succeeding as teachers. This means we need more engaging novels like Maus written so we can teach them to our students. Maus is such a fun graphic novel and I am so glad I had the opportunity to get introduced to it in this class and I can not wait to teach it to my future students one day.

Edgar Allen Poe

Edgar Allen Poe is a writer I have been hearing about since Elementary school. His poems, short stories, and unique style set him apart from any other writer who ever lived. The fact that he is taught from the Elementary level, all the way through college courses, goes to show how important and impactful his work has been in American literature.

His shortest story, “The Tell-Tale Heart”, is a landmark piece that is not only used in Higher education, but it is readable to younger students and students who struggle with reading. He has a very diverse selection of works which also makes him popular in many different age groups.

The Fall of the House of Usher is my favorite short story of Edgar Allen Poe’s. I first read this in Introduction to Fiction with Dr. Lindholdt, and it was so intriguing to me. All the underlying themes and unique style of writing the Poe consistently uses draw you in and get you hooked on his work. However, this one is my favorite. The way he incorporates gothic elements, mystery, satire, and incest sets him apart from any other writer I have ever studied or read. It makes me excited to one day teach my students Poe’s work and share with them the same joy I got out of it when I was first introduced to him. And even more so now, that I not only get to read his works but also study him as a person and a writer, makes me have an even deeper level of understanding and attraction to him and all his different pieces of work. Edgar Allen Poe is an essential choice when it comes to teaching middle and high schoolers about literature, and even on to college. He is someone that will forever be a legend in the writing world and all teachers should take the time every year to share his stories with their students.