[Ed. Note: At the end of this Introduction, readers are directed by links to the three pieces comprising the triptych.] Introduction I’ve had a bit of a love-hate relationship with the story of Beauty and the Beast ever since the Disney movie put it on my radar. On the one hand: dancing teacups! Catchy tunes! Bookworm … Continue reading Beauty and the Beast Triptych: Re-imagining Stereotypes and Gender Roles by Melanie Magaña
Addressing Racial Injustice Through Allyship: Teaching to See by Using Poetry by Sharon Rudnicki
(Note: The editors have chosen to partially redact a form of the n-word that appears when quoting Kendrick Lamar's lyrics.) Introduction In 2016, America was treated to two excellent television series that focus on the life of O.J. Simpson, FX’s American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson and ESPN’s O.J.: Made in … Continue reading Addressing Racial Injustice Through Allyship: Teaching to See by Using Poetry by Sharon Rudnicki
The Elements of English Studies by Brittany Stojsavljevic
Introduction As part of the introductory English studies class I took during spring semester 2016 in a graduate program at the University of St. Thomas, I was asked a deceptively simple question: What should the field of English be teaching its graduates? The short answer seems obvious: English. The class itself focused on the history … Continue reading The Elements of English Studies by Brittany Stojsavljevic
Comics, Dickens, and Teaching by Serial Publication by Michael MacBride
Teaching the "huge" text s-l-o-w-l-y: taking your time with Dickens and Comic Books How do you teach a 500- or 900-page Dickens’ novel—heaven forbid a 1,500-page Richardson novel? (1) How do you teach a comic book, like Detective Comics, that has been running since 1937, or a comic strip, like Katzenjammer Kids, that's been around … Continue reading Comics, Dickens, and Teaching by Serial Publication by Michael MacBride
SWOT and the Analysis of Literary Characters by John Banschbach
Like many teachers, I have a collection of teaching activities that can be used in different situations and that require little preparation. Freewriting, for example, can be used as an invention activity for writing or class discussion or it can be used as a classroom assessment technique (e.g., the “muddiest point” assignment). Another activity is … Continue reading SWOT and the Analysis of Literary Characters by John Banschbach
Redefining Literacy with Graphic Novels by Becca James
A line has formed, populated with people holding signs and speaking inaudibly to those that pass by. Move in closer, and it’s evident that the line is composed of high school students. Although they should be in the classroom on this mid-March Friday, they’ve taken to the streets in protest of Chicago Public School’s decision … Continue reading Redefining Literacy with Graphic Novels by Becca James
Teaching English 4/533: Enabling World Texts, Past and Present, to Talk to Each Other by William D. Dyer
I am going to offer, as a means for providing a context for the long student-written collaborative paper that follows as well the brief discussion of how this assignment might apply to other teaching environments and students (written by the graduate student “point person” on that project and practicing high school teacher), an introduction to … Continue reading Teaching English 4/533: Enabling World Texts, Past and Present, to Talk to Each Other by William D. Dyer
MEJ 