East Hartford Middle School, East Hartford CT
Attend the Young Adult Literature Convention in London to learn as much as I possibly can about the genre's authors, themes, and new titles from teachers all over the world to provide students more access to literature that interests them and gets them genuinely involved in the reading experience.
I was lucky enough to spend hours in The British Library, poring over their extensive collection. I needed to apply for a library card to do so-- what a cool souvenir!
Here I am with Frankenstein's creature at The Mary Shelley House of Frankenstein in Bath, England. One focus of my fellowship was exploring classic British literature, in order to help make important themes more accessible to modern learners.
These are two of the many people I met on my travels that I wish I could introduce to my students. These women are fierce advocates for transgender representation in children's and YA literature.
It was a dream come true for this huge fan to visit the Jane Austen Centre in Bath! Austen's work is still so relevant today to young people-- to see where she lived and wrote is an experience I will never forget.
At the Young Adult Literature Convention, I attended panels of all types-- standouts included "New Genres In Youth Lit," and "Welcome To Camp Half-Blood" (this one was especially exciting, as I am currently teaching Percy Jackson!).
Books upon books... if I could spend my time however I wanted, my choice would almost always be reading. I explored thousands of titles in England, bringing back with me a wealth of diverse choices for students.
A learning experience that I found powerful was visiting The Charles Dickens Museum. After years of envisioning the London tenements he wrote about, it was surreal to walk into his former home and see the desk at which he wrote Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby. The museum gave me an intimate look at what Dickens' life was like during the time in which he wrote, and I was able to see clearly which of his own experiences he brought to life through his writing.
I learned that it is incredibly important for me to be around people who are interested in and invested in improving literary experiences for children. I was inspired by the people I met at the Young Adult Literature Convention... we were all there for individual pursuits and goals, but all of us had in common that we want to see kids reading. Professionally, it's become more clear than ever that I will need to continue to be an advocate for diverse and accessible literature in our classrooms.
Since I was traveling to Bath for museums, I researched what other points of interest were there for me to experience. As it turns out, the city is home to Roman baths that have existed for thousands of years. These baths were built around natural, mineral-rich hot springs that are said to cleanse the mind and spirit. After a long day of walking and journaling, I got to enjoy the "healing waters" myself! I felt incredibly connected to the past, as I meditated on my fellowship experience.
I cannot wait to present some updated classics to my students. I went in with the plan of finding new, diverse reading options for them (which I did!), but came away with so many new ideas for implementation to share with my colleagues. After visiting The Jane Austen Centre, The Mary Shelley Frankenstein House, and The Charles Dickens House, I knew more than ever that these authors have created timeless stories that can and should be updated to represent our diverse student community.
My 6th grade Language Arts students LOVE creative writing! One lesson that I'm excited about includes sharing abbreviated versions of novels written by Dickens, Austen, and Shelley. After teaching the historical significance of these stories, the students will write their own version of one. They will need to keep significant structures and themes intact, while updating for race, gender, and class structure. This is a tall order for 6th graders, but we are up for the challenge!
I have already shared so much of my fellowship. I wrote to my students' families explaining why I was going to London and what I hoped to bring back. Upon my return, I updated them with what I saw and how I would bring my newfound knowledge to their children. Maybe most importantly, I have become an ambassador of sorts for Fund For Teachers, convincing my colleagues that they must apply! A presentation for an upcoming faculty meeting is well underway. Thank you so much, Fund For Teachers!