Major
Education (Elementary and Secondary)
Second Major
English
Advisor
Kern, Diane
Advisor Department
Education
Date
5-2022
Keywords
Banned Books; Contemporary Literature; Secondary Education
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.
Abstract
“You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them,” (Ray Bradbury).
Literature is a mirror which unites even the most unlikely characters, invites us to reflect on our lives, promotes critical thinking and discussion as well as explores the themes of humanity over time. As the world around us changes, then, it is only natural that literature changes along with it. Exposure to literature of many kinds can only aid in the development of a richer appreciation for the world around us and the many lives within it.
Further, the consistent evolution of our society is a domino effect which eventually reaches our students. High school is an especially transformative period for students in which they are grappling with ideas relating to their identity. In an attempt to meet students where they are at and humanize those who feel isolated, educators must rise to the challenge of preparing students within this ever-changing environment. This involves learning to advocate for the inclusion of diverse literature and perspectives in the classroom.
In response to the need to develop an inclusive classroom, I have created a mock syllabus which involves and justifies the use of challenged literature. This ranges from the use of banned books, contemporary/young adult literature, literature written by authors of a variety of backgrounds and additionally, encouraging the development of media literacy. This syllabus aims to seek a balance between classics and contemporary work.
As opposed to avoiding a topic which may be deemed controversial and shutting down the natural curiosity of adolescents, an educator must be fully prepared with the right tools. It is necessary as a future educator to understand state and national standards, policies as well as the opinions of administration, parents, and community members all while keeping students’ best interest at heart. This project takes each of these concerns into account.