This is the first episode of our latest miniseries: Teaching Texts. In each of these episodes, we select one novel or literary work to deep-dive into its potential pedagogical uses! In this episode, Paige and Margaret talk about Nella Larsen's masterpiece Passing. With Netflix's recent adaptation, there is more potential than ever for Passing's place in the classroom. We discuss passages, assignments, critical questions, and more. What other individual works should we explore? We'd love to hear about your experiences teaching Passing and your suggestions for future episodes! Join the conversation on Twitter (@Literaturely101), Instagram (LiteraturelyPodcast), or email ([email protected]).

When we tell our students to close read, do they understand what we are asking? In this episode of Literaturely, Paige and Margaret discuss techniques and strategies for teaching close reading skills. But we don't stop there: we're also bringing in a conversation about characterization. By specifically close reading for characterization, we talk about how we can help our students move from passively observing the characters of a novel to actively analyzing them. We share our favorite assignments for teaching close reading as we consider what we might try next! We'd love to hear about your experiences and questions in teaching close reading! Join the conversation on Twitter (@Literaturely101), Instagram (LiteraturelyPodcast), or email ([email protected]).

In this episode, Paige and Margaret are joined by Dr. Dennis Moore to discuss teaching depictions of racist violence in literature. Using Toni Morrison's Beloved to anchor the conversation, we might call this conversation "Clever, but Schoolteacher Beat Him Anyway." We talk about how these scenes can challenge our students' misconceptions, depict layers of knowledge and culture, and address that some traumas can never be truly spoken. Examining racist violence in a literature classroom can be uncomfortable and we want to lean into that discomfort while maintaining a safe environment for our students to learn. Join us as we talk about how Morrison's masterpiece allows us the opportunity to do so.
Please note: because this episode focuses on racist violence, there are descriptions of graphic violence and references to racist language.

Let's be honest: YA novels are rarely taken seriously by academics. Can there be a place for the YA novel within the ivory tower? We think so! Paige and Margaret chat about the purposes YA novels can serve for college literature, from engaging students more deeply to fulfilling course objectives to considering cultural evolutions and more! YA novels have so much pedagogical potential and serve important cultural functions. Join us as we unpack how we can better utilize them in the college classroom! We'd love to hear about your experiences and questions! Join the conversation on Twitter (@Literaturely101), Instagram (LiteraturelyPodcast), or email ([email protected]).

The pandemic has forced almost everyone to brush on their online teaching skills, but it's not quarantine alone that has caused this need. Increasingly, professors and instructors are expected to provide their course materials online. Discussion boards, textbook quizzes, dropboxes, and more have become an expected part of the 21st-century college course. In this episode, Paige and Margaret chat about the ways they create online course spaces. We cover our learning management systems, our own websites, and our supplementary materials. Join us as we talk about the techniques that work for us and the tips we hope to try in the future! We'd love to hear about your experiences and questions! Join the conversation on Twitter (@Literaturely101), Instagram (LiteraturelyPodcast), or email ([email protected]).

The pandemic has forced almost everyone to brush on their online teaching skills, but it's not quarantine alone that has caused this need. Increasingly, professors and instructors are expected to provide their course materials online. Discussion boards, textbook quizzes, dropboxes, and more have become an expected part of the 21st-century college course. In this episode, Paige and Margaret chat about the ways they create online course spaces. We cover our learning management systems, our own websites, and our supplementary materials. Join us as we talk about the techniques that work for us and the tips we hope to try in the future! We'd love to hear about your experiences and questions! Join the conversation on Twitter (@Literaturely101), Instagram (LiteraturelyPodcast), or email ([email protected]).

Literaturely is back for a third season! In the premiere episode, Paige and Margaret rant about--erm, discuss--their least favorite novels in the world . . . and how to teach them. Most professors, instructors, and teachers will have to cover works they don't like. How can they effectively teach those works that they hate? Paige and Margaret dive into strategies, objectives, and more for handling your own least favorite text. Share your thoughts with us on Twitter with @Literaturely101, on Instagram at LiteraturelyPodcast, or via email at [email protected]!

We wrap our second semester of Literaturely with our book club! We dive into the prolific and exciting world of Margaret Atwood. That's right: Paige and Margaret read and review MLA's 1996 Approaches to Teaching Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and Other Texts. We chat about the goals of a literature pedagogy anthology, the overall collection, and the individual essays themselves! We discuss how students' expectations for Atwood have changed in the past two decades and how the literature classroom itself has evolved. We have a lot of fun discussing the potential of including Atwood in our own classrooms, the activities we loved, and how these works can help our own pedagogy continue to improve! What are your approaches for teaching Atwood?  Share your thoughts with us on Twitter with @Literaturely101, on Instagram at LiteraturelyPodcast, or via email at [email protected]!

In this episode, Paige and Margaret respond to a listener submission: how can someone start to teach themselves more about literature? We share our methods for self-teaching...and realize every professor needs to learn how to teach themselves. These are our strategies for tackling a new topic, expanding our knowledge, and finding our passion all over again. What are your tips for teaching yourself? Share your thoughts with us on Twitter with @Literaturely101, on Instagram at LiteraturelyPodcast, or via email at [email protected]!

It's the most chaotic time of the year: BACK TO SCHOOL SEASON. Literaturely tackles some of academia's frequently-asked questions for developing a course, finishing a syllabus, and starting the semester! Preparing for a new semester can feel overwhelming, but in this episode, we'd like to remind you that you are not alone! Professors, instructors, and adjuncts everywhere are grappling with concerns and anxieties as they brace themselves for fall. To help alleviate some of the stress, Paige and Margaret answer questions about logistics, preferences, and ethics! Join us for a casual conversation and then share your thoughts with us on Twitter with @Literaturely101, on Instagram at LiteraturelyPodcast, or via email at [email protected]!