 Professor Jackson teaches her Curriculum in Elementary School course to a full classroom. Jackson´s is one of many classes focuses on elements of children´s culture.
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Once upon a time, we were all intrigued by Grimm's Fairy Tales and experienced our fill of Walt Disney stories. Although young adult and children's literature has always been available, it has recently become more abundant in university course offerings.
Many proponents of children and young adult literature claim it is imperative that these resources be examined as influences on values and ideologies in developing young adults.
Beginning with last year's graduation class, new requirements were implemented for students in the Lynch School of Education (LSOE) concentrating in both education and English.
One of these requirements is a course in adolescent/young adult literature, and is cross-listed in both LSOE and the English department.
Since this area of study has now been made into a requirement, the demand for the course has surpassed the capacity that is currently being offered.
Currently, LSOE offers Survey of Children's Literature to fulfill this requirement. This course is an overview of children's literature including picture books, poetry, realistic fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, traditional literature, and non-fiction.
Bonnie Rudner has worked to expand upon the current course offerings focusing on children's literature.
Rudner has been working in the English department for the past 25 years. In this time, she has taught a multitude of courses ranging from children's literature to fairy tales to heroines. This fall, students can expect to hear about Studies in Children's Literature: Disney and the Wondertale.
Although originally concentrating in Victorian women and Shakespearean studies, she began teaching young adult literature by chance when she took over a course for another professor.
Of all of her classes, she considers Reading and Teaching Young Adult and Adolescent Literature to be the most influential.
Spring Break
