One of my favorite parts of CHF's Classics in Context program is when all of the teachers gather together after lunch to discuss and brainstorm just how they'll use the Classics books in their curriculum. Since this year's series focuses on the 2011 Festival theme of "Technology," the ideas have been digitally-infused investigations.
At our last session, after two captivating hours talking with Brazilian novelist and General Counsel to Brazil Joao Almino about his 1994 book
Samba-enredo, teachers starting sharing their incredibly creative ways of integrating technology into their lessons on literature. One of the best ones was from a high school teacher who offered a way to explore and critique a novel using social media. By encouraging her students to create Facebook profiles from the point-of-view of one of the book's characters, she is able to meet students in a medium in which they are comfortable and conversant. That's why I liked seeing online culture blog
Flavorwire similarly inspired piece on what an iPod mixed-tape would look like from the vantage point of Shakespeare's Ophelia.
Be a part of these conversations and more and
sign up for Classics! There are still a few slots available in our final two sessions. On Thursday, April 14 we'll be looking at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign writer (and MacArthur Genius) Richard Powers's short story "Literary Devices," and on Saturday, May 21 we'll take on
Dracula. Registration will get you a book, complementary lunch, 3 CPDUs, and a great community of educators who are enthusiastic about learning.
Tags: Classics in Context, Joao Almino, Shakespeare, Ophelia, Richard Powers, Dracula, technology
