Creative English Teacher

Have you ever wondered if Mythology could overlap with other subject areas—perhaps those that fall into the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) subjects? For Nathalie Roy, 2021 Louisiana State Techer of the Year, this isn’t mere musing; it’s a reality! In her course called Myth Makers, Nathalie takes a true hands-on approach to mythology! After reading the myth of Athena and Arachne, her students try their hand at weaving on cardboard looms. After reading “Jason and the Argonauts,” they complete a challenge to build a cardboard boat powered only by human breath! After reading about the Greek underworld,...

When the leaves start to change and the weather gets a bit cooler, that means it’s almost time for my go-to Halloween story:  Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” In the lineup of American authors, I feel like Irving gets short shrift. Sure, his stories aren’t super deep, but they’re fun, which should count for something! They are also some of the first works that can be considered distinctly American. Before I get too far ahead of myself, here are five reasons to teach the short stories of Washington Irving. Washington Irving was America’s first celebrity writer. In the...