A buffet of pedagogy and some small ARC bites

It's been such an energizing few days here in Nantes with Marie-Hélène! We've already shared many ideas about teaching close reading and essay-writing and, most importantly, about nurturing the love of literature that we've seen in so many of our students. I'm bowled over by the breadth of Marie-Hélène's expertise, command of pedagogical resources, and passion for literary studies, and I've been gobbling up materials and tools to bring back to Tacoma.

Of course, I also wanted to display the talents and interests of my wonderful students at Charles Wright Academy! Marie-Hélène was especially impressed by the presentations that my current juniors produced for their ARC thesis projects. This pair of videos showcases the analytical and creative brilliance that animates students' work:

Ralph Waldo Emerson, by Kian Croston

James Thurber, by Ann Thompson

Kian and Ann both wrote distinguished theses on their ARC authors, and their video presentations demonstrate their diligence, technical ability, gentle humor, and critical insight. I'm so proud to be able to share their work with all of you! I'm excited to see how our French friends will contribute to our understanding of these and many other American authors.

Finally, a shout-out to Kiana for her beautiful literary reflection! I can't wait to see what Margo and Logan write for us. It's been a genuine honor and pleasure working with these three amazing young people for the past two years, and I can't express how proud I am to see their wisdom, insight, and humanity in action here in Nantes. They're wonderful ambassadors for our community, and I can see that they're learning as much as they're imparting to our generous French hosts.

Till next time!