Dickinson State University language and literature faculty members Dr. Holly McBee and Lara Carlson McGoey recently attended the South Central Modern Language Association (SCMLA) c conference in San Antonio, Texas. McBee and McGoey co-presented the panel “Meeting at the Crossroads: Being Open to the Fork(s) in the Road,” which focused on pedagogy during our current political environment.
McGoey’s paper, “The Misfit Wife vs. the Angel in Rochester’s House: Crossing Cultures and Space in Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea,” focused on the association between the two novels to help students appreciate perspective and empathy in the classroom. She also included specific ideas and examples for classroom assignments during her presentation.
Dr. McBee’s paper, “Keep You Safe: Anxiety at Home,” examined the significance and correlation between Victorian Literature and current concerns regarding immigration, the media and other confrontational issues in politics. “By discussing Victorian and contemporary ideas in tandem, students will have a better understanding of both time periods,” said McBee.
This year’s SCMLA conference, a regional gathering related to the larger Modern Language Association organization, hosted 118 panels and discussions. “This smaller, regional conference is a great chance to get feedback and ideas without being overwhelmed with so many panel options that it becomes difficult to choose which ones to attend,” said Dr. McBee.
“Our panel went really smoothly,” said McGoey. “Everyone actively participated in the discussion and offered a new perspective to apply for students in the classroom.”
Attending conferences are one of the numerous ways professors can discuss and implement tactics in their classroom. These suggestions can include texts, projects, or methods to enhance student learning. For example, one method Dr. McBee plans for her classes is to approach discomfort in learning. Like many college professors, McBee and McGoey hope students will learn to understand new concepts in a more intricate setting and apply it to their overall learning experience.
