Eastern hosts New England conference for English teachers

Eastern welcomed English educators from across New England on Oct. 25 for the 123rd annual New England Association of Teachers of English (NEATE) conference.

Hosted in partnership with the Connecticut Council of Teachers of English (CTCTE), the event brought together English teachers, scholars, and students to “deepen pedagogical practices while we honor emotional and intellectual landscapes we navigate in our classrooms every day,” according to NEATE Chair Mark Fabrizi, education professor and department chair.

NEATE promotes shared learning experiences among English language arts and literacy professionals. This year’s theme, “Brave Spaces, Safe Spaces,” aims to foster environments that encourage students to “be themselves, challenge ideas, take risks, and grow,” according to Fabrizi.

Throughout the day of events, attendees had the opportunity to attend authors’ book readings and table talks, Q&A sessions, poetry readings, and vendor tables. Eastern education students had the opportunity to network with industry professionals, speak with award-winning authors, and learn valuable insights for their future classrooms.

The conference featured keynote speaker Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling, an award-winning investigative reporter and international journalist. A recipient of the George Polk Award for Local Reporting and finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting, Hongoltz-Hetling is known for his work exploring rural life in the United States and systemic failures in housing oversight across the country.

Eastern also welcomed award-winning authors to read and discuss their works at the event, including Daniel Ravipinto, Neil McGarry, Chandra Prasad, and Debbi Michiko Florence. Educators Cathy Sosnowski and Debbie Woelflein were awarded the Lifetime Service Award.

Building community through acting

Eastern English Professor Miriam Chirico and acting Professor J.J. Cobb hosted an improvisational workshop at the conference. Titled “Imagining Community with Thornton Wilder’s ‘Our Town,’” the workshop is meant to help high school English students conceptualize community and the process of community building through analysis of the play.

Chirico noted that exercises like this could help create brave spaces in high school classrooms.

Set in the fictional 20^th-century town of Grover’s Corners, NH, “Our Town” follows the story of everyday citizens of the unmistakably American town. The 1938 play uses a mostly bare stage and leaves many props, scenes, and dialogue up to interpretation and imagination.

“Though seemingly time-worn, ‘Our Town’ was actually ideal for facilitating a deep understanding of community by its invitation to see beyond the visible world and use our imagination,” said Chirico.

She explained that they combined excerpts of the play and exercises from her 2020 textbook “How to Teach a Play: Essential Exercises for Popular Plays” to help students find meaning in the story. Cobb coached educators and students on how to find meaning in the text.

Chirico also said that she noticed that the educators and education students who participated in the activity helped to create communal affiliation between people who have never met before. “Physicalizing the powerful lines prompted us to listen, interact, and engage with one another on a deep, purposeful level,” she said.