The Teaching Life - Review

“This course has been one of the most challenging and stimulating English courses that I have taken at Cal Poly. It has forced me to question every belief I had about society and about writing. This was not “just” a writing course or “just” a literature course. This is what every Lit class should be—a combination of the two….I came into this class with very little knowledge about African-American culture. The story of Africans in America is not a story to 'pass over'. We should not forget it—not let it pass on….I grew up in a very sheltered community and home. I went to a private school from pre-school to 12th grade and had very little contact with African-Americans….The novels and stories which we have read are so important for every student to read. We need to rewrite the Master Narrative….I have learned more in this class about writing and analyzing literature than in any other English class at Cal Poly….And while I still recognize the importance of 'dead white male' authors, I am now willing to expand my horizons beyond Shakespeare and Dickens and Twain and accept the challenges of lesser known authors.” 

- University Student Review