My Teaching Philosophy

1. Reading is fun! Especially reading Fantasy and Science Fiction. If you try to approach each piece we read with playful curiosity, you will have more enjoyment and less stress. 

2. At some point in our educations, someone  made each of us feel like we just didn't "get" some piece of literature. That we, in fact, needed someone else to tell us what it "meant." They could not have been more wrong.

3. You know how to understand  and connect to this literature. You just have to READ it, think about it, and participate in our discussions and assignments.  Don't go find someone else's interpretation. Find yours.

4. First, figure out what happened in each piece. Just the clear facts. You can't interpret if you don't know what happened.

5. Second, if you are reading carefully and implementing the strategies I offer along the way, you will still find that you are sometimes confused. That is not bad or some sign of failure.  It is, in fact,  FANTASTIC! Because your points of confusion direct us to the most critical elements of each piece and help us find meaning together. Your questions/confusions are the guide to meaning. (Trust me, I have been doing this for decades) 

6. Lastly, literature means something -- sometimes many things -- but it doesn't just mean whatever anyone says -- even if that anyone happens to have a PhD and/or a website. (More on this later) 

7. I have never had a crisis in my life that reading -- and writing- didn't help me find my way through, and I hope that these two skills and activities can be helpful to you, as well. 

Greetings From Your
Instructor

Welcome! My name is Mary Graham, and I have the privilege of being your online instructor for English 217. 

I am VERY excited to explore 206 years of Fantasy and Science Fiction literature in English with you. (Our readings will focus primarily on the 20th and 21st centuries, but we will spend about a month looking at how and where these genres developed in English BEFORE the 20th Century).

We, together, are responsible for your success in English 217!  I am your ally. This is a fun course, but any course can be challenging at times. You are absolutely capable of excelling in this course. You simply need to trust yourself, engage with the readings, and don't hesitate to ask for help or clarification when you need it. 

I am always available by email, through Canvas, or you can schedule Zoom time with me to answer any questions you have, no matter how small. My class is meant to be a collaborative learning environment in which students and instructor work as a team to create the most rewarding literary experience.