In a semester that was full of uncertainty and stress, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Dr. Miskec on an enhancement that allowed me to incorporate my love of books and television. When selecting a topic for my enhancement, I was drawn to orphan and foster care narratives because I really enjoyed the television show The Fosters. I wanted to see what else was available on these narratives, especially within the scope of children’s literature, and found an interesting pattern dating back to the 1800s. This enhancement broadened my knowledge of children’s literature and the thoughts of scholars, which is something that will inform the texts I have in my own future classroom. Though this class was not focused on literature and the classroom, I can still make connections to inform my teaching. When considering orphan and foster care narratives for my classroom, I want to make sure that children in similar situations feel represented but not stereotyped, with their voices heard but not pathetic.
My enhancement work can be found here.