What is a Multigenre Inquiry Project?
This project was completed as a major assignment within the Masters of Education program at Wake Forest University. Specifically, this project took place in EDU654, an English methods course for aspiring secondary English teachers. Students were asked to read a contemporary Young Adult novel, select an essential question that explores a major theme found in the text, and then subsequently explore that theme through 10 different "genres". The purpose of this assignment was to develop a theory and practice for exploring a particular theme within a Y.A. text. Additionally, this project presents multiple examples of alternative assessments that may be used in the secondary English classroom to evaluate student understanding of major themes.
After reading Francisco Stork's Y.A. novel "Marcelo in the Real World", I decided to explore the question: How can peer pressure promote positive and negative outcomes? This theme challenges readers to reevaluate peer influence in American society. The term "peer pressure" carries a strong negative connotation. However, when you break down the terms, a “peer” is simply a person of equal social class or age, and “pressure” is simply a force. This force may be positive or negative in nature. Adolescents are the demographic most commonly considered vulnerable to peer pressure, as they are still forming personal identity and craving a sense of social belonging. By openly discussing the nuances of peer influence with high school students, we may enable them to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy peer relationships and empower them to see peer pressure as a tool for their own growth.
This project consists of the following genres:
Please visit my professional website for more information and secondary English resources .
After reading Francisco Stork's Y.A. novel "Marcelo in the Real World", I decided to explore the question: How can peer pressure promote positive and negative outcomes? This theme challenges readers to reevaluate peer influence in American society. The term "peer pressure" carries a strong negative connotation. However, when you break down the terms, a “peer” is simply a person of equal social class or age, and “pressure” is simply a force. This force may be positive or negative in nature. Adolescents are the demographic most commonly considered vulnerable to peer pressure, as they are still forming personal identity and craving a sense of social belonging. By openly discussing the nuances of peer influence with high school students, we may enable them to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy peer relationships and empower them to see peer pressure as a tool for their own growth.
This project consists of the following genres:
- A short essay exploring the spectrum of peer influence in American society through connections to Young Adult literature, canonical texts, nonfiction, poetry, and journal articles.
- A surrealist painting (photograph) representing the complexity of adolescent development and peer influence
- Handwritten and transcribed apology letters from adults addressed to someone they peer pressured during adolescence
- A link to an original online quiz: "How Much do You Know about Peer Pressure?"
- An original poem entitled "Everyone"
- A transcribed interview with a 22-yr-old Chinese female living in the U.S. exploring peer influence on a domestic and national level
- A secondary English lesson plan exploring the essential question, "How can peer pressure promote positive and negative outcomes?"
- A Web 2.0 tool (this website and its contents)
- A visual continuum evaluating different forms of peer influence in American society
- A mock Buzzfeed article: 15 Aphorisms to Help Resist Peer Pressure
- Text message conversation between two characters in Francisco Stork's Marcelo in the Real World
Please visit my professional website for more information and secondary English resources .
