Hannah
Kinder-Schuyler
B.A. English
WV Certification in Secondary Education
About Me
Hello, dear reader! My name is Hannah Kinder-Schuyler, and I am a graduate of Wheeling University, formerly known as Wheeling Jesuit University. I have also been a classroom teacher for four years. Through my education and experience, I am equipped with personal and professional verbal and written communication skills in the English language.
I proud of my English education, but am also honored to exercise the values of humility, love, and patience, instilled in me by Saint Ignatius throughout my time at Wheeling Jesuit. These qualities have been apparent in my teaching career thus far, and I hope to continue to foster these traits regardless of what I do in the future. Throughout my time as an educator, I have been fortunate to work with many wonderful students, sharing with them the joy of the English language and all of the ways it can improve their lives in writing, speaking, and reading. I am experienced in tutoring ages four to seventeen and teaching grades nine through twelve. I also have several years of experience as a resident assistant and retail salesperson.
Collaborative Student Work - Literary Quilt assignment for Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven," where each student was tasked with illustrating the tone, theme, and symbolism presented in their given stanza.
Personal Philosophy
My heart is moved by all I cannot save:
so much has been destroyed
I have to cast my lot with those
who age after age, perversely,
with no extraordinary power,
reconstitute the world
Adrienne Rich
In work and in life, I strive to make a small difference in the lives of those who can pay the kindnesses I offer them forward. I understand that I am but an individual with no extraordinary power. I am but one of many working people in the world producing, growing, and striving to improve. The quality of my work speaks for itself. What this work cannot speak to, however, is the impact it will have on those I share it with. When I complete my work, I do it not only for myself, but as an extension of the institution or company I work for and all of the people who will be affected by my personality and products.
I feel that work is the place where one has the power and resources to create communal change: where you are given the opportunity to create a ripple effect that betters the lives of whomever you serve. I strive to be the bright spot in my supervisor or subordinate's day. We are only given so many interactions to bring joy, and only so many opportunities to prove ourselves. In my career, I endeavor to grant my employer the everyday pride they deserve to have in their institution through my disposition and accomplishments. Though I may be one out of many educated individuals, I am proud of the heart that I am able to imbue my work with. Intelligence can only carry you so far. Care and perseverance are more than half the battle. In trying your best, you better the lives of those who surround you, no matter how small your effect may seem.
Lesson Plan Examples
The Future in Film
Course: Worldbuilding in Fiction
Grade Level: English 11-12
Objectives:
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Students will analyze differences between worldbuilding in film and literature.
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Students will identify and discuss key literary elements present in both mediums, but especially film.
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Students will explore how filmmakers use visual and auditory tools to enhance storytelling.
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Students will outline the trajectory of representational storytelling, from oral, to written, to visual, to immersive.
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Students will compare the functions of worldbuilding across genres.
Common Core ELA Standards:
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CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
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CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters and plot.
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CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions on topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
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CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research, demonstrating an understanding of the nuances of the texts.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.1.a
Apply the understanding that usage is a matter of convention, can change over time, and is sometimes contested.
Materials:
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Excerpts from the provided text on worldbuilding in film and literature.
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Clips from Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (specific scenes focusing on worldbuilding); Director Gareth Edwards and the Corridor Crew on The Creator.
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Whiteboard and markers.
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Communication, Lit, & Film Presentation
Lesson Outline:
1. Introduction
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Begin with a brief discussion on the key phrase: "All language is representational."
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Ask students what they think this means in the context of film and literature: how do authors and filmmakers use representation to convey complex ideas?
2. Direct Instruction
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Distribute the text excerpt on worldbuilding, stopping at the line Word Document (see button below).
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Show presentation on Communication in Lit and Film (see button below), then continue reading after the line in the Word Document.
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Discuss the key points, focusing on the benefits and drawbacks of worldbuilding in film vs. literature.
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Highlight specific literary elements: Characterization, Conflict, Motif, Theme, Setting, and Worldbuilding.
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Explain how these elements function in film through visual and auditory tools.
3. Film Analysis
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Show selected clips from The Empire Strikes Back and from the making of The Empire Strikes Back that demonstrate effective worldbuilding.
4. Class Discussion
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Ask guiding questions:​
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What challenges did the filmmakers face in representing complex ideas visually?
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What kind of work do filmmakers do to ensure audience buy-in? How does interpreting a setting for the audience (film) differ from allowing the audience to interpret a setting in their imagination (literature)?
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How does the use of filmographic elements contribute to immersion in the setting?
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How does this compare to your experience reading a novel with rich worldbuilding?
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5. Closing Activity
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Assign a reflective writing prompt: “Reflect on the differences in worldbuilding between a film and a book you’ve read. Which medium do you think conveys complex ideas more effectively? Why?”
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Encourage students to use examples from their own experiences and the day's discussion.
Assessment:
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Participation in group discussions.
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Quality of reflections based on clarity of thought and depth of analysis in the closing activity.
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Exploring New Criticism: T.S. Eliot's Tradition and the Individual Talent
Course: Critical Theory
Grade Level: English 11-12
Objectives:
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Students will understand and analyze the principles of New Criticism.
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Students will explore T.S. Eliot's ideas on tradition and individual talent in relation to New Criticism.
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Students will reflect on their own approaches to literary analysis and consumption.
Common Core ELA Standards:
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.2: Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.3: Analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.2: Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.3: Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.
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CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
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CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions on topics, texts, and issues.
Materials:
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New Criticism Informational Text & Discussion Questions
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Copies of T.S. Eliot's "Tradition and the Individual Talent."
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Whiteboard and markers.
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Note-taking materials (notebooks or digital devices).
Lesson Outline:
1. Introduction
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Begin with a brief overview of New Criticism, highlighting its focus on the text as an independent unit of meaning.
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Introduce T.S. Eliot's "Tradition and the Individual Talent" and its relevance to New Criticism.
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Explain the goal of the lesson: to analyze literary texts using the New Critical approach and reflect on personal reading practices.
2. Direct Instruction
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Provide a brief lecture on key concepts of New Criticism, including:
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Close reading
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Affective Fallacy
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Intentional Fallacy
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Discuss how these concepts relate to Eliot’s ideas on the interplay between tradition and individual creativity.
3. Group Reading and Short Answer Questions
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Read the text aloud, stopping to gauge understanding and to clarify unknown meanings of words or phrases.
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After reading, have each student respond in writing to the following questions:
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What does T.S. Eliot find most important in critical consumption of literature?
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The will of the author?
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The historical trappings of the text?
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The literary elements in the text?
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The identities of the characters and/or the subject matter of the text?
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The subject of this particular criticism is the idea of tradition. How does T.S. Eliot feel about tradition, and how does he apply this belief in practice?
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T.S. Eliot posits that "We dwell with satisfaction upon the poet's difference from his predecessors, especially his immediate predecessors; we endeavor to find something that can be isolated in order to be enjoyed." Draw from your own literary experience. Select a text that you feel is inspired by or alludes to a hypotext. What sets it apart from its "predecessor?" Does this make the text "better" than its inspiring material? Why or why not?
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T.S. Eliot states that "Art never improves, but… the material of art is never quite the same." Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?
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Write a critique in the voice of a New Critic about Ted Kooser's poem "Abandoned Farmhouse."
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4. Class Reflection
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Bring the class back together and invite students to share their insights.
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Facilitate a class discussion based on their findings and perspectives on the questions.
5. Closing Activity
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Instruct students to write their responses to the assigned questions as a summative assessment. Remind them to focus on clarity and grammar.
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Encourage students to submit their written responses to Canvas for grading.
Assessment:
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Participation in group discussions.
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Completion of written responses for the short answer questions, scored using a rubric (see button below)
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