Page 121 - 2017 Yearbook

In such a complex and ever changing world, having a developed, informed awareness of the problems facing the world is necessary. Keeping with this idea, an expectation of English students at Priory is that they develop a conscious worldview and become aware of current issues. Through carefully curated curriculum, Priory English teachers help nurture their students’ social awareness and make them informed citizens of the world.
In American Woman, students study current issues relating to women, such as body image, objectification, and misogyny. Auniqueaspectoftheclassisthatstudents are encouraged to grow and formulate their own viewpoint. Because her students always come up with something new, Mrs. Payne, who teaches the class, says that “even though [she’s] taught this class before, it’s like she’s teaching it for the first time. [She’s] seeing new fresh, things everyday.” The class also allows for students to critically examine ideas of femininity and gender in modern culture, with students creating advertisements for aspects of this that they’d like to see change.
On a different note, in Mrs. Tran’s English elective class, Culture of Competition, students have the opportunity to study issues relating to
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human nature and competition through the lense of sports. “Right now, our class is focusing on the idea of ‘the hero’,” says Mrs. Tran. “But not just sports heroes, the students are also making connections to the world outside of sports.”Culture of Competition allows students to think critically about their own lives as well. “I think it’s giving students the opportunity to think about what the definition of success is, and what kind of success they personally want,” continued Mrs. Tran. “They’re thinking about their own desired success, rather than the success that society prescribestothem,”
According to the students, these classes are leaving a lasting impact on their viewpoint. “The class permanently put this lense in which I’m aware of the issues faced by women in my mind” says American Woman student Lauren Kastanis (11). “It’s really changed the way I look at the world”.
All in all, the Priory English program is extremely influential on the lives of its students. It allows them to become independent and critical thinkers, and increases their awareness of social issues. There’s no other program like it.
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BUILDING A BETTER
BY JACK, CLAIRE