Shahein, Sara

Senior, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Major: English Literature

Thesis Director: Carolyn Goffman, Department of English

Faculty Reader: Jenifer Finstrom, Department of Writing, Rhetoric and Discourse

Bio: Sara Shahein is a graduating senior studying English Literature. She will be returning to DePaul in the fall to complete her Masters in English and Publishing. The inspiration for this thesis stemmed from her work as an intern at her high school, where she helped graduating seniors write a collection of poems about their final year in high school. Sara enjoys working as a social media manager, is a candle connoisseur, and loves spending time with her family, friends, and her cat Binx.

Abstract: This thesis project “The Role of Community Engagement in Teaching Poetry in Middle and High School English Classes” explores the ways in which community engagement effects learning and writing poetry. There is a strong focus on learning theories to ensure all students’ needs are met. There is also a focus on untraditional teaching techniques that can be implemented during this process. The goal of this project is to combine community engagement common learning theories, and varied teaching techniques to help students feel more comfortable and confident when reading and writing poetry.