By: Peggy Sue Wood | @peggyseditorial​ / @pswediting

I’ve been thinking a lot about comics in education lately. Partially because, as I’m writing this in March to prepare for my April/May hiatus, I’ve been preparing to present on the subject in a classroom and at a convention, but also because we’ve done several recommended watches on the subject here at The Anime View. 

I’m really interested in the subject, and have been considering comics and pedagogy as the focus of graduate studies in addition to using it in my own teach and in writing for TAV. As such, I’ve been reading a lot about the subject and wanted to share two recommended reads for those interested in the same subject. The first is “In Defense of Graphic Novels” by Kathryn Strong Hansen. You can read a copy of the text via JSTOR using student or instructor access. (Link: http://www.jstor.org/stable/23365398)

The article is from 2012 and in it Hansen describes using graphic novels in her classrooms, ways she’s addressed criticism from peers and parents, as well as examples of how she’s taught the materials. It’s tailored a bit for the perspective of high school and middle school teaching (because of the journal it was published in), but an excellent read for those interested in a well-researched article on the subject that can be generally applied, in my opinion, to any level of education. 

The second recommended read I have is actually more of a resource, that being the “Using Graphic Novels in Education” blog page published by the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF). The primary author is Meryl Jaffe, and they have reviewed a number of works in-depth, helping to break down how they might be used in a classroom, some potential pedagogy, and interesting notes. 

The two reads are excellent resources to have saved when considering teaching comics in the classroom. That’s all for now, y’all! Be back soon 😁 (Although, please note that I probably will NOT have a post next Saturday since it is a holiday weekend. Happy Easter!)