By Sheri Spaine Long
Right now I am working on a study with my Graduate Research Assistant, Liane She, that embeds leadership in a Spanish literature course at UNC Charlotte by hybridizing the traditional approach to teaching literature through a focus on leadership.
Through special activities, materials, and reflection, students think critically and creatively about literary content relating it to their overall leadership experiences. We consider questions like: Do students connect literature and leadership? Can students make personal connections to fictional leaders? Do they uncover similarities and differences across cultures in leaders/leadership?
We plan to present our findings at SCOLT (Southern Conference on Language Teaching 2016) as we examine approaches to fusing leadership and literature. We had a number of sources of inspiration during the project. One book in particular was Questions of Character: Illuminating the Heart of Leadership through Literature.
Other sources: