Past Institutes

Teaching Twentieth-Century U.S. Literature (2025 In-Person Institute)


On June 24–27, 2025, Humanities Texas partnered with the University of Houston to hold a professional development institute for English language arts (ELA) teachers on teaching twentieth-century U.S. literature.

Curriculum

Presentations addressed literary modernism; the Harlem Renaissance; mid-century confessional poetry; literature of the civil rights movement; and commonly taught texts such as The Great Gatsby, Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Crucible, The Bluest Eye, and The House on Mango Street.

Like all Humanities Texas teacher programs, the institute emphasized close interaction with scholars, the examination of texts, and the development of effective pedagogical strategies and engaging assignments and activities.

Faculty

Greg Barnhisel (Duquesne University) served as the faculty director for the institute. Presenters included Amanda Golden (New York Institute of Technology), Jennifer Freeman Marshall (Purdue University), Charles McKinney (Rhodes College), Jonna Perrillo (The University of Texas at El Paso), Peter Turchi (University of Houston), Mona Choucair and Ryan Sharp of Baylor University, and James H. Cox, Patricia M. García, and David Kornhaber of The University of Texas at Austin.

Location and Schedule

The institute took place at the University of Houston from June 24-27, 2025. The schedule is available  here.

Sponsors

The institute was made possible with major funding from the State of Texas, with ongoing support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Questions about Teacher Institutes

Call 512.440.1991 (press 2) or email institutes@humanitiestexas.org.