As rewarding as reading and teaching Jane Austen’s works can be, the actual process of doing so requires a lot of time, effort, and energy on the part of educators. In recognition of the outstanding work that North Carolina’s middle- and high school teachers do in bringing Jane Austen to life in the context of their classrooms and communities, the Jane Austen Summer Program offers scholarships to teachers who show their passion for bringing Jane Austen’s world a step closer to our own. And time is running out if you want to apply for a scholarship: The deadline is March 15, so apply now!
JASP offers 30 contact hours for 3 CEU credits. Tuition for teachers is $350, which covers all seminars, panels, lectures, and small group discussions, a tote bag, dance lessons, a rare book tour at UNC’s Wilson Library, one ticket to the Regency theatricals, and one ticket to the Regency Ball, as well as a daily warm buffet breakfast, elevenses, a welcome banquet, and light refreshments at the Ball.
Kathryn Edelstein, a high school teacher from Chapel Hill, is chair of our scholarship committee and leads pedagogy workshops during JASP. We asked her for her perspective on the program:
As an educator, what about JASP is personally exciting to you?
JASP is the most interactive and inspiring professional development I can imagine participating in. In putting together our teacher program, we have worked to provide meaningful and immediately engaging classroom materials as well as allowing teachers the chance to just immerse themselves in all things Austen.
In what ways is JASP different from other conferences you’ve attended?
We participate in hands-on activities, small-group discussions, and lectures just for fun — something we so rarely get to do.
Could you tell us a little more about this year’s program, “Jane Austen’s World”?
For “Jane Austen’s World,” teachers will participate in all of the scheduled JASP programs (context corners, dance lessons, lectures, banquet, ball, etc.) but will also have sessions all their own which focus on Austen’s role in the classroom. We have a teacher-focused lecture early in the program and a hands-on teacher workshop at the end, where we practice applying all that we have learned over JASP to our practice as educators.
What is your favorite aspect of JASP?
For me, one of the most valuable parts of JASP has been the casual conversations with like-minded educators and Austenites over tea and biscuits. There is an energy about JASP which cannot be matched!
Combining a passion for engaging students with a love for Austen’s work, our educators are integral to the process of making Austen’s world tangible for future generations. And at JASP, we want to recognize that.