Grace Bandel

Graduate Profile: 

Majors and Minors: 

English Major, Secondary Education Minor

Clubs and Activities at CSB/SJU:

CSB Residential Life, Campus Ministry.

Current Job:

English Teacher at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Milwaukee. 

What was your favorite English class? Why?

“Race & Ethnicity in US Literature” helped me seek out perspectives and voices in US literature that might otherwise be silenced or glanced over. The process of being enlightened, disconcerted, and ultimately challenged by texts that present perspectives dissimilar to my own greatly helped my ability to hopefully share the same with my own students.

What class was most beneficial to your future career?

“Literary Theory and Criticism” helped me understand various ways to approach text analysis. For my own students, offering multiple “access points” to a text helps in their connections with and criticism of texts we read in class. I am more comfortable offering these “access points” thanks to some of the theories we explored in this challenging class.

How did your English education at CSB/SJU help you land your first or future jobs?

Overall, the English Department helped me to feel confident in writing critically and boldly. Perspectives through various texts and my classmates’ voices also helped me to learn how to often decentralize my own voice in appreciation of the perspectives of others. I try to bring this same dialogue-based, critical approach to the classes I teach.

BIO: 

I currently teach Sophomore English at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Milwaukee. In addition, I am working towards my Masters in Educational Leadership through Creighton University's Magis Catholic Teacher Corps.