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There Are No Closets in My Classroom by Nora Louise Syran

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  • Neil Radtke:
    24 Apr. 2024
    “ "There Are No Closets in My Classroom" offers a powerful exploration of the challenges and complexities faced by both educators and students in navigating issues of identity, acceptance, and expression within the educational setting. ”
  • Samantha Marchant:
    28 Jul. 2022
    “ A heartfelt monologue from a teacher reflecting on time, gender, lessons, sexuality, sense of self and writing. ”
  • Jacquelyn Floyd-Priskorn:
    27 Jun. 2022
    “ This is just tragically beautiful. Teachers are on the front lines. They are there as young people learn and discover the world as well as themselves. And if the "administration" doesn't like the students' discoveries, it's the teachers who are punished. This teacher is just doing their job wonderfully, thoughtfully and with total admiration of the students they teach. And the fact the teacher is still open to learning more. The right way to speak of students, the right way to teach, but always with heart. This should be performed for a teacher in service and discussed!! ”
  • Andrew Martineau:
    25 Jun. 2022
    “ What is so inspiring about Nora’s monologue is the way in which the character is thinking out loud and trying to keep up with the shifting culture of her young students while simultaneously advocating for their rights to be their authentic selves. Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf? Many people still are, and the quotes of her work in this monologue add so much dramatically without the inclusion of them sounding like an academic paper. Impressive work. ”
  • Lainie Vansant:
    25 Jun. 2022
    “ What a thoughtful piece -- there is a quiet steadiness here that I really appreciate. I know that this teacher and their ideals aren't going anywhere (at least in this fictional world), and that brings me hope. ”
  • Emma Goldman-Sherman:
    24 Jun. 2022
    “ A wonderful monologue for this moment! I hope it will be irrelevant soon, but unfortunately it is needed. And beautifully written! We need more like this! I love the way Syran references literature here so that even school boards can understand (or maybe not school boards), but audiences are brought into the piece and the mind of the teacher - a great role - clearly. It shows so well how literature matters! ”
  • Robert J. LeBlanc:
    22 Jun. 2022
    “ Literature offers permission to put a voice to one's feelings. Permission is the key to Nora's beautiful monologue.

    A teacher stands in front of a disciplinary board to address the issue of a student being inspired to embrace who they are. We see it happen more and more. Our society is, for the most part, giving permission for people to no longer live a lie or hide who they are. Nora's 'There Are No Closets in My Classroom' shows the power of literature in helping the young to put a voice to their feelings and embrace that permission. So good. ”
  • Christopher Soucy:
    22 Jun. 2022
    “ This is a introspective piece that shines a light on the generations who are actively trying to refit their understanding of gender and sexuality to accommodate a more accepting society. Sometimes issues make perfect sense but are met with dire resistance. Nora Louise Syran presents a teacher who has been teaching 30 years and has a heartfelt philosophy of how to treat the newest generation as they define themselves. ”
  • Eric Mansfield:
    22 Jun. 2022
    “ 'No Closets' reminds us all that teachers have thoughts. Deep thoughts. About their students and what they're going through in their development. Teachers are rarely allowed to really share their opinions let alone compare kids from their early teaching days to their modern classrooms. At least, they can't do it out loud. In 'No Closets,' Nora Louise Syran allows an actor the emotional to strip away the straight jackets that keep teachers from having real dialogue about the uncertainty they're seeing in the classroom while maintaining big government's hold on teachers who dare to be so brave. ”
  • Debra A. Cole:
    22 Jun. 2022
    “ As a retired teacher who had kids come out to her every year, not like Luca, but beautifully none the less, this touched home. We live in a time that seems to be marching forward for our youth, and backward for so many others. I miss the classroom, not for the subject matter I taught, but for the ideas, compassion, and critical thinking the curriculum provided. Thank you, Nora, for giving a voice to so many frustrated teachers. ”