Course Catalog Changes

By ZAHRA TSHAI ‘22

The course catalogue has seen a few changes this year. However, two new courses take center stage: Textile Design and Intersectionality: Womanhood in American Culture. Textile Design is the brainchild of Lu Adami. They saw it as an opportunity to diversify the mediums the art department teaches. While Adami did not major specifically in textile design in college, it's a medium they’ve used throughout their life. “I’ve been quilting and using fabric since I was 10. I’m really interested in fabrics. I know we have a lot of students that are interested in fashion design and apparel design” said Adami. Annie Winter ‘22 said “Textile design sounds interesting. The course definitely opeans students up to a new type of medium that is not mainstream.” Catherine Stuztmen ‘22 says “Textile design sounds boring. I feel that women are just now claiming power, and sitting around and sewing feels way to 1950s housewife. I’d rather be learning physics or just something I can apply on a daily basis. I can take my clothes to the dry cleaners if I need them repaired.” 

Intersectionality: Womanhood in American Culture is a new year long course offered to class III students. This course is inspired by Ms. Cacho’s Black Feminist Literature class this year, but because of its status as a year long course will opean its doors to reading feminsit literature from women of all different racial backgrounds. “The hope of this course is to discuss feminism specifically as women of color are writing and thinking about it. A book by a white woman would not be about what does white culture has to say. The purpose of including that text would be to have a point and have a counterpoint. Perhaps to create context for what the women of color are writing about in their text. So it would be entirely possible to have no white authors in a given section. It would be impossible that there would be no women of color. The whole point is to read women of color.” says Ms. Sabin. This course comes to Milton at a very appropriate time as students and faculty alike are tackling the issues that women face in our community and the greater world. Ms. Sabin also expressed that in its current state the course would only be examining American voices; however, she would be completely ok with teachers choosing to look at some international voices. Kendall Grubs ‘20 who currently takes Black Feminist Literature, the course that inspried Intersectionality: Womanhood in American Culture, says, “I have to think about everyone’s experience all the time when talking about feminism, so I feel this is the only time at Milton where I have a space to focus specifically on the black woman's experience without the pressure of thinking about the experiences of other races. Additionally, I don’t trust that any of the current English teachers would be capable of talking and teaching about these issues in a responsible way. If I had the opportunity to take Intersectionality: Womanhood in American Culture I probably wouldn’t have.” Emma Tung ’22 said “The course sounds really interesting, but I’m looking for a more standard English course for my junior year. I would definitely take the class if it was offered as a half course.” Overall the English and Art department have added some intriguing courses.