For her capstone project, Anne Overton developed a rigorous eight-day English Language Arts unit designed for high school seniors. The curriculum centers on critical theories of gender, challenging students to move beyond the surface of a text to analyze and reflect upon their own identities and the world around them.

Anne’s research emphasizes the power of the summary, not just as a rote exercise, but as a sophisticated bridge between reading and writing. During her Capstone roundtable, Anne noted a common classroom challenge: students frequently default to summary when asked to analyze. By teaching summary explicitly, her unit aims to sharpen students' awareness of the writing they produce, helping them distinguish between retelling a text and dissecting it. Ultimately, mastering the art of the summary allows her students to utilize it as a "diving board" for deeper analysis, giving them the footing to synthesize complex theoretical frameworks before diving into their own critical arguments.

Anne's advice to future MATs: “Nourish yourself! Remember that you are here to learn.”