Contributors >> McElroy, Stephanie ('03)

Biographical statement (February 2009)

Stephanie McElroy's passion for learning is what initially drove her back to college to become a teacher months after receiving her bachelor's degree in English from Lehigh University. While studying secondary education at the University at Albany, she grew as a teacher and a person. She succeeded in her experiences by meeting the students' needs and connecting with them. After completing her certification and master's degree, Stephanie accepted a position as a middle school English language arts teacher at South Orangetown Middle School in Blauvelt, New York. She currently teaches 6th and 7th grade students and resides in Pearl River, New York, with her fiance, Philip.

Reflection

I was drawn to the Reel American History course because it was different. I liked that I would be contributing to a larger project and that my work would live on through the web site. I enjoyed the independent work, discussions, and movie nights (especially when Professor Gallagher brought pizza!). One of texts for the course, Lies My Teacher Told Me, was one of the most engaging texts I read for a college course. I think about the project whenever I watch a movie based on a historical event.

Working on the project had its ups and downs. The first few parts of the project were tedious. I remember sitting at my computer with the DVD for hours writing down times for the scene log and listening carefully to the dialogue for the key passages. I preferred the challenges of writing the scene analysis and the issue essay. The research involved took a great deal of time, but I was proud of the end product.

When I decided to work on The People vs. Larry Flynt, I didn't quite know what I was getting myself into. I liked the movie, and I thought it would be interesting to learn more about First Amendment rights. I didn't realize the project would involve so much research on pornography, a topic I knew practically nothing about. Looking back, I'm surprised that I was audacious enough to take it on. What I found most interesting and what I probably remember the most is Milos Forman's views on censorship.