Part of teaching students how to succeed in academic settings, the workplace, and beyond is helping equip them with an understanding of their power and the importance of using their voice. Offering transparency in your own classroom and shining light on the pathways to change within your institution is a great way to help learners build a foundation of self-advocacy and feel empowered.
Laura Neuman (she/they) is a writer and educator with a background in dance and somatics. Laura has taught graduate and undergraduate courses in literature and creative writing at The College of New Jersey since 2016, and previously taught creative writing and composition at Temple University, Community College of Philadelphia, and Highline Community College in Des Moines, Washington. She has published three collections of poetry: The Busy Life (Gazing Grain 2012), Stop the Ocean (Stockport Flats 2014) and Risk: Nonchalance (Omnidawn 2017). Laura’s collaborations with dancers have been presented at the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival, the Philadelphia Art Museum, the Painted Bride, the Nexus Gallery, the Icebox Gallery, and Vox Populi Gallery. Laura has taught workshops for educators on incorporating poetry and creativity into the classroom in the Watchung Regional School District and at the Henry Art Museum at the University of Washington, and regularly works with current and future teachers in the Masters program at T.C.N.J. She holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Writing from Bard College, and a Masters in English (Creative Writing, Poetry) from Temple University. In 2018, Laura earned a first-year certificate from The Trauma Institute for the year one professional training in Somatic Experiencing, a somatic technique that fosters nervous system regulation.
