When I started creating trauma-sensitive materials for my classes, I had no idea we were about to face a world-traumatizing event in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course I didn’t. No one did. I just knew that many of my students face trauma on a regular basis or have family members that deal with trauma. So many families, including my own, live with trauma.
And so, in my quest to create a classroom that really reflects all my students, I decided that I needed to find ways to deal with the topic of trauma in our material and somehow make our engagement with it sensitive enough that it would strengthen, not harm, my students.
That said, I don’t claim to be an expert. I decided to create units that would appeal to me. I thought about how to incorporate trauma organically, through a story that fit well within a larger unit, so that it would not be the entire focus, and I ended up choosing to discuss the origins of Juno and her marriage to Jupiter.
Anyone teaching Greek and Roman mythology — and history, for that matter— knows that it is problematic at its best and riddled with triggering events at its worst. I don’t believe that is a reason to shy away from the subject matter. We need to teach difficult things. But I do think that means that we need to be thoughtful about how we approach these topics — topics that I myself was flippant about when I started teaching almost two decades ago. I would be wrong not to acknowledge my own part in the status quo.
Luckily, I have colleagues with whom I have grown, with whom I have had wonderful conversations, and with whom, over the course of years, I have traded ideas and thoughts. Thanks to them, I have been pushed to take long hard looks at myself, my teaching, and my practices. And I continue to try to improve.
Teaching is a journey. There is always room to figure out your best path. And with that in mind, I am attaching here a mini-unit on Juno that I did as part of our Introduction to Mythology series, along with explanations that, hopefully, clarify my intent.
The Story
When I set out to write the story of how Juno is ‘seduced’ by Jupiter, I knew I wanted to change the tone and point of view. The story is always told sympathetically to Jupiter’s pursuit of Juno; she is seen as holding out pointlessly and he is seen as clever in overcoming her protestations by shapeshifting into something she could not resist — not just an animal, but an animal that needs nurturing. An injured bird.
Can we wonder why, after this act, Juno no longer pities any of his children when all of her trust is shattered along with her consent at the very onset of their relationship?
I also wanted to explore more than the trauma of ignored consent. I decided to expand on Juno’s past trauma with her father, Saturnus, who had consumed her, and the potential for PTSD.
This story gave me a jumping-off point for that discussion too, so I actually presented the story in two separate PowerPoints, Prima and Secunda, allowing us to delve into both topics carefully but deeply. I drew pictures, and while I only draw stick figures, I tried to avoid making them as silly as I normally do so they would not detract from the messaging.
Dealing with it
In recognition of the difficulty of the material, I planned only two activities that directly engaged with the trauma of Jupiter’s rape and Juno’s PTSD regarding Saturn. Let me be clear: it is important to warn students before discussing a topic like this, to give them a chance to opt out. I let them opt out in different ways: they can put in earbuds and stay in class quietly, then ask me later for an alternative assignment; or they can sit out in the hall; or anything in between.
For the second set of images for the story, I created a set of questions that I asked at designated stop points, requiring students to reflect independently first, then in groups, then in full-class discussion.
For a topic like this, I led the discussion in English. I did not want to leave room for misunderstandings. I tried to design the questions to let the students drive the depth of the discussion so that it would only travel as far as they were ready to go. I was pleasantly surprised by their insight.
The only other activity we did to explore this topic, within the full Juno Unit, was a Round Robin discussion. Student insight and maturity, especially concerning the topic of consent and Juno’s vulnerability in the story, really impressed me.
Final Observations
Students were able to discuss Juno’s rape and trauma with sympathy and sensitivity, and to discuss the wider experience of trauma with sensitivity too. Though I offered the option to step away from the lesson, none of my students chose to do so. Instead, they took part in a deep discussion of the effects of childhood trauma and PTSD — how Juno’s trauma may have prevented her from forming relationships, and how Jupiter’s actions retraumatized her and reinforced her isolation.
I personally found satisfaction in the lack of student sympathy for Jupiter; I felt like I had redeemed Juno at least a little. It had always bothered me that the rapist in the story was glorified as clever, and the victim was just an embittered harpy. Now at least my students can see it another way.
Rachel Ash has taught Latin for 18 years in Oklahoma, Texas, and Georgia. She has always believed that all students can learn and deserve to know they can learn, and that is the driving force behind most, if not all, of her approaches to teaching Latin. She holds a B.A. from the University of Oklahoma and an M.A. from the University of Florida. Connect with Rachel on Twitter @rachelcinis
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