Janet Shideler

I joined Siena College as Dean of Liberal Arts in August 2012, all the while teaching one French course per semester. When it occurred to me that my most joyous moments were spent in the classroom, I made the decision to return to full-time teaching in January 2015. Although I have spent my career teaching French language, literature and culture courses to students at all levels of proficiency, I specialize in Francophonie: the study of the culture, history and literature of French-speaking people outside of France. Over the years, I have developed “study away” courses to Louisiana, North Africa and the Caribbean. My research focuses primarily on Franco-Americans: immigrants and descendants of immigrants who came from French Canada to the Northeastern United States.

My Siena Experience

My Teaching Philosophy

I want my students to become proficient in their chosen foreign language. This means expending effort and taking risks. Consequently, the classroom is a space of mutual respect where we learn from mistakes even while we grow.  Students will also develop knowledge of the perspectives of people of other cultures.

What I Love About Siena

There are many reasons why I love teaching at Siena. The students are outstanding: they want to be engaged in learning. The faculty are exceptional: they care deeply about students, they get to know them, and they strive to find opportunities for students to grow and to succeed.

My Favorite Courses to Teach

I love teaching just about anything because I love teaching! However, I especially enjoy teaching Quebec Civilization. Teaching French-Canadian and Franco-American Literature is also a joy because the writings of these two communities provide an incredible glimpse into the "fait français" in North America.

My Professional Experience

Articles & Book Reviews

• Recension: Le Dernier des Franco-Ontariens de Pierre Albert et Le Cycle des ronces de Caroline-Anne Coulombe
  Francophones d'Amérique
  1994

Awards & Distinctions

• Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching
  Category: Teaching
  State University of New York (SUNY), 1999
• President's Award for Excellence in Teaching
  Category: Teaching
  SUNY Potsdam, 1997
• Student Award for Excellence in Teaching
  Category: Teaching
  SUNY Potsdam, 1993

Books & Book Chapters

• The Francophone World. Cultural Issues and Perspectives
  
  2021
• The Francophone World. Cultural Issues and Perspectives
  Peter Lang International Academic Publishers
  2003
• Camille Lessard-Bissonnette: The Quiet Evolution of French-Canadian Immigrants in New England
  Peter Lang Publishing
  1998
• Steeples and Smokestacks
  Institut Francais, Assumption
  1996
• La femme franco-américaine. The Franco-American Woman
  French Institute of Assumption College
  1994
• La Littérature franco-américaine: écrivains et écritures
  Institut Francais of Assumption College
  1992

Presentations

• Je me souviens...I remember: Upstate NY's Franco-American Heritage
  2019
  New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers (NYSAFLT), Saratoga Springs, New York
• Alberte Gastonguay and Camille Lessard: Voices from 'Beyond
  2016
  NEMLA (Northeastern Modern Language Association), Hartford, Connecticut
• Camille Lessard: The Impact of an 'Écrivalleur' on Women's Pages
  2015
  NEMLA (Northeastern Modern Language Association), Toronto, Canada-Ontario
• Camille Lessard-Bissonnette: Changing Places and Imagining New Spaces
  2014
  NEMLA (Northeastern Modern Language Association), Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
• In Farm and Factory: Women at Work
  2006
  Women in French, Durham, New Hampshire
• Integrating Franco-American Culture and Literature into the Classroom [expanded presentation]
  2002
  AATF (American Association of Teachers of French), Boston, Massachusetts
• Introducing Quebec in the Classroom
  2002
  University of Washington Workshop for Teachers, Seattle, Washington
• Destin des Franco-Américaines
  1995
  Institut d'histoire de l'Amérique française, Ottawa, Canada-Ontario
• Au royaume des femmes: les pages féminines dans les journaux québécois et franco-américains
  1993
  CIEF Conference, Casablanca, Morocco