Coming to Class: Pedagogy and the Social Class of Teachers (Cross Currents) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0867094516 ISBN 13: 9780867094510

Publisher: Boynton/Cook Publishers Inc US, 1998

Synopsis

Social class continues to be a powerful yet invisible regulator inside American colleges and universities. While the impact of college students' own backgrounds is well-studied, too little attention has been given to the social class histories of those who teach-and even less to the ways teachers' histories affect their relationships with students, who themselves are from a variety of class cultures. This important new book offers that insight.

Coming to Class presents twenty-one original essays on the relationship of pedagogical practice to instructors' social class histories. The contributors, teachers of composition as well as literature, represent every area of English studies-one of the most politically contentious sites in contemporary debates about higher education. They write about the influence of class on their teaching from a diverse set of theoretical positions, subject positions, and socioeconomic realities. One of the greatest strengths of the collection is the fact that most of the contributors are just coming to recognize the role of social class in their own pedagogical practices-in the same ways other teachers are in their classrooms. Together, their voices will further the many conversations that are vigorously underway.

About this title

Synopsis

Social class continues to be a powerful yet invisible regulator inside American colleges and universities. "Coming to Class" presents 21 original essays on the relationship of pedagogical practice to instructors' social class histories. The contributors, teachers of composition as well as literature, represent every area of English studies - one of the most politically contentious sites in contemporary debates about higher education. Theye write about the influence of class on their teaching from a diverse set of theoretical positions, subject positions and socioeconomic realities. One of the greatest strengths of the collection is the fact that most of the contributors are just coming to recognize the role of social class in their own pedagogical practices - in the same ways other teachers are in their classrooms. Together, their voices will further the many conversations that are vigorously underway.

About the Author

John McMillan is a doctoral student in English at TCU. He is currently working on a dissertation regarding the intersections among narrative, critical teaching, and writing instruction.

Alan Shepard is Professor and Director of the School of English and Theatre Studies at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.

Gary Tate is Addie Levy Professor of Literature at TCU, where he teaches courses in working-class literature, composition theory, and writing.

About this edition

• Publisher: Boynton/Cook Publishers Inc US
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0867094516
• ISBN 13: 9780867094510
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320
• Editor: Shepard Alan, McMillan John, Tate Gary