[Teaching_Composition] Re: Teaching_Composition digest, Vol 1 #1074 - 1 msg
Pat McQueeney
teaching_composition@mailman.eppg.com
Sat, 11 Mar 2006 19:03:53 -0600
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
------_=_NextPart_001_01C64571.7E8E0A10
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
This article, "Professing their Faith: Despite public perception, =
majority of university faculty consider themselves spiritually engaged" =
appeared in our local newspaper this morning: =
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/mar/11/professing_their_faith/?living =
<http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/mar/11/professing_their_faith/?living>=
=20
=20
Beth Schultz's comment seems especially on topic for this thread of =
discussion.
=20
Mary Pat McQueeney=20
Johnson County Community College English Overland Park, KS=20
http://staff.jccc.net/pmcqueen <http://staff.jccc.net/pmcqueen> =20
=20
"Good writing is hard work!" ~~Snoopy
=20
=20
The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto =
("e-mail") is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and =
is intended to be confidential and for the use of only the individual or =
entity named above. The information may be protected by federal and =
state privacy and disclosures acts or other legal rules. If the reader =
of this message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that =
retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is =
strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please =
immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and permanently =
delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you.
=20
=20
________________________________
=20
From: teaching_composition-admin@mailman.eppg.com on behalf of Lawrence =
McKenzie
Sent: Sat 3/11/2006 12:40 PM
To: teaching_composition@mailman.eppg.com
Subject: [Teaching_Composition] Re: Teaching_Composition digest, Vol 1 =
#1074 - 1 msg
Hi,
You may find hermeneutic studies helpful! Although most literature
departments resist theological contributions to English Studies,
hermeneutics offers an interpretive angle (i.e., "lens") for
Composition: recent studies in "Hermeneutics and Rhetoric," a collection
of essays appear in a book by that title.
Excellent questions!
Best regards,
Lawrence J. McKenzie =20
English Department
300 Campus Drive
Parkersburg, WV 26101
(304) 424-8000 (Campus)
West Virginia University (Parkersburg)
The information contained in this electronic mail message is sender's
business confidential and may be legally privileged. It is intended
solely for the addressee(s). Access to this Internet electronic mail
message by anyone other than the intended recipient is unauthorized. If
you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying,
distribution, or any action taken, or omitted, is prohibited and may be
unlawful. The sender believes that this E-mail (and any attachments)
was free of any virus, worm, Trojan horse, and/or malicious code when
sent. This message (and its attachments) could have been infected during
transmission, however. By reading the message and opening any
attachments, the recipient accepts full responsibility for taking
protective and remedial action about viruses and other defects. West
Virginia University, and/or the sender of this message, is not liable
for any loss or damage arising in any way from this message or its
attachments.
>>> teaching_composition-request@mailman.eppg.com 03/10/06 1:01 PM >>>
Send Teaching_Composition mailing list submissions to
teaching_composition@mailman.eppg.com
To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
teaching_composition-request@mailman.eppg.com
You can reach the person managing the list at
teaching_composition-admin@mailman.eppg.com
When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of Teaching_Composition digest..."
Today's Topics:
1. Re: RE: Re: [Teaching_Composition] NEW MODULE (Laura D Card)
--__--__--
Message: 1
Subject: Re: RE: Re: [Teaching_Composition] NEW MODULE
From: "Laura D Card" <laura_card@byu.edu>
To: teaching_composition@mailman.eppg.com
Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2006 09:06:59 -0700
Reply-To: teaching_composition@mailman.eppg.com
Pat--Lovely idea. Why didn't I think of that? I have students write
papers through the lens of various critical theories--why not religious
or political or whatever? Thanks, Laura
-----Original Message-----
From: Pat McQueeney <pmcqueen@jccc.edu>
To: teaching_composition@mailman.eppg.com,
teaching_composition@mailman.eppg.com
Date: Wed, 08 Mar 2006 23:00:23 -0600
Subject: RE: Re: [Teaching_Composition] NEW MODULE
Maybe someone can help me give credit for this idea (definitely not
original with me), but I have students discuss issues through "lenses":
economic, political, moral, etc. It works beautifully and they
understand the idea of looking through glasses or a camera.=20
Unfortunately, when dealing with morality, students still have a
difficulty dealing with the possibility that their values may not be
universal. Today, for example, I asked a student if her sentence that
began with "Christians believe..." was, in that case, an
over-generalization, because her understanding of Christianity is not
held universally by Christians.
Mary Pat McQueeney
Johnson County Community College English Overland Park, KS
http://staff.jccc.net/pmcqueen
"Good writing is hard work!" ~~Snoopy
The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto
("e-mail") is sent by the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and
is intended to be confidential and for the use of only the individual or
entity named above. The information may be protected by federal and
state privacy and disclosures acts or other legal rules. If the reader
of this message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that
retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is
strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please
immediately notify JCCC by email reply and immediately and permanently
delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you.
-----Original Message-----
From: teaching_composition-admin@mailman.eppg.com on behalf of Laura D
Card
Sent: Wed 3/8/2006 10:02 AM
To: teaching_composition@mailman.eppg.com
Subject: Re: Re: [Teaching_Composition] NEW MODULE
First of all, thank you for bringing up this module topic. So far,
you've discussed some of the very ideas I've struggled with and I
appreciate your insights. Right now I teach at a church-owned
university, but I have taught at a state-run university and college
where the division of church and state was a concern. Interestingly, at
both the church-owned and the state-run institutions, I have taught
people of various faiths who brought their beliefs into the papers they
wrote for my classes, so addressing the process of making a logical
argument where moral and faith-based values enter into play hits close
to home and seems to hit close to home for many of you.
At first, when I first started teaching, I was adamant about my students
learning to make good arguments based on the sound logic valued by
secular scholars. However, lately I've been re-thinking my stance as
being narrow-minded and short-sighted. So, here's a question: Have any
of you talked about audience, purpose, and context in relation to the
arguments being made? It seems to me that at times using scripture or
ecclesiastical quotes might be absolutely in order if the purpose is to
write a theological text or if the audience would also accept the
authority of such texts. In fact, students with strong beliefs need to
know how to write arguments within their belief structure. Then at other
times it would be useful to know how to construct an argument supporting
the same ideals or discussing the same topic, but using secular texts
and examples as evidence. I haven't tried it (has anyone?), but it seems
like it would be an interesting and useful exercise to write about the !
same value-based topic from a religious standpoint, or environmental or
whatever, and then write about it from a "non-believer" standpoint. Not
everyone will be persuaded by the same type of evidence or argument, but
there is a crying need to be able to see various viewpoints and be
somewhat logical about them so we can communicate about common problems
and understand where people with different perspectives are coming from
and maybe come to some kind of productive consensus. Anyone had any
success doing anything like writing from two different stances?
Laura Card
English Department
Brigham Young University
-----Original Message-----
From: Connie Schomburg <schomburgc@yahoo.com>
To: teaching_composition@mailman.eppg.com
Date: Wed, 08 Mar 2006 06:39:47 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: [Teaching_Composition] NEW MODULE
Hi Everyone,
I can't imagine "banning" discussions of personal
issues like faith or politics; the best/most
interesting class discussions I've ever tried to
moderate revolved around those very issues. And yes,
I know that some students are inclined to cite
religious texts as support for their arguments even
though that support is based on emotion, not fact...
but I think my job as their instructor is to try to
convince them that there may be and probably are other
ways of viewing the topic under discussion. I believe
my job is to welcome (and challenge, if need be) ALL
of their viewpoints, whether I personally agree with
them or not. As one who holds deeply-felt beliefs
about a number of topics, why would I want my students
to cringe from doing so? I'm awfully glad we've been
invited to share our opinions in this module!
Dr. Connie Schomburg
Creighton University
--- Emmanuel Sigauke <esigauke@ccsf.edu> wrote:
> Let me be the first to respond. When I teach
> research and the use of evidence, I often remind the
> students to be fair in the presentation of grounds
> and warrants for their claims. By fairness I mean
> they should provide evidence that leaves room
> objections. As a teacher I do not want to seem to be
> telling a student that his or her religious support
> for a claim is fallacious. While I may, I realize
> that this may have a strong effect on the way the
> student write after the feedback. While there is
> nothing wrong in inviting the authority of a
> religious document in presenting and supporting a
> claim, the invocation should be done is a way that
> weakens the writer's argument. I have often noticed
> that where religious grounds are used there is
> usually argument. Debates on issues like gay
> marriage, capital punishment are cases in point.
> Supporting a point of view on these issues soley on
> religious grounds may limit the student options, and
> worse, the reader's response. For instance, if!
> a student were to use a Bible verse to support a
> claim, there is the possibility that objections may
> center on the verse, and not the argument; yet,
> respecting the authority of the Bible, some students
> may not be willing to argue against the stated
> message.
> Additionally, given that some readers may be
> concerned with showing their sensitivity to the
> reader's religious faith, they may not be willing to
> seem to oppose what at the moment may seem
> "politically correct".
> Some kinds of evidence, for instance what
> Shakespeare said, or the Oxford Advanced Dictionary,
> or the Webster's may have the same effect that use
> of faith may have in arguments. Their supposed
> authority may be used to "shut" readers up, hence
> contributing to the ever expanding field of
> fallacies.
>
>
> Emmanuel Sigauke
> English Department
> City College of San Francisco
> 50 Phelan Avenue
> San Francisco, CA 94112
> Phone:(415) 452-7059
> >>> chris_anson@ncsu.edu 03/03/06 7:38 PM >>>
> TeachingComp Listers:
>
>
> Perhaps you've heard or experienced the following in
> your work as a=20
> writing teacher or WPA:
>
> "I disallow the use of religious texts as
> appropriate evidence for=20
> argumentative writing."
>
> "Expressions of faith are OK in my class as long as
> they're in mostly=20
> expressive writing such as journals, freewrites, and
> the like."
>
> "In class discussions, I shy away from highly
> personal accounts=20
> because they are too emotionally charged, and these
> include matters=20
> of political ideology and religion."
>
> "I was appalled to learn that my colleague tolerates
> the inclusion of=20
> references to certain faith traditions in some
> students' writing=20
> (mostly among international students who are not
> Christians) but not=20
> from others (mostly American Christians)."
>
> "I welcome everything and anything in my course as
> long as it is not=20
> discriminatory or hateful. Right, left, Christian,
> Muslim, agnostic,=20
> Wikka, anti- and pro-abortion rights, tree-hugging
> and deer-
> shooting . . . . anything."
>
> "I can't stand it when I hear that a composition
> teacher 'bans'=20
> Topics X, Y, and Z from the spectrum of research
> topics*gun control,=20
> abortion, the death penalty . . . we ought to be
> celebrating when=20
> students tackle the most divisive, sensitive, and
> complex areas of=20
> contemporary debate."
>
> "Academic writing is not about the private and the
> personal."
>
> This month's module, led by Elizabeth Vander Lei,
> takes us deep into=20
> some of the most interesting and complicated
> landscape of=20
> contemporary pedagogy, where secular academic goals
> meet with the=20
> wide range of students' systems of faith and
> religious conviction,=20
> from the most passionate devotees to the most
> adamant separators of=20
> church and state to those who don't want to profess
> anything but are=20
> excited nonetheless to bring it all on. Elizabeth's
> focus this month,=20
> on religious faith in composition courses, comes at
> a time when=20
> social forces are colliding in politics and public
> life and making=20
> their way into debates about education, especially
> what should and=20
> shouldn't be taught, allowed, given voice, or
> protected*on behalf of=20
> both teachers and students*in those tangled,
> unpredictable, and=20
> fascinating contact zones of our classrooms.
>
> What do you think is the appropriate place of
> religious faith in the=20
> teaching of writing? What have you told your
> students about religion=20
> and its place in their writing? How have you
> responded to students=20
> who bring religion into their papers in a personal
> way, or use their=20
> own faith traditions to support points they are
> making in their=20
> arguments?
>
> Elizabeth Vander Lei is Associate Professor of
> English at Calvin=20
> College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She teaches first
> year composition=20
> and advanced courses in writing and the teaching of
> writing. Co-
> editor of Negotiating Religious Faith in the
> Composition Classroom,=20
> Elizabeth was first drawn to this topic by her
> research into the=20
> effects of religious faith on African American
> rhetoric, particularly=20
> that of the modern civil rights movement. She's also
> one of the=20
> nicest, smartest, and hardest working people you
> could hope to meet. =20
> I know: she served admirably on the Executive Board
> of the Council of=20
> Writing Program Administrators, and when her term
> was finally up,=20
> there wasn't a person on the Board who didn't want
> either to sign her=20
> up for life or clone her so she could stay around.
>
> (Now, as to the ethical dimensions of cloning,
> different religions=20
> approach this problem from several perspectives.
> First . . . .)
>
> Check out Elizabeth's module and resources at the
> TeachingComp Web=20
> site, then come back to the list to start talking:
> http://
> www.mhhe.com/socscience/english/tc/
>
> And it's OK*sex, religion, and politics are all
> welcome here at=20
> TeachingComp.
>
> Oh, and before we launch into our discussion, many
> thanks to Suzanne=20
> Blum Malley and Amy Hawkins for leading us last
> month in our=20
> exploration of ethnographic writing, which, although
> it has played an=20
> important role in research in the field and beyond,
> has been somewhat=20
> underrepresented in treatments of pedagogy in spite
> of a strong=20
> interest in its potential. We're all the better
> informed as a result=20
> of their knowledge, experience, and counsel.
>
> Chris Anson
> Moderator
>
>
>
>
> --
> Chris M. Anson
> Professor of English
> Director, Campus Writing and Speaking Program
> Interim Director, Ph.D. in Communication, Rhetoric,
> and Digital Media
>
=3D=3D=3D message truncated =3D=3D=3D
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com
_______________________________________________
Teaching_Composition maillist - Teaching_Composition@mailman.eppg.com
http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition
To unsubscribe, please visit
http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition and update
your information.
_______________________________________________
Teaching_Composition maillist - Teaching_Composition@mailman.eppg.com
http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition
To unsubscribe, please visit
http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition and update
your information.
--__--__--
_______________________________________________
Teaching_Composition maillist - Teaching_Composition@mailman.eppg.com
http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition
End of Teaching_Composition Digest
_______________________________________________
Teaching_Composition maillist - Teaching_Composition@mailman.eppg.com
http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition
To unsubscribe, please visit =
http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition and update =
your information.
------_=_NextPart_001_01C64571.7E8E0A10
Content-Type: text/html;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<HTML xmlns:eXclaimer=3D"http://www.exclaimer.co.uk" =
xmlns:msxsl=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt" =
xmlns:exc=3D"http://www.exclaimer.co.uk/rtf">
<HEAD>
<META http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html; =
charset=3DUTF-16">
<META NAME=3D"Generator" CONTENT=3D"MS Exchange Server version =
6.5.7226.0">
<TITLE>[Teaching_Composition] Re: Teaching_Composition digest, Vol 1 =
#1074 - 1 msg</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY >
<DIV>
<FONT FACE=3D"Arial">
<DIV id=3DidOWAReplyText53160 dir=3Dltr>
<DIV dir=3Dltr><FONT face=3DVerdana color=3D#000080><FONT size=3D2>This =
article,=20
"</FONT><FONT size=3D2>Professing their Faith: </FONT><FONT =
size=3D2>Despite public=20
perception, majority of university faculty consider themselves =
spiritually=20
engaged"</FONT><FONT size=3D2> appeared in our local newspaper this =
morning: </FONT><A=20
href=3D"http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/mar/11/professing_their_faith/?=
living"><FONT=20
size=3D2>http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/mar/11/professing_their_faith/=
?living</FONT></A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=3Dltr><FONT face=3DVerdana color=3D#000080 =
size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=3Dltr><FONT face=3DVerdana color=3D#000080 size=3D2>Beth =
Schultz's comment=20
seems especially on topic for this thread of discussion.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=3Dltr><FONT face=3DVerdana color=3D#000080 =
size=3D2></FONT> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV id=3DidSignature28824 dir=3Dltr>
<DIV RE><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>Mary Pat McQueeney </FONT></DIV>
<DIV RE><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DVerdana>Johnson County Community =
College English=20
</FONT><FONT face=3DVerdana>Overland Park, KS </FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV RE><FONT face=3DVerdana><A =
href=3D"http://staff.jccc.net/pmcqueen"><FONT=20
size=3D2>http://staff.jccc.net/pmcqueen</FONT></A><FONT size=3D2>=20
</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV RE><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dright RE><FONT face=3DVerdana size=3D2>"Good writing is =
hard work!"=20
~~Snoopy</FONT></DIV>
<DIV RE>
<DIV RE><PRE></PRE></DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV dir=3Dltr><BR>
</FONT>
</DIV>
<DIV>
<FONT FACE=3D"Arial">
</FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV STYLE=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New">
<FONT FACE=3D"Arial" SIZE=3D"1">The information contained in this e-mail =
and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") is sent by the Johnson County =
Community College ("JCCC") and is intended to be confidential and for =
the use of only the individual or entity named above. The information =
may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts or =
other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended =
recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution =
or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received =
this e-mail in error please immediately notify JCCC by email reply and =
immediately and permanently delete this e-mail message and any =
attachments thereto. Thank you.</FONT>
</DIV>
<DIV STYLE=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New">
<FONT FACE=3D"Arial" SIZE=3D"3">
</FONT> </DIV>
<DIV STYLE=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New"> </DIV>
<DIV STYLE=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New">
<FONT FACE=3D"Arial" SIZE=3D"3"><HR tabIndex=3D-1></FONT>
</DIV>
<DIV STYLE=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New">
<FONT FACE=3D"Arial" SIZE=3D"3">
</FONT> </DIV>
<DIV STYLE=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Courier New">
<FONT FACE=3D"Arial" SIZE=3D"3">
<FONT face=3DTahoma size=3D2><B>From:</B>=20
teaching_composition-admin@mailman.eppg.com on behalf of Lawrence=20
McKenzie<BR><B>Sent:</B> Sat 3/11/2006 12:40 PM<BR><B>To:</B>=20
teaching_composition@mailman.eppg.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> =
[Teaching_Composition]=20
Re: Teaching_Composition digest, Vol 1 #1074 - 1 =
msg<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV>
<P><FONT size=3D2>Hi,<BR><BR>You may find hermeneutic studies helpful! =
Although=20
most literature<BR>departments resist theological contributions to =
English=20
Studies,<BR>hermeneutics offers an interpretive angle (i.e., "lens")=20
for<BR>Composition: recent studies in "Hermeneutics and Rhetoric," a=20
collection<BR>of essays appear in a book by that title.<BR><BR>Excellent =
questions!<BR><BR>Best regards,<BR><BR>Lawrence J.=20
McKenzie <BR>English=20
Department<BR>300 Campus Drive<BR>Parkersburg, WV 26101<BR>(304) =
424-8000=20
(Campus)<BR>West Virginia University (Parkersburg)<BR><BR><BR>The =
information=20
contained in this electronic mail message is sender's<BR>business =
confidential=20
and may be legally privileged. It is intended<BR>solely for the=20
addressee(s). Access to this Internet electronic mail<BR>message =
by anyone=20
other than the intended recipient is unauthorized. If<BR>you are =
not the=20
intended recipient, any disclosure, copying,<BR>distribution, or any =
action=20
taken, or omitted, is prohibited and may be<BR>unlawful. The =
sender=20
believes that this E-mail (and any attachments)<BR>was free of any =
virus, worm,=20
Trojan horse, and/or malicious code when<BR>sent. This message (and its=20
attachments) could have been infected during<BR>transmission, however. =
By=20
reading the message and opening any<BR>attachments, the recipient =
accepts full=20
responsibility for taking<BR>protective and remedial action about =
viruses and=20
other defects. West<BR>Virginia University, and/or the sender of this=20
message, is not liable<BR>for any loss or damage arising in any =
way from=20
this message or its<BR>attachments.<BR>>>>=20
teaching_composition-request@mailman.eppg.com 03/10/06 1:01 PM=20
>>><BR>Send Teaching_Composition mailing list submissions=20
to<BR> =20
teaching_composition@mailman.eppg.com<BR><BR>To subscribe or unsubscribe =
via the=20
World Wide Web, visit<BR> <A=20
href=3D"http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition">ht=
tp://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition</A><BR>or,=20
via email, send a message with subject or body 'help'=20
to<BR> =20
teaching_composition-request@mailman.eppg.com<BR><BR>You can reach the =
person=20
managing the list at<BR> =20
teaching_composition-admin@mailman.eppg.com<BR><BR>When replying, please =
edit=20
your Subject line so it is more specific<BR>than "Re: Contents of=20
Teaching_Composition digest..."<BR><BR><BR>Today's =
Topics:<BR><BR> =20
1. Re: RE: Re: [Teaching_Composition] NEW MODULE (Laura D=20
Card)<BR><BR>--__--__--<BR><BR>Message: 1<BR>Subject: Re: RE: Re:=20
[Teaching_Composition] NEW MODULE<BR>From: "Laura D Card"=20
<laura_card@byu.edu><BR>To: =
teaching_composition@mailman.eppg.com<BR>Date:=20
Fri, 10 Mar 2006 09:06:59 -0700<BR>Reply-To:=20
teaching_composition@mailman.eppg.com<BR><BR>Pat--Lovely idea. Why =
didn't I=20
think of that? I have students write<BR>papers through the lens of =
various=20
critical theories--why not religious<BR>or political or whatever? =
Thanks,=20
Laura<BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: Pat McQueeney=20
<pmcqueen@jccc.edu><BR>To:=20
teaching_composition@mailman.eppg.com,<BR>teaching_composition@mailman.ep=
pg.com<BR>Date:=20
Wed, 08 Mar 2006 23:00:23 -0600<BR>Subject: RE: Re: =
[Teaching_Composition] NEW=20
MODULE<BR><BR>Maybe someone can help me give credit for this idea =
(definitely=20
not<BR>original with me), but I have students discuss issues through=20
"lenses":<BR>economic, political, moral, etc. It works beautifully =
and=20
they<BR>understand the idea of looking through glasses or a=20
camera. <BR><BR>Unfortunately, when dealing with morality, =
students=20
still have a<BR>difficulty dealing with the possibility that their =
values may=20
not be<BR>universal. Today, for example, I asked a student if her =
sentence=20
that<BR>began with "Christians believe..." was, in that case,=20
an<BR>over-generalization, because her understanding of Christianity is=20
not<BR>held universally by Christians.<BR><BR><BR><BR>Mary Pat=20
McQueeney<BR>Johnson County Community College English Overland Park, =
KS<BR><A=20
href=3D"http://staff.jccc.net/pmcqueen">http://staff.jccc.net/pmcqueen</A=
><BR><BR>"Good=20
writing is hard work!" ~~Snoopy<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>The =
information=20
contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto<BR>("e-mail") is =
sent by=20
the Johnson County Community College ("JCCC") and<BR>is intended to be=20
confidential and for the use of only the individual or<BR>entity named =
above.=20
The information may be protected by federal and<BR>state privacy and =
disclosures=20
acts or other legal rules. If the reader<BR>of this message is not the =
intended=20
recipient, you are notified that<BR>retention, dissemination, =
distribution or=20
copying of this e-mail is<BR>strictly prohibited. If you have received =
this=20
e-mail in error please<BR>immediately notify JCCC by email reply and =
immediately=20
and permanently<BR>delete this e-mail message and any attachments =
thereto. Thank=20
you.<BR><BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR><BR><BR>From:=20
teaching_composition-admin@mailman.eppg.com on behalf of Laura=20
D<BR>Card<BR>Sent: Wed 3/8/2006 10:02 AM<BR>To:=20
teaching_composition@mailman.eppg.com<BR>Subject: Re: Re: =
[Teaching_Composition]=20
NEW MODULE<BR><BR>First of all, thank you for bringing up this module =
topic. So=20
far,<BR>you've discussed some of the very ideas I've struggled with and=20
I<BR>appreciate your insights. Right now I teach at a=20
church-owned<BR>university, but I have taught at a state-run university =
and=20
college<BR>where the division of church and state was a concern. =
Interestingly,=20
at<BR>both the church-owned and the state-run institutions, I have=20
taught<BR>people of various faiths who brought their beliefs into the =
papers=20
they<BR>wrote for my classes, so addressing the process of making a=20
logical<BR>argument where moral and faith-based values enter into play =
hits=20
close<BR>to home and seems to hit close to home for many of you.<BR>At =
first,=20
when I first started teaching, I was adamant about my =
students<BR>learning to=20
make good arguments based on the sound logic valued by<BR>secular =
scholars.=20
However, lately I've been re-thinking my stance as<BR>being =
narrow-minded and=20
short-sighted. So, here's a question: Have any<BR>of you talked about =
audience,=20
purpose, and context in relation to the<BR>arguments being made? It =
seems to me=20
that at times using scripture or<BR>ecclesiastical quotes might be =
absolutely in=20
order if the purpose is to<BR>write a theological text or if the =
audience would=20
also accept the<BR>authority of such texts. In fact, students with =
strong=20
beliefs need to<BR>know how to write arguments within their belief =
structure.=20
Then at other<BR>times it would be useful to know how to construct an =
argument=20
supporting<BR>the same ideals or discussing the same topic, but using =
secular=20
texts<BR>and examples as evidence. I haven't tried it (has anyone?), but =
it=20
seems<BR>like it would be an interesting and useful exercise to write =
about the=20
!<BR> same value-based topic from a religious standpoint, or =
environmental=20
or<BR>whatever, and then write about it from a "non-believer" =
standpoint.=20
Not<BR>everyone will be persuaded by the same type of evidence or =
argument,=20
but<BR>there is a crying need to be able to see various viewpoints and=20
be<BR>somewhat logical about them so we can communicate about common=20
problems<BR>and understand where people with different perspectives are =
coming=20
from<BR>and maybe come to some kind of productive consensus. Anyone had=20
any<BR>success doing anything like writing from two different=20
stances?<BR><BR>Laura Card<BR>English Department<BR>Brigham Young=20
University<BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: Connie Schomburg=20
<schomburgc@yahoo.com><BR>To:=20
teaching_composition@mailman.eppg.com<BR>Date: Wed, 08 Mar 2006 06:39:47 =
-0800=20
(PST)<BR>Subject: Re: [Teaching_Composition] NEW MODULE<BR><BR>Hi=20
Everyone,<BR> I can't imagine "banning" discussions of =
personal<BR>issues=20
like faith or politics; the best/most<BR>interesting class discussions =
I've ever=20
tried to<BR>moderate revolved around those very issues. And =
yes,<BR>I know=20
that some students are inclined to cite<BR>religious texts as support =
for their=20
arguments even<BR>though that support is based on emotion, not =
fact...<BR>but I=20
think my job as their instructor is to try to<BR>convince them that =
there may be=20
and probably are other<BR>ways of viewing the topic under =
discussion. I=20
believe<BR>my job is to welcome (and challenge, if need be) ALL<BR>of =
their=20
viewpoints, whether I personally agree with<BR>them or not. As one =
who=20
holds deeply-felt beliefs<BR>about a number of topics, why would I want =
my=20
students<BR>to cringe from doing so? I'm awfully glad we've=20
been<BR>invited to share our opinions in this module!<BR>Dr. Connie=20
Schomburg<BR>Creighton University<BR><BR>--- Emmanuel Sigauke=20
<esigauke@ccsf.edu> wrote:<BR><BR>> Let me be the first to =
respond.=20
When I teach<BR>> research and the use of evidence, I often remind=20
the<BR>> students to be fair in the presentation of grounds<BR>> =
and=20
warrants for their claims. By fairness I mean<BR>> they should =
provide=20
evidence that leaves room<BR>> objections. As a teacher I do not want =
to seem=20
to be<BR>> telling a student that his or her religious =
support<BR>> for a=20
claim is fallacious. While I may, I realize<BR>> that this may have a =
strong=20
effect on the way the<BR>> student write after the feedback. While =
there=20
is<BR>> nothing wrong in inviting the authority of a<BR>> =
religious=20
document in presenting and supporting a<BR>> claim, the invocation =
should be=20
done is a way that<BR>> weakens the writer's argument. I have often=20
noticed<BR>> that where religious grounds are used there is<BR>> =
usually=20
argument. Debates on issues like gay<BR>> marriage, capital =
punishment are=20
cases in point.<BR>> Supporting a point of view on these issues soley =
on<BR>> religious grounds may limit the student options, and<BR>> =
worse,=20
the reader's response. For instance, if!<BR>> a student =
were to=20
use a Bible verse to support a<BR>> claim, there is the possibility =
that=20
objections may<BR>> center on the verse, and not the argument; =
yet,<BR>>=20
respecting the authority of the Bible, some students<BR>> may not be =
willing=20
to argue against the stated<BR>> message.<BR>> Additionally, given =
that=20
some readers may be<BR>> concerned with showing their sensitivity to=20
the<BR>> reader's religious faith, they may not be willing to<BR>> =
seem to=20
oppose what at the moment may seem<BR>> "politically =
correct".<BR>> Some=20
kinds of evidence, for instance what<BR>> Shakespeare said, or the =
Oxford=20
Advanced Dictionary,<BR>> or the Webster's may have the same effect =
that=20
use<BR>> of faith may have in arguments. Their supposed<BR>> =
authority may=20
be used to "shut" readers up, hence<BR>> contributing to the ever =
expanding=20
field of<BR>> fallacies.<BR>><BR>><BR>> Emmanuel =
Sigauke<BR>>=20
English Department<BR>> City College of San Francisco<BR>> 50 =
Phelan=20
Avenue<BR>> San Francisco, CA 94112<BR>> Phone:(415)=20
452-7059<BR>> >>> chris_anson@ncsu.edu 03/03/06 7:38 PM=20
>>><BR>> TeachingComp Listers:<BR>><BR>><BR>> =
Perhaps=20
you've heard or experienced the following in<BR>> your work as=20
a <BR>> writing teacher or WPA:<BR>><BR>> "I disallow the =
use of=20
religious texts as<BR>> appropriate evidence for <BR>> =
argumentative=20
writing."<BR>><BR>> "Expressions of faith are OK in my class as =
long=20
as<BR>> they're in mostly <BR>> expressive writing such as =
journals,=20
freewrites, and<BR>> the like."<BR>><BR>> "In class =
discussions, I shy=20
away from highly<BR>> personal accounts <BR>> because they =
are too=20
emotionally charged, and these<BR>> include matters <BR>> of=20
political ideology and religion."<BR>><BR>> "I was appalled to =
learn that=20
my colleague tolerates<BR>> the inclusion of <BR>> references =
to=20
certain faith traditions in some<BR>> students' writing <BR>> =
(mostly=20
among international students who are not<BR>> Christians) but=20
not <BR>> from others (mostly American =
Christians)."<BR>><BR>> "I=20
welcome everything and anything in my course as<BR>> long as it is=20
not <BR>> discriminatory or hateful. Right, left, =
Christian,<BR>>=20
Muslim, agnostic, <BR>> Wikka, anti- and pro-abortion rights,=20
tree-hugging<BR>> and deer-<BR>> shooting . . . .=20
anything."<BR>><BR>> "I can't stand it when I hear that a=20
composition<BR>> teacher 'bans' <BR>> Topics X, Y, and Z from =
the=20
spectrum of research<BR>> topics*gun control, <BR>> abortion, =
the=20
death penalty . . . we ought to be<BR>> celebrating =
when <BR>>=20
students tackle the most divisive, sensitive, and<BR>> complex areas=20
of <BR>> contemporary debate."<BR>><BR>> "Academic writing =
is not=20
about the private and the<BR>> personal."<BR>><BR>> This =
month's=20
module, led by Elizabeth Vander Lei,<BR>> takes us deep =
into <BR>>=20
some of the most interesting and complicated<BR>> landscape =
of <BR>>=20
contemporary pedagogy, where secular academic goals<BR>> meet with=20
the <BR>> wide range of students' systems of faith and<BR>> =
religious=20
conviction, <BR>> from the most passionate devotees to the =
most<BR>>=20
adamant separators of <BR>> church and state to those who don't =
want to=20
profess<BR>> anything but are <BR>> excited nonetheless to =
bring it=20
all on. Elizabeth's<BR>> focus this month, <BR>> on religious =
faith=20
in composition courses, comes at<BR>> a time when <BR>> =
social forces=20
are colliding in politics and public<BR>> life and =
making <BR>>=20
their way into debates about education, especially<BR>> what should=20
and <BR>> shouldn't be taught, allowed, given voice, or<BR>>=20
protected*on behalf of <BR>> both teachers and students*in those =
tangled,<BR>> unpredictable, and <BR>> fascinating contact =
zones of=20
our classrooms.<BR>><BR>> What do you think is the appropriate =
place=20
of<BR>> religious faith in the <BR>> teaching of writing? =
What have=20
you told your<BR>> students about religion <BR>> and its =
place in=20
their writing? How have you<BR>> responded to students <BR>> =
who=20
bring religion into their papers in a personal<BR>> way, or use=20
their <BR>> own faith traditions to support points they =
are<BR>>=20
making in their <BR>> arguments?<BR>><BR>> Elizabeth =
Vander Lei is=20
Associate Professor of<BR>> English at Calvin <BR>> College =
in Grand=20
Rapids, Michigan. She teaches first<BR>> year =
composition <BR>> and=20
advanced courses in writing and the teaching of<BR>> writing. =
Co-<BR>>=20
editor of Negotiating Religious Faith in the<BR>> Composition=20
Classroom, <BR>> Elizabeth was first drawn to this topic by =
her<BR>>=20
research into the <BR>> effects of religious faith on African=20
American<BR>> rhetoric, particularly <BR>> that of the modern =
civil=20
rights movement. She's also<BR>> one of the <BR>> nicest, =
smartest,=20
and hardest working people you<BR>> could hope to =
meet. <BR>> I=20
know: she served admirably on the Executive Board<BR>> of the Council =
of <BR>> Writing Program Administrators, and when her =
term<BR>> was=20
finally up, <BR>> there wasn't a person on the Board who didn't=20
want<BR>> either to sign her <BR>> up for life or clone her =
so she=20
could stay around.<BR>><BR>> (Now, as to the ethical dimensions of =
cloning,<BR>> different religions <BR>> approach this problem =
from=20
several perspectives.<BR>> First . . . .)<BR>><BR>> Check out=20
Elizabeth's module and resources at the<BR>> TeachingComp =
Web <BR>>=20
site, then come back to the list to start talking:<BR>> <A=20
href=3D"http://">http://</A><BR>>=20
www.mhhe.com/socscience/english/tc/<BR>><BR>> And it's OK*sex, =
religion,=20
and politics are all<BR>> welcome here at <BR>>=20
TeachingComp.<BR>><BR>> Oh, and before we launch into our =
discussion,=20
many<BR>> thanks to Suzanne <BR>> Blum Malley and Amy Hawkins =
for=20
leading us last<BR>> month in our <BR>> exploration of =
ethnographic=20
writing, which, although<BR>> it has played an <BR>> =
important role=20
in research in the field and beyond,<BR>> has been =
somewhat <BR>>=20
underrepresented in treatments of pedagogy in spite<BR>> of a=20
strong <BR>> interest in its potential. We're all the =
better<BR>>=20
informed as a result <BR>> of their knowledge, experience, and=20
counsel.<BR>><BR>> Chris Anson<BR>>=20
Moderator<BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>> --<BR>> Chris M.=20
Anson<BR>> Professor of English<BR>> Director, Campus Writing and =
Speaking=20
Program<BR>> Interim Director, Ph.D. in Communication, =
Rhetoric,<BR>> and=20
Digital Media<BR>><BR>=3D=3D=3D message truncated=20
=3D=3D=3D<BR><BR><BR>__________________________________________________<B=
R>Do You=20
Yahoo!?<BR>Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection =
around<BR><A=20
href=3D"http://mail.yahoo.com">http://mail.yahoo.com</A><BR>_____________=
__________________________________<BR>Teaching_Composition=20
maillist - Teaching_Composition@mailman.eppg.com<BR><A=20
href=3D"http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition">ht=
tp://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition</A><BR><BR>To=
=20
unsubscribe, please visit<BR><A=20
href=3D"http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition">ht=
tp://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition</A>=20
and update<BR>your=20
information.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>_________________________________________=
______<BR>Teaching_Composition=20
maillist - Teaching_Composition@mailman.eppg.com<BR><A=20
href=3D"http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition">ht=
tp://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition</A><BR><BR>To=
=20
unsubscribe, please visit<BR><A=20
href=3D"http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition">ht=
tp://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition</A>=20
and update<BR>your=20
information.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>--__--__--<BR><BR>_______________=
________________________________<BR>Teaching_Composition=20
maillist - Teaching_Composition@mailman.eppg.com<BR><A=20
href=3D"http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition">ht=
tp://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition</A><BR><BR><B=
R>End=20
of Teaching_Composition=20
Digest<BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>Teaching=
_Composition=20
maillist - Teaching_Composition@mailman.eppg.com<BR><A=20
href=3D"http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition">ht=
tp://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition</A><BR><BR>To=
=20
unsubscribe, please visit <A=20
href=3D"http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition">ht=
tp://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_composition</A>=20
and update your information.<BR></FONT></P></DIV>
</FONT>
</DIV></BODY></HTML>
------_=_NextPart_001_01C64571.7E8E0A10--