[Teaching_Composition] Re: Teaching_Composition digest, Vol 1 #1107 - 2 msgs

[Thelin,William]

Hello All:

Pardon my delay in responding, but I was hoping someone else would jump
in and post about Charles's query.  I will offer my interpretation but
still look for other perspectives.  

The ABR did not suddenly appear on the scene.  It is part of an ongoing
battle, now spearheaded by Horowitz but certainly transcending his
input, to prevent universities and colleges from challenging the status
quo.  This latter term in itself is vague, but for now, let's think of
it in terms of a patriarchal, white (western), monotheist (mostly
Judeo-Christian), heterosexist, capitalist society.  The  forces
opposing the status quo--feminism, Marxism, multiculturalism, etc.--were
not just looking for changes in curriculum content; advocates sought
(and seek) structural changes.  Our reliance on hierarchy would be one
example of a concept that would need to be altered if we seriously
listened to advocates of change.  Another, which is clearly part of the
ABR, is the idea of neutrality and objectivity.  The people and
ideologies currently in power can rely on concepts like "fairness" and
"compromise" because these concepts, unlike "revolution," keep the
status quo in place.  Beyond this, though, is the sense that in
acknowledging the validity of feminist, Marxist, multiculturalist,
heterosexist, and (often not discussed) polytheistic ideas, our teaching
must change.  To deny the place and purpose of women's studies and
multiculturalism, which Horowitz has done (see the links I provided), is
to deny the worthiness of changes to teaching.

What do others think?

Bill

-----Original Message-----
From: teaching_composition-admin@mailman.eppg.com
[mailto:teaching_composition-admin@mailman.eppg.com] On Behalf Of
Charles Nelson
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 1:31 PM
To: teaching_composition@mailman.eppg.com
Subject: [Teaching_Composition] Re: Teaching_Composition digest, Vol 1
#1107 - 2 msgs

Bill, you wrote,

> At the heart of the ABR is a pretty static
> conception of teaching that I think needs to be challenged.  Maybe we
> can get some posts on this issue????

I didn't see anything in the ABR that indicated a "static conception  
of teaching." Perhaps you could expand on what aspects in the ABR  
itself indicate such a position.

Charles Nelson
_______________________________________________
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.