In honor of March, I went out to the country looking for antiques. I came back with three trees, two bushes, several bags of Mexican groceries, and a pot of rico menudo to discover that this blog had been rated: by WoC PhD. Thank you, WoC PhD! Your blog is also excellent! And now I … More Excelente
Cary Nelson makes some of the same points I have been making about academic freedom, including that using your expertise and professional judgment to make a syllabus is part of it, that contingent faculty do not enjoy such freedom, and that the replacement of regular with contingent faculty has the effect of eroding it. On … More Cary Nelson
One of my students, and one who thought she might not be advanced enough for the course, por más señas, has written this: In both films, and in the novel, the ‘natives’ are characterized by the Western narrators as convicts, enemies, or workers. When they cannot be fit into one of these categories, they are … More On Scholarship
Obama has won more primaries and my new Obamaholism, as the Field Negro puts it, is waxing. And if teaching for change had ever been my first priority in life, I would have done something like this and not what I do now. I am considering doing it. No, I am not. Because I am … More Becoming a Professor
I wrote my original post on the teaching meme without realizing that a discussion of, or at least some remarks on academic freedom as it relates to my teaching was part of the question. Therefore I now offer some simple thoughts on this matter. 1. Academic freedom permits me to teach at the college / … More Why I Teach, Take Two
I was not going to do the teaching meme but two posts, one from Lumpenprofessoriat and one from WOC PhD, have moved me to speak. Lumpenprofessoriat addresses the question of “love.” I note that many professors say they are suffering for love (of their fields, or of teaching), and they seem to believe this is … More Why I Teach
From Short-Circuit Signs: [I]t is hard not to notice how often standardized tests come up as examples of good, or at least acceptable, assessment – ironic because faculty are exhorted to take this stuff seriously on the grounds that doing otherwise will mean federally mandated testing. Sounds like a Foucauldian nightmare/farce, right? It gets worse … More Precisely
This post is key. Axé.
The number of myths now masquerading as fact are very tiring to refute, so I am glad when other people help to do it. Right now I am glad the NYT has refuted a few myths about religion, the Founders, and the Framers. The article refers to Mitt Romney’s speech on the matter earlier this … More Refuting Myths
Bad: “She gave up tenure to follow her husband, and she should be rewarded for this.” Better: “She gave up tenure to follow her husband, and it is our gain.” Lagniappe: name that -ism, or that logical fallacy. “If this candidate is local, her supporters cannot be objective. The only possible basis for support any … More Is This Sexism?
coldhearted scientist وداد 