1. How do student or teacher stereotypes affect the composition classroom and student writing?
2. “Academia was where we worked but we wanted a life on the outside. We did not want to be imprisoned in the institution of higher learning that would reward us and then demand that we stop being outlaws–that we stop stepping out on the edge” (Hooks 2).
3. Should teacher preparation for composition studies include ESL or TESL training? If so how thorough does it need to be?
1. I think stereotypes can be a big problem. Not so much around issues of race, or gender (though certainly those can be trouble) but rather when assumptions about what it means to be a student or a teacher are so far out of line that the teacher and students are alienated from each other.
2. This is a big question for many in the academy, because as many of us learn only after we are well into a tenure line job, the academy can easily consume all the time and energy you have, leaving none for family, friends, outside interests, etc. Further, in spite of talk about academic freedom, all universities fear controversy and faculty who provoke it face social consequences at least.
3. This last question comes up every term! I’ll wait to see what you all think.