What would you like to read in the spring? During December and January, I hope to be able to settle upon a book to purchase for our group, and I am turning to you for your input.
As you know, this brown bag group will meet monthly to discuss a pre-selected chapter from one of our texts. This group may also occasionally host guest speakers/facilitators, such as representatives of the Learning Center and Feinberg Library.
We should be able to get copies of the St. Martin's Guide to Teaching Writing (6th Ed.) for free; so, if people are interested in this volume, that would involve little more than contacting our Bedford/St. Martin's representative, Lori Butcher.
I would, however, also like to order for each of you a copy of one of two books that have been mentioned as possible texts for our group:
(1) John Bean's Engaging Ideas
(2) Donald Murray's The Craft of Revision (5th Ed.) (Thanks for the recommendation, Greg!)
In posting this blog entry, I am initiating a specific conversation on which of these three books you would like to have our group read. As your "vote," I would like those of you who can during late December and early January to provide a brief, written position on which of these books you'd like to have our group read. In formulating your position, I would like you to consider how these books and their tables of address our proposed meetings' themes.
Our proposed meetings' themes include the following:
(1) students’ acculturation to college,
(2) using computers to teach writing,
(3) how to teach analysis and support critical thinking in ENG 100 and 101,
(4) how to teach students not to plagiarize,
(5) how to teach students argumentation,
(6) how to work with the Learning Center and Feinberg Library in teaching writing at Plattsburgh,
(7) how to teach revision
(8) how to differentiate instruction to accommodate diverse learners
The tables of contents for these texts are located at the following sites:
Bean (when you get to this page, click on the "look inside" feature)
Murray
St. Martin's Guide
I have for your perusal a copy of each of these books in my office on the bookshelf immediately to the right of the front door.
I am really excited about this group, and I thank you in advance for any thoughts you have on these proposed readings. Again, if you could share your thoughts by early to mid January, this will enable us to get started perhaps in the second week of spring.
In the meantime, thanks again for all of your hard work, and please have a great, much-deserved break.
Tom
