Empowering the Community College First-Year Composition Teacher
Pedagogies and Policies
Meryl Siegal author Elizabeth Gilliland author
Format:Paperback
Publisher:The University of Michigan Press
Published:11th Jan '21
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
Community colleges in the United States are the first point of entry for many students to a higher education, a career, and a new start. They continue to be a place of personal and, ultimately, societal transformation. And first-year composition courses have become sites of contestation.
This volume is an inquiry into community college first-year pedagogy and policy at a time when change has not only been called for but also mandated by state lawmakers who financially control public education. It also acknowledges new policies that are eliminating developmental and remedial writing courses while keeping mind that, for most community college students, first-year composition serves as the last course they will take in the English department toward their associate’s degree.
Chapters focusing on pedagogy and policy are integrated within cohesively themed parts: (1) refining pedagogy; (2) teaching toward acceleration; (3) considering programmatic change; and (4) exploring curriculum through research and policy. The volume concludes with the editors’ reflections regarding future work; a glossary and reflection questions are included.
This volume also serves as a call to action to change the way community colleges attend to faculty concerns. Only by listening to teachers can the concerns discussed in the volume be addressed; it is the teachers who see how societal changes intersect with campus policies and students’ lives on a daily basis.
"With this text, [the editors] provide teachers with the tools to be a part of these discussions and decisions. Furthermore, the book encourages instructors to advocate for their students and help them navigate higher education and the resources available to them. While we do not know what the future holds for FYC, this book provides us with support at a time when it is greatly needed."
—Teaching English in the Two-Year College
"Siegal and Gilliland believe in teachers. Despite all challenges, teachers are resilient, they are collaborative, they are visionary. This book situates teachers at the center of every discussion and amplifies their dexterity and adaptability. . . The book champions community college FYC teachers and the tenacious work they have been doing all along, and all educators will be empowered by the work shared in this collection."
—Composition Studies
ISBN: 9780472037919
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
328 pages