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| Three faculty members–Heather Rhodes (HESS), Andrew McWard (Politics & Public Affairs), and Matthew Smalley (English)–shared some of their goals and practices around assigning reading at a recent Teaching Matters session. Their comments naturally coalesced around the pedagogical purposes of assigning reading: as a way to encourage depth, challenge students to think in different ways about the material at hand, and inculcate reflective habits of thinking. One theme that emerged was the idea of “reading as a practice”–a way of iteratively thinking about ideas (and not just simply information gathering); a way of cultivating discernment about what is important and what is less so; and a space to spark initial ideas that students can then bring into class for discussion and additional examination. It was striking how much of the ensuing discussion centered as much around why we want students to read as how to get them to do it with more depth and care.
Although we read regular eulogies and cries of despair about a fading culture of reading, this Teaching Matters was a lovely reminder of the stakes of what we are doing in the classroom. The conversation inspired many of us to redouble our efforts and to consider how to weigh, assess, and encourage this aspect of the college experience with the same care as we do for writing and the other “skills” of a well-educated liberal arts student. |