[As another semester
winds to a close, this week’s series has highlighted some of the moments that
have stood out to me and what conclusions I’d take away from them. Leading up
to this special weekend post on some of my summer and fall plans. Share yours
in comments, please!]
Lots going on
for the summer and fall, but here I wanted to focus specifically on three new
courses I’m very excited to teach, and ask you to share an upcoming course
(summer, fall, or any other time) of your own in comments! To wit:
1)
Analyzing 21st Century America: An
Interdisciplinary Perspective: This summer, I get to teach my first hybrid grad
class, one that will meet once a week (for five weeks) but include a good bit
of material and conversation online as well. And I think the focus is perfect
for that format, as well as something I’ve never taught and am very excited to.
Highlights for me: folders of primary and secondary texts on contemporary
issues from #BlackLivesMatter
to Iggy Azalea, sports to immigration; amazing short stories from the 2013 Best American Short Stories anthology as our shared readings; and
individual presentations where students will watch a few episodes of a
TV show they’ve never seen before and analyze it from an interdisciplinary
lens. Can’t wait!
2)
Interdisciplinary Studies Capstone: The
interdisciplinary focus will continue but shift a bit in this undergraduate course,
which I’ll be teaching for the first time this fall. The IDIS Capstone mirrors
the English
Studies one which I’ve taught (and written
about here) a few times, including in the use of shared readings and
conversations which I anticipate in this case will parallel my grad class’s
focus on 21st century American issues. But just as the English
Capstone asks students to create their senior portfolios within it, so too do
IDIS majors research and create a culminating senior project in their Capstone,
pulling together three distinct disciplines in the process. I’m a bit scared
but mostly excited at the chance to help students create such interdisciplinary
projects, and to teach and model interdisciplinary thinking and research along
the way.
3)
Honors English Seminar: I’ve taught individual
students from FSU’s Honors program (which my friend Joe
Moser is about to take over directing) before, but have never had the
chance to teach that program’s sophomore-level literature seminar. Well, that
changes this fall, and to say that I’m excited at the opportunity to teach a
seminar on America in the Gilded Age—one including works by Sui
Sin Far, Helen
Hunt Jackson, and Charles
Chesnutt, among others—to this group of smart, engaged, dedicated,
passionated students … well, that’d be a serious understatement. Just one more
thing I’m looking forward to!
Next series
starts Monday,
Ben
PS. What
upcoming course(s) are you excited about? Other summer and fall plans (or
spring conclusions) you’d share?
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