I have a date at the Mouse House today. Can I get to this tomorrow? I have some thoughts, of course. (Caveat: I teach at an R1 but it’s not “elite,” and History does not have a Ph.D. program. Do I still count?)
- Comment
- Reblog
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Historiann 
Enjoy!
I’ll be interested to see what you have to say when you get a chance. From my position (4/4 NTT mostly-comp teacher at R2-that-wants-to-be-an-R1, with an increasing number of Ph.D. programs playing a role in pursuing that ambition), I’d very much like to see a conversation about how teaching fits into the R1 mission. Somewhere, hidden among the creepy/narcissistic (at least to my mind) expression of desire for “disciples,” and apparent obliviousness to the structural issues most professors, and most students, face, Bauerlein raised an issue worth considering. And given the desire of may schools to up their research rating/focus, and the tendency of R1s to serve (at least in administrators’ minds) as models of how things should be done, the effects of the research/teaching balance (or lack thereof) at R1s reach well beyond those schools.
LikeLike
The Empire of the Mouse! Fantastic! Have fun!
I think that you count as R1 if you want to.
I’d disagree with David Perry, however. I don’t think its necessarily the obligation of R1 profs to talk about this. The first reason being that Mark B is a horse’s ass. Second, there is not a lot to talk about that hasn’t already been said by LD Burnett.
Finally, I think that its time for the R1s, or the R1 mentality, to release their stranglehold on the professional associations in History. It would be great if the professional associations actually valued the teaching of lecturers, adjuncts, and tenured professors outside of the elite schools. We all do the work of actually educating students. Some of these students are struggling and do not have the cultural capital of the students at an Emory, Princeton or UCLA. Our job to help them master the material by beginning at their actual starting point, and not to kick them to the curb because they haven’t read Hardy.
We will know that the Revolution has been successful when the AHA elects at President who teaches at a Community College.
LikeLike
Amen to this. The MLA is in need of similar change, and in fact a movement to elect non-tenure-track members, and those willing to represent their interests, to key posts (http://mlademocracy.net/ ) did pretty well in its inaugural year of organizing.
LikeLike
Been hoping you’d weigh in. Please say something biting and hilarious about Bauerlein’s need to have 18-year-olds lying in bed pondering his words.
LikeLike
HA-ha! But of course it would be irresponsible to speculate, not to mention libelous.
What do you know that we don’t?
LikeLike
People have been alluding to some pervo prof dude who’s been sending lewd texts to freshmen or something. But I don’t know exactly what they’re talking about.
Anyway, I sure as fucke hope you went on the teacup ride! The last time I did that, I was nauseous and vertigo stricken for like three fucken days!
LikeLike
Who is this??!? I haven’t heard anything, but when it comes to bad behavior I’m usually the last to know.
I skipped the teacup ride. We took your advice & made a beeline for the Pirates of the Caribbean upon arrival & walked right on.
(Once again, no one wanted to come with me on Big Thunder Railroad.)
LikeLike