Description
Book SynopsisThis book focuses on the tensions that emerge in teaching the English language arts methods course within teacher education programs. The book features chapters that grapple with the historical legacies of influence on methods/pedagogy as well as contemporary challenges in teaching methods courses alongside field experiences. Multiple perspectives from those involved in teaching methods courses within English language arts teacher education programs are presented as a way to dialogue about current and future challenges. Dialogue is sustained throughout the book, as each chapter includes an adjacent response that prompts readers to ask further questions about the chapter's content. Content with the chapters in the book focus on describing a tension or dilemma that the author faced when teaching the middle/secondary ELA methods course or adjacent field experience. Discussion in the chapters' responses highlights the importance of the field's history and its present response to the tensio
Trade ReviewEnglish teacher educators struggle to resolve tensions between teacher preparation and classroom experience; they help preservice English teachers move toward resolution on those issues as well. This book provides a thoughtful, inspired, and analytical discussion of some of these tensions, and is particularly well situated to assist both new and experienced English teacher educators with this puzzling and difficult work. The book is both a mirror and a ladder: the discussion between chapter authors and respondents mirrors the values placed in our field on discussion and collaboration, while the content of the chapters and responses will provide a helpful assist to English teacher educators. The tensions addressed in our work and in this book are many — the chapters here will provide new direction and ideas for any English teacher educator who takes it up. -- Leslie S. Rush, director, School of Teacher Education; associate dean, undergraduate programs, University of Wyoming
This is a clear-eyed and thoughtful examination of critical problems identified by English teacher educators who wish to prepare teachers for classrooms as they are, not as we wish they were. The list of teacher educators and the experience and wide-reading they bring to the tensions explored validates our entire profession: we seek to negotiate messy and complicated truths to educate young people for the future. This book is an important tool for that quest. -- Ken Lindblom, professor of English, Stony Brook University (SUNY)
Amidst the changing field of English education, Using Tension as a Resource offers a variety of enlightening and informative perspectives that recognize the complexity of our work in the field. The chapters provide invaluable ideas for extending the learning of our pre-service teachers beyond the university and into the communities of the students with whom they will work. -- Ashley S. Boyd, assistant professor, English education, Washington State University
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Editors’ Introduction Heidi L. Hallman, Kristen Pastore-Capuana, and Donna L. Pasternak Section I: Frameworks for English Education Chapter 1: Educating Teachers for Critical Pragmatism: Methods as a “Conceptual Home Base” Lauren Gatti, Sarah Thomas, Jessica Masterson, Robert Brooke, and Rachael Wendler-Shah A Response to Chapter 1 Melissa Schieble Chapter 2: Enduring Assignments in the Methods Course: Lesson Planning and Micro-Teaching as Trigger Points for Stimulating Social Justice Teaching Terri L. Rodriguez A Response to Chapter 2 Allison Wynhoff Olsen Chapter 3: Exploring Tensions During Critical Conversations about Race in English Education Amy Vetter and Melissa Schieble A Response to Chapter 3 Lauren Gatti Section II: Practices in English Education Chapter 4: Writing in and for the 21st Century: Crossing Digital and Multimodal Thresholds in ELA Methods Courses Amber Jensen A Response to Chapter 4 Mike Metz Chapter 5: Moving Pre-service English Majors from Egocentric to Sociocentric Readings Crag Hill A Response to Chapter 5 Christopher M. Parsons Chapter 6: Powerful Influence and Absurd Neglect: The Legacy of Louise M. Rosenblatt Sue Ringler Pet A Response to Chapter 6 Crag Hill Chapter 7: Teacher Candidates’ Perspectives on Tensions within the Methods-Based Field Experience Christopher M. Parsons A Response to Chapter 7 Laura A. Renzi Section III: Communities of English Education Chapter 8: English Education Methods Courses as Sites of Induction into English Teacher Communities of Practice James Cercone and Kristen Pastore-Capuana A Response to Chapter 8 Amber Jensen Chapter 9: Tensions in ELA Field Experiences: Service-learning Initiatives in Rural Contexts Allison Wynhoff Olsen A Response to Chapter 9 Jamie M. Collins Chapter 10: A Teaching Mythology: Disrupting the Tutor/Teacher Dichotomy Heidi L. Hallman and Melanie N. Burdick A Response to Chapter 10 Terri L. Rodriguez About the Editors About the Contributors Index
