Check out Dave Clemens' latest blog post. It's about Mark Edmundson's most recent book, "Why Teach?," hot off the press.
The blog -- and I'm assuming, the book -- is provocative, depressive and timely, not just for college professors but for all teachers. After all, all teaching professionals are at the receiving end of widespread efforts to "corporatize" education.
Somehow, the mere effort to exercise your brain for a few minutes is worth the reading, even if you feel a little hopeless at the end.
But maybe you'll be inspired and energized. Like Clemens concludes in his blog:
"Teachers must resist the corporate temptations, discipline Satan, and
embrace real education—the formative education of personal growth,
values, and tastes leading to a fulfilling life."
Happy reading!
Showing posts with label David Clemens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label David Clemens. Show all posts
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
David Clemens of MPC goes to Boston
Monterey Peninsula College English professor David Clemens has been elected to the Modern Language Association delegate assembly as a special-interest delegate for two Year Colleges.
Clemens founded and coordinates the MPC Great Books Program and is a prolific writer on higher education issues. His work has been published in the National Association of Scholars and the John William Pope Center for Higher Education Policy, Academic Questions, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside English, Teaching English in the Two Year Colleges, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Association of Literary Scholars, Critics, and Writers’ Forum. In January, Clemens will attend the 128th annual Modern Language Association Convention in Boston.
Clemens founded and coordinates the MPC Great Books Program and is a prolific writer on higher education issues. His work has been published in the National Association of Scholars and the John William Pope Center for Higher Education Policy, Academic Questions, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside English, Teaching English in the Two Year Colleges, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Association of Literary Scholars, Critics, and Writers’ Forum. In January, Clemens will attend the 128th annual Modern Language Association Convention in Boston.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Of teaching literature, non-fiction, and the Common Core Standards
In his latest post for the National Association of Scholars, "How the Internet Ruined the Teaching of Literature," Monterey Peninsula College English instructor David Clemens decries how current technology is changing student habits for the worse: they are so used to be fed images they no longer find it pleasurable -- or necessary -- to read literary classics. Students also fail to acquire the necessary knowledge in grammar, history, or morality attached to the works. He writes it much more eloquently that I ever could, so take a look.
You're probably aware that California schools are in the process of changing their teaching practices to accommodate Common Core Standards. One of the main components of Common Core is switching emphasis from literature to works of non fiction. Instead of analyzing "Catcher in the Rye," students will now focus on an equivalent in the non-fiction world, like the biography of a famous leader.
Given the changes the Internet has brought about in the literary scene, and how students are no longer finding it "fun" to learn from the literary masters (it's all about fun these days for young people), maybe the Common Core standards have arrived just in time. Now the challenge for educators will be to make learning "fun" within these confines, and keep ahead of the Internet!
You're probably aware that California schools are in the process of changing their teaching practices to accommodate Common Core Standards. One of the main components of Common Core is switching emphasis from literature to works of non fiction. Instead of analyzing "Catcher in the Rye," students will now focus on an equivalent in the non-fiction world, like the biography of a famous leader.
Given the changes the Internet has brought about in the literary scene, and how students are no longer finding it "fun" to learn from the literary masters (it's all about fun these days for young people), maybe the Common Core standards have arrived just in time. Now the challenge for educators will be to make learning "fun" within these confines, and keep ahead of the Internet!
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Monterey Peninsula College professor shares his views on superintendent candidates
David Clemens, English professor, coordinator of the Monterey Peninsula College Great Books Program, and blogger extraordinaire, attended the presentation of all four candidates for the job of superintendent.
I asked if he would share his impressions with me -- and the readers -- about the candidates, and he wrote a detailed analysis of each. Too good to reduce to a two-sentence quote, I told him, and he graciously agreed to let me share it in my blog.
Astute observations, indeed. Here they are:
The sad part is that all the candidates are in economic survival mode, and that could lead to the extinction of all small classes as well as our nationally renowned Great Books Program and our new Creative Writing Program. Literature classes are already being rationed and eliminated. Losing the traditional curriculum, I believe, is ultimately suicidal but in survival mode, no one looks past the present crisis
Each candidate was asked to describe where they saw the community college in five years. This question was suggested by Clemens.
As (Larry) Buckley noted, the Board of Governors president doubts Proposition 30 will pass and that will mean possibly 25 colleges closing. And if the BOG provides relief by suspending regulations, that could make it even worse because it will be easier to pink slip full time, tenured faculty and replace them with adjuncts, para-educators, tutors, and software.
Angela Fairchilds
Pros: Personable, used humor, energetic, somewhat connected, some candor
Cons: Often described a problem rather than provided a solution, e.g., “we need to build back FTEs.” How? “We’ll have no money without Prop 30.” And so . . ... ? “We are no longer the institution that we were.” What are we? How do we establish criteria for filling positions? “Set priorities." Lacked experience with program discontinuance.
Kathryn Jeffrey
Pros: Smart and funny.
Cons: Too much flattery. (She went on and on about how great MPC is and how well the college functions) Seemed to lose steam halfway through, fuzzy response (on some contracts and financial models), not astute about online—my notes say “getting really confusing.”
Larry Buckley
Pros: My choice. Academic Ph.D. He was honest and candid as well as well-connected in Sacramento... He said what I’ve been saying, “what is most important to us with the resources we have?” “We have to have a new deal” (finance model).
Buckley was straightforward, didn’t mince words, and had cogent ideas. He didn’t seem to be applying in hopes of retiring in Monterey. He was light years ahead of the other candidates in his grasp of the political and educational situation. He seems to have the guts to make the cuts.
Cons: I doubt I would like all his decisions, especially convening a committee to do curricular triage. We did it before, the Instructional Priorities Committee, and it featured “the usual suspects,” the faculty identified as reliable who are on every important committee. It was very powerful and very political.
Walter Tribley
Pros: Academic Ph.D. Good scientific knowledge, apparent support of liberal arts.
Cons: Nervous. Simply not enough knowledge of California and MPC landscape. Support for liberal arts seemed to evaporate with “funding will play a large and disproportionate role” in prioritizing. Referred to “para-educators.” Maybe too dazzled by educational novelties?
I asked if he would share his impressions with me -- and the readers -- about the candidates, and he wrote a detailed analysis of each. Too good to reduce to a two-sentence quote, I told him, and he graciously agreed to let me share it in my blog.
Astute observations, indeed. Here they are:
The sad part is that all the candidates are in economic survival mode, and that could lead to the extinction of all small classes as well as our nationally renowned Great Books Program and our new Creative Writing Program. Literature classes are already being rationed and eliminated. Losing the traditional curriculum, I believe, is ultimately suicidal but in survival mode, no one looks past the present crisis
Each candidate was asked to describe where they saw the community college in five years. This question was suggested by Clemens.
As (Larry) Buckley noted, the Board of Governors president doubts Proposition 30 will pass and that will mean possibly 25 colleges closing. And if the BOG provides relief by suspending regulations, that could make it even worse because it will be easier to pink slip full time, tenured faculty and replace them with adjuncts, para-educators, tutors, and software.
Angela Fairchilds
Pros: Personable, used humor, energetic, somewhat connected, some candor
Cons: Often described a problem rather than provided a solution, e.g., “we need to build back FTEs.” How? “We’ll have no money without Prop 30.” And so . . ... ? “We are no longer the institution that we were.” What are we? How do we establish criteria for filling positions? “Set priorities." Lacked experience with program discontinuance.
Kathryn Jeffrey
Pros: Smart and funny.
Cons: Too much flattery. (She went on and on about how great MPC is and how well the college functions) Seemed to lose steam halfway through, fuzzy response (on some contracts and financial models), not astute about online—my notes say “getting really confusing.”
Larry Buckley
Pros: My choice. Academic Ph.D. He was honest and candid as well as well-connected in Sacramento... He said what I’ve been saying, “what is most important to us with the resources we have?” “We have to have a new deal” (finance model).
Buckley was straightforward, didn’t mince words, and had cogent ideas. He didn’t seem to be applying in hopes of retiring in Monterey. He was light years ahead of the other candidates in his grasp of the political and educational situation. He seems to have the guts to make the cuts.
Cons: I doubt I would like all his decisions, especially convening a committee to do curricular triage. We did it before, the Instructional Priorities Committee, and it featured “the usual suspects,” the faculty identified as reliable who are on every important committee. It was very powerful and very political.
Walter Tribley
Pros: Academic Ph.D. Good scientific knowledge, apparent support of liberal arts.
Cons: Nervous. Simply not enough knowledge of California and MPC landscape. Support for liberal arts seemed to evaporate with “funding will play a large and disproportionate role” in prioritizing. Referred to “para-educators.” Maybe too dazzled by educational novelties?
Thursday, March 1, 2012
MPC English teacher David Clemens
wrote a very provocative, insightful essay for the National Association of Scholars about the recommendations of the Student Success Task Force about how to revamp community colleges. In it, Clemens rips the recommendations as nothing more than "a power grab by the Chancellor and a profit center for software peddlers."
"The recommendations ... in fact have nothing to do with either real students or real success but if implemented, they will fundamentally retool the largest higher education system in the world. Their adoption by the BOG puts California in a familiar place: on a collision course with reality. Simply put, the reform scheme is pure behaviorist claptrap based on fictional students being taught in fictional ways by fictional teachers."
I've reported in the past how Monterey Peninsula College administrators, faculty and students opposed the recommendations, which would effectively discourage offering life-enrichment classes in favor of more academic courses such as remedial math and English. Both President Doug Garrison and Board President Lynn Davis wrote impassioned letters to the Board of Governors, opposing adoption.
Well, the recommendations indeed have been adopted and now are on their way to the Legislature for consideration. How and when will they become a reality will take some time, given how our bureaucracy works.
In the meantime, Prof. Clemens essay has brought the debate to the national arena: his essay was blogged about in The Hechinger Report and now is being discussed in the public forum of the National Education Writers Association.
To call these recommendations a sore spot is an understatement. And they'll remain so for a long time to come.
"The recommendations ... in fact have nothing to do with either real students or real success but if implemented, they will fundamentally retool the largest higher education system in the world. Their adoption by the BOG puts California in a familiar place: on a collision course with reality. Simply put, the reform scheme is pure behaviorist claptrap based on fictional students being taught in fictional ways by fictional teachers."
I've reported in the past how Monterey Peninsula College administrators, faculty and students opposed the recommendations, which would effectively discourage offering life-enrichment classes in favor of more academic courses such as remedial math and English. Both President Doug Garrison and Board President Lynn Davis wrote impassioned letters to the Board of Governors, opposing adoption.
Well, the recommendations indeed have been adopted and now are on their way to the Legislature for consideration. How and when will they become a reality will take some time, given how our bureaucracy works.
In the meantime, Prof. Clemens essay has brought the debate to the national arena: his essay was blogged about in The Hechinger Report and now is being discussed in the public forum of the National Education Writers Association.
To call these recommendations a sore spot is an understatement. And they'll remain so for a long time to come.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
