Is Work/Life Balance Achievable in Academia?

by Matthew Teutsch

For the first few weeks, I would walk into my eight o’clock class to bright faces and smiles from the students seated within the rows. About a month into the semester, and coincidentally around the same time that they had to turn in their first essay, the smiling faces turned to tired and haggled sleep-deprived visages that stared blankly back at me as I … Read More Is Work/Life Balance Achievable in Academia?

September 28, 2017 + african american literature, american literature, an appeal to the colored citizens of the world, comte de buffon, david walker, early american literature, just teach one, king philip, native american literature, Rosa; or, American Genius and Education, william apess

Refuting Europe in “Rosa, or American Genius and Education”

by Matthew Teutsch

Over the past few class sessions, we have looked at Rosa, or American Genius and Education (1810). Published anonymously, the satirical novel presents an interesting examination and discussion for my early American literature survey course. There is a lot that can be looked at in regards to this novel; however, today, I want to focus specifically on the Peruvian Sol who enters the narrative mid-way through … Read More Refuting Europe in “Rosa, or American Genius and Education”

September 26, 2017 + american literature, captivity, captivity narrative, early american literature, king philip, Literature, louise erdrich, mary rowlandson, native american literature, poetry

Mary Rowlandson and Louise Erdrich’s “Captivity”

by Matthew Teutsch

I always enjoy teaching Mary Rowlandson’s Narrative for a myriad of reasons. It presents students with an early example of that distinctly American genre the captivity narrative, it highlights the role of women in colonial America, it illuminates the colonists’ feelings towards Native Americans, and it serves as a text that showcases Puritan thought during the late 1600s. Today, I want to take the … Read More Mary Rowlandson and Louise Erdrich’s “Captivity”

August 31, 2017 + active learning, african american literature, american literature, david hume, david walker, early american literature, ibram x. kendi, Literature, louisiana literature, native american literature, Pedagogy, phillis wheatley, southern literature, thomas jefferson

Active Learning in the Literature Classroom

by Matthew Teutsch

Over the past few semesters, I began my early American literature course with Thomas Jefferson. Starting with Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence, Notes from the State of Virginia, and letter to Benjamin Banneker was important considering the recent events in Charlottesville, VA. Typically, I start the first class with David Walker then back track to Jefferson, but after reading Ibram X. Kendi’s “What would Jefferson … Read More Active Learning in the Literature Classroom

August 22, 2017 + african american literature, american literature, charlottesville, chronicle of higher education, college, david walker, early american literature, How Universities Embolden White Nationalists, Literature, louisiana literature, marcia Chatelain, mississippi literature, native american literature, noconfederatesyllabus, Pedagogy, southern literature, thomas jefferson

How Can We Listen and Learn from Our Students After Charlottesville?

by Matthew Teutsch

Last Friday, Marcia Chatelain’s “How Universities Embolden White Nationalists” in the Chronicle of Higher Education. Chatelain begins by talking about the white nationalists who descended upon Charlottesville and how some people see them and just say, “They’re just ignorant!” However, that is not the case. They are college educated, and as Chatelain notes, Richard Spencer went to UVa, Duke, and The University of Chicago. University … Read More How Can We Listen and Learn from Our Students After Charlottesville?

Interminable Rambling

Is Work/Life Balance Achievable in Academia?

Category: native american literature