Teaching Literature

Rating:
Summary: A bit disappointing
Review: I purchased this book hoping to get more practical, concrete advice about how to plan for and teach my literature classes. While Showalter's book does contain some useful ideas, most of those ideas exist at the abstract level.

For example, in the sub-section on leading discussion, Showalter lists the types of questions that an instructor generally wants to ask during a discussion. Instead of explaining each of the types, however, Showalter just lists them and mentions the book that they were taken from. The reader of Showalter's book would thus need to track down the original book that she got her ideas from.

Overall, this book does have some good ideas and it's always nice to know that other professors experience the same types of worries and fears at the start of each new semester. As far as as concrete advice goes, however, I felt like this book was lacking.

Rating:
Summary: And Gladly Teach
Review: Professor Showalter's book about the teaching of literature is the most honest, realistic, directly applicable work in the field. Avoiding the jargantuan language of the educational establishment, she has put together a most readable work that should aid the beginning instructor as well as the most experienced. Her mind is open to a wide range of pegagogical techniques, recognizing the need for flexible and pragmatic solutions to a highly complex activity. While it is aimed at teachers of literature much of it applies to all areas and levels of teaching. Her background of experience and the range of her interests make the advice she gives credible. I only wish I had been able to read such a work when I began teaching over fifty years ago.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent help for all teachers of Lit
Review: Teaching Literature is excellent and practical. I have found useful ideas on nearly every page. It's balanced and informative as well as emotionally encouraging.