Posts by Amy
We’re More Alike Than You Know
by Kristi Leibhart I’ve been teaching developmental or foundational English classes in both reading and writing at NPCC for the past five years and it just occurred to me: I, too, was once a developmental student. Yes, I’m qualified to teach these students. They are in good hands. I’m well-qualified. I spent my entire life…
Read MoreCreating Authentic Bonds Between Speaker and Listener by Mary Birdsall
Recently I read an article that discussed how to ask better questions, particularly when establishing relationships. The author, Lila MacLellan, cited research by Harvard professors Alison Wood Brooks and Leslie John that emphasized the importance of asking follow-up questions. I gave this a try today as I met my first two classes of our summer…
Read MoreTeachers as Writers: Earned Expertise
by Phip Ross I get the honor of talking with teachers about their practice fairly regularly. I could say it’s part of my job, but it’s really not how I think of the work. The way each of us go about cracking that nut which is effective practice is pretty fascinating and every classroom context…
Read MoreWhat’s New at NDEC?
As our 2018 conference approaches, there are several exciting changes to take note of. First, our website has a new look! Take a moment to peruse the site and soak up the new aesthetics. We hope you’ll find the update more visually appealing and easy to navigate. When you visit the site, you’ll see there…
Read MoreOMG Where Did My Essay Go: Why Digital Literacy is Crucial in Developmental English
By Jessie Lovett Allen A student gripping a laptop approached me in a panic because she had accidentally deleted her essay file. I said, “Did you bring your laptop to the tech support office?” Of course I’d given students tech support contact information. Heck, the helpdesk office was across the hall from our classroom. But…
Read MoreThe Language of Dis-/Connection
by Phip Ross Two observations from the Lincoln Journal Star newspaper in the past seven days make me want to be alert to how language is used to label and narrow our understanding of one another. Tell me what you think. Last week in the advice column by Amy Dickinson—I do read this on occasion…
Read MoreCreative Inspiration from NDEC 2017 Conference
This quarter I went full throttle and just made every activity a collaborative or visual project. (That’s full throttle for me, anyway.) Maybe my colleagues have seen some of the things my students have done on the classroom walls? I usually don’t implement so many projects into my courses, so I’m curious as to what…
Read MoreAll Hands on Deck
A new calendar year flips and most feel a sense of time passing. We imagine a “clean slate” and start to take stock of where we’ve been and where we’re going as individuals and in the groups of people we are invested with. Then, maybe, we set our sights on peaks we’ve yet to climb.…
Read MoreThe Tyranny of Textbooks: The Need for Systemic Change in Student-Facing Resources at Community Colleges
By Jeremy Broyles Introduction I have taught at the college level now for more than a decade. That number still seems a bit surreal; surely I am not that old. During those ten-plus years, I have had the opportunity to teach all over the country at various institutions. I have taught in lecture halls with…
Read MoreTaking Aim at Stereotype Threat
Greg walked into his class and felt dread, eyes upon him, and felt stupid before he even sat down. During class, the teacher roamed the room to answer questions. Greg, however, felt ignored and alone. He was the only African American in a first-year course at SCC. As the quarter progressed and students tested out,…
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