Mid-Semester Evaluation

All in all, I have to say that I genuinely look forward to class each Tuesday and Thursday. I appreciate the challenge and responsibility that comes from being in charge of the direction of our own class. I do find it challenging, as Anne would say, with 18 brains, we do all have to recognize that no one is going to get their personal vision. Which is why, I think, that I'm so interested in where our syllabus ended up.  I feel good about it, because I think it was the closest we could come to all parties compromising, but I'm curious to see where we all end up towards the latter few classes of the semester. I think that the next few weeks, with a discrete focus on fact v. fiction, will keep us grounded. As we get into larger issues, I wonder how we'll keep it reigned in and productive. The 'truth' of 'race,' seems a pretty daunting sub-topic which I fear will take us far from the discussion of non-fiction prose, but perhaps it will be fabulously fruitful.

I think the most interesting part of the last two classes (I know this is supposed to be a mid-semester overall evaluation, and I'll get there I promise!) is the need of many of us to take on every (or most) large societal themes. I never would have forseen people suggesting issues of politics, race, religion, or gender and sexuality. They are all hugely important, obviously, but I am heartened to have my peers confidence in our group to tackle these things. I'm not so sure I would have thought it true myself.

The four texts we covered for the first half of the semester were really interesting to me. "Fun Home" is one of my favorite books of all time, and I was impressed by Solnit, Shields and Naess. In some ways I am nostalgic for a four-text-half-of-semester. I am sure, however, that lively discussion awaits us no matter what.