http://www.robertpeake.com/archives/250-Poetry-Sidelined-in-Ventura.html Code Poet Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:13:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 http://www.robertpeake.com/archives/250-Poetry-Sidelined-in-Ventura.html/comment-page-1#comment-526 Robert Fri, 24 Nov 2006 07:41:12 +0000 http://www.robertpeake.com/?p=250#comment-526 I think the nature of introductory English classes as required for all disciplines makes it the focal point of attacks on subtlety. But to me it seems especially important if a student's academic exposure to the literary arts is to begin and end in this course that they be given at least the opportunity to catch the inspiration of what writing is all about. The poetry makes it human, and I honestly think that scares some people. Take it out entirely, however, and the impact on society is a far more scary prospect. I think the nature of introductory English classes as required for all disciplines makes it the focal point of attacks on subtlety. But to me it seems especially important if a student’s academic exposure to the literary arts is to begin and end in this course that they be given at least the opportunity to catch the inspiration of what writing is all about. The poetry makes it human, and I honestly think that scares some people. Take it out entirely, however, and the impact on society is a far more scary prospect.

]]> http://www.robertpeake.com/archives/250-Poetry-Sidelined-in-Ventura.html/comment-page-1#comment-525 Robert Fri, 24 Nov 2006 07:34:55 +0000 http://www.robertpeake.com/?p=250#comment-525 I don't claim to know all the details of the situation, but it certainly sounds like a single student complaint may have indeed stopped a positive, creative act of generosity on the part of this outstanding poet and teacher. Education seems to be more and more highly allergic to controversy of any kind these days, and more and more focused on standardized rote approaches. Yet an experience like the reading I heard last week is infinitely more educational and stimulating than a lecture. Inspiration has always lead meaningful learning by awakening the senses to the new. Take the poetry out of language, and there's nothing left to care about in the mechanical act of learning grammar and structure. I don’t claim to know all the details of the situation, but it certainly sounds like a single student complaint may have indeed stopped a positive, creative act of generosity on the part of this outstanding poet and teacher. Education seems to be more and more highly allergic to controversy of any kind these days, and more and more focused on standardized rote approaches. Yet an experience like the reading I heard last week is infinitely more educational and stimulating than a lecture. Inspiration has always lead meaningful learning by awakening the senses to the new. Take the poetry out of language, and there’s nothing left to care about in the mechanical act of learning grammar and structure.

]]> http://www.robertpeake.com/archives/250-Poetry-Sidelined-in-Ventura.html/comment-page-1#comment-524 Joseph Duemer Fri, 24 Nov 2006 02:53:21 +0000 http://www.robertpeake.com/?p=250#comment-524 American education has entered an age of High Instrumentalism. There is a war against subtlety going on, too, along with a profound distrust of unsanitized emotion. And the administrator is an idiot who knows nothing about writing. There is a strong current, even at Clarkson where I teach, that says students aren't learning to write unless they are learning to write technical reports, or at least Expository Prose. Fortunately, I have tenure & so my freshmen still read poetry. Fortunately for them, I mean. American education has entered an age of High Instrumentalism. There is a war against subtlety going on, too, along with a profound distrust of unsanitized emotion. And the administrator is an idiot who knows nothing about writing. There is a strong current, even at Clarkson where I teach, that says students aren’t learning to write unless they are learning to write technical reports, or at least Expository Prose. Fortunately, I have tenure & so my freshmen still read poetry. Fortunately for them, I mean.

]]> http://www.robertpeake.com/archives/250-Poetry-Sidelined-in-Ventura.html/comment-page-1#comment-523 Pearl Fri, 24 Nov 2006 00:55:30 +0000 http://www.robertpeake.com/?p=250#comment-523 Oh, that is a pity. One squeak of a wheel and the whole bus up on blocks. Firefighting management style at its typical. Oh, that is a pity. One squeak of a wheel and the whole bus up on blocks. Firefighting management style at its typical.

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