Praxis Blog: Community Engaged Pedagogy

This week’s texts make a strong case for community engaged pedagogy in the composition classroom. I particularly like Dean’s articulation of the ways in which community engaged pedagogy naturally follows from the goals of the composition classroom (103). However, Dean, Julier, Goldblatt, and Livingston also raise some very real concerns about putting community engagement into practice. I’d be particularly concerned about “replicating condescending models of charity and missionary work” (Julier, 60). As a first-time instructor of freshman, I’d be wary of proposing a community engaged course. However, I wonder if it would be a worthwhile idea to incorporate a community engaged project. Livingston, for one, thinks it would be “not enough to include content and projects involving historically marginalized groups” (66). But I wonder if it might be a good way to test the waters. I’d think, for example, about incorporating a project involving immigrant communities for my ENGL 101 Writing about Travel. Perhaps I could have students interview immigrants about their experiences coming to America and assist them with resumes and job applications (an endeavor in which I have some experience). In addition to the writing the undertake with the immigrant communities, students would produce reflective pieces about the experience. Hopefully this would benefit the immigrant communities and give students a new perspective on place and travel. For another course, perhaps an upper level writing course on memoir, I really like the idea Julier mentions about students collecting oral histories from nursing home patients.