Conflicts and Crises in the Composition Classroomand What Instructors Can Do about Them

Classroom crises challenge all writing instructors, especially when they are new to the field. But even an old pro's resources can be stretched thin when race or gender becomes an issue or, more insidiously, when a difficult student undermines the course, questions professorial authority, or--worst of all--creates an atmosphere of distrust and dislike. Situations like these can derail a semester, but they also can encourage a reexamination of composition theory and a reinvention of classroom practice.

Conflicts and Crises in the Composition Classroom takes you inside 17 real-life composition classrooms and explores how you can defuse potentially explosive situations and reinvigorate your teaching. Each story opens a window into day-to-day practice in classrooms where learning to write suddenly takes a backseat to dealing with conflict: You strongly suspect a student of plagiarism, but you lack definitive proof. How do you address the issue?

One class member dominates discussions and disrupts students' sense of their own community. How do you get the class back on track?

External events cause an explicit and bitter division among your students along a racial divide. How can you restore a sense of community and foster productive discussions? Conflicts and Crises in the Composition Classroom invites readers, especially those in graduate teaching seminars, to discuss, analyze, and debate problems and potential solutions. Whether you are teaching your first comp section or your fifty-first, these narrative explorations will offer you both practical advice and professional inspiration.