Composition and education have long questioned a central premise of the academy and university life in higher education: What is a classroom? Recent research published in Psychological Science steers us toward a premise that is of paramount interest to our discipline. What would it mean for the natural world to serve the acting, thinking brains of our … Continue reading Can We Hold Class Outside, Professor? Nature, Cognition and Composition
Writing and Mindfulness I first encountered meditation during the spring semester of my senior year of college. A group of twenty or so of us sat in a two-tiered circle, red and blue light shimmering inside from the interfaith center’s stained glass windows, as a philosophy professor/smiling mystic led us in breathing exercises. These exercises … Continue reading Writing and Mindfulness
In a few weeks, I'll be presenting at a writing classroom and pedagogy conference called Writing Matters. This year's theme is "The Work Of Writing," and will feature panels and presentations from a variety of K-16 teachers. This semester, I've been teaching my Freshman composition courses at SUNY Cortland through a blog, which we utilize … Continue reading Writing Matters
Jacob Richter 