Tuesday, February 3, 2009
exactly 100 - ADVOCACY!
Through the eyes of Gertrude Himmelfarb, teaching students their course material through an autobiographical lens is an “intrusion of personal reminiscences or reflections”(85). Her criticism came off rather harsh as she expressed a belief that professors are “taking advantage of the university that permits them to indulge their predilections even while enjoying the perquisites of rank, tenure, and financial security”(87). Himmelfarb went on to suggest that “relativism and subjectivism are more pervasive than ever before”(88); as if expressing one’s perspective and personal connections to our surrounding world were so terrible. How unsatisfying, only to learn the dry print of text.
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Ash,
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed with you (like Mar) for including quotes from the text. Nicely done.
I do think, however, that this summary verges on the territory of a response, where your own points are being made along with a summary of the points of the author. There is a nice balance between the two, however, so one doesn't seem to overshadow the other.
Abby
Revised:
ReplyDelete'The New Advocacy and the Old' by Gertrude Himmerlfarb, strongly suggested, professors who teach course material through an autobiographical lens are committing an "intrusion of personal reminisces or reflections"(85). Her harsh criticism vocalized her belief that such professors "take advantage of the university that permits them to indulge their predilections even while enjoying the prequisites of rank, tenure, and financial security"(87). Himmelfarb also claimed that "relavitism and subjectivism are more pervasive than ever before"(88), casting negative shadows on the act of sharing personal perspectives. The very heart of her article beats out the command: "Learn only the dry print of text."