I came to grad school to talk to brilliant, dedicated scholars about impactful research and praxis. Man did I luck out finding the CWS community. If you’re looking for some enlivening scholarly discourse on topics near to your own heart, consider joining one of CWS’s flourishing reading/working groups, or starting a new one!
CHAT chat has grown some strong roots over the last year, meeting regularly to explore Cultural Historical Activity Theory texts together. This spring we even hosted visiting scholar Joyce Walker to discuss ISU’s innovative CHAT-based first year composition program. The group will continue to meet biweekly on Friday afternoons come fall. Readings are chosen as a group based on where discussion leads us. If you’re taking Prior’s CHAT methods course this fall, this could be a great opportunity to explore related literature tailored to your interests, and to work through meaty concepts in an inquiring, supportive group. Visit the CHAT chat blog to see what we’ve read so far, group members’ reflections on our discussions, and our tentative fall schedule.
The Social Justice Praxis Working Group has also been picking up speed since it’s inauguration this past winter. The group plans to meet monthly this coming fall on Friday afternoons, and to participate in CWS’s planned fall symposium on social justice in education. Through activities including discussion of texts and material workshopping, this group seeks to support one another in reflexively building and enacting teaching practices that engage our students and ourselves in the transformative work of developing personal awareness, understanding inequity, embracing difference, and committing to action in pursuit of a more just world. Need some support in facilitating thoughtful, respectful dialogue around real-world issues in your writing class, or a place to work through a recent classroom experience? SJP would love to have you. The SJP blog is still under construction, but check back soon for our fall plans.
If you have any questions or would like to be included on emails for either group, contact me (Niki) at turnips2@illinois.edu or María Carvajal at crvjlrg2@illinois.edu. If you’re interested in starting a new reading group, we’d be happy to help get the word out!