Liquid Ink

The official website of Gint Aras, Finalist 2016 CWA Book Award

Category Archives: Community Colleges


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Now Available: What is a College Student?

Admit it. The title of this book asks a good question. How would you answer it?

What is a College Student? is a companion to a study-skills, critical thinking or composition course. The textbook targets first-generation, urban-commuter, Generation 1.5, developmental and other non-traditional students.

Estimates vary, but according to an NCES assessment of college student demographics, a whopping 71.6% of college students in 2012 showed at least one characteristic considered “nontraditional.” What’s more striking: 26.3% of them exhibited four or more nontraditional characteristics. Parties interested in those characteristics should click on the links, but anyone teaching composition or study skills in college these days will be familiar with them.

The fact is, most of our students are “nontraditional.” It has become traditional to teach them.

Readers of Liquid Ink know that I have spent 20 years teaching community college students. I got so frustrated trying to find an appropriate textbook that I took to the task of writing one myself.

The book offers an introduction to college culture and custom, including considerations of concepts like tenure, academic freedom, the difference between “research” and “teaching,” and the flowchart of professional relationships in a college, particularly how it differs from that of a high school. The book also presents a step-based reading methodology, as it focuses on developing in the student a sense of natural curiosity that drives all inquiry.

What is a College Student? is an ebook read via VitalSource or RedShelf. The price is $40. Anyone can purchase a copy here.

Teachers and professors can request a review copy here.


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New Publication: “What is a College Student?”

I’m thrilled to announce my forthcoming book, “What is a College Student?” It’s a textbook due for publication in the late summer of 2023.

While this textbook is appropriate for any Rhetoric, Composition, Study Skills or Developmental language course taught in any college or university, its lessons are informed by my two decades of experience teaching first-generation, urban-commuter, and community college students. Students will find provocative ideas about active learning and the perspective shifts that occur when they dedicate themselves to college study. The book introduces reading methodologies and reflective exercises. It can function as a course of its own or a supplement to any course focused on orienting students to college expectation and culture. The book should also prove an honest guide to high school students curious to know if college is the right path for them.

I’m excited to be partnering with Kendall-Hunt for this project. I’ll offer more news in the coming weeks.


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How many sentences should a paragraph have?

After a decade of teaching in a community college, I’ve finally figured something out. It’s an indictment that it has taken this long, so I’ll take my licks.

There seems to be someone out in the world who is teaching young writers that paragraphs should have 6-8 sentences, and that those sentences should consist of about 8-12 words. Given these requirements, a page ends up consisting of about five paragraphs, just perfect for the five paragraph essay, a stack of neat little boxes all about the same shape and size.

This is baffling. Where did this idea originate? I’m sincerely curious. How can anyone who has ever read even a dozen newspaper articles or a couple of novels conclude that all paragraphs have 6-8 sentences, each composed of 8-12 words?

I don’t even know if I’d be able to write a paragraph like that. Let’s try it.

Belly button lint occurs when small bits of clothing end up trapped in one’s belly button. (fuck, too many words)

Restart:

Fuzz trapped in one’s belly button is known as belly button lint. This stuff can really be annoying to people of any social class. It will be made of the material one wears. When this material rubs against our skin, small bits fall off. Sometimes it ends up in our belly button. It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor. Belly button lint does not discriminate or judge. If you think otherwise, you’re among the misinformed.

That’s the worst piece of crap I’ve ever written. And it broke my head. If I had to write an entire essay by following these guidelines, I’d probably hate writing, especially if someone gave me a topic like “recycling”.

bins

Photo by epSos.de


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Independence is a myth (part 2, the expanded version)

I’ve written about this topic before, as long-time readers of my blog will know. This week’s True Community article deals with the myth of independence. Any basic look at human interaction makes it clear that we are interdependent, and that our fate and lot is determined not just by the actions of neighbors but by people who’ve long since died. Why does that offend us? Why are we so reluctant to think of ourselves as members of systems instead of islands.

I hope you enjoy tonight’s article.

Here’s another bit on the same topic from 2012, titled The Pre-Birth Menu.

Three Lamps