This article was inspired by the authors' attempts to impact student responses to feminist theorizing in a third-year social psychology course. It was grounded in their participant observation, over a three-year period, as instructors at York University in Toronto, Canada. In their respective roles as professor and tutorial assistant, the authors…

The author presents her views on creating respect and dialogue in the Feminist Argument Class. She asserts that the instructor must "create the kind of atmosphere in which students can think honestly and openly about their position on an issue about which they care" (Lamb, "Beyond Argument" 18). When this atmosphere is created, students can be…

Shel Silverstein's children's book "The Giving Tree" imparts a useful metaphor for thinking about the role of teachers--women teachers in particular. The book's namesake is the epitome of altruism, providing branches, fruit, and even her trunk so that her beloved boy might have what he desires. And so it goes for women; endless giving, nurturing,…

Violence against women figures as a common topic in a variety of college courses, including those in psychology, sociology, criminology, and women's studies. The data on the risk of sexual assault for college women makes this a topic of particular interest and importance to many college students. Although it is fairly easy to find statistics about…

In this essay, the author theorizes and illustrates how engaging students in reflective talk can help them change their minds. The essay specifically addresses how patterns for reflective talk can support both the sustained, nonevaluative exploration of difficult material and the self-scrutiny necessary for acknowledging the implication in…

In this paper, the author presents a narrative describing both her personal life and professional life, sharing the development of her teaching strategies and their relationship to feminism. She details how her background, politics, insecurities, strengths, and values directly influenced the development of her teaching pedagogy, asserting that,…

In her 1974 essay "Toward a Woman-Centered University" Adrienne Rich notes that, contrary to popular belief, American universities are not bastions of free thought but patriarchal institutions that reinforce negative aspects of society, such as aggressive competition, domination, hierarchies of power, and gender inequity. Thirty years later Rich's…

In this article the author explores how the specific gender dynamics among newly arrived Vietnamese children influence classroom behavior in unanticipated ways. By focusing on specific ethnic experiences and data, analyzing similarities and differences, and offering other major findings on gender and power dynamics, she adds to the literature on…

Notes the types of issues and questions that challenged faculty designing a course in feminist research methodology. Outlines the principles underlying the selection and organization of teaching methods and course content; describes weekly class assignments; explains methods of assessing student progress; and provides a copy of the course…

Presents the story of the creation of an undergraduate course on the traditional and contemporary roles of women in North American Indian cultures. Notes that the course was designed around experiential learning precepts and the idea of "giving voice" to American Indian women. Lists texts used and evaluates course strengths. (DSK)

Discusses the benefits of marking sexual identities (as heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual) in the classroom, exposing students' hetero-normativity, and alerting them to ways in which seemingly "personal" lives are shaped by the political. Relates the authors' classroom experiences in trying to illustrate the socially-constructed aspects of…

Discusses using Donna Haraway's concept of affinity and affinity politics as a foundation for structuring collaborative pedagogy and feminist syllabi. Outlines the goals and assumptions of affinity-based pedagogy, and relates classroom experiences that illustrate its functioning. Notes the lessons that both students and teachers have taken away…

Addresses feminist pedagogical issues concerning whether the instructional methods and content of self-defense courses truly result in the empowerment of women in response to violence against them. Reviews research on the utility of learning resistance techniques, lists recommendations for self-defense teaching methods, and outlines a sample…

Argues that there are special problems associated with designing and teaching a course about authors outside of the literary canon. Traces the development of a course on Victorian women writers from initial development difficulties to final thoughts on restructuring the syllabus. Notes works used in the course. (DSK)

Explores the possibilities and implications of poststructuralist feminism for the practice of feminist teaching. Reflects on the experience of a man occupying the position of male-feminist teaching about feminist philosophies. Approaches the issues by examining three speech situations from a poststructuralist position: "speaking as;""speaking…