Scheme for Discussions – Great Plains Seminar

Our seminar proceedings should make place for flexibility and spontaneity. On the other hand, it’s my duty to provide some structure for our discussions, so that we start easily and feel like we are on task. Here, then, is a scheme for ordering our discussions of the four core texts.

The scheme builds upon the narrative of the proposal to the NEH for the seminar; you’ll find it posted here. I encourage you to read the narrative for an overview of what I had in mind for the seminar. Of course, as you assert yourselves, the proceedings evolve, sometimes in ways I do not anticipate! I quote here one paragraph from the proposal.

The seminar director being a historian, the predominant approach to the texts will be straightforwardly historical, emphasizing text in context. This approach has two aspects. It seeks first to enlighten the text, and second to extend the text. The text is enlightened through understanding of the circumstances of the author, the subject, and the intellectual currents of the time. The text is extended through consideration of the power of its concepts, themes, and images to make sense of regional life. In between these two aspects, there will be time for other ways of reading, but these are ways of close reading which are characteristically historical.

Now let me expand a bit on that. I think of our treatment of each text as a matter of four E’s: exploration, enlightenment, extension, and enrichment.

Exploring the Text

Our initial discussion of each text is exploratory. At this stage we talk about the book as a whole, and any particular aspects we wish to. I have in mind certain set activities to get things going.

1. A written assessment, whereby each of you is invited to set down in writing your impressions of the text. This will lead to discussions based on the responses to the questionnaire. (I ask one of you to moderate this discussion.)

2. Readings from the commonplace books. Several individuals are asked in advance to be prepared to read a passage copied in a commonplace book. Others then may volunteer. Discussion of the passages—why they were selected, what they mean to the reader and to others—ensues. (Once again, I ask one of you to moderate the discussion.)

3. A brief presentation of text and image by me—some sort of PowerPoint presentation that takes us to the author’s place.

4. Time out for reflective writing. I ask each of you to respond to a question with a paragraph, after which we will share our writings. (This time I moderate the discussion.)

5. Questions for group discussion. I ask several of you to prepare a question in advance and to lead the discussion of it.

Enlightening the Text

On the second day devoted to any text we proceed to individual oral reports that enlighten the text. Reports at this stage are intended to deepen our knowledge of the author who created the work; explain literary trends or historical circumstances that shaped it; and in general, throw light upon the creation of the work. These reports treat the work as an artifact—a precious object that we value and wish to understand for its own sake. The study pages for the individual works provide some suggested topics, but you also can develop your own. I would like to have two or three reports enlightening the text, with ample time for discussion of each. Here are some guidelines for reports.

1. The presentation should be 20-25 minutes in length. We allow about an equal amount of time for discussion.

2. Make a one-page handout that people can carry away (so print 16 copies). Include key points or terms, suggested readings, and anything else you want.

3. If you need equipment (LCD projector, slide projector, whatever), be sure to let me know well in advance.

4. Give me your title in advance, too, so I can post it on the calendar.

5. Interactive is good. Use your teaching skills. Teach us something, and help us teach one another.

Extending the Text

The same guidelines apply for reports on the next day, which are intended to extend the concepts, themes, and images of the work and use them to enlighten regional life, here on the plains or elsewhere. Here we treat the work as a document, which we have read for certain understandings, and then we apply those understandings. Again, see the study pages for suggested topics. We should have two or three reports extending the text.

Enrichment

In most cases, following our discussion of the text, we have some sort of enrichment session not directly focusing on the text but taking off from it—a change of pace. For instance, after reading Cather we learn how to bake kolaches and deal with Great Plains foodways. (Check out the kolache references in Cather’s story, “Neighbor Rosicky.”)

Scribes

For each seminar session we appoint a scribe. The scribe is charged with taking notes on proceedings and posting them, like minutes, to the Potluck. This saves us all mad scribbling while discussions are in progress; each of use can just note particular points or phrases of personal interest and rely on the scribe for general proceedings.

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