Monday Matters: UAFS Professor ‘Teaches For Life’
By Justin Bates, Times Record, Fort Smith, Ark. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Whiting, 57, professor of English and rhetoric at the
She has been published in numerous journals, written chapters in textbooks and even helped develop some of the Common Core education standards used in
Good assignments don't just hit one Common Core, they hit many, Whiting says.
"I teach for life, not just for kids going to college," Whiting said. "(Common Core) scares a lot of teachers, but I think it challenges them to quit thinking that reading and writing comes from English teachers -- it's not the English teacher's duty; it's every teacher's responsibility to make sure our students are literate. I think this pushes math, science and history teachers that they teach literacy skills as well, like a lab report or a word problem. It's bigger than just English. It's about teaching about life. That's what I find the best about it."
Whiting has taken that philosophy to co-author a textbook for high school English classes that has become the second-best-selling book in its field.
She co-wrote "Language and Composition: The Art of Voice" with the late
The book, published by
Advanced Placement is a program in
The textbook was released for school review in
Essays collected in the textbook range from classical works by
"I like the focus on more modern topics like technology and helicopter parenting," Anderson stated in a news release. "I could see myself cannibalizing some of these selections for close reading analysis."
"I think the main thing I've taken away from it is the methodology, not specific methods she's used, but her tools she uses to challenge students," Gerhardson said. "Specifically by looking at interactive and visual texts, I try to incorporate a lot of those things at Darby to help our students be better learners. The key thing from her book is getting them involved in their learning."
Whiting said the book has been a monumental success.
"Here I was, sitting down in
She says the methodology in the textbook is more than just text, but about testing your limits.
"I try to explain that to my own students, to write from your gut," Whiting said. "I give people more points for being brave than trying to write something that didn't take a risk."
Whiting's influence goes beyond that of the classroom and her published works, as she has become influential in her students' lives.
"Her main influence on me was that it's not just about the content you teach, it's about maintaining a rapport with your students," Gerhardson said. "She taught me the importance of building and sustaining relationships after you finish your teaching is the most important thing you can do as a teacher."
Gerhardson, a 2007 UAFS graduate, said she took Whiting's courses for three years and has kept in touch with her, considering her a mentor and a friend.
"I lost my mother 3 1/2 years ago, and she called me as soon as she heard," Gerhardson said. "She's not one of those professors you're scared to approach. When I need to talk to someone, she's that person. She's passionate about not only the subject, but the students needs."
"We are very proud of her, and we encourage our staff to continue to learn and develop. This is very much a part of what we do here," Hardin said of Whiting.
Whiting says she is getting ready to start another book and has plans to retire "who knows when" to her second home in
She and her husband,
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