I will be teaching a section of ENG 181 themed around “Time Travel.” We will be reading a wide range of texts which address issues of history, memory, identity, and the relationship between time and art. One of those texts, Flight, is by the innovative and widely acclaimed Sherman Alexie. A CFDE mini-grant of $300 would enable me to facilitate a conversation via Skype between our class and Mr. Alexie. Such a conversation would not only give my students the opportunity to ask Mr. Alexie questions about the text, but also enable them to engage with a professional author who has published in diverse genres, including novels, short stories, and poetry. This will deepen their insight into the representation of time in Flight, as well as help them understand how one writer approaches his craft.
Putting students in touch with an author is a good way for them to gather data for compositions on which they’re working and also to help them think about writing as craft. Nice idea!