Teaching and Testimony
Rigoberta Menchu and the North American Classroom
Published on 3. July 1996
Book
Hardback
391 pages
978-0-7914-3013-2 (ISBN)
Description
Contains narratives of the experiences of teachers using the testimonial of Rigoberta Menchu, a Guatemalan Indian woman who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992. Includes background essays on Menchu and the role of her story in political correctness debates.
By utilizing the testimonial narrative of Rigoberta Menchu-a Mayan-Quiche of Guatemala and winner of the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize-teachers in this volume engage students in vital and relevant cross-cultural learning in a variety of locations, disciplines, and levels. Teaching and Testimony tells teachers' stories of using Menchu's testimonial in their classrooms, and invites reflection on the transformative possibility of integrating previously marginalized voices. Energized by the teaching of Menchu's testimonial narrative, I, Rigoberta Menchu, these teachers let their guard down, wrestle with the immediate difficulties and possibilities of multicultural teaching, and speak with passion about the importance of what they and their students are learning.
By utilizing the testimonial narrative of Rigoberta Menchu-a Mayan-Quiche of Guatemala and winner of the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize-teachers in this volume engage students in vital and relevant cross-cultural learning in a variety of locations, disciplines, and levels. Teaching and Testimony tells teachers' stories of using Menchu's testimonial in their classrooms, and invites reflection on the transformative possibility of integrating previously marginalized voices. Energized by the teaching of Menchu's testimonial narrative, I, Rigoberta Menchu, these teachers let their guard down, wrestle with the immediate difficulties and possibilities of multicultural teaching, and speak with passion about the importance of what they and their students are learning.
Reviews / Votes
"This is one of the more engaging books of its kind-that I have read. Not only will the readership glean fascinating and unique insights into an eclectic number of topics (value of testimony, authenticity of voice and testimony, complexity of culture, deprivation of human rights, U. S. role in the deprivation of human rights, feminism, student resistance to reading a testimony of this nature, etc.), but also numerous and invaluable pedagogical strategies. A particular strength of the volume is that the authors share with the reader their frustrations, the barriers they faced, some of their failures, and lessons learned during their attempt to teach the work, and resounding successes. The struggle and breakthroughs are enlightening!" - Samuel Totten, University of ArkansasMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Albany, NY
United States
Target group
College/higher education
US School Grade: College Graduate Student and over
Weight
699 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7914-3013-2 (9780791430132)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Allen Carey-Webb is Assistant Professor of English Education at Western Michigan University Stephen Benz is Assistant Professor of English at Barry University. He is the author of Guatemalan Journey, an account of his two years as a Fulbright Scholar in Guatemala.
Content
INTRODUCTION
1. Transformative Voices
Allen Carey-Webb
2. Culture Shock and I, Rigoberta Menchu
Stephen Benz
CONTROVERSIAL FIGURE
3. From Peasant to National Symbol
Arturo Arias
4. Why Dinesh D'Souza Has It in for Rigoberta Menchu
Gene H. Bell-Villada
TEACHING THE LATIN AMERICAN CONTEXT
5. Me llamo Rigoberta Menchu: Autoethnography and the Recoding of Citizenship
Mary Louise Pratt
6. Creating a Context for Rigoberta Menchu
Gene H. Bell-Villada
7. The Testimonial of Rigoberta Menchu in a Native Tradition
Luis O. Arata
8. Official Violence and Folk Violence: Approaching I, Rigoberta Menchu from the Perspectives of Folklife and Peace Studies
William Westerman
9. Literature from the Land Between: A High School Unit on Central American Literature
Judith E. Petersen
10. The Testimony of Rigoberta Menchu in the Foreign Language Curriculum
Sharon Ahern Fechter
RIGOBERTA MENCHU AND WHITE, MIDDLE-CLASS STUDENTS
11. Writing Their Way to Compassionate Citizenship: Rigoberta Menchu and Activating High School Learners
June Kuzmeskus
12. The Freshman Experience at Willamette University: Teaching and Learning with Rigoberta Menchu
Catherine Ann Collins and Patricia Varas
13. Having to Read a Book about Oppression: Encountering Rigoberta Menchu's Testimony in Boulder, Colorado
Robin Jones
14. Worlding Students
Steve Mathews
15. Passion and Politics: Teaching Rigoberta Menchu's Text as a Feminist
Stacey Schlau
RIGOBERTA MENCHU AND MINORITY/NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS
16. Rigoberta Menchu's Testimony: Empowering ESL Students to Write
David Blot
17. Testimony in a Adolescent Day Treatment Center: Rigoberta Menchu and At-Risk Youth
Angela Wilcox Moroukian
TESTIMONIAL CONSTRUCTIONS
18. Testimonial Dictionary to the Reading of Me llamo rigoberta Menchu y asi me nacio la conciencia: In Search of Our Voice
Rino G. Avellaneda, Ksenija Bilbija, Laura G. Gutierrez, Myriam Osorio, Stacey D. Skar, Angela G. Wasia
19. Rigoberta's Earrings: The Limits of Teaching Testimonio
Tace Hedrick
20. Not Just Plain English: Teaching Critical Reading with I, Rigoberta Menchu
Clyde Moneyhun
21. "This is My Testimony": Rigoberta Menchu in a Class on Oral History
Meri-Jane Rochelson
COMPARATIVE STRATEGIES
22. Rigoberta Menchu's Testimony as Required First-Year Reading
Jonnie G. Guerra and Sharon Ahern Fechter
23. A Window of Opportunity: An Ethics of Reading Third World Autobiography
Janet Varner Gunn
24. Supplementing the Standard Curriculum: Twain's Connecticut Yankee and Menchu's Indian Woman of Guatemala
Geraldine T. Rodriguez
REFLECTIVE TEACHING
25. Bridging the Gap: Modes of Testimony and Teaching Central American Politics
Daniel Goldrich
26. Rigoberta Menchu and Latin American Cultural History: A Professor's Journal
Teresa Longo
27. Training Teachers with Rigoberta Menchu: A Computer Conference
Allen Carey-Webb
28. Rigoberta Menchu's Secret: Culture and Education
John Willinsky
Appendix 1 Teaching Materials for I, Rigoberta Menchu
Appendix 2 Film/Video Resources
Appendix 3 Guatemalan Resources/Activism
Contributors
Bibliography
Index
1. Transformative Voices
Allen Carey-Webb
2. Culture Shock and I, Rigoberta Menchu
Stephen Benz
CONTROVERSIAL FIGURE
3. From Peasant to National Symbol
Arturo Arias
4. Why Dinesh D'Souza Has It in for Rigoberta Menchu
Gene H. Bell-Villada
TEACHING THE LATIN AMERICAN CONTEXT
5. Me llamo Rigoberta Menchu: Autoethnography and the Recoding of Citizenship
Mary Louise Pratt
6. Creating a Context for Rigoberta Menchu
Gene H. Bell-Villada
7. The Testimonial of Rigoberta Menchu in a Native Tradition
Luis O. Arata
8. Official Violence and Folk Violence: Approaching I, Rigoberta Menchu from the Perspectives of Folklife and Peace Studies
William Westerman
9. Literature from the Land Between: A High School Unit on Central American Literature
Judith E. Petersen
10. The Testimony of Rigoberta Menchu in the Foreign Language Curriculum
Sharon Ahern Fechter
RIGOBERTA MENCHU AND WHITE, MIDDLE-CLASS STUDENTS
11. Writing Their Way to Compassionate Citizenship: Rigoberta Menchu and Activating High School Learners
June Kuzmeskus
12. The Freshman Experience at Willamette University: Teaching and Learning with Rigoberta Menchu
Catherine Ann Collins and Patricia Varas
13. Having to Read a Book about Oppression: Encountering Rigoberta Menchu's Testimony in Boulder, Colorado
Robin Jones
14. Worlding Students
Steve Mathews
15. Passion and Politics: Teaching Rigoberta Menchu's Text as a Feminist
Stacey Schlau
RIGOBERTA MENCHU AND MINORITY/NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS
16. Rigoberta Menchu's Testimony: Empowering ESL Students to Write
David Blot
17. Testimony in a Adolescent Day Treatment Center: Rigoberta Menchu and At-Risk Youth
Angela Wilcox Moroukian
TESTIMONIAL CONSTRUCTIONS
18. Testimonial Dictionary to the Reading of Me llamo rigoberta Menchu y asi me nacio la conciencia: In Search of Our Voice
Rino G. Avellaneda, Ksenija Bilbija, Laura G. Gutierrez, Myriam Osorio, Stacey D. Skar, Angela G. Wasia
19. Rigoberta's Earrings: The Limits of Teaching Testimonio
Tace Hedrick
20. Not Just Plain English: Teaching Critical Reading with I, Rigoberta Menchu
Clyde Moneyhun
21. "This is My Testimony": Rigoberta Menchu in a Class on Oral History
Meri-Jane Rochelson
COMPARATIVE STRATEGIES
22. Rigoberta Menchu's Testimony as Required First-Year Reading
Jonnie G. Guerra and Sharon Ahern Fechter
23. A Window of Opportunity: An Ethics of Reading Third World Autobiography
Janet Varner Gunn
24. Supplementing the Standard Curriculum: Twain's Connecticut Yankee and Menchu's Indian Woman of Guatemala
Geraldine T. Rodriguez
REFLECTIVE TEACHING
25. Bridging the Gap: Modes of Testimony and Teaching Central American Politics
Daniel Goldrich
26. Rigoberta Menchu and Latin American Cultural History: A Professor's Journal
Teresa Longo
27. Training Teachers with Rigoberta Menchu: A Computer Conference
Allen Carey-Webb
28. Rigoberta Menchu's Secret: Culture and Education
John Willinsky
Appendix 1 Teaching Materials for I, Rigoberta Menchu
Appendix 2 Film/Video Resources
Appendix 3 Guatemalan Resources/Activism
Contributors
Bibliography
Index