Webb, Literature and Lives Chapter 1

Webb's book is constructed in a way that is benificial for teachers as a resource. Each chapter has a reference section that allows the teacher to view many different materials that can be used in the classroom that relate to the material you are going to present to your students. In chapter one, Webb's approach to reader response is similar to Appleman's in that this theory should not be taught soley by itself but in conjuncture with other practicing theories in literary education and interpretation. When discussing reader response and cultural studies Webb connects two great theories that at first seem like they will just not work together. In Webb's classroom however, the theories worked extremly well together and I got a feeling like the students in his classroom responded to the mixture in a way that I too hope to experience when I teach. Cultural Studies usually is taught by studying a crisis or other extreme matter, but if there were a way to teach it without always using these controversial topics I think that students would truly gain the value of this approach. Challenging students view of the world is extremly important and I feel is the reason I got into teaching in the first place. I value learning and growing when they are developed together and helping students understand the world and helping them gain this realization on their own is a admirable trait in a teacher that i hope to one day embody. I found it to be a great resource to hear Webb discuss his experiences as a new teacher and how he never gave up his drive to constantly change his ways of teaching. His thoughts on classroom discussion were impressive and really gave me insight into the impact of respecting student responses to questions and directing the discussion in a desired direction.