Faculty recognized for using New York Times in classroom

Hilary Demske, lecturer in Music, was the grand prize winner of a contest, conducted by Academic Affairs at SUNY Fredonia, to encourage use of The New York Times as an instructional resource. She was awarded $250 by the newspaper.

Three additional faculty members – Dixon Reynolds, Kathryn Moore and Dr. Natalie Gerber – gained honorable mention in the contest and each received $25 FSA gift cards from Academic Affairs. Entries were reviewed by the Professional Development Center Advisory Committee.

In Ms. Demske’s class, Piano Pedagogy 1, students analyzed four classical reviews published in the Times, comparing and contrasting the reviews according to format, style, purpose and audience. Over the course of the semester, students examined five additional reviews and shared their own observations of them in class.

Students also compiled their own reviews of a current musical performance at SUNY Fredonia that were ultimately published online in a format style comparable to the Times online reviews. Their music review website attracted an endorsement at a pedagogy conference last fall from Anthony Tommasini, head music critic at the Times. He also praised the students for developing skills that will serve them as future music educators and leaders.

Mr. Reynolds, assistant professor, Theatre & Dance, utilized photos from the newspaper in two courses, Costume Design and Stage Makeup, to help students transform what they read into a visual that matches or complements the script or text. Their coursework involves use of design elements of color, texture, line and scale to tell a story through the art of collage as well as creation of a collection of images, mostly faces, as reference for future designs.

More than 100 images, including many clipped from the Times, were gathered and filed in various categories, including old age, middle age, ethnic, glamour, distressed, scars and blood, ailments and animals.

Ms. Moore, lecturer, English, had students enrolled in English Composition explore various editorial voices, representing both syndicated columnists and Times readers, and then write their own letters to the editor or editorial columns. Students received reactions to their editorials and participated in classroom discussion related to the subjects they selected.

Dr. Gerber, assistant professor, English, utilized articles from the paper in her class, English Grammar for Everyone, for text analysis and also as cautionary tales in prescriptive versus descriptive grammar. Students were encouraged to read the Times every day and collect examples of grammar use from the newspaper that were related to class discussions. An article, “What Corporate American Can’t Build: A Sentence,” was used to examine arguments that favor prescriptive grammar and also underscore the importance of proper grammar and clear communication in all professions. In another course, History of the English Language, Ms. Gerber utilized numerous Times articles to make points that were contemporary and relevant.