Georgian Court College

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According to Gray (1997), memoirs may be replacing novels as America's most popular printed product. These autobiographical works are being published at an amazing rate. Parini (1998) describes how in his "local bookstore, tall stacks of such books rise in unstable towers beside squat, less impressive stacks of recent novels" (p. A40). While some of these works are tributes to narcissism or dreadfully written confessionals, others are poignant recollections that offer a new world to readers.

In addition to America's love affair with the memoir, there has been a proliferation of book groups. Cregan (1997) believes that this trend signals the resurgence of reading as a popular pastime and that these book groups, rather than scholarly critics, are providing many people with guidance in their reading. Oprah Winfrey has a well?known television book club; bookstores and publishers are promoting reading groups; where is higher education in this equation?

I have used personal accounts, such as Let Me Hear Your Voice by Catherine Maurice, Life as We Know It, by Michael Berube, and The Broken Cord, by Michael Dorris, to teach students about the lives of disabled children. Many of my students reported that they had gone on to select and read similar books after the semester was over. A few even asked for recommendations for future reading. I have never, ever been approached by a student who
bought an additional textbook because the first one was so compelling.

Advantages of the Pedagogical Use of Memoirs

Memoirs can be used to bridge the gap between general and special education. Many teachers are apprehensive about the integration of students with disabilities into general education classrooms; some have demonstrated strong resistance. Their reluctance is understandable because few of these teachers have received specialized training at the pre? or in?service level. Despite the debate, there is little doubt that educational policy is moving towards teaching these children in the least restrictive environment (LRE) and general educators will be assuming more responsibility for providing instruction to all students. Teacher educators are looking for ways to introduce teachers to children with disabilities and their families. Why not let them introduce themselves?

The content of memoirs adds a new dimension to student understanding. Textbooks are valuable but they are unlikely to capture the lives of disabled children in the same way or have the same impact as the recollections and reflections of a parent. For example, statistics on alcohol consumption among Native Americans are easily forgotten. However, many of my pre?service teachers recalled that in The Broken Cord, the author, Michael Dorris (1990), described poverty?stricken Native American women, like the mother of his adoptive son, who, unable to purchase alcohol, desperately drank anti?freeze to get high, even during pregnancy. Students always report that important information is powerfully communicated in these works.

Memoirs offer many other benefits in addition to illuminating the lives of children with special needs. College and graduate students deserve and apparently need guidance in their reading. After examining campus best seller lists for the past twenty years or so, Shapiro (1998) concluded that colleges are doing a poor job of nurturing discriminating readers. Sales of cartoon and self-help books have far outpaced those of quality nonfiction. Teaching through memoirs and other quality books is one way faculty can get involved in shaping students' literary culture and helping them make better reading decisions.

Furthermore, this type of reading easily lends itself to writing and writing means learning. Through the act of writing, most students genuinely absorb ideas and information. There is little doubt that emphasizing writing in education classes is valuable for both strong and weak writers. Writing allows more time for careful consideration and provides a much-needed opportunity to practice a skill teacher will use every day. The fresh material in memoirs generally encourages fresh writing. In fact, it has been my experience that regular discussion and short papers outmaneuver even dedicated shirkers, plagiarists, and procrastinators.
Memoirs and related activities can be harnessed to increase students' comprehension and critical thinking. There is no question that these elements must be integrated into the education curriculum. Summarizing, interpreting, relating, hypothesizing, and analyzing are all part of teaching with memoirs. Language can be taught as an integrated system. Speaking, listening, reading, and writing are all used to foster reasoning and reflection.

Memoirs build insight. Textbooks are organized to cover content rather than stimulate thinking (Haas & Keeley, 1998). In contrast, memoirs usually have an emotional impact on readers which facilitates thinking (Halonen, 1995) and increases motivation. Students are guided through the process of reflective thinking with the memoir as a model. During the writing and discussion phases, students experiment with their ideas and receive feedback. In sum, they are primed to process their own experiences.

Memoirs and book groups can create a sense of community in class. Willimon and Naylor (1995) lament the loss of community on campus and note that there's nothing unified about the misnamed university. Isolation and loneliness are common and opportunities for quality interaction are limited. Ever increasing numbers of non?traditional students and commuters are grappling with especially serious issues of marginalization and estrangement.

Of course, memoirs and book groups cannot completely remedy these problems but this type of pedagogy does encourage cooperation and camaraderie in class. The small discussion groups offer students a different and friendlier way to interact with each other and their instructor. In small groups, students feel safe to question, criticize, disagree, and even get to know each other. This capitalizes on the social context of learning and makes class more enjoyable for everyone.

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The sheer number of books in this genre ensures that memoirs can be used in a wide variety of education courses to meet a broad range of goals. Review of the literature indicates that memoirs and autobiographies have been used to broaden students' cultural horizons (Cooper, 1992; Holmes, 1995) and to provide them with unique and accurate descriptions of complex developmental and educational phenomena.

Harner and Romer (1992) used the childhood recollections of a college student to help prospective teachers understand child psychology, particularly the roles of adults in a child's world. Baghban (1998) utilized the recollections of famous authors to help teachers expand their understanding of reading and writing as valuable processes for themselves and their students.

Through a book club with monthly meetings, Florio?Ruane and deTar (1994) investigated the potential of peer discussion in teacher education. These researchers invited six teacher candidates to read, write about, and discuss autobiographies. These meetings yielded both personal response and critical reading of the books, as well as many forms of formal and informal dialogue among peers.

There are many reports of success in teaching with memoirs. These books can be used to change student's perceptions. It is important to note that perceptions play a major role in the effectiveness of mainstreaming and inclusion programs (National Center on Educational Restructuring and Inclusion, 1994). Memoirs can help both general and special educators learn to truly value individual differences.