The intimacy of reading, or: An argument for slowing down

In March 2020, so many pieces of our lives suddenly stood still while at the same time, technology spun faster than ever. Our institutions hurled Jamboard, Flipgrid, Packback, Padlet, and Google us, to pretend way forward after briefest pauses. Amidst technological ramp-up, kids stagnated in disengagement with online learning. When I say “our kids,” mean both entire collegiate student body my own children, who were middle high school when lockdown hit. Over next 18 months, we all huddled before respective screens home, watched schooler, propped up bed, shrink size a 2 × black square on her class Zoom screen teacher valiantly tried reach other 25 or squares. Down hall, study over garage, did not look much different, particularly large (45–50 students) general education course memory culture that teach every fall Michigan State University. this bleak reality, two principles emerged as powerful tools for keeping students’ sanity: slowing down reading deeply. These insights appear overnight but gradually horizon spent summer trying figure out how best translate most meaningful aspects Gen Ed into an offering. Back physical classroom cycles now, have purposefully maintained pared-down syllabus, its elongated focus fewer primary texts. While comments here reference taught English outside program, found lessons learned there be relevant German courses well. And examples concern literature, they can readily expanded any space cultural expression encourages us engage kind deep reflection activates connection between historically geographically distant worlds. Regardless teaching modality level, become convinced less truly is more taking time (re-)discover love slow, close build resilience—both own. Initially motivated by sense sheer overwhelm, myself trimming content significantly: one novel was jettisoned altogether, documentary play four Shoah excerpts. Doing allowed me nearly double calendar major texts remained—Ruth Kluger's Still Alive Art Spiegelman's Maus. What began pragmatic search accommodate complexities quickly merged other, immediately tangible concerns. If students going remain physically isolated from each needed better pathway toward deeper questions disembodied head talking through them. absence social provided in-person (not mention larger-scale disruptions fabric pandemic, racial tensions, political divisiveness, more), reasoned, unique interiority relationship reader text could especially grounding meaningful. Deeper requires coupling act reflective tasks, foregrounding ways draw connections world their others’ experiences. Holocaust memoir offers itself sort engagement, textuality upon power literature broadly. Students required may relate written word Kluger does, she reaches grab them multiple ways. The autobiographical narrator reflects compellingly importance writing face extreme hardship, only camps across span life. As part direct address American readership second iteration life story (she penned German-language version decade earlier Ruth Klüger), also introduces epigraphs sections (Kluger, 2001, pp. 6, 13, 61, 133, 171, 203). Dedicating extemporize these additional voices—from Emily Dickinson Maya Angelou—students witness author's conversation authors enter explicitly welcomed partners. intentional space, encourage accept invitation connect those quotes sharing personal broader societal contexts. Resonances bubble make experiences familial relationships, emotional displacements, more. Teaching slowly means letting go, encounters text. Decluttering syllabus frees alert what happening one's mind. introduction Slow Professor, recent moment historical crisis, Maggie Berg Barbara Seeber remind “[w]e need think, do students. Time open-ended inquiry luxury crucial do” (Berg & Seeber, 2016, p. x). lies very heart humanities scholarship even disruption: unhurried, deliberate intellectual effort critical thinking, analysis, contextualized antidote psychic immobilization brought about pandemic. Beginning offering shared begin process, prod slow further several informal, handwritten journal entries semester. simple hand enforces slowness reflection—it something has potential marked (rather normative) practice. Linking low-stakes assignments (graded globally, generously, thoughtful completion alone) physicality putting pen paper move intimate explorations, are offered prompts ask craft personally inflected response read. find tend voice reflections poses new questions, expresses empathy, focuses concrete moments text, rather quick judgments generalizations surface often traditional essay writing. (Students upload journals management site read whether person; hybrid approach lowers threshold completion—if misses day's class, submit get feedback me.) Valorizing revives core value humanities, languages back center collective endeavor. There mourns loss items formerly included think creating meets instructor needs levels outlined above. old worried too “coverage” 1–2), driven internalized notions discipline disciplinarity perhaps performance anxiety vis-à-vis colleagues, real imagined deeply enough thinking. pandemic anything institutional it imperative tending whole persons, delivery. Wer jetzt kein Haus hat, baut sich keines mehr. allein ist, wird es lange bleiben, wachen, lesen, Briefe schreiben und den Alleen hin unruhig wandern, wenn die Blätter treiben. (Rilke, 45) Through Rilke's poem, took Marianne Juliane, sisters caught great upheaval. We talked calls action, available forms resistance own—and cutting stuff last 5 weeks syllabus. would foolhardy equate shrinking self-awareness conscience modeled film platform action reflect forces work ensuing issued call just heed crisis dynamics ourselves work, era corporate university. isolation shrank students; ongoing pressures threaten agency humanity. responsibility respond impactful ways, allow grow down, rich materials, occasionally, stepping away omnipresent put paper. It time. Elizabeth Mittman (Ph.D., University Minnesota) Associate Professor East Lansing, Michigan. Her research interests include post-socialist studies, visual culture, autobiography gender studies. A long-term project representations Democratic Republic. Recent articles explored poetry Emine Sevgi Özdamar’s fiction, issues graduate education.