Charles Dewald

March 25, 2023

Panels
Using Journals to Aid Retention
Northeast Modern Language Association
Buffalo NY

During a roundtable, I presented on using the Journals from the class to aid in retaining students

March 12, 2021 - March, 2021

Presentations
“’It’s Not Supposed to Be Like This’: Teaching Perseverance and Tenacity During a Pandemic”
Northeast Modern Language Assoc
Philadelphia, Pa (Virtual)

Without question, the graduating class of 2020 faced obstacles in their education that few of us could have ever imagined. And freshmen who began in January 2020 were even more disoriented, going from the comfort and familiarity of the classroom to remote learning, often with little more than a weekend to adapt. As a result, the students often became frustrated with the process, and disheartened by their inability to cope with the changes.
In preparation for fall semester, I adjusted Penn State’s short story course to focus on characters who refused to surrender regardless of the challenges they faced. By including works like Welty’s, A Worn Path, Ellison’s Battle Royal, and O’Brien’s The Things They Carried, I was able to provide my students with models who accepted the challenges they faced and demonstrated the grit we all need to succeed in 2020.

March 12, 2021

Array
NeMLA
Philadelphia, Pa (virtual)

March 7, 2020 - 2020

Panels
“‘We Are More Alike’: Using Social Problems to Create Connections in the Composition Classroom”
NeMLA
Boston Ma

March 21, 2019 - March 24, 2019

Panels
Working Together: Using Narratives and Group Work to Move Past Our Differences
NeMLA Annual Convention
Washington DC

Discussed how I use group work in my Engl 15 classes to get the kids to talk to each other and recognize our shared experiences.

April, 2018

Oral Presentations
Play Ball: Using Students Athletic Experiences to Engage Reluctant Writers in Freshman Composition
Northeast Modern Language Association
Pittsburgh Pa

Students often undervalue their experiences when searching for writing topics. This seems especially true for athletes. Many of them feel that because they are no longer playing, the countless hours they spent on the fields, courts, and fairways no longer have meaning or value. It doesn’t occur to them that they could use themes of teamwork, dedication, competition, and travel as a basis for writing. I want them to see that their achievements and life lessons they learned can become an important component of their writing. In addition, I want to remind them that the reason they were successful in athletics was because they worked tirelessly to develop their skills. I plan to focus on showing them that writing is a skill that can only be developed using the same approach, working hard, practicing, and accepting instruction from their coaches (teachers).

April 14, 2018

Roundtable
Increasing Student Engagement: Bringing Global and Local Spaces into the Classroom
Northeast Modern Language Association
Pittsburgh Pa

Students often undervalue their experiences when searching for writing topics. This seems especially true for athletes. Many of them feel that because they are no longer playing, the countless hours they spent on the fields, courts, and fairways no longer have meaning or value. It doesn’t occur to them that they could use themes of teamwork, dedication, competition, and travel as a basis for writing. I want them to see that their achievements and life lessons they learned can become an important component of their writing. In addition, I want to remind them that the reason they were successful in athletics was because they worked tirelessly to develop their skills. I plan to focus on showing them that writing is a skill that can only be developed using the same approach, working hard, practicing, and accepting instruction from their coaches (teachers).

March 24, 2017

Panels
Developing Successful Writers: From Basic to Discipline Specific Advanced Writing
Northeast Modern Language Association
Baltimore Md

Increasingly, due to university placement policies changing with economic pressure and demands to move students to degree completion within five years, we have students who in previous years would have been tracked into Basic Writing placed into Rhetoric and Composition underprepared and with little chance of success. To facilitate success for both students who are still placed into Basic Writing, a course in danger of being dropped by the university, and those who are now placed directly into Rhetoric and Composition, we have developed a one credit tutorial and created a robust writing lab to increase student success and retention. We would like to discuss how we partner as a tutor and teacher to each other’s students to develop them from struggling writers to successful students in our upper level writing courses in their final semester.

October 2, 2015

Oral Presentations
Facilitating Academic Success and Increasing Retention for Students on the GI Bill
PCEA Fall Conference
Scranton

Discussed some of the issues facing Service Veterans as they return to the classroom.

October 3, 2014

Panels
All You Zombies: Awakening Student Engagement in the Wake of No Child Left Behind
The Supernatural in Literature, Film, and Pop Culture
University Park

PCEA Regional Conference

March 27, 2014

Panels
Developing Summer Success Programs: Limiting Remedial Course Needs
TRAVEL & LITERATURE
Baltimore Md

CEA National Conference

2013

March 18, 2006

March 16, 2006

2005

2005

2004

2004

2004