Tilting the Machine: a critique of one teacher’s attempts at using art forms to create postformal, democratic learning environments

Ten years ago, shortly after being admitted to a graduate English program at a public college in New York City, I was also offered my first academic teaching position. The head of the English department hired me as an adjunct to teach 100-level writing courses. Looking back, I equate that moment in my life with being shot up into the metaphorical pinball machine that is public education. Let me explain.