Studs Terkel's "Working": A Teaching Guide

An invaluable educational resource for introducing Studs Terkel’s classic work of oral history to today’s students. Pulitzer Prize-winning writer/journalist Studs Terkel is world famous for his oral histories, considered an innovator in modern ethnographic research. Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do, Terkel’s most popular book, provides a powerful and original perspective on one of the most basic components of human experience: work. The farmer, receptionist, college professor, mail carrier, stockbroker, athlete, and many others share their daily routines and dreams in their own words. Working has long been recognized as an ideal teaching tool, presenting provocative material certain to engage students, ignite classroom discussion, and inspire thoughtful writing.

Now, helping educators discover a variety of approaches for using Working in the classroom, high school teacher Rick Ayers presents a comprehensive teaching guide to this celebrated classic. With its 200 pages of classroom materials — including questions, topics for discussion, tips for taking oral histories, and a bibliography of related resources — Ayers’ teaching guide is certain to be welcomed by educators everywhere. As an added bonus, it includes a new interview with Terkel himself, offering insight into the making of Working. [Publisher’s description.]

ISBN: 9781565846265 | The New Press