The Amateur Hour

The Amateur Hour by Jonathan Zimmerman is the eye-opening first book-length history of American college teaching. While acknowledging the perennial complaints of poor quality undergraduate instruction, Zimmerman contradicts them with new evidence. He explores how institutional efforts to improve teaching and offer a 'personal' experience for students have hampered professionalization and the development of shared standards. This book illuminates American college teaching, and makes a compelling case for restoring intimate learning communities, especially for America's least privileged students. Anyone who wants to change college teaching will have to start here.