Why a One-Size-Fits-All Bio Might Not Be the Most Effective
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Click on the picture to see the 9th edition of Dicho y Hecho; the latest edition isn't quite out yet. by Ann Abbott Kim Potowski, a friend and colleague at the University of Illinois and all-around academic extraordinaire, shared on Facebook the bio that goes along with the newest edition of the textbook Dicho y hecho that she co-authored with another friend, colleague and amazing woman, Silvia Sobral . I love the story that Kim's bio tells: her own story as a Spanish language learner, both in the classroom and abroad. Kim's bio could have gone many different directions--her research, her teaching, her awards, her advocacy--but for an intro-level textbook she chose to tell a story that was closer to the project itself. And closer to the students who will use the book. This made me think about how I would write future bios for myself. For my two textbooks ( Comunidades: Más allá del aula and Dia a día: de los personal a lo profesional ), I could foll...