In three or four readings/meetings? --  intro plus pages 1-47, 51-84, 103-118, maybe 175-210 

An excellent book by a humanities professor, a series of articles Edmundson has written over time, and his subtitle also gives an indication of his thesis: “In defense of a real education.”  

In discussing what it is like to be a student, prospective or actual, in college today—the audience to whom most of the book is addressed—Edmundson talks about the problems of higher education today, and how education has been “commodified,” how it is big business, especially for top universities, where the professors are either interested more in their own research and not so interested in teaching undergraduates, or if they do teach, they might be too beholden to getting good student reviews on class evaluations.  That can leave the motivated student at sea to get his or her own education.  

You need to see for yourself how he presents that argument, and why and how he thinks a humanities education, self-assembled and focusing on building a self, may be in order.  But let him make that argument, as how he does it is the value of the book.  He asks some very profound questions we all need to ponder, younger and older alike. 

In Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16059547-why-teach?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=yRt5Pf2Lva&rank=1