Oh my. Writing process. Hmm.
My writing process, I have found, is severely enhanced by caffeine. At least, it has been recently. The problem is, I can't drink coffee, and I don't like soda. 80% of the time, I cannot work in complete silence. There has to be some sort of music or noise, a constant noise, otherwise my ears will perk up at every passing car or fly buzzing on the wall. I prefer music, especially Explosions in the Sky, or some other form of instrumental music.
I work better if the internet is far, far away. Yes, it is useful for finding whatever it is that I think I need, but it is also incredibly good at being distracting. In my undergrad, there was a coffee shop that, no matter what, I could not connect my laptop to their wireless. It was awesome! I would haul off to this coffee shop (which was also a bar - score!) and work for hours. Now, I just go sit on my couch. Same effect. Wireless + couch = no. Now, if only the super comfortable couch were not in the same room as the totally awesome DVD collection...
Perhaps I should write about some of my productive process-skills, instead of focusing on my neuroses. I like to write a little every day. Or, a little in the morning, a little in the evening. A few pages here, a few pages there. I am currently completely in love with footnotes and endnotes, so any place where I feel that I need to tie something in, I just add a little note. When preparing for an assignment, I like to set aside a morning to, prior to heading to the library, compile a detailed list of sources and things that I want to look at.
I also like to write a few pages of what I think I am doing and where I think it is going. Sort of a rough version of the assignment, which I will tweak and augment until it is the assignment. For some reason, this usually involves multiple text documents. I may focus on one idea for awhile before switching to another idea, at which point I will find some relevant way to connect these ideas. It really all depends on what I'm writing about and the guidelines of the assignment.
It has dawned on me that, thus far, I have described my writing process for completing academic papers. I guess this makes sense, since I am an American Lit Masters student and not a creative writer, but I do my fair share of creative writing. The process for creative composition is significantly easier for me, as I am usually compelled to write whatever it is I am working on. Something hits me, and I might jot some notes on a piece of paper (usually folded in half and upsidedown) to help me work through the story.
I have never been compelled to write a critical essay. Hopefully, that will happen. Sometime. Maybe.
In writing this entry and responding to a couple of blog posts, I've decided one thing. I'm not sure if process is something we can specifically teach students. Or, rather, I'm not sure process is something that we want to teach students. My process is something that I have come up with entirely on my own. No one "showed me the way." We can, and should, emphasize to students the importance of 1) beginning an assignment ahead of time, 2) prewriting in some fashion, and 3) editing in some way. I think that these are three crucial points that they should incorporate into their individual processes, but I think the rest is up to them.
(I wrote this blog in my office. Which is completely silent. And empty-ish. All I can hear is the sound of the computer, the echoes of voices in the hallway, and my foot tapping.)
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Voice.
I think that voice is a tricky subject to address, especially in teaching writing. I'm not sure if I'm totally sold that voice can be taught, or, that a student's authentic voice can be found through a composition course. It is entirely possible that much of my opinion on this subject relies on the idea of getting out of something what you put into it. And, as freshmen, are they willing to try to tackle the difficult subject of voice? My thoughts: probably not. Here's why.
In class, we talked a lot about freshmen composition and what we are trying to teach them. Through this course, they need to learn the fundamental ideas necessary for developing a well thought out and researched argument. Is this reliant on voice? Not really. In most cases, students are applying a formula to their course: passing = x amount of x type of work. Sometimes, they are more concerned with figuring out what the teacher wants them to do and how the teacher is going to evaluate them than they are with learning the material.
In my Chicana Feminisms class, we discussed education and diversity. To fully encompass diversity in education, not only would we have to offer varying opinions and views of things that have happened, but we would have to offer them in a variety of ways. Is this what students want? Not necessarily. Most of the time, they want to know exactly what is going to be on the test, and exactly what they are going to be required to know in order to pass the course. I'll admit, I'm a pessimist, but it's not impossible to admit that most people are not all that interested in actual learning.
I think that voice, and developing and honing one's voice, relies heavily on learning. Learning how phrasing something one way acheives one reaction while another structure may merit a different reaction. It's a matter of whether you want to simply reach your audience, or, reach your audience in the best possible way. I think that most freshmen, who typically consider their audience to be the instructor of the course, are concerned only with getting it done, and not with how effective they have been in completing the assignment or in reaching their audience.
In class, we talked a lot about freshmen composition and what we are trying to teach them. Through this course, they need to learn the fundamental ideas necessary for developing a well thought out and researched argument. Is this reliant on voice? Not really. In most cases, students are applying a formula to their course: passing = x amount of x type of work. Sometimes, they are more concerned with figuring out what the teacher wants them to do and how the teacher is going to evaluate them than they are with learning the material.
In my Chicana Feminisms class, we discussed education and diversity. To fully encompass diversity in education, not only would we have to offer varying opinions and views of things that have happened, but we would have to offer them in a variety of ways. Is this what students want? Not necessarily. Most of the time, they want to know exactly what is going to be on the test, and exactly what they are going to be required to know in order to pass the course. I'll admit, I'm a pessimist, but it's not impossible to admit that most people are not all that interested in actual learning.
I think that voice, and developing and honing one's voice, relies heavily on learning. Learning how phrasing something one way acheives one reaction while another structure may merit a different reaction. It's a matter of whether you want to simply reach your audience, or, reach your audience in the best possible way. I think that most freshmen, who typically consider their audience to be the instructor of the course, are concerned only with getting it done, and not with how effective they have been in completing the assignment or in reaching their audience.
Monday, September 08, 2008
What to Wear. Or What Not to Wear. Or Whatever.
One of the things that I found most interesting, and that I've thought about, was something mentioned at the very beginning of the Take 20 video. When discussing their initial experiences teaching writing, several of the interviewees mentioned that they remember what they wore, or they recall thinking about what they were going to wear. While it sounds silly, or like something you might observe on a television show, I think there is a logical reason behind this. And I know that it is something that I have considered, especially with concern to next year, when I will be in the classroom.
First, let me say that I turned 21 this year. While that is nothing special, a lot of us Classroom and Document Instructors are young. Or younger. :) And some of us, myself included, are close in age range to the people we will be teaching. When considering appearance and the classroom, it occurred to me that, when I begin teaching, I will need some way to distance myself from my students, otherwise they may not listen to me. Then again, it's possible that, as I appear similar to some of them, they may be able to relate to me more. I'm betting it's more likely that they won't take me seriously.
One of the women made an interesting comment, as she said that she thought that if she dressed to impress, they might not notice that she wasn't quite sure what she was talking about. While we all, in some respect, certainly know something about English, we will never know everything. This woman's comment surprised me, as I think that her anxiety about needing to appear as if she has all of the knowledge is becoming outdated. More often, I encounter teachers and instructors and professors who, when they do not know the answer, will admit it and look it up, offering a correct answer at a later date instead of an automatic, incorrect answer.
I agreed with the woman who said that one of the things that she focuses on in teaching writing is teaching students how to use sources. Most students have only gone to the internet, and in going to the internet, have used Google, or Wikipedia, or some other website, and have not explored the online databases available at the college level. I also admired how one person mentioned that they strive to pull their students away from the idea that this is only a required course that they have to suffer through. It can be something they can enjoy; it can be fun. I think that bringing a positive outlook to the table when teaching writing is essential to ensuring an enjoyable experience.
First, let me say that I turned 21 this year. While that is nothing special, a lot of us Classroom and Document Instructors are young. Or younger. :) And some of us, myself included, are close in age range to the people we will be teaching. When considering appearance and the classroom, it occurred to me that, when I begin teaching, I will need some way to distance myself from my students, otherwise they may not listen to me. Then again, it's possible that, as I appear similar to some of them, they may be able to relate to me more. I'm betting it's more likely that they won't take me seriously.
One of the women made an interesting comment, as she said that she thought that if she dressed to impress, they might not notice that she wasn't quite sure what she was talking about. While we all, in some respect, certainly know something about English, we will never know everything. This woman's comment surprised me, as I think that her anxiety about needing to appear as if she has all of the knowledge is becoming outdated. More often, I encounter teachers and instructors and professors who, when they do not know the answer, will admit it and look it up, offering a correct answer at a later date instead of an automatic, incorrect answer.
I agreed with the woman who said that one of the things that she focuses on in teaching writing is teaching students how to use sources. Most students have only gone to the internet, and in going to the internet, have used Google, or Wikipedia, or some other website, and have not explored the online databases available at the college level. I also admired how one person mentioned that they strive to pull their students away from the idea that this is only a required course that they have to suffer through. It can be something they can enjoy; it can be fun. I think that bringing a positive outlook to the table when teaching writing is essential to ensuring an enjoyable experience.
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