Apparently a lot. The epistemological insights into learning and its relationship to composition pedagogy is fascinating, but sometimes the sheer amount of philosophies out there make me feel a little paralyzed when I think of my teaching future. However, it is always good to know something new and I gained a few more interesting viewpoints that I can add to my theoretical choices.
For example, Lindemann refers to the prewriting process as "conception." Conception is a much better word and concept than "pre-writing." Pre-writing connotes work before more work and it's never been a term I've been comfortable using with a student or myself. On the other hand, "conception" seems simple, yet profound. Just like when a baby is being made, it is a moment that produces a convenant of hope. Referring to prewriting as the conception process seems a lot more inspiring and hopeful to me.
Lindemann goes on to discuss Piaget's theories, but to me, what was really argued sounded more like Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development. For instance, Moffett's writing "spirals" encourage this development as does exercising "high-level thinking" (100, 107).
In short, I guess it's best to learn all the theories you can, take what you like, and leave the rest.
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