Got Mistakes?

Yes.
As the title suggests, mistakes are unavoidable, much like death and taxes. It was heartening to hear that, overall, the number of mistakes made had not increased over the years. "Wrong word" was the most frequent error and I wondered how teachers could effectively address this issue. Reliance  on word processing seemed to be the cause, but what could be an effective cure? Prevent students from writing  first drafts on word processors? Hardly feasible or practical. I know  for myself, the  best editing tool is  time. Letting a draft sit for several hours and then reading with  an editor's eye works well, but how to get young students to  adopt that habit, I have no idea.
The results under "What We Did Find" on page 799 was disappointing with respect to the lack of  papers using alternative  styles. I guess talk of alternative styles is just still  talk and not practice. (Sorry Dr. S)

Blog #4: A Student Process

As a graduate student, I rarely think about my writing process because it is such an automated function in my mind. A professor assigns a reading and I annotate. A professor assigns an essay, and I procrastinate. But in my procrastination, ideas about how to write an essay are peculating in the background. I watch tv, I walk my dog, or I text my friends, and the ideas for how to perform the assignment and how to organize it are gestating in the background. But I rarely think about how my process works or why it exists in this form. The fact that we are taking our time with this literacy autobiography, boggles my mind. I am not used to going this slow, or concentrating on an assignment for multiple periods of time for several weeks on end. I think in a strange way, I am able to understand my students more because I am in their shoes. I don't find the process meaningless, but I do find it frustrating when I so used to fast-forwarding through these steps. I think by the time that students enter college, they too, are used to the fast-forward function. Students rarely think about their process, and when asked to do it, they always respond as if their feet are slogging through mud. Like them, I used to pre-write and I used write uniformly--introduction, body paragraph 1, body paragraph 2, body paragraph 3, and conclusion. "Used to" is a key phrase because nowadays I write to quotes. I write from the inside out. I come up with the evidence first and write those paragraphs first. I choose evidence that has a common thread, or unifying theme. I write my introduction and conclusion last because I reflect on what evidence I have chosen and what points I have made first and then fashion my introduction to fit these paragraphs. Unlike Weathers, who touts about the Muse and his process, I don't think any process is alike. I think that there are strategies that everyone is exposed to, but not everyone uses. I think Lindemann makes valid points in saying that while students can't articulate what they are doing when they write (24), all writers go through these stages: prewriting, writing and rewriting. I think in my own process, I do all the things I said before, but I also work with the tv on. Lately, I find it more productive if I can run episodes of "Running Man" (a Korean variety) in the background because I don't understand the language and therefore, I don't get caught up in actually watching the entire episode. I work in bed because my desk and chair are full with piles of books and other things. My back hurts, so I put pillows to cushion my back. I keep my nightstand light on even though my overhead room light is on to get a clearer picture of my screen. I have multiple tabs open. When I get bored, I browse the net and read cheap celebrity gossip. I spend a lot of time away from my assignment. When I do write, it is in short bursts and I often rewrite as I type. When I can't get the right phrasing or word, I tilt my body (I think subconsciously I believe the different angle helps me see it from a new perspective). But as the clock winds down, I work better. I work under pressure. I'm not always successful, but typically my brain and subsequently my typing become faster at making connections and putting down words on paper. I don't write carelessly because I do care about my writing and who is going to read it, but I need the pressure. But the question becomes how do we make students aware of their process? Is it merely a sheet writing down everything they do, or is it breaking down an assignment into incremental steps? Will they care to become aware? I care because I am taking this class, and I want to know how this teaching of composition works. But will students care about their own process?

On Feedback

Elbow and Belanoff

Although this article is similar in the idea that feedback is used for revision, it also mentions that it does not need to be. I like the idea of insisting on your readers give you the specific style of feedback that you want and/or need, rather than just simply allowing people to talk out of their ass, which often happens in classes where workshopping each other's papers or giving feedback to your peers is made obligatory. I always try to give my best "feedback" and not waste the person's time by spewing out unnecessary bullshit. Sometimes though, they often do not know what they want from you and so it is difficult to really pinpoint what it is that I want to say.

These different ideas and styles of feedback are pretty handy and I think I'll be printing them out and leaving them in my notebook with me. I like the idea of getting the feedback I want that can actually be beneficial to me versus just reading comments and moving right past them, which I think is the most common for most people.

Sommers

Sommers: On Revision

I hate revision. I absolutely hate revising my work and I always suggest my students to revise theirs. It's not because I think what I have written does not need revision -- obviously we can all benefit from it -- but for some reason, I just despise doing it and I was reading this article and just laughing at myself because I am like the students. I just change words up and reorganize some thoughts and call it a revised draft. A teacher once told me the ultimate form of revision is throwing your paper away. I cannot imagine writing an entire paper and tossing it out, because if I didn't feel as though what I was writing was exactly what I wanted to say, I don't think I would have written it. Arrogant.

The entire section on the bottom of page 381 discusses superfluity. I think this is the biggest issue for most students, including myself, because of page length requirements and paragraph number requirements. Sometimes I do not need 5-7 pages to make a point but forcing me to stretch it out to 7 pages can push some superfluous writing.

I am still laughing as I read this because it is me. I never feel the need to revise if I have already made my point. Even though I am aware that I can develop upon my ideas and make them greater or even have some kind of a revelation as I revise and find a new direction, I will only do it if the topic is of any interest to me. If I am writing for a class where the subject matter is not even remotely interesting, I know myself and I know that I will not revise -- if the class is something I am very curious about, I will definitely revise my work because I want to do better because I care.

One of the experienced writers says that they learned to never fall in love with what they write because they don't trust catchy phrases and that any kind of revision will be better with time passing first. Maybe I should try that.

Chapter 8 Lindemann

What I liked the most is that it discusses the limitations placed on students and how it causes them to be much less expressive than they otherwise would be. For example, the five paragraph essay: because it essentially stops being assigned or is used in real life, it makes sense for students to be flexible with their writings, etc. It allows for organization that can be modified. They are stuck in their understanding of what an essay SHOULD be, and "must be made to fit the mold they have learned" (133), when realistically, stylistically they should have more freedom and this might open them up to a way of organizing their thoughts and ideas that they had not tried because of said limitations.

I personally hate five paragraph essays even though I understand why they are used and how they essentially teach organization, or attempt to anyway. I think I prefer people to use as many or as little paragraphs as it takes so prove/analyze/describe/etc/., whatever it is they are attempting to do.

I also liked the section titled "Strategies for Teaching Form" where it discusses where students should be looking to analyze work for argument placement, etc. It gives them an opportunity to see where writers of all genres and styles "construct their claims and define their assumptions" (138), etc.

Blog #4: Processing the Process

As much as I’ve helped students develop drafts, I can’t say I have ever taken this long to compose a piece of writing. I usually do some prewriting and then just dive into an essay, but I’ve found myself thinking about the final product a lot more. I am becoming a lot more self aware of the steps I take and what it is I want to write, but that is only because I am talking out my ideas with my fellow class mates. My students also had to write a literacy autobiography at the beginning of this semester, so I had the opportunity to see them think through their ideas. Lindemann proposes that collaborative learning is one way of generating content, and I have honestly found that part of it to be incredibly helpful. As I was talking about my experience with writing and reading in relation to soccer, I realized there was a gap that I had not planned on discussing—mostly because I did not realize that there was a gap. However, my group—Jennifer, Faty, and Ebony—kept asking me questions that I had not even considered. I wrote most of them down, and I think there is definitely a lot more I need to think about and consider.

I have been trying these collaborative learning techniques in my workshops, and I have found that my students are a lot more at ease asking questions both of each other and of me. I’ve also tried modeling pre-writing strategies for them which allowed them the space to ask questions about the prompt and their ideas. 

Honestly, I like the idea of writing as a process because a lot of it is about making students aware of their own voice and the mistakes they make with Standard Academic English. In taking it step by step, they start understanding the culture that they are writing in and hopefully manipulating it to reflect who they are as writers. I know this last bit is more my idealized thinking, but I am optimistic and intrigued by the ways I can teach my students the different steps in the writing process.

Write for you, not for me

We have been reading a lot about process and structure. Do I buy it? I haven’t fully decided that just yet.  Many of these processes are about structure and formulas.  I understand that we as instructors need to provide that structure, especially with students in a remedial (my SI kids) class or 101 course.  However, I don’t like structure, rules, and restrictions in writing.  I think this stems from growing up and dealing with dyslexia.  I’ve always had smart things to say, but people get caught up on my spelling, or a missed comma.  My question to that is: why?  Why do we care enough to rip a paper apart because of cosmetic issues? If a problem is consistent (like a comma splice) I highlight that sentence and say “this is a mistake you’re making frequently in your writing, let’s go over the rules of commas together because if you’re struggling chances are someone else in the class is to.”  This cosmetic idea brings me to my next point.  Having an immigrant family I grew up hearing people speak with accents my entire life.  What disturbs me about American culture is the fact that we view people with accents as not intelligent.  This is completely wrong.  If we can understand and accept someone’s accent in verbal language, why is it not acceptable for their academic voice to have an accent?  So they missed an article in their sentence, does that really fundamentally change their argument? No.  All this does is force the student to write for the “institution” which defeats the purpose pf teaching how to write.  This is why I don’t fully buy into some of the structures being taught. I like them and they clearly have the academic research to back their statements up, but I disagree when it comes to teaching something as personal as writing. Writing is a form of art and expression. I don’t care if an article is missing, or there’s a missed comma as long as the student is writing for them and NOT me. 

How-To Part Deux

In Lindemann’s text, we find information on Linguistics, Syntax, Words, and Rewriting. All in all these topics aid in teaching Composition from the Process model. However, the general feeling from them has me believing that we are not only teaching Composition at a learned level, but also basic syntax. While this is a part of Composition, I felt as though our target students went from being High School/College to Elementary. Is the teaching of Composition something that involves aiding students in unlearning the things that got them through their primary learning years? Or are we to assume that our students know nothing? While I welcome any and all knowledge in pursuit of my own, I cannot help but feel like Lindemann wrote a book for all ages and levels of study. This perturbs me because I no longer feel like I am being specifically prepared for higher-level teaching, but am learning umbrella tactics for all students.

I think to help your student to go ahead in writing is to tell them write without think about the rules of writing. Tell them that any mistake is fine in the first writing( first draft). I said that because the fist goal for teacher should be " I will let my student feel free in writing" 
Because if the student do not feel free when they first take a pen, their brain will feel constraints. 

Blog #3: How to use models?

Lindemann writes on models "Third, in discussing any model, the focus should be primarily on how the writer solves problems. Of course, we also have some responsibility for helping students understand what the writer says, for teaching student to read critically and carefully" (127) and "Fourth most writing teachers introduce writing models prematurely. The best time to discuss a model is after students have already completed some prewriting and perhaps an early draft" (127). While Lindemann brings up good points, oftentimes I've encountered classes wherein models are merely posted on a "Blackboard" equivalent site for to use at the student's discretion. My question is this, is this merely laziness not to go over why these student samples were deemed models or is there some strategy involved? If, there is a strategy what could it be? And if it isn't then why put up models in the first place if what Lindemann says the focus of models should be to discuss and pinpoint how these writers choose to overcome these obstacles? I am a proponent of examples, but I want to know how and when to use examples more effectively. Should I like Lindemann suggest spend time discussing models or only offer them after the fact? Also, in her point about journals/commonplace journals, she warns against using these entries as busywork and give students opportunities to further develop their work (116). What are examples of assignments that expand on journal entries? Also, how do you account for journals in your grading so it does not become the equivalent of an attendance percentage (come, sit, take notes=10 % of your grade)?

Blog #3- Restrictive Outlines and Misleading Intros

In chapter eight, Lindemann discusses the importance of teaching students flexibility, and she breaks down a few strategies for teaching form. I like the idea of outlines but teaching kids how to outline has always been a bit tricky. First they don’t like them—but when they do decide to make use of them, they oftentimes refuse to deviate even a little bit from them. Their entire education has been long along this right vs. wrong binary, so if they assume that their outline if correct, many of them will stick to it even at the expense of their own argument. I like that Lindemann suggests we teach them flexibility, but I think that also extends to our teaching style—which makes me a bit anxious because I like structure, but it’s definitely important.

In her discussion on form, Lindemann mentions that sometimes a writer will raise a reader’s expectations and deliver. I had a student do this recently where her introductory paragraph discussed her parents’ influence on her reading, but there was no discussion of either parent in her essay, except for a sentence or two. I pointed this out, and something seemed to spark in her. She wrote her share of introductions in high school, but I don’t think she ever connected that the introduction serves a purpose to the rest of your essay. It bothered that it didn’t seem obvious to her, but if no one ever explained that the first paragraph in her essay doesn’t just mean introducing three main points, then I can see how she this was news to her. After that, she started rearranging her paragraphs on her own and asking my input once she reached a decision. 

Lindemann Ch5

In Lindemann’s chapter 5 she talks about the English language symbol system and how most readers and writers engage in it.  I think this is to mathematical for teaching students that might be/are afraid to write. Below I’ve attached an internet meme I used in one of my SI free writes.  I like this meme because it isn’t telling the students to be to artistic or mathematical.  I think there is a balance when it comes to writing.  The meme says to challenge your reader and change them.  I understand there is linguistic value to Lindamann’s argument; however, I think it is too far in the equation/formula spectrum.  To me, this would shut my learning style down as I learn on the more artistic side.  There are people that need the mathematical equations, but again balance is key. My SI students said they liked the meme because it made them want to argue their ideas.  They said it helped them focus because the meme showed them that the argument was directed at their readers and “not the world” if that makes sense.  This resulted in less writing anxiety they said.

Have you ever think : why does writing contain paragraphs?
 According to  Lindemann ,  sometimes we begain new paragraphs to restate a point, to emphasize it, or to provide additional support for an idea.

Rewriting is punishment

from Lindemann, pg. 30

I've found that getting students to fully engage in the revision process is difficult; they do see it as punishment! And for the reasons Lindemann states. I like the idea of giving students more class time to workshop drafts where students can hear feedback from peers and the instructor. It would give them a space to hear if what they wrote and how they wrote it is working the way they intended. Initial comments should focus on content and presentation and stay away from grammar.

Repeat after me: Writing is a Process.

After reading all readings thus far, and the Lindemann stuff I have come to the conclusion that we as teachers (and subsequently, students) should focus on WRITING AS A PROCESS. This theme is prevalent in all the readings, and each has its own bit of “personal story/literacy autobiography” frosting to scrape off. However, in the Hodges and Fulwiler readings I have found a bit of a respite. Both of these writers take time to focus on specific aspects of the process, as opposed to just telling us why it matters. Hodges gives tips on invention, and Fulwiler helps with understanding one’s audience and figuring out ways to prepare for pre-writing. They helped break the monotony of “writing is a process”. Yes, we know.

Jakobson's Diagram and Time

Jakobson's Diagram and Time

Roman Jakobson’s diagram—or his solution to the traditional rhetorical triangle—is interesting. I like that it breaks down the different parts of the writing process that we want our students to consider. However, I wonder how much time we can honestly dedicate to this process when some schools have minimum word counts that students have to write by the end of the course. Dedicating time to the process makes sense, but how can we do this when administrators demand that students produce x-amount of words within 16 weeks? I feel like in Eng 99, for example, it becomes more about moving from one writing assignment to the next without giving students much time to develop their ideas let alone think about their role as the addresser, their reader as an addressee, etc. When writing and if they have enough time, students will typically ask themselves three questions: Do I have a thesis? Are my examples good? Is it long enough? With the exception of the last question—to which my response is always “it should be as long as it needs to be to respond to the question”—I don’t think these are necessarily bad, but the problem is that the students care more about completing the product than the steps necessary to get there because of the emphasis on quantity over quality. So again, aside from allowing revisions, is there a way to build in enough time so that students become acclimated to and comfortable with most of the elements in Jakobson’s diagram?

Blog #2: Lindemann--Constantly Writing

In chapter 2, Lindemann argues, "Teachers who assume that they are instructing 'beginning writers' are mistaken. Most of our students have been writing for many years; they have been immersed in language from birth" (11). A statement, I find true. As an SI, I've seen different writing levels across our student population, but as Lindemann later exposes the struggle is not that they don't have some sort of writing foundation it is that their foundations are poorly built. Specifically, what I see is that students have this idea that writing for English classes is a seemingly difficult task. For students, writing in English classes is a singular task that they are unable to do or don't do in other course work. However, what they are not able to see that they are writing every day (hello--text messaging), but their audiences and codes are different. I guess, my big question here is how do we help students become aware of their writing prowess and how do we help them transfer their writing practice/abilities over to the classroom setting.

Lindemann Chapter 7 - Impromptu Debates

I really enjoyed Lindemann’s chapter 7.  It turns out she and I have similar beliefs as far as teaching goes. Many of her suggestions I was already doing in SI.  I love her idea on impromptu debates! This is something I tacked on to my free writes when I was SI’ing last semester.  I would show my students a video or quote and then they would write for about 5-8 minutes.  After that we’d get in a circle and discuss what we wrote in a safe environment.  This worked EXTREMELY well.  At first the students would only write a few sentences, but by week 6 I was getting two and sometimes three paragraphs from each student.  They told me it helped them with their timed writing for in class essays because they would always get something on the page relatively quick.  The debates after each video/quote would sometimes go longer than expected.  One time the students were so into it that they debated if something with true AI and self-awareness should be respected as a living being or not for nearly the entire class period.   

What is writing?
This is really a big question, and we may spent all this semester to know what is writing. But Sinclair Lewis abbreviated the answer in just two lines by saying:
Writing is just work - there's no secret. If you dictate or use a pen or type or write with your toes - it is still just work.

Internal data leaking through fingertips

Lindemann. The title of her book is a bit off-putting, but it satisfies the Why and How thus far in its assumed aim. I read chapters 1-3, and 7. I found myself nodding along with her sentiments as to Why we as teachers must teach “good writing”, and felt like she must have taken a History of Rhetoric class. Jakobson’s diagram is ominously akin to Burke’s Pentad, but I feel it does more for students than the “writer’s triangle” (*cough* rhetorical triangle). These chapters, along with the Anson reading all continue to push the notion of writing as a process. I agree with the idea, and am hopeful I will find many new and useful avenues in teaching them to my students.