Somewhere along the way I heard that the amount of activity the brain exhibits while watching television is equal to the amount of activity observed in coma patients. I have never bothered to see if that statement was accurate, but I definitely buy into the concept. In WTL, technology is blamed for desensitizing children to language thereby causing an increase in illiterate adults. My favorite quote from this selection is “books save most of us (6, 9R).” In short, kids need to read more and watch television less. It is unfortunate that educators are the one’s left holding the ball on this issue, because the problem really stems from the student’s home environment. Against all odds, teachers need to find a way to instill a love for books in children at a young age. Once a child learns to enjoy reading, I believe everything else will fall in line. “Long thinking (5, 9R), writing, and literacy are all byproducts of reading. Somehow teacher need to help administration understand that standardize test scores would skyrocket if we could only find a way to get kids to love books.
Ironically, I was feeling impatient while reading the introduction to Chapter One of 9R. I caught my self wanting to skim the page for important details when I ran into the following quote:
“It’s the twenty-first century for God’s sake. We don’t have time to focus (5).” I guess I am just as guilty as the rest.
“Facts are language, not meaning. . . [they] are meaningful because I can make [them] meaningful (41, WW).” One of the most exciting things about the written word is that while all of us can read the same words, we will each have a different personal experience. I think that this is a concept that can be built upon in the classroom to encourage a love of reading, writing and books.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Blog 3
Although I enjoyed the reading this time, I feel like once again, ideas that we should all know. As writers I think there are times when we should use our emotions and some times when we should not. Like if you are writing an article for a newspaper you can't really show any emotion at all.
I really try and push for my emotions to fall out on the page. I believe that's what writing is supposed to do, invoke emotion. Its supposed to be something that someone else has experienced. If that lacks emotion then why would you read it?
I can relate to Ashley's blog about her brother writing about their father. I think personal emotion like that needs to come out and I think her brother needed to get that out. My father died when I was 6, from an aneurysm. This isn't at all close to the pain that Ashley and her brother must have went through, but I choose to write about my father any chance I get. It's like therapy to me. I have a great talent in working with computers, ever since I was very young. But since my father died, I haven't had a strong male presence to talk to. I feel that without writing I would be lost.
I really try and push for my emotions to fall out on the page. I believe that's what writing is supposed to do, invoke emotion. Its supposed to be something that someone else has experienced. If that lacks emotion then why would you read it?
I can relate to Ashley's blog about her brother writing about their father. I think personal emotion like that needs to come out and I think her brother needed to get that out. My father died when I was 6, from an aneurysm. This isn't at all close to the pain that Ashley and her brother must have went through, but I choose to write about my father any chance I get. It's like therapy to me. I have a great talent in working with computers, ever since I was very young. But since my father died, I haven't had a strong male presence to talk to. I feel that without writing I would be lost.
BlogThree
Passion, emotion, life changing events, Wow this writing business is not all about grammar.
I enjoyed Graves' lesson from Verle Barnes. I also agreed that enduring, near obsessive, passion about a cause is something that most of never feel. The point is write about something that has you so excited that you feel the need to share, that's how a teacher gets students to writing. Good point. Motivating kids just to start writing and then the mechanics of writing can wait for later. When Graves says, "the 1st lesson in teaching writing is that the writer must find his/her own subject", I was reminded of the yearly What I Did on My Summer Vacation essay that produced some really uninspired, and thus boring results. Like previous commentators, I liked Graves' thoughts that discipline grows naturally out of freedom.
I'm not certain I agree with Rex's strategies. The rape piece was pretty heavy. I think I would have to know a lot more--maybe talk with an adolescent counselor who deals with such issues before I embarked on encouraging kids to open up to such an extent. I wouldn't mind dealing with tough issues, like in literature, but bringing about in such a personal way is a bit uncomfortable to me. I would worry I would do more harm than good but this might only be inexperience talking, what I would do or not do in front of a class is pure conjecture at this point.
I think I would truly enjoy being in a class of Donald Murray's. He sounds like a fascinating guy, though from the essay must be retired from teaching long ago. Again passion, caring deeply about his subject is a key here. Using his writing to try and make sense of the world, even more than half a decade after his experience of war. "A history of surprise..." he relates to writing.
Suhor goes a bit out there for me. Has a few good points, Jazz, joy of discovery,etc. but I picture 32 kids meditating and it appears unworkable in the limited time that a class would provide. I just think there are many more strategies available for an educator to draw upon than having the children stare at a spot on the wall.
BTW-the spot? it turned out to be a snail.
I enjoyed Graves' lesson from Verle Barnes. I also agreed that enduring, near obsessive, passion about a cause is something that most of never feel. The point is write about something that has you so excited that you feel the need to share, that's how a teacher gets students to writing. Good point. Motivating kids just to start writing and then the mechanics of writing can wait for later. When Graves says, "the 1st lesson in teaching writing is that the writer must find his/her own subject", I was reminded of the yearly What I Did on My Summer Vacation essay that produced some really uninspired, and thus boring results. Like previous commentators, I liked Graves' thoughts that discipline grows naturally out of freedom.
I'm not certain I agree with Rex's strategies. The rape piece was pretty heavy. I think I would have to know a lot more--maybe talk with an adolescent counselor who deals with such issues before I embarked on encouraging kids to open up to such an extent. I wouldn't mind dealing with tough issues, like in literature, but bringing about in such a personal way is a bit uncomfortable to me. I would worry I would do more harm than good but this might only be inexperience talking, what I would do or not do in front of a class is pure conjecture at this point.
I think I would truly enjoy being in a class of Donald Murray's. He sounds like a fascinating guy, though from the essay must be retired from teaching long ago. Again passion, caring deeply about his subject is a key here. Using his writing to try and make sense of the world, even more than half a decade after his experience of war. "A history of surprise..." he relates to writing.
Suhor goes a bit out there for me. Has a few good points, Jazz, joy of discovery,etc. but I picture 32 kids meditating and it appears unworkable in the limited time that a class would provide. I just think there are many more strategies available for an educator to draw upon than having the children stare at a spot on the wall.
BTW-the spot? it turned out to be a snail.
Blog 3
There was a lot of really insightful things in these essays. I didn't feel like I was discovering new techniques though. These authors put into words things that I only ever felt as an abstract sensation before. For instance in Rex's article he points out that "[Students] has to be willing to endure self-questioning, uncertainty, and confusion to be receptive to the complexities of the human condition and the artistry with which it is portrayed in literature." I remember going through all this self-questioning, uncertainty and confusion as I was becoming a better writer. There is always an awkward period that you have to go through in order to achieve exactly what it is you want. It's like when you grow your hair out. (I know I shave my head but believe it or not there was a time when I had an abundance of hair) You hit certain lengths where it just doesn't do what you want it to so you stand at the mirror and comb and comb and gel and gel but it still doesn't look like what you would define as good. Once you're past this, everything falls into place like just how you wanted. As a writer, I have often times stood in front of the page and combed and gelled for hours and never got to where i needed to be only to return in a few days with a new plan. I think that communicating that this awkwardness to students is a great idea for teachers because it is easy for them to be discouraged on their first tries. You have to confront yourself in order to write truthfully. Rex also talks about moving from emotional saturation to mental engagement which is a great way of looking at critical analysis. I really liked when he pointed out that there is no secret formula for writing known only to teachers and writers. By taking your students through the process step by step and allowing them to interact with each other, they can then see that writing doesn't just happen.
Graves was 100% dead on when he said that a writer has to find his or her own subject. In teaching students to write, you have to keep them interested because it is a very time consuming process. In todays world our attention spans are almost non-existent with television and high speed internet so it's not a surprise that students have a hard time focusing. Once you are able to write with ease about what you know, you can then decide to challenge yourself to learn and write about things you don't know.
I loved when Murry pointed out that "Writing is ingoing." This combines with Suhor's article about the importance of silence not just for writing but for more aspects of life. Also I don't think that any writing is too personal. That's a matter of opinion for the writer and the reader. Murray states that "the more personal [he writes], the more readers recognize their own stories. We articulate the experience of others when we speak of our world in our own voice." If anyone doesn't believe this just look at some of your favorite songs. Are the lyrics broad brushing emotions? or are they specific details about the artists life, love, or anger? I'd be willing to wager that they are more specific. Personal feelings are universal while it's really hard to make universal themes personal.
Graves was 100% dead on when he said that a writer has to find his or her own subject. In teaching students to write, you have to keep them interested because it is a very time consuming process. In todays world our attention spans are almost non-existent with television and high speed internet so it's not a surprise that students have a hard time focusing. Once you are able to write with ease about what you know, you can then decide to challenge yourself to learn and write about things you don't know.
I loved when Murry pointed out that "Writing is ingoing." This combines with Suhor's article about the importance of silence not just for writing but for more aspects of life. Also I don't think that any writing is too personal. That's a matter of opinion for the writer and the reader. Murray states that "the more personal [he writes], the more readers recognize their own stories. We articulate the experience of others when we speak of our world in our own voice." If anyone doesn't believe this just look at some of your favorite songs. Are the lyrics broad brushing emotions? or are they specific details about the artists life, love, or anger? I'd be willing to wager that they are more specific. Personal feelings are universal while it's really hard to make universal themes personal.
Blog 3
Rex: I loved the part about shifting teaching to promote students' maturity rather than inform them of their inadequacies. "Seeing them as the pupa still at work in the chrysalis and not the fully formed, but crippled, butterfly gave both of us more leverage to experiement and explore possibilities that would not have presented themselves before" (120). This approach, especially with freshman writers, seems like it would make the teacher less condescending and the assignment less intimidating. I also liked the "focusing" exercise, twice removed or otherwise, as a way to show writers of any age, especially resistant writers, that they do have something to write about and that they can write about it well. I agree that students who find something meaningful to write about would expect more of themselves and of each other than simply completing the assignment.
Graves: "That is, I want my students to discover a topic which captivates them in the same way the Apalachicola Estuary captivated Verle Barnes" (115). Again, the emphasis here is on discovery and the creative process. "As long as we rigidly follow preconceived rules or principles or guidelines or whatever, we will miss out on the opportunity to reach that level of excellence in our writing that comes through the freedom to create" (116). I agree that rules immediately make us afraid to make a mistake or, in a classroom setting, get a bad grade. I also agree that discipline is necessary but that it must grow from freedom. Students who are invested in their writing are more likely to be motivated to do the difficult work that is involved.
Murray: "And yet the more personal the stories I write, the more readers recognize their own stories" (331). I think this is true, and I love what this says about the ways in which all people and all experiences are connected.
Suhor: "It would be ludicrous to suggest that we can dispense transcendence like worksheets in the classroom, but good teaching in every subject should deal with the joy of discovery" (337). This is so simple, but I think it's also so easily forgotten, especially considering the demands placed on today's teachers and students in terms of testing and evaluations. This is something I want to be reminded of from time to time in the future.
Graves: "That is, I want my students to discover a topic which captivates them in the same way the Apalachicola Estuary captivated Verle Barnes" (115). Again, the emphasis here is on discovery and the creative process. "As long as we rigidly follow preconceived rules or principles or guidelines or whatever, we will miss out on the opportunity to reach that level of excellence in our writing that comes through the freedom to create" (116). I agree that rules immediately make us afraid to make a mistake or, in a classroom setting, get a bad grade. I also agree that discipline is necessary but that it must grow from freedom. Students who are invested in their writing are more likely to be motivated to do the difficult work that is involved.
Murray: "And yet the more personal the stories I write, the more readers recognize their own stories" (331). I think this is true, and I love what this says about the ways in which all people and all experiences are connected.
Suhor: "It would be ludicrous to suggest that we can dispense transcendence like worksheets in the classroom, but good teaching in every subject should deal with the joy of discovery" (337). This is so simple, but I think it's also so easily forgotten, especially considering the demands placed on today's teachers and students in terms of testing and evaluations. This is something I want to be reminded of from time to time in the future.
Blog 3
First and foremost, I'd like to express how much I love this textbook, especially over the other two we use. These readings were all enriching and exciting for me. The multiple authors with specific focuses to their short pieces keeps me interested, and the variance in style is also refreshing.
Chronologically, Graves came first. I too was a bit off-put by the sea turtle bit, but there was a lot of content worthy of consideration beyond his estuary example. I found the core of this to be his statement "the first lesson in teaching composition is that the writer must find his or her own subject." (115) Further into the paragraph he explains the the goal comes in steps of 1) letting the writing grow naturally out of experience, 2) let it takes its own direction, 3) let it find its own form, and 4) reaching its own audience. The key word in all parts being own, and I firmly agree that writing should be one's own, but ownership is just a jumping off point. It's a motivator, but without craft you can write hundreds of pieces you feel passionate about, but none of which would be good writing. I do value that Graves stresses "the lesson of freedom is important in the composition class" (117) and he does say that after the freedom and writing passionately, a student will be more willing to go through the editorial process.
Graves then proved himself to be a very good editor, by following up his freedom based piece with Rex's piece on teaching craft and technique. At first I resisted enjoying the piece for the shock value of the opening, and the authors account of students criticizing literature without having an understanding of what made it a great work worth reviewing. Also, I resented the cheesy camera analogy. But after recognizing my predisposition and moving onward thinking on a less personal level, I found that she addressed very important issues in writing classrooms as well. "The dramatic impact and persuasive engagement of the professional essayists eluded [the class] as long as they continued to write in a mode that restricted how they approach their subjects." (121) That sentence brought me into a state of full agreement with the author, because it is hard to allow students to find their personal style and comfort zone, and then have them reevaluate their work, become critical of the structure, and have them searching all over again for how to make their work a functional piece they proudly support. The "so what" technique is very effective in creative situations. I've been in classrooms that employ the method, and it really causes the author to step back from their work and find where they can add depth to the piece. The only big problem is a defensive student, but since Rex doesn't address that, neither will I. On the matter of disclosure, I focused less on the responsibility of the teacher, and more so on the result of opening up trust in the classroom. Rex says, "Class members also expected more from each other- more openness, more personal commitment, more honesty... they were also more curious about each other." (125) It's a wonderful experience when a class opens up and you have an intimate classroom environment. It breeds better writing. There always seems to be at least a few students who are willing to share openly right off the bat (and I'm one of those), and they help set the class up. There is of course the problem of a student disclosing a bit more than is comfortable, but that's somewhat rare. One can usually depend upon a few students that in no way wish to open up, and though they may be some of the best writers they don't add to the intimacy of the workshop. Sometimes it's a matter of fearing criticism, and teaching someone to accept, learn from, and appreciate criticism is a hard lesson. Rex hit the nail on the head a few times in the piece, but her approach is very creatively based and makes for a more workshop environment.
I found that I loved the style of the Murray piece immediately. The personal narrative really brought you into the matter. I did find the I-am-my-own-student aspect to be a bit cheesy, but it's effective in illustrating that we can effectively reinforce ourselves as writers, which is a valuable lesson to pass on. His breakdown is really interesting. I like that he first stresses to need for solitude and introspection. The need for experience and faith seemed like a given. His next breakdown of need, tension, pattern, and voice had good insight in all elements. My favorite came out of pattern and voice. First, he says that "pattern... is molded by meaning" (332), which is somewhat vague, but you really do need your intent to be reflected in the structure as well as the content, and I believe that is in part his point. I also liked that in voice he said "I must hear that fragment of melody" (333) , which I find to represent naturally hearing the beauty in the composition that comes spontaneously. Especially in poetry writing, you need to listen to the word, and I think that is what he is saying needs to be present in voice. Ease, productivity, and readers seem like given needs to be addressed in a first draft, but I like that he points out "the writer must be promiscuous, wasting language, wasting ideas to find the few that work." (334)
Lastly, Suhor's piece also seemed to be full of instructional gems. He opened with a very beatnikesque comparison of Charlie Parker and Louis Armstrong to Shakespeare, which won me over as a reader. It's fantastic that he directly says "good teaching in every subject should deal with the joy of discovery." (337) This is something you wish every person who has ever taught you (or at least tried to teach you) understood, but that many people in teaching positions fail to keep in mind for whatever reason. It made me laugh that he was addressing humanities and interdisciplinary programs (by the way, my major is interdisciplinary humanities) as a great forum for joy in discovery, and also criticized that the breadth has the ability to give "second place coverage". I worry about that all of the time, especially now that I'm looking at grad schools and I'm going to have to prove that my broad education has made me a better scholar rather than a directionless student. Overall, his call for hippy-like spirituality and direction in writing was interesting, and I felt his insights were not applicable to ever situation, but handy for writing classes.
Chronologically, Graves came first. I too was a bit off-put by the sea turtle bit, but there was a lot of content worthy of consideration beyond his estuary example. I found the core of this to be his statement "the first lesson in teaching composition is that the writer must find his or her own subject." (115) Further into the paragraph he explains the the goal comes in steps of 1) letting the writing grow naturally out of experience, 2) let it takes its own direction, 3) let it find its own form, and 4) reaching its own audience. The key word in all parts being own, and I firmly agree that writing should be one's own, but ownership is just a jumping off point. It's a motivator, but without craft you can write hundreds of pieces you feel passionate about, but none of which would be good writing. I do value that Graves stresses "the lesson of freedom is important in the composition class" (117) and he does say that after the freedom and writing passionately, a student will be more willing to go through the editorial process.
Graves then proved himself to be a very good editor, by following up his freedom based piece with Rex's piece on teaching craft and technique. At first I resisted enjoying the piece for the shock value of the opening, and the authors account of students criticizing literature without having an understanding of what made it a great work worth reviewing. Also, I resented the cheesy camera analogy. But after recognizing my predisposition and moving onward thinking on a less personal level, I found that she addressed very important issues in writing classrooms as well. "The dramatic impact and persuasive engagement of the professional essayists eluded [the class] as long as they continued to write in a mode that restricted how they approach their subjects." (121) That sentence brought me into a state of full agreement with the author, because it is hard to allow students to find their personal style and comfort zone, and then have them reevaluate their work, become critical of the structure, and have them searching all over again for how to make their work a functional piece they proudly support. The "so what" technique is very effective in creative situations. I've been in classrooms that employ the method, and it really causes the author to step back from their work and find where they can add depth to the piece. The only big problem is a defensive student, but since Rex doesn't address that, neither will I. On the matter of disclosure, I focused less on the responsibility of the teacher, and more so on the result of opening up trust in the classroom. Rex says, "Class members also expected more from each other- more openness, more personal commitment, more honesty... they were also more curious about each other." (125) It's a wonderful experience when a class opens up and you have an intimate classroom environment. It breeds better writing. There always seems to be at least a few students who are willing to share openly right off the bat (and I'm one of those), and they help set the class up. There is of course the problem of a student disclosing a bit more than is comfortable, but that's somewhat rare. One can usually depend upon a few students that in no way wish to open up, and though they may be some of the best writers they don't add to the intimacy of the workshop. Sometimes it's a matter of fearing criticism, and teaching someone to accept, learn from, and appreciate criticism is a hard lesson. Rex hit the nail on the head a few times in the piece, but her approach is very creatively based and makes for a more workshop environment.
I found that I loved the style of the Murray piece immediately. The personal narrative really brought you into the matter. I did find the I-am-my-own-student aspect to be a bit cheesy, but it's effective in illustrating that we can effectively reinforce ourselves as writers, which is a valuable lesson to pass on. His breakdown is really interesting. I like that he first stresses to need for solitude and introspection. The need for experience and faith seemed like a given. His next breakdown of need, tension, pattern, and voice had good insight in all elements. My favorite came out of pattern and voice. First, he says that "pattern... is molded by meaning" (332), which is somewhat vague, but you really do need your intent to be reflected in the structure as well as the content, and I believe that is in part his point. I also liked that in voice he said "I must hear that fragment of melody" (333) , which I find to represent naturally hearing the beauty in the composition that comes spontaneously. Especially in poetry writing, you need to listen to the word, and I think that is what he is saying needs to be present in voice. Ease, productivity, and readers seem like given needs to be addressed in a first draft, but I like that he points out "the writer must be promiscuous, wasting language, wasting ideas to find the few that work." (334)
Lastly, Suhor's piece also seemed to be full of instructional gems. He opened with a very beatnikesque comparison of Charlie Parker and Louis Armstrong to Shakespeare, which won me over as a reader. It's fantastic that he directly says "good teaching in every subject should deal with the joy of discovery." (337) This is something you wish every person who has ever taught you (or at least tried to teach you) understood, but that many people in teaching positions fail to keep in mind for whatever reason. It made me laugh that he was addressing humanities and interdisciplinary programs (by the way, my major is interdisciplinary humanities) as a great forum for joy in discovery, and also criticized that the breadth has the ability to give "second place coverage". I worry about that all of the time, especially now that I'm looking at grad schools and I'm going to have to prove that my broad education has made me a better scholar rather than a directionless student. Overall, his call for hippy-like spirituality and direction in writing was interesting, and I felt his insights were not applicable to ever situation, but handy for writing classes.
Blog 3
Wow, sea turtles...never thought I'd get that in Eng 470. The readings this week really presented nothing I haven't heard before. Visiting past experiences through writing in a classroom, as most others have noted, is risky. Sure writing about personal experiences adds a good deal of emotion to a piece of writing, but there are other ways to do this. Christina makes a great point when she brings up how students may write non-personal and stamp it as a life experience. That got me thinking, "gut" writing is exactly what most "writers" would say they do. Putting ones own views and experiences into writing, often indirectly, is a tool that I'd venture to say we all do in one way or another. This doesn't just stick for writing either, it's exactly what learning is.
How personal is too personal?
So I think we all got the point, writing should be personal. I couldn't agree more. The best "creative" writing I have ever done was inspired by my parents divorce and my relationship with them since then. But I believe that there are serious repercussions for students and teachers alike when the sharing becomes too personal. Rex stated "But you may be more concerned about Linda, about all the Lindas who came before her and who made themselves vulnerable in such a potentially damaging way. As teachers are we not responsible for the repercussions? To that question I unerringly answer 'yes.' We have to hold ourselves responsible" (125). Rex continues with the idea that teachers need to "manage" experiences where students share personal experiences. But what I want to know is how do we manage such experiences?
My brother is a freshman at Mechanicsburg and his English teacher asked the class to write about the worst experience of their life. My little brother, like his sister, chose to write about our father and his alcohol abuse. I am ashamed to admit that I tried to talk him out of it. I thought it would be more appropriate for him to write about the bike accident that left him with a 14 inch scar on his leg but he assured me that it would be okay to write about dad since only the teacher would read what he wrote. I felt reassured after that and dropped the subject. I realize now though that I behaved hypocritically. I too would have choose to write about dad. More importantly, what is the purpose of the assignment if the teacher is the only one who reads it and provides feedback? Are the students in my brother's class really learning anything about writing and sharing if the only person they are trying to satisfy is the teacher? Is the assigment really about finding their voice?
My brother is a freshman at Mechanicsburg and his English teacher asked the class to write about the worst experience of their life. My little brother, like his sister, chose to write about our father and his alcohol abuse. I am ashamed to admit that I tried to talk him out of it. I thought it would be more appropriate for him to write about the bike accident that left him with a 14 inch scar on his leg but he assured me that it would be okay to write about dad since only the teacher would read what he wrote. I felt reassured after that and dropped the subject. I realize now though that I behaved hypocritically. I too would have choose to write about dad. More importantly, what is the purpose of the assignment if the teacher is the only one who reads it and provides feedback? Are the students in my brother's class really learning anything about writing and sharing if the only person they are trying to satisfy is the teacher? Is the assigment really about finding their voice?
You are what you Write
I loved that Graves finally stated the obvious, “a writer must find his or her own subject.” It has to “possess” them. (115). So true. Figure, do we write our best when we are forced to write about something that we have no connection with? Absolutely not. We have to embrace our “wanted” topic and make it our baby. The same thing for students. As teachers, you have to find topics that are going to be interesting, making them personal for students. Teachers need to allow students to feel uninhibited, free from judgement.
Rex said something similar in that we write our best when we write from what we know and have experienced already. Writing from our “gut” (118). So true as well. I have found that my best writing has been about the death of my father. I am able to draw such emotion into the writing that I am not able to vocalize otherwise. For me, that is the reason I write. It acts as a healer and a release. For me, this type of writing is error free. Only I know how it happened and the emotions I felt.
Murray feels that our writing begins with alone thought. Giving students the time to come up with topics, alone and on their own, will probably yield a better paper. He feels that teachers need to embrace day dreamers instead of discouraging them. I am not so sure I agree with this aspect. As a young student that never felt like doing work, I could see myself exploiting this to get out of work. “But I have to stare out the window in order to discover what I want to write about.” Thought words would probably fly out of my mouth.
I am not even going to lie, but I did not find anything too exciting in Suhor’s section. I feel he just regurgitated everything the previous three already said. Actually in reading his section I felt a lot like Graves when he was listing to the man speak about sea turtles. I had felt I missed something big and probably did.
Rex said something similar in that we write our best when we write from what we know and have experienced already. Writing from our “gut” (118). So true as well. I have found that my best writing has been about the death of my father. I am able to draw such emotion into the writing that I am not able to vocalize otherwise. For me, that is the reason I write. It acts as a healer and a release. For me, this type of writing is error free. Only I know how it happened and the emotions I felt.
Murray feels that our writing begins with alone thought. Giving students the time to come up with topics, alone and on their own, will probably yield a better paper. He feels that teachers need to embrace day dreamers instead of discouraging them. I am not so sure I agree with this aspect. As a young student that never felt like doing work, I could see myself exploiting this to get out of work. “But I have to stare out the window in order to discover what I want to write about.” Thought words would probably fly out of my mouth.
I am not even going to lie, but I did not find anything too exciting in Suhor’s section. I feel he just regurgitated everything the previous three already said. Actually in reading his section I felt a lot like Graves when he was listing to the man speak about sea turtles. I had felt I missed something big and probably did.
Blog 3
In Graves’ essay, What I Learned From Verle Barnes, I particularly enjoyed the passage at the bottom of page 116 regarding the creative process. When our brain is overly focused on rules, our creativity becomes inhibited. In order to truly reach our potential as writers, we must be able to put aside these restrictive barriers. While reading this section, I was reminded of a similar hurdle that had to be faced in my undergraduate acting workshop courses. As actors, we were constantly reminded to get “out of our heads.” In order to fully adopt a character, we had to enable ourselves to act instinctively in the way in which that character would behave. If we thought too much about what we were doing, we would be less likely to make bold choices. We therefore would be told to “get out of your head” in order to let the creative process happen instinctively. In the same manner, we must encourage our students to get out of their heads. If they are too busy worrying about following rules or how others will judge their writing, they will be unable to truly reach their highest potential.
Graves’ “lesson” from Verle Barnes is that you have to find a subject you are passionate about so that the writing process possesses you. This past weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing a production of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along at Signature Theatre in Washington D.C. In the musical, the central character, composer Franklin Shepard, provides the following advice to an aspiring writer. "Don't just write what you know," Franklin says as he points to his head. Instead, he encourages the youth to "write what you know," pointing to his heart. I found this statement to be incredibly profound. Good writing is writing that comes not from our head but from our heart. Our subject should be something about which we are truly passionate. Verle was not just writing about something he knew, but rather was writing about something that had captivated him so much that he HAD to share it with others.
In Lesley Rex’s essay, the author describes how he questioned his students “So what?” after they read a piece of personal writing to the class. One of the ideas he is presenting is the idea of raising the stakes in your writing. Once again, I’ll make a direct comparison to my acting background….in order to draw in an audience, actors are constantly pushed to raise the stakes in a scene. If you really want to captivate your readers, there must be a reason for writing about a particular subject. In order to steer our students away from simply writing for an assignment, we must remind them to raise the stakes, so that the reader won’t be left asking “SO WHAT????”
I agree with Danielle that I loved the fact that Charles Suhor pointed out the intense aesthetic experience that one can receive from literature and other arts. Too often in the English classes that I have taken, students were told what they should think and feel about a piece of literature. Like music, theater, or art, literature should transport you to another place or leave you with a particular feeling. In order to help our students gain a full appreciation for literature and the humanities, we as teachers should encourage students to truly experience art rather than simply analyzing or studying it at a superficial level.
Graves’ “lesson” from Verle Barnes is that you have to find a subject you are passionate about so that the writing process possesses you. This past weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing a production of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along at Signature Theatre in Washington D.C. In the musical, the central character, composer Franklin Shepard, provides the following advice to an aspiring writer. "Don't just write what you know," Franklin says as he points to his head. Instead, he encourages the youth to "write what you know," pointing to his heart. I found this statement to be incredibly profound. Good writing is writing that comes not from our head but from our heart. Our subject should be something about which we are truly passionate. Verle was not just writing about something he knew, but rather was writing about something that had captivated him so much that he HAD to share it with others.
In Lesley Rex’s essay, the author describes how he questioned his students “So what?” after they read a piece of personal writing to the class. One of the ideas he is presenting is the idea of raising the stakes in your writing. Once again, I’ll make a direct comparison to my acting background….in order to draw in an audience, actors are constantly pushed to raise the stakes in a scene. If you really want to captivate your readers, there must be a reason for writing about a particular subject. In order to steer our students away from simply writing for an assignment, we must remind them to raise the stakes, so that the reader won’t be left asking “SO WHAT????”
I agree with Danielle that I loved the fact that Charles Suhor pointed out the intense aesthetic experience that one can receive from literature and other arts. Too often in the English classes that I have taken, students were told what they should think and feel about a piece of literature. Like music, theater, or art, literature should transport you to another place or leave you with a particular feeling. In order to help our students gain a full appreciation for literature and the humanities, we as teachers should encourage students to truly experience art rather than simply analyzing or studying it at a superficial level.
Once More to the Blog
E.B. White’s essay “Once More to the Lake” (mentioned by Lesley Rex), was an assigned reading in high school. For reasons unbeknownst to me at the time, the piece resonated with something inside me. I read the essay multiple times in a row, which was unusual for me at the time. I remember that when we discussed it in class, we were looking for the specific literary devices White used to vividly convey to the reader his feeling that he and his son were somehow one person and that time is cyclical. For some reason, I even remember that we discussed at length White’s reference to “the mosquito” as if it were the same mosquito that he had encountered as a boy. The essay made such an impression on me that I shared it with an adult friend of mine who is an English teacher. She was not previously familiar with the essay, but now uses it regularly in her classes.
I find it odd that I remember these minutias and realize now that I didn’t realize at the time why this simple essay had such an impact on me. “Once More to the Lake” was the first piece of non-fiction I read that expressed something deeper than reality, that tried to make sense of the world, that conveyed a writers convictions, but didn’t preach, or become melodramatic or self-important. It was also the first time I encountered non-fiction work that wasn’t a research paper, that wasn’t dry, or dull, or boring, but was still respected by the academic community. I feel as if “Once More to the Lake” led me to my first experience of that transcendence that Suhor writes about. While I didn’t cognitively realize all of this at the time, the lessons did sink in and when I listen to them my writing (and perceiving) is better and more insightful.
That being said, I agree with Rex that most students will not automatically appreciate the quality or intricacy of a well-written essay upon first read (I remember reading Orwell’s “Shooting An Elephant” and thinking it the worst writing I’d ever read), but composing a similar piece will probably open their minds and eyes to the difficulty of writing such a piece, and the skill with which the aforementioned writer’s have executed the writing.
Murray talks about the ease of writing in his essay. I agree with his observation that writing does not have to be difficult, but this seems to be the opposite sentiment of this quote I came across by 18th century author Samuel Johnson: “What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure.” (Unless of course Johnson is referring to emotional effort and not to the physical act of composition.) I know that my better writings have been the ones that flowed easily from the mind to the page, but as Murray mentioned is often the case, I too feel guilty that writing comes easily at times. This is one area where I see the need for a major shift in writing classrooms. I really believe that those students who find composition easy should not be made to refine and belabor composition, but should be encouraged and stretched in other areas. Let well enough alone.
Now, one word about Richard Graves’ essay. When you are the editor of the text, you can include whatever you wish in the volume. (Not that it wasn’t good or insightful, I just could have done without it.)
I find it odd that I remember these minutias and realize now that I didn’t realize at the time why this simple essay had such an impact on me. “Once More to the Lake” was the first piece of non-fiction I read that expressed something deeper than reality, that tried to make sense of the world, that conveyed a writers convictions, but didn’t preach, or become melodramatic or self-important. It was also the first time I encountered non-fiction work that wasn’t a research paper, that wasn’t dry, or dull, or boring, but was still respected by the academic community. I feel as if “Once More to the Lake” led me to my first experience of that transcendence that Suhor writes about. While I didn’t cognitively realize all of this at the time, the lessons did sink in and when I listen to them my writing (and perceiving) is better and more insightful.
That being said, I agree with Rex that most students will not automatically appreciate the quality or intricacy of a well-written essay upon first read (I remember reading Orwell’s “Shooting An Elephant” and thinking it the worst writing I’d ever read), but composing a similar piece will probably open their minds and eyes to the difficulty of writing such a piece, and the skill with which the aforementioned writer’s have executed the writing.
Murray talks about the ease of writing in his essay. I agree with his observation that writing does not have to be difficult, but this seems to be the opposite sentiment of this quote I came across by 18th century author Samuel Johnson: “What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure.” (Unless of course Johnson is referring to emotional effort and not to the physical act of composition.) I know that my better writings have been the ones that flowed easily from the mind to the page, but as Murray mentioned is often the case, I too feel guilty that writing comes easily at times. This is one area where I see the need for a major shift in writing classrooms. I really believe that those students who find composition easy should not be made to refine and belabor composition, but should be encouraged and stretched in other areas. Let well enough alone.
Now, one word about Richard Graves’ essay. When you are the editor of the text, you can include whatever you wish in the volume. (Not that it wasn’t good or insightful, I just could have done without it.)
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Discovering Discovery
The Apalachicola Estuary that Verle Barnes discovered certainly provided that emotional shot in the arm to him and his writing. The man seemingly devoted a large majority of his existence to this small island for the sake of discovery. This uninhabited little island and its living species were fortunate that Barnes found it because of all of the careful attention it was given by such conscientious people searching for inspiration. I am sure that many of his students did not share the same vision of Apalachicola, but I will assume they came away from the experience respectful of his enthusiasm and passion for a subject. As writers don’t we all hope to find a place or thing like Barnes did? I for one answer with a resounding YES!! As a student who plugs away at assignments and life I feel a little disappointed that I cannot think of too many instances that have wowed me. Maybe it will present itself when I least expect it or possibly at the most inopportune time?
I agree with Graves that discipline grows out of freedom, and not vice versa. The point is much like our human maturation process; where children that are sheltered or forced to follow the strict discipline of their parents never get to experience the pleasures of youth through discovery (hopefully they can at least discover the library). The trial and error process of freedom allows to us grow and understand acquired discipline, which is far more beneficial than coerced discipline. Our lives and our writing must experience the highs and lows, the drafts and re-drafts, the praise, and the criticism in order to produce well-rounded and accomplished writing.
I agree with Graves that discipline grows out of freedom, and not vice versa. The point is much like our human maturation process; where children that are sheltered or forced to follow the strict discipline of their parents never get to experience the pleasures of youth through discovery (hopefully they can at least discover the library). The trial and error process of freedom allows to us grow and understand acquired discipline, which is far more beneficial than coerced discipline. Our lives and our writing must experience the highs and lows, the drafts and re-drafts, the praise, and the criticism in order to produce well-rounded and accomplished writing.
Inspiration in Writing
"Writing from the gut." Rex makes it seem like it's so easy to just sit down and start writing about the life experiences you've had. For me, and likely for a lot of people, it's a scary process. I find it so much easier to get into the heads of characters, of other people, than to go inside my own head and write about something so personal. Rex is right when mentioning that it takes a lot of trust to do this inside a classroom, and I'd be willing to give it a try. But for a lot of students, there would still be an element of fear. A "I trust them, but do they trust me enough to relive this moment with me?" moment or even something along the lines of "I really don't want this going outside the classroom" or "If I let this situation out of me, can I make it go away again?" I was what we'll call an "outsider" in middle and high school, and I think if my teachers then had assigned something like this I would have made something up instead of opening myself up to embarrassment.
Rambling aside, I think it's a great teaching idea, but you just have to consider your audience, your class, and see if they can handle doing the assignment. If they're willing to let go enough to trust their classmates and come up with something all their own.
In the Graves reading, I enjoyed how he put into words one of my favorite ways to write. Not just sitting around and waiting for inspiration, but when that inspiration hits, you need to drop whatever it is you're doing and write. It's why I'd encourage my students or anyone, really, to keep a notebook in their car, their purse or back pocket, their desk at work/school. That way, when an idea hits, you can just pull out paper and start jotting down notes and ideas. There has to be a balance between waiting for inspiration and writing to write, as Murray talks about. If you're always sitting around and waiting for inspiration, you'll never write anything. But if you write constantly, it's easier to switch gears from those topics to whatever you "have" to write about when an idea hits you.
Rambling aside, I think it's a great teaching idea, but you just have to consider your audience, your class, and see if they can handle doing the assignment. If they're willing to let go enough to trust their classmates and come up with something all their own.
In the Graves reading, I enjoyed how he put into words one of my favorite ways to write. Not just sitting around and waiting for inspiration, but when that inspiration hits, you need to drop whatever it is you're doing and write. It's why I'd encourage my students or anyone, really, to keep a notebook in their car, their purse or back pocket, their desk at work/school. That way, when an idea hits, you can just pull out paper and start jotting down notes and ideas. There has to be a balance between waiting for inspiration and writing to write, as Murray talks about. If you're always sitting around and waiting for inspiration, you'll never write anything. But if you write constantly, it's easier to switch gears from those topics to whatever you "have" to write about when an idea hits you.
Blog 3
I have a feeling that this post is not going to be long. I know I'm kind of just going through the motions of doing it. I didn't really enjoy the readings this week, and I've been trying to figure out why. I think it's because some of the readings seemed to be very elementary. Graves says, "If young people do not care about what they are writing, if they do not own their work... then it profits little to lecture on parallel structure or rhetorical strategy or whatever." When I was reading that, I was thinking "well yeah, I think that obvious."
In Rex's article, she talks about writing from the gut, and I think it's a really good idea. The problem is as the teacher, you have to know that your classroom is a safe space for those kinds of writings. The kinds of writings like Linda's in the article could be really scary for a novice teacher, but you definitely don't want "dummy runs" as she said.
All right, my voice recognition software is going to hell today, so I was correct when I said this post was not going to be long.
In Rex's article, she talks about writing from the gut, and I think it's a really good idea. The problem is as the teacher, you have to know that your classroom is a safe space for those kinds of writings. The kinds of writings like Linda's in the article could be really scary for a novice teacher, but you definitely don't want "dummy runs" as she said.
All right, my voice recognition software is going to hell today, so I was correct when I said this post was not going to be long.
Sorry, sea turtles are not on the agenda!
The readings this week were inspirational to me for a number of reasons. Coincidentally(?) they all seemed to have a correlation to the "gut-level prose" philosophy.(Rex, "Focusing Twice Removed") The theme is the same throughout each text; write from the heart, without inhibition. I enjoyed the experiment in Rex's class but at the end of the read, was left with the underlying question; How do we know when we've gone too far in the classroom? Although I agree with many of her points to writing (such as the creativity process and writing as inflection and reflection), we must take extreme caution in crossing the boundaries with our students. At times, we will encounter the student with a compelling experience but I would be leary to exacerbate an occurence such as this. Although in this particular situation the child did seem to benefit from the experience, the consequences of the teacher allowing it to go that far could have resulted in devastating consequences to all parties involved, especially the students and the views of their families. I'm not sure I would have been so bold as to attempt this kind of experiment with my students, but I was equally astonished by the outcome as a success.
Graves elaborated on this theme (writing from the heart)in his view that "the writer should become one with the writing process." I began to realize that I too, often find myself writing on what appears to be a tangent, (much like the lecture on sea turtles at the English conference). Some close-minded administrators and teachers at alsmost any convention can be found jumping to the conclusion that the writing is not on the right topic, or too ambiguous for their taste (or many other sophisticated complaints). Instead of waiting to find out what the writer is actually trying to say, they immediately conclude (and rightfully so in their educated experience); "Sorry, sea turtles are not on the agenda". These are the current leaders of our creative writing curriculum.
Murray--he makes perfect sense. Writing is supposed to teach our students the meaning in their lives. Each of the elements he incorporates into his writings are imperative to creating an interesting and well-rounded work. I like his advice about using your "voice" in writing because it reminded me that I need to incorporate this into my own writing--a detail I very rarely consider. I hardly ever read my writing aloud until after it's finished and audible to my audience. I then make the necessary revisions and submit.
"Ease" then got my attention. I realized this is one of my biggest problems while writing. I must be "stupid" as the text suggests, because I can never create without making a written work difficult. As with many of us, I write for my professors or the expected audience. After all, this is what I have been taught to do. My "voice" ceases to exist because I'm too busy trying to complicate my writing with vernacular and prose that will surely win me my "A" for the piece. If we're in class, I become distracted by the thought that others may hear or read what I've written. Therefore, I spend the majority of my time trying to phrase each thought appropriately and precisely, leaving little room, if any, for my creative flow. I need to stop complicating my writing to impress others, focus on what I have to say, and find the "voice" to say it.
Further, my "needs" tend to overwhelm me. I often fear my heart will guide me on a journey too abstract for the current frames of time and reference of our class. I hold back because of fear of saying too much and fear of rejection, as in Rex's student's piece on rape. A lot of times, my audience may not be ready or willing to hear what I really want to say. Although I'm willing to share my experiences with others, they may not expect or want me to. Sometimes I find it difficult to decide if the timing is right.
Which leads me to the title of my blog; "The Bipolar Writer". My thoughts race endlessly, and there are times where I feel compelled to speak my mind or my heart and it may not necessarily be warranted for that particular situation. Like Murray, I begin writing one thing, then jump to something else until I've exhausted my creativity; much like the manic episodes of Bipolar Disorder. Yes, at one time, I was even diagnosed. I was diagnosed because of my inability to harness my creative flare and need to read, write, paint, draw, sculpt, speak, sing, etc.
If you were to research Bipolar, you would find that many writers have it. In fact, writers are the norm in the realm of this disorder. It seems as though our creative levels soar to a level that can lead to unhealthy forms of self-expression. I often wonder if it's because of our inability to create or write at a particular moment. In other words, if we have no outlet for our creativity, yet we have a NEED to as Murray suggests, would it be innaccurate to assume that this "disorder" is a result of our inbility to express ourselves? I know for me, this is defintely true.
We must learn how to make time to provide ourselves the luxury of writing or contributing to art as a healthy method of self expression. For some of us, this may be next to impossible. Life has a way of taking it's toll on the individual and on their ability to write. Yet, in the right atmoshere and given the time, many people benefit from writing as therapy--especially as they begin to share their innermost thoughts, secrets and experiences. Since I've started writing again, my "symptoms" have not been uncontrollable. I'm happier, I smile more, I'm a better person in general. I'm no longer on meds, and I found that if I continue doing what I love, writing, I only need develop discipline and I'm fine. I may have my quirks from time to time, but who doesn't?
I'm not saying that I feel artistic expression is the answer for everyone, but considering the alternative, anything is worth a shot. To me, it seems a if this "illness" attacks people who are passionate and expressive. Why then, would it seem so odd that many of us are writers and artists? So yes, I wholeheartedly agree with Murray that these elements of writing need to be addressed within the curriculum. Learning to write with ease, finding solitude, sharing the experience and having faith in your ability are the very foundations of writing. Incorporate the other aspects and well, and sea turtles will be added to the agenda. Many of us are not born writers. And some of us are. Either way, I do believe the key to our survival rests in the ability to express ourselves. Even cave writers figured that out. Whether we learn to love writing or whether we are born loving it, we will always have a need to write at some point in our lives. We might as well learn how to now. Remember, it is our right to write.
Oh, and Christina, you're definitely not alone..."Outsiders" like us are what make this world unique. And our experiences and differences are the driving force behind the anarchy of modern English and the linguistic revolution, like it or not. I guess we're supposed to be grateful that public hangings are not still the popular method of keeping us commoners in line...Otherwise, I would be in big trouble. Yay for the Constitution!!!! Don't forget the turtles!!!!
Graves elaborated on this theme (writing from the heart)in his view that "the writer should become one with the writing process." I began to realize that I too, often find myself writing on what appears to be a tangent, (much like the lecture on sea turtles at the English conference). Some close-minded administrators and teachers at alsmost any convention can be found jumping to the conclusion that the writing is not on the right topic, or too ambiguous for their taste (or many other sophisticated complaints). Instead of waiting to find out what the writer is actually trying to say, they immediately conclude (and rightfully so in their educated experience); "Sorry, sea turtles are not on the agenda". These are the current leaders of our creative writing curriculum.
Murray--he makes perfect sense. Writing is supposed to teach our students the meaning in their lives. Each of the elements he incorporates into his writings are imperative to creating an interesting and well-rounded work. I like his advice about using your "voice" in writing because it reminded me that I need to incorporate this into my own writing--a detail I very rarely consider. I hardly ever read my writing aloud until after it's finished and audible to my audience. I then make the necessary revisions and submit.
"Ease" then got my attention. I realized this is one of my biggest problems while writing. I must be "stupid" as the text suggests, because I can never create without making a written work difficult. As with many of us, I write for my professors or the expected audience. After all, this is what I have been taught to do. My "voice" ceases to exist because I'm too busy trying to complicate my writing with vernacular and prose that will surely win me my "A" for the piece. If we're in class, I become distracted by the thought that others may hear or read what I've written. Therefore, I spend the majority of my time trying to phrase each thought appropriately and precisely, leaving little room, if any, for my creative flow. I need to stop complicating my writing to impress others, focus on what I have to say, and find the "voice" to say it.
Further, my "needs" tend to overwhelm me. I often fear my heart will guide me on a journey too abstract for the current frames of time and reference of our class. I hold back because of fear of saying too much and fear of rejection, as in Rex's student's piece on rape. A lot of times, my audience may not be ready or willing to hear what I really want to say. Although I'm willing to share my experiences with others, they may not expect or want me to. Sometimes I find it difficult to decide if the timing is right.
Which leads me to the title of my blog; "The Bipolar Writer". My thoughts race endlessly, and there are times where I feel compelled to speak my mind or my heart and it may not necessarily be warranted for that particular situation. Like Murray, I begin writing one thing, then jump to something else until I've exhausted my creativity; much like the manic episodes of Bipolar Disorder. Yes, at one time, I was even diagnosed. I was diagnosed because of my inability to harness my creative flare and need to read, write, paint, draw, sculpt, speak, sing, etc.
If you were to research Bipolar, you would find that many writers have it. In fact, writers are the norm in the realm of this disorder. It seems as though our creative levels soar to a level that can lead to unhealthy forms of self-expression. I often wonder if it's because of our inability to create or write at a particular moment. In other words, if we have no outlet for our creativity, yet we have a NEED to as Murray suggests, would it be innaccurate to assume that this "disorder" is a result of our inbility to express ourselves? I know for me, this is defintely true.
We must learn how to make time to provide ourselves the luxury of writing or contributing to art as a healthy method of self expression. For some of us, this may be next to impossible. Life has a way of taking it's toll on the individual and on their ability to write. Yet, in the right atmoshere and given the time, many people benefit from writing as therapy--especially as they begin to share their innermost thoughts, secrets and experiences. Since I've started writing again, my "symptoms" have not been uncontrollable. I'm happier, I smile more, I'm a better person in general. I'm no longer on meds, and I found that if I continue doing what I love, writing, I only need develop discipline and I'm fine. I may have my quirks from time to time, but who doesn't?
I'm not saying that I feel artistic expression is the answer for everyone, but considering the alternative, anything is worth a shot. To me, it seems a if this "illness" attacks people who are passionate and expressive. Why then, would it seem so odd that many of us are writers and artists? So yes, I wholeheartedly agree with Murray that these elements of writing need to be addressed within the curriculum. Learning to write with ease, finding solitude, sharing the experience and having faith in your ability are the very foundations of writing. Incorporate the other aspects and well, and sea turtles will be added to the agenda. Many of us are not born writers. And some of us are. Either way, I do believe the key to our survival rests in the ability to express ourselves. Even cave writers figured that out. Whether we learn to love writing or whether we are born loving it, we will always have a need to write at some point in our lives. We might as well learn how to now. Remember, it is our right to write.
Oh, and Christina, you're definitely not alone..."Outsiders" like us are what make this world unique. And our experiences and differences are the driving force behind the anarchy of modern English and the linguistic revolution, like it or not. I guess we're supposed to be grateful that public hangings are not still the popular method of keeping us commoners in line...Otherwise, I would be in big trouble. Yay for the Constitution!!!! Don't forget the turtles!!!!
Blog 03
One paragraph into the Rex reading I realized what Jim meant on Monday when he said he used the WTL for his writing portfolio, and now I wish I would have known about this long before I wrote my paper. I am also very interested in seeing what Jim wrote now. Despite my belief in what Rex wrote I must admit that I am a hypocrite and have done everything in my power to stay away from such essays. Nothing is wrong with completely logical machine like pieces with no personal connection whatsoever. That kind of work is, for lack of a better word, is safe and someone writing that kind of paper can feel secure that what they are writing is well enough. From the teaching prospective I worry about what this method may teach a student when it comes to writing, do they always have to relate a personal experience to what they are trying to talk about? No, papers can be as cold and impersonal as any IRS agent. What I think I am trying to say is that while the idea of “writing from the gut” is a good thing I would revise that into “writing what you believe.” Or it could be as simple as I missed the entire point of Rex’s writing. It wouldn’t be the first time.
“The first lesson in teaching composition is that the writer must find his or her own subject” (Graves 115). This line out of the reading is probably one of my highest beliefs when it comes to writing in general. It is also something everyone in the class can say they know. When given the assignment, when told what to write about the student has no choice but to conform to that assignment and feeling, and true power of voice will be lost. The best papers are the ones where the student is allowed a broad area to dig and learn and discover and find a personal meaning that he or she can then share and elaborate on. This is different than Rex’s writing from the gut which too me screams of primal emotion, instead of personal taste, belief, or feeling. This is why the best critiques are the ones that go against the belief of the author of the critiqued work. The person conducting the critique feels strongly in opposition to what the original author had to say and that shows up on the page. However, the problem I noticed during my time observing high school students is that many in the current “crop” are so filled with apathy that I wonder if any strong emotion is left, and if there is any left how do I bring it out?
Murray’s piece was interesting, and I find myself agreeing with a lot of what he is saying, however, I did not find myself as intrigued with him as I was with Graves or Rex. I like the break down, or elements of writing as Murray called it, but it just seemed obvious, at least for the first three. Although I would replace the arrogance he speaks of in Faith with paranoia, nothing better than paranoia to destroy a person’s faith in his or her writing.
As for Suhor, all I can do is quote and nod in approval. “Student response to artistic and literary texts takes second place to coverage of ground in a force march trough representative works or snippets from such works. Fascinating newer connections among disciplines … seldom seem to enter the syllabus” (337 – 338)
Monday, September 17, 2007
Write from the gut
I enjoyed this weeks readings and the discussion of how to find inspiration, and instruct others to find inspiration, for writing. The Rex article was probably my least favorite, except for the main idea the author kept stressing which was, "write from the gut." I've found that this is true of myself. When writing about something that interests me or something I'm passionate about, I write with interest and enthusiasm. Something just takes over inside you and you don't get blocked or sidetracked when you're in this 'writing zone.' A lot of my favorite quotes from this article were mentioned already, but one I liked that I don't think anyone else mentioned was when Graves said, "A good subject is like a jewel buried in the bottom of the sea..." (115). Choosing a subject for a paper seems like such an easy task, when it actuality it really can be the most difficult part of a writing assignment. If you don't start out with a topic that fascinates you or inspires you to explore it, where can your paper possibly go from there? I know that I can mull over topics and subjects forever. I probably spend more time deciding the subject matter than actually writing the paper. Previously, I never would have considered choosing the subject as an important or time-consuming part of the writing process, but after reading these articles I see just how important this phase of writing is, and that a considerable amount of time should be spent just choosing a topic. \
Suhor's article was probably my favorite. The books I remember most are the ones that transport you to a different world while reading them, or have such an emotional impact on you that you can recall exactly how you felt while reading them years later. I liked that Suhor acknowledged this quality of literature and recognized one of literature's most important jobs. I enjoyed the part about how some people are trying to like Maria Montessori, Fascism, and new age religion as conspirators of a one world satanic religion! Are these people for real??
Suhor's article was probably my favorite. The books I remember most are the ones that transport you to a different world while reading them, or have such an emotional impact on you that you can recall exactly how you felt while reading them years later. I liked that Suhor acknowledged this quality of literature and recognized one of literature's most important jobs. I enjoyed the part about how some people are trying to like Maria Montessori, Fascism, and new age religion as conspirators of a one world satanic religion! Are these people for real??
Carnivalesque (I checked, it's a word)
No, I'm not going to beat that drunk horse and for those of you who have waded through Michael Bakhtin I'm simply going to nod lightly in that direction by pointing out the one slender connecting thread. Within the carnival (which is sometimes raging dancing beating splashing spouting starving drowning eating in my head)the rules/meanings/standards break down. This seems similar to what Donald Murray said about ease "I lower my standards. I write easily. And I write fast. Velocity is central to my curriculum...And to Hell with John Calvin, I'll accept this example of easy writing."
I'm gonna dig into it a little bit now.
In-spirit-ation. Yes, I spelled it "wrong." But the web of connotation, those unconscious (or preconscious, let's not get too hung up on rigor) meaning jumps that flew at me from "to hell with John Calvin." I assume we're all pretty familiar, but to me and my background, John Calvin is the icon for theistic determinism, predestination, lack of freedom, and many other static yuckinesses. By his own dogma, if he were destined for hell he'd be headed there, no chance to get off that highway, might as well hop on AC/DC's tour bus for an easier ride. This inspiration thing, though, seems to slap away determinism. Like the Graves "possession" comment, like the mythologies of Barthes, like my use of the expression "automatic writing," there runs this undercurrent of the spiritual in our thoughts on where the words come from. Heidegger thought of poets as being in the "Between" of the gods and the people. Plato argued against poetic inspiration in the Ion, which implies that the ancient Greeks commonly believed in it. What comes out of your pen is only held back by the inner critic and the attempt to conform.
I'll end with a quote from Rob Zombie, a grab at the spirit of Murray's need for velocity in his writing-
"I'm demon speeding
get it on, get it on, get it on, get it on come alive
Hey, do ya love me elevating the madness?"
I'm gonna dig into it a little bit now.
In-spirit-ation. Yes, I spelled it "wrong." But the web of connotation, those unconscious (or preconscious, let's not get too hung up on rigor) meaning jumps that flew at me from "to hell with John Calvin." I assume we're all pretty familiar, but to me and my background, John Calvin is the icon for theistic determinism, predestination, lack of freedom, and many other static yuckinesses. By his own dogma, if he were destined for hell he'd be headed there, no chance to get off that highway, might as well hop on AC/DC's tour bus for an easier ride. This inspiration thing, though, seems to slap away determinism. Like the Graves "possession" comment, like the mythologies of Barthes, like my use of the expression "automatic writing," there runs this undercurrent of the spiritual in our thoughts on where the words come from. Heidegger thought of poets as being in the "Between" of the gods and the people. Plato argued against poetic inspiration in the Ion, which implies that the ancient Greeks commonly believed in it. What comes out of your pen is only held back by the inner critic and the attempt to conform.
I'll end with a quote from Rob Zombie, a grab at the spirit of Murray's need for velocity in his writing-
"I'm demon speeding
get it on, get it on, get it on, get it on come alive
Hey, do ya love me elevating the madness?"
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Blog 3 Student's Choice
This week's readings provided a lot of insight for me about how to create an effective classroom. Graves tells us that "the writer must find his or her own subject" (Graves 115). He later goes on to describe that "if young people do not care about what they are writing, if they do not own their own work, or better, if their writing does not possess them, then it profits little to lecture on parallel structure or rhetorical strategy or whatever" (Graves 115). I completely agree with this. Why do teachers make their students write about something that does not interest them what-so-ever? Is it really benefiting them? Some people may argue that with repetition it will only increase the students' writing proficiency. For those of you in EDUC 416, you know that my favorite quote from last week's readings was, "Just doing something doesn't automatically make us better at it, especially if we do whatever it is under duress or unwillingly or without concern for effectiveness, the way too many students approach writing. I just think of my own children when it's their turn to do the dishes or when they are told to clean their rooms. Though they may have done both chores many times, simple repetition doesn't always make them better at either of them" (Dean 6). If we follow Murray's ten elements and grant our students the silence needed to write about whatever they want to write about, then we might be surprised with the results.
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