Learning and Growing as Teachers October 27, 2009

As teachers, it’s important to think of ourselves as ongoing or continuous learners. Just because we have finished school (or are almost done) doesn’t mean that we have learned all there is to know on any given subject and we can bask in the glory of “being done.” Staying current in the field and trying new teaching strategies is crucial so we don’t get stuck in a rut or get so comfortable that we stop being effective or relevant.

One way we can learn from what we do is to reflect on what happened in the classroom: what went well and what could have gone better. Stopping to think about the theory or reason behind what we do in the classroom will enable us to be more thoughtful and successful in our teaching strategies. However, being reflective won’t help unless we change our methods accordingly. We shouldn’t be scared to try new things in the classroom. During my junior year in high school, my English teacher was constantly trying out various teaching methods to not only switch up the monotony in the classroom but to challenge us as students and writers (of course, I wasn’t aware of this at the time).

Additionally, talking with our colleagues about what they’re doing in the classroom will open our eyes to different material or new ways of teaching a difficult subject. Observing other teachers is another great way to learn new teaching strategies or get fresh ideas. Many people learn through imitation, so it makes sense to imitate successful teachers or what you liked when you were a student. Since we are trying to teach a community of writers in our classroom, I think it’s appropriate that we come together as a community of teachers and help each other.

What FYC Teachers and Students Should Know October 21, 2009

I think it is utterly important for FYC teachers to try not to hold stereotypes or entertain sweeping generalizations that assume every college freshman is exactly the same—i.e. lazy and indifferent. Of course there are going to be students who would rather not apply themselves, but I think it is up to teachers to set the precedent for the class and make students rise to meet their expectations instead of the other way around. I really don’t want to believe that typical college freshmen are not concerned with their performance in college. I realize this may be naïve and ignorant of me, but a girl can wish. (If only every student were attentive and excited about writing!)

I also think it is important that we instill in students the responsibility that necessitates being in college. In other words, since this is usually their first semester away from home and in a new environment, we need to allow them to take responsibility for their own work and learning. Especially as a DI, it is easy to get mad and scoff at the less than satisfactory work students produce, but I think it is important to remember that we are here to help them become better writers. Our comments can only go so far, however. The rest is up to them. They should know that if they don’t put effort into an assignment, their grade will reflect that effort. Finally, FYC teachers should come to class knowing the game plan. They should be prepared, have a set agenda, and try to engage the class in some way. This preparedness goes back to my point about teaching students responsibility. If we come to class with a plan and expect students to actively participate, this should hopefully set a pattern for the rest of the semester.

On the other hand, FYC students should come to class knowing what they signed up for. They need to be aware that the class will involve a good amount of reading and even more writing. We can only hope that their English classes in high school have laid the groundwork and equipped them with a good foundation that we can build off of. I realize this is not always the case, though. Therefore, students should know that they are in college now and their work and performance should rise to the occasion.

As I’m writing this, I can’t help but think that it is very easy to idealize what should happen in an FYC class. However, it is always important to have a plan B in case students are not responding to the lesson plan. From what they’ve told us in our workshops, it is a good idea to plan more activities than there is time for. Therefore, if one activity is not working, you can move on to the next thing you have planned. Instead of depending entirely on students to do the outside reading, class material and activities should also focus on supplemental articles or reading that can be done in class with corresponding group activities or class discussion.

Grading October 16, 2009

I try to grade based on how I would want to be graded. In other words, I try to be mindful of my comments and anticipate how I would react if I were reading the same comments about my own work. I don’t want to discourage students or turn them off to writing. I want to make sure that I give feedback that (hopefully) can be applied in future assignments. In constructing my comments, I try to respond in a way that lets students know that they need to be mindful of the audience. I’ll say something like, “As a reader, I’m unsure of what you meant when you said…” Then, I’ll try and pinpoint the problem. I’m trying to get them to anticipate readers’ needs and write in a way that is accessible and, most importantly, coherent. I guess all this talk of rhetoric is rubbing off and influencing my philosophy of teaching/composition. After all, I don’t think we can teach writing and various devices of delivery without talking about audience.

Additionally, I focus more on content than on grammatical or mechanical issues. I definitely point out some grammar issues, but I don’t usually dock many points or go into much detail to explain them. Since I’m used to the writing center set up, this grading process seems a little detached to me. I find it much easier to talk about grammar face to face with a student rather than have to type out an explanation. I feel like I’m wasting my time talking about grammar because students will probably just ignore the comment. However, if the comment is on content or something they can apply in the future, they should be more inclined to take it into consideration.

Overall, I’m a big advocate of the idea that students need to take responsibility for their own work and learning. Sometimes I find myself writing comments that are longer than the actual assignment the student turned in or spending too much time grading an assignment. I don’t want my commentary to do the work for the students or eliminate the need for students to think. It seems there is a fine line between helpful, constructive commentary and overbearing, authoritarian commentary. I’d much rather sit down with a student and hear them talk about their writing and thought processes, but, of course, there is not enough time for that!

Thoughts and Questions October 7, 2009

We’ve been talking about the social construction of knowledge lately and how group work can facilitate independent thinking and encourage students to become aware of differing viewpoints. Along these lines, I think using technology in and out of the classroom can help students communicate their ideas and share with each other. Allowing students to blog their ideas, for example, will allow them to think about the subject matter they’re learning while having to keep an audience (their peers) in mind. Accordingly, by reading that others are saying, students will be able to see the material in a new way and be able to add to the ongoing conversation. However, why does the incorporation of technology in the classroom still seem to be such a big debate? Selfe is right when she says that educators need to pay attention to technology; it is certainly here to stay and is probably going to become an even bigger part of the classroom in the future. Here at Tech, we are fortunate enough to have ample opportunities to use technology in our classrooms.

Also, I would argue that technological literacy isn’t as much of a problem in today’s classroom. Computers permeate almost every part of our everyday lives. Students access the Internet from their cell phones and text all the time. Also, with the rise of social media like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc., students are used to communicating online and using technology. How can we incorporate these mediums into the classroom to enhance learning and promote more student engagement?

Another thing I’ve been wrestling with is putting a lot of these teaching approaches into practice. I’ve never taught before, and my fear is that I will get into the classroom and think things will go smoothly but then realize my students aren’t engaged or don’t cooperate. We’ve done a lot of group activities in class, and they seem to work well, but then I remind myself that we are graduate students; we don’t need as much instruction, and we usually stay on task. Getting students engaged and participating in my class is my goal, but I’m not sure how that will actually play out in reality. I guess that’s where experience comes in.

I also thought it was interesting when Dr. Rickly brought up the idea of FYC not being required. If all students were able to see the value of a writing class and enrolled simply because they wanted to, I wonder how it would affect the dynamic of the classroom.