End of the Semester

Well, the semester has been officially over for a few days now.  I find myself relieved that the work is done and I can now take a break, some time to myself to catch up on some reading, watch the movies I missed while I was engrossed in my responsibilities to my students, and quite simply to watch some TV & just veg. 

Inundated by this relief as I am, I also find myself saddened beyond belief.  Each semester brings into by life a new wave of students who, once the semester is over, are pulled back into the world like a receding tide.  This transition is always difficult for me, to meet so many fascinating people, most of whom I will never see or hear from again.  Whatever grades they received in this class, whatever effort they put forth, for a moment in time, they were a part of my life; in fact, they were my life as I do little else besides “work.”  So many people who have touched my life and changed me in some way, whether it be minute or profound.  I will never be the same. 

Every moment, I’m thinking how I could have served them better, inspired them more, infused them with my own passion for language and for learning.  More than anything I want them to know that education does not have to be passionless, that writing does not have to be passionless.  In fact, writing has, since its existence, been the primary medium for expressing the deepest passions of human experience: love, sex, war, survival, freedom. 

It breaks my heart to see the lack of interest so many students exhibit in the conditions of their existence.  I want them to question everything, but instead they simply accept things the way they are.  I overhear their frustrations with course requirements, but most never demand to know why they have to take gen ed courses.  I listen to their mumbled grumbles about assignments, but most never approach the instructor to inquire about the purpose of the homework.  Granted, many instructors, administrators, and other people in positions of power get pissed when confronted with such questions, but—damn it—it’s my students’ right to know.  The truth of the matter is that those who respond to such questioning with anger or indignation very likely don’t have an answer other than “because I said so,” which is nothing less than unacceptable and offensive.

I’m not suggesting that everything is worth rebelling against, but don’t be pushed around by unknown forces.    Find the truth.  And if that truth is objectionable, do something about it.  It’s true—you might fail.  But at least you can say you didn’t sit back and do nothing.  How many times can I say it?  You have one of the greatest powers on earth at your disposal, but like any weapon, you must learn to use it.

Language is not an arbitrary college requirement.  It’s a weapon, a powerful weapon., one you can use to protect or destroy.  I hope you will protect your rights; I hope you will protect yourself; I hope you will protect your loved ones.  And I hope you will destroy unjust rules and regulations that stand in the way of your success; I hope you will destroy the forces intent on keeping you from achieving your goals and living your dreams.   

Transitions

Last week we worked on transition strategies.  It's really the first time I've done more than show students a list of transitions words - the most basic form of transition.  After doing some research on rhetorical strategies for coherence, I think I put together a decent PowerPoint.  I'm still not sure about the activity.  My morning class was phenomenal, identifying and implementing each transition strategy except transitional paragraphs (which wouldn't have made sense in the example essay anyway).  They even picked up on a few ordering problems I hadn't paid any attention to in the past.  Needless to say, I left that class elated.  I love it when my students awe me like that.  My afternoon class, however, had trouble engaging with the activity.  It's not as if I planned the most exciting activity, but I don't know that I could have made it any more interesting.  I enjoy making lesson plans that are fun and interesting, but not everything can be.  Sometimes you just have to buckle down and set yourself to the task at hand because it is important foundational information.  Half the class treated the activity as gossip hour.  I should have just thrown them out of class.  Next time.

Anyway, I hope to develop this activity more before I use it again.  Since I'm teaching this class over the summer, I'll use it as an opportunity to do that.  Perhaps I'll get some suggestions from my students.  They usually have good ideas.

Frustrated

Now that we are nearing the end of the semester, I find students slacking off on assignments.  I think after midterm conferences they feel secure enough in their grades to ease off a bit on homework.  I don't think they understand the interconnectivity of grades in the course.  If they didn't complete the invention activities or draft work for an essay project, they can't get above a D for some categories on the evaluation rubric such as "Engaging the Writing Process," "Collaborating with Peers," or "Seeking Feedback & Assistance Responsibly."  Most of them are hovering around a 'C,' but blowing off even a few homework assignments could very easily push their grades down into the 'D' range by finals...especially those students who aren't revising.  For the next two writing projects, I'm refusing to read or respond to unrevised drafts.  Perhaps that will give them the motivation they need to put some real effort into their writing.  I know most of them don't care about this course - it's just another dreaded requirement. I do my best to make the class engaging.  I hate seeing them throw away the greatest power they will ever have at their disposal.  They don't get it.  And I don't know how to make it real for them.  Perhaps I can't.   

Essay 1

I finally finished reading and commenting on the first essays for my 9:30 class and have begun reviewing the essays for my 12:30 class. While scores are somewhat low (as is expected at this point in the semester), almost everyone is at least very close to a 'C.' It's very interesting to see where everyone's strengths are. Some students are great at illustrating their points while others have incorporated some quite fabulously original figurative langauge. Two students have shined in the area of analysis (very impressive at this point in the semester), and a few have phenomenal titles. Most impressive, however, are the extraordinary ideas my students have developed. Almost everyone's essays are unique in some way. I attribute this to the invention activities. I will be interested to see how my students feel about the invention work when they complete course surveys at the end of the semester. I imagine that most of them currently find it pointless, but I bet those who take the invention process seriously will change their minds.

Today's Classes

Today's classes were very exciting, especially my afternoon class. They usually need some prodding to say anything, but today conversation took off like a lightning bolt.  I actually had to make sure that everyone who wanted to say something had a chance to talk.  It was very refreshing to hear everyone's views and have some friendly, academic argument.  

The conversation did present some concerns though - not about the class itself but about how elitist some students responses were.  I don't understand "better-than-you" arguments.  The most ironic part about any of us buying into elitist ideology is that none of us will likely ever be in a position where no one is "above" us.  Buying into the class system is a mistake that only helps perpetuate the system and secure the position of others who can exert power over us.  People are just people, amalgamations of choices and their consequences, nothing more, nothing less. 

Despite those concerns, however, I think most of my students have some good ideas as they approach the next essay assignment.  I can't wait to see the invention work they turn in on Tuesday!

Two Weeks In

Well, we are now two weeks in the Spring semester, and everything seems to be calming down. I had squished too much in to the first two weeks, so we slowed things down just a bit. I didn't expect to spend so much time on the technological components of the course. Something to remember in the future.

We started on Project 1, the literacy narrative. Students always find the content a bit challenging, though I don't really understand why. Maybe one of students will enlighten me some day. Students struggled with the invention exercises a little. I know that the way I am asking them to approach writing this semester may be radically different from what they have experienced in the past. I don't mind taking extra class time to work through some of these activities. My ultimate goal is to help them become more effective writers. The system I have set up this semester - modeled after courses I have taught elsewhere and read about in my research studies - has proven results. It will take some time for them to acclimate to a new way of approaching writing, and some might outright rebel against the process I am teaching, but I can't wait to see the writing they are producing at the end of the course. The last time I taught this system, the improvement was so drastic, I could hardly believe it. Students weren't just improving either, they were actually getting excited about incorporating what they had learned in the writing they were producing. I hope I can recreate that excitement this semester.

One week down...15 to go

So far, so good. My students are great! Some seem a little freaked by the technology, but they also seem committed to learning it. I'm glad because it will make such a difference for them in the future.

I haven't had a chance yet to read their introductory writings. I'm very excited to read their letters. Probably much more excited than they were to write them. I'm very impressed with the way some of the students approached this assignment. I had one student ask if it was okay to use quotes from previous writing she had done. This is above and beyond my expectations of them. On the flip side, it seems that some students were determined not to complete the assignment. I'll have to implement some change in the requirement to ensure everyone completes it in the future. It is so important to the rest of the semester; they just don't know it yet. It sets the tone for everything else we will do. Besides, it helps them prepare for their formal writing assignments by giving them an idea of how I am evaluating their writing. That's the whole point. I want them to understand how they will be evaluated before I actually grade something worth a lot.