I decided to change things up a little bit for this week’s article. I have been doing a lot of reflection about my life. As a means of dealing with the daily strifes of life, I normally keep a journal and title it, so I can go back every so often and reflect on the various things I have overcome. I recently came across a journal from the summer of 2014, and I decided to share some of the entries from my private and personal thoughts with my readers.
Introductory Comments…
Writing in this field note log book has been very rewarding. My brain has been pushed to think outside of the box more than normal. My body has been told to react to my surroundings, and my hands have been told to write about these interesting concepts. I composed the notes in this journal based on quotes that captivated my attention from various articles I have read as well as quotes that have allowed me to reminisce on my journey as a mother, instructor of Writing/English, and graduate student.
6/16/14“Ask students to teach difficult concepts in your course to a new learner."One of the most difficult concepts for my students to grasp is the thesis statement. I provide an example of how the essay should be written and also use an entire class session to explain the importance of the thesis statement. Nonetheless, many students just do not get it. Each semester maybe four or five students grasp that the statement is housed in the introductory paragraph and is the last sentence of this paragraph. For one of my in-class exercises, I would like to utilize those students who actually grasp the concept to help me teach the lesson to those who do not. As the facilitator/instructor, I would break the class into groups for this exercise. Each class session would have time dedicated to working on this task. I would also assign a rough draft for the particular essay being taught as a means of assessing my students’ comprehension with the task.
6/17/14
“Instead of teaching finished writing, we should teach unfinished writing, and glory in its unfinishedness. We work with language in action.”
There is no other way to put it. Writing is messy! When I first heard a professor say this, I thought to myself, “Is she serious?” Why hadn’t anyone told me this when I was younger? I always thought the aim was to make it right the first time. I must admit the first time I tried writing as a messy writer I got frustrated. However, as time progressed, I realized how stress relieving it was to write multiple drafts, not be concerned with the punctuation, or any of the other nuisances associated with writing. Believe it or not, learning this concept helped me in my life as a whole. Not being so anal, or as most people call it “Obsessive Compulsive Disorder better known as OCD,” finally felt good!
6/18/14
“I had learned by experience that thinking is the foundation of writing. But, I had never thought about thinking as a process. How does it work? Why do some people think straighter than others? What are the factors that prevent us from thinking clearly? Can it be taught?”
When I read this snippet from one of the many articles I've read over the past week, I thought to myself, “Yes, this process can be taught!” For example, I remember when I first started cooking years ago. I couldn’t cook eggs to save my life. I would get very angry and frustrated, but I never gave up on cooking them. Over the years, I’ve learned how to use various techniques to make them taste so yummy. I recently tried adding almond milk to the mixture. O-M-to the G! They were awesome! My writing has traveled along a similar path. The more I learn and read the more my writing improves. I don’t get upset about not getting it right the first time anymore. I know how to walk away from it and try again later. Waddling in my messiness is what makes it so much fun!
6/19/14
“Voice not only drives the writing; it is, beyond the simple sharing of information, the very reason for writing. Voice comes from who we are, from the deepest part of ourselves, from the most sacred beliefs that define us.”
It took me a long time to understand this concept. My personality is pretty cut-and-dry. There is no in between with me. I don’t consider myself to be rude or abrasive, but I am extremely blunt. However, I have learned as an adult that my voice in writing means a lot. In the professional world, written correspondence talks for you. If you write “whatever,” the reader isn’t privy to your exact thoughts on the connotation behind the word “whatever.” For example, he/she does not know if “whatever” means positive or negative unless you expound. Practice has truly resulted in my improvement as a writer. It has been a journey for me. I now know how to write in a way that comfortably communicates my thoughts without having to worry about my thoughts being read as abrasive or rude.
6/20/14
“I still think of the read aloud as something deliciously edible, only now I see it as a wonderful vegetable-something so good for us as a class that we need several helpings of it each day!”
This was one my favorite quotes. I truly believe in it. I began reading to my son when he was small. Although he couldn’t read at the time, he could describe the pictures to me. As time progressed, he developed a true love for reading. He enjoys reading and based on his test scores, he is on a sixth grade reading level as a third grader. I have made reading fun for him. We read magazines, surf the internet, and play vocabulary games to strengthen his comprehension skills. On another note, I got a chance to read to two kindergartners throughout this past school year. In the beginning, they absolutely hated reading and were sometimes reluctant of our time together. However, I was determined to find ways to make it fun for them. I brought additional books to read to them and allowed them to read to me. This activity pushed them to ask someone at home to read to them. The stories were interesting, and they wanted to hear more. I believe reading aloud to children improves their outlook on life, and it also gives them a sense of energy that helps to conquer their fears.
6/23/14
“I didn’t realize how young she was but isn’t the conceit of mothers — that we conceal out youth and exist only for our children? It is the province of mothers to preserve the myth that we are unburdened with our own problems. Placed in a circle of immunity, we carry only the crises of those we love.”
This is an interesting point for me. My son is going through another curious phase. The other day we were in the car, and a song came on. I said, “I haven’t heard that song since college.” He immediately started calculating from the year on the screen trying to figure out how old I was in college. My goal is to not be innocent, but some of the questions he asks me, I would have never asked my mother.
6/24/14
“Six-Word Memoirs.” While you’re talking, I’m in Jamaica! Do all men like pretty toes? Abstinence and celibacy are not equal. First came baby then came love. Intoxicated daily by your erotic touch!
6/25/14
“I gave my students back their papers, unmarked, and said, make them better. And they did.”
I would like to try out this technique to see what changes my students would notice if any. I would also like to incorporate peer reviews to see how the other students would respond if given one of their peers’ paper to review.
6/26/14
“To improve techniques at commenting on our students’ paper, then, we need to remember our purpose, which is not to point out everything with the paper but to, facilitate improvement.”
It took me a very long time to grasp this concept. When I was in undergraduate, I despised the negative comments I received from Dr. Roberts and Dr. Johnson; however, I must say it was their negative comments that improved my skill as a writer. Understanding your students play a big role in this as well is vital. I taught developmental courses for years, and I had to be very cautious in the comments I put on their papers. Many of them were already reluctant and felt defeated, so I was determined to not kick them in the heart with my feedback. By no means am I saying you shouldn’t critique their mistakes, I just believe you should be mindful of your approach. I particularly liked the quote that says, “We know how we feel ourselves when we ask a colleague to read one of our drafts (apologetic, vulnerable). But we sometimes forget these feelings when we comment on students’ papers.”
