I fear for potential error in my execution of this prompt. Should I be saying why we teach first year writing per the readings we've done so far, or can I make up my own answer??? Three question marks' worth of uncertainty is a lot to handle this early in the morning. I'm going to give you my answer. Damn the torpedoes.
We teach first year writing because everyone should be at least coherent on paper. If your work aspirations take you beyond the floor of Lowe's, you're going to have to write SOMETHING, some day, no matter what you're doing professionally. Of course, you could argue that basic writing skills are obtained in high school, and thus a mandatory course for college students is unnecessary, and I might have agreed with you, right up until I started grading freshman assignments. These kids need help. Lots of help.
WHAT we should be teaching, at least at first, are nuts and bolts. The "What is Composition and Why do we Teach it?" article speaks highly of writing ambitiously rather than pursuing perfection on a more rudimentary subject, but you need to learn to use a hammer before you start building a house (does this contradict my first blog? Yes, a little. Whatever). Once we've got the rules drilled into these kids, the next part of the course should be dedicated to organizing their writing. Being clear and direct is vital for both further college writing (in any subject), as well as professional writing. It's possible I'm insulting these kids, but the bulk of them are coming out of the Texas state schools' system, and TAAS/TAKS/whatever the grand assessment it is they're taking these days doesn't teach you to write worth a damn. I know this because I went through the same system.
Once they've got the tools and the frame down, THEN the students should start really working on the jazzy stuff I talked about in the first entry, i.e., developing their own voice, being a fun and exciting writer, etc. The spark of individuality is secondary to learning how to place a comma. Freshman writing in three paragraphs or less, James style.
-Golsan out
3 comments:
The Lowe's reference cracked me up. Was it you I was telling about my past life as a cashier there? I'd like to add that even at Lowe's, you need to be literate enough to spell "masonite" to check the price in the computer.
It's interesting to me that the writing assessment in Texas is similar to the one in Mississippi, where I taught before (and similarly ineffective). That'll be something to keep in the back of my mind this semester.
As far as teaching priorities go, I side with what you said in your first post more than in the second post. I'm not sure if we represent the majority opnion or if we're on the creative writing fringe, but I say there's no paper worse than a boring paper. I'd venture to add that even an insightful paper riddled with mechanical errors is an improvement over a mechanically "perfect," dry-as-a-bone, exercise in conventions. If you'd like to read my ramblings on the problems with beginning with the nuts and bolts, check out Jeannie's blog.
I like your ideas about writing and the process of teaching students. And it made me laugh. I agree with you that you should only work on the "jazzy stuff" after you've gotten the basics down. Seems to me that with all the focus on the pretty part of writing, the grammar and basics get left behind in the dust. A lot of people don't understand that you can't have good writing without good grammar. And even for those creative writers who balk at the idea of following every grammar rule to the letter, you have to know the rules before you can break them.
So...if the goal of college (and subsequently fyc) is to help people be better communicators (and don't get me wrong, I'm with you), should we be teaching students more practical types of writing? Say, for instance, emails, letters, reports, etc.?
What role does reflection play? Does "self-discovery" play? Does...well, learning play?
As you know, I'm a devil's advocate. So don't think I don't agree with you; but I want you to analyze your answers, not just give them and be done.
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