I want to say first and foremost that I really enjoyed the article by Linda Flower and John R. Hayes. I found it very interesting and very true. The article tackled the subject of what writers think about when composing and the decisions they make. They go on to first criticize the Pre-writing, Writing and writing process because it occurs in a linear form and it lacks the importance of time, decisions and other aspects that go on in the writer's head. "They model the growth of the written product, not the inner process of the person" (pg. 275). That is why a cognitive process is better according to them because it takes that and more into consideration. The cognitive process studies the mental processes that the writer is going through while composing the paper. The protocol analysis was the term they used to describe how it is better to test the writer while composing not after the fact. The 3 components of the cognitive process are Planning, Translating and Reviewing. The major elements are the task environment, long term memory and the writing processes.
Under the task environment are two sub elements: the rhetorical problem and the written text. In this time period the writer needs to decides what they are going to write about and the goals they are going to set for themselves. Also, once having the problem determined the writer needs to decide what to say about it. They usually have this thought in their mind and the hardest task is for them to get it on paper. The planning process the writer creates ideas, organizing them and sets the goals he wants to achieve in the paper. The goals have a chain reaction because they change thought out the writing process and that altars the paper. Under the translating state of mind the writer needs to decide how to put his thoughts into words that his readers will understand. The problem with this is they may be editing while translating and that could put a stop to the flow of ideas. While revising the writer can just read over his paper or make changes and add things.
The cognitive process is one that never ends. It is a continuous function that goes on during the writing process. There is no order to it. "It is much more common for writers to simply embed individual processes as needed-to call upon them as sub-routines to help carry out the task at hand" (pg. 284). That is very true and I can say that from experience. I do not use a set series of steps to compose a paper I take things as they come. The goals guide the paper and the thought process that will accompany them.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Addressed and Invoked Audience
The article from Bitch magazine really help me see the difference between an addressed and invoked audience. I see more what the article was saying by Ede and Lunsford about how they had issues with both forms and wanted to try and combine them. I think that is exactly what needs to be done because they work in correspondence with each other.
The addressed audience are those that buy the piece of rhetoric. The readers that share the same feelings as the authors. With Bitch magazine it was independent woman who had opinions on things and were able to express their feelings on certain issues. I think this was something that was not mentioned in class and maybe should have been. The writers and intial readers of the magazine are ones that have something to say about a certain topic. The addressed audience reveals the readers and who they are, what qualities or characteristics they have.
An invoked audience is the imaginary readers of the text. However, with Bitch magazine the authors provide feelings that the readers should share. With their use of words, adjectives and certain phrases that could relate to anyone and really hit some readers. They may be straightforward in their approach but it works for them to get their idea across.
I think that both of the audiences work together because whether you are an addressed or invoked audience the text is needed to decide. The text can be aimed at either one depending on the way it is looked at. The addressed may enjoy it, but it draws the attention of the invoked ones as well. It may create dissonance and with Bitch magazine I think that may be one of their intentions. The title of their magazine alone gives the reader a sense on what it will consist of.
The addressed audience are those that buy the piece of rhetoric. The readers that share the same feelings as the authors. With Bitch magazine it was independent woman who had opinions on things and were able to express their feelings on certain issues. I think this was something that was not mentioned in class and maybe should have been. The writers and intial readers of the magazine are ones that have something to say about a certain topic. The addressed audience reveals the readers and who they are, what qualities or characteristics they have.
An invoked audience is the imaginary readers of the text. However, with Bitch magazine the authors provide feelings that the readers should share. With their use of words, adjectives and certain phrases that could relate to anyone and really hit some readers. They may be straightforward in their approach but it works for them to get their idea across.
I think that both of the audiences work together because whether you are an addressed or invoked audience the text is needed to decide. The text can be aimed at either one depending on the way it is looked at. The addressed may enjoy it, but it draws the attention of the invoked ones as well. It may create dissonance and with Bitch magazine I think that may be one of their intentions. The title of their magazine alone gives the reader a sense on what it will consist of.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Addressed or Invoked?
Audience, it is such a central part of reading and writing but it is also something that is hard to define. The article, "Audience Addressed/ Audience Invoked: The role of Audience in Composition Theory and Pedagogy" by Lisa Ede and Andrea Lunsford discussed audience and how it is hard to define for a reader or writer. The main two components was an addressed audience and an invoked audience.
An addressed audience is one that the reader or writer are trying to get their message out to. They are the ones whose opinion matters, the real people reading or listening to the piece. With an addressed audience the importance of the writer is not essential. A theory mentioned int he article was by Mitchell and Taylor and their central theme was the audience, what the writer did was irrelevant. That is the key difference between an addressed audience and an invoked one.
An invoked audience is created by the writer, he fictionalizes his audience and creates a role for them to play in his piece. This is harder than Ong portrayed it to be in the previous article. The reason for this lies in the fact that sometimes the reader may not catch on or play the role created for them, due to the pressure placed on the writer by the reader. "to acknowledge that readers own experiences, expectations and beliefs do play a central role in their reading of a text, and that the writer who does not consider the needs and interests of his audience risks loosing that audience" (pg. 88). There is a lot that the writer needs to take into consideration to gain the reader's attention.
All in all defining an audience is difficult to do because there are so many variations of what the term can mean. It "refers not just to the intended, actual or eventual readers of a discourse, but to all those whose image, ideas, or actions influence a writer during the process of composition" (pg. 92). An audience then depends on the writer and the reader because that is what pieces of texts are used for, to be read by someone.
An addressed audience is one that the reader or writer are trying to get their message out to. They are the ones whose opinion matters, the real people reading or listening to the piece. With an addressed audience the importance of the writer is not essential. A theory mentioned int he article was by Mitchell and Taylor and their central theme was the audience, what the writer did was irrelevant. That is the key difference between an addressed audience and an invoked one.
An invoked audience is created by the writer, he fictionalizes his audience and creates a role for them to play in his piece. This is harder than Ong portrayed it to be in the previous article. The reason for this lies in the fact that sometimes the reader may not catch on or play the role created for them, due to the pressure placed on the writer by the reader. "to acknowledge that readers own experiences, expectations and beliefs do play a central role in their reading of a text, and that the writer who does not consider the needs and interests of his audience risks loosing that audience" (pg. 88). There is a lot that the writer needs to take into consideration to gain the reader's attention.
All in all defining an audience is difficult to do because there are so many variations of what the term can mean. It "refers not just to the intended, actual or eventual readers of a discourse, but to all those whose image, ideas, or actions influence a writer during the process of composition" (pg. 92). An audience then depends on the writer and the reader because that is what pieces of texts are used for, to be read by someone.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Audience..
In the article, "The Writer's Audience is Always a Fiction" by Walter J. Ong he depicts the differences between a writer's audience and a speaker's audience. The major difference is that the speaker's audience can give the speaker immediate feedback and he generally knows the persons that will be present. A writer's concept of an audience is a bit more complicated because they have to create one in their minds because they do not know who will be reading their piece of work. " He has to write a book that real persons will buy and read" (pg. 58) and that can be a challenging task.
The job of the author is to create an imaginary audience in his mind and give them a role to play in their story. So that the audience can fictionalize themselves in the novel, as the writer did when he was creating it. An example of how an author may do that was expressed by showing Hemmingway's tactics. He commands the audience attention and sets the scene as if the reader has seen and/or experienced the same thing the character in the story is. Hemmingway creates a bond between the reader and the main character, camaraderie , he boost his reader self esteem and interest in the novel by doing this. The reader in a way becomes actively involved in the story.
The tactic of having the reader be a participant in the story is something that has been used by authors for years. One phrase that everyone knows is "Once upon a time" which boosts readers imagination and takes them out of reality. Also, some authors create various characters in their novels that could relate to a variety of people. this engages the reader because they now have someone they can relate to. This tactic was especially helpful for me when I was in the primary grades learning how to deal with peer pressure, new experiences that come with maturity and other issues of that form.
The one form of audience that most would think are easy to create are the ones that are the most challenging. To create an audience for a diary or a journal is a complicating task due to the fact that the writer is supposed to act like they are not fully there because of the fact that they are trying to tell 'someone else' about their thoughts and issues going on in their life. That is when a "mask" may be useful. This writing technique is used for the author to be completely honest by masking other emotions they may be feeling. For writing a letter it is hard to depict how to write the greeting because you do not know the mood your reader will be in that day, so the writer needs to create one for the reader.
The job of the author is to create an imaginary audience in his mind and give them a role to play in their story. So that the audience can fictionalize themselves in the novel, as the writer did when he was creating it. An example of how an author may do that was expressed by showing Hemmingway's tactics. He commands the audience attention and sets the scene as if the reader has seen and/or experienced the same thing the character in the story is. Hemmingway creates a bond between the reader and the main character, camaraderie , he boost his reader self esteem and interest in the novel by doing this. The reader in a way becomes actively involved in the story.
The tactic of having the reader be a participant in the story is something that has been used by authors for years. One phrase that everyone knows is "Once upon a time" which boosts readers imagination and takes them out of reality. Also, some authors create various characters in their novels that could relate to a variety of people. this engages the reader because they now have someone they can relate to. This tactic was especially helpful for me when I was in the primary grades learning how to deal with peer pressure, new experiences that come with maturity and other issues of that form.
The one form of audience that most would think are easy to create are the ones that are the most challenging. To create an audience for a diary or a journal is a complicating task due to the fact that the writer is supposed to act like they are not fully there because of the fact that they are trying to tell 'someone else' about their thoughts and issues going on in their life. That is when a "mask" may be useful. This writing technique is used for the author to be completely honest by masking other emotions they may be feeling. For writing a letter it is hard to depict how to write the greeting because you do not know the mood your reader will be in that day, so the writer needs to create one for the reader.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Post-Process response
The article “Post-Process Pedagogy: A Philosophical Exercise” by Lee-Ann M. Kastman Breuch was about exactly what the title states. I had trouble fully understanding it so my summary may not be fully accurate but I will state what I did get from it. Breuch went into a discussion about how writing cannot be taught, what way writing can be preformed and what processes can enhance the writing process and then connects this all to teaching styles that educators should use. Her main emphasis throughout the article is on a philosopher, Kent; his ideas are the ones that Breuch uses to agree and elaborate on or disagree with.
The first item analyzed was Post Process Resistance and this helps with explaining the idea that writing is not something that can be taught. Kent was a believer of this idea and based it off of the fact that it rejects the process of writing that most were taught in primary grades. However, he does state that writing rules can be taught such as grammar but grammar does not equal to the act of writing. It is simply an aide for it. “Consequently, he does not suggest that teaching writing is impossible; he suggests that teaching writing as a system is impossible” (pg. 101). His idea to teach writing is then to change the teacher/student relationship to a reciprocal partnership that I based off communication and dialogue. This would be a form of cooperative learning’ as Brufee explains in his article.
Another element that was discussed in the article was Post- Process rejection of Mastery. Most theorists claim that the writing process is something that can be mastered because it is considered a body of knowledge and most can retain and use that. Kent and Breuch disagree with this statement and thinks that the process of writing is more than a body of knowledge, it’s content. This turned into a discussion on whether writing is a how-centered lesson or a what-centered lesson. Breuch relies on the fact that that writing as a process is a how-centered activity, “because of its emphasis on the activities involved in process to writing” (pg. 106). But all agree by the end of this section that writing is not something that can be mastered, due to its degree of change.
The main bulk of the essay remains on explaining how writing is a skill that cannot be mastered due to its many different forms and meanings. The way to explain this was by declaring an audience and having the audience understand the point that is trying to be made in a paper. It is a process of connecting language and words to the real world, to have the general public appreciate it. That is a hard task to accomplish at times but it is possible. A concept that kept reappearing throughout the article and in this section and more would be dialogue based on communication and this helps to explain the fact that writing is an activity that requires “language in use, communication interaction with others-rather then content to be mastered” (pg. 113).
The next element to explain how writing is an activity is to explain how it is an interpretive action. The point presented above about communication is an element of an interpretive action, “understanding interpretation as universal helps illuminate the third process assumption, that writing is situated” (pg. 115). Situated means just that one is able to act in certain situations unconsciously without a set of guidelines to follow. This concludes the ideas of writing being an activity, its public, interpretive and situated. It’s random and changes in various situations, that goes on to prove why it is something that cannot be mastered. Due to the spontaneity and the fact that it will never be organized or structured makes it hard to be something that can be retained. It is not impossible to try and teach but it would be useless because it is ever-changing. The teachers’ role in this is to be a mentor. Teaching has the same elements that writing does and it is a very challenging activity. The remainder of the article depicted how writing centers are a good tool for enhancing the activity of writing. “The union of post-process theory and writing center practice could potentially demonstrate how theory and practice could live in harmony” (pg. 121). They would work together to make sure all elements are taken care of.
The first item analyzed was Post Process Resistance and this helps with explaining the idea that writing is not something that can be taught. Kent was a believer of this idea and based it off of the fact that it rejects the process of writing that most were taught in primary grades. However, he does state that writing rules can be taught such as grammar but grammar does not equal to the act of writing. It is simply an aide for it. “Consequently, he does not suggest that teaching writing is impossible; he suggests that teaching writing as a system is impossible” (pg. 101). His idea to teach writing is then to change the teacher/student relationship to a reciprocal partnership that I based off communication and dialogue. This would be a form of cooperative learning’ as Brufee explains in his article.
Another element that was discussed in the article was Post- Process rejection of Mastery. Most theorists claim that the writing process is something that can be mastered because it is considered a body of knowledge and most can retain and use that. Kent and Breuch disagree with this statement and thinks that the process of writing is more than a body of knowledge, it’s content. This turned into a discussion on whether writing is a how-centered lesson or a what-centered lesson. Breuch relies on the fact that that writing as a process is a how-centered activity, “because of its emphasis on the activities involved in process to writing” (pg. 106). But all agree by the end of this section that writing is not something that can be mastered, due to its degree of change.
The main bulk of the essay remains on explaining how writing is a skill that cannot be mastered due to its many different forms and meanings. The way to explain this was by declaring an audience and having the audience understand the point that is trying to be made in a paper. It is a process of connecting language and words to the real world, to have the general public appreciate it. That is a hard task to accomplish at times but it is possible. A concept that kept reappearing throughout the article and in this section and more would be dialogue based on communication and this helps to explain the fact that writing is an activity that requires “language in use, communication interaction with others-rather then content to be mastered” (pg. 113).
The next element to explain how writing is an activity is to explain how it is an interpretive action. The point presented above about communication is an element of an interpretive action, “understanding interpretation as universal helps illuminate the third process assumption, that writing is situated” (pg. 115). Situated means just that one is able to act in certain situations unconsciously without a set of guidelines to follow. This concludes the ideas of writing being an activity, its public, interpretive and situated. It’s random and changes in various situations, that goes on to prove why it is something that cannot be mastered. Due to the spontaneity and the fact that it will never be organized or structured makes it hard to be something that can be retained. It is not impossible to try and teach but it would be useless because it is ever-changing. The teachers’ role in this is to be a mentor. Teaching has the same elements that writing does and it is a very challenging activity. The remainder of the article depicted how writing centers are a good tool for enhancing the activity of writing. “The union of post-process theory and writing center practice could potentially demonstrate how theory and practice could live in harmony” (pg. 121). They would work together to make sure all elements are taken care of.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Unskilled/Student Writers
The articles by Perl and Sommers discuss student writers and the process of writing they go through and one key element in their studies was how revision plays a part. They both conducted studies to analyze unskilled writers and the methods they use and why they use those methods. However, Sommers took it a step further by comparing those results with a study done with experienced writers to see how their process of revision differs with student writers and why. The article by Sandra Perl was titled, “The Composing Processes of Unskilled College Writers” while reading this essay it felt like I was reading a study conducted on me. Every action described that the students do, are the exact same things I do while composing a paper. What scared me is that I could relate to each thing stated I there because those are the concerns I have while composing a paper.
In the article they used a student, Tony as the example. Tony’s process of writing was concerned on what the teacher would think. As stated in both articles, students write for the teacher reader. They put in all of the writing rules that they know their teacher would be proud of. However, sometimes those rules are applied the wrong way. Also a good point that Perl brought up was the less engaged students got in their topic the more repetitive they became within their paper. Tony also shares with me the fact that I read my paper thinking my reader knows what the ideas are in my head. That is something that most students perceive as well, in the article it was coined the term, “selective perception” (pg. 36).
Sommer's article, “Revision Strategies of Student Writers and Experienced Adult Writers” discussed what was stated above and the “linear” process of writing and the flaws one could have when thinking about writing this way. Her article was more focused on the act of revising and when that occurs in the writing stages; also, how one defines revision. With those two elements, she can come to a conclusion on why students’ end products are the way they are. A very good point that was made in the article that corresponds to other readings we have read in class is the difference between communication and writing; “The spoken word cannot be revised” (pg. 45). Many times that is a difference that is hard to distinguish. Also, her thought of revising was something that occurs throughout the writing process, not just at the end like most students think.
One of her main points is that many students perceive revision differently, as in what they do when they “revise”. Some revise by following the rules they learned in class to modify their paper. (For example, not starting a sentence with and.) Others see it as fixing grammar and spelling or going back and omitting sentences that are not needed. That differed from the experienced writers perception of revision because to them it is a process to form new ideas and expand on what they have. Many student writers do not think open minded about their work and assume that what they have is good enough and no changes are necessary. This may be due to the fact that the student writers follow the linear structure of writing and this puts a hold on the correct way to revise. “Writing cannot develop “like a line” because each addition or deletion is a reordering of the whole” (pg. 51).
In the article they used a student, Tony as the example. Tony’s process of writing was concerned on what the teacher would think. As stated in both articles, students write for the teacher reader. They put in all of the writing rules that they know their teacher would be proud of. However, sometimes those rules are applied the wrong way. Also a good point that Perl brought up was the less engaged students got in their topic the more repetitive they became within their paper. Tony also shares with me the fact that I read my paper thinking my reader knows what the ideas are in my head. That is something that most students perceive as well, in the article it was coined the term, “selective perception” (pg. 36).
Sommer's article, “Revision Strategies of Student Writers and Experienced Adult Writers” discussed what was stated above and the “linear” process of writing and the flaws one could have when thinking about writing this way. Her article was more focused on the act of revising and when that occurs in the writing stages; also, how one defines revision. With those two elements, she can come to a conclusion on why students’ end products are the way they are. A very good point that was made in the article that corresponds to other readings we have read in class is the difference between communication and writing; “The spoken word cannot be revised” (pg. 45). Many times that is a difference that is hard to distinguish. Also, her thought of revising was something that occurs throughout the writing process, not just at the end like most students think.
One of her main points is that many students perceive revision differently, as in what they do when they “revise”. Some revise by following the rules they learned in class to modify their paper. (For example, not starting a sentence with and.) Others see it as fixing grammar and spelling or going back and omitting sentences that are not needed. That differed from the experienced writers perception of revision because to them it is a process to form new ideas and expand on what they have. Many student writers do not think open minded about their work and assume that what they have is good enough and no changes are necessary. This may be due to the fact that the student writers follow the linear structure of writing and this puts a hold on the correct way to revise. “Writing cannot develop “like a line” because each addition or deletion is a reordering of the whole” (pg. 51).
Friday, September 14, 2007
Writing is a Process...
Cross-Talk in Comp Theory by Victor Villanueva, discusses the way writing has evolved over time. With the invention of new technology and endless texts on writing, it has progressed into many different forms. It was mentioned in the acknowledgments section that he thanks graduate students for helping him rethink and recreate the Cross Talk book. They are the ones that are the most reliable critics due to the fact that they can express what is working for them, what is not and what new aides are available now that they refer to, such as technology. Throughout the book Victor uses metaphors to compare writing to everyday experiences like following a cooking recipe and modifying it for the amount you need. Writing is the same, there are things that work and don't work to make the product a valuable one, and it is a process that one goes through (like the recipe) to get there. He claims the book was designed to challenge ones views on writing they have now and open their minds to new ideas and forms it can take. He in no ways tries to persuade the reader to think a certain way but rather to offer what "They say", and have the reader come to a conclusion themselves.
One of the articles presented in the book, is by Donald M. Murray and it is entitled, "Teach Writing as A Process, Not a Product". That is to say that most times professors are concerned with the final draft and what the student should have produced. However, what is more important is how the students got to the final product, what their writing process was. Teachers are accustomed to leaving general comments on the student's paper, but those are not useful at all, because they "are not teaching a product, we are teaching a process" (pg. 3). The process has three major phases that the students are to go through and explore: prewriting, writing and rewriting. Prewriting is composing and idea, choosing an audience, research etc. basically all the things that should be considered before compiling a rough draft. Writing is the actual act of creating a draft. And rewriting is revising the paper to make it suitable to hand in. Teachers role in this is to be a guide on side. They need to listen to the student and let them create their own ideas and form they want to choose. Most times, teachers like to express ideas etc and that takes away the student being involved in the prewriting stage and that is the most important one for it is the base of what the final product turns out to be.
There are 10 initial stages to the writing process the student needs to go through according to Murray. In a sum-up they are: the student looking at his own writing, creating a subject, using his own words to describe it, doing all the prewriting needed, modifying the form to fit the papers needs, taking as much time as needed, exploring writing process and creating any alternatives to it they need. The teacher then is to respond to the student,"not for what they have done, but for what they may do; not for what they have produced, but for what they may produce" (pg. 6).
Another article in the book by Janet Emig called "Writing as a Mode of Learning" depicts how writing is a unique process unlike any other forms of communication it is compared to. It also is a key concept when combined with other learning strategies. Janet argues that writing is different then language. writing transforms into different words and text then talking does. It is both unique and created differently every time. There is more to writing than just communication. another one of her key points is that there is a connection between writing and learning. It connects all phases of our life and allows us to expand in our creativity. Without written documents, reading would be impossible and it is with text and practice that ones learns how to compose a good paper and understand a concept.
One of the articles presented in the book, is by Donald M. Murray and it is entitled, "Teach Writing as A Process, Not a Product". That is to say that most times professors are concerned with the final draft and what the student should have produced. However, what is more important is how the students got to the final product, what their writing process was. Teachers are accustomed to leaving general comments on the student's paper, but those are not useful at all, because they "are not teaching a product, we are teaching a process" (pg. 3). The process has three major phases that the students are to go through and explore: prewriting, writing and rewriting. Prewriting is composing and idea, choosing an audience, research etc. basically all the things that should be considered before compiling a rough draft. Writing is the actual act of creating a draft. And rewriting is revising the paper to make it suitable to hand in. Teachers role in this is to be a guide on side. They need to listen to the student and let them create their own ideas and form they want to choose. Most times, teachers like to express ideas etc and that takes away the student being involved in the prewriting stage and that is the most important one for it is the base of what the final product turns out to be.
There are 10 initial stages to the writing process the student needs to go through according to Murray. In a sum-up they are: the student looking at his own writing, creating a subject, using his own words to describe it, doing all the prewriting needed, modifying the form to fit the papers needs, taking as much time as needed, exploring writing process and creating any alternatives to it they need. The teacher then is to respond to the student,"not for what they have done, but for what they may do; not for what they have produced, but for what they may produce" (pg. 6).
Another article in the book by Janet Emig called "Writing as a Mode of Learning" depicts how writing is a unique process unlike any other forms of communication it is compared to. It also is a key concept when combined with other learning strategies. Janet argues that writing is different then language. writing transforms into different words and text then talking does. It is both unique and created differently every time. There is more to writing than just communication. another one of her key points is that there is a connection between writing and learning. It connects all phases of our life and allows us to expand in our creativity. Without written documents, reading would be impossible and it is with text and practice that ones learns how to compose a good paper and understand a concept.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Questions regading the Timeline
The timeline revealed the fact that education has adapted over time due to the changes in society. As new people immigrated and new ideas developed, the curriculum and those enrolled in school changed as well. It was modified to fit the neeeds of the people at that place and time. It also was desgined to have those involved in it, prosper. Education was used to prepare people for the workforce and better the nation and it's economy. Those allowed to be educated was only the wealthy. However over time: minorites, females and others that held talent were allowed in the schools as well. The struggle of education existed due to the tension between the competing models of the liberal culture and efficency culture. Over the years the society would change from one to the other and as that happened the school system changed with that as well. Education would vary between being student centered and subject based. Standardized testing also came into effect and that is still an issue today with how culturally biased the tests may be.
The english curriculum was one that was used in different ways over the years as well. It was at first to be about literature. Then it evolved into self expressive writing, because between the wars the attitude of the nation changed. It became about individuals and the potentials they had. After WWII writing became a cognitive process. As one can see, due to the problems or situations the nation was facing the education adapted to them as well. Communication courses began to hold some importance as well and the attitudes of the teachers changed postwar.
To conclude, whenever the cultures present in the nation changed, the education system was adapted to fit the needs of everyone that lived in the United States. At times the liberal culture advanced and schools were modified to educate students to be successful. When the efficency model was advacing the school system focused on making leaders and those that can take a management role in their expertise. As new people immigrated and situations the society faced came along, the educational system modified itself to please the people and the nation.
The english curriculum was one that was used in different ways over the years as well. It was at first to be about literature. Then it evolved into self expressive writing, because between the wars the attitude of the nation changed. It became about individuals and the potentials they had. After WWII writing became a cognitive process. As one can see, due to the problems or situations the nation was facing the education adapted to them as well. Communication courses began to hold some importance as well and the attitudes of the teachers changed postwar.
To conclude, whenever the cultures present in the nation changed, the education system was adapted to fit the needs of everyone that lived in the United States. At times the liberal culture advanced and schools were modified to educate students to be successful. When the efficency model was advacing the school system focused on making leaders and those that can take a management role in their expertise. As new people immigrated and situations the society faced came along, the educational system modified itself to please the people and the nation.
1880-1900 Summary
The article by James Berlin discussed the way education has changed over time due to the issues that were occuring in society. During the 1880's-1900's many changes had occured. Education was based off of what the democratic society thought the school should teach. English composition was one of the areas that was changing all the time. At first it was to be a reflection on larger conflicts taking place in society, the english curriculum lied between the classroom and society. Secondary schools and colleges were only for the elite to gain power in society. They would study areas such as medicine, law and minsitry. It was said that they needed to attend college to gain an education that would make them capable of holding their place in society.
The Morrill Federal Land Grant of 1862, changed the persons entering the school, it allowed for minorites to enroll and any other persons of talent to gain an education. Also, this changed the curriculum of the colleges to prepare students for management oppurtunities in certain areas. They were to provide students to be able to take a leadership role in their area of expertise. The Committe of Ten was also an organization that changed the way English should be studied in High school to better prepare those for college. There was a tension that was evolving between the liberal culture and efficency culture. A disagreement between Yale and Harvard elitists on the way education should be conducted, it was something that was apparent in the years to follow.
The Morrill Federal Land Grant of 1862, changed the persons entering the school, it allowed for minorites to enroll and any other persons of talent to gain an education. Also, this changed the curriculum of the colleges to prepare students for management oppurtunities in certain areas. They were to provide students to be able to take a leadership role in their area of expertise. The Committe of Ten was also an organization that changed the way English should be studied in High school to better prepare those for college. There was a tension that was evolving between the liberal culture and efficency culture. A disagreement between Yale and Harvard elitists on the way education should be conducted, it was something that was apparent in the years to follow.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Peer Tutoring? What is it all about?
After reading They Say/I say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing I found many of the occurrences stated tend to be ones that I have come across in my academic career. In other words, many of the problems mentioned that students come across; I have once before as well. Graff and Birkenstein offer any helpful ideas and answers to students that need the aide, but how can these devices be used in a setting other then the classroom? Some may say that in a classroom is the only place that these tactics can work, however I do not think that is the case. While in a tutoring environment, the strategies provided in the book can be helpful to refer to for the fact that they are straightforward and provide examples of why they are important. The moves provided can be talked about or written. The tutee and tutor can converse about the different strategies while discussing a certain assignment that was given. Together, they can come up with the move that corresponds with their particular stance. The book can be used as an aide for the tutor to help the tutee and for the tutee to look at while creating their papers. While the templates provided create a starting stone for the tutee, they do not always have to be used.
Many times the templates are not even needed because the student already knows what is asked of them and how they want to answer it. The tutee may not need the template because they have already designed their paper and just have certain modifications they need to make that do not require a template. Tutoring is a conversation just like writing is, so at times the creativity is there in dialog but needs to come out into text. A tutoring session may require the tutor and the tutee to simply talk about the issue at hand for the tutee to gain ideas on how to word what they are thinking. Many ideas for their paper may come from talking about it and that will offer them other opinions the have that they may want to add into their paper. It is hard to distinguish what specific moves matter most in a tutoring conference because it depends on what the conference is about. It depends on what the students needs are, after those are found out the tutor can help get those needs met. The general ones that I would say is having a thesis, choosing a side and counter arguing the opposition and then working from there.
Many times the templates are not even needed because the student already knows what is asked of them and how they want to answer it. The tutee may not need the template because they have already designed their paper and just have certain modifications they need to make that do not require a template. Tutoring is a conversation just like writing is, so at times the creativity is there in dialog but needs to come out into text. A tutoring session may require the tutor and the tutee to simply talk about the issue at hand for the tutee to gain ideas on how to word what they are thinking. Many ideas for their paper may come from talking about it and that will offer them other opinions the have that they may want to add into their paper. It is hard to distinguish what specific moves matter most in a tutoring conference because it depends on what the conference is about. It depends on what the students needs are, after those are found out the tutor can help get those needs met. The general ones that I would say is having a thesis, choosing a side and counter arguing the opposition and then working from there.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)