My Morning Revelation...

As I was sitting at my computer this morning trying to decide what piece of writing to submit to the National Day of Writing, I had a revelation. I discovered that I am incapable of disregarding the fact that people may judge my writing. I was afraid to submit any of my work because I was so paranoid they’d judge it, and as a result, judge me as a person. I ALWAYS have an audience inside my head that I am constantly trying to please.  I had to overcome these inner voices and just pick a piece. I chose to submit my one-pager, because, while some people might not like my opinions/writing…I feel strongly about the issue I wrote about.

I also chose my one-pager, however, because I have not saved a single piece of expressive writing since I’ve come to the University. I was looking through all my old files and folders on my computer, and the only things I have saved are essays I have written for class. How depressing! This needs to change—immediately.

I like how Britton writes that, “Because expressive writing is appropriate to a relaxed and trusting relationship, it is also a form of writing in which we are willing to take risks. If we don't take risks in our thinking we are not free to explore, discover, learn. This, then, is the bonus: that is to say, while expressive writing (or talk) is not necessarily, or even usually, exploratory, it has a strong potential in that direction, a strong heuristic potential.” I like the idea of expressive writing being a medium through which one can learn. Now, why don’t I have any form of free writing saved on my computer?

I guess it’s because when I started college, the assignments required for a grade took up so much of my time, I lost any free time I once had to write. In order to be an effective teacher someday, I can’t be a hypocrite and ask my students to write freely and expressively on their own, if I don’t even take the time to.

I’ve decided that this needs to change starting today. From now on, I will make time to rediscover expressive writing—something that is so important to learning. Excuse me, while I go attempt to write a poem…

Writing to Simply Write (aka my one-pager)

I love writing. I love forming words that shape human emotion, I love creating riddles out of preconceived answers, and, most of all, I love conquering the monster of a blank page. I love how something as simple as a grocery list can form itself into a masterpiece. Take for example John’s use of sausage as inspiration for interpreting a poem. While his professor might see this as a “reach”, to writers like me, I thought it was brilliant. To me, these “reaches” are the best part of writing. Using the image of sausage to create an interpretation of a poem is not only conquering the blank page, but brutally sucking the life out of it. And that is why I love writing. Something as teacher’s we must remember, however, is that not everyone in the world appreciates the challenge of a blank page like we do.

            So, why do some of our students see writing as something to be afraid of?  Many of our students will inevitably favor science or math over the classes we will be teaching, and there is nothing wrong with that. Where a problem does arise, however, is when students do not understand that in order to be a functioning member of society, they must be able to write. Thomas Newkirk writes in his book, Holding on to Good Ideas in a Time of Bad Ones, that no matter what job field a student will someday go into, they will need to write. He states, “The amount of paperwork generated for one Special Education student is phenomenal; police officers need to be skilled at writing reports of arrests; social workers need to create informative case narratives. Exchanges that years ago would have been casual and oral, are now, by legal necessity, done in writing” (56). Everyday tasks like sending a professional e-mail will unavoidably require humans to form coherent sentences—it is our responsibility as teachers to educate youth on how to do this.

            Newkirk raises a good point about this issue when he questions why there is not more emphasis put on writing classes.  He writes, “…the teaching of literature of any kind required advanced training while the teaching of writing can… be assigned to relatively inexperienced graduate teaching assistants” (53). He believes that students learn to write in order to aide in the process of comprehending literature. After further thinking about this, I totally agree. Back in high school, the only time I was required to write was when I had to explain how I understood a text. Newkirk writes that, “… at least two of the three objectives for writing were to enhance reading; writing is a means, a vehicle for the enhancement of reading proficiency, not a goal in itself” (52). It is our responsibility as future educators to reverse this thinking, and stand firm in our beliefs about writing.

             It is not that today’s education system is deeming the teaching of writing as “unimportant”, but as Newkirk writes, administrators are incorporating writing into the curriculum as means to enhance the act of reading. It is required to teach students how to write a basic essay, but it is not required to show students how fun writing can be, or how useful it will be in their everyday life. “Students develop ‘basic’ skills, but millions don’t progress from there” (129). Every occupation requires some form of writing skills, and I don’t know about the rest of you, but I get totally irritated when I receive an e-mail from my boss that is filled with grammatical errors.

            It is beyond wishful thinking to imagine a world where everyone loves writing as much as I do, but I know that as an educator someday, I will try my hardest to get my students to appreciate writing for exactly what it is—creating your own, complex, creative, and, sometimes, quirky meanings out of words. I want my students to see writing as a tool that will take them far in life, not just a way of responding to a piece of literary work.

A Different Way of Seeing Standards

After leaving class last night, I couldn't help but feel defeated. We talked so much about how hard it is for teacher's today to grade students on hard work and potential when the standards set for student's lower expectations and force one-way thinking. I left class feeling slightly depressed.

That is, however, until I read Rethinking Rubrics. On the very last page, Wilson writes, "Our ideals will always be in conflict with reality, but it is this tension that moves us forward or keeps us from slipping backward." I love this quote. Reading that quote, as the title of my blog states, turned a lightbulb on in my head. These standards set on students and teachers today may be frustrating, but if we didn't have to constantly try to think up creative ideas that work with these standards, education wouldn't be where it is today. I like how she states that our ideals are in conflict with reality... because conflicts can always be solved. This way of thinking is definitely a more "glass is half full" kind of thinking I needed to hear.

I also liked how Wilson writes about the fact that often times, teachers simply look for mistakes. In their hunt to find grammatical errors, they miss out on seeing potential. I can totally relate to that. When I edit my friends papers, I only ever look for grammatical errors. I think that's because it is just easier to look for grammatical errors (that, and they are all science majors, so I have no idea what the content is about). I never really considered howusing a set rubric that only looks for specific qualities in a piece of writing that fit certain standards disregards the artistic value and potential in a student's writing. After reading this book, though, I totally see standards in a new light...

It feels good to see the glass as half full.



For those of you in need of some inspiration...here's a little Whitman to brighten your day. :-)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdW1CjbCNxw

Organized Chaos

As I was looking through all of my old writing assignments dating back to who knows when, I discovered one thing: I am extremely unorganized.

I am not so much unorganized in the fact that my papers are stored in the most random of places it takes a "Where's Waldo" search to find them. I am acutually the opposite of that-- my papers are neatly stored inside a folder from the class they came from which is stored in a folder of the year I wrote the essay in. I think every aspect of my life is like this--organized to a T. Everything from my color-coordinated closet, to my perfectly made bed every morning is organized, but one area where I fail at this systematic lifestyle is in my writing.

While I managed to pull off "A" worthy essays, the path I took to get them there boggles my mind. Some of my original leads are so far out there, I must have had five shots of espresso in my skinny caramel latte before writing them. I save almost every draft I write, and looking through each draft of an essay amazes me. How I end up at point B when I start at the most random point A is something I will never understand. And I think that is why I like writing so much. I could have started with the most irrational and crazy idea I've ever had, but somehow, that chaos forms itself into a logical essay or piece of writing. I think those writing experiences are the best ones--where the process itself takes you in a direction you never even considered when starting a first draft. I often go back to these raw, unedited, and original ideas to inspire me when I cannot think of any ideas.

Who knows, maybe that first draft of an essay on Romeo and Juliet from freshman year of high school will come in handy down the road...

Also, in light of the new season beginning tonight...here's one of my favorite Glee moments. Enjoy! :)
Glee- Don't Stop Believin'

"Old School" Writing Process

After reading R.D. Walshe's article, The Learning Power of Writing, I took a moment to really think about how this new writing process thingy he (it's a he right?) was talking about through the text related to my own personal way of writing. After much contemplation, I decided I am way too "old school". For me, every paper or essay I write for class goes through the same process: I research, I sit and stare at a blank screen for a solid ten minutes, I type an introductory paragraph, and from there I let the words pour out. I don't write a conclusion right away because, as stated in my previous blog post, I despise them. Instead, I come back the next day, re-read the entire thing and then write a conclusion. I am stubborn in the fact that I refuse to give up on a paper if the words don't come to me right away. I often times force them out...which definitely is not a good thing. I refuse to go to bed at night, whether there is a deadline or not, if I haven't gotten through the majority of the paper. It's a bad habit and process that I should probably break.

Walshe nails it when he writes on page 25 that the notion of "process" is often degraded to three cookbook steps between topic and product. I am a total victim of this... I have a definite process for each paper I write, and as of now, I am stuck there. I can't find a way out, and it gets very frustrating. There has to be a better way to write a good paper that doesn't make me despise the act of doing it. I hate how methodical writing an essay is, and I am hoping that someday I'll break my "old school" traditions and find a new process that accomplishes the ever-present task as an English major of writing essays.

This has nothing to do with what I just talked about, but I think it's awesome! If any of you haven't seen this boy sing, check it out! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqMixeRhGfg

Those dang conclusions..

Up until class last Monday, I never really considered drafts to be "healthy" or "unhealthy". I despise writing drafts. Throughout my entire high school career, I don't think I ever wrote one, and I prided myself on being one of "those" students who would write the outline after I finished the paper. The disucussion we had about all of this last Monday seemed almost like a therapy session for me. For the first time, I heard other dreaded AP English stories, and I didn't feel so alone. I had the same AP English experience that  a lot of people in class did--I was told only one formula was correct, and if a thesis statement did not come at the very end of an introduction, the paper wasn't worth anything at all. The formula spelled out exactly how to do things, and until I came to college, it worked well for me. I soon learned, however, that I was far from an excellent writer. I still haven't figured out how to correctly write a conclusion...we were always told to summarize what had previously been said. Little did I know, it is acceptable to add in new thoughts at the end. My conclusions always bring my grades down on papers, and I still struggle to get over the block I have built for myself around being able to figure out the simple process of wrappng up a paper. I am hoping I will learn how to write one before I graduate...that's the goal, anyway. I think that's why I totally left any form  of conculsion off of my draft. I always make it the very last thing I do because I dread doing it so much. I cannot wait for the day I figure out how to write a conlcusion without following the formula I was given back in high school... I'll probably throw a party with ice cream and cake and everything in celebration.


On another note...I'd like to bring to light the fact that Iowa Hawkeye Football begins this weekend! I thought I'd share this clip to get all of you excited...Go Hawks! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLBstbt8xJ4&feature=related :-)

Introduction...

Hi everyone! I'm Jenny and I'm a Junior here at the University of Iowa. Right now, I am an English/Secondary Education interest major. I come from a really small farm town in Iowa right by the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area. When I'm not in Iowa City, I'm usually there, where my mom, dad, and sister (who just graduated from the University of Iowa last spring) all live. After graduating in two years, I hope to become a middle school English teacher, or go on to get my Special Education endorsement so I can be a Special Education teacher. Last summer I went through two very long weekends of classes in order to get my coaching certification, and this fall, I am the assistant coach for the Northwest Junior High cross country team.

Which leads me to one of my favorite hobbies--running. I started back in 7th grade, and I haven't stopped since. I'm doing my first half marathon August 28th, and I'm just hoping to finish...without injuring myself. I also love going to Iowa Football games. Football season is definitely my favorite time of year. Other than that, I love reading and writing. I began to really love reading and writing back in elementary school when I would make up short stories and show them to my mom. Every character was named Tom, Julie, or Stephanie because, being the names of my immediate family, they were the only ones I knew how to spell. English class in high school became my favorite class because it was the only course that challenged me in a way that involved people and situations...not numbers and equations. Up until I came to Iowa city, I had been the only one in my close group of friends that actually liked to read. It was a huge relief when I entered the English major and met people who shared some of the same interests I did.

I've never had a blog before- the only casual writing I've ever done has been in a diary or in the margins of my notebooks when I get bored in class. It seems as though the incredible amount of writing done for school never allows me enough time to do it on my own. When I do get some free time in the summers, I'm usually working to pay off school or outside on a run or having a bon fire with my friends and family. I'm  hoping this class allows me an opportunity to broaden my horizons in the writing world. Some of the greatest ideas originate in the most random of places..and I'm sure the awkward pentagon-shaped room will provide me with lots of inspiration.

...and I know this YouTube video is a little old, but it always makes me smile. Everybody loves

watching David After Dentist :)