Chapter 7 in Comp Tales addresses a pretty universal problem: public perception. No matter what you do or where you are, how the public sees you versus your true self are often at odds. I think the wide range of comp tale examples reveals that it is an interdisciplinary problem, as well as intradisciplinary and public issue. 

I read a comp tale like 89 about teaching people the importance of eradicating sexist language and think, "Yea, gosh, that's so freakin' annoying how people don't understand why writing 'humankind' is more inclusive than 'mankind'!" In that instance, I feel the frustration of being someone who is obviously thinking more deeply about language that others.

However, there are also examples like 79 that reveal an ignorance on my end. I know I have critiqued work from other disciplines for things like style and voice without considering the specific criteria for that filed of study. 

Probably the worst problem of public perception is with the public. Educators sacrifice a great deal to teach the future generations and share their skills with the world. But so do many other ambitions and occupations. It becomes harder and harder to do that when people either don't understand or don't care about something you are passionate about. The cycle of underappreciation perpetuates because, as comp tale 85 reveals, we don't do a good enough job of explaining what we do to others. Along with that though, we don't do a good enough job listening to what others do either. 

In truth, we are all human beings, shouting into a void: I MATTER! APPRECIATE ME! And as much as we ask that of other people, we need to fulfill that desire of others. The more we validate the efforts and value of other fields, occupations, lifestyles, etc., the more we ourselves are validated. And we can stop screaming "I MATTER" and start saying, "WE MATTER."

The Most Interesting Meme in the World

I am teaching my class about logical fallacies this week. I created a journal assignment for them involving memes. They are to create three different memes using, explaining, or debunking a logical fallacy. I am having them email me their best of the three today and putting them into a slide show. I think this will be an interesting way to help them understand logical fallacies. The cool thing is that my mentor and I both love the use of memes and think they have a lot of potential for many applications in the classroom.

I created an example using the slippery slope fallacy and the Most Interesting Man meme.

I ended up finding an awesome Jeopardy online about logical fallacies, too. Unfortunately, there just isn't enough time this unit to use it. So I will hold onto it for the 104 courses next semester.  It's amazing what you can come up with to teach a lesson when you use resources!

Which Came First: The Paper or the Think?

It donned on me recently that I have been discussing all the papers one writes in college with my ENG 103 students, but I hadn't actually written one yet this semester for my courses. Of course, the format and expectation for graduate level work is often in the form of discussion posts and presentations, so the absence of "official" paper writing is not to say that no work is being done. That's when I realized the very thing that makes paper-writing so elusive lives in the assertion that a paper is the "official" totem of knowledge. 

This being midterms week, I did turn in what I would consider my first "official" paper of graduate school. Because there is such an emphasis on the paper, I felt more proud of those 6.5 pages than I did of any contribution so far in the course. I think that's the other problem with deifying the Paper. Surely my participation, discussion posts, and readings accounted for far more than a 1,643 word essay. But in my mind, I couldn't escape that feeling that I had finally accomplished something.

The essay has the long standing tradition of exercising content and (ideally) reveals active, critical thinking. However, no assurance exists to prove that an assignment will even be taken seriously by a student, so making it the highest regarded mode of assessment/expectation seems a bit foolish.

While new methods and project ideas are produced constantly, the Paper will always wear the crown. And there are some logical reasons for that, but I'm wondering if taking the Paper of its pedestal could better engage students and make that incessant blinking cursor less of a villain.

 Related to our discussion on multi-modality, I found myself thinking of the various ways to present and assess knowledge. The question I pose to the greater community is: What strategies do you employ to bring paper-writing down to a more approachable level? and How do you equivocate other methods of measuring student achievement, understanding, and engagement? Perhaps we must get back to our roots: Dr. Seuss. "Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!"

Soul Cancer

I pushed down on the right side of the double-door. I did not see the PULL sign for the tears welling in my eyes. The cheap blinds rattled in disturbance as I stumbled into the office. A woman stood patiently waiting for me. The nurse must have already called her for my ‘emergency session.’ 


The anxiety attacks had become more frequent, the depression worse.


The room seemed too tall—the ceiling miles away from the area rug that would hold my gaze for countless hours throughout my senior year of college. Dr. M sat in an over-stuffed blue chair in front of a bookshelf and a door that never opened. I sat on a small sofa at an angle from her and studied the seemingly useless bookshelves.


Only one had actual books on it.


A lot of things in that office didn’t seem to live up to their potential. Mismatched doorknobs. Empty shelves. Empty folders. And me—an empty person.


While my tears ceased momentarily, Dr. M said, “So tell me what’s going on with you.” And the floodgates opened into a fast-paced description of what came to be diagnosed as recurrent major severe depression. Depression is the heavy feeling in my brain. Depression is wanting to live the rest of my life in ratty old sweats. Depression is a super villain leveling New York City every day. Depression is soul cancer. I was a shaken soda mercilessly kept closed—unable to release the intensity within.


I don't know where or when or how this started. Dr. M always described it as both a chemical and emotional combo. We tried dialectic behavior therapy, talk therapy, writing, anything to keep me from my former personal "therapy" involving a sharp blade and an exposed leg. One of the worst things about it was knowing I was becoming the type of student I didn't want to be during my final year of undergrad. I had to ask for extensions and wasn't as prepared for class. And even though my professors held me in high esteem and granted those extensions and offered to help, I still felt like the student letting them down.


Perhaps this is why Comp Tale 67 struck a chord with me.


The student from the tale finally feels inspired only to fall to the wayside because of a "hazard." I understand the student side of hazards, because I live that side. I am still learning the ropes on the hazards for teachers. Though this Comp Tale did not have a humorous ending or even a positive one, its message feels the most important.


First, Students are People, too. Radical, I know. Still, it's worth remembering that having rules and standards for a classroom is good, but they may need to be re-calibrated depending on a situation. If I hadn't have received extensions on my papers Senior year, I would've still graduated, but I would not have done so with as many accomplishments or as much personal pride.


Second, Teachers are People, too. Again, crazy I know. The professor in 67 seems somber at the end that the student dropped out of school, and I can understand why. However, I think one of the most challenging and necessary parts of teaching will be accepting the things you can't control. The professor definitely fulfilled his duties and inspired this student, but that doesn't ensure "hazards" won't happen. My teachers could not change my diagnosis no matter how much they wanted to, but they did have the power to help me fight through it, which is exactly what they did.


I graduated summa cum laude in May 2014 with a BA in English, minors in Gender Studies and Theatre, and with Honors. I say this as an affirmation to both teachers and students. We are all people, and we can all support one another to success.



***Note: In one of my sessions, Dr. M played me this video about depression being a black dog (a term coined by Churchill). I am copying the link for anyone battling or curious about depression.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiCrniLQGYc

What's the Dirt?

 So last Friday in class I was teaching the components of an argumentative essay. The day before, I went over my lesson plans to decide the best way to explain how the thesis/argument, primary/preemptive research, secondary research, concessions and counter arguments worked together to create the essay. 

My dad is a youth minister and has been for over 10 years. In his presentations, he always tries to use a prop to help deliver the message. Taking a page from his book, I wanted to incorporate some kind of hands on experience, especially since most of my class seem to be more visual learners. With that decision made, I had to find the best method to use. Since I love baking, it only felt natural to turn to some kind of snack. After some brainstorming, I excitedly settled on Dirt Pudding. I built the lesson plan around dirt pudding, including a slide show that broke everything down into recipe steps. 

  •Pudding Mix= Argument--necessary, but weak on its own

•Milk= Primary Research--makes the argument stronger and more meaningful, but could be stronger

•Cool Whip= Secondary Research--Strengthens argument by incorporating other viewpoints, information, and statistics

•Cookie Crumbs= Concessions-- Acknowledges a point made by one’s opponent. It allows for different opinions and approaches toward an issue, indicating an understanding of what causes the actual debate or controversy. Promotes author’s credibility and proves author understands the context and arguments surrounding her/his claim. Means your base is so strong that adding concessions to the mix could only make it better.

•Gummy Worms= Opposing Arguments-- An argument opposed to your thesis, or part of your thesis. It expresses the view of a person who disagrees with your position. Some authors fear or avoid these “worms” because they can eat holes in an argument, but the best arguers use the worm as an accent and flavor for your essay. Adds credibility and proves relevance of an issue (if others are talking about it, whether they agree with you or not, the issue must be important)

I brought dirt pudding for them to enjoy while we discussed the lesson. They seemed to really grasp the importance of every part of an argumentative essay. 

Life is Messy

An embarrassing amount of dirty laundry waits expectantly on my floor, unable to rest peacefully in my hamper because the folded laundry from two weeks ago remains in that location. I pass the same empty Diet Coke bottle every morning, thinking to myself, "I really need to throw that away." The recycling bin in my front closet has been over filled for the past month, but I don't know where to take it and have started giving up on the environmentally conscious side of myself. Webster, though always adorable, needs a bath and haircut to prevent his de-evolution into the abominable snowman. I've had a pineapple in my fridge for 5 weeks. 

My point, other than to introduce my colleagues to a little bit of my personal life? 

Life is messy.

I wasn't under some false assumption that graduate school would somehow be less messy, but I had no way of knowing how much extra pressure exists when you are both teacher and student. I have really enjoyed my week of teaching so far, but I am definitely feeling the pressure of deadlines for my lesson plans, classes, and other interests. 

One of the biggest things I still need to learn is more about balancing my schedules and responsibilities so that I can handle teaching and learning and still have time to do my laundry, dishes, and maybe even relax. 

What do you guys do to organize, maintain, and accomplish all of your responsibilities?

whats Re-vision got to due wit it?

Chapter 5 does something very interesting in  using stories and examples from both traditional and non-traditional students' concerns/issues with the writing process. I found Tale 50 particularly useful in its somewhat humorous but honest story of a Swiss-German student who misunderstood the advice from an electronic grammar checker. I recently presented to Accounting 305 classes on argumentative writing for the writing center. One of the specific requests from the professor was to addressed "misused and misspelled words." I instantly knew what words she was referring to: the ones that spellcheck can't fix because they aren't technically wrong.

The other week in 601, we were asked to write down our values as a teacher. I typed three simple words: Freewriting, Revision, and Reflection. While these words are simple, they aren't implemented enough. Freewriting and pre-writing on a topic takes time and is an easy component to ignore. Yet making things like journal assignments and annotated bibliography stepping stones to a larger essay not only parses out the workload for students and teachers, but also deters plagiarism.

Revision is too often confused with editing. The student in Tale 55 is a prime example of how going through the motions of "revision" usually means auto-correcting things like missing words, run-ons, clarity, etc., because the writer understands what he means. Tale 58 is further proof that revision strategies, especially in the ESL situation given, are not made clear or emphasized in the classroom. These pre-writing and revision elements need to stop being sponsored almost solely by supplemental initiatives, such as writing and learning centers.

I believe one great way of gauging an individual student's concerns is through reflective writing. By assigning some kind of self-assessment, the teacher can not only understand how students' feel about their writing, but also make commentary on the things the students aren't noticing. Again, Tale 55 shows an example of how reflection in an earlier essay may have provided a window for the professor to step in and say, "Your concerns and evaluations are valid. Here is another thing to consider in your writing, namely word omission."

Lesson "Plans"

I don't remember my first day of school. I know at some point in time I was that scared little girl, walking into kindergarten. I probably donned pigtails and carried a Lisa Frank backpack. The years following kindergarten, my introduction to this thing called school, I only really remember the excitement of back-to-school shopping. My grandma says, "There's nothing better than the smell of a fresh box of crayons," and I tend to agree with her. While I don't remember the concrete details of my first day of each new school year as a student, I don't think I will ever forget my first day on the other side of the desks as a teacher.

My Unit for ENG 103 is on a Community Issues Argument. Over the past several weeks, I developed what I thought was a comprehensive, cohesive, and even fun lesson plan. Within the first ten minutes of my first day of teaching, in true Comp Tales fashion, I discovered the master design was going to vary greatly from the user experience.


My students had just turned in their second papers at the beginning of this 9 a.m. class, which meant a significant portion of them had been up late the night before writing said papers. The discussion component of my introductory lesson plan went out the window. They did not care about my intricately woven and detailed unit plan for this next essay. As I began explaining the assignment and moving into my topic of defining "community," their hands became incessant red lights on my road to instruction.

After about 6 students interrupted the overall agenda with a question about format or research or topic selection, I parked the car, so to speak, and went off book. I realized that they were not going to absorb any of my information until they purged their own concerns. We took the next ten minutes or so to discuss this paper as a whole. Though every one of the questions raised had a very specific point in one of my upcoming lessons, the students needed to both clarify things up front and test my credibility as their teacher for this unit. As we moved into the group project I had created about argumentative language, the engine revved and we were back on the road.

I reflected on this day-one detour while I revisited my lesson plan for Wednesday. Revision of my plan for the next class revolved around this "road map" image, and I understood and appreciated the students' desire and need for a deeper overview of where we are going before we get in the car. I actually laughed to myself as I remembered an evaluation from undergrad in which I critiqued the professor for mot offering more explicit objectives in the beginning. Ha! A few years later and I may as well have been critiquing myself. The first day of teaching and subsequent reflection definitely revealed a disconnect between theory and application, something I've always known but not experienced.

Though I don't completely recall being that little Lisa Frank enthusiast, I believe a bit of her shone through on Monday, September 29, 2014, as a slightly nervous first-year Masters student taught ENG 103 for the first time. The pigtails were gone, but the exciting promise of the trials and tribulations to come coursed stronger than ever through my veins.