Take Two

If you could do it over again, what would you do?

Would you change something, do another thing differently, modify nothing at all? How does that go…hindsight is 20/20? After every experience we have in our daily lives, whether it went well or it was unspeakably terrible, we have a tendency to occupy an inner dialogue, look back, and think such things. Oh I know what I could have done to make that better, what I meant to say, or in my case, I know what I should have said instead.

Revision.

It’s something I try and do on a daily basis as to not make the same “mistakes” again. It’s true that we learn from our mistakes although some of us (guilty) inevitably repeat them. Once a document, a piece of writing, has been spell checked (hopefully) and printed, it’s extremely hard to make changes. White out and black ink are an ugly combination. Revision, although I do not always practice what I now preach, needs to occur.

In my writing studies I have learned that once a draft has been written, printed, and handed in, does not mean this is the end. However, for most students, myself included, it is the end. In reading Fulwiler I understand that a draft, whether it honestly be the first, or the final, can really be just the beginning. I have been saying to myself for four weeks now that writing is a process. It’s not simply the process that one goes through to get to the printing stage; it should be a multiple draft affair. To attempt multiple drafts, one must revise. Just as in “what I should have said” is, revising our written work is where we actually begin to understand, find, and ultimately tell our story. I am reminded of what my cooperating teacher told his students: “Reread the literature. This doesn’t mean read it once, it means read it more than once, by not doing so means you are not fully understanding what you are reading.” Reading and writing go hand in hand; just as we reread words for comprehension we must revise our writing for the same.

Fulwiler says, “Although writing gets better by rewriting, there are no guarantees. I know of no formula for revising that works ever time or for everyone-or every time for anyone. Revision is a chancy process: Therein lies both the excitement and the frustration.” There are no guarantees for anything in life, but what have you got to lose? Even in an attempt to revise you may find that the original draft suits you best. However, you may never have come to that conclusion without the revision process. Chancy? You bet. You may uncover some things that were not there when you first began. This just might be the ten bucks you didn’t know you had until you finally did your laundry. Who doesn’t appreciate that?

Speaking of appreciation, I’m truly mad about Harper’s toolbox. What a concept. A place in which to keep select devices, i.e. tools, to help one become a better writer. We all have a toolbox, no matter what profession or occupation. They are a necessity of life. Some may contain red pens and coffee, some Dewalts and flathead screws, others tiny pictures of cameras for snapshots and small volcanoes for exploding moments, of which are essential for one’s particular vocation.

I appreciate Harper’s honesty in originally just telling her students to revise their writing. I’m not going to lie; I’m guilty of that. Revise! What does that even mean? How? What? Educators assume that “revise” makes sense and says in just one word what we understand it to mean. Not so. That’s just like telling a student to merely brainstorm without scaffolding. Also guilty of that. Equivalently, we cannot expect a student to revise a paragraph and make it “better,” whatever that means, by saying show me what you mean, don’t tell me. We have all heard that show don’t tell expression in reference to writing, but exactly! Easier said than done right?

I am reminded of the excellent and infectious pedagogy of Mr. Tyler Livingston. He made his classroom into a very similar workshop (I love the pun). He explained to his students that writing is like making a scene. A complete scene is a balance of these tools: snapshots, thoughtshots, and dialogue, if it’s called for. Instead of writing, “use more detail here,” Tyler could draw a small camera-like picture next to the section that needed work, and this helped the students see he was looking for a zoom-in, a close up of detail. This is the difference between describing and really seeing. This is equally true of his little thought bubble and erupting volcano pictures.

We want our students to become better, good, excellent, talented, skilled writers yes? Then why not give them the tools they need to work with their words. This is so much more effective than “revise,” unless all you’re looking for is neater cursive. "When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail." Could you just imagine….

NWP

The National Writing Project (NWP) is a professional development network for teachers of writing in all subjects. NWP hopes to enhance student performance by improving how writing is taught, and how learning takes place in schools.


http://www.nwp.org/

Practicalities

Oh the beloved/hated five paragrapher. Raise your hand if you’ve ever concentrated more on the intros, bodies, and conclusions than you have on the content within. Guilty. While I agree that design and organization is paramount, the five paragraph essay its not for everyone, and may not even be necessary for some. Graphic organizers and outlines anyone? This is certainly not to negate the importance of teaching students how to write in specific styles, for a particular audience, or how to orchestrate information. However, I see structure like this potentially imprisoning the written word, which I do think negates the objective of writing. Where’s the idiosyncrasy in that?

I’d like to meet the person who can actually organize their thoughts and feelings. Speaking of feelings…

Poetry. That word fills me with anxiety without even beginning to think about its implications or the expectations of me. Wordsworth:

A slumber did my spirit seal,
I had no human fears:
She seemed a thing that could not feel
The touch of earthly years.
No motion has she now, no force;
She neither hears nor sees;
Rolled round in earth's diurnal course,
With rocks, and stones, and trees.


Is this slumber literal sleep, or a lack of mortal awareness? I’m stressed out already, and I haven’t even been asked to write my own poetry. This makes the five paragraph essay look pretty good right about now.

I find it terribly interesting that something that is to be so personal is so difficult for so many. Many of us (ahem, as current students) roll our eyes, shoot one another looks from across the room, groan and sink into our seats when poetry is mentioned. Not all of us though, I envy those on the flipside. Now this isn’t to say I do not enjoy poetry, it’s just easier to give up on things that are difficult, right? How does that go? Nothing worth doing is ever easy.

The poetic illustrations within Romano are invaluable. He makes poetry seem less untouchable. And God help me, it’s extraordinary. I love that the multigenre paper is essentially anything goes. There is something for everyone, whether five paragraphs or two voices. Differentiation?

School should be a place for practice, not perfection. The multigenre affords a "try-on" before purchase, and brings about many alternatives or modifications to “the norm.” My coop told me that we all too often try to create change for the sake of creating change without every questioning whether or not it’s meaningful. This is something different that has the power to be meaningful in more ways, to more people, than can be registered. Today at the Young Writers’ Workshop, photographer Wing Young Huie was asked whether he shot or preferred film over digital pictures. His response was that he used film as it always seemed more real to him. He stated, “Authenticity doesn’t exist anymore. Keep it real.” I believe a multigenre paper helps a student explore and find their personal authenticity, whether their choice of film is a five paragraph or prose.

Hey, It's My Memory!

Here is an excellent cast from NPR of William Zinsser, author of On Writing Well, talking about the challenges of writing, with the genre of memoir specifically examined. Apparently, the memoir has turned into pages dedicated to a pity party of it's author. Zinsser criticizes this victimhood while at the same time says something along the lines of "don't ever care what others think of you and whatever it is that you write, write it for yourself." Interesting kind of paradox...

Check it out:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5340618

Typography Affairs

Dornan's framework for writing and writing instruction was truly appreciated and enjoyed. However, what I really savored was the acknowledgement of the importance of meaning to the writer, and the perception of writing as a tool that lends it's power. It seems as though the daunting task of writing for academic purposes has been somewhat lifted (until ch. 3), and that writing has taken on a new role of liberation that emphasizes personal and social connection.

There is no denying that writing is a process and yes, I am much obliged for the step-by-step, how to of this is how you write this kind of paper, and this is how you write this kind of paper. I truly believe I was never taught how to write, I don't even know what it means to be "a writer." Aren't we all in some fashion? What designates one as this? I, like many of my colleagues, have found much value in the conversation ( it seems) about the brainstorming about writing, to the drafting, to the revising works in progress this books carries with its readers. It begs the question whether the importance lies within the end or the means to the end. It's always about the journey isn't it? Who cares where you go (although I'm sure it's cool), it's all about how you get there and what happens along the way right? Here is where one finds the passion (the "personalness," if you will) that is needed to make writing meaningful, interesting, relative and powerful. Case and point, in my coop teacher's class on Monday you could have heard a pin drop when he asked his students to reflect and write about themselves as students within the past semester. Now it's not as though a fantastic paper is the desired outcome of this reflective free write, but what a novel idea...what 10th grader doesn't want to write about themselves for 15 minutes.

I think we need to take a look outside the damn box as to what it really means to write, be a writer, write well, and all that jazz. Where exactly are you currently reading my words...the internet, in a web log, a blog of all places? Since when is that an acceptable place to leave my thoughts? Blogging is the new journaling ladies and gentlemen. Lately I've been reading about genre blending, which is completely refreshing, and this is a perfect example! As I said in class, I didn't realize how much pleasure I experienced when writing until I began to blog. It created almost a new genre of writing for me, one that fits me better than any other I've ever tried (and truly, I have tried them all). Writing used to be a disheartening task of which I was rather afraid, now I find it to be tons of fun and very rewarding. I have the personal investment needed as well as a genre that lends itself to me, it's a cause and effect kind of thing for me. Sounds like a great start no?

Why Homework Needs To Be Checked BEFORE It Gets To School

Processes, Genres & Style

Speaking of which, I'm now using this space for CI 5461: Teaching Composition in Secondary Schools, seeing as how reading and writing are like peanut butter and honey. Any posts beyond this point are reserved specifically for that purpose. Double duty, if you will. Cheers.