Inspiring Standards

Two topics intrigued me after last class: 1. The world of the five paragraph essay and the basic standards that went with it. And 2. The idea of becoming inspired (both to write and to teach).

I found this clip to be appropriate for talking about both, as it is an inspiring standard, although you don't have to watch the whole thing if you don't want to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOENu0fK0uM&feature=related

First this is the classic example of evaluating essays, or poetry in the case of Mr. Keating's classroom, in a way that horrifies me. In order to simplify the writing, in order to be able to critique it, Mr. Prichard (the boring editor of the Dead Poet's Society textbook), turned analysis into a math problem LITERALLY. I felt the same way with the five paragraph essay when I was growing up. I know it is a useful tool but I simply cannot accept that teacher's can grade and critique this way, whether it is through standardized tests, AP exams, or basic classroom instruction. English is a more powerful subject area than that and cannot simply be looked at in so basic dimensions.

Second- I find that Mr Keating in Dead Poet's Society is a classic example of an inspiring teacher- a person that can teach by inspiration and passion, leading his students enthusiastically. Of course, those that know the end of this film can see why there are problems associated with this style and will understand that we all can't do this.

Inspiration in my opinion (for both teaching and writing) must start with such a passion like the tearing out of a page or the standing upon a desk. But you can't live your whole life this way. I like to go to outside forces first- to find a movie clip that might inspire me, but then I bring it back to earth a bit. I always try to keep this inspiration alive, but to me it is a little glowing ember I keep in a jar, something that I want to allow to flare to life from time to time, not a bonfire that consumes me entirely. If it did, I'd be doing nothing but writing erratically all day long or teaching my students how to rebel.

-Alex Rummelhart

In Class Writing

I love our time to write in class, whether we are working on our drafts, free writing, or doing any other kind of activity. It is here when I feel I have an open creative environment for my brain to work: a chance to just get words down on the page, without distraction or interference. As Professor Sunstein said, one of the most important facets of an English class is actually giving a students the opportunity to read and write- in fact urging that they do so during the period.

However I have a couple of questions that pertain to my thoughts on the free writing subject (or any kind of writing in class):

1. What if they want to go on?

This mostly relates to my own experiences. I love the writing so much that I often dislike it when we only get a few minutes to do so. I feel I just start to get the creative juices flowing, starting to get on a roll with my pen scurrying across the page... when all of the sudden I am smashed to a halt like a car hitting a cement wall. The words "Time's up!" make me grit my teeth in frustration and I always spend the next few minutes desperately scribbling notes to myself in the margins so I don't lose the magic that I have found. I think in my future classes I'll try to urge students to do the same thing, perhaps even encouraging them to continue writing while the rest of the class begins to go on. I know it may cause distractions but its worth thinking on... I want to find a solution to this problem.

2. On the other hand, I realize many kids will not be like me and will in fact be exactly the opposite. Some will not be passionate about writing; so what if kids don't want to do anything when I give time to write in class? Well this problem seems even more difficult to solve. Ideally I would try to take one on one time to brainstorm with them and help them start the process, but that may not be feasible in a large class. I think largely I will encourage them to start slowly, just jotting down little ideas, perhaps an outline or two. Then I'll want them to take those ideas and run with them. Even if the writing is no good (and the kids don't have their heart in it) at least they will have a start and will have something to look at. They will have begun by "Writing badly" as it were, and this obviously is important... it is key just to get them writing at all.

Looking forward to the weekend. Starting to get a bit nervous about our Hawkeyes. Big road game coming up

-Alex Rummelhart

Drafts

I want to spend this post talking about drafting and editing, especially focusing on our own drafts for the writing memory. I find it easier to talk about the subject if I can explain my views on it.

I hated drafts when I was younger, and to some extent I'm still not very happy with them. In junior high and high school, I could always get away with turning in a first draft. And why not? They were pretty good papers or stories. I would write one up, fulfilling all the requirements, expressing all my ideas, and finishing it just the way I liked it. I might read over the pages a time or two but all in all, I didn't want to change it. So, when we had to come up with drafts for class to go through "The Writing Process", I would make a change or two, maybe ask another person to read it over, and then largely ignore their comments. It wasn't that I was mean or lazy...well okay maybe I was a little lazy, but aren't all students? I just don't like changing my work. I write from the hip and usually I feel my first words say it best.

Only in college have I begun to experience the need to revise and edit, only when my work has reached a new level of seriousness and professionalism. I still have trouble with the process, but I am finding that it is not only necessary, but it makes my writing better- which is the true goal. I think it is especially helpful to be able to talk to someone about the revisions and editing, to workshop if you will, rather than looking at a few red marks on a page (symbols for grammatical errors I don't even understand coupled with scathing remarks about my prose).

I think that when I'm a teacher that will be my policy. To talk over as many of the edits as I can, to encourage students to have me explain my process. I know I'm still bad at editing, but I'm hoping our class can help me work on that... not only to improve my own writing, but also to improve the way I can teach writing to others.

Alex Rummelhart