Writers’ Histories, Processes, and Identities Vary
In relation to this article, I would like to recount my first checkpoint meeting with Dr. Friend from earlier this week. I had discussed with him my plan for my final project, which I have chosen to be a course design specifically for College Composition at Kean University. Once we spoke about what the College Composition program aims to accomplish, I shared with him an ongoing experience I am having as a Graduate Teaching Assistant.
In this position, I, of course, encounter many student papers. All writing teachers and tutors have, in the words of John Bean, their own specific pet peeves. My biggest one, as I discussed with Dr. Friend, was that many students in the classes I am assisting (mostly 2000 level courses and one 3000 level course) do not use MLA formatting. Or, if they do, it is wrong. He then told me that he does not care if his students use it or not, but can understand why it is important to me. Thus, showing students this technique would be something I would want to include in my course. Though, he pointed out something that I did not consider: I came from a school that held students, such as myself, to a certain degree that other schools do not.
Reading Yancey, this scene immediately came to mind. Each student brings their own history to every class they attend, and every time they sit down to write. My experience is obviously very different from the majority of the students I am teaching this semester, and that is okay. Yancey solidified this for me. I realize now it is not about filling in the gaps so the students fit more into my vision of the level at which they are composing, but rather sharing what I know and allowing them the space to make what they want of it.
Writing is Informed by Prior Experience
When reading this article, I immediately imagined a Venn diagram. Whether it was in relation to the first image Lunsford gave us, being the interactions a writer has already had with other writers and what they have read and learned. No two people will have the exact same set of skills or reading roster. Thus, the Venn diagrams of fellow writers will never completely overlap. This image comes to mind again when Lunsford wrote that once a student can see the similarities in different writing situations, they can remix their prior knowledge in a way that is helpful to them in that moment. Again, the circular forms will not be able to completely merge, but rather will overlap here and there.
When it comes to teaching writing, it is important to remember that no two students are exactly the same, whether that conclusion comes from the overall perspective on the individual, or specifically their past writing experience. Thus, teachers of writing must be able to envision their own Venn diagram, one in which there is a basis that most students already know and can build off of in different ways that allow them to get to the same end: a successful piece of writing. Though, what is in this main circle of the Venn diagram? Will it differ for every teacher and every class? The answer seems to be yes.
Writing Provides a Representation of Ideologies and Identities
Villanueva’s idea of identity politics is something that I have been participating in without knowing it. As a creative writer in an environment where I feel that I have to push it down sometimes, I very much do. Why? Because that is what the situation calls for. On a more specific level, I am currently writing in a way that is different from, say, an essay, because blog posts are meant to be more digestible and engaging (at least, that is how I interpret them). Thus, I think it is important to remember that it is okay to change up your identity based on whatever writing situation one finds themselves in, but one should be able to recognize the active choices being made, and why one must make them to get their point across in a certain situation and not another.
Reading and Writing Without Authority
“… so how am I supposed to write this paper if I keep changing my mind?” is one question undergraduate student Janet pondered within this study. Though, what she did not realize was that it is okay to change your mind, and write about how and why it changed. Roger was seen to have done this, and he had no issue with it. Starting with the criticisms and faults to work his way to his own thoughts is how he responded to the task at hand. Janet did no such thing. It was either she agreed with what other people said, or did not. Either way, she made herself fit into another author’s mind… ones that she did not feel comfortable referring to by name.
Oddly enough, referring to a source as “the book” or “that one article” is something that I still do today. As a graduate student, it now seems a bit inappropriate. I never thought twice about why I did not ensure I knew the name of the author I was reading and writing about. Thus, when writing a response and I cannot think of the name right away, I will type, “*INSERT NAME*”. Why do I not know who I am conversing with? It is because I do not feel in the moment that I am conversing with them, but rather discussing their ideas and keeping my personal knowledge out of view. It is almost like a paint by number – I do not want the color of one number, in this case the author’s thoughts, to bleed into the color of another number, which can represent my own thoughts. Though, this is how contributions to these discourse communities are made: everyone’s colors blend together just a little bit.
Keeping this in mind for my own course design, I would like to think about ways in which I can empower students to feel that their thoughts are just as important as those of the author(s). I imagine it will take some getting used to, as there is the automatic power dynamic asserted between a student and teacher, or student and scholar (one that everyone has felt). I think it would be important to think about the future, and how the student has the potential to write articles to be read by future students. We, as teachers, have to be able to lift them up enough so they can see this as a possibility, because it is. I think I have to remember this for myself, too. And there is beauty in that, too – admitting there is more to learn.
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