Methods of Instruction

Methods of Instruction

visual writing

What is my strongest connection to writing?
The strongest connection I have to writing is the visual expression of my thoughs and imagination. When an idea pops into my head I like to write it down. I feel like it gives the idea a certain level of validation. That is to say it gives life to my thoughts. It also gives me a chance to process new information and or stimuli. Writing allows me the freedom to move on to another subject. Sometimes I find myself trying to block out things or restrict my thoughts in order to hold on to the idea I have. In this way my brain works like a computer with a finite level of RAM. I like to be able to download information from my RAM to my hard drive (terrible metaphor)in order to process new information. For me thats the greatest connection I have to writing; being able to express in a visual manner a thought in order to move on to another imaginative idea or concept

What is research?

I agree with Dr. Dickson that research projects are extremely intimidating. Especially in the beginning stages of development. What I try to do is find a topic that I'm comfortable writing about, and proceed slowly and methodically from that point. I start small and work outward(induction). I ask myself the following questions: Is this an engaging topic? Do I care about the subject matter? After all, if I don't care about what it is I'm writing about, why will my audience? After those questions are answered, I'll ask myself: Mike (that's me), what is your position on X (X being the thesis of my research)? There's my real test. If I don't have a strong opinion about the proposed topic, my research will suffer. I approach my research paper as if I'm engaging in a conversation with a true expert, and I am defending my position on situation X. Not that the research paper necessarily reflects this notion directly, in tone or other conversational aspects, but in my head, I'm continuing the conversation by challenging the opinions and facts I'm presenting. By analyzing all sides of the subject of my research, and testing myself along the way, I gain a certain level of familiarity with the subject matter. That way when I am presenting my research project, whether in written or oral mediums, I am less likely to back myself into a literal corner.

Improving the writer

I see writing as a craft. Almost like a trade. (Here's an analogy!) A great writer, in my opinion, is not much different from say, a sculptor. Both are artisans, to be sure. The byproduct of each artists hard work is something to be admired. A great writer, in my opinion, is an individual who makes the best use of the tools he or she has for creating his or her work, mixed with an enlightened sense of creativity, much like the sculptor. From Pearl to Perry, everything we have read this semester has been useful in gaining knowledge about writing, and what it takes to create effective writing, on somewhat of a mechanical level. Consider each lesson learned as another tool for creating. In order to help an individual become a better writer, I believe the instructor needs to make available as many useful tools as possible. Here's the catch- creativity cannot be thought. It can be stimulated, or enlightened, but not taught. Great teachers know how to do this (stimulate or enlighten, that is). Some ask their students to use their imaginations and fantasize about something that interests them, while others promote other interesting ways to spark creativity. This, however, can only go so far. It is my opinion that while the instructor is responsible for helping writers improve many aspects of their writing to some degree, not everyone can be imaginative. (consider an individual who has never picked up a hammer, and has no imagination, suddenly given the tools required for creating a masterpiece out of marble-not happening). What is my conclusion, then? Is all hope lost? Definitely not. If someone doesn't have an engaging story to tell, or has no imagination, they can most certainly still become great writers- of instruction manuals, late night talk shows, and most Hollywood scripts.
On a serious note, I believe the best way for someone to help prospective writers improve their writing is by giving them all sorts of creative suggestions and supplying them with as many useful lessons (tools) for composing their work as possible. Personally, I would start by listening to my students ideas for whatever it is they are planning to writing about, following their own process through to completion. Then I would offer constructive criticism as to where and at what points the paper became problematic and make suggestions as to possible ways it can be improved. I would try to set up one-on-one time during classtime in order to gain a little insight as to where the writer was trying to go with his or her piece. The most important thing I would do is listen to what the writer has to say about what their intentions were with their work and try to tailor my response accordingly. Everyone writes a little different and each person needs to feel like his or her own method for writing is "theirs". No cookie-cutter writing classes for me.

Teaching Discourse

I'll begin by addressing the two points presented with respect to Pearl, and how I have been impacted by this type of instruction. I believe the classroom should be a place where writing students can untangle themselves from their writing processes. I feel it necessary for the student to be exposed to many different methods and processes of writing while in the classroom, as he or she is still oning their craft . Only after having been exposed to various methods and exercises can an individual find their own true voice. In my own experience as a writer, I have benefited greatly from varying forms of instruction. From freewriting exercises, to experimenting with post-writing correction, as opposed to correcting as I am composing an essay or research project, I have benefited from classtime having been devoted to helping with the process, as opposed to classtime having been spent correcting superficial grammatical errors (very long sentence). With that said, I feel students sometimes become too focused on the cosmetic aspect of their work. Although grammar is certainly important, and must be respected, the content of the work, in my opinion, is paramount. In reading Ede and Lunsford, I tended to fall on the side of those who support the Audience Invoked theory of writing successfully. I think effective writers should always consider to whom they are writing, but I do not think they should write "for" them, or consider whether or not the "actual"audience will approve of what they are writing, as I believe Taylor and Mitchell would reccommend. Walter Ong says it better than me. "The writer's audience is always a Fiction"(83). "The writer must construct in his imagination, clearly or vaguely, an audience cast in some sort of role..."83. The extrication process is in always effect when writing this way. I do, however think that the classroom can be a great place for a writer to hone their skills by taking a step back and re-evaluating his or her own work. So, in conclusion, a combination of both techniques works best for me.

Literary Narrative

As a child whose only sibling was much older, and whose friends lived too far away to play with on a daily basis, I turned to my own imagination for stimulation. I would create fictional worlds, and enjoy hours of playtime in them. Most of the time these worlds would be enjoyed in physical locations around my house or outside in my back yard. Rarely did I write them down or return to them for that matter. Playing with little green army men or flying spaceships made out of toothpaste boxes were the norm, and I had many wonderful adventures in my fictional worlds. As I reached my teens, I became much more of a social person, and my imigination slowly relinquished its its hold on my everyday life. I made friends in nearby neighborhoods, and as my parents grew more financially affluent, my playthings became more sophisticated. Goodbye to the toothpaste box spaceship, hello G.I. Joe jet planes. For a period of about thirteen years, my imagination seemed to suffer at the hands of things like popularity, necessity to work to provide food and shelter for myself, and essentially the daily grind of life. Only after returning to college at the age of twenty-eight, and majoring in my true passion, English Literature, were my eyes unclouded. I am living in accordance such childhood dreams as being happy with less, and exploring the best of what life has to offer. Alas, I'm a poor, but happy student.

Greetings and Salutations

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