Hope Wilson

Eng. 5020

Dr. Zamora

Writing Theory & Practice

Presentation

 

                                                                “To Test or Not To Test”

By Yancey, Kathleen Blake & Ritter, Kelly and Matsuda, Paul “Exploring Composition Studies”

 

          Are the students being taught to pass a test or are the educators’ writing assessment and curriculums being presented? Developing a relationship with a student is part of the educational process. Writing assessment is one of ways that creates communication between a teacher and a student. I agree with Yancey when she  writes “ The test were indirect measures, that is, a test that sampled something related to but other than the individual student’s writing, typically a multiple choice test of editing skills serving as a proxy for writing” that cannot replace an educator’s assessment of multiple writings. Acknowledging the fact that test and processes requires money and sitting several hundred students in a room to take a test that a machine can grade is far less expensive than having an educator evaluate one student at a time.

       Who are the most qualified to make these decisions, the educators, test experts, school administrators, or the scholars? Some may agree that all of them are qualified. There have been many processes suggested regarding the teaching and the evaluation of writing. Scholars, teachers, researchers, and test experts have all weigh in to assist with implementing a fair assessment. External reviews have been an enormous concern by some. Some educators value their curriculum and insist on enforcing it.

        During the three waves there have been multiple processes, tests implemented, many evaluations regarding the improvement of writing and writing assessment. I agree that accumulatively all of them improve writing skills. Reflection and self-assessment encourage students to evaluate themselves by taking a closer look at their work by proof reading. The school administrator testing creates an environment of continuous focus as it reveals other options the students may not had considered. The portfolio creates the proof of progress and the capability of certain projects. The presentation of accumulative work also increases the reflection and self-assessment. Reading and comprehension definitely increases writing and public speaking.

       Future writers will seek out their needed skills at their convenience. Students that are not interested in writing will write for a desired grade. There are many applications and online programs assisting writers to improve their craft. Social media tools. Audio, video, and online classes are available to assist writers improve their craft. Educators become engaged to improve their skills and teach students how to improve their passion. They also encourage a platform for children to share their work as they provide technology to improve literacy. They share knowledge, processes, and curriculums. Peer review groups are encouraged. It can provide a great experience for future writers to​begin accepting criticism.

 

 

                                                                    

Eng. 5020

Dr. Zamora

Writing Theory & Practice

Blog 9

                                    

 

                                                    “Proof of Authentic”

         Does researching inspires the use of the library and encourage the reading of multiple books that students may not had read? If someone is being quoted of course the information has be cited. The authentic information must be presented and acknowledge the, but to what extent? Although the composition format may not be used after college it is hugely suggested when in College. I agree with Dan Berrett she write “There’s some value to reminding students about the authority on certain subjects that are not in a digital archive,” she said. “What we’ve forgotten is that libraries were the repositories where people made judicious claims about what sources are worth reading.” and quoting in class.

      Different processes and presentations will encourage more productivity. I am not an educator but I totally agree with Barbara Fister when he writes “If you want students to learn about a topic and be able to synthesize information effectively, fine – but don’t call it research. Turn it into a presentation, an informational brochure, or a Wikipedia article. If you want students to make an argument, start from something they know and care about, something that matters to them and about which they can hold an informed opinion. If you want them to read and understand scholarly material, focus on close reading and have the class jointly prepare an annotated edition. If you want them to write academic prose, wait until they know enough about the discipline to know what they’re talking about and how to ask a meaningful question about it” may increase the student’s engagement. Valid opinions verses silence and awkward questions in the classroom. She also shares “But if you want first year college students to understand what sources are for and why they matter, if you want them to develop curiosity and respect for evidence, your best bet is to start by tossing that generic research paper. As for those who will complain that students should have learned how to paraphrase and cite sources in their first semester – we’ve tried to do that for decades, and it hasn’t worked yet. Isn’t it time to try something else?” to encourage better writing skills.

       All formulas are beneficial for certain grade levels. I agree with Mark Wiley as he writes a response of a suborned teacher “Schaffer’s approach does remove the mystery for students about what their teachers expect in their essays. “ Unfortunately, she observed, the method also removes the need for these students to judge for themselves how to shape their essays. Although this teacher’s negative evaluation was in the minority, the majority of teachers did fear that their students might become too dependent on the format,” causing many writings to appear similar. Self-assessment and peer review is important when writing the first draft. A writer must be able to recognize some errors and except criticism. Mark argues “A familiar in of formulaic argument support writings that many struggling writers really need a simple format to follow so that they can achieve some immediate succession in their academic writing” there are some merits to this argument. Struggling writers need lots of carefully structured assignments, but repetitively following the same direction for writing every essay will not help these students advance beyond a kind of “successful” codependency on teachers who have agreed in advance that this sort of formulaic essay will be what they reward. These students are precisely the ones who most need to be challenge” to increase their writing skills.

Blog8

Eng. 5020

Dr. Zamora

Writing Theory & Practice

Four questions regarding WhyIWrite

 

1)    How is the length of my presentation? Is it too long or too short? Should I add more slides or take some away? Should I add more words on any slides? If so which ones?

2)    How is the design on my presentation? Is it too colorful or not colorful enough? Do I have too many designs on each slide and will it compliment the group’s selected application?

3)    Does my presentation needs some reorganization? Should my WhyIwrite story be presented first because it is the theme of the project? Where exactly should the answer to the life question be, at the end?

4)    My presentation is on power point. Was it the application to use? If not which one is? How do I transfer my presentation to the required application

Eng. 5020

Dr. Zamora

Writing Theory & Practice 

Blog 7

                                                   Who is the authority ? 

What is your definition of different?  Adults Bi, Butch, and Bar Dyke in the twentieth century have been telling their stories for years. One's mind set determines how " complicate the notion that identities can be performed in clean, organized, distinct ways by examining the theorizing our own experiences of class, gender, and sexual identity performance " when the stories are read. I think that all people from all walks of life have the same struggles with their identity personally and professionally. All educators have a degree of expectation of building relationships with their students. Some Bi, Butch, and Bar Dyke cannot be in the closet because of some accumulative stereotypical learned aspects some students bring to class. I personally agree with Bill Clinton when he suggested to the military personnel  "Don't ask don't tell" to avoid complications. I also agree with Michelle Gibson, Martha Marinara, and Deborah Meem when they wrote" The space created by opening up identity allows for a more open-ended model of collective identity and poses hard questions about the nature and definitions of political subject positions as one is both enlarged and oppressed by constantly shifting alliances" maintain the students engagement in the classroom and unwarranted questions in  their political environment. 

                                                Testing for entry?

Like with most processes  change comes with progress.  I agree with Yancy as she explains" A related approach constructs the history of writing assessment as the struggle between and among scholars and testing practitioners and faculty, those who speak the terms validity and reliability quite differently: the old expert; the new non expert, from this perspective, the last 50 years of writing assessment can be narrativized as the teacher-layperson ( often successfully) challenging the (psychometric ) expert, developing and then applying  both expertise and theory located not in psychometrics, but in rhetoric, in reading  and hermeneutics, and, increasingly, in writing practice " is part of our accumulative  process of writing assessment. We are now faced with a standing concern of " what (else) might we learn from writing assessment? And how would we learn? Underlying these concerns is a particular construct of writing assessment itself:" as we focus on identifying future placement processes. There are many concerns to factor when considering any aspects of educational processes.  Which might take us back to the first wave " What is the best or most valid measure of writing?"-but a tied to theory, to institutional need, to cost, and ultimately to efficiency [ Williamson)-"Which measure can do the best ad fairest job of prediction with the least amount of work and the lowest cost?" as testing is constantly being considered. 

Writing  should not be assessed by a timed test only. Students  accumulative writing exercises in the last class should also be considered. I agree with Yancy as she shares " we knows that for a valid test of writing performance, multiple writing sample written on different occasions and in various rhetorical modes are preferable to single samples drawn from an isolated writing instance" considering a more accurate assessment.

Eng. 5020

Dr. Zamora

Writing Theory & Practice 

Blog 6

                       " Let Your Fingers Do The Findings"

We now have the world at our finger tip. The Web provides a great change in how students " share content in new collaborate ways" as they learn and are taught differently from their parents. They were born into a technical world their patents may never fully comprehend. Their ability to technically multitask will alway supersede most of their parents.  I totally agree with Richardson when he wrote " No matter how you look at it, we are creating what author Douglas Rushkoff calls a 'Society of Authorship" where every teacher and every student, every person with access will have the ability to contribute ideas and experiences to the larger body of knowledge that is the Internet. And in doing so, Rushkoff says, we will be writing the human story, in real time, together, a vision that asks each of us to participate" as journey through life. 

As we progress through life our expectation of progress is enviable.  We have progressed into a digital world and I am not sure if it is beneficial or not. Have we given up our privacy to communicate from the comforts of our homes?  Have we jeopardized our children safety by introducing them to the " ne er- do wells of the world" who constantly prey on the weak and innocent? Or is it best that we now have faster access to the local authorities and applications for directions on our phones. Did we expect our children to become more sociable than us but less active?  Did we realized that children will have access to "obscene content on line" and because they are more technical sabby than their parents they can override any password they create? They were born into a technical world we may never fully comprehend. Their ability to technically multitask will alway supersede most of their parents. They have lost the reason to utilize the library, venture out to the mall, and play on the jungle gym.  Was we aware that once a child place their negative actions and comments on line it will be there forever for future employers to view? Before the Web, comments and actions may be forgotten or hard to prove. Was this our expectations of the Web, blog, wikis, and podcast?  I agree with Richard when he wrote" One of the most difficult roads to navigate in the world of the Read/Write is how to balance the safety of the child with the benefits that come with students taking ownership of the work they publish on line” considering the consequences.

           "Improving the Writings of  Second Language Writers"

I am impressed to learn that" Over the last two decades, however, the demographics of the U.S. higher education have changed drastically - especially in terms of students' ethnic, national, and linguistic backgrounds. Reflecting the rise of the multilingual student population educated in U.S. high  schools, many institutions-regardless of type-are beginning to enroll highly qualified resident students whose Language proficiency and literacy backgrounds do not fit the profile of traditional college students" which will encourage more student to attend college. Increasing the desire for people to increase their academic and personal growth is amazing. I totally agree with the CCCC that" writers are finding themselves in situations where they are being assessed not only for their knowledge and expertise in the disciplines but for they're writing and language proficiencies. For these reasons, second language writing cannot be considered a concern only for a handful of specialist; instead, it needs to be seen as an integral part of all areas of composition studies" to adjust the curriculum to  support everyones educational desires.

Eng. 5020

Dr. Zamora

Writing Theory & Practice

Blog 4

 

“Pass and Future Writing Processes.”

 

New century progresses to new lessons to learn.  Scholars are weighing in on suggested changes on the teachings of writing.  They have engaged in a " suggestive picture of large- scale changes on the discipline by looking at two volumes published twenty years apart, each designed to introduce novices to alternate ways to teach college writing" attempting to improve student's writing skills. It is totally clear that the “paradigm shift “is increasing the evaluation of the process. Most of the “scholarly bibliography surveys” can improve some students writing. Cultural studies is being promoted by many scholars. Although " most scholars who examine a CCS course ethnographically or narrate such a course of their own go out of their way to say the teachers are careful not to indoctrinate students. Students are "free" to write their papers from any perspective they choose. They have only to make a thoughtful case for their position" to earn passing grade. (Fulkerson)

I am a huge fan of expressionism it "places writers in the center, articulates it's theory, and develops its pedagogical by assigning highest value to the writer and her imaginative,  psychological, social, and spiritual development and how that development influences individual consciousness and social behavior. Expressivist pedagogy employs freewriting, journal keeping, reflective writing, and small group dialogic collaborative response to foster a writer's aesthetic, cognitive, and moral development. Expressivist pedagogy encourages, even insist upon, a sense of writer presence even in research-based writing. This presence-"voice" or ethos whether explicit, implicit, or absent, function as a key evaluation criterion when Expressivist examine writing" I totally agree with Faulkner. Expressionism also engages the passion in the writer allowing them to reflect on their “greater self-awareness greater insight, increased creativity, or therapeutic clarification of some sort" resulting in great writing.

Great writers also need to consider their readers it “compels readers to listen seriously" encouraging them to read more of their writings.

The teachings of writing according to the teacher’s accumulative learnings. Student’s takeaways will be what they are comfortable with and agree will engage their students and freewriting skills. Although teachers will always encourage their process. All learnings has some benefits to some students.

Eng. 5020

Dr. Zamora

Writing Theory & Practice 

Blog 3

                                                   "Writing Comments on Students' Paper"

I am not a teacher. I have yet to experience the teachings of writing or having to comment on


student's paper. Although I have experience the feelings of being "apologetic and vulnerable" when


handing in my paper to a teacher to be graded. I totally agree with the students' reactions to their


teachers " necessary short" comments on their papers.


 

I agree with Bean's when he writes "to improve our techniques for commenting on our students'


papers then, we need to remember our purpose, which is to not point out everything wrong with the


paper but to facilitate improvement" when encouraging students. That purpose is not always


expressed by some educators.  I also agree with his writing regarding "to point out what the writer is


doing well. Positive comments build confidence and make the writer want to try again" which will be


 part of my teaching process. (Bean)

                                                              "Response to Writing"

A tracher's  response is essential to the structure of most students final draft.  Comments that "


suggest ways of making improvements ( Ferris, 2003). Second, they prefer comments that explain


why something is good or bad about their writing" to direct students in a   comfortable direction. (Beach, 1989)

From a students point of view structure and direction encourages creativity. 

To be given a writing assignment without any corrective comments on the first draft from the


educator leaves very little room for improvement and direction . I  agree that some " students often


simply comply with what they perceive their teacher wants them to do in order to obtain a good


grade, although the teacher's suggestions may  not help them improve their writing"  suggesting their


 lack of interest in being a writer. Fortunately peer review assist in correcting some concerns. Without


 the educator's collaborative agreement on the first draft a student may become unsure of their final


draft.

Eng. 5020

Dr. Zamora

Writing Theory & Practice 

Blog 5

 

 

“Evaluating Future Writers”

Did I get it right? Is one of the questions most students ask when they request someone to review their writings?  When we, the reviewers, review someone's paper " We do not know of any definitive way what constitutes thoughtful commentary or what effect, if any, our comments have on helping our students become more effective writers"  as we evaluate what may be their best work. The first draft definitely needs commenting on because it gives assurance to directions and structure. Without it a student may not be sure if he comprehended the directions correctly. So they rely on comments to “create the motive for doing something different in the next draft" with permission.  It also gives the student a choice of “which of these comments the students choose to use or to ignore when revising" their second draft or final paper.  Encouraged comments are is important   ”Without comments from readers, students assume that their writing has communicated their meaning and perceived no need for revising the substance of their text” and will turn in their paper with anxiety. Not confident of earning a good grade. I agree with Nancy Sommers when she writes " There seems to be among teachers an accepted, albeit unwritten canon for commenting on student texts. This uniform code of commands, requests, and pleadings demonstrates that the teacher holds a license for vagueness while the student is commanded to be specific" regarding their instructions.

 

Passion is our voice! I agree with Peter Elbow when he writes “Voice is an important dimension of text and we should pay lots of attention to it. Everybody has a real voice and can write with power. Writing with a strong voice is good writing. Sincere writing is good writing. My voice is my true self and my rhetorical power" and I will always write my truth. Part of my truth is "The goal of teaching writing is to develop the self" by increasing my personal growth. Common knowledge is “To learn to speak or write better, we need also to work on being a better person" as we increase our writing skills.  Writing gives me a window to my soul and allows me to express myself. When I write I go on a journey to a peace place in my mind. I speak naturally which is why I think Peter makes a great point when writes “We can now see that a writer must disguise his art and give the impression of speaking naturally and not artificially. Naturalness is persuasive, artificially is the contrary; for our hearers are prejudiced and think we have some design against them" when we are only speaking our truth.




My idea for the group project is for everyone to write about a funny experience they had in college. I suggest that we post it on Facebook or twitter so other students can get a laugh when they are having a bad day. I think it will be great to lift someone's spirit when they are trying to increase their personal growth.

Hope Wilson 

Eng. 5020

Dr. Zamora

Writing Theory & Practice 

Blog 2

 

 

                                             The Many Ways of Teaching:

                                  Composition, Process, and the Product

 

The learned product has given birth to numerous great writers. For some students being introduced to the product and not the process has given them great rewards. Some students that are interested in writing will adapt to the product and research the process.  Everyone has “to equate one's view of the process with the overall aim of an approach" towards their desired outcome. (Fulkerson) The students who are not interested in writing will write to earn their desired grade. To the teachers “look at your composition program with the realization you are teaching a process, you may be able to design a curriculum which works” without teaching a product. (Murray) I have embrace the concept that all” students should understand the relationships among language, knowledge, and power", but unfortunately it is not always the end result. Encouragement is always part of the teaching regiment and is successfully achieved.

 

Dissecting great writers encourage the student's will to explore and immolate.  Educators “can dissect and sometimes almost destroy Shakespeare or Robert Lowell to prove it” as the students learn literature. (Murray) When reading students get to engage in mastery work that encourages peaceful moments. Students also get to experience joyful soul searching. Writing from the heart expands one's creativity as they explore adventurous settings.

Learning composition in the twenty first century is the accumulation of life learned lessons. It consist of numerous teachers concept of composition and their ability to immolate their accumulative life learned lessons and teach it in the time allotted. The perception is " what students wanted and expected from a composition course in college conflicted with what teachers using a critical pedagogy were mostly interested in: " first -year students typically enter composition with an idea of writing and an understanding of what they need to learn about writing that are dramatically at odds with the views and approaches of the teacher” causing conflicts with some traditional expectations. (Fulkerson) When exceptions are not met true writers will research their desired process.

Hope Wilson

9/26

Dr. Zamora

Eng 5020

Blog 1

                                              




                                                   Rhetoric and Composition;

                                Considering Peer to Peer Memo as a Guidance.

I am convinced that writing is more of a passion than a lesson learned. Assignments are completed as


 dictated but true writing comes from the comforts of one's heart. The need to be a descriptive story


teller as a relaxing moment is appreciated is not taught or learned. To have the desire to write a


documentation without the promise of monetary proceeds is part of the gift of writing. To have the


courage to share your thoughts with other readers and writers without force or fear of judgement. The


processes of writing it down for public consumption is encouraged. Correctly used grammar and


punctuations bring the attention of the intellects and maintains public focus on the project.

Correctly written projects can be successful with peer’s response. To have someone review your


paper with the knowledge of the educator's concerns can increases one's chances of success.   Peer


review also guides the writer to consider thinking out side the box by offering suggestions of similar


possibilities. The educator may advise that " the purpose of peer to peer memo is to guide the


responder to specific places in the essay that the writer is concerned about and also to give some idea


 of what the writer is trying to accomplish” as they consider the completion of their project.

Reflection is the state of mind. One’s intellect and life's experiences reflect their response. Knowing


 " insight doesn't happen often on a click of the moment like a snap shot but comes in its own time


and more slowly and from nowhere but within" ones' active subject at the time. When entering


college " students understand the beneficiaries of twelve years' worth of schooling" and will follow


the process of the educator to maintain their desired grade.  The different processes will be introduced


 to students and they will build on what is comfortable to them. A forced process may result in non


compliance. Some processes, if assigned consistently, may become standard in some educator’s work


plan. The consideration of other processes or curriculums that will engage the students and increase


achievement differently may not get introduced.