Teaching Philosophy

My philosophy of education is based on my past experiences in pedagogy and the secondary classroom, as well as my future expectations in college level teaching.

First of all, I think that it is really important to always remember the path I have traveled to get to where I am as a writer: Literacy Autobiography. That way, as I encounter first year writers, I can keep those experiences in mind to better relate to the students.

The heart of my educational philosophy is expectation.  It is paramount to have the highest expectation for each and every student.  I have to believe that each of them, no matter what they have learned or not learned before coming to me, no matter what has happened to them in the past, they are capable to doing something great.

One of the ways that I like to show students my high expectation is to encourage them to not only write, but to consider that writing for publication.

When I was student teaching there were plenty of students that I didn’t reach right away.  There were the kids that thought they were too cool to pay attention, the kids who were the “losers” and had never desired to pay attention before because it brought them nothing, and the kids who were preoccupied with personal things going on in their lives.  So, one day I brought some short stories from a magazine to class and had them read the stories and talk about them.  After we had evaluated the stories, I revealed that the stories were mine. I had them published when I was in high school.  They were shocked. Then I encouraged them to bring their personal writing and I showed them how to prepare a manuscript to send to a publisher.  It was incredible, I had almost 75% participation on an assignment that was extra, not for a grade and we worked on it mostly during lunch and after school.  The guy who thought he was too cool to talk to me before brought me his poem and confessed that he wasn’t very confident about sending it in, the girl who had virtually no friends and never spoke to anyone in the class brought me a heart wrenching short story that was really spectacular, the girl whose father was dying of cancer brought me a beautiful poem that showed there was still some happiness inside of her.  Of all the assignments and all the lessons, that extra project was the best thing I did with them that whole semester.   I prepared them for rejection too, I told them most people get their writing rejected the first few times they submit it, but it is important to keep trying.

I believe that by encouraging students to submit their writing for publication, it brings them to a new level of personal responsibility.  Suddenly, they aren’t “just” students, they are writers, they are active members of the academic community.

Expressionism in college composition fits in nicely with this idea of encouraging students to send in their work for publication.  Dixon, Macrorie, and Kelly are a few scholars who have developed this theory of expressionism as a writing philosophy (Fulkerson 552). While I am not suggesting that we try to completely recreate the level of expressionism found in the sixties and seventies, I do believe a fair amount of it is beneficial to first year students.

Also, the article “How to Get Power through Voice” by Peter Elbow really hit a chord with me when thinking about how to encourage students to write for themselves.  Elbow reinforces  the idea that one should, at least momentarly, forget audience and freewrite.  I think it is very important to show students that this is okay, that it isn’t wrong to freewrite or to write for oneself.  At the same time, they need to be able to come back from that, better writers, and ready to face the academic setting with its rules, audiences, and its own expectations.

Practically, I believe in developing unique and hands-on lessons: Integrating Quotation Lesson Plan as well as using clean, clear PowerPoint as supplemental to my class discussion: Integrating Quotations PowerPoint.

It’s important to make students experiment outside of their comfort zone, especially with technology.  An example might be a video project about something being discussed in class.  Here is an example of a project I completed for a class:  Key Word Video Project. While this video is rough and it is clear the creator needs a bit more practice with the format used, the point is, the assignment helped me to step outside my comfort zone and make something original.  Now, it doesn’t seem so far-fetched for me to create a multimedia project in the future.

Pushing students outside their comfort zone, encouraging them to try something different, encouraging them to think of themselves are potential professionals, these are the thoughts that I am having as a still untested college instructor. Let’s see what happens.

Works Cited:

Fulkerson, Richard. “Four Philosophies of Composition.”  College and Composition 30. (1979):   343-48.

Elbow, Peter. “How to Get Power through Voice.” Writing with Power: Techniques for     Mastering the Writing Process. New Work: Oxford UP, 1981. 304-13.

Literacy Autobiography (re-post)

I am re-posting my assignment here so that everything is in order. I posted it on time a while back, I just wanted to make sure it was seen at the top of my blog.

November 5, 2009

Literacy Autobiography

Filed under: Uncategorized — laurendanhof @ 3:57 am Edit This

My first memory of writing is when I was four years old. I distinctly remember dictating a story to her and she typed it on a type writer.  Then, she sewed the pages together with a cardboard cover and gave it to me to illustrate.  I still have it.  It’s called “The Stone Princess,” and it was about a princess who is turned to stone by an evil witch.  I have always been making stories up and I always loved being read to.  My mom has always read to me, from the time I was a baby until I was a teenager and it wasn’t “cool” anymore.  She has always instilled in me the belief that reading is important. To this day, I can think of nothing more comforting than being snuggled up in a blanket, reading a great book.  It’s the best gift my mother gave me.

The funny thing is, I was a late reader. I was in the gift and talented program starting in the first grade, but it was the end of the first grade before I could read.  Something in my brain didn’t click and then, suddenly, it did. I was at my grandparent’s house practicing “Hop on Pop” and then I realized, I was reading. I wasn’t reciting from what I had memorized, I was actually decoding, reading.

In the fourth grade, while we worked on narrative writing for the TAAS test, my teacher would read my stories aloud.  Frankly, I thought I was a writing genius. As we worked on other styles of writing, I took my enjoyment of narrative and developed an appreciation for persuasive and argumentative writing. Grade after grade, I found success in the writing and sought the praise from teachers.  I have found many like me, those who succeeded in school and fed upon the approval of instructors.

In high school I wrote a full length novel. I read it recently, it was horrible. But working on it, hour after hour, week after week, really gave me a new confidence about writing.  I started writing for me again, as I had as a young child. I began writing for the sake of sharing a story, not to win praise.

In college, I worked on my craft. I began thinking of my writing on a more professional level. I looked on my writing as academic, practical, and creative.  My academic writing was for a long time still motivated by the approval of others.  I think a little of that is okay. As I begin writing on a graduate level, writing should be both for personal discovery and professional achievement. I should care what others think.  Practical writing, such as this assignment, is for getting things done, saying what should be said in the most direct, effective way.   Creative writing, still close to my heart, is for my own satisfaction, although someday soon, I would like to share stories again.

When I reflect on my reading and writing, I find certain things have remained true.  The more I read, the better I write.  The more I read, the more critically I read. The more I write… well, the more I learn about myself.  Writing is a day to day struggle. Some days it comes easily and fluidly.  Some days it is hard and I have to pick away at the keys to get anything out.  I hope to do it as long as I live and improve as continue on this strange, erratic ride.

Entry Ten

How can we learn from what we do/teach?  How can we continue to better ourselves as teachers?  What are some ways we can become “reflective practitioners”?

I think keeping a reflective journal is one of the best way to monitor self improvement as an educator.  Taking simple notes on lesson plans, jotting down funny things students said, writing anxieties  and triumphs in the classroom, these are all ways of preserving the experience to look back on later and reflect.

When I was student teaching I was required to make weekly notes of my experiences.  In my notes, I would write things that worked well and complete failures on my part.  Often times I would find myself figuring out solutions to problems as I was writing down the issue.

Another thing that personally works for me is talking to my mom.  Sure, it’s not a textbook technique, but it does make me feel better.  She’s been a teacher for awhile and so I tell her what’s going on in my life, in my interactions or my studies, and she listens and offers advice when required.  It’s good to have a mentor, even when you’re an experienced teacher.

Entry Nine

What should a FYC teacher come to class knowing?  What should a FYC student come to class knowing?  How can we prepare for “Plan B” when they don’t.

A FYC teacher should come to class feeling comfortable not only with the concepts being taught, but coherently explaining and demonstrating those concepts.  He or she should know the grammatical expectations and be able to explain each simply and clearly.  Also, a FYC teacher should have some pedagogical theory under his or her belt. Ideally, he or she would have taken some education classes and know some basic principles and theories for lesson planning, classroom management, and assessment. However, it is highly unlikely that every new teacher entering the composition classroom will have that experience.  I don’t think it’s necessary, but it does help.

The student should come to class with a solid high school understanding of grammar and writing theory.  They should be able to construct a sentence, how to proofread, how to write different types of papers.

However, the classroom should be an inviting place where teachers and students who are not up to speed still feel like they can enter and improve.  The number one thing, as cheesy as it sounds, one must have is the attitude for learning and self improvement.  We can get a struggling student up to speed if they are willing to work.  We can mentor a struggling teacher to try new practices and improve.  But we can give people an attitude transplant.

Literacy Autobiography

My first memory of writing is when I was four years old. I distinctly remember dictating a story to her and she typed it on a type writer.  Then, she sewed the pages together with a cardboard cover and gave it to me to illustrate.  I still have it.  It’s called “The Stone Princess,” and it was about a princess who is turned to stone by an evil witch.  I have always been making stories up and I always loved being read to.  My mom has always read to me, from the time I was a baby until I was a teenager and it wasn’t “cool” anymore.  She has always instilled in me the belief that reading is important. To this day, I can think of nothing more comforting than being snuggled up in a blanket, reading a great book.  It’s the best gift my mother gave me.

The funny thing is, I was a late reader. I was in the gift and talented program starting in the first grade, but it was the end of the first grade before I could read.  Something in my brain didn’t click and then, suddenly, it did. I was at my grandparent’s house practicing “Hop on Pop” and then I realized, I was reading. I wasn’t reciting from what I had memorized, I was actually decoding, reading.

In the fourth grade, while we worked on narrative writing for the TAAS test, my teacher would read my stories aloud.  Frankly, I thought I was a writing genius. As we worked on other styles of writing, I took my enjoyment of narrative and developed an appreciation for persuasive and argumentative writing. Grade after grade, I found success in the writing and sought the praise from teachers.  I have found many like me, those who succeeded in school and fed upon the approval of instructors.

In high school I wrote a full length novel. I read it recently, it was horrible. But working on it, hour after hour, week after week, really gave me a new confidence about writing.  I started writing for me again, as I had as a young child. I began writing for the sake of sharing a story, not to win praise.

In college, I worked on my craft. I began thinking of my writing on a more professional level. I looked on my writing as academic, practical, and creative.  My academic writing was for a long time still motivated by the approval of others.  I think a little of that is okay. As I begin writing on a graduate level, writing should be both for personal discovery and professional achievement. I should care what others think.  Practical writing, such as this assignment, is for getting things done, saying what should be said in the most direct, effective way.   Creative writing, still close to my heart, is for my own satisfaction, although someday soon, I would like to share stories again.

When I reflect on my reading and writing, I find certain things have remained true.  The more I read, the better I write.  The more I read, the more critically I read. The more I write… well, the more I learn about myself.  Writing is a day to day struggle. Some days it comes easily and fluidly.  Some days it is hard and I have to pick away at the keys to get anything out.  I hope to do it as long as I live and improve as continue on this strange, erratic ride.

Entry #7

Why do you grade the way you do?  How does that focus/practice help you understand your “philosophy” of composition?

Grading is so subjective, I hate it! I have no problem giving constructive commentary and assisting students with their writing. The worst part is assigning the essay a number.  I mean, when I have anxieties I keep thinking… what’s the difference between a 70 and 73… maybe if I took a nap I would assign five more or less points… what if my grade on this student’s essay is just enough to push them into the failing range overall… how I am qualified to “grade” this piece of writing.

I like to think of writing as artwork.  Even a simple drawing has value because it is a creation, made from careful consideration on the artist’s part.  So, if a student has written something and put their creativity into, I hate giving it a bad grade.

Having said that, I have no problem giving grades to really well written essays and essays that look like the student hasn’t really tried.

I think grading should be as objective as possible, and commentary should be first and foremost.

Entry #6

Given what you’ve read for this week (or even from previous weeks), what puzzles you?  What are you wrestling with?  What questions do you have that others might be able to answer/help you wrestle with?

So far so good. Overall, I feel pretty confident in the main issues we’ve discussed in class and on the blogs.  I mean, I do have specific questions periodically, especially when I am out on my own, grading.  I have had pedagogical experience before this class, so a lot of concepts are a refresher, not new information.  However, I have no experience teaching college students, so there are some new things to learn. Well, and even with secondary, each new class is different and presents new things to learn.

Week Five

Response to Take 20

I thought this was a really interesting series of videos.  Some of the responses were very candid and I appreciated their honesty.

Some thoughts as I watched:

I liked how Mike Palmquist talked about technology not just supporting teaching, but truly affecting and shaping teaching and creating new goals.

It was relieving to see these veteran teachers still loved teaching writing.  Several said it was fun, several said it was rewarding.  I would think a teacher might get tired of reading and grading students’ papers, but that appears to not be the case for teachers who have stuck with it for many years.

On how to create a lesson plan, I liked how the two teacher’s interviewed designed their classes around giving the students time to write and time to reflect.  I think it is important to let them have time to do this in a structured environment like the classroom, not just at home.

It was interesting how there seemed to be consensus on some topics, like product and process (which, by the way, was enlightening) , and different approaches on other topics, like designing writing assignments.

One thing I did disagree with was Cushman, who started out by saying, “I think peer work works best and actually unfolds best when the students share common concerns and issues.” After our discussion last week in class, I disagree. I think it is unrealistic to forms groups where all the students will share common concerns and issues, or care about the same things. I think it is important for there to be some differences. This creates conversation, and maybe eventually they will all care about the issue, but in different ways.

Week Four

What is your writing process?

I am probably a pretty bad example for “how to” write.  It has been my experience that people in college who are good writers were the ones who enjoyed writing when they were in grade school, despite being drilled with formulas and state regulated processes. I let those skills roll right off of me and wrote however I wanted to.  I remember in 10th grade becoming very frustrated because I was being graded so harshly on my format. Within the next year I had disciplined myself to adhere to the format, still following an unorthodox method. See, there is a difference between process and product.  I have observed very talented writers who could produce a wonderful product and still not follow anything close to a recommended process.

Now that I am in graduate school, I see the flaw in my great method of no method.  I don’t write outlines, but I am going to have to now. I don’t write multiple drafts, but I am going to have to now. I don’t have other people proofread and critique, but I am going to have to now. I have come to a new standard to which my writing will be held accountable.

And so, I think it is the same for freshmen in 1301, who have never developed a successful process for writing. They may have always gotten by without one, like I did. Or maybe they didn’t get by and therefore really dislike writing.

After all, an essay or a book is the product, but writing itself, that is a process.

You can’t write without process.  I guess even when I think I am not using a process I must be, to some extent. Whoa,  I think I may have just had an epiphany.

Week Three

Voice

Voice is absolutely essential for readable academic writing. You can write the most original, most revolutionary article in the entire world and if nobody can bare to read it, what have you accomplished? Voice is often attributed with expressive writing.  However, I believe there is a way to write completely objective, analytical papers with the most natural voice. It’s about pacing and breath and word choice. Okay, it’s probably more extensive than that, but those are the three elements I typically think of when I think of voice.

Part of voice, though, is not thinking about voice. I find that when I write, without thinking about structure or “sounding smart” my writing reflects a more genuine, engaging element. You can always go back and “edit.”

The article “How to Get Power through Voice” by Peter Elbow (haha, Elbow, sorry) had some great ideas for teaching and practicing voice, like doing fifteen minute free-writes and embracing the voice you have, the real one.

A connection is waiting to be made in the classroom between school writing and personal writing. Students sit and type a mediocre essay about something they don’t care about and then, five minutes later, log in to facebook or myspace and type five pages in a hurried, feverish manner. Sure, it’s not usually “great” writing, and it probably has more and @#&@^%  and omg’s than would traditionally be acceptable for an academic paper, but it’s voice. Even writing on this blog, instead of composing a short essay and turning it in, I find myself writing more freely, with more voice. How do we bridge the gap? How do we make the connection?