Landon's Blog

Today's Composition Challenges

2008-11-18T14:42:00.000-08:00

Composition teachers and students are facing major challenges today. There is a general reluctance toward reading and writing of any kind that seems to grow stronger as technology advances.

I think about spelling as a specific example. My mom was one of the best spellers in school. She is still a great speller, much better than me even though she did not finish college, and I am in my fifth year at a university. Because the spell checker was already available when I was in school, teachers just didn't seem to emphasize spelling as much as they did in my mother's generation.

We can examine composition in the same light. When a student is able to go online and immediately access thousands of written papers on any given topic, what is the point of learning to write themselves?

I don't think there is any way we, as teachers, can directly counteract this type of technological challenge even though we would like to shut down all those term paper generators. (Where are the plagiarism police?) What we can do is try to motivate the students, and show them the power of language. I try to tell my students how great they are, that anything they write will be a thousand times better than that generic term paper they could access online, and the best part is, their own writing is free!

syllabus

2008-11-18T14:33:00.000-08:00

English 1301:
Composition and Rhetoric
Spring 2009
Instructor: Landon Moore
Office: English building, Room 454
Office hours: Tuesday 9 a.m. to noon and by appointment
Email: landon.moore@ttu.edu

Textbooks:
Texas Tech‘s English 1301/1302 Textbook (Custom Edition 2008-2009)
The St. Martin’s Handbook (TTU Custom Edition)

Course Objectives:
*Introduction to fundamentals of basic writing across the curriculum
*Basic understanding of expressive writing and application in regards to academic and creative writing

This course is designed to introduce freshman-level students to the basic fundamentals of writing for all disciplines in preparation for college and professional careers. You will be expected to complete all assignments (including briefs, a daily journal, and a final draft) as well as participate in class activities, individual and collaborative.

Brief Assignments:
These tasks will be assigned weekly and will focus on one particular writing skill such as summary, paraphrase, evaluation of source material, etc.

Drafts:
You will complete a first draft, which will consist of an analysis based on a topic of your choice that has been approved by the instructor. A second draft, including the revisions suggested by the graded first draft, will be required.

Daily Journal:
At the beginning of each class period, I will give the class a topic. You will write to this topic for ten minutes. While the grammatical structure of these entries will not be graded, I expect you to devote thought and creativity to each journal topic.

Grade Weights:
30% Brief Assignments
20% Daily Journal
20 % First Draft
30% Second Draft

Assessment:
This course will be assessed using a scale of one hundred percent:
A=90-100
B=80-89
C=70-79
D=60-69
F=59 and below

Due to departmental policy, I am prohibited from rounded grades or assigning extra credit.

Due Dates:
If you turn in an assignment late, expect to encounter grade penalties of ten points for each day the assignment is late.

Attendance:
As this is a course that meets once a week, you are expected to attend all class periods. If you must miss class for a university activity, I must be notified prior to the event with written documentation. Likewise, you must provide a doctor’s note if you miss class due to illness. After two absences, each missed class period will result in a 5% deduction from your final grade.
When you are absent, it is your responsibility to make up the work you have missed by contacting another student from the class.

Technology:
Cell phones and other devices must be turned off when you enter the classroom. If you wish to record lectures, I must be informed before the class period begins. Laptops will be permitted for note-taking purposes. If the laptop becomes a distraction to you or other students, you will be asked to put it away.

Communication with Instructor:
Learning does not stop once you leave the classroom. Therefore, I encourage you to speak with me outside of class. The best way to contact me will be to visit my office during assigned office hours. If you are unable to visit me during the time allotted, look at the syllabus. Look at the assignment. Read the textbook. If you still have questions, you may set up an appointment outside of office hours, or send me an email. I check messages and respond fairly quickly during the weekdays. However, I will not necessarily reply to your concerns after 6 p.m. or Friday through Sunday.

Group Activity

2008-11-18T14:31:00.000-08:00

Individual and Group Activity

There seems to be a great deal of malaise regarding the drafts in 1301. A large part of this results from students who did not take the time to select a topic of self-investment. I believe if the students are interested in the topic, they will learn more about writing as well as their topic, and the experience will become more enjoyable. In other cases, the students just seem to be at a loss when given the freedom of choosing their own topic.

In an effort to counteract this in my 1301 class, an entire class period will be dedicated to topic selection. The topics of the drafts will also not be limited to a discussion of language. Since this course is geared towards writing across the curriculum, students will be allowed to select a topic in their discipline if they so choose.

I have developed a highly sequenced activity that involves both individual work as well as collaboration to assist students in selecting a draft topic. The qualities of expressive writing are emphasized in this activity as this is one of the primary characteristics of my teaching philosophy.

First Objective (15 minutes)
Following a class discussion of possible topics, students will individually form a written list of 10 possible draft topics.
Goal: This objective aims to initialize thought process and allow students to consider their personal interests. The first three objectives emphasize the self-reflection aspect of expressive writing or what James Berlin calls “the cultivation of the self” (73). This may be a foreign concept to the students who have largely been topically restricted in high school writing assignments.

Second Objective (5 minutes)
Individually, students will narrow the list down to the top five favorites.
Goal: I want to engage students in the process of eliminating those ideas that may not work in a draft. Also, this requires individuals to give considerable thought to their personal interests.

Third Objective (10 minutes)
By each possible topic, students are to write ideas about the subtopics they would like to cover under each general theme.
Goal: I want to engage students in the process of elimination. This also requires some critical thinking as students begin thinking about the ways in which they would execute a discussion of each topic. In addition, they must reflect on the prior knowledge they have acquired concerning a given subject.

Fourth Objective (20 minutes)
In small groups of about three individuals, students will discuss their ideas with peers.
Goal: Students should engage in collaborative learning, in effect teaching one another as first recommended by Aristotle. This will probably cause students to think of their topics in different terms outside of self. As suggested by Stephen Fishman, this form of expressivism will provide the students with “new ways to identify with one another and, thereby, new grounds for social communion” (654). As this course is designed to emphasize writing across the curriculum, students will also learn about other disciplines through one another. Each student is to suggest his or her favorite topic for the drafts of group members in a written statement.

Fifth Objective (10 minutes)
Following the peer discussion, students will again work individually to narrow down the list of five possible topics to two topical ideas.
Goal: Again, I want to engage students in the process of elimination and critical thinking. Now the students will have the benefit of collaboration and social connection to narrow their lists even further.

Sixth Objective (15 minutes)
As the instructor, I will call on random students to recite the two possible topics under consideration for the draft. I will engage in a discussion with each student about why they would like to write to a certain topic and the ideas they would like to discuss within this theme. This will be my opportunity to guide the student in a certain direction if I feel a certain topic would be more profitable than another.
Goal: I want the students to be able to articulate their thoughts as I believe this is an important part of the writing process. Also, while they have made the social connection with peers, it may be important for them, personally, to also develop that relationship with the instructor.

Accountability:
At the end of the class period, students are to turn in the top two possible topics with possibilities of discussion within the draft. During the next class period, they will be required to declare their choice for the draft topic in a thesis statement.

Works Cited:
Berlin, James A. 1991. “Some Thoughts on Expressive Discourse: A Review Essay.” Journal of Advanced Composition 11: 83-93.
Fishman, Stephen M., and Lucille Parkinson McCarthy. 1992. “Is Expressivism Dead? Reconsidering Its Romantic Roots and Its Relation to Social Constructionism.” College English 48: 647-661.

New and Improved Teaching Philosophy

2008-11-18T14:09:00.000-08:00

Teaching Philosophy as Directed to 1301 Students

“Learning is finding out what you already know. Doing is demonstrating that you know it. Teaching is reminding other that they know it as well as you do. We are all learners, doers, and teachers.” ---Richard David Bach

Gone are the days when students come to class, sit down at a desk with pen and notebook in hand, and render themselves silent vessels to be filled by the omniscient fluid knowledge of the instructor, at least in my class. I expect to learn as much from you, my student, as you expect to learn from me throughout this course. You will be expected to contribute to the learning environment and be engaged in the discussion or activity at hand. In turn, as your teacher, I intend to listen and observe as well as guide you on the path to becoming better writers.

My goal is to inspire your quest for knowledge, specifically that which pertains to writing. English 1301 is a freshman-level required course. By the end of the semester, you should have the skills to perform basic writing endeavors such as summarizing, paraphrasing, drafting, and proofreading. You will be able to conduct thorough research and analyze that material for incorporation into an explanatory synthesis, the final paper of the term. (see syllabus attachment)

And then what?

It seems the failure of many students and instructors, perhaps especially instructors, is the inability to see beyond the course. It is my goal that this class does not end with the last class meeting or even with the final draft. This class should continue to foster inspiration, encouragement, and knowledge throughout your life as a writer, which is who you have become since the moment you entered the classroom and committed yourself to this transformational process.

Regardless of whether you are writing an academic paper or a creative piece, writing is about expressing the self. This obviously requires introspection, and some (dare I say “all?”) of you will further develop your identity through writing as a transforming process. Less obviously, expressivity allows individuals to discover the ways in which they can relate to one another. (see PowerPoint presentation of “Expressive Writing” in attachment)

This two-fold concept of expressive writing is reflected in the teaching strategies that will be employed in this course. I will require you to keep a daily journal. This is the time for self-reflection. I will not be grading the grammatical construction of these journal entries. I want your mind to be free and the pen to follow. Also, I will occasionally divide you into groups to discuss various assignments. This is your opportunity for collaboration and identification with your peers. These group activities will be highly sequenced to increase quality and productivity. (see group activity attachment)

In addition to expressivism, dialogue is an important part of this course and all learning. As such, I encourage you to contact me during office hours or via email with any questions, concerns, or comments about the course or writing in general.

Just as I have established the course objectives and some of the strategies used to achieve those objectives, I want you to think about your aspirations for the class and the ways in which you plan to accomplish those goals. Let the reciprocal relationship begin.

Learning from what we teach

2008-11-11T08:39:00.000-08:00

Like many of the 1301 instructors, I never actually took the course I am now teaching. Consequently, I have learned so much through my teaching. I have always had a natural sense about grammar. Somehow, I know where the commas go and how to make the sentence sound right, but I never knew the actual rules of grammar. Now I find myself having to learn those rules, mostly so I can explain to the students what they are doing wrong when I am grading. It doesn't help them for me to say, "It just doesn't sound right." I will resort to "awkward" when I just don't know what's wrong. However, I am making an effort to find the rule to support the revisions I am suggesting. For me, this is important. I feel like I need to base my suggestions on some sort of foundation. As a result, I am learning so much about grammar.

I am also learning that the skills we possess as "English people" truly are special and remarkable. Because we're around each other all the time and because we are all great writers, sometimes I tend to forget or take for granted the power of writing. Seeing my students struggle for hours just to write a thesis statement makes me recognize my own talent and the ways in which I can share that talent with others.

We can become reflective practitioners simply by thinking about the ways we teach. I think about my perspective before I began teaching (highly idealistic) and my perspective now, which is much more realistic because I actually have some experience. By reflecting on how I have developed (or not developed) as a teacher, I can plan on improving next semester. Specifically, one of my goals is improve the way I conduct group activities. I want to try to develop more sequencing in these activities than I have done this year, so hopefully, the students will gain more from the experience.

writing as art

2008-11-06T09:25:00.001-08:00

I have always thought of myself as part of that school that says, "Writing cannot be taught." I think we can teach basic grammar and the fundamentals of writing a sound sentence, but when it comes to the writing, this is between the individual and the paper.

I think of writing as an art. You can teach someone how to shade, to outline, to watercolor, or use oils. But can you mold that student into a Monet or a Van Gogh? Probably not, unless he or she has the gift. I believe it is the same way with writing. We can teach the student a system of codes, but we cannot make the individual write beautiful prose if the talent is not present.

Until I read the article on Post-Process theory, I don't think I had the vocabulary to articulate this point of view. Now I believe I have always thought of writing as what Kastman Breuch calls an "indeterminate activity." This is part of what makes writing and teaching writing so difficult. We have no way of predicting how the students will write or learn.

I agree with Breuch that we, as teachers, should encourage writing as an act of interpretation and emphasize the presence of the reader. We can arm our students with the tools they need to recognize their individual talents, but it is ultimately up to them to harness their gift.

FYC teachers & students

2008-10-19T17:23:00.000-07:00

An FYC teacher should come to class with an appreciation for writing. This seems basic, but I do not think it can be overstated. It is very important for the teacher to possess an enthusiasm for her subject. If you feel you have to fake this as a teacher, then perhaps you are teaching in the wrong field, or you might be in the wrong profession all together. On a daily basis, the FYC teacher should go to class with an idea of the day's lesson and the manner in which she plans to execute that lesson. She should be well-versed on the topic, even if it means she must review beforehand or do additional research. It is the teacher's responsibility to be a well-educated and prepared source for her students.

I am struggling with this next question about what an FYC student should come to class knowing. Before I began teaching this year, I thought my students would come to class with the knowledge of doing research, outlining papers, writing effective paragraphs, and project management. I thought I could help them with their style, their love for writing. I never expected to be teaching my class how to write a sentence, but this is exactly what I find myself doing, both in the online grading and in the classroom. Ideally, these students should already know this material. I know it is being taught in the high schools (and even elementary schools!), but perhaps not effectively.

As a result, I had to form a "plan B." I try to incorporate small grammar lessons into the larger, content lessons to improve the quality of the students' writing. However, why should I think that my instruction will "stick" when the instruction of their former teachers certainly has not? I do not think I should lower the bar and expect less from them. I still expect well-written papers, but I have had to rewind a little bit to achieve that point. This is somewhat frustrating to me as an instructor as my heart is in the prose style, not the placement of a comma.

teaching philosophy

2008-10-19T17:08:00.000-07:00

A teaching philosophy determines the goals of the classroom for both the instructor and the students. The philosophy shapes the objectives of the course and the manner in which those objectives will be achieved. I think there is a different philosophy that works for each teacher.

Since this is my first year of teaching, I think I am developing my teaching philosophy on a daily basis. I am finding out what works, and usually more definitively what does not work. This first year is a rite of passage for me. This time will be very influential to the rest of my teaching career.

I know I definitely want to incorporate creativity into my philosophy. In fact, I would like to make this one of the primary aspects of the class. I try to do this in 1301, but it is difficult given the structure. Creativity is so important in any kind of writing. Perhaps most importantly, it inspires the students. It gives them an outlet of self-expression, a way to develop their voices free from some of the restraints of formal writing. It has been my (limited) experience that once students tap into this creativity, they are more willing to write papers that focus more heavily on analysis or research. I know this to be the case for me! If I am writing a research paper, I am happier if I know I have another project that allows me to be more creative. It is sort of like balancing fun and work.

I would also like to incorporate techniques that allow me to work with the students on an individual basis within the classroom. I believe the students often learn better because I can tailor my instruction to their specific needs. In addition, it seems to make them more comfortable with me as a teacher, and then, they are more likely to participate in class discussions.

Although this may not be feasible in a large class, I would prefer to run my undergraduate courses more like graduate seminars. I just feel the discussion of a collaborative learning environment can be much more rewarding than the traditional "teacher lectures, students listen" format.

This post is making me think I should look for a job at a montessori school or maybe a comune.

Struggling with Grading

2008-10-09T07:31:00.000-07:00

I just read the article by Joseph Williams, so maybe error is weighing heavy on my mind. I am struggling in this area with the online grading. I never took a grammar class. Please do not tell anyone because so far, I am really enjoying my job. In my high school, if you were in the honors program, you took advanced literature classes instead of grammar. So while many of my classmates were learning "that/which" rules, I was reading Sister Carrie. At the time, I was loving it. I'll pick up a novel any day over a grammar handbook. Today, I'm loving it not so much because I'm feeling the effects (or is it affects?). See, I would know that if I had been in the grammar class. What I'm trying to get to here is I feel ill-prepared to correct grammatical errors in my students' papers. Sure, I know some things like when to use an apostrophe and usually when and where to use a comma, but I would never notice many of the errors Williams uses as examples in his article. Does this mean I am a terrible grader?

In addition, I struggle with the why factor. Many of the rules, thankfully, come naturally to me. I just sense that a comma goes here or there, but I don't know the rule. Is anyone else in this boat? Sometimes, then, I am not sure how to explain this to the student. I refuse to rely on the "Because I said so" phrase my parents loved so much. How important is it to be able to explain an error and correction with a rule in a grammar book?

I know I am helping the students improve their writing, but I always feel as if I fall short, that I could be helping them more.

my theory on theories

2008-09-29T14:51:00.000-07:00

Gosh, this question about the importance of theories is a difficult one. I know what I should answer, and I know what I want to answer.

What I should answer: Theories are very important in teaching.
What I want to answer: Theories can be interesting (occasionally), but it's trial and error that really works.

I have to confess I have read a great deal about theories and very little has actually stayed with me. I get interested when the writer does a case study. I want to know what the students are doing and what teachers are doing to help them. But when some theorist drones on and on about models with names I can't pronounce, it's game over for me. I'm just not that type of person who is going to encounter some sort of problem in class, and then think back to some theory that will magically solve everything. I just don't have those theories in my head, and in reality, I don't want them there. I don't want to become some teacher robot who spews forth the ideas of someone else. I like to plan my lessons using interesting topics or unusual methods. I want to attract attention from my students. When they're attentive, they learn. I think that's more important than following a theory.

Having said this, being asked about theory (in a job interview, for example) terrifies me. Those names and examples just aren't in my brain. I suppose I will answer that I prefer to rely on what I know works for me as a teacher and what works for the students I have had in the past, my own personal theories I guess you could say. And I'll just have to hope there's another free spirit (preferably an old hippie with a hemp necklace) sitting across the desk from me.

9/23 process

2008-09-16T06:54:00.001-07:00

My process varies depending on the type of paper I am writing. For academic papers, I usually have to be in silence. I might try to make an outline, but I usually end up changing this as I am writing the paper. In high school, I would always write my paper first and then make the outline. It drove my teachers crazy. I don't like to use longhand anymore. My laptop makes it so much easier to revise because I am constantly changing paragraphs and sentences.

In creative writing, I like to have some music on, but something I have heard a thousand times so I won't be distracted. In all cases, I would rather work at home with all the books I need close at hand. The library seems oppressive to me, and I find myself watching people instead of working. I like to have a big drink of coffee or iced tea or diet dr. pepper depending on my mood, the weather, and how long I am planning to be awake. I almost always sit at my desk with my dog at my feet. I light a candle on my desk. I am not sure why I do this, but it seems to make me less sleepy. This is where I get the most work done.

At this point, I do not really see how I could improve this process. It is the one that has worked for me for about six years. I am an old student.

In the classroom, I think process is so important. Because our students submit most of their work online, they have a great opportunity to set up the atmosphere they like best wherever they are working. They do not usually have to write something in class to turn in for a grade. I hate doing this in school. I can never think my best thoughts in the classroom when I feel like the teacher is staring at me. When I ask the students to write something in class, I try to make sure it stays quiet. Although some of us work best with music or noise, it seems to be the most neutral environment you can create for them at school. I try to encourage my students to do what works for them at home. If they like the TV on, turn it on! If they can't work in the library, don't work in the library. I try to ask them questions about this because many of the students have never even thought about their writing as a process. They do not even consider environment being a factor. It is important to raise these question so they do begin to think about it in this light and consider what works best for them.

Voice

2008-09-16T06:43:00.001-07:00

I struggle with the balance of creative voice and academic voice. As a creative writer, voice is very important. In fact, your writing does not feel your own if the voice is not present. When I first began college, I hated doing research papers because I felt there was no outlet for my creativity. It was just a throwing up of facts on the page. Then I took a chance. I began to try to blend my creative voice into my academic papers. My first experimental paper like this took me to my very first conference. I was excited about my work and enjoying it, but the paper was still very scholarly. Once I realized that academic voice does not have to compete with creative voice, I became even more successful, and my writing grew more interesting. Now I think it would be almost impossible for me to write any sort of paper without a voice.

I think everyone needs to find this balance. With the freshmen we are teaching, it is difficult. Most of them do not know any of their voices, academic or creative. They have not found them yet. Sometimes, I think you need to learn the voices individually to understand how to blend them later. The way I am trying to encourage this learning of the voice is to do journal writing at the beginning of my class period. Though I may not read every journal entry, I think it is important for the students to see they do have a creativity. We emphasize academic writing so much in their assignments, I think they need to have an outlet to explore their own personal voice. Hopefully, they will learn to blend them later.

In my opinion, the rubrics we have to follow in grading do not allow much room for voice. How many times have I said in class, "Do not include your own opinion." For them, this translates to not being able to use a voice. They are simply to process facts. I am undecided on this issue. I hate it that the students are not encouraged to use a voice. However, it may be better for them to understand the concepts of academic versus creative writing before they try to combine the two.

9/9 Examining Boundaries and Beginnings

2008-09-09T07:35:00.000-07:00

In response to the Take 20 video, I was most surprised to discover nearly all of the teachers were nervous about going into the classroom. This seemed to be a common theme, even among the instructors who have now become legendary for their teaching methods.

As a first-year instructor, I often feel ill-prepared and inadequate. I always think, "What in the world am I doing up here?" It was nice to hear other instructors felt the same way when they first began their teaching careers, that they relied on the book or the projector or the board as a way to anchor themselves and gain security. Teaching can be a scary thing.

It inspired me to hear that these feelings of apprehension and anxiety eventually lessened. It gave me hope that maybe I am not a horrible teacher. Maybe I am just a new teacher feeling her way out, so to speak. I also like the notion that writing instructors have to constantly reinvent themselves and the material they cover in classes because writing is always changing. I have this phobia about becoming a dusty old English teacher with a 1000 cats and no friends talking about the same books and the same commas with a stack of DVDs when everyone else is getting movies beamed to their brains with a technology I won't be able to understand. It's nice to see people like Andrea Lunsford, who is an older woman, as one of the go-getters who keep composition fresh. I prefer to think of composition as dynamic rather than static, if it's only to ward off my fear of the wrinkled, crabby, lonely Ms. Moore.

9/4 Purpose of FYC

2008-09-04T05:24:00.001-07:00

Ideally, the purpose of FYC is to help students refine their writing skills. The program is a bridge from high school to college composition. After seeing some of the students' writing, I am somewhat troubled. The majority of the writing is far below what I would expect from a college freshman, particularly at a reputable college such as Texas Tech. I wonder how TTU admitted some of these students who do not know where a sentence begins and ends or how to use commas. Are composition skills not being evaluated for college entrance? I understand English is not everyone's specialty, but the standards should be raised.

In addition, some of the lessons we are being required to teach seem entirely too elementary. Should not, for example, a student who is a freshman in college already know how to summarize? Perhaps we should consider teaching FYC in high school rather than in college. This would still ensure a level of competency throughout the disciplines while arming those who do not enter college with certain skills that will certainly benefit them in the real world. Then we, as instructors, would be free to teach higher-level lessons in a completely different course.

I do not entirely blame the students for their poor writing skills. In fact, I mostly blame the high school educational system. This seems like such a catastrophic issue involving several institutional levels, I am not sure where we would even begin to remedy it.

9/2 What should we teach?

2008-09-02T05:22:00.000-07:00

Despite the step-by-step process of writing that has been ingrained in our psyche as teachers, I do not believe we teach composition in order for students to learn a procedure. This causes the students to believe if they follow a strict set of guidelines (brainstorming, outline, prewriting, rough draft, etc.), they will be able to write. Perhaps this is why so many first-year composition students emerge from the program and find themselves unable to meet the demands of composition in other disciplines. Rather, I believe we should teach 1301-02 students ways of perceiving and thinking about the world. Then we give them the tools they need to learn how to shape their individual perspective. I tend to fit into Berlin’s assessment of the New Rhetorician. Through writing, we can learn about our own realities, and the truth about those realities is always changing. Instead of focusing on teaching students how to think about topics in categories of writing, we should try to teach them how to perceive and interpret the world through composition. In my experience, this also allows them to care about their work. It is their interpretation, not a set of blanks they have filled in with correct answers. When the students begin to develop a connection to the words on the page, they are more interested in learning how to make those words better, that is, how to make the text reflect their own individual truth.

8/28 Teaching concepts

2008-08-28T07:32:00.000-07:00

My own teaching philosophy in regards to writing revolves around methods of self-expression developed through demonstrations. I am very interested in the invention stage of the writing process, particularly the writer finding his/her own true voice without being concerned with fundamental parameters. In my classroom, I plan to help the students develop their voices through journal writing. They will not have to worry about grammar or sentence structure in this forum as I feel these restrictions can sometimes silence the student’s creativity. Rather, the focus will be on each student finding a way to express his/her own thoughts through language, a skill that will be beneficial to them across disciplines.
I will re-enforce this idea through demonstrations involving group work. In school, I was often the shy student who was afraid to communicate my ideas to the instructor for fear of being wrong. However, when I was a member of a group, I was more likely to share my thoughts with peers. After gaining their understanding, I would feel more comfortable addressing my teacher. Little did I know that the group activities were a method of teaching. My peers were teaching me, I was teaching them, and we were all teaching the instructor, who in turn taught us! I love this idea that no one person knows more than the next regardless of age or degrees earned. We all have acquired different information we can share with one another.
Related to this idea is the discussion of cultural backgrounds. This is another concept integral to my teaching. The student’s ethnic, cultural, and social background certainly influences his/her cognitive process as well as the writing product. In “A Brief History of Rhetoric and Composition,“ the authors provided an example of a student whose home culture places little importance on academic study and so he, therefore, feels an assignment to be irrelevant. This is a particularly helpful scenario because so often we, as teachers, may disregard a student’s reluctance as laziness or stubbornness. By considering that student’s social background, the context in which their writing is produced, we may find another reason for his reluctance and as a result, a better method of communicating and working with that student.

my background

2008-08-26T13:22:00.000-07:00

Hey class,

My name is Landon Moore. I'm a PhD student specializing in creative writing. I like to write fiction. This is my first year at Texas Tech, and I'm coming from Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas.