tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38094962011-07-14T17:33:43.149-07:00English 758<a href="http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndsu/kbrooks/blog"> Kevin's Teaching Blog</a>
<p> <a href="http://www.xanga.com/teacher47"> Sybil's teaching blog</a>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03646554671176050772noreply@blogger.comBlogger3291100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-1126882779429499172005-09-16T07:59:00.000-07:002005-09-16T07:59:39.433-07:00Sybil Sybilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858603152002-12-11T14:33:00.000-08:002002-12-11T14:33:55.856-08:00I highlighted the same Fox qutations as Lynne, but I wanted to include one more. (about transcending the boundary between western and world communication styles) "We'd have to be convinced that maintaining group solidarity or harmony is more important than being yourself, that tradition is more meaningful than history [. . .] and that the students' role is to thoroughly internalize what others Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00009869763999180026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858596472002-12-11T14:19:00.000-08:002002-12-11T14:19:40.373-08:00So, I am leaving now. See everyone in class! Lynnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10953206978666485962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858595972002-12-11T14:18:00.000-08:002002-12-11T14:18:30.686-08:00I agree I'm idealistic. It's much easier when you are out of the environment :-) Lynnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10953206978666485962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858595472002-12-11T14:17:00.000-08:002002-12-11T14:17:42.013-08:00The essay that really kind of scared me and made me think all at the same time (or maybe it scared me BECAUSE it made me think) was Fox's. I could really relate to her situation of trying to be an ally for students that needed an open audience, yet finding herself sticking to the more traditional ways of reading. I also was affected (like Emily) by the Mirtz assignment. I ESPECIALLY loved the Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09803892489874832661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858595132002-12-11T14:16:00.000-08:002002-12-11T14:16:48.186-08:00Idealistic Lynne- It seems as though the academy works as a filter- do we need this filter? I think for some reasons, I don't know. Should the academy by exclusionary? What are the benefits of having an institution that is exclusionary? Should Inclusionary teaching be limited to years prior to higher education? I don't know the answers to this, but it seems that there should be reasons for this. Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268198318529840913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858594632002-12-11T14:15:00.000-08:002002-12-11T14:15:45.676-08:00I like that she used the word "ally." It doesn't mean to follow along blindly. It means that we can work together, yet maybe have different ideas? That word has a positive effect on me.Lynnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10953206978666485962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858592212002-12-11T14:10:00.002-08:002002-12-11T14:10:48.220-08:00I like the connotation of Fox's title: "Being an Ally." Lots of positive interpersonal connotations- individually and socially (departmentally?).Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268198318529840913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858592072002-12-11T14:10:00.001-08:002002-12-11T14:10:37.580-08:00BTW - Helen Fox does not support these things. In fact - they scare her (I don't want to take her quotes out of context (sorry! already did!!)Lynnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10953206978666485962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858591842002-12-11T14:10:00.000-08:002002-12-11T14:10:08.236-08:00Okay, I'm writing quick because I'm not sure if this will come through or not...each time I come up with something very clever and witty the computer nukes it. Seems like someone shutting the door on a room I'm trying to get into! Ha! Tied it into the essays, so there!
I thought that the common trend here was about language...and likening language to rooms. Sometimes you can tell someone's been Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09803892489874832661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858591592002-12-11T14:09:00.000-08:002002-12-11T14:09:48.000-08:00So, my question - Helen Fox says "what I'm finding ... is that what graduate students need to learn is the language and values of the acedemy, its styles and structures, its vocabularies and uses of voice..." and goes on to describe scholars as "narrow in their vision and exclusionary about their club." Why would we, not as acedemics, but as teachers, want to be exclusionary. Teaching - to me - Lynnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10953206978666485962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858588242002-12-11T14:03:00.000-08:002002-12-11T14:04:10.000-08:00I see this as stepping out and doing something new - whether it is writing related or not. I don't like the "slipping." I guess I would like something a bit more bold. I don't see all of life's adventures as accidents, as the word "slipping" connotes. Emily - now I don't know that I like this phrase either! :-)Lynnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10953206978666485962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858585402002-12-11T13:58:00.000-08:002002-12-11T13:58:02.540-08:00Mirtz's article left the biggest impression on me regarding "valuing the 'old' and trying the 'new'." Drat- I was planning on incorporating some of her ideas into my alternative grammar exercises.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268198318529840913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858584102002-12-11T13:55:00.000-08:002002-12-11T13:55:17.553-08:00Without devaluing the current conversation, I just have a small comment. Guyer says that "Slipping into the next room is the only life journey any of us ever takes." This seems like an over-simplification of life journeys- do they mean in reference to stepping outside traditional rhetorics? or stepping "slipping" outside our traditional boundaries of writing? Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268198318529840913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858581542002-12-11T13:49:00.000-08:002002-12-11T13:49:50.580-08:00Holly said "the common thread, then, is basically that everyone is trying to get outside of the room." I think that's on the right track, but for me it is also just getting people to understand that they are in a room and asking them to observe and assess the room. After they have knowledge of the room, or box, or academy, or whatever, then they will be able to make an informed decision about Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00009869763999180026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858578372002-12-11T13:42:00.000-08:002002-12-11T13:42:55.810-08:00Lynne- yes! It seems like the essays have been about respecting traditional writing, but more than that too. To me it seems like these essays, among others, are calling for people to look at and acknowledge their history/ writing style/ preconceived ideas in order to evaluate their appropriateness for specific situations. By looking at the other ways a dialogue could transpire, for example, Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00009869763999180026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858498972002-12-11T10:45:00.000-08:002002-12-11T10:45:21.703-08:00Holly - I have been asking myself that question, and I think that your idea works. Isn't that what many of our readings, throughout the semester, have been about? About respecting traditional writing, while understanding the need to expand horizons. Lynnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10953206978666485962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858489112002-12-11T10:22:00.000-08:002002-12-11T10:22:22.420-08:00Holly, -- I think you found what I was looking for from the Guyer piece, the idea that we already exist in different "rooms" and... how did you say it... "the connection isn't the fact that everyone is writing within a certain set of dimensions (like a room), although the limitations come from various sources (personal experience, the canon, technological limitations)."
That brought it home for SHANKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17157971019578833524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858482212002-12-11T10:07:00.000-08:002002-12-11T10:07:17.520-08:00Holly-- I don't think you are really stretching it, but I was WAY oversimplifying it. I thought we were just looking at alternative topics we hadn't looked at before: 1. space as story 2. MOO's or computer realities-- I dropped by a blog party once shortly after Sybil's presentation and it was this weird creative writing, group pretend game thing-- someone pretending to be a dog, peeing on the Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16051279363653171845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858476072002-12-11T09:53:00.000-08:002002-12-11T09:53:48.103-08:00I'll have to end with the Alt Dis piece, as I must have left my Personal Effects at work, from which I am playing hooky after several nights of very little sleep.... It seems a fitting end piece to this term, anyway, suggesting, to me, the importance to find a balance between valuing alternative discourses, especially those grounded in cultural differences, while at the same time teaching the Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16051279363653171845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858456252002-12-11T09:10:00.000-08:002002-12-11T09:10:32.880-08:00Although I don't have any of the assignment stuff in front of me (typing at work...), I think Betsy had asked us to consider how all of the essays are related. (Does that ring a bell to anyone else?) Anyway, while reading your blog entries, I wonder if the connection isn't the fact that everyone is writing within a certain set of dimensions (like a room), although the limitations come from Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11938524963119984521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858444212002-12-11T08:44:00.000-08:002002-12-11T08:44:52.126-08:00I loved the Mirtz piece. What a fun assignment! It makes me long to teach at a level where I could try something like that......165 paragraphs with diagramed origins come in tomorrow. :-(. and I just got challenged AGAIN at a department meeting for not doing more with those damn diagrams. (Angry face!)...I won for now. Relief. Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16051279363653171845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858440662002-12-11T08:37:00.000-08:002002-12-11T08:39:35.000-08:00Lynne and Kendra--- I struggled with Guyer's essay A LOT. I started thinking of room as the setting for a story and that the story was the people that HAD been there or even the process of creating that room or the reason for creating that space, but then she seemed to flow into the concept that space WAS story and my mind was blown..... Maybe it's just that I'm in the middle of teaching my kids Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16051279363653171845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858438302002-12-11T08:33:00.000-08:002002-12-11T08:33:17.586-08:00Conor--- you are worlds ahead of me simply for comprehending what a MOO culture might look like, let alone being able to academically consider its place in literacy! I started the whole essay sort of arrogant and cocky-like-- whoo-hoo, an essay on place and room and giving meaning to that place, ah-ha! my thesis, I know this...... Well, I didn't I don't I'm not sure I can. (Hey Kendra-- I sound Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16051279363653171845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858124232002-12-10T17:32:00.000-08:002002-12-10T17:32:39.146-08:00The Mirtz essay was a pretty fun read. I especially enjoyed the lists of "Ways We Handle Unexpected Writing Assignments" and "Ways Writers Get Past Their Excuses." However, I got sidetracked by the "Cody" subplot (did anyone else notice this??). Are readers supposed to glean something from Cody's errant behavior? What are we supposed to infer from the fact that one of his friends saw him at the Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00009869763999180026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858121512002-12-10T17:27:00.000-08:002002-12-10T17:27:01.613-08:00I think I lost my point on that last one. I'll try to find it again. Lynne mentioned the questioning of emptiness when there is evidence of people having been there. (sort of, right?) Guyer writes about rooms in "sad buildings" with hard lines: "But these, too, help me to understand how the furnishings in our lives suggest events, and how boundaries operate" (324). I understand that the photos Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00009869763999180026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858119062002-12-10T17:21:00.000-08:002002-12-10T17:21:07.390-08:00Lynne--I had trouble with the Guyer piece too, and I can't tell if I am just missing something obvious or what. I feel like I'm missing the big point of the pictures--I wasn't able to find a connection between the photos and the texts, other than that they were photos of rooms. Specifically, I wondered why most of the pictures were taken in churches or missions. I also wondered about the Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00009869763999180026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-858014502002-12-10T13:28:00.000-08:002002-12-10T13:28:06.283-08:00Conor, you connect to the technology, and I connect to the statements where Guyer questions whether or not a place is full (I am paraphrasing because I don't have a book next to me.) I love how she questions emptiness when it is obvious that someone was there, decorating, making someplace a home. I think that flows smoothly into the idea that place doesn't have to be physical - as in MOO.
This Lynnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10953206978666485962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-857635232002-12-09T19:47:00.000-08:002002-12-09T19:47:06.730-08:00This again goes back to what Kendra said about location. This essay again emphasizes location in lots of different ways, while also talking about different literacies(?). SHANKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17157971019578833524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-857634572002-12-09T19:45:00.000-08:002002-12-09T19:45:28.493-08:00Guyer's essay on the whole MOO culture hits a lot of different targets with me. Back when I still had a very old MAC LC II, many of the games were just 8-bits away from being text only; very similar environments where words are what makes the rooms. Although, like the students from Carnegie Mellon, I tried to do things like "eat the cat," especially when I got frustrated. But I'm still trying to SHANKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17157971019578833524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-857633102002-12-09T19:41:00.000-08:002002-12-09T19:41:46.646-08:00I don't think Kendra talked about her feet... did anybody check to see if the humidifier/sexualizer was on? SHANKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17157971019578833524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-857620382002-12-09T19:16:00.000-08:002002-12-09T19:16:16.410-08:00Hey all! Back from Edmonton... and I feel behind a bit in this class. What happened in class? Did Kendra mention her wickedly sexy feet again? :-)Sybilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-855030262002-12-04T14:06:00.000-08:002002-12-04T14:08:03.000-08:00Had to test the first one before I moved on. :-)
Barry School
Stir Stix--links to examples of many genres!
See you all tonight!
Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00009869763999180026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-855028722002-12-04T14:03:00.000-08:002002-12-04T14:03:24.920-08:00Hey kids! I've been too busy to post much this week--sorry about that. Here are some online resources for you for multi-genre pedagogy. I particularly enjoy these sources. I'm bringing a rubric for multi-genre grading. Here are the links!
Sheboygan Falls Multi-Genre
Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00009869763999180026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-854541642002-12-03T16:48:00.000-08:002002-12-03T16:48:21.193-08:00Here's another interesting quote..... "I have yet to pursue fully the concepts of multigenre from multiple voices".........Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16051279363653171845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-854535932002-12-03T16:35:00.000-08:002002-12-03T16:35:59.480-08:00Here's a good quote from one of my research pieces... If I added it a million weeks ago, I am sorry I forgot, but I came across it again tonight. "Most projects that schoolteachers assign are often narrowly defined and can be done by only one assigned method. While this structure provides control fro the teacher, it does nto reflect many of the challenges people face in the outside world. The Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16051279363653171845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-854519672002-12-03T15:55:00.000-08:002002-12-03T15:55:42.620-08:00I am immersed in multi-genre as I finsh up my project. I'll be ready to discuss. Believe it or not... I miss class.Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16051279363653171845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-854503492002-12-03T15:20:00.000-08:002002-12-03T15:20:39.626-08:00I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving break. Don't forget, we'll be discussing the multi-genre readings tomorrow night. See you soon!
Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00009869763999180026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-851637342002-11-27T07:13:00.000-08:002002-11-27T07:13:42.853-08:00TOTALLY OFF THE CURRENT SUBJECT, BUT RELATED TO THE PREVIOUS AND I HAVE TO GET IT OUT TO PEOPLE WHO I KNOW WILL 'GET IT'. I am nearly paralyzed at the moment, forgive me if I sound over-dramatic.... I knew I had a student whose brother committed suicide a year or so ago, but I never suspected that HE been with him at the time, or that HE had found the body and called 911, or that HE would chose Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16051279363653171845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848373062002-11-20T14:42:00.000-08:002002-11-20T14:42:57.000-08:00"Beyond the Culture Wars" - is this a subtle reference to "star trek"- to boldly go where "no man" (later changed to "no one") has gone before? Allowing a passage into a literary community that wasn't there before- alright, alright. . . . . . it's been a long day. I'm starting to realize that I'm not making much sense. Time to quit blogging.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268198318529840913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848371282002-11-20T14:38:00.000-08:002002-11-20T14:39:01.000-08:00How "broad" does the spectrum have to be for literature in a class? Shouldn't we be able to find the "good" and "bad" in a simple comparison? Some things that are "good" for one author are not appropriate for another- isn't a matter of deciphering details in a text- regardless of whether there's two or three trillion?Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268198318529840913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848368862002-11-20T14:32:00.000-08:002002-11-20T14:33:39.000-08:00Kim said, "why not let a teacher use the tools that they feel most comfortable with?" While I agree that teachers should be comfortable with what they're teaching, I don't understand the criteria for "comfort." Why are teachers so uncomfortable with literature that they haven't studied/researched/wrote about? For me, it should be a discovery between the teacher and student. The teacher has the Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268198318529840913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848361782002-11-20T14:18:00.000-08:002002-11-20T14:18:39.046-08:00Yes, COnor- I found his work rather interesting. First, I'm glad to see competent literature written about the "mysterious" prejudice/stereotyping that exists in N.D. and the necessity to see diversity within ourselves and our community. Diversity has very little to do with race- and I wish the author would have forefronted that point more thoroughly.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268198318529840913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848359862002-11-20T14:14:00.000-08:002002-11-20T14:14:27.146-08:00I think it is important for readers to understand the subjective notion of "good." Most of my freshmen have a hard time digesting this fact. We spend several days discussing this notion and they are required to write a paper about it. Regardless, I think teachers underestimate the decisions they make "behind the scenes" under a guise that their students don't recognize the repurcussions. When youEmilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268198318529840913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848342192002-11-20T13:37:00.000-08:002002-11-20T13:37:04.773-08:00There's a lot of stuff to think about in these readings. I actually gave my students an assignment to write an essay about themselves in 2022 (and that was pre-Bjork). They could come up with anything, as long as they lead the reader to that point believably. It was very interesting to see what kind of normal lives they were leading, even when they could do anything they wanted, no matter how Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09803892489874832661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848311722002-11-20T12:30:00.000-08:002002-11-20T12:30:13.050-08:00I am so glad everyone is enjoying the readings. The reason I included the Bjork reading was because of my strong (albeit negative) reaction to it. I was even more angry as I had to admit to some of its accuracy. I grew up in central North Dakota, and I saw my homogeneous culture as ideal. Only now do I realize my folly. I see how incredible a room can be when it's filled with different voices.
Lynnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10953206978666485962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848302452002-11-20T12:09:00.000-08:002002-11-20T12:09:38.126-08:00P.S. I will steal a writing assignment from Bjork: Write a profile of yourself at 30 yrs. old. [Some students think 30 is so old.. BLah!]Sybilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848301622002-11-20T12:07:00.000-08:002002-11-20T12:07:26.126-08:00Although I found Bjork to be controversial in his aim, he was easier to read and 'get' compared to the other two.
The emphasis that one of the readings brought up, that I agreed completely with, was the notion of not allowing students to think that one writer represents the entire culture. I think that is extremely important to bring up along with WHY they should read that writer in the firstSybilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848299592002-11-20T12:02:00.000-08:002002-11-20T12:02:44.123-08:00We are so smart, we are so smart.. S-M-R-T, S-M-R-T!.. (Homer J. Simpson humor..)
I read all the readings last night (wow, I am turning into my freshmen- UGH!), and my brain is full. Going to attempt a reading response right now with all of your ideas and the ones I highlighted last night. I nodded with many of your responses thus far making my North Dakotan simple-minded brain slide back and Sybilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848279952002-11-20T11:15:00.000-08:002002-11-20T11:15:17.133-08:00I got out my copy of Gerald Graff's _Beyond the Culture Wars_ to find a specific quotation that I thought was relevant. He writes, "Students need to experience an educational community in order to be able to join one" (172). I think it comes back to that power/keys/location dilemma. The experience that students have in the classroom--the whole experience, texts, conversations, papers--will Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00009869763999180026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848277052002-11-20T11:09:00.000-08:002002-11-20T11:09:08.020-08:00Yes, that's it. I talked about "othering" in the first post that Blogger ate. I'm glad it's coming through anyway. Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00009869763999180026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848276132002-11-20T11:07:00.000-08:002002-11-20T11:08:40.000-08:00Maybe it's because I got both. My dad is half Mexican from San Diego, so the black hair, brown eyes, eternally tan skin... I wonder if he ever runs into the same problem as the Italian kid?(88). I never had that problem, with my strong Icelandic blood, but I also grew up in a family that celebrated modern Icelandic (and Mexican, and German) culture, as opposed to oppressed immigrant culture. I SHANKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17157971019578833524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848273992002-11-20T11:01:00.000-08:002002-11-20T11:01:58.686-08:00On the Bjork essay, it hit home hard. Et tu, Emily?
"First and foremost, nearly all of my students believe that their middle-class way of life is the appropriate and, therefore, the only way to live...any difference that does not include traditional, Puritan values is suspect..." (89) I showed that one to a couple of friends. I still don't know what to do with this, although.... hmm. Since BSC SHANKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17157971019578833524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848270882002-11-20T10:54:00.000-08:002002-11-20T10:55:41.000-08:00Wow! Man I've been out of it,... you are all really sharp. I'm going to try to shape this thought here... basically, are we still dealing with the ultimate ideal of "good" writing as something passed down from a more credible source than ourselves? Like Kendra, I try not to give Bloom a whole lot of credit, even though I'm assuming he did more to further his education than Cletus the slackjawed SHANKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17157971019578833524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848253362002-11-20T10:14:00.000-08:002002-11-20T10:14:29.460-08:00Yes! "The danger... is teaching students to distinguish for themselves between the so-so writing and the 'good' writing" and danger also lies in not giving students a broad enough spectrum to thoughtfully make that distinction. (Good topic, Lynne!)Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11938524963119984521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848242912002-11-20T09:50:00.000-08:002002-11-20T09:50:20.176-08:00Holly--good points! However, is anyone really qualified to make that choice for the students? Therein lies the trouble with the canon. Everyone has been brought up with some variety of bias. I am no more likely to trust the biases of, for example, Harold Bloom than of any other professional. (I will however take his word over that of Cletus the slackjawed yokel) No amount of research eliminates Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00009869763999180026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848240492002-11-20T09:44:00.000-08:002002-11-20T09:44:40.906-08:00Kendra, I agree with you about Bjork (and I'm a Minnesotan!). I think his attempt to enlighten was admirable, but his method failed for me. I've experienced many cultures which seem closed off to things outside of what they know. (That's the reason we all need to get out and see what's beyond our own "rectangle.") By emphasizing the ND perspective so much, and not pointing out that there's Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11938524963119984521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848237182002-11-20T09:37:00.000-08:002002-11-20T09:37:43.276-08:00I also thought the idea of the material required/suggested was an interesting perspective brought up in the handouts. Even moreso for me was the question of whether or not we're qualified to make that choice for our students. If we've been brought up with biases in language, how are we able to openly and thoughtfully choose materials suitable for our students (who may need something else from Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11938524963119984521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848234202002-11-20T09:31:00.000-08:002002-11-20T09:31:44.600-08:00Ok. Trying again. It was much further developed the first time, but I'll try to get the essentials of it. I had mixed feelings about the Bjork essay. While his ideas were usable and valid, the presentation made me feel a bit defensive as a native of ND. He writes, " In short, they strive to embody the mythical past of a simpler, more noble time" (82). Among other statements, I feel like Bjork Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00009869763999180026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848215612002-11-20T08:55:00.000-08:002002-11-20T08:55:47.293-08:00I get so frustrated with myself sometimes. I had a huge post about the Bjork piece and didn't save it in another place before I tried to post it. Then blogger ate it. I will try to reform my ideas once I dry my eyes.Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00009869763999180026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-848169642002-11-20T07:08:00.000-08:002002-11-20T07:08:15.850-08:00Did it strike anyone else (what violent language, eh? It offends my sensibilities this morning--I'll revise) Did anyone else notice the strong role of "place" that resonated through all of the handout essays? Like mystory, which was "locating oneself on a discourse map" (forgive me, I don't remember whose quotation that is), Hall makes reference to a map--"My map suggests a demanding terrain. AllKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00009869763999180026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-847877172002-11-19T16:10:00.000-08:002002-11-19T16:10:04.913-08:00Emily, I was thinking about what you wrote and I think you're right about teachers leaning toward teaching material they like. Is that wrong? At first it seems terribly biased, but then I thought: how do you avoid it? As you so aptly mentioned, there are some of us who feel that some of the essays we're encouraged to use in our 110 and 120 classes do not resonate with all of us (oops--is my Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09803892489874832661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-847240522002-11-18T12:59:00.000-08:002002-11-18T12:59:07.183-08:00Is there anyway of tying the canon to ethos (thinking of aristotle, of course)? By reading, giving a voice to women and minorities, can we add to the ethos of those groups, giving them more of a voice everywhere? Also, good is so subjective. How do we develop our own tastes of good and/or bad? Isn't it all just passed down? If we, as instructors, get excited about other choices in literature, canLynnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10953206978666485962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-847187912002-11-18T11:03:00.000-08:002002-11-18T11:03:16.093-08:00Also, I thought the notion of the canon being tied to the hierarchy system in place in this country is absolutely true- those in power hold the "keys."Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268198318529840913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-847187322002-11-18T11:02:00.000-08:002002-11-18T11:02:12.623-08:00Well, so far, I haven't been able to read everything, but I wanted to leave a short comment on Dasenbrock: I thought this article was well thought out and pointed out some really interesting notions that I have to agree with. First, I think it is definetely true that teachers teach the writing they like, and that they presume/assume (?) that those writers are good. This is a problem 110 Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268198318529840913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-845370802002-11-14T10:47:00.000-08:002002-11-14T10:47:29.240-08:00Lynne, I was all excited to read your assignments because they were mail! The only things I ever get in my mailbox at school are late student papers, automatic deposit slips, flyers from publishers, and deparmental meeting agendas. Your readings were truly a welcome addition to my cold little wooden mailbox! I've been in grading mode the last two days so I haven't looked at them yet...except to Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09803892489874832661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-845274912002-11-14T07:04:00.000-08:002002-11-14T07:04:18.390-08:00Lynne, do I detect sarcasm in your comment about how excited we are to read your assignments..?.. :-) .. And, yea, Jenn, I miss Betsy's voice too.Sybilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-844980182002-11-13T16:29:00.000-08:002002-11-13T16:29:07.286-08:00I'm in agreement with Sybil and Emily. I loved the pictures. For me, it was simply another way of articulating the transitions of their relationship. For a visual learner like myself, it puts an even more realistic spin to the words.Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11938524963119984521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-844975692002-11-13T16:19:00.000-08:002002-11-13T16:19:10.183-08:00And Betsy-- If you are there-- I'm sending you my Project description via email simultaneously.Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16051279363653171845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-844969202002-11-13T16:03:00.000-08:002002-11-13T16:03:48.476-08:00So here I am during class time sitting on our blog site.....Wondering some stuff....1. Does anyone else miss Betsy's voice on this blog? I seem to recollect that she gave a good reason for not being on the multi-vocal blog, but I still thought she'd speak out in here.Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16051279363653171845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-844376842002-11-12T14:08:00.000-08:002002-11-12T14:08:57.000-08:00I know you are all excited about the next reading assignment. I have everything printed off, and I will e-mail everyone reading questions by the end of the week. Jen - I will have yours in the mail by tomorrow, and I am giving Betsy the rest to distribute.
Have fun!
Lynnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10953206978666485962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-844296932002-11-12T11:07:00.000-08:002002-11-12T11:07:15.826-08:00Has anyone read my shtuff.?. I would like some peer review por favor. I realize you are all busy bees, but I would LOVE "some" feedback sometime this week. Either on here or via e-mail (ihaveabug@yahoo.com).. Gracias chicas y chico.
Emily- Yea..These writings are more than just a thesis with backup reasons, etc.. maybe that is why I like them. I can take more away from them then just "she Sybilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-843815612002-11-11T13:41:00.000-08:002002-11-11T13:41:15.633-08:00I liked the photos in Eldred's essay. I was particularly effected by them because of L. Faigley's presentation on the role of visual design in writing. Made me think about what the photos provided that the text could not have: expressions, texture, shades.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268198318529840913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-843812912002-11-11T13:35:00.000-08:002002-11-18T10:55:03.000-08:00These pieces seem to be much more complex than any thesis statement could handle. It seems the authors use these alternative styles to exemplify all the notions, attitudes, experiences, opportunities, etc. that research papers put on the way side in order to formulate a "codified" thesis driven resesarch paper= as if the argument, the conclusion, the finale is less important than the journey, theEmilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268198318529840913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-843809812002-11-11T13:28:00.000-08:002002-11-11T13:29:17.000-08:00Kremer's piece blurred the line between challenging and confusing. Anybody with me?Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268198318529840913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-843809222002-11-11T13:27:00.000-08:002002-11-11T13:27:40.493-08:00"The Literary work therefore does not exist on the page" (Kremer 102). "Language consists just in black marks on a page that repeat or differ" (Kremer 102).
Is it just me or this author a bit confusing? Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268198318529840913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-843807372002-11-11T13:23:00.000-08:002002-11-11T13:23:16.600-08:00A quick note (on the cynical side)- I liked Kremer's thoughts on the validity of form over content or at least posing them equally (at odds with each other?). Probably just because of notion of "content over form" seems to be valued (at least at this university) more so.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268198318529840913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-843270222002-11-10T12:27:00.000-08:002002-11-10T12:46:09.000-08:00Jenn.. I have no idea why HTML has so many 6s and 9s in color codes.. maybe there were some perverted technogeeks that developed that. Hee hee. So, I have really not been feeling myself lately- lots of questioning with my path in life, etc. BUT I went shopping this weekend, and I feel myself again. (Sybil = shopping).. how does this connect to our readings? Well, basically, you asked, Jenn, Sybilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-842982932002-11-09T18:46:00.000-08:002002-11-09T18:49:16.000-08:00CONSIDERATION #3: HELP OR HINDER UNDERSTANDING? I think I touched on this in my first consideration entry. I think this is easier for Sybil. She really digs this altdis stuff. I like it. I admire it. I wish I could do it. I respect it. I think it is educated. I think we need to make room for it. But I really really really have to work at it. It is hard for me to understand sometimes. It slows my Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16051279363653171845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-842979612002-11-09T18:36:00.000-08:002002-11-09T18:36:19.946-08:00Another unrelated question as I try to bring more color to this blog site. WHY are there so many 6s and 9s in html font codes? consideration #2: The function of multiple genres.
Weird... in several cases it was to bring in different voices... so we are back to multivocal again. In Would You Like Fries With That the purpose is to illustrate the author's main points.
Long uses a chronological Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16051279363653171845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-842971002002-11-09T18:07:00.000-08:002002-11-09T18:11:02.000-08:00I'm reorganizing Kendra's questions a little in order to be able to talk about all the articles at once. (It's like that example about the fools vs. the wisemen I guess.... Kendra's the wisewoman, of course, and I'm the fool.) Fool's consideration #1: Effectiveness-- All of the articles are effective. Could they have been effective written in traditional discourse? Probably. No one can really sayJennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16051279363653171845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-842961602002-11-09T17:39:00.000-08:002002-11-09T17:39:02.490-08:00My past experiences in multigenre writing/reading were limited almost entirely to an alternative way to report informational research. That is also what my projects are leaning toward. It was different to read a argumentative multigenre essay. Also, most of what I've seen broke up the genres more-- usually with page breaks. I guess this is probably because most of what I've seen is targeted Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16051279363653171845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-842959452002-11-09T17:32:00.000-08:002002-11-09T17:32:12.436-08:00Why do so many of these articles focus on food, illness, and dying?Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16051279363653171845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-841392212002-11-06T14:53:00.000-08:002002-11-06T14:53:48.503-08:00A couple of references before I forget. (I should be in class.)
www.xml.com --- has a good definition of this new type of internet language. Think search and indexing possibilities.
www.xml.org ---shows what xml looks like in example
Here's a link on how to use Adobe Acrobat in writing classes, I thought it looked interesting
www.vanity publishing . com?? Does this count towards tenure...? SHANKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17157971019578833524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-841375742002-11-06T14:18:00.000-08:002002-11-06T14:27:31.000-08:00Sniff Sniff
I am the first one to admit that I love the smell of new books, old books.. etc.. B.O.= Book Odor.. then again, I like the smell of new tennis balls too (there Conor, add that to your phallic verbage for this week)..
I am an online creature. There, I admitted it. BUT I see the struggle between it all once you jump into the academic arena.. Conor: "What are the pros and cons of Sybilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-841312362002-11-06T11:56:00.000-08:002002-11-06T11:56:52.166-08:00Interesting points all. I went to listen to Bill Gates speak today and, ironically, he actually covered some of the mentioned topics. Take, for example, my difficulty with on-line reading. He mentioned the "fatigue" factor... I sit at my computer most of the day at work and, then, after work, need to read on-line sources for class. You're right, Kendra... I need to get away. (Although I do Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11938524963119984521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-841259422002-11-06T09:53:00.000-08:002002-11-06T09:53:37.633-08:00The access issue definitely needs to be considered. However, it is not just a matter of denyied access to those who can't get at computers. For example, my long-time student who is blind is only able to access online articles. She could get print copies, scan them and input them into the appropriate software to be able to use them. Access is so complicated. So complicated it makes me hungry for Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00009869763999180026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-841217302002-11-06T08:21:00.000-08:002002-11-06T08:21:47.996-08:00On quality: I agree with the quotation Conor posted yesterday that "...it's the quality of the text and the review process that's important, not the medium in which the text is distributed." It could be quality academic writing refereed and on a cocktail napkin. While it might make access more difficult (depending on the number of cocktail napkins and ease of distribution), I don't think the Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00009869763999180026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-841207002002-11-06T07:59:00.000-08:002002-11-06T07:59:34.860-08:00I love online publishing for the immediacy and the opportunities afforded by the medium. However, I will never give up my love for printed resources. While online resources can provide more to see and sometimes more to hear, they are locked into a machine. For me, there is something utterly delicious about the printed word. The smell of a new book, the feel of the cover. The tactile sensations ofKendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00009869763999180026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-841037212002-11-05T22:39:00.000-08:002002-11-05T22:39:39.693-08:00 And the tendency in e-publication is to distinguish the system designers from the content providers and thus to leave arrangement and delivery in the hands of the systems people, leaving just words in a disembodied context to the content writers.
Waitaminute...isn't that what academic journals, book publishers, and various other forms of printmakers been doing for years? What are the pros and SHANKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17157971019578833524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-841012262002-11-05T21:28:00.000-08:002002-11-05T21:29:32.000-08:00...it's the quality of the text and the review process that's important, not the medium in which the text is distributed."SHANKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17157971019578833524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-840939802002-11-05T18:52:00.000-08:002002-11-05T18:52:57.000-08:00A note on eBooks, from what it seems about the hardware/eBook relationships:
Remember Nintendo... oh, or wait, Super Nintendo... no,no,no, I mean, Nintendo 64. GameCube? PS2? Hmmm...SHANKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17157971019578833524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-840932402002-11-05T18:37:00.000-08:002002-11-05T18:39:22.000-08:00In either case, its seems a question of two worlds that academia must cling to in order to survive:
one, become part of the technological world, which is dominated by corporations and organizations devoted to software domination and monopoly (apple vs microsoft? and what about linux? adobe?), thereby abandoning the 'safe' world of academia.
two, become part of the commodified world, and begin SHANKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17157971019578833524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-840930752002-11-05T18:33:00.000-08:002002-11-05T18:33:58.253-08:00Hey Holly and Kendra,
Sorry you're having so much trouble. I suppose, as far as text and straightforward academia, online publishing can be just as valid as printed texts. One is simply on paper while the other isn't... but Holly you're not only in having to print off the work. So does that mean if someone prints an online essay or research off on a printer it suddenly becomes a book?
It seems SHANKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17157971019578833524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-840925152002-11-05T18:22:00.000-08:002002-11-05T18:22:16.693-08:00Hi Kendra. I'm here with you. Here's a question... does anyone else feel the need to print off on-line published resources? I do. For example, Cindy's article... I had to print it off to read it and then check the additional links. Maybe I'm just a dork, but it seems so much easier for me... or maybe it seems more legitimate? I'm not sure. I guess I'm all about paper.
I'm not sure whereHollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11938524963119984521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-840255842002-11-04T14:33:00.000-08:002002-11-04T14:33:11.323-08:00Hi. I have looked over the online publishing resources for this week, but I'm not sure where to go with a reading response. Can anyone help me??Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00009869763999180026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-837854452002-10-30T12:09:00.000-08:002002-10-30T12:09:05.326-08:00Here's an admission of dumb: I guess I'm not sure whether to call these essays, articles, submissions, treatises, writings, chapters, or what; thus I choose "piece" as a safe word. Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09803892489874832661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-837853502002-10-30T12:06:00.000-08:002002-10-30T12:06:54.196-08:00Lynne, I really did think about that AZ incident after I heard about it. Grading is the toughest part about the job, no doubt. For me there's a lot of emotion invested in it. Sounds silly, but sometimes students put their heart and soul into a project--for their own good, you can't just give them a great grade if their work is lacking...but on the other hand you don't want to make them feel Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09803892489874832661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-837847502002-10-30T11:51:00.000-08:002002-10-30T11:52:12.000-08:00I know some of you talked about grading these personal academic pieces earlier, and I am wondering if you get more fearful when storiesof student violence, like the Arizona student shooting his instructors, make it scary rather than just uncomfortable. As much as I want to get back into academia, I read this (probably copy and paste) http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,67086,00.html and got Lynnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10953206978666485962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809496.post-837822822002-10-30T10:52:00.000-08:002002-10-30T10:52:17.643-08:00One problem I have with the inclusion of personal in academic writing is that it seems as though people want to include it when it's beneficial, and forget it when it's not. This is particularly noticeable in political arenas- (as if higher education isn't, but you know what I mean)- where it's acceptable to pose family backgrounds as reasons for election, but tactless to affirm negative aspects.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268198318529840913noreply@blogger.com