There's room for us all

I just read this great blog post by my classmate, Becky. And I feel her pain. Admittedly, I haven't checked out all the links she posted yet (though I'm sure they will be valuable) so perhaps I am being a bad blogger because I don't plan to collect and synthesize information. Instead, she sparked a thought and it made me want to write... which to me is magical in and of itself and is exactly a perfect use for my blog.

That brings me to my just-now-made-while-I-was-commenting-on-her-post theory. The great thing about writing and reading is that there is something for everyone. Whatever genre you fancy to write in, there is no doubt someone who wants to read it. And so, though surely there are more effective ways than others to use a blog in a classroom, I'd hate to think we need to restrict ourselves to that one "genre" if you will, particularly if it means we won't continue writing after the class is over. I want Becky to continue because I like the way she writes; I like how she presents her thoughts; I like seeing what she has to say next.

Even though Becky feels like she is struggling to make sense of it all and questions whether she is really blogging, I love to read her posts. It's the way she writes about the struggle that intrigues me. And so, I argue that she is a blogger, not because she has to blog for this class, but because she has me interested in her and her thoughts and writing. I see blogs as a perfect format to try out creative non-fiction and personal essay writing--two genres that I happen to love.

I'm happy that there are blogs out there that analyze articles and synthesize information--and I'm sure there will be times when I (and Becky) make entries that follow that genre, either because we want to or are required to. But personally, I can say with certainty that if I feel restricted to that form I likely won't create another new post after class is dismissed. And that would be a shame. Because Stephen King's right: writing regularly is the point. Doing it for joy is the point. Someone else actually reading what we've written? Well, that's just icing on the cake.

TTSP

Mom, if you're keeping up with my blog and reading this, then that title is for you.

For everyone else, I probably have some explaining to do. A good place to start is to say that originally, the title was going to be "Sending out an SOS." As most of you know the 5th week is one where things begin to get hairy in a semester. The excitement of the start has worn off, the end is barely in sight, and the projects and assignments start coming due. Oh, and my master's comprehensive exam is a mere 3 weeks away. And that's just from the student perspective.

From the teacher perspective, it's the week where I assign grades on first papers, dashing hopes and dreams. It's the week where paper one and two overlap. It's the week where students realize they should be visiting during office hours. It's the week where my teacher and student roles collide. It's the week I feel overwhelmed.

Hence, the call for an SOS. So, why did I change my mind about sending out the distress signal? Well, for one, let's be honest... it's really over dramatic. I can admit that. I'm not drowning or in imminent danger. And secondly, as I stared at the SOS signal and thought of my post, I heard my mom's words in my ear--"This too shall pass". Boy, do I hate it when she says that. Not because she's wrong. But, because she's right. Okay, I also hate that she says it whenever I call to vent about school (I'd rather her feel sorry for me). But mostly I hate it because she's right. It's become such a joke with us that now, in emails or texts when she knows I'm particularly stressed, she simply writes, "TTSP." Now, it makes me laugh and does put things into perspective.

And so, even though I would love for someone else to come rescue me from the papers waiting on my desktop to be graded, or the homework waiting to be done, I realize I should reserve the SOS signal for if I am ever in real danger. (Admittedly, that might be in three weeks while I take my 48-hour-long comprehensive exam). But for now, I can rescue myself by putting on my big girl panties and dealing with it.

Challenge accepted

I didn't watch Sex and the City until it had ended its six-season run. I didn't read Harry Potter until the last book was published. I didn't get a cell phone until my friends finally bought me one because they were sick of me being the only one without one. I didn't join Facebook until well after it was established as "the" social networking site (and I might add until I moved far away from my home town and needed to keep in touch more easily). The list goes on, and includes life decisions as well as technology ones. My point is, I don't tend to follow the hype. I like to make my own decisions on when to enter into the current craze--and I usually prefer to enter once it's no longer considered a craze.

This is how I find myself a 32-year-old writing teacher who is just now entering the blogging world. This blog that I am required to keep for a class assignment is my first foray into the genre. And, honestly, up until a few days ago, I thought it would be my last. Not because I don't like writing. Clearly I like it, given my profession. But blogging seems to be a current craze that will stay a current craze for a while, so it kind of goes against my enter of my own accord philosophy.

But a few days ago, a friend relayed a story to me that I had such a strong reaction to I wanted to blog about it. I haven't yet because I haven't created my own "personal" blog. And then, a reading assignment for class all but clinched the decision that I will try my hand at living the blogging life even after it stops being a requirement.

Dennis Mahoney's, How to Write a Better Weblog, made me feel challenged to write in a way I haven't felt challenged before. I rarely write unless it's for a class assignment these days. Granted, I have LOTS of assignments that require writing, so I am writing on a regular basis. But, Mahoney inspired me--no, challenged really is the right word--to be the person I always have claimed myself to be: a writer. I know I can write in a journal or write only for myself--let's face it, the chances of many other people besides me and the people who already love me reading my blog are slim, so I will sort of be writing for myself anyway. But what really struck me was when he said: "No matter what your audience size, you ought to write as if your readership consisted of paid subscribers whose subscriptions were perpetually about to expire. There’s no need to pander. Compel them to re–subscribe."

I love this sentiment. I love good writing. I love when I produce good writing. Why not challenge myself to produce good writing consistently if only for the off chance that someone new will read? If nothing else, the people who love me will laugh and feel more connected even though we live far apart. And at the end of the day I will be writing. Not teaching writing; not writing to fulfill a requirement; not writing to get a job; not writing to jump on the bandwagon that I had convinced myself blogging had become. Writing because I love to do it. Writing because I need to do it. Writing because I have something to say that someone else--or no one else--wants to hear about following my own crazes.

Revision--teach your students it's not a dirty word

I was quite engaged in the past two weeks of reading for my Digital Writing class. Of course, 2 of the texts I read had me engaged in completely different ways. I'll begin with the one I don't plan to focus on in the blog: Bolter on Remediation (The title of the chapters is longer, but this is how we're referring to it in class. Bolter is the author, remediation the topic).

When I say I was engaged in this reading I mean that I barged out of the office into the living room to barrage my husband with the list of reasons why I will never give up books. I then called my best friend and asked her if she realized that not only are books running the risk of becoming obsolete, so are some current genres writing... like, maybe even the novel. She talked me off the ledge even after I explained some of the hypertext stories I had tried to read before slamming my laptop shut. P.S. I'm all for informational hypertext links, but I can't guarantee I'll ever warm to the idea of hypertext fiction. Way too frustrating. Give me a good old linear story and call me boring; I can take it. For the record, I understand that I was meant to get more out of the article, and I eventually did. But no matter the remediation that occurs with the continuing growth of digital writing, they will have to take my books out of my cold dead hands. (I think that's how the saying goes).

As for the other reading (Hicks chapter 3 to be exact) I was engaged in a "I am so going to try this in the next class I teach" kind of way. Chapter 3 was all about revision and writing process and the digital writing collaboration tools we can use to promote it. I was mildly pleased with myself when collaborative use of word processors was part of the list. It seems my course is not completely digitally defunct since I do use electronic commenting on all student drafts. Albeit, I use good old fashioned email attachments and not Google docs, but we're taking baby steps here.

But what got me all excited was the discussion of using wikis for collaborating and responding to writing. My course revolves around drafting, commenting, peer review, and revision, and it seems that a wiki is a logical tool to be using for these interactive purposes. (I note that a wiki could be particularly useful if I teach an online course). the fact that the wiki records and saves the history changes is a huge plus. As Hicks states so aptly, "... knowing that there is a history of changes allows the writer to make more than surface-level edits; because the old version is still there, it is easy to revert to it if a radical revision of a section of the text does not turn out as well as the writer might have hoped" (43). Let's face it, writing is hard even for the most experienced of us. Beginning writers can't imagine deleting something that it took them so long to come up with in the first place. As Erika Lindemann said, for students, revision is a dirty word that means they did something wrong in the first place that needs to be fixed. They aren't at the point where they can understand how to see new possibilities. Wikis might take some of the panic out of deep revision. As soon as I learn how to create and use one myself (I have no idea how at this point), I'll be exploring how to introduce them into my writing course.

As it is now, I encourage my students to save all the drafts I return with comments (as opposed to revising and saving right over them), and to cut and paste things into "overflow" documents so that they never feel like they lose a sentence, but I know they usually don't follow my advice. They grip what they've written with the same intensity with which I will be gripping my books when computers take over the world.

I took the pledge

It's easy to become addicted to constant connection and to feel a sense of panic if you are away from your phone for extended periods. It's easy to think we have mastered the art of multi-tasking to the point where we can use these conveniences while driving. It's easy to think we are invincible--especially if we are young. A recent Oprah episode convinced me that this isn't the case.

I took the No Phone Zone pledge, and I encourage you all to do the same. But more importantly, I encourage us all to take a few moments in our classes to explain the potential disasters that texting or even talking on the phone while driving can cause. Students may roll their eyes, but they listen to us and look up to us more than we know. When you follow the link to the pledge, you will be taken to Oprah's website where you can watch the full episode she aired about the dangers of driving and texting. It's full of useful information, but the most shocking is that a person who is using the phone to text is more dangerous than a drunk driver. Even a person who is just talking on the phone is as dangerous as a drunk driver.

Part of teaching our students how to manage the new technologies that are at their fingertips is teaching them when they need to "unplug". Most of our students have never known a time when technology in some form didn't dominate their lives. They may not know what to do with themselves without the stimulation. But they need to understand the dangers involved in becoming too dependent on it or too complacent about how physically dangerous it can be.

I'm looking forward to my "unplugged" time in the car--a time I'll use to listen to music, talk shows, books, or just sit in silence. How often do we get to claim silence in our busy lives? We should take advantage of it when we can.

Random thoughts

First, I have tried to comment on several blogs, only to lose the entire entry when it asks me to choose a profile. Does anyone know why this happens? I choose Google account, because that's where I have an account. Is this the right thing to do? It's so frustrating to hit "post comment" only to lose the entire thing!

Second, first drafts of paper one came in this week. Oh how that first round of papers brings a reality check. (I tried to comment on Becky's recent blog about procrastination, but still no luck:/) Anyway, it tends to take me WAY too long to read each student's draft and offer comments--we're talking like sometimes an hour per paper, especially the first draft. I feel obligated to do this because their writing is just so far away from what is expected of them at the end-of-semester portfolio review. This isn't their fault, of course, and they are there to learn. But the pressure of knowing another teacher essentially decides their fate in the course is quite stressful. (They have to pass the portfolio review to pass the course). Thankfully, as a graduate student, I only have one class of 20 students. Still, you can imagine with 20 students at an hour a paper.... I eat away virtually an entire day on papers and then need to catch up to lesson plan and keep up with my own coursework.

Third, I offer my students this website from the UNC's writing center. It's chock full of pointers, information, explanations about everything from writing introductions, using evidence, coming up with a thesis--you name it. I find myself using it sometimes as well when I just want to read something concrete about writing. It's useful for us as teachers, but also as students ourselves, so I thought I'd share it. In addition to being a helpful tool, sharing the link also helped me to practice making a hyperlink! Thanks SWM for showing me how easy it was:)

Journal versus blog

So, this Tuesday I am introducing a double-entry journal assignment to my class. We have several chapters to read in our book about the Salem Witch Trials (A Delusion of Satan), but I'm not assigning another paper prompt until we get to the last chapters a couple of weeks from now. I thought a journal assignment was a good way to have the students engaged in their reading and, let's be honest, to ensure that they do actually read chapters that don't have a specific purpose in a paper.

Now that I've been working in my own Digital Writing (DW) course, I realized that this would be a chance to incorporate a classroom blog. The problem is that I only see my students for 2.5 hours a week during which we do a lot of peer review and writing work. I'm not sure I can justify spending time in class teaching how to blog for those who are unfamiliar. Moreover, I'm only beginning to understand some of the technologies myself, and I'm just not sure I have the time to set up a classroom blog in the next two days. I've come up with the alternative idea of having them keep a manual (or typed) journal and then post one of their ideas to the course conference I have set up on First Class.

I feel a bit dejected that I missed a chance to incorporate a blog into the course, but at the same time, I keep thinking of a discussion we are currently having in the DW course. What about digital writing makes our teaching different? Would students actually learn more about the subject matter if they blogged rather than using a journal? Am I just using the same teaching method in a different forum if I require a blog instead of a journal? Will the postings to the course conferences replicate the dialogue a blog often invokes?

I think in this instance, I'm dejected because I am so excited to use some of the new technologies I am learning, not because I think my instruction or intended outcome will be much different with the blog. At the end of the day, I care that my students are writing and learning, and I need to bide my time until I am fully prepared to introduce a new medium. The day will come... but, unfortunately, it won't be Tuesday.