Remembering How We Learned to Write

The early ground we have covered in “Writing Theory & Practice” class helps us lays an important foundation for our continuing discussion throughout the course of our semester together. To remember how you were taught to write (vs, how you actually learned to write) is an important reflection for us to establish as we move through writing theory & writing practice. I enjoyed our class conversation last night.

The free writing exercises that asked you to “mine your memory” for those formative writing moments yielded very revealing responses. And in many ways, some shared themes emerged. How were you taught to write? Many of you remember formulaic approaches, grammar reinforcement, and emphasis on structure. Some of you also described the feeling of being “boxed in” in school, or being forced into mandatory or standardized approaches, and general feeling of being uninspired as a result. But a special sense of self discovery definitely came through in your personal accounts to the second question. How did you learn to write? This response was definitely more connected to when you started to feel a sense of freedom. Writing can be a touchstone for knowing oneself a little bit better. When you thought more deeply about how you REALLY learned to write, stories of “coming into voice” or empowerment pointed to certain transformation -experiences of more authentic and personal expression. With some of you, the transformation to a more “writerly self” happened due to certain self-driven interest, and particular individual passion.

Our class slides:

Remembering your resources

I am glad we took a moment to think about the academic resources at your fingertips. The Kean University Learning Commons (better known as the library) is a treasure trove of support – offering daily workshops, special spaces for writing and studying, and of course a knowledgable staff who are there to guide you on your information and learning quests. Please remember to “lean in” and explore the Learning Commons – in person, and online. I look forward to spending a bit of time over there with you in October.

Janice Lauer’s Rhetoric & Composition: An overview of the field

I am glad we started our reading series with Janice Lauer’s overview of the field of Writing Studies, so we could apprehend some of the shifts in emphasis and approach over the years. Please take a look at the notes that reflect some of the main threads of Lauer’s argument. As we proceed with class and consider strategies for “becoming a writer” – we can also consider the moment we find ourselves in now, and what is at stake in theorizing the art and craft of writing.

Rhetoric and writing are at the heart of how the world is shaped, and in many ways they are the critical engine fueling our perceptions of what is possible. We must grapple with the fact that rhetoric in civic discourse is now, more than ever, an amplified influence due to omnipresent new technologies for writing. And so we must take our analysis beyond just individual concerns (skills and voice) and also consider implications in the social context (power and the shaping of ideologies & systems of thought). We most certainly engage in these conversations together over the course of the semester.

A reminder regarding the preparation for your upcoming presentations:

**Please remember our “campus field trip” next week for class. Go directly to the Liberty Hall Academic Center where we will convene at the Special Collections Research Library Archives at 4:30pm. LHAC is located on the east side of campus adjacent to the Liberty Hall Museum.

Your to-do list:

Please read:

Elbow, Peter. (2002). High stakes and low stakes in assigning and responding to writing. Dialogue on writing: Rethinking ESL, basic writing, and first-year composition, 289-298