Feel the Presence

I think I might be one of the only GAs that finds The Presence of Others to be immensely helpful in teaching freshman composition. Unlike other rhetorics and readers, this anthology has comprehensive sections on critical reading and writing. It works very well with the Hacker manual in discussions about prewriting, drafting, critical reading, thesis statements, and arguments. I thought that the articles pre-chosen for us last semester were awful for the most part, but there are some very nice readings that I'm having my students look at this semester.

I personally find the science section of the book a great resource for articles with strong arguments. "Cuddling Up to Cyborg Babies" and "Biotech Century" are two of my favorites, and my students last semester enjoyed breaking these articles down for the textual analysis and position paper assignments. Other great articles (I think) from this book are the selections by Pinker, Sedaris, Ivins, Hurston, Dubus, and Atwood. I think the editors did a great job of collecting articles that have an immediate effect on our world and culture, although many of my colleagues disagree with me there.

I honestly don't think there is any book that is better than The Presence of Others--every anthology of essays or writing is hit and miss. I have looked over a few, including 50 Essays, Identities, and Making Sense. Although I discovered several articles that I will be using this semester, I found that many of the pieces included in these books were also included in The Presence of Others. So I would have to rally against bashing this book--I think there is a lot of value in it for freshmen.

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

I received my first round of final drafts this afternoon, and I would be lying if I said I was happy with the outcome. Three of the students only had final drafts, two of them were absent, and one attended the class but did not turn in a paper. I told the students with only final drafts that they could turn in the rest of their materials to my mailbox; I told one of the absent students, who was sick, that he could turn it in Thursday. I feel that by being so lenient on these students, I am projecting a message that tells them I am very forgiving, although it was explicitly stated in the syllabus and course schedule what was required of them. I even reminded them during several classes about the materials that they needed to have with their final drafts (initial draft and peer workshop sheets). Yet, over a quarter of the class did not meet the guidelines.

How far must we go as teachers in order to satisfy the needs of our students without being looked at as either a stickler for due dates or a laid back instructor who will let you slide on aspects of the assignment? I feel that each extreme is an inappropriate method of teaching, but I cannot seem to find a cozy place in the middle. I can only do so much without holding their hands, right? Where are the lines drawn between too strict and too lenient? And how do we, as teachers, work inside those lines in order to provide a steady, effective classroom environment?

I know that last semester I was far too flexible with my students as far as due dates. I was accepting almost anything from the students as an excuse and felt that if I asked for any sort of documentation for the absence, they would view me as a middle or high school teacher. I don't want to go that route again, but I also do not want to be so strict about policies that my students fear or despise me. How do we build a relationship in which the student recognizes his or her role by meeting due dates and assignment guidelines?

Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover

I usually try to avoid cliché expressions, but I think this is the best way to describe the experience with my class this week. When I walked in on the first day, I was totally mortified at the make-up of the classroom—crossed arms, rolling eyes, loud sighs, and testosterone (16 of 20 students are male) filled the room as I tried to explain the syllabus and my expectations for the course. I even had a student fall asleep in the back of the room! I went around explaining to all of my colleagues how my class was straight out of the film, Dangerous Minds, where Michelle Pfeiffer teaches inner city kids how to become better students. I was certainly not ready to go back the next time, but I was met with a pleasant surprise upon my return.

I entered my class for the second session only to be astonished by this same group of students seated in a large circle, books and notebooks on their desks, prepared to participate in class. The discussion was fantastic, and the students took the lead for the majority of the period. Their insight and reflections on the readings were truly astounding, and they made connections in the discussion that I had never even thought of. I was so relieved at their participation that I immediately called one of my colleagues to express my joy.

If that wasn’t enough, I had them do a brief freewrite on their passions in life. I initially expected musings on sports, music, and family—the three “cop-out” answers for that question. I soon discovered that not one student had a passion for the same thing, and most of their subjects were surprising: biotechnology, humanities, Irish dance, rap, equestrian studies, and even lacrosse were all mentioned as passions. What a diverse group of minds; I will certainly think twice before I judge a class on the first day.

Introduction

As a graduate student and university class instructor, I carry the advantage of observing the successful techniques used to create an effective learning environment, and luckily my observation now comes from both sides of the desk. Not only do I know which qualities I look for in a good instructor (as I was taught by such a diverse faculty as an undergraduate), but I also understand what is important in a good group of students.

I hope that this blog will serve as a place for me to reflect on my experiences and ideology in the field of teaching composition, as well as spark conversations between fellow teachers and students about what makes a good writing classroom.

Casey White
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Department of English
Missouri State University