Author: fedena
Reevaluating the “Fair Classroom”
In the text “Becoming Visible,” the concept of “special treatment” and the idea of creating a “fair classroom” were both analyzed against the issues they cause when it comes to the cultivation of a respectful and accessible classroom. I think that the use of these terms or the implementation of actions in order to justify […]
Your Own Life Signifies
Citation: Addison, Joanne. “Narrative as Method and Methodology in Socially Progressive Research.” Practicing Research in Writing Studies, ed. by Katrina M. Powell and Pamela Takayoshi, Hampton Press, 2012, pp. 372-383. Summary: In her study of narrative within the realm of research, Joanne Addison introduces the reader to a methodology that often draws criticism from the […]
Student and Teacher as Adversaries
I believe that the curriculum and the execution of English 101 has limited a great number of “traditional” adversities that are present in standard courses at an institution like Western. Of course, there exists the usual difficulty between teacher and student when it comes to homework and authority-but because the curriculum is permitting students to […]
Toxic Behavior in the Classroom
During the first week of classes, I immediately noticed two students who managed to throw slight hiccups into the otherwise successful beginning we had as an English 101 group. When I proposed free writes or any sort of in-class discussion, they would roll their eyes and turn to the student next to them to try […]
Literacy over Learned Rules
Dear Student C, Thank you so much for your vulnerability and for exhibiting such thoughtfulness throughout this essay. I am so impressed by your introduction of this new emotion, “gansable,” and think that you do an excellent job of fully realizing the birth, effects, and the eventual overcoming of this term. I think the […]
The Harshest Critic
As I mentioned in my last post, I believe that many of my students observe the practice of writing and actually write from a very self-critical space. When they first entered my classroom and we began a discourse to determine what makes someone a writer, and what makes their writing good, my students shared opinions […]
“Good Writing” as Myth
I don’t know when the fear of writing became so widespread amongst incoming undergraduates, but it is certainly something that weighs heavily on the minds of my students. On the first day of classes, I had several students raise their hands when they came to the paragraph in my syllabus that discussed “good writing.” Although […]
Realistic Expectations
Instead of focusing on the idealistic facets of this class, I think it might be more sensible for me to root the goals and the mile-markers of this class firmly within the realistic. This class and its curriculum were not created, from how I interpret everything, with idealistic successes in mind, but instead determined how […]
Political Literacy in English 101
To my surprise, the students in my classroom seem to be extremely active within local politics, advocacy, and have chosen subjects for their research projects that examine controversies that our society is struggling to make sense of. I was very surprised by my students’ initiatives to be aware of their political surroundings, perhaps it is […]
Differences in the Classroom
I haven’t yet decided if it is better to be more similar to my students, or to extend our differences to better manipulate the proceedings of the classroom. There are several instances of difference that exist between my students and myself. I have a bachelor’s degree, I am a graduate student, I have a background […]
“Finding a Voice: Reconciling Discourses in Student Work”
Citation: Fraser, Gordon. “Finding a Voice: Reconciling Discourses in Student Work.” The WAC Journal, vol. 20, Nov. 2009, pp. 63-74. Web. Summary: In his essay “Finding a Voice: Reconciling Discourses in Student Work,” Gordon Fraser explores the struggles instructors face when introducing first year students to “academic writing” and the complexities that such a “skill” […]
Prioritizing Community and Discourse within the Classroom
Within my classroom, I place value upon passion. Sometimes, it is difficult for students to find excitement in the curriculum or subject matter, and I believe it is the responsibility of the instructor to find the ways in which they can bring forth students’ excitement and passions in relation to the classroom. This is sometimes […]
Storytelling and Academic Discourse: Including More Voices in the Conversation
Citation: Mlynarczyk, Rebecca. “Storytelling and Academic Discourse: Including More Voices in the Conversation.” The Journal of Basic Writing 33:1 (2014): 4-22. Web. Summary: Since the start of her academic career, Rebecca Mlynarczyk has struggled with the relationship, or supposed lack-there-of that exists between what the academic world defines as “narrative” or “personal” writing and “academic writing,” […]
Navigating Respect and Discomfort in the Classroom
During my first class of the quarter, I had a student who showed up to class late, kept an earbud in his ear after I specifically articulated my “zero-tolerance” policy for unauthorized technology in the classroom, left twice to use the restroom, and kept up side chatter for the entirety of the class period. I […]
English 101—An Important Requirement
I believe that English 101 is used by WWU to help incoming students with the (sometimes) difficult transition that is the dichotomy existing between expectations for high school writers and expectations for collegiate writers. When I asked my students to write me a letter at the beginning of class touching upon their writing skills and […]
The “Writer” as an Unattainable Identity
After scanning the contents of Bad Ideas About Writing, I decided to explore Holbrook and Hundley’s “Writers are Mythical, Magical, and Damaged.” I’ve spent a considerable amount of time defending my identity as an English major and a person interested in producing creative work, and am often interested in how our society works to rationalize what a […]
The Classroom Environment
From past experiences participating in political demonstrations and rallies, I have noticed that there are some (loose) similarities between the classroom environment and the atmosphere and archetypal participants of group protests. Firstly, an underlying question exists within both categories—what are we doing here? At a rally, people gather to incite change, to inform the public […]
Working With Apathetic Students
My students came into English 101 with preconceived notions of what the course would focus on, what projects they would be asked to complete, and that they were not “good writers.” I think they were surprised to discover that the course is designed to not only strengthen their writing and critical thinking skills, but that […]