QQC Blog July 13
1. Sommers
argues in her text that often students resign themselves to stop revising if
they had only revised once and do not see any reason for a second revision. She
also suggests that students also write their thesis statement and introduction
first and feel restricted and unable to change their first paragraph or only develop
their writing around that first paragraph. How can we best break those bad
habits in students who struggle in the ways that Sommers argues without
breaking their spirit but yet maintain constructive criticism?
2. Bishop argues for the workshop writing process
classroom versus a restricted formulated classroom environment. Do you think
that sometimes students may need some form of structure when it is obvious in
their writing that they lack direction? Do you think that the two formats can
coexist when necessary? I am not advocating for a structure or formulated classroom
over a workshop process classroom, I have only had the need to teach a couple
of students by formula the basics of a thesis statement and wonder how you all
feel about using formulation in conjunction with process as needed?
Kristy,
ReplyDeleteTo answer your first question, a part of what my mentor did in her first conference was give each of her students feedback on the 2nd draft of their first papers. I think hearing from an instructor on things the student can revise helps them look for these same types of revision in their future papers. Also, this one-on-one conference setting means that the student can get helpful criticism and not have to have their paper criticized in front of their peers, which is a better alternative.
As for the issue of students getting stuck because of their thesis statements and first paragraphs, I think telling students that you should write your thesis statement to your paper and not your paper to your thesis statement might help - to me, that would signify I have room to add to my thesis if additional information pops up. I think some students feel like once they have written a thesis they are not allowed to change it. So, emphasizing that thesis statements are working thesis statements until the final draft is key.
- Emily