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March 2016

WE, AS COMPOSITION TEACHERS, NEED TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO BE AS CREATIVE AND PURPOSEFUL AS POSSIBLE WITH THEIR WRITINGS

THE PROGRAM WHERE I WAS COMPLETING MY DISSERTATION AT WAS CALLED WRITING, TEACHING AND CRITICISM; HOWEVER, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED WRITING, TEACHING AND CREATIVITY BECAUSE IT WAS THE WORK OF THE CREATIVE WRITERS AND COMPOSITIONISTS IN THE PROGRAM THAT GAVE THE PROGRAM ITS UNIQUE "EDGE" AND TRANSFORMATIVE POWER DURING THE D.A. PROGRAM IN THE 1980's BEFORE THE FACULTY DECIDED THAT THEY NEEDED A PHD PROGRAM INSTEAD OF A D.A..  DURING THE D.A., THE CREATIVE WRITERS AND COMPOSITIONISTS IN THE PROGRAM WERE CREATIVELY REENVISIONING THE WORK OF ENGLISH STUDIES AND THEY BROUGHT THOSE FRESH VISIONS OF THE FIELD INTO THEIR TEACHING IN THE PROGRAM AND AT THE OTHER UNIVERSITIES WHERE THEY WENT TO TEACH AFTER COMPLETING THEIR DEGREES AT ALBANY.  BEING A D.A. PROGRAM THAT ATTRACTED MANY CREATIVE WRITERS WHO WANTED TO CREATIVELY THINK ABOUT INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES PERTAINING TO WRITING AND WRITING INSTRUCTION IS WHAT SET THE PROGRAM APART FROM OTHER DOCTORAL WRITING PROGRAMS.  HOWEVER, WHEN THE FACULTY DECIDED THAT THEY WANTED TO CHANGE THE PROGRAM TO A PHD PROGRAM, THEY BROUGHT IN LITERARY CRITICS AND PEOPLE ROOTED IN LITERARY CRITICISM TO CONSULT ON THE FORMATION OF THE PHD, AND THOSE PEOPLE DID NOT HAVE THE CREATIVE VISION THAT WAS ALREADY IN PLACE AT SUNY ALBANY IN THE 1980'S AND EARLY 1990's.  THESE CONSULTANTS THOUGHT THAT THE PROGRAM NEEDED MORE THEORETICAL CRITICS SO THAT IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED MORE RIGOROUS IN THE FIELD; HOWEVER, RIGOR IS ANTITHETICAL TO THE CREATIVITY AND RENVISIONMENT OF THE PROFESSION AND TEACHING THAT WAS ALREADY GOING ON AT ALBANY SO THE CHANGES AND RECOMMENDATIONS RESULTED IN A LOT OF TENSION AND PROBLEMS IN THE PROGRAM THAT WOULD NOT HAVE EXISTED IF THEY HAD BROUGHT IN A DIFFERENT SET OF CONSULTANTS WHO HAD A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT MADE THE D.A. PROGRAM UNIQUE AND VIABLE IN THE FIELDS OF ENGLISH AND COMPOSITION STUDIES.  THESE CONSULTANTS DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HAVING A DOCTORAL PROGRAM THAT CREATIVELY RENVISIONED AND REVITALIZED THE FIELD OF COMPOSITION STUDIES. INSTEAD OF TAKING STOCK OF THE GOOD THAT WAS ALREADY HAPPENING IN THE PROGRAM, THEY IMPOSED A STANDARDIZED VISION OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING, GENERALLY-SPEAKING, IN THE FIELD OF ENGLISH STUDIES AT OTHER UNIVERSITIES; HOWEVER, AGAIN, THIS WAS NOT SUITED TO THE CREATIVE AND PURPOSEFUL WORK THAT WAS ALREADY BEING DONE IN THE ALBANY D.A. PROGRAM. INSTEAD, WE NEED MORE PROGRAMS LIKE THE ALBANY D.A. WHERE THEORETICALLY-INCLINED CREATIVE WRITERS AND COMPOSITIONISTS CAN GO TO REIMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES OF THE FIELD OF COMPOSITIONS STUDIES AND ITS POTENTIAL TO TRANSFORM AND RENVISION THE TEACHING OF WRITING AND THE PROFESSION AS A WHOLE.  


MORE ON A COMPASSION READER FOR COMPOSITION STUDIES

WHEN I TAUGHT WRITING-INTENSIVE POETRY CLASSES AT SUNY ALBANY, I WOULD CREATE AND USE ANTHOLOGIES THAT REPRESENTED THE VOICES OF OUTCAST, SILENCED AND MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD BECAUSE I WANTED TO GIVE MY STUDENTS A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON THOSE PEOPLES WHO ARE NOT SO BLESSED AND FORTUNATE AS WE OFTEN ARE HERE IN THE USA.  NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THAT WORK A STEP FURTHER AND CREATE A COMPASSION READER THAT REPRESENTS THE VOICES AND WORK OF FAITH-BASED HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, SOCIAL ACTIVISTS, ADVOCATES, TEACHERS, MINISTERS, MISSIONARIES AND OTHER SOCIAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THOSE OUTCAST, MARGINALIZED AND HURTING POPULATIONS.   I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS READER TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO THINK ABOUT AND WRITE ABOUT HOW THEY TOO CAN COMPASSIONATELY GET INVOLVED IN IMPROVING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LESS BLESSED AND FORTUNATE THAN WE ARE HERE IN THE MIDDLE-CLASS USA.  I BELIEVE THAT WE, AS TEACHERS, HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO SHOW OUR STUDENTS THAT THERE IS A LARGER WORLD IN NEED OF OUR CARE AND COMPASSIONATE ASSISTANCE WITH WHATEVER GIFTS WE AND OUR STUDENTS HAVE BEEN GIVEN, INCLUDING THE GIFT OF WRITING.  IT IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO ONLY REPRESENT THEIR VOICES AND THEIR NEEDS AND THEIR SUFFERINGS WITHOUT ALSO CONSIDERING WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN COMPASSIONATELY HELP THE OUTCAST AND FORGOTTEN AND IMPOVERISHED PEOPLE OF THE WORLD THROUGH BOTH CALLING ATTENTION TO THEIR PLIGHTS AND EXPLORING AND ENVISIONING OPTIONS FOR ALLEVIATING THEIR PLIGHTS.  THIS IS MY PURPOSE FOR CREATING A COMPASSION READER THAT WILL ASSIST TEACHERS IN INTRODUCING STUDENTS TO THE WORK OF FAITH-BASED ACTIVISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND ALLOW STUDENTS TO EXPLORE WAYS, THROUGH THEIR WRITINGS, THAT THEY, TOO,  CAN GET INVOLVED IN THE WORK OF ALLEVIATING AND SOLVING OPPRESSIVE AND IMPOVERISHED CONDITIONS IN THE LARGER WORLD.


WHEN WE THINK THAT WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR STUDENTS, INSTEAD LET US ASK WHAT OUR STUDENTS WOULD LIKE TO SEE CHANGED IN THEIR WORLDS

WHEN THOSE OF US WHO TEACH CRITICAL PEDAGOGY IN OUR COMPOSITION COURSES THINK THAT WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR STUDENTS, INSTEAD LET US ASK OUR STUDENTS, THROUGH OUR WRITING ASSIGNMENTS, WHAT THEY THINK NEEDS CHANGED IN THE WORLDS THAT THEY LIVE IN.   STUDENTS ARE BRIMMING WITH FRESH IDEAS ABOUT WHAT NEEDS CHANGED AND IMPROVED ABOUT THEIR EDUCATIONAL AND INSTITUTIONAL EXPERIENCES, IF ONLY WE WOULD ASK THEM.  STUDENTS COME INTO OUR COURSES WITH EXTENSIVE HISTORIES AS STUDENTS IN OTHER WRITING COURSES, AND WE NEED TO ASK THEM ABOUT WHAT THEY VIEW AS NEEDING IMPROVEMENT AND CHANGE ABOUT THEIR PRIOR WRITING EXPERIENCES AND ABOUT THEIR PAST EDUCATIONAL/INSTITUTIONAL EXPERIENCES.   I THINK WE WILL FIND THAT STUDENTS HAVE A LOT TO SAY/WRITE ABOUT  THEIR EXPERIENCES AS WRITERS AND LEARNERS AND WHAT NEEDS CHANGED ABOUT THOSE EXPERIENCES.  EVERY STUDENT HAS A DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL AND WRITING HISTORY AND WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THOSE INDIVIDUAL HISTORIES WHEN WE ARE THINKING ABOUT EDUCATIONAL CHANGE AND TRANSFORMATION THROUGH OUR COMPOSITION COURSES AND THE WRITING ASSIGNMENTS THAT WE DESIGN FOR OUR STUDENTS.  WE NEED TO PROVIDE THE KINDS OF WRITING ASSIGNMENTS THAT LET STUDENTS EXPLORE WHAT THEY WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY WITH THEIR EDUCATIONS AND HOW THEY WOULD CHANGE THE WORLDS THAT THEY LIVE IN FOR THE BETTER.  WE NEED TO CREATE WRITING ASSIGNMENTS THAT ALLOW STUDENTS TO CREATIVELY IMAGINE AND ENVISION HOW THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL WORLDS THAT THEY LIVE IN. LET US IMAGINE STUDENTS AS CO-CREATORS AND PARTNERS IN INSTIGATING THE INSTITUTIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL CHANGES THAT WE SEEK IN THE WORLD.


RATHER THAN DIAGNOSING STUDENTS' WRITINGS, WE NEED TO LISTEN ATTENTIVELY TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY

BEFORE WE BEGIN TO DIAGNOSE STUDENTS' WRITINGS, WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO AND LISTEN TO WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO SAY THROUGH THEIR WRITINGS.   STUDENTS' NEEDS TO BE HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD FAR OUTWEIGH OUR PREMATURE ATTEMPTS TO FIND ERRORS OR MISTAKES IN THEIR WRITINGS.   OUTSIDE OF THE UNIVERSITY, PEOPLE WRITE IN ORDER TO BE HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD BY THE AUDIENCE TO WHOM THEY ARE WRITING TO, AND STUDENTS, TOO, HAVE A PURPOSE TO BE HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD WHEN THEY WRITE.   WE NEED TO PUT TO THE WAYSIDE OUR TENDENCY TO BE DIAGNOSTICIANS OF STUDENT WRITING AND INSTEAD BE ACTIVE AND ENGAGED LISTENERS OF WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO SAY/WRITE AND THEIR NEED TO BE UNDERSTOOD.   THIS INCLUDES PROVIDING WRITING ASSIGNMENTS THAT ARE NOT MERELY TASKS TO BE EVALUATED FOR ERRORS BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY PROVIDING WRITING ASSIGNMENTS THAT ENGAGE THE STUDENTS IN PURPOSEFUL, PASSIONATE WRITING FOR US AND A LARGER WORLD AUDIENCE.   STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW THAT THEIR WRITINGS MATTER AND ARE GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.


AS COMPOSITION TEACHERS, WE NEED TO BE ADVOCATES OF OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR WRITINGS FIRST

OUR PRIMARY OBLIGATION AS TEACHERS OF COMPOSITION SHOULD BE TO OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR WRITINGS AND THEIR GROWTH AS WRITERS, NOT TO THE LITERACY DEMANDS OCCASIONALLY IMPOSED BY THE UNIVERSITY OR TO OUR CAREERS.  THIS OBLIGATION MEANS THAT WE NEED TO BE ADVOCATES FOR OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR WRITINGS AND WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY/WRITE IN THOSE WRITINGS.  WE NEED TO CARE ABOUT WHAT OUR STUDENTS WANT AND NEED TO EXPRESS IN THEIR WRITINGS AND BE THERE TO HELP THEM BETTER EXPRESS WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO SAY/WRITE SO THAT THEY CAN GROW AS PASSIONATE, PURPOSEFUL WRITERS.  WE NEED TO BE THERE FOR OUR STUDENTS WHEN THEY WANT TO REACH A LARGER AUDIENCE AND A LARGER WORLD WITH THEIR WRITINGS THAN THAT OF OUR CLASSROOM AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO REACH THAT LARGER WORLD WITH THEIR WRITINGS. WE NEED TO SHOW COMPASSIONATE CONCERN AND GIVE COMPASSIONATE ASSISTANCE TO THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH THEIR WRITINGS FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.  AFTER ALL, OUR PRIMARY OBLIGATION IS TO SERVE STUDENTS' PURPOSES AS WRITERS, NOT PURPOSES IMPOSED UPON US AND THEM BY THE UNIVERSITY'S LIMITED UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEIR WRITINGS ARE SUPPOSED TO DO OR BE.   WE NEED TO HELP OUR STUDENTS SEE THE POSSIBILITIES OF USING THEIR WRITINGS TO ENGAGE A LARGER WORLD BEYOND THE UNIVERSITIES IN WHICH WE RESIDE.  WE NEED TO BE ADVOCATES FOR A MORE EXPANSIVE VIEW OF WRITING AND WHAT WRITING CAN DO FOR THE STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITIES AND WORLD IN WHICH THEY RESIDE BEYOND THE UNIVERSITY.


WE NEED TO HAVE COMPASSION ON THOSE STUDENTS EXPERIENCING WRITER'S BLOCK, NOT JUDGING THEM BUT RATHER LOOKING AT WHAT ABOUT OUR COURSES ARE NOT SERVING THEIR PURPOSES AS WRITERS

WE NEED TO HAVE COMPASSION ON THOSE STUDENTS EXPERIENCING WRITER'S BLOCK, NOT JUDGING THEM BUT RATHER LOOKING AT WHAT ABOUT OUR COURSES ARE NOT SERVING THEIR PURPOSES AS WRITERS.  OFTENTIMES, WHEN STUDENTS EXPERIENCE WRITER'S BLOCK IT IS NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO WRITE BUT RATHER BECAUSE THE ASSIGNMENTS THAT WE ARE OFFERING THEM ARE NOT SUITED FOR THEIR PURPOSES AS WRITERS, SO WE NEED TO BE ATTENTIVE TO WHAT ABOUT OUR COURSES ARE NOT WORKING FOR STUDENTS AND THEN CHANGE OUR COMPOSITION COURSES TO SUIT THEIR PURPOSES SO THAT STUDENTS FEEL WELCOME TO WRITE.  WE MIGHT BEGIN THIS CONSIDERATION BY ASKING THE STUDENTS, AT THE START OF THE COURSE, WHAT TYPES OF WRITING DO THEY ALREADY LIKE/LOVE TO DO AND THEN PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO DO THAT WRITING IN OUR COURSES.  WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT ABOUT THE CONTENT OF OUR COURSES IS NOT WORKING FOR STUDENTS AND NOT INSPIRING THEM TO WRITE AND BE PASSIONATE ABOUT THEIR WRITING BECAUSE ALL STUDENTS HAVE PASSIONS THAT THEY WILL MORE THAN WILLINGLY WRITE ABOUT WHEN WE GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITIES.  WE NEED TO LOOK AT OURSELVES AS TEACHERS OF COMPOSITION WHO MIGHT NOT BE SERVING THE STUDENTS' PURPOSES AND PASSIONS AS WRITERS, AND THEN HAVE COMPASSION ON THE STUDENTS WHO LOVE TO WRITE BUT MAY NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE ASSIGNMENTS AND/OR LITERACY DEMANDS THAT WE ARE PRESENTING TO THEM.  


OUR STUDENTS NEED AND WANT TO BE HEARD FOR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY/WRITE, NOT NECESSARILY HOW THEY SAY IT

OUR STUDENTS WANT AND NEED TO BE HEARD FOR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY/WRITE, NOT NECESSARILY HOW THEY SAY IT.  WHEN STUDENTS' WRITING IS DRIVEN BY AN IMPERATIVE TO BE HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD, WE NEED TO RESERVE OUR TENDENCY TO BE CORRECTIONISTS.  INSTEAD, WE NEED TO BE LISTENING TEACHERS WHO WORK TO HEAR WHAT THE STUDENTS ARE TRYING TO SAY/WRITE AND THEN ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT THEY ARE SAYING/WRITING FIRST BEFORE GETTING OUT THE GRAMMAR PENS.   INSTEAD OF CORRECTING THEM, WE CAN VIEW OUR ROLES AS HELPING OUR STUDENTS TO BETTER EXPRESS WHAT THEY NEED/WANT TO SAY/WRITE BY ASKING THEM PROBING QUESTIONS AND PROVIDING HELPFUL COMMENTARY THAT DEMONSTRATES TO THE STUDENTS THAT THEY ARE BEING HEARD AND WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY/WRITE IS IMPORTANT AND MATTERS, TO BOTH US AS TEACHERS AND TO AN AUDIENCE/COMMUNITY BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.    STUDENTS OFTEN WANT THEIR WRITING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN AN ARENA LARGER THAN A CLASSROOM, AND IT IS THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY ARE WRITING FOR A LARGER ARENA THAT DRIVES THEIR NEED TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES.  WE, AS COMPOSITION TEACHERS, NEED TO BE MORE THAN SIMPLY TASKMASTERS AND CORRECTIONISTS BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY WE NEED TO BE ATTENTIVE LISTENERS TO AND ENCOURAGERS OF OUR STUDENTS' EFFORTS TO BE HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD FOR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY/WRITE TO THE LARGER WORLD BEYOND OUR CLASSROOMS.


WE MUST HONOR STUDENTS' GOD-GIVEN PURPOSES WHEN THEY WRITE AND PROVIDE THEM WITH PURPOSEFUL WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

WE MUST HONOR STUDENTS' GOD-GIVEN, HEART-FELT AND PASSIONATE PURPOSES WHEN THEY WRITE AND PROVIDE THEM WITH PURPOSEFUL WRITING ASSIGNMENTS.  WE MUST LET STUDENTS KNOW THAT WE CARE ABOUT THE WRITING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO THEM AND PROVIDE THEM WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THAT WRITING IN OUR COMPOSITION COURSES.  WE MUST ALSO ENCOURAGE OUR STUDENTS TO USE THEIR WRITING PURPOSEFULLY TO REACH OUT TO THE WORLD THAT THEY LIVE IN AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY ARE INVOLVED IN.  WE MUST ENCOURAGE OUR STUDENTS TO USE THEIR WRITING TO INTERACT WITH THOSE COMMUNITIES.   WE MUST LOOK BEYOND OUR UNIVERSITY-GIVEN ROLES OF REMEDIAL WRITING INSTRUCTION AND INSTEAD TEACH THE UNIVERSITY THAT OUR ROLES ARE TO TEACH PURPOSEFUL WRITING AND THAT OUR PRIMARY OBLIGATIONS ARE TO THE STUDENTS' GROWTH AS PURPOSEFUL WRITERS AND COMMUNICATORS AND THE GOD-GIVEN, HEART-FELT, COMMUNICATION-DRIVEN PURPOSES THEY HAVE WITH THEIR WRITINGS.  


IT IS TIME FOR A REVIVAL IN COMPOSITION STUDIES

IT IS TIME FOR A REVIVAL IN COMPOSITION STUDIES, AND WE CAN BEGIN THAT REVIVAL BY MAKING SURE THAT ALL COMPOSITION TEACHERS, MOST ESPECIALLY ADJUNCTS AND T.A.'S, AT ALL COLLEGES AND ALL UNIVERSITIES ARE PAID EQUITABLE, LIVABLE SALARIES THAT REFLECT THE CARE AND DEDICATION THAT THEY PUT INTO THEIR TEACHING AND THEIR CONCERN FOR STUDENTS' GROWTH AS WRITERS.  INDEED, WE CAN BEGIN THIS REVIVAL BY ABOLISHING THE LABELS "ADJUNCTS" AND "TA'S" AND SUBSTITUTING THOSE TITLES WITH TITLES THAT MORE ACCURATELY REFLECT THESE TEACHERS' STATUSES AS COLLEAGUES AND FELLOW COMPOSITION TEACHERS.   WE CAN BEGIN THIS REVIVAL BY ALSO ABOLISHING THE STATUSES OF ADMINISTRATORS AND WRITING PROGRAM MANAGERS THAT PLACE THEM ABOVE THE COMPOSITION TEACHERS WHO DO THE REAL WORK OF TEACHING WRITING TO STUDENTS AND ALLOW COMPOSITION TEACHERS TO SOVEREIGNLY PLAN THE CURRICULA OF THEIR COURSES, IN CONJUNCTION WITH STUDENTS AND OTHER TEACHERS.  WE CAN BEGIN THIS REVIVAL BY ABOLISHING RANK ALL TOGETHER AND RETURNING OUR FOCUS TO THE TEACHING THAT WE DO AND THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND THEIR PURPOSES AS WRITERS.  THERE IS SO MUCH THAT NEEDS REFORMATION AND REVIVAL IN COMPOSITION STUDIES RIGHT NOW,  AND IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE LEAVE THEM IN THE COMMENTS SECTION OF THIS POST. MORE PROPOSALS FOR REVIVAL AND REFORMATION TO COME ON THIS BLOG IN THE FUTURE.