FYC Assignment and Syllabus: Composition Scholars that Influenced Me

For a refresher, an excerpt from my assignment/syllabus is as follows:

“Assignment 1 (in class)-Review the picture shown…..and describe using 140 characters or less (a restraint of Twitter) what you interpret from the picture.  All of the student’s responses will be shown on the screen in the front of the class and we will examine the similarities and differences present among each student’s description.

The syllabus includes assignments that will hopefully help the students connect how they ‘compose’ and use technology now, to the evolution of composition and technology (to some extent)..…Shaughnessy in her DIVING IN section specifically addresses the notion of the teacher making a decision to become a “student of new disciplines and of his student’s” (p. 297), which is really another hallmark of this assignment.  I would suspect that many of the students are much more familiar with Twitter than I would be.  Bruffee, of course, talks a lot about collaborative learning and stresses that the collaboration be a “social engagement in intellectual pursuits-a genuine part of students’ educational development” (414).  This is what I would hope for from any syllabus or set of assignments”.

For this blog post, I have chosen to focus on five other composition scholars from the list of course keywords that have influenced my outlook on FYC goals and delivery of composition assignments.

Donald Murray-writing as a process

What is most memorable to me about Donald Murray’s work is his emphasis on writing as a process.  He considered writing to be a challenge and always a different experience and that the importance for any writer was to embrace that experience.  He was also instrumental in identifying the similarities between the writing process and successful learning strategies.  I took these philosophies into account when defining my syllabus and corresponding assignments in trying to present technology as an experience both to learn and to write about.

David Bartholomae-appropriate discourse

In addition to being a recommended author for additional resources, David Bartholomae also has an essay published in Cross-Talk in Comp Theory (NCTE, 2011).  The essay entitled “Inventing the University” discusses the student’s attempt at using appropriate ‘discourse’.  In his essay “Writing Assignments:  Where Writing Begins”, Bartholomae quotes Edward Said, “To begin to write is to “know” what at the outset cannot be known except by inventing it, exactly, intentionally, autodidactially”.  In my assignment, I have tried to incorporate the parallels between changing technologies and their changing discourses.  The casualness of Twitter compared to the formality of the written essay is used as a concept and as a writing tool.

   

Peter Elbow-the Mother Tongue

In describing the ‘Mother Tongue’ Peter Elbow discusses his struggle in teaching students ‘correct’ English.  “Standard Written English is no one’s mother tongue” (p. 644).  Elbow uses this to support teaching different cultures, dialects and even social classes.  While perhaps not the intent of his essay, using a variety of technologies in an assignment, supports this same position.  For example, 'texting' literacy is distinct from standard written English as words are often reduced to mere acronyms, yet this language is understood across a range of cultures.  The act of using the touch screen on an iPhone is the same, regardless of the language being spoken.  In my assignment(s), I use Twitter as a starting point to represent a universal ‘mother tongue’.

Patricia Bizzell-contact zones

Contact Zones are described by Patricia Bizzell as distinct areas of literary cultural divide.  The zones are defined largely in terms of historical circumstances and multiculturalism.   The connection between my assignment(s) and contact zones is in the interpretive analysis of a visual image.  A student’s experience, history and culture will lead them towards one kind of interpretation.  By presenting all initial ‘Tweets’ to the entire class for discussion, existing contact zones will be introduced.

Richard Fulkerson-four philosophies of composition

Richard Fulkerson is well known for his description of the four philosophies of composition which include the formal, expressive, rhetorical and mimetic.  Most writers have a natural tendency towards a certain kind of composition philosophy, but can be taught the differences and significance of each.  The assignment(s) I propose address these philosophies at different times through evaluation of different technologies and through the use of those technologies.  Twitter, for example, lends itself to a very expressive philosophy.

Sample Assignment for a First Year Composition Class Using New Technologies

First Year Composition-English ‘5060-2012’

Instructor-Tricia Fausset

This semester we will be learning about composition from the ‘top-down’.  That is, we will start with readily available technologies and resources such as Twitter and email to describe an event and then work backwards, technologically speaking, to expand on the writing.

It started with a Tweet.

Assignment 1 (in class)-Review the picture shown in Figure 1 and describe with your clickers and using 140 characters or less (a restraint of Twitter) what you interpret from the picture.  All of the student’s responses will be shown on the screen in the front of the class and we will examine the similarities and differences present among each student’s description.  You will then provide your own critique of each composition.

Figure 1

****Notes about the assignment and semester project(s)****

The goal of this first assignment is to get the students using their own words to evaluate a visual image.  Additionally, this first assignment gets students used to using the clickers and their corresponding technology.  Because of the anonymity associated with the clicker technology, students will begin to learn how to provide honest and meaningful evaluation of others work.  They will be engaging in peer review.  As the semester proceeds, the image will change somewhat, but retain some of it's original characteristics.  As the image changes, so too will the student's description/composition evolve with those changes.  The next assignment will involve students, working in groups, to perform a similar operation, but with an expanded image (see Figure 2).  

Figure 2

This involves collaborative work as well as a continuing development of multiple digital literacies.  As the semester proceeds, the picture will expand and the students will be asked to expand their composition to a facebook post, an email, a word document, a typewritten composition as well as others.

The syllabus includes assignments that will hopefully help the students connect how they ‘compose’ and use technology now, to the evolution of composition and technology (to some extent).  These ideas are closely aligned with Yancey and in particular her argument for the importance of teaching composition in a variety of literacies as well as the circulation of those compositions (Twitter feeds, Facebook posts, etc.).  I also pay some homage to Yancey by borrowing from her dramatic ‘We have a moment’ and replacing it with ‘It started with a Tweet’, which will be a running theme for each assignment in this syllabus.  Furthermore, Shaughnessy in her DIVING IN section specifically addresses the notion of the teacher making a decision to become a “student of new disciplines and of his student’s” (p. 297), which is really another hallmark of this assignment.  I would suspect that many of the students are much more familiar with Twitter than I would be.

Connections and collaborative learning are important goals for me to include in any semester program.  Bruffee, of course, talks a lot about collaborative learning and stresses that the collaboration be a “social engagement in intellectual pursuits-a genuine part of students’ educational development” (414).  This is what I would hope for from any syllabus or set of assignments.

What is Literacy?

From Google.com:  competence or knowledge in a specified area. 

From Dictionary.com:  a person’s knowledge of a particular subject or field.

I’ve specifically chosen these definitions because they broadly define the term literacy as a general state of being knowledgeable about ‘something’.  I don’t view literacy as being tied to a particular subject like reading or writing.  It is the accumulation of information or education.  It is "created across spaces, across time" (Yancey, p. 791).  But further, literacy seems to really be a means to an end and that end is communication.  For being literate in any subject implies the inherent knowledge to communicate information about that subject.

To better understand how the term literacy came to be popularized, I investigated the history of the term and found an interesting paper by Amy Alexandra Wilson at the University of Georgia.  In her paper, Learning from Past and Present Uses of the Term Literacy¹, “the history of.………the actual word literacy emerged relatively late on the scene, first appearing in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. Like its predecessors lettered and literate, the term literacy referred to more than the ability to read and write alphabetic letters, although this skill was still central to definitions of the word. Like lettered, this word was still paired with ways of being, which included being refined habits and tastes. Continuing the trend that had begun with the word literate, the term literacy was also often paired with large-scale political, social, and economic goals as well” (p. 7).

Knobel and Lankshear (2007), developed a dual definition of literacy as they distinguish between ‘big L’ literacy and ‘little l’ literacy.  According to the authors, “literacy, with a ‘small l,’ describes the actual processes of reading, writing, viewing, listening, manipulating images and sound…and using words and symbols that are part of…larger, more embodied literacy practices” (p. 220).  The term literacy in this definition is not limited to a facility with printed words, however it is firmly connected to people’s facility with reading and writing texts, albeit multimodal ones.  In contrast, “Big L Literacies are connected with identities, patterns, and ways of being in the world rather than solely with the acts of reading and writing” (Lewis, 2007, p. 240).

There are a multitude of examples of the use of the term literacy: scientific literacy, wine literacy, agricultural literacy, reality TV literacy, music literacy, etc.  The application of literacy is seemingly limitless.  This is an important point even when considering reading and writing literacy.  In fact, in the case of English composition, successful English literacy can possibly be achieved by the incorporation of other subjects with which a student is already literate.  In this case, the storyline has already been decided so there can be focus on content delivery or communication.

1.  http://www.americanreadingforum.org/yearbook/yearbooks/08_yearbook/html/

arf_08_wilson.htm

Knobel, M., & Lankshear, C. (2007). Online memes, affinities, and cultural production. In M. Knobel & C. Lankshear (Eds.), A new literacies sampler (pp. 199-227). New York: Peter Lang.

Lewis, C. (2007). New literacies. In M. Knobel & C. Lankshear (Eds.), A new literacies sampler (pp. 229-237). New York: Peter Lang.

Extended Analysis Review(s)

There was a wealth of information to be gained from my 5060 colleagues regarding a variety of subjects through extended analysis.

I found the delivery of information via podcast or other audio means very useful.  In particular, Amelia's podcast about James Berlin was enhanced, in my opinion, by the use of a musical score.  Amelia's choice added drama and interest to an already fascinating character.  I was intrigued from the beginning by the mention of Berlin's heart attack and immediately wanted to know more details about his life prior to his fateful death.  If I were to make one suggestion, it would be to finish each sentence strong so that the music does not interfere with the narration.

On the other end of the spectrum was Emily's essay and PowerPoint associated with the use of technology in first year composition.  The essay was filled with interesting quotes regarding the importance of technology as a new required 'literacy' for Generation M.  While the essay is not specifically about Generation M, I would be interested in knowing what the 'M' refers to.  I would suspect perhaps 'mobile', but there may be more significance to this particular choice of letters.  A few words on it's origin and/or meaning might also reinforce the significance of the technology literacy aspect.  The PowerPoint master slides that Emily chose created interest without becoming a distraction. The information was short and to the point on each slide which is important for keeping the audience interested.  While the slideshow will eventually be presented to the 5060 class, it might be worthwhile to add sound or narration so that it could also be viewed as a standalone presentation.  My extended analysis, while on different subject, also includes an essay and PowerPoint presentation and while it has already been uploaded into the class archive, I am working on adding additional features such as sound, narration and animation, so that it can be viewed as a standalone.

I also found the podcast by Mackinzee and Corey about plagiarism very informative.  It had the feel of a lesson or teacher training session.  The words on my screen were a little bit fuzzy which I know is due to the transfer of technical information across different mediums, but I bring it up because I experience this myself when trying to save presentations as movie files.  Certain fonts can be more 'screen friendly', but I'm wondering if there are other ways or 'tricks' that can be used to add clarity to the screens.  The information was very thorough, but I would recommend incorporating some visuals and/or audio to add dimension and variety to the presentation.

MOO vs. Skype in Online Classes About Writing, and How it Relates to this Business of Dogs.......................................or Modality and Anonymity

                   

             

The theory of connectivism asserts that:

•        Learning and knowledge rests in diversity of opinions.
•        Learning is a process of connecting specialized nodes or information sources.
•        Learning may reside in non-human appliances.
•        Capacity to know more is more critical than what is currently known.
•        Nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning.
•     Ability to see connections between fields, ideas, and concepts is a core skill.
•     Decision-making is itself a learning process.  Choosing what to learn and the   meaning of incoming information is seen through the lens of a shifting reality.  While there is a right answer now, it may be wrong tomorrow due to alterations in the information climate affecting the decision.  (www.elearnspace.org)

What the Internet provides us with is a mode of digitally connecting to information and what the MOO and Skype give us is a mode of digitally connecting to individuals that are also able to connect to the information.  So connectivism in this case is not just about connecting to topics or information, connecting to people or experiences, but making the actual electronic connections to the hardware.  How are the MOO and Skype different in this respect?  Besides the obvious system requirements, I am going to focus on the MOO and Skype as information, conversation and social delivery modes.

My first experience with an online course was as part of the TCR program at Texas Tech.  The professor chose Microsoft Lync as the mode of digital classroom communication.  Microsoft Lync is similar to Skype in that it has the ability deliver information via text, audio and visual modes.  For our course, we were going to use text and audio so as to avoid the additional bandwidth requirements for smooth video transmission.  I had experience with Skype as a social tool, so I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about not being able to ‘see’ someone.  Additionally, while I consider myself a decent typist, I wondered how it would even be possible to have a ‘conversation’ strictly using text.  It turned out to be a highly efficient way to conduct an online class.  Participants had a choice in how they could communicate to other class members.  Most classmates stayed involved via text comments and when asked by the instructor to specifically address a topic via the audio component, students were very willing to let their voices be heard.  Aside from the awkward moments of silence when most likely society politeness was dictating that participants wait and let their fellow students ‘go first’, this dual mode was very effective.  The professor was able to share all content on his screen so he could provide a variety of presentations that we could see simultaneously.  While I originally thought not having the video feed of all participants would make it difficult to personally ‘connect’ to my fellow students, I wonder now if having the video feed would have presented a distraction from the class content.

Shortly after arriving at Texas Tech for the ‘Maynar’, I heard a conversation nearby that included a very familiar voice.  I immediately realized that this was one of my classmates from the Microsoft Lync connected class and went up and officially introduced myself.  I liked the idea that I knew who it was because I had already ‘heard’ them.  My next class in the TCR distance program, however, was not going to involve audio.  The course content synchronous delivery used the Texas Tech MOO (Massive Open Online) courseware.  Even after logging on to the MOO, it took me awhile to figure out that the ‘recorder’ was not an audio recorder.  How was I going to feel ‘connected’ to everyone and the material without some form of audio or visual contact?  What I have found with the MOO, is that it seems to be a highly effective mode of course delivery, particularly for a writing program because everything in the course must be written.  The only mode of communication or connection to participants is through the words that they type.  It is a great way to work on audience, voice, tone and even content.  It is difficult to respond to all topic threads as there are often several views appearing simultaneously, but because the transcripts are recorded and available, review of ‘conversations’ can take place at a leisurely pace.  I feel like I have gotten to ‘know’ some of my classmates through the words they write and while I won’t be able to recognize my classmates voice in a crowd, if I did have an in-person contact with them, I believe I would be able to make a ‘connection’ to their textual style in the MOO.

Now, what about this business of dogs?  As Peter Steiner says, “On the internet, nobody knows you’re a dog.”  What a fascinatingly simple, yet complex statement about anonymity and maybe even fantasy.  I have to admit I was not familiar with Steiner’s particular quote until Dr. Rice brought it to my attention, but there are similar types of adages and even songs about this notion of being whoever you want to be when no one can see or hear you.  Brad Paisley says it well in the lyrics to his song Online: 

…I'm 5'3 and overweight

I'm a Sci-Fi fanatic

Mild asthmatic

Never been to 2nd base

But there's a whole nother me

That you need to see

Go check out MySpace

'cause online I'm out in Hollywood

I'm 6'5 and I look damn good

I drive a Maserati

I'm a black belt in Karate

                                                     And I love a good glass of wine…

But what about anonymity in online writing courses?  It isn’t really the same kind of anonymity to me.  It doesn’t seem to involve creating online personas that are drastically different than real-life personas.  In fact, the writer’s ‘voice’ can often be ‘heard’ through the words that he/she writes.  And there may be a benefit to using the delivery mode as really another tool to practice writing free from any distractions of what someone looks like, or where they are when the course is taking place or if they are eating or drinking while participating.  All of these layers are peeled away including the potential that the inspiration for what is being written is actually coming from a dog!

I’m reminded of a situation that occurred in my household with my son and his friend when they were about 12.  We had a dog named Oscar and as is the case in many households, I often spoke for the dog, you know in that crazy high pitched or low pitched voice that is meant to represent a canine.  My son always played along, but clearly knew that I was the one speaking.  He told his friend that our dog ‘talked’ to which his friend replied with skepticism.  Of course, Oscar (i.e.-me) had to reply to his skepticism and when I turned away I heard his friend tell my son, “Dude, that was your mom.”  Does this mean that for a short time his friend thought the dog actually talked?  Did his friend know something that I didn’t?

In summary, the MOO, Skype, online writing and even dogs can be ‘connected’ by their differences or their so-called ‘contact zones’; treating their differences “as an asset, not a liability.” (Bizzell, p. 463).  I’m not being facetious here.  Consider the three photos at the beginning of this blog post.  The ‘cow’ represents the MOO, the ‘sky’ represents Skype (I took some liberties here) and the ‘dog’ well, represents the dog.  The text on the menu board represents written text.  All three photos could have been taken in the same shot.  But they weren’t, they were not even in close proximity to each other (different countries and/or states).  But I am able to bring them together, to ‘connect’ them on this page.  This allows me to present them simultaneously.  However, they are distinct photos that each has it’s own story and those differences are what make this story unique from others.  The fact that I brought them together in this way creates a unifying medium with which to discuss their differences.  Not unlike discussing the MOO, Skype and this business about dogs.

Sample Teaching Assignments for a First-Year Composition Class

INTRODUCTION

Since I have never taught a first-year composition course, I checked out the WPA Outcomes Statement for the course.  I have come up with a set of assignments that I could really see myself using in an actual course.  I have tried to incorporate a lot of connections for the students including connecting each assignment to the one previous.  The notion of these connections, I believe, closely mimics my teaching philosophy statement.

I’ve included the potential for a reading assignment, although I have purposefully not specified any text.  In the sciences, we have some textbooks which are just later editions of essentially the same material.  What I have found very useful in the TCR program readings is the incorporation of multiple books and papers by a wide range of authors.  This has given me insight into a variety of styles and topics.  I believe I would want to customize the reading assignments in a similar way.  I also recognize, however, that I might be just one of many instructors teaching a course and if there was a ‘required’ textbook, I would have to figure out a way to make that work within the parameters of my assignments.

Additionally, these assignments, while assessed individually, will take into consideration all previously listed assessment focuses as well so as to continue building on information.  The final assignment will be a culmination of the use of the tools and techniques acquired throughout the semester.

ASSIGNMENTS

Written Assignment 1:

Use the pen/pencil and paper provided to you to write a page describing something interesting that you recently read.  It can be anything-a book, magazine article, street sign, twitter trend, facebook post, email……anything.  Include the following information:

• Details regarding format (electronic, visual, etc.)
• Why you found it interesting.
• Where you were when you read it.
• If anyone was with you when you read it.
• If you told anyone about it.

Assessment focus:  Content

Reading Assignment 1

Written Assignment 2:

Use the pen/pencil and paper provided to you to review and respond to the comments and questions posted on your first assignment.  Re-write the assignment incorporating any corrections to grammar and punctuation that have been noted or that you were made aware of in the readings.  Also add to your topic by including:

• Introducing a research question related to your topic.
• What resources you would use to address your research question.

Assessment focus:  Grammar and punctuation.

Reading Assignment 2

Written Assignment 3:

Use the computer workstations to transcribe your written essay into Microsoft Word.  Review and respond to comments and questions posted on your second assignment.  Address your research question by utilizing the resource(s) you have described.  Add to your essay by including:

• An appropriate title.
• An abstract that describes your essay.
• The name of a project that has also addressed your topic.

Assessment focus:  Style and detail.

Reading Assignment 3

Written Assignment 4:

You are going to be placed in randomly assigned groups of six to eight.  Before proceeding, you will need to read each of your group member’s essays from Assignment 3.  Next you will need to:

• Write down how your essay topic is connected to at least half of your group members topics.
• Make a flow chart showing the hierarchy of connections for all topics.
• Decide on an overall theme for the essays of your group based on the connections.

Assessment focus:  Depth of connections.

Reading Assignment 4

Written Assignment 5:

Working with your group, use the publishing software at the computer workstations to compile your groups essays into a publication.  Include a cover design and any other visuals you think would enhance your publication.  You must also include:

• A written description of your publication that could be included on a publisher’s website.
• A  description of the intended audience or who you think might best appreciate or enjoy your publication.
• A list of two other publications that readers of your essays might also enjoy.

Assessment focus:  Audience appropriateness.

Reading Assignment 5

Written Assignment 6:

Provide an individual, compelling, written review of one of the other groups ‘publications’.  Include a review of:

• The finished product.
• The topic connections.
• The audience appropriateness.
• The related materials.

Assessment focus:  Analytical skills.

Reading Assignment 6

Final Written Assignment:

For the remainder of the course, you will be composing a 10-page essay on a topic of your choice that includes proper grammar, good style, relevant connections to other materials, good research techniques and sources, analytical skills and audience appropriateness.  Periodic drafts of the final essay will be submitted electronically for evaluation and commenting.

Assessment focus:  All

Additional Reading

DISCUSSION

I have to admit that I have not had experience with so-called ‘remedial’ writers, but I have tried to imagine the range of students that I get in introductory chemistry classes.  I have really tried to consider that besides differences in experiences and aptitude in general, there will most likely be large differences in ‘cognitive style’ and ‘mental processes’ as well (Rose, p. 327).  And in a way, my lack of experience in teaching first-year composition has prevented me from being ‘tainted’ by some theories regarding understanding mental processes.  “…their [the theories] richness should not keep us from careful consideration of their limits” (Rose, p. 326). 

Overall, my assignments support my belief that connections are important and that part of those connections include those made with colleagues and classmates.  I have tried to put into practice what is really my teaching rationale which supports the idea of collaborative learning.

My Philosophy of Teaching Composition

Teaching Philosophy Statement

Making connections is at the core of my teaching philosophy.  I believe that the learning experience is greatly enhanced when:

   1)  Students can make connections to the tools and topics being introduced to them.

   2)  Students can make connections to their fellow students, their community and the world around them. 

♬ Teaching Philosophy  ♫

Since I teach chemistry, biochemistry and biotechnology, I decided to do a little research related to teaching college writing composition before addressing this blog topic.  I explored various resources including syllabi and curriculum associated with a first year composition course as well as Richard Fulkerson’s Four Philosophies of College Composition.  I used simple search engine phrases such as ‘teaching composition’ to retrieve a collection of works related to the subject.  The search results included not only writing composition, but also several sources related to music composition.  At first, I spent some time revising my search phrases so as to narrow the results, but then it occurred to me that music was the perfect analogy for describing my teaching philosophy and teaching style.

Consider any musical composition.  Nearly all pianos have the same eighty-eight keys.  That means that every song, melody or jingle is just a different combination of connecting those keys.  And the possible new combinations are limitless.  Some people have a natural gift when it comes to connecting the keys, but that gift can be nurtured if they are exposed to other compositions or musical instruments.  Other individuals require more rigid instructional methods and theory in order to understand the outcome of their composition or how it will be received/perceived. 

Students in writing composition are essentially presented with the twenty-six letters of the alphabet.  From this, they must compose a broad range of written materials.  It is my goal to show students some ways in which they can use the tools presented to them without limiting what they do with those tools.  Spelling and punctuation in written composition are important because they help to deliver the message, but they are by no means the only tools.  In fact, the tools associated with composition have evolved as technology has evolved.  Spell-check tools in word processing software programs are typically automatically invoked to help guide the spelling correctness of a composition just as Auto-Tune (Antares Technologies) is a software program that can be used to correct for pitch ‘inaccuracies’ in voice and instrument recordings.

In order for me, as a teacher, to even begin to help students connect to the tools available to them, I must continue to learn about the new technologies as they develop.  This doesn’t mean that I need to be an expert in using the technology.  In fact, it is quite the contrary.  I would rather introduce the tools to students and have them show me what they are able to do with it.  Furthermore, the various topics of technology can be a way to connect students directly to the material.  For example, some writing composition students may already use Auto-tune or other software or gaming as a hobby.  Having students write about their experience with that technology is a way to bridge the subject of composition with a topic of interest.

Students can bring their own individual experiences to an instructional setting and deliver beautiful and meaningful messages much like a solo performer would.  But if you take a solo pianist, add some string, horns and percussion, you get an orchestra where everyone is making a contribution.  This becomes an experience for all of the musicians as well as anyone within listening distance.  The same can be said of the writing experience.  I believe that collaborative writing and review can help students see how writing connects them to others and the world around them.

Using Fulkerson’s classifications, my teaching philosophy can be broadly defined as expressive.  In fact, I do “desire to have writing contain an interesting, credible, honest and personal voice” (Fulkerson, 1979).  But I think there are also elements of the formalist, mimetic and rhetorical philosophies all interwoven into my teaching style.   The rules adhered to in the formalist approach must be taught so that a composition makes sense or can communicate to the reader.  This leads to my adoption of the rhetorical philosophy.  Namely, “good writing is writing adapted to achieve the desired effect on the desired audience” (Fulkerson, p. 346).  Finally, the mimetic philosophy is supported by my desire to have students connect to the topic by their understanding of the topic.  This may require research on the student’s part in order to gain an understanding of the topic.

Berlin discusses expressionist textbooks and how most “emphasize the use of metaphor either directly or by implication” or how they “specifically recommend the cultivation of the ability to make analogies” (Berlin, 1982).  And again, upon reflection, I certainly see myself in this description.  As an ‘expressionist’ and a scientist, I found Flower and Hayes’ protocol analysis of writers in action extremely informative (Flower, 1981) and the resulting writing process, with it’s de-emphasis on the timing or linearity of that process aligned well with my teaching philosophy.

While I posted this teaching philosophy with respect to composition, it is in fact the same philosophy I ascribe to in my science classes.  And if you were thinking that a scientist is more of a formalist than an expressivist, I would respond by saying that science is art and the living world is a composition.  After all, nearly all living things are made up of only six elements (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous and sulfur) from the periodic table.  It is the limitless connection of these elements to each other that provides nature with its harmonious diversity.

Berlin, James A. (1982).  Contemporary Composition The Major Pedagogical Theories in Cross-Talk in Comp Theory A Reader.

Flower, Linda and John R Hayes (1981).  A Cognitive process Theory of Writing in Cross-Talk in Comp Theory A Reader.

Fulkerson, Richard (1979).  Four Philosophies of Composition, College Composition and Communication, 30(4):  343-348.