Teaching Assignments based on my Teaching Philosophy

In last week’s blog post I emphasize the mimetic and rhetorical philosophies of education. I would add to this that the aim would also be to foster a strong sense of ownership in the students. Students would be encouraged to contribute to the direction of the course and to find connections between their interests and the topics they choose to write about. James Britton discusses the importance of this exchange in “Writing and Reading in the Classroom.” Britton indicates that teachers should allow students to be the focus of the class, and that methods that are easy to teach are generally teacher-centered practices that place convenience over pedagogical value.



In order to achieve a classroom environment that encourages a student-centered pedagogy I would assign weekly journal entries. The journals would be written by the student with the teacher as the intended audience. According to Britton, this approach encourages dialogue between both parties of the learning process. It gives students the opportunity to write about a topic that is close to them, and allows the teacher to respond individually, and to raise questions, or suggest new directions in a non-threatening environment.



In order to encourage the mimetic philosophy of composition, which emphasizes research and knowledge of subject matter, I would assign research papers. Students would be allowed to choose a topic that interests them, but it would be required to be a topic that is fairly controversial. The first paper would allow the students to write from whichever perspective they choose. A second assignment would then be to write a paper on the same topic, but to present a different perspective. This activity would teach research skills and teach students to research and consider more than a single perspective.



The rhetorical philosophy would be conveyed through the final assignment. The course objective would be to enable students to identify and tailor a message to a specific audience. For this assignment students would be allowed to choose a written work, either a journal article, newspaper article, or another publication that interests them, and they would be required to identify the target audience and how the author directed the message to maximize the effect on that audience.



I would avoid assignments that emphasized the modes of discourse. After reading more about this approach to teaching composition, I feel that the modes of discourse place too much emphasis on the final product. The modes do not provide sufficient insight into how writing occurs. Robert Connors discusses the shortcomings of the modes in “The Rise and Fall of the Modes of Discourse.” He said that “they turn the attention of both teacher and student toward an academic exercise instead of toward a meaningful act of communication in a social context.”



Britton, J. (1988). Writing and reading in the classroom. In CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF READINGA READING RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTER REPORT (pp. 1-21). Retrieved from http://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/17633/ctrstreadtechrepv01988i00425_opt.pdf?sequence=1



Connors, R. (1981). The rise and fall of the modes of discourse. College Composition and Communication, 32(4), 444-455. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/356607

Philosophy of Teaching Composition

There is clearly not a one-size fits all philosophy to composition. Theories abound, as our readings have demonstrated. With all of these theories it can all become very confusing, which appears to be one major issue in the composition classroom. One of the worst experiences in academia is to be taught one thing, but to be graded according to another set of standards entirely. I am sure that we have all been in these situations. Fulkerson talks about this phenomenon in his paper "Four Philosophies of Composition." He describes this confusion of pedagogical style and evaluative methodology as "modal confusion." This occurs when, for example, a course is taught with an emphasis on developing logical arguments (mimetic), but the grade is assigned based on grammatical accuracy (formative).

I would say that my teaching philosophy would incorporate mimetic and rhetorical philosophies of composition.  Mimetic, in the sense that knowledge of the subject is essential in almost all forms of composition. The most obvious exceptions would be works of fiction, or poetry, where detachment from reality is part of the desired effect. You can see the influence of the mimetic philosophy in almost every branch of academia. This is why students are taught the importance of research, and how to explore both sides of any problem. It is not sufficient to study only the side that you wish to promulgate.

While knowledge of the subject matter is very important, it is also important to remember that you should tailor your message to the audience, this is the rhetorical philosophy of composition. Knowing your audience can influence what is emphasized by the writer. People tend to pay more attention to things that "hit close to home." In psychology they discuss this  as a theory of proximity. It is the reason why a newsworthy tragedy from Africa must be much more catastrophic than a tragedy in Alabama. It is in our nature to care more about the things that could potentially affect us personally. It is just smart writing to bear this tendency in mind.

Knowing your teaching philosophy is only the first step. It is important to analyze your teaching methods to ensure that they are consistent with your methods of evaluation. James Berlin sums up his paper "Contemporary Composition: The Major Pedagogical Theories" by saying "the test of one's competence as a composition instructor ... resides in being able to recognize and justify the version of the process being taught, complete with all its significance for the student."

Week 2: What is the most difficult thing to teach in the teaching of writing, and how do you go about teaching that?

Having never taught a writing course before, I feel that answering this week’s prompt is particularly challenging. Instead of attempting to transpose myself into the shoes of a teacher, I intend to share what I have observed as a writing student. In the past, I have struggled in classrooms that utilize audio or tactile styles of teaching. As a visual learner, I rely heavily on seeing examples, and writing notes. The learning style of the student can affect how they learn and how they compose. For example, an audio learner may draft by speaking their thoughts out loud several times before writing, while a visual learner may rely more heavily on a written outline.

The drafting process is a good example of how the different learning styles affect composition. I have been told that one should begin with the conclusion, or one should write a detailed summary, or a vague outline … and many other suggestions! The problem is that some people can think of an idea and immediately sit down and write, while others need the structure of an outline or summary to use as a road map for their work. Composition courses should encourage students to identify a drafting process that matches their learning and writing style.

In a composition course, students should be exposed to a variety of drafting methods, and they should be allowed to pick the method that suits them best. Sondra Perl (1978) explores the composition process and the steps that a student takes from idea to product, in “The Composing Processes of Unskilled College Writers.” This study revealed that students, who had previously been labeled as remedial, had a more sophisticated writing process than previously thought. This is important, because if the writing process can be identified and understood, there is a greater chance that the process can be improved. I think the most difficult challenge for teachers of composition (and teachers in general) is finding a teaching method that reaches all students regardless of their learning style.

Week 1

I am currently employed as a pre-award grant proposal analyst in the Office of Research Services at Texas Tech University. A grant proposal analyst assists faculty and staff in the preparation and submission of all types of research proposals: federal, state, local, non-profit, and industry. Each sponsor utilizes different guidelines, different terms and conditions, and different submission platforms, which make each submission unique and challenging. I have been employed in this role since January 2011, and yet I am still encountering new and challenging tasks on an almost daily basis. It is because of the variety and challenging nature of my work that I have decided to pursue a career in proposal administration. It is my goal to move from my current position to a management role within the same field, which will require the completion of a graduate degree, and at least three years of relevant experience. It is my hope that, by December 2013, I will have achieved both of these milestones.

Broadly defined, composition is the act of creating a product from various parts. This could refer to the act of composing a musical ensemble with a variety of instruments, or a written work from various ideas and concepts. When discussing composition and the written word, composition can be described as the authorship process whereby the original concept is transformed into prose and formatted into a finished product.