Overall, this course has given me a greater perspective on the power of language and composition. I also feel I have a greater understanding of the elements necessary for effective composition. I still don’t think I can pigeon hole myself into the objective view, or the subjective view, or the rhetorical view, but luckily this isn’t the point. The point is to consider the possibilities. The point is to be able to defend methods of teaching that value multiple perspectives. The point is finding some way to give students a reason to care about composition. I think if we can find a way to illustrate the overall effect that composition has had on our world, and more importantly, demonstrate the smaller more personal ways that our students’ composition can affect their own world, then we may be able to inspire a few students to work a little harder.
Not only do I like that we are learning how to demonstrate the power of language, but I like the ideal behind the power. I think negotiation is undervalued and worthy of being emphasized in the classroom. The idea that through the power of language we negotiate our world gives power and places emphasis on the word “negotiation.” In a world full of “inherently selfish” beings (still don’t know if I believe this but there are plenty of examples in our world), it is nice to think of students learning the value of negotiation.
This class also encouraged me to get a little more up to date on technology. I felt fairly confident in my technological capabilities, but this class reminded me of the pace at which technology grows. It also reminded me of my times as a student with teachers who made some effort to keep up, but they were still more comfortable with their archaic formats. Whether these formats worked or not in their time is not really important; what is important is the fact that they lost the engagement of their students who had moved on to different more progressive, though debatably better means of learning.
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2 comments:
This is a really well structured response. Theres alot of rhetoric represented in this write up. I find alot of similarities in the things we have gotten out of this class and I myself feel really fortunate that this class covered the topics it covered and not so much the gramatical aspects of rhetoric.
Mike - this is very well articulated. As you said, the purpose of the class was simply to "give students a reason to care about composition" and hopefully to also give us a reason for teaching it. I think that was my motivation in constructing the course: how do you get people caring about "issues in composition?" I think the answer is what you said: "I think if we can find a way to illustrate the overall effect that composition has had on our world, and more importantly, demonstrate the smaller more personal ways that our students’ composition can affect their own world, then we may be able to inspire a few students to work a little harder."
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