Just about had it with this semester.

As the semester unfolded, I was able to acquire certain skills of writing that I had not considered in my life, but I am glad that this course is almost over for good because it has been a very long semester. I did the mistake of signing up for four writing courses this semester which was not a good idea at all. With that being said, this semester helped me grow as an individual, become more responsible, and to not be put off by any assignment that might seem to be too overwhelming or complicated.

Hey there, superstarbeigepowerranger, I think we have all felt like this especially with such a demanding course like Composition Pedagogy. As I was writing my position papers I kept taking breaks, and advancing very little on the actual writing; it took me a full week to complete the paper, and I still need to edit. The good thing is that the semester is about to deplete, so we must make the best of these coming weeks.

ok that’s a lie, ive been working my butt off but i keep taking breaks and checking social media. I think it’s all the stress of finishing up the position paper! This break has been mentally exhausting, so many things due, so little time. I remembered about what we discussed in class about people checking their phones or getting on facebook, simply procastinating or taking breaks. I’ve been doing that too, and I get up a lot because then i can’t think straight and get frustrated. I seriously feel at the verge of cant even college, but not quite there yet. 

I think you make an excellent point here, Fabianmm13, bilingualism can be portrayed as a positive or negative aspect of one’s life based on the type of validation student’s receive while using Spanish or Spanglish. Typically, Spanglish and Spanish are ridiculed by those hardheaded individuals who dwell in the past, and thrive to conserve the past. Nations are growing rapidly, and in my opinion it is just a matter of time before the perspective changes into praising this type of art. Not everyone in this world can have a fluid conversations using two languages. Im not saying Spanish and Spanglish should be used academically, but if one uses it because they want to then people who are bothered by it must get with the times and learn more than one lousy language.

Teaching with Bilingual Students

Here in RGV if not all then a good percentage of the classrooms have students that speak two or more languages, this is good thing because it allows for more understanding of different types of materials and cultures. However, there is also a difficulty that comes with having bilingual students in the classrooms and that is having the students have a common understanding on the course material. At least here in this area, Spanish is equally spoken just as much as English, if not more in some areas but having Spanish as a first language can be difficult for students when it comes to learning in an English dominant setting. Since there is a more ever growing amount of diversity in the classrooms than ever before the struggle is having educators find a way to respect the students but also teach them the required material to move on with their education. For me the biggest thing to keep in mind is the student’s respect because I know first hand that many schools shame students for speaking Spanish or using Tex-Mex instead of solid English. This can embarrass and also discourage students and lose respect for education and their own culture. 

Feel free to share any thoughts

Validation is an important concept all around not solely regarding the validation of our students work. With validation our world would be obsolete to society, and it’s interesting that you bring this up on your post. I also feel that our students need not only feedback, but direct influence from a teacher by making time for those who need more validation than others. 

Until recently I was not truly considerate of how important validation is to students. Without validation a student cannot achieve or grow intellectually. Let me explain, if a student does not receive validation of their work, they will not be inclined to try to improve in it or maybe even learn it at all. When I was a tutor, I had, many times, students ask me “How is this composition writing going to be beneficial to me? When will I ever even use it?” The lack of validation makes students either put in the minimum amount of work or decide that the results are not worth the effort. In order to give students some level of validation, you might assign work that feels relevant tho them. For example, ask them to compare their own experiences to the theories or experiences being discussed in class. This, at least, gives the student the feeling that they are personally involved in their work and therefore validated by it. Another method might be allowing the student to choose the topic. Everybody always invests more effort in something that interests them. Allowing students to choose their own topic for writing can help them feel validated in thet they are contributing to something that they enjoy. Finally, you can simply provide positive feedback to students on where they are improving and what they do right. I practiced this kind of method back when I tutored for English composition. Knowing that they were actually improving made them feel validated for the work they did and really affected how they took criticism for their errors. In the end, validation is truly essential to student development. What do you guys think? Can you think of other ways that teachers can help students feel validated? I look forward to hearing your responses.

Hey there, Erix, nicely put, English Literature or Composition is certainly not the easiest subject, but neither is it the hardest, as professionals, we must pursue alternative ways that have not been introduced to current classrooms in order to help new students prosper. Focus on reading will always be our ultimatum and I’m glad you feel this way as well.

Composition and Pedagogy

As I was writing my extensive research of how to improve literacy in educational institutions I came across with the idea of how complicated and complex is to teach the course of English and composition due to the fact that it is a very complex material that is subject to change over the course of the years, and I find it intriguing that we as prospective English educators should ferry with that idea that we have to accommodate with every form because of the constant technological, societal, cultural, industrial development.  As the general population develops so does the language because there will be language development that we as English majors and future teachers should keep up to in order to be effective educators. 

Throughout the course of the semester I have gained a vast knowledge of how different teaching methods were conducted decades ago and how classes are administered in contemporaneous classrooms which are very different but still there is room for improvement since society is in this phase of rapid changes, such as gay marriage, immigration, women’s rights, war and the list goes on.  There are many political matters at hand in this era, therefore, there is going to be countless forms of reading and composition that we as educators should heed of.

Art interpretation has alway fascinated me, so when we covered the concept in class I was in agreement with John Berger to the point because art interpretation can be a very complex phenomenon. Many factors can play during one’s interpretation of art including: ones mood, the person we are with, the drink we are holding, a gum we might be chewing, the weather, more females than males in the room and vice versa. When interpreting art, the amount of interpretations are limitless, and it is the same scenario with with composition, and writing creatively; the interpretation that we might get from our reader’s might vary drastically from individual to individual and might also be similar. It is this idea that interpretation can lead to self identification which is needed to be shared with our future students so that way they can incorporate this idea into their creative writing and academic perspectives. What do you guys think?

I like how you correlated waiting / drawing with composition; i also believe that if we were to show students that writing can also be fun and could be written in ways that could be left for interpretation just like art, but we must show them so. Interpretation is, in my opinion, associated with our individual mind development, and whatever is interpreted is directly connected with the life experience we individuals possess.

Art Interpretation

 We all have a different Interpretations and perspectives when looking at art. The goal of art is to have a thought and emotion towards it. In the film John Berger shows us different ways of viewing art. You can look at a piece of art and think the art is finished, when it it simply zoomed in with a larger story. Even music can make a huge difference when watching a movie or play. For example scary movies wouldn’t be scary if there were no background music. The presentation and sounds we hear throughout the movie make us react and feel more involved and connected. When writing stories we need to create imagery for the reader and hook them into our words because as painters, we took the time to write our essay and tell our story. 

Your drawing a picture with words. If students see writing as drawing a picture then they may see writing as fun. Its a time to express yourself, improve your skills, and open your eyes to another way of thinking. We all have different perspectives and interpretations of the way we view a situation, which makes us all unique. Its like when being assigned a essay prompt, we have to create a topic that has multiple views for the students. When writing students need to view themselves as an artist, bring in the viewers to their world. 

Your Drawing a Picture With Words. :)

Nice, post here, I also think that graffiti can have an impacting effect on our minds depending on what angle we use to analyze the art. Taking the setting where the graffiti sits into consideration can also play an effect of the meaning behind the cat on the ruins of what was left after the war. Perspective brings objects to life, so it is important to consider all possible interpretations not just one.

“ Palestinians walk past a mural of a playful-looking kitten, presumably painted by British street artist Banksy, on the remains of a house that witnesses said was destroyed by Israeli shelling during a 50-day war last summer, in Biet Hanoun town in the northern Gaza Strip February 26, 2015.”- Fares Akram, Business Insider. 

I thought this image was really interesting and relatable to the video we watched. To me, this image speaks many things. It’s not so much that the cat has a meaning ,it is the context around it contrasting to the actual graffiti that moves me. I think of hope amongst the ruins. This is why i like graffiti, it is so mobile and it speaks many things, it isn’t held in a pedastal like tradicional paintings, so the authority of it becomes very hard to determine. I mean, how can someone determine the ownership of street art? Why should it matter? What I mean is, when something is painted on the street it very much becomes part of that street, it turns public, it becomes a message for the public, and it belongs to them, the viewers. It is like when something is posted online, like on Wikipedia. So, is this composition? I think so. It is rhetoric, it has a strong message and a purpose and it can be interpretd or explained, expanded, manipulated, shaped, given new meanings.   

I agree, discipline plays a major role on what we do when we read or write. I am also guilty of checking my phone to browse through social media which really does kill time. When it comes to writing, we are very similar; I also enjoy writing in my room laying down with no music or tv so that way I concentrate a lot better and project my thoughts onto my computer screen efficiently. Breaks are needed and my breaks also vary like yours, this helps me refresh my mind and come ups with ideas to discuss on my writing.

Observing students at work

I always observe people when I’m at the library, which is why its hard for me to do my assignments at school. I can only brainstorm in public but when it comes to writing a detailed essay I have to have complete silence. All my homework gets done in my room on my bed. No music or TV, just my thoughts. I can work for an hour and sometimes more depending on the assignment. I take breaks of course since the computer screen begins to burn my eyes. My penmanship is not pretty so I find it faster and easier to do my work on the computer. My breaks consist of eating, cleaning my room, checking out the house to see what my family is doing, just about anything to get my mind off my work for a while. 

         Girl          Boy                 Posture                 Tool they used      Action      

1        X                                   Straight back            Computer          Shaking leg

2        X                                   Slouched                  Laptop               Biting nails

3                       X                    Slouched                  Laptop                Headphones

4                       X                    Leaning back           Computer/           Biting pen                                                                                     Spiral

subject 1: She seems to be concentrated on her assignment because she rarely looked up to see her surroundings. She would text once an awhile, which can be like her break and then go back to typing.

subject 2: She didn’t seemed interested in her assignment. She would mess with her nails and text a lot. She would type for a good five minutes and they go back to being distracted by her phone for the same about of time or longer.

subject 3: He seemed to be on a roll or really enjoying his music. I would see his fingers typing away, while his head was bobbing. He would look at his phone once and awhile. 

subject 4: He seemed to be thinking a lot and would write some stuff down on his spiral. He would type a little bit on the computer, but spent his time mostly on his spiral. He would text as well and then go back to biting his pen to think. 

Now a days we can’t help but take a look at our phones. I’m guilty of it, texting, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, there are so many distractions. I also use these distractions as a break for myself. It takes me away from the assignment but it can kill a lot of time. It’s best to put your phone aside when doing your assignments or just discipline your self to one website. Discipline seems to be the key work when doing an assignment because it takes concentration and determination to finish a assignment correctly.

I agree, when we write for academic purposes or to complete an assignment in order to receive a grade it is difficult to stay focused because what we are engaged on is not of our interest making it difficult to complete the assignment. I also prefer writing creatively, more specifically poetry, because when I write poetry its like a puzzle for me, I want to figure it out and keep on writing, but that is not the case with research papers. Research papers are boring and dull, but if it was not for these journals and people who advance research through writing we would have not been such an advanced humanity. It all boils down to preference not everyone like to write poetry and not everyone likes to write academic papers.

How I Write

I usually do homework at Moonbeans because I actually find it difficult to concentrate in a library. Libraries to me are uncomfortably quiet. I don’t quite understand why I’d prefer the sounds of a coffee shop as opposed to a quiet library, so I won’t even try to explain. Last time I was there, I was working on a paper for one of my philosophy classes. I have learned in the past that I cannot snack while writing because I tend to just stop writing until I finish whatever it is that I am eating. I almost always get coffee while working on a paper because when I find myself stumped, I stare at my computer screen and think, until I get sleepy, and the coffee wakes me up.  I sometimes rest my head on the table and wrap my arms over my face because of the anxiety I get from staring at the screen, and I’ll just start to think of what else I can add to my paper. Sometimes I’ll stop writing and text or surf the internet for a few minutes, and then get back to writing; I find myself doing this maybe every twenty to thirty minutes. I repeat this process a few times until I finish my paper.

I compared my writing process to the writing process of a girl that sat a couple of tables away from me. This girl seemed to use her time more efficiently. Each time she paused, it was only for a brief moment. She ordered a cup of coffee and a pastry that lasted her the entire time she was there, and when she took a sip or a bite, she’d keep her eyes on the screen. Unlike her, I probably would have devoured the pastry and gotten another one right after. She had her headphones on while she worked, but I couldn’t see where they were plugged into. She might have been listening to music, but I know people that like to where headphones without plugging them into anything so they aren’t distracted by the noise around them, or to keep people from talking to them. I’ve done this before and it does help sometimes. I couldn’t see her screen so I didn’t know if she was on Facebook or something (I just put my head down for a bit to think). I wasn’t able to see her screen, but it didn’t look like she was surfing the internet, and I saw her check her phone only once or twice.

 I think the times where I am most focused when writing are when I am writing short stories. Instead of coffee, I drink whiskey (I should probably reconsider doing that) and I never feel the need to turn away from the screen or put my head down. I think that my writing method is different here because I’d much rather write short stories instead of an essay for class, unless it’s a topic that interests me which in this case, it didn’t.

Although, I had the opportunity to observe students as they read and wrote at the library in The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and noticed that student’s kinetic behaviors ranged vastly as they wrote and read their selected materials, I believe that it is not a very good representative of what people actually do when they write within different parameters. I noticed that females and males displayed similar characteristics when writing, both genders would check their phones from about every six to eight minutes, both genders used technology such as computers and tablets to read and write, both genders would stay reading or writing for long periods of times before they stood up to leave the premises, as well as, both genders either sat with their backs straight as they looked at the monitor screen while others laid back as if relaxing. Some key differences between males and females as they wrote and read included: 

Females:                                                            Males:

Ate as they wrote                            Kept looking around.

Stayed in same pose.                     Moved bodies aggressively.

Stayed focus while engaged.         Easily Distracted.

Talked to other girl friends.             Idled a lot of time.

Males and females did have differences but they were similar differences that  vastly impacted their writing in a negative way due to the loss of time and production. The Pomodoro Method that was introduce by Professor Hawkins discusses some key methods for effective writing and good habit building skills which some of these students lacked which also made me reflect about my own writing. 

I have always wrote and taken breaks about an hour into the activity to refresh myself and begin writing again, but after my  first break I keep taking more breaks its not something very thorough like the Pomodoro Method. I always tend to lay down as I write facing down at my keyboard with a pillow holding my head up, I also like to sit in the kitchen and place my books and laptop on the table to begin working on extensive projects. When I do go to the library, I tend to listen to music as I write and read in order to block random noises that will trigger a response and lose my concentration; I like to sit comfortably leaning on the desk as I sit to obtain good visibility of the text I am reading, but most of all I like being alone in a quiet place when I really need to get things done. In my opinion, it all depends on what type of writing one is engaged on what kinetic behaviors we will be producing.

I agree, the learning record was inexistent in my conscious before we began the semester. I didn't know that as a student there was ways to self assess onerself to demonstrate what we have learned for a grade, so it was a bit challenging to write the learning record but very constructive.

Learning Record

I never expected to be doing a learning record; this allowed me to reflect on my work and grade myself how I see fit. Having to fight for a grade seemed crazy to me at first. I was so use to “regular” grading where you’d do an assignment and be graded on that one alone not on everything you have done up to a certain point. Having to fight for a grade is a great way to help students see their progress or lack of it. I noticed that there were some areas where I could improve and without having to do the learning record it probably would have never crossed my mind to change some of my habits. I feel that more teachers should try and use this method with their students; not only will this make the students feel more involved but it helps them know that grading isn’t always just black and white/ fail or pass, there is a gray area.

We definitely do improve through failure. I believe you haven't applied the methods that you have acquired because you are still learning about them, and like the professor said composition cannot be thought in one semester. With that being said, I think you should reconsider your development throughout the semester; we have all been slowly embracing new ideas that are still primitive in our minds.

Learning Record

After writing my learning record, I began to think of all the things that I needed to improve on, not only in my writing, but also in my learning methods. I’ve participate in class discussions, and read the assigned texts, but I still find myself reverting back to my original methods of learning. Learning requires thought and practice, not just memorization, especially in a writing course. I was able to think about the different articles we’ve read and the discussions over the text that we’ve had in class, and I can honestly say that I’ve gained some perspective from it; I can see ways as to how I can improve my methods of learning and writing so I can become an effective teacher. When I actually asked myself how I have improved as a student and writer, I found it difficult find anything specific that I have improved on. This depressed me because I know that I have been trying hard to do well in this class, and though I have learned a lot after listening and reading about other perspectives on teaching, writing, and learning, I realize that I need to work on applying these things rather than just memorizing what is being said, and giving my two cents on the subject. I feel that actually makes me a hypocrite because I haven’t applied the things that I have agreed with. I probably don’t deserve the grade I argued for now that I think about it because I feel that my writing doesn’t reflect the ideas that have been presented to me. Though this was upsetting to me, I feel that this learning record really helped me better understand the flaw in my methods of learning, like we said in class, we improve through failure.

Composition theory has turned out to be okay on my book; while I was conjuring my learning record I noticed that I had way more to say than I had imagined. I didn't know I had conceived as many connections as I had regarding composition because I had not taken the time to reflect on it.  During the process of constructing my learning recored I became confused, and began to think of examples to display what I had learned. Thanks to the observations I had created throughout the semester I was able to overcome the writers block I was feeling. I couldn't believe that the observations were going to play such an enormous role on the class because , at first, the observations seemed pointless, tedious, and completely uncalled for but they sure helped when describing examples of our learning for the learning record exercise. 

Very interesting post here. I like how you tied what we have learned about acceptance of all students and making them feel comfortable with the current buzz. I think that it could be associated with her not feeling adequately a part of the class secluding herself from any participation then again it might not. Regarding the race, I think most of the aloof perceptions come from older generation of families who have not been able to adapt to the 21st century; it is their ideologies that devastate a students mindset in a classroom setting because when they encounter an anglo instructor and them being African American a sense a dictation comes into their perspective rather than constructive instruction. It is, indeed, a very heated topic. 

Take a look at this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRrU0R6pew0

Blog Post

For the past few days the news has been buzzing about an incident at Spring Valley High School in South Carolina involving a cop and his aggressive behavior towards a student. As we all must be aware by now there are multiple issues being addressed by this incident, one is the level of aggressiveness that are given to students both by the law and the administration. Second, the fact that student was African American, this making it a very debatable and heated situation. From what we’ve been learning in our class and readings, there is a strong emphasis on providing a safe and welcoming environment towards the students. We have also learned that there should be a big level of acceptance for the students as well but despite knowing this there is still discrimination towards students of color. Knowing all of this, why is there so much violence in our schools? We are living in an age in where a shooting or beating in a classroom is normal, causing tensions that are high between students and the administrations but why? Since this incident took place and the video has gone viral of the student being dragged by an officer there has been countless stories that have come up from multiple schools across the country. Clearly there is a problem, some arguments such as why is there even cops at schools make valid points but in the end of the day we do require some level of security. Still, why is it that students argue or risk being treated by their educators like criminals? For me I believe the problem goes back to the ones in charge. From my own personal experience in high school, administrations tend to judge and assume their student bodies due to race and other variables such as income. Respect in the classroom is rare between teacher and students and therefore a major contributor to the ever growing violence in our schools. Here’s a link to the video http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/27/us/south-carolina-school-arrest-video/ I spent a good amount of time following link after link after watching this video. Got to see different point of views from all sides of the situation. Feel free to do the same .

I like your metaphorical analysis between your style of teaching and the concept you developed. However, I think it is also a better if you as a master do not reveal all your knowledge regarding a concept make them work for it as if they were a poets audience; if everything is given to them they will develop a negative perception about teaching, and will plant false expectations on the proper methods of teaching which is to refrain from feeding them the knowledge and make them acquire knowledge through engaging in class. (Just my thoughts.)

During our recent Teaching Philosophy statements I found myself questioning what I viewed as the true purpose of a teacher. I found that the idea of a master and apprentice style of teaching as how I would want to be as a teacher. I don’t mean the kind of “Paint the fence Daniel-san. Wax on, wax off” kind of master and apprentice relationship specifically, but the basic principles of a master and apprentice relationship. Let me explain, the master is usually appreciated as a person of great knowledge to be shared with his apprentice. A master will share all that he knows about his specific profession and It is through the sharing that the apprentice is trained in everything the master knows. The master brings the apprentice to his level of expertise. Though it may take a while, the apprentice is eventually able to surpass the master by adding their own personal twists and ideas to their field of expertise. Likewise, I believe a teacher shares their entire knowledge with a student in order to bring them up to a level where they can give those twists and ideas. Of course, there’s not enough time for a student to master everything that they must know in school, but they learn what they want to master and learn from someone who is a master in that field. If I want to master blacksmithing, for example, I will go to a master in blacksmithing and he’ll share his knowledge to a point where I can produce quality work to match his. That way I could contribute with new and imaginative ways to improve on how blacksmithing is done. The same can be true of any educational field. The only difference is that students in college have multiple masters with something specific to teach instead of one master teaching everything they know. What do you guys think? Do you think this is the role of a teacher? Is it more, or maybe less?

As everyone else stated, while producing my teaching philosophy, I found myself typing and erasing, frequently, for hours without accomplishing much depth on it. Dr. Hawkins was absolutely right, the teaching philosophy was not an easy task to complete, and required a vast amount of energy to produce. Although the teaching philosophy was dreadful, it was a good way to connect some of the pedagogical theories we have come to be influenced by throughout the semester so far. Taking the time to make these connections brought a deeper understanding of my own perceptions and methods of correlating these acquired ideas to current students. At first I was extremely overwhelmed by the thought of developing my own philosophy of teaching composition for high school students that I considered not writing it, but I ended up achieving the creation and completion of the document through constant hours of revision. Overall it was a groundbreaking experience that strengthened the current skills that I possess, and helped me reflect on my personal teaching philosophies for my future journeys.