September 11 Recording: Zamel Reading
This recording (https://webmail.uis.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://uisapreso1.uis.edu/acmcontent/0e5d37f2-7473-4045-b2c4-44e591ab6809/ENG378_Unspecified_2008-09-11_04-16-PM.htm) includes a nice discussion about the difficulty in responding to student writing. We talked about the connections of how teachers struggle to respond to student writing and how tutors can improve in their responses to student writing. What other questions/comments do you have regarding this topic?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I think that one of the most effective ways of connecting with a student when responding to his or her writing is to sit and spend one on one time with that student. However, this tends to be very time consuming, especially in a classroom setting.
In college courses, it seems to be easier to find time to meet one on one with students to discuss essays, technique, writing problems and more. Even when students have time to meet one on one with their professors or teacherse, those professors or teachers tend to mark up the papers all the same. At least when there's some amount of discussion, it's easier for the student to understand and even question the meaning of the grading style.
I personally have never really had a problem with the sometimes obscure comments my teachers left on my papers. Because I knew that my essays were usually of the last minute variety, I could usually spot my own flaws easier - so even when the only comment my teacher left was a big question mark, I understood why that question mark was there. I can definitely see where that kind of grading would be confusing and frustrating though. Discussing it makes me confident that when I eventually become a teacher, I will need to find a more effective grading style for papers than the ones my own teachers used.
The Dreaded Question Mark:
Being obsessive-compulsive can have its upsides. I remember anxiously sitting in my desk, tapping my foot, biting my pen--all leading up to the suspense of that ink-soaked paper that was that would land in front of me in approximately 10 seconds. I almost thought the red ink against the contrast of the black typing was kind of pretty, especially considering my English Composition instructor used this Sharpie-type red pen. I would study each and every comment, marveling at the way she formed the loops in her g's and y's.
I would gingerly move through my document, studying each and every comment before I even turned to the final page where the grade was located. I couldn't help but smile when I found positive comments in that flowing sea of red. On the contrary, I would sit there and subconsciously defend myself to this jury of one when I disagreed with something she said. "She just missed the point," I resolved.
I would continue my hypnotic analysis with silent contentment until I stumbled upon...the question mark? "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I would comment to my peer in the seat next to me, pointing at the snake-like beast. "Beats me! I got one, too! Are you going out tonight?" Bah! I couldn't deal with bar talk at this point.
That question mark would burn a hole in my eyes all day long.
Now that I'm in my 6th cumulative year of college, I've come to the conclusion that question marks from instructors stand for: "I don't know what you're saying! I don't know how to fix it! Don't ask me anything about it! Just deal with it, and keep quiet!"
- Lindsey
Take 2: I need to revise my blurbs before posting!
The Dreaded Question Mark:
Being obsessive-compulsive can have its upsides. I remember anxiously sitting in my desk, tapping my foot, biting my pen--all leading up to the suspense of that ink-soaked paper that was that would land in front of me in approximately 10 seconds. I almost thought the red ink against the contrast of the black typing was kind of pretty, especially considering my English Composition instructor used this Sharpie-type red pen. I would study each and every comment, marveling at the way she formed the loops in her g's and y's.
I would gingerly move through my document, studying each and every comment before I even turned to the final page where the grade was located. I couldn't help but smile when I found positive comments in that flowing sea of red. On the contrary, I would sit there and subconsciously defend myself to this jury of one when I disagreed with something she said. "She just missed the point," I resolved.
I would continue my hypnotic analysis with silent contentment until I stumbled upon...the question mark!?! "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I demanded of my peer in the seat next to me, pointing at the snake-like beast. "Beats me! I got one, too! Are you going out tonight?" Bah! I couldn't deal with bar talk at this point.
That question mark would burn a hole in my eyes all day long.
Now that I'm in my 6th cumulative year of college, I've come to the conclusion that question marks from instructors stand for: "I don't know what you're saying! I don't know how to fix it! Don't ask me anything about it! Just deal with it, and keep quiet!"
- Lindsey
Post a Comment