I think I might need a pep talk. I'm reading Sullivan and Tinberg's What Is College-Level Writing? and I think I need someone to remind me why it is we do what we do. Remember that D.A. program and all those grand ideals we had about giving them (students) voice through writing? We're still supposed to do that, right? Even if they don't want it, voice that is? Even if they want something else, like for us to just give them the answer and shut up? Dr. Draney, I await your reply.
P.S.: In case you hadn't guessed, I don't work in an English department.
wouldn't it be nice if mine weren't parked in the snow?
yikes
My Pops, Vinnie Murphy
who'd a thought 97 could be so cute!
the Moms, aka Catherine Murphy
is my mama adorable, or what?
Mark Doty
Portland Santacon
Manda and me on Thanksgiving
trying not to crack up too much. I gotta say I love my family.
It won't look like this
He da man, oh yeah!
too bad his last book sucked
This?
Or This?
You decide
Better Days
My hero
She's cute, but she's nuts!
nice segueway, huh?
My Hero
I am
- Patricia Murphy, a resident of
- the Village of Clinton, New York, United States
- I'm a college writing teacher and graduate of Idaho State University's soon-to-be-defunct Doctor of Arts Program. I write poetry and read it sometimes at local venues. I like nice people, no matter what their age, race, orientation, whatevah. I don't want to embarrass anyone, but I have the most wonderful boyfriend in the world.
Yeah, this guy wasn't there
Astroland
Utica Erie Canal Fall
This is what I have to look forward to
Utica Winter
And then this . . .
Gotta Love Summer!
chillin' at D's house, minus the glasses
Jeez!
Can you believe I gave birth to these two?
Clinton, NY
town square
3 comments:
I'm here! Pep talk on the way.
More soon...
;-)
When I saw your posting last night I was up to my eyeballs in 101 papers. Reading student essays is at once the most important (perhaps) and the most dreaded part of my job. I get a real thrill when students engage (really engage) with ideas and make an honest attempt at writing cogently about that engagement, but I have to make myself sit down and slog through the mass to get to those nuggets. You know... So your comment/question is timely.
One of the things I do to keep myself grounded is to read a couple of good listservs. WPA-L and TechRhet are the flavors of the month. I'm getting quite a bit out of both. They keep me "in touch" (kind of) with what the field is doing (at least the parts I like to pay attention to). You might consider subscribing and reading along from time to time. Send me email if you want the subscribe instructions.
I also get quite a bit of mileage out of the idea that I'm helping students enter the "ongoing conversation" of academics (cue Kenneth Burke here-- I'll send you the relevant analogy if you don't know what I'm talking about). Kenneth Bruffee is pretty useful in that regard too (isn't there a famous song about someone named Kenneth or Kenny getting shot?). The basic idea is that students are not "inoculated" against bad writing in our courses, but rather we help them to see why developing familiarity and facility with the writing conventions of their disciplines is helpful, nay essential, to their academic success. (Sheesh, that's academicspeak if ever there was any--- sorry.)
See if your library has _Rehearsing New Roles_ by Lee Ann Carroll (Southern Illinois UP, ISBN 0809324490). That's a good read and an encouraging way to look at the bigger picture. It's short, too.
Finally, in my comp classes (in all my classes, really-- lit too) I try to stick with stuff _I_ really care about. That way, even if they don't see the value of what we're doing at any given moment, at least they see the passion I have for it. Hopefully that counts for something.
You're great! If you can make even one student feel as valuable and capable as you always make me feel, you're on to something big. Thanks!
Hey. I can't seem to find your email. Do I have it?
Do you have my email to send me a note? I'm reluctant to put my email here for fear some spammers'll get it. You can find it on our campus site: www.csi.edu
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