Pedagogical Performances of Class, Gender, and Sexuality”

Here’s a link to my essay:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W0ZWbWgoqODxyxcWgyxIVBbI9TrvVIKpIeRw4Oott94/edit?usp=sharing

As someone in the educational field as myself, reading pieces as such really bring an insightful and helpful lens to what we might have known or honestly haven’t know. And I know I say that every piece is insightful but that’s because every piece in this class has been. The reading was quite interesting to say the least as this piece is intended to spark a debate in efforts to offer “better” ways to teach writing. I put the word better in quotes because someone’s version of better does not fit everyone. And just like anything else in life, there are multiple ways to do one thing.

I really enjoyed how this piece covered a lot of writing myths that we may have encountered or dealt with personally. I also found it helpful as to how the reading really dived in to many bad ideas; such as, bad ideas what good writing is, bad ideas about genres, and so on and so fourth. I found this to be helpful because as I kept reading I was able to develop also a new understanding and I was kind of informed on some new ideas, which I always enjoy.

One of the ideas that really stood out the most to me in this piece was this;

“Here’s why that idea needs to die: Writing and language are like screens between humans and what we (can) know about theworld around us. Even that which we perceive as cold, hard facts are ultimately filtered through the words and symbols we use tomake sense of…well, everything. Thus, the process of learning to write is a matter of broader intellectual development and surviv- al-gear-for-living. Writing, in other words, embraces much more than relaying a preset message to a reader. As students learn how to approach the written word—how to read it, yes, but also how to read the many voices, ideas, moods, circumstances, and rhythms that influenced and shaped the words on the page—they begin to understand how language is an essential tool for learning and exploration.”

I couldn’t agree more. And this little sample right here is just one of the many parts in the piece I agree with. Writing is really the foundation for all of us but the way we explore it and dabble more into it, writing can become a whole new world with lots more deeper meaning.

This was quite the insightful and interesting read of an analysis of the exploration relationship between the colonizer and the colonized. I feel as if though, Paulo Freire does an amazing job in explaining and touching base on the oppressed with his own cultural experience teaching adults in Brazil how to read and write. One insightful contributing thought Paulo Freire mentions is how, pedagogy the “banking model of education.” He elaborates how it treats the student as an empty vessel to be filled with knowledge. Much in comparison to a piggy bank. He further mentions/argues that pedagogy should instead treat the learner as a co-creator of knowledge. Which in a sense, once he broke it down in his writing, I can agree.

The book is broke down into four chapters. What I found also fascinating and clearly went over my head, was that the book was first written in Portuguese. After much success after publication, it was later translated to English. Once again, completely went over my head that a Brazilian author would first write his book in Portuguese, rather than English. Nonetheless, this was a good read.

Two insightful reads that really dived in deeper on a subject that is there but not something that is talked about enough. While I was reading Teaching to Transgress two things that I found interesting in the reading where; how many people needs to unlearn racism to learn about colonization and declaration, and how the fear of teaching race, sex, and class is rooted in the sear that the class will be uncontrollable. It’s not that I didn’t know these things, or I couldn’t guess; I just don’t think about it enough I guess. In my mind I’m confused as to how many people need to unlearn racism or the fear of teaching. But a big part of that may have to do where I live and my upbringing. Living and growing up in Newark we never faced these issues (not that I am saying people are not racist in Newark) but in school my teachers never had fear on teaching us anything, most of the time we dived deep into class discussions on important issues. But this may center around the fact that Newark is a minority area and many of the teachers are also minorities themselves? I do think that area and where you live plays a role into this and that fear of teaching or having to unlearn racism. Because from my own personal experience from high school to college, nothing was ever off limits when it came to teaching and talking about things that mattered or where important.

In the essay, We Been Knowin’, I definitely agreed with April Baker- Bell when she said that black people play an active role in highlighting, deconstructing, and addressing patterns of media injustice, and engage in Black digital activism to raise awareness of the crisis of racial injustice. One thing that stood out the most to me was the talking of the Trayvon Martin murder. When the incident happen, I was in high school. Close as well to the age of seventeen. During that time, my school devoted time to talking about it and the importance of why America needs to do better and be better. I will say I was shocked when Bell said there were articles that flipped the script and made it seem that George Zimmerman was a good person. Because I never read those articles or even heard of them. From my memory, we knew George Zimmerman was an awful person and during that time period we were all shaken up from the incident. But the fact that there were articles that tried to change that narrative you can see that Black people definitely need to do their role in helping media injustice. But it’s not only them, everyone needs to help this issue. The fact that would even happen after someone dies, is not only disrespectful but morally insane. My mom always said never to speak on someone who has passed away, especially to say wrong or hurtful things about them. But before I keep going on a rant, I do agree with this essay and there needs to be talks and there needs to be a continuation of work being done in efforts to support and raise awareness.

The two readings in a way where counteractive to one another. Both, do support the same overall idea but the approach in lesson is different. One softly touches on the subject while the other elaborates more on it. In The Popularity of Formulaic Writing, the article briefly touches on the Jane Schaffer Approach. It was a formula designed to help students develop well constructed papers. However, this idea did receive major criticism as it seemed that the idea was not encouraging exploration. But nowhere in Schaffer’s formula did she say not to explore, there was just a structure to help and be used if needed. But somewhere along the lines of translation, there has been confusion as to whether use the formula fully and faithfully in order to do well with writing papers. I do believe that there are students who will use the formula and keep it on the back burner of their mind, but not live with it. While there are others who will use the structure for the rest of their lives. Both is fine, everyone has a different method and needs to find theirs that they think work best and help them the best, I don’t see anything wrong with that. But I do think that after the formula is introduced, more teaching needs to take place.

That’s kind of where the second article comes into play. Teach Writing as Process Not Product does not touch base or mention Schaffer’s idea but it touches base on the overall use of writing products and not using process. Murray discusses that when teachers teach composition they are not teaching a product, they are teaching a process. And once the realization of teaching a process comes into effect, then there needs to be a design of curriculum made. But not to forget, that process can work to produce a product. They both go hand in hand, and need to work together. The article then further discusses the importance of discovery through language, exploration of what we know and what we feel, process of using language to learn our world, and implications. The article also suggests to teach unfinished wiring. I feel that the second article (this one), kind of dives in deeper on creating language and using voice to develop a paper that is more personal and not generic and not so structured. Helps with tips to still create a valid paper that will still earn a good grade even if there is no “formula” being followed. But in a sense, there is a formula with the implications. It just opens up more exploration rather than saying how a paper should be formatted and written.

Another insightful and enjoyable read. It’s one of those topics yet again that is obvious and true, something we may already probably know but tend to forget about; yet alone think much about. The passage brought up good points that I took note of and highlighted. Some ideas that stood out to me the most were:

• Corrections: teachers show the discrepancy between what the writing has actually achieved and what the ideal writing should look like.
• This also tends to show that the teachers agenda is more important than their (students) own.

This made me think, are teachers ultimately bias at the end of the day? Maybe but also maybe not. Teachers do have a protocol and a model set up for them on what they need to do with their students. But those models never tell them how to read or approach a students work when it comes to reading their paper. It’s impossible, that program never read that paper. When a teacher is reading the paper, how can it not come off bias in regards to what the paper should be like and the way the student should have written it. Maybe I am only speaking from personal experience and using an umbrella to describe all teachers is hurtful and insensitive. But for me, my teachers also kind of paved the way and really structure and made constructive criticism on my work that it basically became their paper in the end, rather than mines.

This reading helped me realize a few things as to why I probably for one, never use to like school. But it also makes clear sense as to why students should have their own text. They are the student, they are the ones who are learning and evolving. Shouldn’t they be the ones too do things a little bit their way too?

Another insightful and enjoyable read. It’s one of those topics yet again that is obvious and true, something we may already probably know but tend to forget about; yet alone think much about. The passage brought up good points that I took note of and highlighted. Some ideas that stood out to me the most were:

• Corrections: teachers show the discrepancy between what the writing has actually achieved and what the ideal writing should look like.
• This also tends to show that the teachers agenda is more important than their (students) own.

This made me think, are teachers ultimately bias at the end of the day? Maybe but also maybe not. Teachers do have a protocol and a model set up for them on what they need to do with their students. But those models never tell them how to read or approach a students work when it comes to reading their paper. It’s impossible, that program never read that paper. When a teacher is reading the paper, how can it not come off bias in regards to what the paper should be like and the way the student should have written it. Maybe I am only speaking from personal experience and using an umbrella to describe all teachers is hurtful and insensitive. But for me, my teachers also kind of paved the way and really structure and made constructive criticism on my work that it basically became their paper in the end, rather than mines.

This reading helped me realize a few things as to why I probably for one, never use to like school. But it also makes clear sense as to why students should have their own text. They are the student, they are the ones who are learning and evolving. Shouldn’t they be the ones too do things a little bit their way too?

When Dr. Zamora kept talking about our blogs and how in due time she would know who’s blog was who without seeing the name based on the voice in the blogs. I found that to be interesting, because for one those are a lot of blogs but even though the majority of us are writing on the same topics and ideas, it is not only our views that she is reading but it is our voice that is essentially projecting through. I never realized how my voice may be read or perceived in my writing but it is clear that I do have one.

Some highlighted points in the reading that I happen to find interesting or agree with where how Peter Elbow mentioned how voice is an important dimension of text, everyone has a voice. Voice equals power. Which is a huge statement to make and definitely resonates with me on how important our voice is on and off paper. He also mentions how writers should care less on what teachers with find right or wrong but focus more on what readers will think of the kind of person the writer is. I agree and disagree with this. Yes that is true but I believe this should just be an overall umbrella idea to keep in mind and nothing to obsess over. If we as writers start to put too much importance on anything, I feel like we can loose our “voice.” I think we should keep the readers on the back burner of our minds but not make it our overall focus. It is important of what they think of us to be, but it is not everything. If they agree or disagree is up for the reader to decide but as the writer we should write, share what we believe and keep our voice alive. They will either like it or not just the same way as a teacher will find it right or wrong.

I also found this essay to be an interesting read as it put much of my thoughts into perspective. So far with these readings, like the last one; I find them to be relatable and often have a connection of memory from growing up and being a student in elementary and high school. Like my previous blog, I found myself agreeing with this essay as I would always get different scores on my papers compared to my peers growing up. However, in college that was not an issue.

While most of the time if I received a different score either good or bad compared to my peers often times there would be comments and suggestions left by my educators explaining why. Most of the time it was because I didn’t properly follow the rubric as suggested. But the scores always made me nervous. If I scored high, I felt great and felt like I achieved something amazing. But when I would score low, I felt ashamed and upset. I would obsess over that score and read my peers papers to understand where I went wrong. But I always found it weird to give scores on writing. If you answered the prompt and did the actual essay itself shouldn’t that have been enough?

Writing in general is creative even if the assignment is not considered creative writing. To hear someone else’s thoughts and their takes on something is unique and beneficial. Why do we grad it and obsess over scores? Grading should be more focused on grammar and set up on the overall paper itself. Not the actual content. Unless maybe a student is way too far off.

I really enjoyed this reading. For me as a current graduate student who wants to be a professor post graduation, this was an insightful read as a kind of different outlook or advice to keep in mind. But this also helped me kind of reflect and connect with the reading as well.

Growing up in middle school and high school, when we were in lack of better words, forced to write papers for our classes they would give us the topic, the ideal structure, but concluded that we follow the rubric. If we failed to do so, our overall final grade would be based off that rubric. Good or bad, that depended on the student. There was no level of coaching or even guidance to help me or other students write the paper. And final comments centered around referring back to the rubric. Undergraduate classes were the same. I have written so many papers for myself and my friends and after submission I would just wait for my graded, look at it, and move on to the next paper.

Lack of coaching and guidance and even constructive criticism always left me wondering if I was even doing a good job, if anyone was even reading what I wrote, and if I was really growing. I think those three elements are important and key in a student’s life who is learning and going to school to become better at their craft and grow.