From sgoen@sfsu.edu Fri Nov 3 00:47:43 2006 From: sgoen@sfsu.edu (sgoen@sfsu.edu) Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2006 16:47:43 -0800 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Thanks Message-ID: Hello everyone, As we are winding down this discussion, I want to thank you all so much for your interesting postings on integrating reading and writing. I enjoyed reading through some of the most recent posts on what you all have been trying to do at your institutions to integrate the two, and what you have found challenging. It's been my pleasure to "host" this discussion, and I look forward to future discussions. I wish you all the very best as you continue to be committed to reading/writing integration, and to meeting the challenges that comes with that commitment. All the best, Sugie From Laura.Gray-Rosendale@NAU.EDU Fri Nov 3 14:08:01 2006 From: Laura.Gray-Rosendale@NAU.EDU (Laura Gray-Rosendale) Date: Fri, 03 Nov 2006 07:08:01 -0700 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Thanks In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <001c01c6ff51$7954eb00$0200a8c0@TOSHIBA> Thanks so much to you, Sugie, for running such a great module around mid-semester crunch time. It's been terrific to have your leadership on these issues. We will have a few days break from the list now because the McGraw-Hill tech person is not back until November 8th at which point we will have a new module about Native American students and Basic Writing led by Loyola Bird. So, in the meantime, please use the list as a place to chat about whatever may be happening at your institutions and/or in your classes right now. Best to you, Laura Dr. Laura Gray-Rosendale Moderator~ McGraw-Hill Teaching Basic Writing Associate Professor of English Northern Arizona University Box 6032 Flagstaff, AZ 86011-6032 Phone: 928-523-0956 Fax: 928-523-7074 Alternative Rhetorics http://www.sunypress.edu/details.asp?id=60346   Fractured Feminisms http://www.sunypress.edu/details.asp?id=60787 Radical Relevance http://www.sunypress.edu/details.asp?id=61024 -----Original Message----- From: teaching_basic_writing-admin@mailman.eppg.com [mailto:teaching_basic_writing-admin@mailman.eppg.com] On Behalf Of sgoen@sfsu.edu Sent: Thursday, November 02, 2006 5:48 PM To: teaching_basic_writing@mailman.eppg.com Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Thanks Hello everyone, As we are winding down this discussion, I want to thank you all so much for your interesting postings on integrating reading and writing. I enjoyed reading through some of the most recent posts on what you all have been trying to do at your institutions to integrate the two, and what you have found challenging. It's been my pleasure to "host" this discussion, and I look forward to future discussions. I wish you all the very best as you continue to be committed to reading/writing integration, and to meeting the challenges that comes with that commitment. All the best, Sugie _______________________________________________ Teaching_Basic_Writing maillist - Teaching_Basic_Writing@mailman.eppg.com http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_basic_writing If you no longer wish to receive this mailing, please go to http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_basic_writing to updat your information. From chuck.fisher@aims.edu Tue Nov 7 18:38:10 2006 From: chuck.fisher@aims.edu (Chuck Fisher) Date: Tue, 07 Nov 2006 11:38:10 -0700 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Call for Presentations - 5C's Conference in Colorado Message-ID: <1d1e01c7029b$e0517650$1d04020a@aims.edu> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --Boundary_(ID_AUlppHVZUegO8ACuxKKmMg) Content-type: text/plain; charset=Windows-1252 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable Colleagues, I encourage those of you on this listserv to submit a = proposal to present at the Colorado Community College Conference on = Composition (5C's) on Friday, April 13, 2007. Please pass the word to = your English-teaching colleagues as well. You may access information = about the conference theme, keynote speaker, and registration = information at the following web site: http://www.aimsced.com/5C/5C2007.htm Thank you!=20 =20 Call For Presentations Colorado Community College Conference on Composition: 2007 =20 Dear Colleague: =20 Aims Community College in Greeley, Colorado, will host the Colorado = Community College Conference on Composition (5C=92s) on Friday, April = 13, 2007. Participants in the 5C=92s over the years have = enthusiastically endorsed the event as Colorado=92s top conference for = writing teachers, and we hope to continue that tradition this year. =20 =20 Conference Theme =20 The Millennial Challenge: Working with Underprepared Writing Students =20 The Issue New initiatives and new challenges are always a part of the = academic world, and the present is no exception. Ever-evolving state = mandates, increasing numbers of ESL or ill-prepared students, concerns = over ACT scores, concerns related to developmental writing/reading, and = challenges associated with the "Millennial Generation" are all = composition teaching issues in two-year colleges. =20 We invite proposals for presentations addressing the following issues as = they pertain specifically to teaching composition in the developmental = or first-year composition course: What teaching approaches are suitable for students of the "Millennial = Generation"? How is the current move from "teaching-centered" college to = "learning-centered" college influencing teaching of basic writing? What issues present themselves for instructors trying to balance their = pedagogy, composition teaching theory, assessment cut-scores, and = students' needs? Should we re-assess what we ask underprepared students to learn, = particularly ESL students? Given that entering students' writing skills are influenced by a number = of factors, what is or should be our role in meeting the needs of = increasingly ill-prepared students? =20 =20 The deadline for submitting proposals is January 31, 2007. Please = observe the following guidelines: =20 =B7 Submit by snail-mail or email to the address below. =B7 Include a title as you want it to appear in the program. =B7 Include an abstract (50-100 words) as you want it to appear = in the program. =B7 Include a brief autobiography as you want it to appear in = the program. =B7 Plan a presentation of 45 minutes. =B7 Include a statement of technology needs (Note: presenters = must provide their own laptop computers). =B7 If selected to present, prepare handouts for 30 people. =20 Please submit proposals via email to chuck.fisher@aims.edu or mail to : =20 Chuck Fisher Aims Community College 5401 W. 20th Street Greeley, CO 80634 =20 Chuck Fisher Professor, English Aims Community College 5401 West 20th St. Greeley, CO 80634 970-339-6520 chuck.fisher@aims.edu= --Boundary_(ID_AUlppHVZUegO8ACuxKKmMg) Content-type: text/html; charset=Windows-1252 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable

Colleagues, I=20 encourage those of you on this listserv to submit a proposal to = present at=20 the Colorado Community College Conference on Composition (5C's) on = Friday, April=20 13, 2007.  Please pass the word to your English-teaching colleagues = as=20 well.  You may access information about the conference theme, = keynote=20 speaker, and registration information at the following web = site:

 

http://www.aimsced.com/5C/5C2007.htm

 

Thank=20 you! 

 

Call For=20 Presentations

Colorado=20 Community College Conference on Composition: 2007

 

Dear=20 Colleague:

 

Aims=20 Community College in Greeley, Colorado, will host the Colorado Community = College=20 Conference on Composition (5C=92s) on Friday, April 13, 2007.  Participants in the 5C=92s = over the years=20 have enthusiastically endorsed the event as Colorado=92s top conference = for=20 writing teachers, and we hope to continue that tradition this year. =20

 

Conference=20 Theme

 

The Millennial Challenge: Working with = Underprepared=20 Writing Students

 

The=20 Issue

           =20 New initiatives and new challenges are always a part of the = academic=20 world, and the present is no exception. =20 Ever-evolving state mandates, increasing numbers of ESL or = ill-prepared=20 students, concerns over ACT scores, concerns related to developmental=20 writing/reading, and challenges associated with the "Millennial = Generation" are=20 all composition teaching issues in two-year colleges.

 

We=20 invite proposals for presentations addressing the following issues as = they=20 pertain specifically to teaching composition in the developmental or = first-year=20 composition course:

What=20 teaching approaches are suitable for students of the "Millennial=20 Generation"?

How is=20 the current move from "teaching-centered" college to "learning-centered" = college=20 influencing teaching of basic writing?

What=20 issues present themselves for instructors trying to balance their = pedagogy,=20 composition teaching theory, assessment cut-scores, and students'=20 needs?

Should=20 we re-assess what we ask underprepared students to learn, particularly = ESL=20 students?

Given=20 that entering students' writing skills are influenced by a number of = factors,=20 what is or should be our role in meeting the needs of increasingly = ill-prepared=20 students?

 

 

The=20 deadline for submitting proposals is January 31, 2007.  Please observe the following=20 guidelines:

 

=B7        =20 Submit=20 by snail-mail or email to the address below.

=B7        =20 Include=20 a title as you want it to appear in the program.

=B7        =20 Include=20 an abstract (50-100 words) as you want it to appear in the=20 program.

=B7        =20 Include=20 a brief autobiography as you want it to appear in the=20 program.

=B7        =20 Plan a=20 presentation of 45 minutes.

=B7        =20 Include=20 a statement of technology needs (Note: presenters must provide their own = laptop=20 computers).

=B7        =20 If=20 selected to present, prepare handouts for 30 = people.

 

Please=20 submit proposals via email to chuck.fisher@aims.edu or mail = to=20 :

 

           =20 Chuck Fisher

           =20 Aims Community College

           =20 5401 W. 20th Street

           =20 Greeley, CO =20 80634

 

Chuck = Fisher
Professor,=20 English
Aims Community College
5401 West 20th St.
Greeley, = CO =20 80634
970-339-6520
chuck.fisher@aims.edu --Boundary_(ID_AUlppHVZUegO8ACuxKKmMg)-- From Laura.Gray-Rosendale@NAU.EDU Sat Nov 11 13:27:49 2006 From: Laura.Gray-Rosendale@NAU.EDU (Laura Gray-Rosendale) Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2006 06:27:49 -0700 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] NATIVE AMERICAN BW STUDENTS: NEW MODULE POSTED!!!!! Message-ID: <003f01c70595$2f7e70b0$0200a8c0@TOSHIBA> Hi, everyone! I hope you are having a wonderful fall season. Things are just beginning to get chilly here in Flagstaff-- but no snow as of yet. I want to thank Sugie again for her wonderful module & our group discussion. I so appreciate everyone's attention to Sugie's module at a busy time in the semester. I am very excited to introduce our next module, "Teaching Native American Basic Writing Students and Reservation Life" (see http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/english/tbw/). This new module is offered by Loyola K. Bird who is a Jicarilla Apache Tribal member. The Jicarilla Apache Nation is a tribe of 3000 members located in northern New Mexico. Loyola mentions that the "nation's strengths include strong cultural emphasis, land, oil and gas resources, game management, youth, and sovereignty." Loyola's father is Kenneth O. Bird, a retired garage operator who lives on the reservation. Loyola is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in English with an emphasis in Rhetoric/Composition, Native American Literature, and British Literature at the University of Denver in Colorado. Loyola worked as an Administrative Officer in the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Jicarilla Agency in Dulce, NM from 1997-2002. Loyola then worked as an Instructor of English at the Dulce High School from 2004 - 2006. She taught in the DREAMS Afterschool and was a Summer Instructor in English from 2004 -2006 as well as a Jicarilla Dormitory Student Tutor of English from 2005-2006. She now works as a Writing Consultant at the University of Denver while attending to her doctoral studies. Loyola co-authored as an essay with me several years ago for the _Journal of Basic Writing_ on teaching Native American Basic Writing students. Loyola is a tremendous resource on these issues. Loyola's continued research centers on family educational history with an emphasis on basic writing concerns. Loyola's module for the McGraw-Hill Teaching Basic Writing List focuses on how we can better reach our Native American students. Loyola comes to this discussion not only with a great deal of knowledge and teaching experience on the subject but also having experienced many of things we will discuss. Please read Loyola's module. She ends with these questions for discussion. Loyola, I look forward to the discussion you will lead for us. Take it away!!! Best wishes, Laura ---------------------------------------------- Questions for Discussion: What can we learn from working with Native American basic writers today? What are important measures to take in working with Native American students? What are suggested strategies and/or methods we can incorporate into the teaching of Native American students? How can we help Native American students adjust to academic expectations while still considering the importance of cultural aspects which play an essential role for many of these students? How can we better prepare Native American basic writing students for college? From marciaribble@hotmail.com Sat Nov 11 19:13:54 2006 From: marciaribble@hotmail.com (Marcia Ribble) Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2006 14:13:54 -0500 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] NATIVE AMERICAN BW STUDENTS: NEW MODULE POSTED!!!!! In-Reply-To: <003f01c70595$2f7e70b0$0200a8c0@TOSHIBA> Message-ID: Hi Loyola, Thanks for the wonderful module! It brings to those of us teaching basic writing a sense of collegiality, because the same challenges your students face are faced by my students coming from inner city Cincinnati where those same problems of drugs and violence plague many students' lives regardless of socioeconomic status or race. One of the issues we too face is the question of how to convince our students that they are "college material" when they have few models in their local communities of successful folks with college degrees. Are you familiar with the book The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell? In the chapter on context, he discusses work on the influence of environment on students, and notes that cleaning up the environment can change the outcomes. For example, he says that one of the ways New York City began to change its crime rate was by fixing broken windows. He calls it the "Broken Window Theory." I recently also saw a video documentary whose title and exact director I didn't see, having found it while cruising the remote control late one night, but I'll keep looking for it. Anyway, one of the young men interviewed in the documentary asked, about the conditions in Cincinnati after we had the riots, how can anyone look at the broken glass, the prostitutes and drug sellers, the peeling paint on old buildings, and not understand the hopelessness that pervades the children's lives here? We have a high school graduation rate for African American males of 20% according to David Singleton Dir. of the Justice Center. A huge incarceration rate for those who haven't shot one another to death. It's tragic. But I don't think it's hopeless, even though it might look pretty bleak. You're 100% right about students not being able to think if their lives are all messed up with problems beyond their control. Many kids in violent/drug riddled lives promptly get PTSD and their short term memories are profoundly affected. I've seen studies showing that the younger kids are when exposed to violence, the more likely it is that they'll develop PTSD as a result. So like you, we get students who come in as young adults without very basic reading, writing, and math skills, along with ADHD, PTSD, and a lack of the behavioral and social skills normally formed within the family. Many try to learn and can't recall what they learned yesterday because of the short term memory losses which affect long term memory storage processes. The good news!!! Here in the Center for Access and Transition at the U of Cincinnati, our program is making a difference for these students. We work with them intensely and repetetively to help them learn those skills they missed as youngsters. Our composition classes, for example, meet six hours a week, plus we have one-on-one conferences at least 3 times a term for a half hour with each student. We can catch learning disabilities, but most of our students are not disabled. They have just been overwhelmed by out of control lives where they didn't know where they'd be from one week to the next, where the next meal might come from, and security just doesn't exist. Our classes are small, with a cap of 15 students. Our teachers have advanced degrees, full time jobs, and health benefits. I have a tutor in my classroom with an MA who is excellent, so we effectively have a 1-7 ratio for teachers to students. We work hard to let students know that we know they're smart and can do it. We explain why learning those skills may have been hard for them in the past. We do lots of professional development work with our faculty who don't have a PHD in Comp Rhet with an emphasis on Basic WRiting, so they can be theoretically clued in. All that said, one of the strategies you could employ to show students that their voices can be heard, is to use some of our better Native American writers as models for "academic" writing. One of my favorites is Gordon Henry, whose book The Light People treats Native American culture with deep respect and profound regard. Gordon is a member of the Turtle People (Aashinaabe) from Minnesota and he teaches creative writing at Michigan State University. In his book, Gordon models many kinds of academic writing including poetry, reportage, a scientific anthropologic report, storytelling from its deepest native roots, etc. Instead of talking about the fact that natives can and do write in many different ways, he just goes ahead and does it. And he does it in ways totally within the culture. Could you write a grant to enroll the hs students in the Wordcraft Circle of Native American writers? After Lee Francis died it fell apart for a while, but is back in circulation now and it's a wonderful thing for young Native writers to have highly respected (and published) Native authors supporting their efforts and communicating directly with them. It's a small community, but one that is close and caring and whose major goal is to provide a path for young Native writers to travel on toward success. Marcia Ribble >From: Laura Gray-Rosendale >To: "'McGraw-Hill TBW List'" >CC: "'Loyola Bird'" , "'Anne Harvey Kilburn'" > >Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] NATIVE AMERICAN BW STUDENTS: NEW MODULE >POSTED!!!!! >Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2006 06:27:49 -0700 > > >Hi, everyone! I hope you are having a wonderful fall season. Things are >just >beginning to get chilly here in Flagstaff-- but no snow as of yet. I want >to >thank Sugie again for her wonderful module & our group discussion. I so >appreciate everyone's attention to Sugie's module at a busy time in the >semester. > >I am very excited to introduce our next module, "Teaching Native American >Basic Writing Students and Reservation Life" (see >http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/english/tbw/). This new module is offered by >Loyola K. Bird who is a Jicarilla Apache Tribal member. The Jicarilla >Apache >Nation is a tribe of 3000 members located in northern New Mexico. Loyola >mentions that the "nation's strengths include strong cultural emphasis, >land, oil and gas resources, game management, youth, and sovereignty." >Loyola's father is Kenneth O. Bird, a retired garage operator who lives on >the reservation. > >Loyola is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in English with an emphasis in >Rhetoric/Composition, Native American Literature, and British Literature at >the University of Denver in Colorado. Loyola worked as an Administrative >Officer in the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Jicarilla Agency in Dulce, NM from >1997-2002. Loyola then worked as an Instructor of English at the Dulce High >School from 2004 - 2006. She taught in the DREAMS Afterschool and was a >Summer Instructor in English from 2004 -2006 as well as a Jicarilla >Dormitory Student Tutor of English from 2005-2006. She now works as a >Writing Consultant at the University of Denver while attending to her >doctoral studies. > >Loyola co-authored as an essay with me several years ago for the _Journal >of >Basic Writing_ on teaching Native American Basic Writing students. Loyola >is >a tremendous resource on these issues. Loyola's continued research centers >on family educational history with an emphasis on basic writing concerns. > >Loyola's module for the McGraw-Hill Teaching Basic Writing List focuses on >how we can better reach our Native American students. Loyola comes to this >discussion not only with a great deal of knowledge and teaching experience >on the subject but also having experienced many of things we will discuss. > >Please read Loyola's module. She ends with these questions for discussion. >Loyola, I look forward to the discussion you will lead for us. Take it >away!!! Best wishes, Laura >---------------------------------------------- > >Questions for Discussion: > > >What can we learn from working with Native American basic writers today? > >What are important measures to take in working with Native American >students? > >What are suggested strategies and/or methods we can incorporate into the >teaching of Native American students? > >How can we help Native American students adjust to academic expectations >while still considering the importance of cultural aspects which play an >essential role for many of these students? > >How can we better prepare Native American basic writing students for >college? > > >_______________________________________________ >Teaching_Basic_Writing maillist - Teaching_Basic_Writing@mailman.eppg.com >http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_basic_writing > >If you no longer wish to receive this mailing, please go to >http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_basic_writing to updat >your information. _________________________________________________________________ Add a Yahoo! contact to Windows Live Messenger for a chance to win a free trip! http://www.imagine-windowslive.com/minisites/yahoo/default.aspx?locale=en-us&hmtagline From tallwater63@yahoo.com Tue Nov 21 06:03:43 2006 From: tallwater63@yahoo.com (Loyola Bird) Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2006 22:03:43 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Response to Marcia Ribble's Comments & More Message-ID: <325275.98018.qm@web34709.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Hello Everyone, I apologize for the lateness of this response (technical difficulties). Although I haven't heard of Gladwell's book, I can certainly agree that "environment" plays a huge role in the lives of our students. In our community of over 3,000 people, of predominantly American Indian population, we are struggling to keep our culture, language, traditions and other in tact. Our younger generation affects the maintenance of this huge task. Because drugs and alcohol have also invaded our environment, our community is steadily working to address this issue also. Some students will be able to escape what the environment produces, sadly, most won't. In the classroom, I would tell my students about life outside the reservation, based on my own experiences. Another sad fact? Many students will never leave the reservation. Some will get menial jobs, others won't get jobs at all. It would be great to know that all of our students will attempt and survive in a college or university setting. Perhaps they would come back and help our people. I've also talked about how discipline and perseverance are essential in pursuing higher education. The previous has brought me to the conclusion that our students need constant and positive role models in their lives. I have appreciated that our community departments have chosen to take an active role in the education of our children. But sometimes this role is not constant. Many times I have asked various community people to come speak to students, and they never show up. Perhaps a liaison between the community and schools would help. Anyway, back to role models. Our students want to know that others like them have left, succeeded, returned, or found good jobs on the outside, but most importantly, pursuing one's dreams is quite possible. Having a supportive environment doesn't always exist. As educator in our students' lives, we are many times the only positive person they interact with. Using American Indian authors, poets, film-makers, etc. is an excellent idea in getting our students engaged. I have presented numerous readings and some film to students, not only to engage the academic portion, but also to let studens know "that natives can and do write in many different ways." A few years ago, I was personally trying to get into the Wordcraft circle. Never did. But I am happy to hear that it is alive and well again. This would be an excellent resource for students. Thanks, I appreciate the helpful suggestions. In choosing one of my questions for further discussion, I would like to know your thoughts on how we can better prepare basic writers for college. One way is to make visits to various (nearby) colleges/universities, so that students can get a sense of the academic environment. Another is encourage students to participate in various programs like Upward Bound, which prepares students at the high school level for college academics. More importantly, working with students in the classroom where writing is concerned is crucial. I, personally, am tired of hearing that our students are being placed in remedial classes upon entering of college. I will stop here and I look forward to hearing your comments. Thanks. Loyola ____________________________________________________________________________________ Sponsored Link Mortgage rates near 39yr lows. $420k for $1,399/mo. Calculate new payment! www.LowerMyBills.com/lre From Joann_Kozyrev@hmco.com Tue Nov 21 19:01:31 2006 From: Joann_Kozyrev@hmco.com (Joann_Kozyrev@hmco.com) Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2006 14:01:31 -0500 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Joann Kozyrev/College/hmco is out of the office. Message-ID: --0__=0ABBF8BEDFFB04FA8f9e8a93df938690918c0ABBF8BEDFFB04FA Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII I will be out of the office starting 11/18/2006 and will not return until 11/27/2006. If you need immediate assistance in my absence, please contact Daisuke_Yasutake@hmco.com. --0__=0ABBF8BEDFFB04FA8f9e8a93df938690918c0ABBF8BEDFFB04FA Content-type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII Content-Disposition: inline

I will be out of the office starting 11/18/2006 and will not return until 11/27/2006.

If you need immediate assistance in my absence, please contact Daisuke_Yasutake@hmco.com.
--0__=0ABBF8BEDFFB04FA8f9e8a93df938690918c0ABBF8BEDFFB04FA-- From tallwater63@yahoo.com Wed Nov 22 06:27:12 2006 From: tallwater63@yahoo.com (Loyola Bird) Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2006 22:27:12 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Response to "Personally, I'm tired..." Message-ID: <42167.69023.qm@web34712.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Good Evening, This comment is very personal as I was also placed in remedial English upon entering my first year of college. It was a horrible experience. There we were, fresh out of high school, with great expectations. About 30 American Indian students, along with myself, were placed in Remedial English. I remember the first day of the class. We all just stared at each other, not saying anything. We all knew why we were put in this class - someone made the decision that we were not capable of writing at the academic level prescribed. Although this was many years ago, I know that many of our native students still face similar situations. That is why our jobs as educators are crucial when it comes to preparing our students for college/university experiences. Noone wants to be "labeled." So, when I have observed my students in the past, and imagined what their first college experience might hold, I certainly hoped that they wouldn't have to go through what I did. Even now in working with students of varied educational backgrounds, I try to impress upon them that writing well takes practice. It is an endeavor that can always be improved upon. Having a solid foundation for good writing is what I consider crucial. Most of our students should be able to walk into any college or university and be able to write what is expected without little difficulty. I am currently aware of a college which has restructured its teaching of the arts to include first-year writing seminars for all students. This institution has found that "its students cannot write." So, what are your thoughts about preparing our students for college/university experiences when it comes to writing? ____________________________________________________________________________________ Sponsored Link Online degrees - find the right program to advance your career. www.nextag.com From marianne_dzik@ivcc.edu Wed Nov 22 07:02:38 2006 From: marianne_dzik@ivcc.edu (marianne_dzik@ivcc.edu) Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2006 01:02:38 -0600 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Marianne Dzik/faculty/IVCC is out of the office. Message-ID: I will be out of the office starting 11/17/2006 and will not return until 11/27/2006. From Laura.Gray-Rosendale@NAU.EDU Sun Nov 26 01:01:34 2006 From: Laura.Gray-Rosendale@NAU.EDU (Laura Gray-Rosendale) Date: Sat, 25 Nov 2006 18:01:34 -0700 Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Response to "Personally, I'm tired..." In-Reply-To: <42167.69023.qm@web34712.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <00e901c710f6$6afa3450$0200a8c0@TOSHIBA> Loyola: Thank you for this really, really important commentary. I know that lots of people are on vacation right now and will likely respond when they get back from break. I continue to feel like this is such a huge issue. I see this at NAU, too, as you know, and it reveals a great deal about the insufficiency of university academics to really understand our students, I think. I feel that faculty members themselves need a huge amount of training about these cultural issues. Perhaps we need to start there rather than laying the blame at the feet of our students... Just a few thoughts for now ... Best wishes, Laura -----Original Message----- From: teaching_basic_writing-admin@mailman.eppg.com [mailto:teaching_basic_writing-admin@mailman.eppg.com] On Behalf Of Loyola Bird Sent: Tuesday, November 21, 2006 11:27 PM To: teaching_basic_writing@mailman.eppg.com Subject: [Teaching_Basic_Writing] Response to "Personally, I'm tired..." Good Evening, This comment is very personal as I was also placed in remedial English upon entering my first year of college. It was a horrible experience. There we were, fresh out of high school, with great expectations. About 30 American Indian students, along with myself, were placed in Remedial English. I remember the first day of the class. We all just stared at each other, not saying anything. We all knew why we were put in this class - someone made the decision that we were not capable of writing at the academic level prescribed. Although this was many years ago, I know that many of our native students still face similar situations. That is why our jobs as educators are crucial when it comes to preparing our students for college/university experiences. Noone wants to be "labeled." So, when I have observed my students in the past, and imagined what their first college experience might hold, I certainly hoped that they wouldn't have to go through what I did. Even now in working with students of varied educational backgrounds, I try to impress upon them that writing well takes practice. It is an endeavor that can always be improved upon. Having a solid foundation for good writing is what I consider crucial. Most of our students should be able to walk into any college or university and be able to write what is expected without little difficulty. I am currently aware of a college which has restructured its teaching of the arts to include first-year writing seminars for all students. This institution has found that "its students cannot write." So, what are your thoughts about preparing our students for college/university experiences when it comes to writing? ____________________________________________________________________________ ________ Sponsored Link Online degrees - find the right program to advance your career. www.nextag.com _______________________________________________ Teaching_Basic_Writing maillist - Teaching_Basic_Writing@mailman.eppg.com http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_basic_writing If you no longer wish to receive this mailing, please go to http://mailman.eppg.com/mailman/listinfo/teaching_basic_writing to updat your information.