The assignment for this weekend was to read 13 articles about blogging. All of the articles were written by college professors who truly enjoy writing. Not only do they enjoy writing but they enjoy teaching as well. For most of these professors, blogging was not their first choice for a writing space. However, they eventually came to realize that blogging is not only good for personal but for teaching purposes as well. In his article, "I Don't Really Want to Go into Personal Things in This Blog": Risking Connection through Blogging, Carlton Clark describes how his blogging experiences have helped shape his teaching practices. His title could be the name of my blog because I don't like divulging my personal life to complete strangers. This is the reason that I do not have a Face Book or My Space page. Clark, however, made me see blogs in a different light. Clark puts himself out there by expressing his fears of teaching and he was rewarded by finding out that his pupils can relate to him. As an English major who wants to teach, I admire Clark's bravery. I hope that I can be as open with my students as he has.
"Blogging Back to the Basics" by Jeff McIntire is another article that really caught my eye. He states that "Writing is a social act and a writer develops his/her skills within a social context". I really liked this quote because it really describes how being a writer is really about being in the spot light. As a writer, you are only considered successful is if your writing is given a thumbs up from your social peers. A blog is a good practice place in a social context for those who want to become professional writers. On a blog, you are able to receive feedback on your thoughts from people from all over the world. Even if your blog is just for fun, you are able to see how many people share your point of view. I agree with McIntire that having students create a blog is beneficial to their futures.
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Tara,
ReplyDeleteI relate to your reservations about posting publicly. I assure you that when you become a teacher, your students will have a wonderful way of drawing you out. I'm not a teacher, but I know how much my sons valued the personal connection with theirs.
As for the aspect of writing as a social act or being in the spotlight, I will confess that I love reading people's creative status updates on Facebook. I don't have an online presence in Facebook, as my college aged sons view that as their domain, but I am allowed to view their profiles. We have started more conversations over posts of their such as, "I made the best out of a bad situation. I took the glass from my window and turned it into a coffee table." Yikes!
Tara:
ReplyDeleteI wrote you a long reply and found that I can only use 4,096 characters. I have no idea of what 4,096 characters amount to in words. So I will cut large portions of this blog, and give you my tried and true way of communicating. A piece of paper. I think if this blogging restricts the amount of words, as a writer it does me no good?
Regarding “I Don’t Really Want to Go into Personal Things in This Blog”: Risking Connection through Blogging” by Carlton Clark
Though I am not intimidated by others knowing who I am, (I wish I did?), I blunder by saying things that I throw out for comment, comment, but not for bashing. I would expect that you don’t want the bashing either. Unfortunately if you are to be a teacher you have to react somewhat to your students on a personal level.
What I enjoyed most about Carton Clark's remarks were:
1-“I think composition instructors should be writers…But what kind of writing counts.” This should be a question posed in our class? I agree fully that any composition teacher should be a writer in order to teach the subject. But what kind of writing “free writing,” as blogs seem to be, or more strict grammatical pieces adhering to correct punctuation? He goes on to say, and this is the important message I got from his piece, “The point of blogging lab work is for my students to write, for themselves and their readers.” That is the best point made in almost any of the other blogs. At the end he admits that the reason he is a teacher is because he loves to learn. This is a real personal thing to throw out to students. “You mean you teach us not because you want to teach us, but you teach for selfish reasons?
Blogging Back to the Basics, by Jeff McIntire
I have to admit I missed that statement and you brought that to my attention.
“Writing is a social act, and a writer develops his/her skills with a social context.”
You are absolutely right! You said, “writer is really about being in the spot light.”
I said something similar in my blog. I said that recently I have been exposing myself, my past, and things I have done, some I am proud of, and many are acts by a much younger “who am I?” I lay things out that are done forty years ago, by a person I am not today, but to say those things in public, people associate the me of the past with the me of the present and they are not the same two people. I don’t know if I am making any sense. Other than you say it! you get the flack! you get bashed or praised. That is the life of a good writer maybe that is why so many are alcoholics etc, and end up bashing themselves, because of themselves. It is a tricky business, much more tricky if you reveal the little or big chain rattling skeletons and the chamber of horrors in your dark closet, your dark side, personal philosophies, or the way it ought to be according to Tara or Al. Yes, I think you are right when you say, “I admire Clark’s bravery.” I have no doubt that you will surpass Clark’s bravery. Once you admit and realize the situation you change it. It is the same as any sportsman or Olympic medal winner. You try little moves first, then more brave ones, until everyone admires how brave you are, what a master you are, and how they want to emulate you. I am sure your students will.
Thanks Albert! You made a lot of great observations regarding my post. I agree with you when you say that I will have to react with my students on a personal level. I think that if I let them know that I am there for them and that I too have been in similar spots, they will open up more. At least I'm hoping they will. As for my fear of writing in a public setting, I really think having this blog is my first little move, as you say, to embracing this blog as a learning tool. Thank you for all of your support!
ReplyDeleteIs blogging an act of narcissism? Social or not, the assumption of the bloggers is that someone actually cares about what you think..... I think teachers and other professionals need to temper their need to reveal personal info... You can show a student that you care and are there for them without divulging that you will be at the local coffee house or that you hate green beans... Well in the end, to each their own... Communication is key to a successful relationship, but I am not convinced that blogging is an intrical part of the teacher student relationship...
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