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Reading Together

Perusall logoWe’ll use Perusall to annotate and read together. Link here to Perusall. Instructions for joining on the Assignments page.

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My mistake….

My mistake….

In the confusion of all of the readings that I was scrambling to complete, I had made the mistake of posting about the wrong reading.  I had just noticed after I was reviewing my post, I have decided to leave the post up to remind myself that no matter how much I have to do, sometimes it is best to slow it down a few notches and make sure I am doing the right assignments…

Therefore….

here is a passage from Rodby and Fox;

“The insight grew out of our repeated observations that x did not lend to y …The basic writing student who had achieved a degree of comfort and expertise in the curriculum, of basic writing (Through short readings, usually multicultural, often narrative, and short papers based on the student’s own life experience) did not bring that comfort and expertise with them to first-year writing (Rodby & Fox, p.88-89)”.

 

As I read this, momentarily images, intertwined with emotions, thoughts, and a bitterness overcame me as the passages in the latter triggered my memories of my own first-year writing experience… Upon arrival I initially felt that I was ready to take on the challenges of college and all that may come with it…that was until I completed my first assignment and did noticed all of the markings all over my paper.  Never before when I was in high school did I get any markings beyond a grade on my papers, and curious what the scribbles contained, I danced my fingers across the blood red words and through the pages, until it was over.  At the time I was not sure what to do, since prior to college after my paper was returned the assignment was over, however this assignment contained the bold crimson letters, “RESUBMIT”…  Terrified at the thought that I must have done something wrong or even worse, not have done something I was supposed to and needed to for my paper…  out of embarrassment, I crumpled up that paper, and tossed it in the trash, and re-wrote the entire paper.  Although I felt better after, I received the same haunting formation of letters across the top of the first page, “RESUBMIT”, however this time it was tailed with “SEE ME”…

Full of fear, never before have I had a one on one sitting with any teachers, and here I was; negative thought flooded my mind. Freshman year, first writing assignment, and am about to get kicked out… I got to the instructor’s door, collected myself, and walked in… after a twenty or so minutes session, I walked out with a completely new impression about meeting instructors.  My fears had not been realized as well as the important fact that I could have kept my first paper, and if I had done revisions, it would have been fine.

I had been writing the wrong way all along, and no one told me… Strange as it may seem, it was not until I arrived to college did I feel that I learned how to write academically.  Although I understand that my writing has a long ways to go, progress forward is alway better than being at a standstill.  From my anecdote, I learned to use the teacher’s comments and revise my papers.  Simple as it may sound, in high school, I used to turn in only the first draft and it was acceptable.  Taking notice that I did not learn much in high school regarding academic writing, I was surprised I graduated.  It was a long and difficult struggle from there to where I am now, however I feel that I will “keep on keeping on” and who knows? Maybe in a few more years, I will be on the other side of that door waiting to help a student who’s understanding of writing my need a few adjustments as well.

 

 

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