Philosophy
I believe that we all have the potential to be superheroes.
Every time we use writing to form and develop connections with other people, we have the opportunity to lighten burdens, fix problems, and even save lives. Being a good writer is about more than grammar and spelling. It's about communicating effectively and making the world around us easier to live in.
In our class, we learn to read critically by studying real-world historical and contemporary examples of rhetoric in the form of mentor texts. We analyze rhetorical choices in these texts, looking for purpose, bias, and attention paid to an intended audience. For example, we might look at an essay by David Brooks and ask questions like the following:
What genre is he writing in? What is his background? What biases might he have? Who is his intended audience? What is his purpose in writing this piece? When did he write it and why then?
This gives us a more complete view of Brooks' writing, and we can better see why/how it is successful. We also look for stylistic elements we want to emulate in our own writing, like good imagery, careful diction, well-timed anaphora, or smooth transitions. By studying these "mentor texts," students learn what
works and what doesn't. They learn strategies to emulate and ways to
"level-up" their superpowers. I assign such texts both inside and outside the writing classroom to help students engage
with authors and consider not only what they are saying but how they are saying it.
I also believe in the importance of setting goals for ourselves. At the beginning of each unit, I have students carefully consider three things they want to improve on as writers. Examples could range anywhere from paying stricter attention to one's audience, to using commas correctly. At the end of each unit, we return to those goals and determine whether they made progress and why. We learn by stretching ourselves, and we stretch ourselves
when we set challenging but achievable goals. My students also do a lot of reflective writing as part of homework and
classroom activities, with the understanding that the goal of these
activities is to help them transfer the skills they are learning to
other areas of their lives. I believe in being transparent with my
students regarding transfer; as Nowacek writes, it is important for
students to actively recognize opportunities for transfer, as the
process is only successful when individuals actively engage in making
connections themselves.
In student papers, I look for real engagement with audience and source material, clarity in argument, and attention to stylistic details and genre conventions, because if we really want to make meaningful connections with others, it is important that they understand what we are saying. I use rubrics that clearly define what I expect from my students. After turning in each paper, I have my students write reflections, returning to their goals in order to self-evaluate.
Like other superpowers, students should develop communication skills with the goal of using them for the greater good. In class, we examine bias and the ethical use of rhetoric. We also spend some time on logic and the process of building a sound argument. As a part of this process, we identify real-world examples of logical fallacies and consider how to avoid them. As John Duffy writes, we live in a world where truth has become transactional. To combat misrepresentation and manipulation, students should practice integrity in their writing. This includes learning how to correctly cite their sources.
Writing is something we do every day! It's a part of us. We can't get away from it, any more than Peter Parker can get away from being Spiderman. Knowing how to write effectively inspires confidence and empowers us to make the world around us a little better every day. And that's what superheroes do.