Discouraging FeedbackCreating a Conversation
I was very disappointed with the feedback given on my civic letter. I worked very hard, and did extensive research on my topic. I was actually excited about handing in and out sending my letter. In return, I received a poor grade and felt for the most part that the feed back was negative. I was accused of using sarcasm to describe my feelings as a mother. This really upset me because I was under the impression that we were supposed to write from a standpoint? The criteria for this assignment, was explained more thoroughly after the grade and papers were given back? I just feel so frustrated with this class. I work the hardest in it and receive the lowest grade. I don’t feel like I am being challenged as a writer, I feel like I am being challenged to understand what the assignment is. I feel like my hard work did not pay of in the civic letter assignment. I didn’t recieve positive feedback mostly negative. The things I know I can fix in my letter are to use more specific examples to back up my points, and to fix a few grammatical errors.
Add a comment November 1, 2007
What Is Communication?
This class is titled Writing AS Communication because as a class we communicate through our writing. All assignments, links to information, and contact to each other are through writing. I think the ritual model is being promoted through the title of our course because there is a sense of a community in our class, this is seen mostly in our experience of the Wiki and blogging. The Wiki allows for interpretation, we are given clues and vague ideas that encourage us to participate in learning but many students interpret the information that is given to us in different ways. We as a class participate in creating this sense of a community though our class. Even without the Wiki and online bogging this class is a community and we share an experience that becomes a ceremony through coming to class, discussing issues, and writing.
Add a comment October 29, 2007
FEED BACK
The common theme in the freshman writing class is feedback, the benefits of receiving feedback and the concerns that also seem to be vocalized through the web-logs. Steph writes mainly about the specific assignments that she gives out in both writing classes. She feels strongly that the Wiki is a great way to receive feedback on student’s writings; she believes that writing is public, and should be available without restrictions. The students have mostly positive feelings about having their writing on the Wiki, and although some have concerns for who is reading the writing, they see the benefits from improving overshadow their anxiety.
Receiving feedback on individual writing is the best way to improve. Sometimes its hard to take criticism but being able to be anonymous on the web-logs helps students to write what is really on their mind, its gives them a freedom that doesn’t always exist in the classroom. Being anonymous allows those students being critiqued to accept feedback without becoming defensive; they don’t know who is giving the feedback and assume that they are also unknown.
By allowing her classes to use the Wiki as a resource for learning, Steph is creating a classroom. Although it is sometimes scary to put personnel writing out on the web and into the public eye, no student should feel embarrassed of what they have to say. Ideas are important and nothing to feel reluctant about when exposing them on the web. By making the critiquing of public writing available it helps to improve students skills, writing is a process, as is learning.
5 comments October 25, 2007
Related Ideas?
Today in class we were told to work with our partner to analyze the different quotes we were given and then to brainstorm questions that we need to ask in order to provide a thorough analysis. We asked how these definitions relate and link to each other.
1 comment October 18, 2007
What’s the Matter??
There is a relationship between the movie Babel, and the subject matter of the course; it is called the Semiotic method. This refers to signs always having meaning especially on the basis of difference. In Babel all the characters are connected even though they are separated and divided by languages, cultures, and space barriers. Even with these barriers the audience is able to relate and identify with all the characters regardless of their diversity. There are many cultural signs in Babel, the gun can be used for an example. It was used by the two boys who shoot the American tourist in Morocco. That same gun was given as a present to a Moroccan villager by the Japanese’s man who is the father of the deaf girl. Her mother was killed when she shot herself. (With a gun) The gun as a symbol is powerful, no matter where it is used (country, region) and in what context, or cultural belief system, a gun represents the same outcome. It connects and affects all the members in the movie. If the woman had not been shot, her two children would not have gone to Mexico and Amelia and her nephew would not have gotten into trouble. This movie reminds me of the “butterfly effect” one incident can change the outcome of many lives. In the subject matter of our communication writing class, we have really looked at the semiotic method and finding meaning in places where it might not be evident that there are symbols that create the meaning. Both the semiotic method and the movie Babel are based on symbolic meaning as a form of communication.
Add a comment October 10, 2007
Babel Continued
After watching the second half of Babel, I feel that my sense of the film has changed. I am able to comprehend more of the plot because I can see how the different parts are beginning to connect and come together. For example, it becomes evident to me that the two children celebrating at the wedding in Mexico belong to the woman Susan, who was shot, and her husband, Richard.
I was able to realize, to the extent that I can, just how much Cheiko’s handicap forces her to see the world and situations differently. When she goes to a rave, she can’t hear the music and the film portrays this very well. The scene switches back and forth from lights with music, to lights with no sound. I was able to get a glimpse into her life and for a second see that her experience is a different one then those who are able to hear.
The two boys in Moroco, who have shot the woman Susan, confess and try to escape with their father but are bombarded by police who begin shooting. It was amazing to me that in this culture it’s acceptable to shoot at children. In the subplot in Mexico with the two children and their nanny Amelia, I also feared for the children. After bing driven by the drunken nephew of Amelia and then being dropped off and stranded in the desert with only a flashlight. Both situations made me feel helpless for the children; it’s as if the adults around them are not following through on their responsibilites. I am very interested to see the conclusion of this film Babel, I want to know how more of the subplots are connected.
Add a comment September 26, 2007
Hair What Does It Say About You?
Group 4
Today in class we were asked to discuss a cultural text, the teacher, Steph’s hair cut. Our group came to the conclusion that it is a personal preference the way she and anyone chooses to wear, style, or cut their hair. Steph’s hair cut is un-arguable different than most seen in our culture, and the people that would take notice and talk about it would be people that notice this difference and who care about appearances. People that would not talk about her style would be people that either have the same style of a cut, or just don’t take notice at appearances.
Society would talk about this hair cut because it can be considered different compared to the way most people in our society style and cut their hair, however by wearing your hair in this way its just another way of expressing yourself and trying to look different. If this style is familiar to you, you are probably not going to talk about it because it doesn’t make a statement to you, its natural for that person.
Our group came to the conclusion that by wearing her hair this way Steph is just being herself, hair is such an insignificant thing that it really doesn’t matter, whatever makes you feel comfortable and yourself is all that matters. Hair doesn’t make a person, but at the same time Steph is making a statement that she wants to be looked at or noticed differently than other people whose hair looks like the majority of people in our society.
11 comments September 13, 2007
Babel As It Relates to Communication
Babel is a movie that shows how three different sets of circumstances, in three very different parts of the world, all relate to one another in a larger sense. Babel relates to the subject matter of this class because Babel deals with communication, this class is “writing as communication,” although the movie is not “written,” it is all about different forms of communication. In Japan the deaf girl cannot communicate through talking. She is limited in her forms of communication which leads her to frustration, she uses her sexuality and anger to communicate to people. In Morroco, the Jones cannot communicate through talking because they do not understand the language. In a time of emergency, they must find any form of understanding and communication, and trust foreign strangers to help them. In Mexico the children recieve messages and understanding of the culture by watching and participating in a new and different way of life then what they have ever known. Communication can come in many forms I think the movie Babel is a wonderful example of this. Writing is also this way, their are many ways in which you can communicate ideas, thoughts, and information through writing.
1 comment September 7, 2007
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1 comment September 6, 2007
