Semantics

I am finding myself surprised that I don't have a lot to say about the Flower and Hayes article. I thought the information was good, maybe even helpful, but not overwhelmingly new. As I read some of these articles, I keep thinking, "How did these get published? They are common sense ideas." I am also not convinced that the Cognitive Process Models: Planning, Translating and Reviewing (277) are as significantly different from Pre-writing, Writing and Re-writing as Flower and Hayes would like us to believe. Simply because early proponents of Pre-writing, writing and re-writing did not explicitly state that they are multi-fauceted, hierarchical and not necessarily linear, does not mean that this isn't the case. As the language for composition (and the study of composition) has developed, it seems to me that semantics has certainly made its way to the forefront by way of those with a desire to publish.

The 5-P Essay

Well, I believe it has happened… I have (begun) to question the strength of my attachment to the 5- paragraph essay. Reading about the process of writing, and the process of teaching (the process of) writing has begun to take its grip on my beliefs and turn them into questions of my beliefs. I feel like I have crossed over into the “dark side,” only to realize it is the beginning of enlightenment.

I want my (future) students to be able to love writing. I want them to realize that regardless of their style or their methods that what matters is the end product, yet realize that their style and methods are part of the process of writing. I really like reading Tobin’s struggle to find the happy median between completely structured writing and completely unstructured writing. I am idealistic that I can give students the world in an English class, yet realistic enough to realize that this giving must conform to, and meet, several strict criteria set by those not necessarily in tune to my desires or needs as a teacher. Tobin’s median seems a way to be able to merge both my desires as well as most administrative demands. I must also add, that I am in complete agree with him when he states that teaching the 5 –paragraph essay is still a necessity, if only as a means to complete essay exams (cough cough ---PSSA’s).