Muddling Information

“Who is your instructor?”

I always ask this of the students who come and see me for help.  That seems to be the only important question now and days. Or maybe it just here at this school.

Straub notes that to get started we should look into: the assignment, the writer’s interest and aims, the work of the class, and the stage of drafting.

I wish Richie had clarified a bit more what and who this could be useful for.  Look at the title, Amanda, “…to other students”.  Didn’t you read it? Pretty clear.  Is it?  IDK.  Is it the same for student and student? Tutor and student? Teacher and student? Undergrad and undergrad? Or grad and grad? Major class where students are all supposedly invested or a general education class where some have chosen to be there and others have a requirement to fill? Freshman students or mixed students?

I drew a connection from Straub to Roskelley that I basically understand as not enough…situating.  For example, Hephzibah mentions Kesey’s collaborative class experience and how fruitful that was. But I think to myself, what the fuck does that have to do with anything? Obviously it has to do with something, obviously it is an example, obviously it goes towards proving her point.  But what is the point of not differentiating how a creative class is different from a composition class? Not in the sense that, oh duh, one is creative one composition. NO. I mean, one is more of a choice while the other is a straight up-  you have no choice, you can’t graduate without this.  First year composition courses and even the ENG 350 classes that are the graduate writing exam classes are required, which completely changes the vibe of those classes. There is no escaping this.  Why am I writing about this? I am too focused on composition classes when maybe this stuff is supposed to apply across the board. But that is my problem. We cannot fucking apply shit across the board because education cannot and should not be treated like a… market. Or capitalist thingy, ya know? Ugh, I can’t think or write. I can’t explain what I mean. My bad.

Each class is different and each student and each instructor and the uniqueness of each moment in a class is crazy!!! Instead of trying to looks at these potentials I get to read about group work in all kinds of classes, or just this one class, when group work is still debated overall and specifically. WTF did I just say.  Man, I’m tired.

“Who is your instructor?”

“Oh, okay, well he likes….”

“Oh, well, she really likes…”

“I like what you have here, now let’s think about what your instructor likes and meet half way…”

The particulars are key. More detail to context. To situation. To REALITY. I think that’d be helpful.  All this stuff otherwise is… idk.