SQR #4

SQR#4

Summary:

Peter Elbow initiates his article by stating that while others like Bartholomea may say his theory is wrong, he believes that there is a conflict between the role of a writer and that of an academic. Elbow admits he is proud of his identities as a writer, and as an academic. He states that at times his identity as a writer, and as an academic conflict sometimes and he talks about their relationship to one another. Elbow teaches a first year writing class, where he wants the students to feel comfortable with both of these while writing. Elbow says that he loves writing because he loves to communicate and explore things through writing with others. He tells the students to all set goals for themselves in this class, he hopes that these goals either stated or accomplished include being comfortable with both roles. Elbow states that he will fight for the role of the writer in his class. A conflict that he deals with is “what we should read” in this writing class. He believes giving his students key texts would be important in the way they can see themselves as an academic. To see themselves as writers Elbow believes they should publish and read their own writing. In the class he publishes a magazine in which four times a semester one piece of writing created by a student is included. Elbow believes that they should read important texts, not to be sacred or referred to as correct but something to talk about, agree, disagree or to write about. He emphasis on treating texts as academics do, using texts and not serving them. Another conflict he arrives at is “how much to read”. Peter Elbow likes his class to write in class, because he feels that it helps him “coach students” with techniques and strategies. He emphasis on writing over reading, he said that he is doing this because every other course focuses on reading over writing. Elbow states that most courses honor reading but don’t treat writing as a central theme. He discusses some interests from both perspectives. From the readers, it is to their interest to say that the writers intentions do not matter. While it in the writers interest to have the readers interested in what is on their mind, to “stay alive” in the readers mind. Writers get frustrated when the reader misreads their writing. The reader or grader, always gets to decide what the material means. For that very reason students withdraw ownership, commitment in their writing. Elbow says that in Academia rules are turned around when it comes to lectures, the writer or the person lecturing is the one that gets to decide what the material means. One of the main points he tries to get across, is that teachers are not too open minded when it comes to answers, they already have certain ideas, or terms that they want addressed in order to tell a student he or she is correct. He uses the example where when we finish writing a paper we turn it in and ask, “is this ok” when he believes that we need to take pride in our work and authority and say, “listen to me, I have something to tell you.” His final arguments mention that when this method is applied, Elbow believes that we are becoming more like test takers, or reader than writers.

Question:

My question is, what do Peter Elbows students think about his theory? Do they agree with everything that is being taught to them? I would also like to know how they see themselves as writers after being in his class.

Answer:

I cannot really answer the part about whether or not they agree, because some may agree with Elbow, and some may disagree. I do believe that they came out of this class with a little more confidence in their writing as opposed to when they first enrolled in the class. I was not in his writing class, but I have to say that I agree with a good amount of his ideas, and they help me see a different perspective while writing.