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If the book we are reading does not wake us, as with a fist hammering on our skull, why then do we read?... A book must be like an ice-axe to break the sea from inside us.

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We Are Gardeners

hen I think of educators I always imagine them in overalls. Why? Well, it's rather simple. I believe teachers cultivate. They cultivate the minds of their students in hopes that the knowledge they plant will bring a fruition of good, whatever that good may be. And in this week's reading Michael Joyce writes a statement that reminded me why I'm a teacher.

He provides the context explaining that his mentor, Professor Sherman, had mentioned in a letter that he had planted about 15,000 trees around Wolf Lake in Minnesota. Joyce takes this fact and writes, "I do not think it was an exaggeration. In some sense I am among them" (404). Wow. To me, those two sentences are the most profound and beautiful ones he writes. Teachers plant the seed of knowledge and hope for it to grow and manifest within their students. Sherman made a dent in Joyce's life. Hopefully, all good teachers do the same.

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All-Purpose Flour Isn't for Everything

eading and writing is akin to all-purpose flour. Ha, was I the only person who laughed out loud when reading that passage? Because, you know, it's true. Hull's critique that reading and writing is like all-purpose flour in that using literacy as an umbrella for everything is inherently faulty. I agree, literacy cannot be defined in generic terms because literacy is deeply personal.

It seems that Wysocki/Eilola assert that literacy is a self-actualization journey. They write, “[Literacy] is instead about how we all might understand ourselves as active participants in how information gets ‘rearranged, juggled, experimented with’ to make the reality of different cultures” (366). I like to think that each individual carries her own culture. Yes, we are born into a set culture, but we define it and change it into something unique, into something personal, singular. We are meaning makers; literacy happens when you and I take the information given (in whatever form it may be), interpret it, and make sense of it so that it becomes something of which we understand it to be. In other words, we get the information; we unpack it; we make it personal, we make it to be something useful to ourselves (and, maybe, to others). Or, as Wysocki/Eilola so eloquently instructs, Unpack [their definition of literacy] and make your own” (368). Literacy is a journey of self, of taking apart information and - in the middle of making connections - discovering who you are.

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Just Call Me Debbie Downer

or once in my life I'm actually a Debbie Downer. Wow. I can't believe I just wrote that. But it's true... and I hope this feeling passes.

After reading this week’s readings regarding digital writing I am, again, perplexed as to how to incorporate it into the classroom because of the issue of access. It’s impossible for me to keep my doors open after school hours for those students who don’t have computers at home because I am a mother and need to devote time for my children. If I had my own classroom set of laptops – as Solomon did during her summer program with Mario, Kevin, and Krystal – I would be able to utilize collaborative digital writing and digital picture books. We would have the entire hour of class time to work on the projects, allowing for writing to be a social act, “a way of interacting with each other” (qtd. in Solomon, 27). But in reality, this isn’t the case. And with California state standards applying new media just cannot happen due to the simple fact that teachers are teaching to the test!

I wish for my students to understand that writing is a social act; that it is one way of interacting with each other, of learning new things and engaging in discourse that could change their perspectives. Unfortunately, until the state government sees its importance new media and techno literacy may continue to remain on the outskirts of what’s deemed important. But still… I hope.

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Life on Paper

inally, an article I can relate to and actually enjoy reading. Thank you, composition gods! Joe Amato's writing style - and his voice - is pragmatic, logical, and seems devoid of feeling. But hidden in between his words lies emotions that tugged at my heartstrings. For the first time since starting this 658 journey, I felt connected to a piece of writing. Because - honestly - it spoke to me, it reflected a personal. It was life on paper. Even if it was just a snippet.

And that's what I call writing.

While Amato metacognates on how he constructs the words he writes, he says, "Truth in these parts isn't stable, isn't fixed for all time" (381). Very true. As we writers change, so too, do the truths we hold as immutable move through a metamorphosis. That's life. And somewhere during the process of writing, of figuring out who we are in this context called Life, we stumble upon truths that reflect our essence.

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Ha!

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When I write I attempt at clarity and brevity, with a twist of the personal. I stumbled upon a classic Calvin and Hobbs comic strip that made me laugh. Out loud. Because I've met classmates who attempt to write as such.

(via SAGrader)

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Patrick, Justine, and Brandon gave their group presentation on Xtranormal during our last class meeting and it was hilarious! They took the Bartholomae-Elbow debate and deconstructed it; I don't have their video so I took to the good ol' YouTube to find another X-video that refers to something in education and is funny (funny being on the forefront). Mike Magnuson's "What English Professors Talk About" is both. Enjoy!

(via mike magnuson)

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Now that we're all members of the blogging community - thanks to ENG 658 - let's take a moment to look at this awesomely funny infographic. Which blogger type are you? :)

(via flowtown)

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With our class discussions looking into new media and its usefulness in the classroom I want to share this infographic that looks into social media and its impact on our culture.

Reading this poster makes me reflect on my teaching style and how I can/should use new media in my classroom that will engage my students and me in an ongoing conversation about the topics we are studying.

(via flowtown)

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Here's to you, Dr. Rhodes, and your love for coffee! I ❤ it too!

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Doesn't this cartoon align itself to last night's class presentation? :)

(via today's cartoons)

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Love it!

(via powerteacher)

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Love your blog. And I really like how you have original posts... most people on Tumblr just re-blog. BTW did you make your own theme?

Thanks; I appreciate your lovely words. :) I'm using this blog as my platform for ENG 658 - computers and composition - a class I'm taking for my MA. And no, I didn't make this theme. You can get it here. It's kinda pricey but worth it.

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Ha! A 21st century approach to reading.

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What is Writing?

love Tumblr. I’m currently following 40 bloggers with topics ranging from literacy to midcentury modern architecture. I’m in cyber heaven every time I log onto my account because – as soon as I enter – I am greeted with my main dashboard filled with my friends’ posts. I skim through them, reblogging ones I love and ♥ing the posts I like. And I can add to the conversation by posting links, images, texts, videos, and audio clips of things I find from the internet. It's great.

My Tumblr account is my own personal community where my virtual friends and I share our collective interests. We don't know each other personally, but we do share commonalities (e.g., our love for the Eames chair) that become the glue that unites us. Writing is - at least in my eyes - intertextual. Writing is a social act.

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For you, Dr. Rhodes. :)