Blog Post #10 -- Bri

In my program I only have to write poems.  I would categorize this as both “learning to write” and “writing to learn.”  Inevitably, when working on a poem I learn something about the given topic I’m writing about and/or the inner-workings of language.  However, when my poems are workshopped, I learn about what’s not working in my pieces and why something was or wasn’t effective, and so this would be the “learning to write” side.   

As a Rhetoric instructor, I obviously do not have my students write poems, though I have had us perform rhetorical analysis on a few.  Each week my students are required to do a Writers’ Resource Notebook entry.  I would categorize these entries as “writing to learn.” I really love these assignments because it allows the students an opportunity to synthesize our class material in one place.  For example, this week they’re watching a John Oliver video that breaks down America’s voting system.  Oliver is a great presenter because he directly interacts with many of the elements they’ve learned about effective and persuasive arguments.  Oliver uses a classic argument structure wherein he has a clear thesis, builds a compelling argument that utilizes all of the appeals, and wraps it all up with a “so-what” question.  In my opinion, it’s like watching an expert perform our primary textbook material.  The writing side of this assignment asks them to essentially break down Oliver’s argument—kind of like doing a reverse outline assignment where you take a completed essay and create an outline from the finished product.  This not only asks the students to interact with class material without having vocab prompts but also builds their confidence. By writing about Oliver’s delivery, they see how much they know about what it takes to deliver/write a compelling argument.  I also always ask my students to write how they feel about the argument that’s been presented.  I think it’s important for them to practice voicing and articulating their opinion about controversial issues, especially after they’ve taken the time to break down the mechanics of someone else’s argument.