Q 1. Bartholomae introduces Godzich’s analysis on the way English department was stratified between tenure-track faculties’ more ‘scholarly’ classes and graduate students’ basic or composition courses in the 1980s (19-20). Even though Godzhich’s view is limited, it still represents some aspects of the unique position of graduate students. How do you think the situation meets the undergraduate students’ expectation for the university? Also, how can we, graduate students, define ourselves as teachers who are differentiated from faculty members in the department?
Q 2. Tobins discusses how the process pedagogy has been introduced and adopted. I certainly agree with the idea of the process that students are considered writers and encouraged to find their way. However, I do also agree with the “preprocess and postprocess teachers” who “devote more class time to discussions, interpretations, and assessments of the works of professional writers” (16), as much as I feel uncomfortable with the definition of writing as “a form of discovery” or “expressivist” act (9). It may be because a lot of writing process of my own is comprised of compiling, reading, and analyzing critical materials on a certain literary text. It makes me wonder what the significance of composition classes is if we separate that part from writing. Can all major classes be called writing classes in that their final project is to let students make up a coherent and comprehensive paper? Does that make a composition class focus on solely 'writing' itself?
In response to Q1: I found myself reflecting on this section while reading, as well. I remember my own experience entering undergrad and quickly realizing that I would have little access to or interaction with faculty members for the first two years and how I was surprised by this. I don't think my high school education, and as a first-generation college student, gave me the impression that I would have so many classes led by graduate teachers. That being said, I found that the graduate assistants helped me to feel less intimidated by the thought of higher education and prepared me for upper-level coursework. I think that we as graduate educators can differentiate ourselves from faculty teachers by introducing ourselves to our students clearly, sincerely, and immediately. I believe that we should tell our students our stories, present our academic experiences and goals, and assure them of the level of knowledge that we have to share with them on day one.
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