Hera Naguib - Questions for 7/3

1. Tobin reaches an insightful philosophy about teaching and building student-teacher relationships. I believe he mostly derives this from the way he centers empathy in his practice, which allows him to speak about teaching and the student-teacher dynamic in human and very believable/convincing terms. In this vein, Tobin lists certain metaphors for the teacher with which anyone who has had classroom experience can relate. From your own experience as a teacher or mentor, which of the metaphors closely resonate with you? Are any of the truths or complications that Tobin elicits similar or different to your experiences?

2. In Kirsten L. Arola's article, she stresses upon the importance of rhetorical design as a means of expressing identity, agency, and self-empowerment for the student. According to Arola, an ignorance over how form operates in Web 2.0 or the digital medium in general precludes us from creating content that reflects personal ideologies. Given that most of us do not have expertise over how digital forms operate, there are still ways in which the teacher of composition can make the student attentive about the rhetorical relationship between digital forms and composition. What are some of the simple ways in which you can educate your class about this relationship and its power to speak towards personal agency and identity?