peter elbow on writing prof. myrna monllor jiménez prof. helen avilés
TRANSCRIPT
Peter Elbow On WritingProf. Myrna Monllor JiménezProf. Helen Avilés
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlL5W2qA0EA
Peter Elbow: Publications
Writing as giving in
Resisting the conventions
e. e. cummings
Elbow’s Movie of the Mind
“Movie of the Mind” http://myweb.wvnet.edu/~jelkins/writeshop/writeshop/movie.html
Writing Experiences
Peter Elbow
advocates students writing with power
believes students need to feel safe in the classroom, in order for them to take risks
proposes building a foundation to provide the safety needed to write self-esteem strong sense of self praise
Elbow’s Four Levels of Audience Relationship
Private Writing
Writing that people share, but listeners don’t respond to
Writing that receives a positive response or feedback
Writing which receives criticism
Four Levels of Audience Relationship
Sharing of writing can be done in groups or pairs, or individually with the teacher
At the level of positive response, both peers and the teacher can ask questions to help and guide the writer
Students also need to share at least 3/4 of their writing
Elbow’s Grading Contracts
Contract establishes that if you do all the writing work the teacher assigned, you get will get a B
With the collaboration of his students, Elbow establishes what A writing is
Excellence is the key to getting an A
To get an A or a B
Students need to:
do a lot of writing provide evidence of drafting, peer editing, revising they need to make substantive changes so that they
prove their skill at revising
Voice
“When people read their writing out loud, they can tell immediately when something doesn't work. They'll stumble, they'll change a sentence, they'll say, "wait a minute, let me say that differently" because it's not speakable. They learn an essential fact about voice, but they learn it with no teaching. They learn it with the feel of their mouth and the sound of their ear.” Peter Elbow
Other Requirements
“perplexity of writing” and “movement of thinking”
considers grammar and spelling as part of the final draft’s evaluation
Low Stake Assignments
get students to keep up with the assigned reading/work every week
Help students become active learners because they get involved in the subject matter of the course
Help students find their own language to explain what is being discussed
Serve as a scaffold (Vigotsky) for high stakes writing
Provides the teacher with a better understanding of the student’s writing progress
Not Graded
Low Stake Writing: Benefit for Teachers
High Stakes Writing
Commenting on Students’ Work
Extensive research has shown that when students read our comments, they frequently misunderstand what we have written
there is no right or best way to respond to student writing
ask for a short piece of “process writing” or “writer’s log” or “cover letter” with any major assignment where the students will explain how they got their ideas, which parts were more difficult, what parts were easy, what their intention was, what changes they made
Responding to Writing
A rubric helps to make comments that refer directly to what the assignment required
Read the whole text before commenting
Focus on two or three problems at the most
Frame comments in a positive way
What Elbow does?
On Grading
Creating a Positive Writing Environment
5 Essential Affirmations that Elbow agrees with
“ 1. Everyone has a strong, unique voice. 2. Everyone is born with creative genius. 3. Writing as an art form belongs to all people, regardless of economic class or educational level. 4. The teaching of craft can be done without damage to a writer’s original voice or artistic self-esteem. 5. A writer is someone who writes. “
http://www.amherstwriters.com/ElbwIntr.html