Category Archives: essays about teaching and writing
The Take Away
This seems to be the new buzz work – the take away. What is the take away? What are the students taking away from this class? What should the take away from this class be? All this talk of a … Continue reading
Spring Fever
The flu season is over and it looks like spring fever has set in—at least in my class it has. The week after spring break I could see the beginnings of the symptoms. Although we were all grousing about how … Continue reading
Drafting Purpose — Is It Done Yet?
When my first-year writing students say to me, “Why do I have to revise? I think my first draft is good.” I reply, “Why do you want to settle for good enough?” When the writing teachers I mentor ask, “What … Continue reading
Repurposing Peer Reviews & Teacher Feedback
Hari Stephen Kumar is a doctoral candidate in Rhet/Comp at the University of Massachusetts. He teaches first-year writing and is on the Resource Center staff. A student mutters to me one time in class, “Why am I doing peer reviews … Continue reading
From Teaching to Tutoring and Back: A Reflection on Old Dogs and the Tricks They May Learn
Deirdre Vinyard is the Deputy Director of the UMass Writing Program. She teaches the first-year writing courses (College and Basic Writing) and directs the Basic Writing Program. Last fall I started tutoring at the Writing Center here at UMass. I’ve … Continue reading
Snow Day!!
It looks like it is going to snow this coming weekend and I’ll be hoping for a snow day. Whenever I call the University’s Snow Line and I hear those magical words, “The University is closed today,” I start dancing … Continue reading
Let’s Be Really Honest: Dealing with the Difficult Student
Liz Fox is a graduate instructor in the Writing Program. She has taught Basic Writing, College Writing and she is currently a Resoruce Center staff mentor. “Can I be really honest with you about something? I’m only in this class, … Continue reading
That First Class
The other day I was talking to a group of teachers who are teaching for the first time in our writing program. Since our teachers come to us with a range of experience—some have taught college-level classes before, some have … Continue reading
The End is in Sight — Yikes!!
We’re back from Thanksgiving break and the end of the semester is in sight. Only two more weeks of classes, and then the Final Reflection will be turned in during Finals Week. Where did the semester go? Although Labor Day … Continue reading
Don’t Forget to Use Your Penguin
In my first-year writing class we are doing a copyediting workshop. My students have exchanged papers and I have asked them to do the following: Make sure all Direct Quotations have been introduced properly. Check to make sure the in-text … Continue reading