In the clarifications, all students are admitting to refined subjects, but they are not making that precision clear or explicit in the writing. I am noticing a real tendency to talk around an idea or without specificity.
They seem to see detail and specifics, the work of making something particular as akin to repetition. Or they think the reader "already knows."
The library was helpful, for me because I saw them discuss--for the first time--their subjects without my guidance. This was scary too: a few of them really didn't seem to grasp their subjects and looked to me for help. I am working to make them more dependent on peer groups for this "help" status.
Next class, I am rewriting their "topics" and "questions" on the board and showing them the ways they've already specified it. Then, asking, if this was accidental, if they were aware of that precision, and why they are returning to "large idea" instead of really interesting inquiry.
Scott McCloud's Ted Talk on comics is something I imagine will help.
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Kristen, I'm wondering how this has changed thus far. My students are required to attend consultations at the Writing Center since it's an enhanced course. I find meeting with someone outside the class can help students see what in their writing is clear and what is still unclear. My class is so small that they all learn so much about each other's essays, so their classmates can "get what she meant to say" better than the consultants.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I struggle with the same in my class.