Christina Pfister

Tiffany Isaacs

ENC 2135

25 April 2017

Last Reading Response

The supplement Process Pedagogy primarily discussed a teaching revolution on

how to teach students how to write; a shift in focus from the writing to the writer. In the
article, the Tobin talks about how his class and even his own class when he began
teaching never wrote during class, peer reviewed or work shopped. *How do you think
this class would differ if we did not do any of this? Why is this beneficial?*
Every time Tobin talked about things that should be done in classrooms to really develop
students as a writer,*Did any specific teachers come to mind here?*
I thought of Ms. Tiffany, this class and how every English class before this one, failed in
comparison. Ms. Tiffany, just like Tobin discusses in the article, taught us to write
unfinished works and teaching us how to find glory in these unfinished works because
with each draft, we were able to better our writing and develop further personally as a
writer. Tobin recommended encouraging risky failures, (Tobin 2), which connects back
to one of the first articles we read about shitty drafts. All of this combines to become a
better way to teach students to write better, have a voice, make judgments about your
own paper in regards to what stays or not and how to not just write for a grade.
Do you think this class has allowed you to do so? Why?
Tobin realized that writing needed to be taught as a process not a product. What does
this mean to you? My AP Language teacher was more on the product side. The writing
process was so equation like: Have these specific margins, have this specific header,
introduce argument, introduce rhetorical strategy and have a specific standard. We were
critiqued heavily and wrote to her insane standards. However, I think this class has
allowed me to have a little more imagination with my writing and has given me more
freedom. Tobin also talked about the importance of free writing. Do you think free
writing has helped you develop in this class? Overall, what do you think is the best
way to teach an English class?
I do not think there is one set way of teaching writing/English. You have to start with the
basics of structure, appeals, and even at a young age phonics. As you progress you have
more freedom with the process and are allowed to be flexible, instead of writing in the
same boring mold. Do you think this process of teaching encourages starting earlier,
employing free writing and other invention strategies, seeking feedback, relying on
revision?

Yanceys article really tied everything in together, in regards to what we have

done in this class. Our final efforts are being put towards creating a longitudinal
showcase of all of our work from the semester. This portfolio is supposed to show how
we have developed as writers and bring everything into one cohesive unit. I agreed with
what Yancey said about the portfolio being a sum of everything; it is not just focused on
one piece. The portfolio is kind of like your child; all of your blood, sweat and tears is
being put together to show the teacher how far you have come in terms of developing as a
writer and as a student. It is a display of the diverse pieces of work you have created and
is a mini celebration of your refined work. I think for my portfolio, after reading this
supplement, is going to include my works from the beginning and some towards the end.
This way I can show how I have developed and possibly become a stronger writer. I want
my portfolio to be a reflection of my growing self; a student who has never been given
then opportunity to write freely about what I wanted to and a student who has tried to
convey her thoughts in the best way possible.