Words, words, words, mores words....and just for good measure some mords

I don’t feel this lends itself that strongly to any particular teaching issue and is one we inherently are all aware of, but I feel it makes for an interesting side note if not grand old fiesta.

When I taught the textual analysis last semester, I approached it in a very concrete method. I showed them questions they would have to answer along with outlines for how they could proceed and structure papers. It was sequential and very document like where all they would have to do is go through a step by step approach. I included activities where we analyzed different documents and used different methods in different genres, but it was all sub to the very sequential and step by step approach.

I know what every one is saying, “That isn’t teaching them to do anything! They just sit there and churn out a few damn sentences to meet your damn requirements for your damn assignment for your damn class and this damn university.” Well, minus all the expletives, I feel you are very correct good colleagues. But I defend myself by the assumption I had that they already knew how to analyze and approach a text critically. They critically approach sports and movies, the transition to a text should be no problem.

And it is at this point that you may lay forth the claim of what an assumption is. “You know Kevin, all you do when you assume is make ASS out of U and ME. And now you made asses out of your students. Way to go and keep up all the work.” Well, I appreciate your concern for me keeping up the work because I needed to.

The approach failed not miserably, but failed reasonably. They missed many of the marks and all they did was churn out very short papers answering all the questions I gave them to answer, but nothing more. The horror! There was no deep analysis or flavor or feel. No voice, no joy. No disrespect or shouts of “Yes! It’s correct!” Merely, “He says this, and I feel that, but he may be abstract.” Through conferences, I got them on the right track.

So for this semester I jostled it up a bit. I hit them with different documents, movies, songs, and posters to analyze. I had these two posters with Japanese characters on them. One was clearly geared towards females and clearly towards males. We looked at them as a class and did an analysis of them worthy of any class, undergraduate and graduate. I helped them arrive at this position where they were honestly great at analyzing and could make the transition from sports team to written document.

Then I got the rough drafts and all was not sunshine and roses. They were all over the place. No order or rhyme or clairvoyant sign. No structure, no rhythm, nothing tied together, not even with a nice little ribbon.

Given we had a few more class periods before the final drafts were due, I quickly rebounded and realized the mistake and brought all the outlines and questions that my last class turned into bland sequential documents in order to corral the mental wonderings. While I still have to receive the final drafts, the marked improvement I have seen while having conferences with students is uplifting and encouraging. They see what they did and should have done.

This is just more of an answer to, “How much should I focus on one aspect versus the other.” The assignment requires both aspects and each class will respond differently to different stimuli. Everyone probably has their own reflections on the Textual Analysis and methods and situations have failed miserably. Please share for fun if you have the time.