Toby Fulwiler is right: students generally write to an audience of their teachers throughout their years at various teaching institutions. Students are taught to cater to these highly educated spectators in their writing, and I think that’s not a bad idea. Making the student try to impress the teachers with his or her writing forces the kid to work harder to have a more cultured and sophisticated piece of work in the end. Basically, what I’m saying is that if you set the bar high, even if the student doesn’t clear it, you at least got him to stretch. He or she grew as a writer as a result of trying to impress the educators. He or she learned something. And the teacher succeeded in his or her job; the kid turned out a better writer, correct?
In comparison, there’s occasionally a time when students are asked to review other students’ work. This is sometimes catastrophic. In an attempt to impress peers, students not only dumb down their writing, but they throw in slang, cliché phrases, and even inappropriate references. This may be way more funny and entertaining than the scholarly work mentioned before, but it’s just not right. In erudite and scholarly writing, you should be able to use sizable words and complex analogies while still remaining light and witty, and in the end, making your reader laugh and stay focused on what you’re trying to say. You shouldn’t have to resort to crude or uncouth humor just to receive a faint giggle from your audience. The role of the student audience in my mind isn’t a very good one, unless you’re writing for TRL or something equally mindless. Well, maybe that’s a bit harsh. Sometimes the student audience can be comprised of the fairly intellectual group of students. Sometimes the audience appreciates a work of extreme genius because it has a message that they can relate to. But from my experiences, the student audience simply edits your paper because they have to. They skim over it, throw in a few comments like “lol” or “cool thesis” and then never contribute to your paper at all. Like I said, there are exceptions, but in general, the student audience ruins a perfectly meaningful literary work.
2 comments:
So, I really enjoy reading your works whether it be this or your papers. You have such a strong view sort of a "take no prisoners, show no mercy!" type of thing. Yes, I do like my clichés =] sorry they're relatable to me I guess. But seriously, I'm making a mental note never to get in a debate with with you, unless it's something I super passionate about =] you go girl!! I do agree with you in the situation of a teacher pushing a student to go above and beyond and helping them to grow and become a more mature writer. People do need to take ahold of a more advanced vocab instead of using the oh, holy, "like"-phrases. chya know wudda mean? okie dokie see ya tomorrow.
R
Marissa,
I completely agree with your evaluation of student proof reading. It's usually not graded harshly enough or just not cared about enough for students to really try and assist their peers. I think students are GREAT resources for editing, but they rarely attempt to live up to their potential. It's an assignment many choose to get over with as quick as possible. It isn't seen as important or interesting and, therefore, is rarely done well.
Also, i see what you're saying about setting high standards by writing for your teachers, but in my experience writing for my teachers, and not myself, has lead to dull, style-less works. I don't know. I guess it depends on the student
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