Learning Log Entry 3

For session 4 of this class, we met with our writing groups for our Genre Pieces Project.  Of which I have been mightily skeptical about.  Let me give you a little BDA breakdown.

Before writing groups:
Um ok. So I'm supposed to have a peer to edit my papers before I turn them in? I was completely confused by this, honestly.  I have a very articulate and critical sister who loves to edit my papers... so why would I ask people who I don't even know to edit my work? What if they don't actually edit anything, or if their standards are much lower than mine? What if they change things about my paper that I really like? Or, worse of all, what if they don't give me any advice at all?

These worries stem from my own high school and undergraduate years.  In high school, my very small town world, I was the best at everything. People came to me for edits and advice.  I had to rely on my older sister  because not one of my peers was writing at my level.  In some ways it has made me snobbish in my writing, and skeptical of the abilities of others.  My attitude was only justified further in college, when I was forced to take an intro to writing course (much to my juvenile frustration - as if my perfect score on the AP English exam meant squat to Geneseo).  My peers failed to provide any comments on my work, even if I provided the most unedited form for their review.  These people couldn't even find an errant comma. 

During writing groups:
I began to understand that writing groups are more than just editing groups.  They help with questions on the assignments, brainstorming for new and better ideas.  They are a mutual confusion group, a clarification group. A "stay on task while the teacher is at a conference" group.  I wasn't forced to keep pace with others who were behind or ahead of my progress.

I had already decided on my topic - rock and mineral collecting. Two people in my writing group had general ideas, and one hadn't a clue by the start of class.  We spent a large portion of time reorganizing the syllabus to better understand the assignment, something that is exponentially helpful with peers (with an obvious carrying capacity). We collaborated and commiserated on finding helpful information on the internet.  We chided each other to spend more time searching, even when we thought that we had all that we needed. 

After writing groups:
I'm not really satisfied that I am truly "finished" with this writing group, so I am considering my after portion as merely the (not so) profound thoughts I have accumulated after our meeting for the first time. 

Writing groups provide students with authentic experiences with the writing process.  Since the teacher merely suggests in order to direct, and has expectation of certain tasks to be completed, students look to one another for support and are allowed to develop at a pace that is appropriate for their ability.  I'm not saying that I've had a complete and powerful turn of opinion regarding writing groups.  I'm saying that I can see their worth in the classroom...and the ways they transcend editing.