“Mess, Wildness, and New Sight: Using the Journal in the Classroom.” A panel discussion to occur at the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) annual conference in Seattle, WA, 2/14

Grant:

Lecturers' Professional Development Fund (LPDF)

Academic Year:

2013 - 2014 (June 1, 2013 through May 31, 2014)

Funding Requested:

$1,935.00

Project Dates:

Wed, 02/26/2014 - Sat, 03/01/2014

Applicant(s):

nharp

Overview of the Project:

Writing is a tool for thinking, but how often are students writing in the writing classroom? The New England Literature Program [NELP], a two-month living-learning program run via the University of Michigan, makes journaling integral. Students write in one contiguous stream during class, on hiking trips, and everywhere else. The journal is central to NELP's pedagogical imperatives and captures the narrative arc of intellectual growth. Accepted already for the 2014 AWP Conference in Seattle, this panel discussion will illustrate how imaginative writing instructors have integrated NELP journaling into brick-and-mortar college classrooms.

Final Report Fields

Project Objectives:

The grant allowed my participation and attendance at an annual gathering (AWP 2014, in Seattle) of creative writers and writing instructors. I'd intended not only to deliver remarks on a panel discussion (related to the use of journaling in college writing classes) but also to attend other sessions on writing pedagogy.

Project Achievements:

Our panel delivery felt generally successful. We had a group of five veteran instructors (all from the UofM's experiential learning-based New England Literature Program, myself included) speak and then converse with the audience on multifarious means of incorporating journaling in traditional classroom settings. The conference paper obliged me to codify how/why I use journaling in my courses, and to generate lucrative conversation about challenges and successes my colleagues have experienced. Moreover, my attendance at other conference panels generally allowed further participation in a kind of generative thinking and dialogue about the work I do--instructionally and creatively--at Michigan. This speculative work has begun to take more specific shape as I plan my fall courses--I'm thinking deliberately about the efficacy and versatility of low-stakes journal writing (creative, analytical, generative/brainstorming) in English 325, English 225 and English 124/125.

Continuation:

My fellow panelists and I are currently syncretizing our conference remarks into a publishable (we hope) paper.

Dissemination:

My role as the assistant director of the New England Literature Program includes regular pedagogy sessions for new and returning staff. Additionally, my work in the English Department Writing Program allows for regular participation and attendance in teaching circles and colloquia. These forums often give me the chance to share how I'm developing my classroom approaches. I should be quite eager to talk further about how journaling has evolved in my classes, and particularly if anyone expresses the wish to hear about it.

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