Busy work: A learning style that doesn't work (blog six)

I'm going to invert the prompt and discuss something on my mind: that is, busy work--a learning style that never works for me.

There are various ways to "hammer home" a subject. These can be useful in elementary settings, as some things (grammar, basic arithmetic, etc.) just need to be memorized and cataloged in one's mental economy for later reference. However, in advanced learning settings, these methods should not be used. Indeed, they are insulting to students operating from more developed intellectual curiosity.

I am going to briefly discuss a terrible tendency of educators to rely on busy work as evidence for students' comprehension. Busy work is work intended in many cases to merely give them something to do. Even at its best--and probably a residual effect of capitalist mentality--busy work is used as a way for a student's learning to have a material form.

Unfortunately, however, busy work is antithetical to developing one's intellectual curiosity about anything. Quite to the contrary, busy work is an excellent way for your student to develop an antagonistic relationship to whatever you're teaching. Busy work--for example, asking a student to take time out of their day to extend their thoughts on some minor issue discussed in class for which they don't actually care--invites students to care even less for whatever will be discussed in the future.

The busy work looms over the student's mind, and it muddles any concern the student may have otherwise had about a subject's intricacies--the subtleties that can speak to the individual student. Busy work attaches itself like a parasite to all aspects of a class, and it prevents the student from following up on the one interesting thing they may have otherwise chased, because they were instead bombarded by a slew of forced responses and reflections. Subtle and personally meaningful interests are asphyxiated by the tyrannical demands of busy work.

Outside of the chains of busy work, engaging in the subject in a meaningful discourse (in class) sparks particular interests for students, which blossom into deep research, and personal/intellectual development. The seeds of intellectual growth are planted by clearly articulated objectives and standards for what a student is to learn over the course. The mile wide and inch deep request for responses, far from eliciting further investigation, never rises above that status of annoying and time-consuming busy work.

Minor Blog on Learning Styles

This is just a short entry on a time that I told a student about his learning style.

I had a student that came in today and we worked on his paper for English 1010. We talked about several different things, such as wording and confused sentences. We also talked about commas and IC/DC methods of figuring out where to place a comma in a sentence. I wrote the rules down so that he could see them and better understand them. When I came to an introductory word, I told him how many introductory words are adverbs and often end in -ly. He immediately began to write himself a note aside of the paper to help him remember the concept. Seeing that he was probably somewhere between a kinesthetic and visual learner, I commented on how writing things down may be a good way for him to remember and better learn the concepts in the current session and in the class as a whole. After that, he made several other notes on his paper about things that we discussed. It was cool to see how his learning style helped him to connect to his own paper and the points in the paper that needed reviewing.

Cut Yourself Some Slack(er prompt)

Recently, I had an epiphany: The TEDTalks stage is to me what Madison Square Garden is to musicians/athletes. I think it would be awesome to make it there, to have something worth saying. I really enjoy watching those talks and look up to the presenters, especially the ones who speak on language. I also envy writers of TV shows. They have to write continually, creating characters and conflicts that engage audiences. I understand that shows use teams, but sometimes the teams are very small. I would love to see a team of writers working on a show. It seems like it would be inspiring. TV shows, more than movies, allow for character development and attachment. I get so involved in TV shows and how the character relationships progress. I would love to write something people became that invested in. I don't have much else to say as far as slacking goes. I'm working on a long paper for my MENG 6010 class about Narrative Theory and the presence of riddles/enigmas in literature as a means for a protagonist to prove his or her worthiness. It's proving to be difficult but very engaging and interesting.

Post 6: Learning styles? Hmmm

So I decided to take the opportunity to comment about learning styles and incorporating them into a session. We recently discussed the important mission we have as a writing center to help students recognize their learning style for writing. This is great, and it’s something I wish someone would have done for me early on; however, back when I needed this information, I didn’t know I needed it. I’m finding that my tutees are similarly in the dark. They don’t know the importance of the information I am giving them, so they really don’t seem to care.

I say this in the wake of an experience I had just after our class on metacognition. I was really into it, ready to start helping students learn about learning. I was excited when I noticed that my tutee could spot errors and make corrections independently if he was allowed to read the sentence out loud. I commented that maybe his learning style was geared toward sound, that he may be an auditory learner, and that this may be how he learns best in regards to writing. I felt great. I had done my duty, and my tutee was equally excited about this new knowledge. He responded with a resounding “hm,” and he continued reading.

This anti-climactic response to my observation took me back a bit. Isn’t the student supposed to have an ah-ha moment? Isn’t my input supposed to change his study habits forever, my one suggestion supposed to be the sole reason he graduates? Well, no. But I had hoped that he would care a bit more than “hm.”

After a quick conference with Claire, I realized that what we are doing in regards to learning styles is the same as what we do with all areas of writing. What I mean is that we help the student take steps towards his or her goal, no matter how small or large that step may be. Maybe my tutee didn’t care at the time whether he understood how he writes/revises best. Maybe he just wanted to get the damned paper turned in, get his passing grade, and move on to more “important” matters. But, maybe my comment will trigger something in his thought process that helps him into the future. And, maybe on another date a different tutor will comment about his learning style, and the idea will be doubly reinforced.

What I really came to understand is that my role as a tutor may have a subtler effect than I had previously considered. Maybe a student won’t care, at the time, about the things I’m trying to help him learn, but then again, maybe the small things I impart will end up making all the difference.

Slacking on Life

I have been slacking in my life lately. Right now I am thinking about Christmas, and what I can do for all of my loved ones. When I become overwhelmed the first thing to go is communication. I have a difficult time keeping in touch with my loved ones. My parents live in St. George, and my in-laws are in Canada. My husband and I are both far from our families, which makes our relationship to crucial. It has been a difficult semester for the both of us, with me pulling late nights nearly every evening. Most days I get home around 7 or 8. My poor Canadian husband, not being able to work without a working visa, has to hold down the fort while I am gone. This includes taking care of our cat and brand new kitten. So, to reward him for his hard work and patience, I decided that for Christmas I am going to buy him tickets to his favorite hockey team, the Chicago Blackhawks. He has also been dying to go to Chicago, so I am seizing the opportunity and also booking a week there. I look forward to this much needed vacation time and a chance to spend time together. This has also opened the door to communication with my in-laws and parents. I am requesting that in place of any other Christmas gift, that they instead make contributions to the Chicago vacation fundraiser.  Additionally, I have began thinking of I am going to get my family. All of my money will be poured into the Chicago trip, so it will be a homemade Christmas. I enjoy homemade gifts more because they are more personal.  I enjoy spending my days thinking about what I can do for the people I love. All of this has really put me in the Christmas spirit. 

Random Thoughts

Matthew Kunes--Blog 6


I really don't know what to talk about.


I have quite a few things coming up: Fall break, Halloween, and a whole lot of school between now and then. Tutoring has slowed down, but I'm sure it will pick up right on time for midterms.


Is it bad that I am continually checking my email and facebook instead of cracking down and actually writing this blog post?


As for homework, I have one other small writing assignment for another class due this week, in addition to the two reflections for this class. I guess you all know what I'll be doing after I crack 500 words on this post, then.


Well, this blog post sounds real depressing. I haven't even hit 150 words yet.


I'd like to say that nothing else is on my mind, but that strictly isn't true. I have a Halloween costume to design, after all, and that takes time. If nothing else, I have something that will keep me busy over fall break next week.


As for what else I have been up to, well, I recently finished reading Conrad's Heart of Darkness. I thought it was good, but I think I would appreciate it more if I understood the time period better. At the very least, it wasn't long.


I think I have reached the point where tutoring has become close to second nature when I clock into my shifts. I no longer worry unduly about the kind of papers I will have to go over. I have gained a measure of confidence when I give advise to improve college writing.


I've read more personal narratives than I can count, and I've gone over the rules of APA and MLA style enough that I hardly need the pamphlets as reference anymore.



In any case, things are finally settling down into a comfortable rhythm.

Why I Love Tutoring

I am currently working for Allstate as a "licensed sales associate," which is basically a fancy name for a salesperson. That's nothing to be ashamed of, so what's with the negative tone?! Well, I don't really like my job all that much. Don't get me wrong: my boss is awesome, my hours are flexible, the pay is good - so, what gives?

The thing I am most passionate about (as far as endeavors capable of making money goes) is English. I love reading and writing! Another thing I realized recently is that I love teaching. I think that's one of the reasons I was so happy as missionary: I got to watch people's eyes light up when something finally clicked. It's incredible to be a part of the process, invigorating, even. You walk away from that experience knowing that you've changed the way someone sees the world, and, by extension, changed a part of the world itself. It's a powerful feeling, and I'm surprised it took me so long to realize that's what I was missing when I came home.

So, why don't I like my job? I don't like my job because I don't feel passionate about insurance. I don't walk away from selling someone a policy or adding a car feeling like I've changed the world. I don't get to see the light in peoples' eyes when something clicks, I just hear the anger in their voice when their premium goes up. I don't like my job because it's not what I want to do for the rest of my life.

So it's my love of English and my love of teaching that have set me on the path to become an English teacher. And it was my feelings about my job that led me to seek work related to English. Through my endeavors, I was able to secure this  position as an English Tutor!It's a supplement to my current job, not a replacement, and I am loving every minute of it! I feel good about myself when someone comes in to get help with an essay, and walks away feeling they've improved as a writer. It feels good to be in my element, and to hear, as I did the second day I worked here "I liked working with you - what are your hours?" or "I can tell you've been doing this a long time."

I have taken a bite of the fruit teachers eat everyday as they enlighten the minds of their students, and I'm hungry for more. I am so grateful for the chance to work as an English tutor - not to mention the extra income it's providing for my family. I am more determined than ever to pursue a career as a teacher and a writer, and I look forward to changing the world - one student at a time.

- Sam Bartholomew

Slacker Prompt Blog 6

           I have just finished reading The Stranger by Albert Camus. It is the first existentialist work I have fully finished reading. It is a great book, and I hope to read much more of Albert Camus’ work. The Stranger has a number of interesting social critiques as well as its major existentialist overtones. It is a beautiful work of the philosophy, and it is one of my favorite pieces thus far.

           The book has left me wondering about a number of things. I notice that the existentialists seem to formulate some sort of response to the main problem which they encounter. And, for me, each response always seem insufficient, like some desperate attempt to justify living after realizing its hollow core.

            For Albert Camus, I suppose it is the recognition of the absurd, the existentialist problem, and then the response which is the first step to becoming an absurdist. With the recognition, one must sufficiently acknowledge and respond to the problem of absurdity. It would seem that one must do so with authenticity and sincerity.

            But, why does this make someone a hero? How does this make someone superior to any other?

            With Nietzsche, in a summarized version, the superman responds to the world by saying yes to life. The superman lives for the aesthetic experience and for the prosperity of man. The superman pushes culture forward, rejects morality, and triumphs over the rest of man.

            But, here we are assuming evolution has a direction. We are assuming that there are some measurements by which we can compare a man to another man. Sure, we can suppose these, and we can look at the world within the scope of some particular value or virtue, but the process can only quickly unfold itself. The goals of most existentialists are to break down systems and show their worthlessness, but afterwards, they all tend to proceed to try and rebuild a new system.

            I wonder if there are any philosophers who push the existentialist implications to their end. From there, there is no point to proceed; no point to continue living but no point to end life either. A true nihilist feeling and an apathetic loneliness. Perhaps there is nowhere to go. Maybe it is required of social animals to return to society, to begin justifying life another time. To desperately try to create meaning.

            For anyone who has come to the existentialist conclusion, it would see that this is the only option. The only option is to create meaning. Because we aren’t The Stranger; we aren’t indifferent to our death. The indifference of the universe only pears on us for brief moments and not for our entire existence. We have relationships which we care about; we feel them to be more than superficial. We feel that happiness is worth something. And eventually we reach the end of our thought; we do this time and time again. Pondering the universe until our mind cannot comprehend until we comprehend just enough to know that there will be no end. Until contradictions and paradoxes start caving in on themselves. And it all returns back to Socrates who we see to begin our tradition of thought.

Development of Writing

Blog 4 - Preston Carter

Blog 4: Writing Development

            My writing began fairly early on in my life. It definitely didn’t develop in the way that I wish it would have. But, I am happy to have come to enjoy writing to the extent that I have. The enjoyment of something, no matter how skilled I may be, is the most important factor in my decision to do it. I have come to love writing, and I have come a long way with my writing and hope to continue with it.

When I was in second grade, my teacher read the class the book Love that Dog. I loved the book. Previously, I had not known what poetry was, but we were writing poetry in our class in similar manner to the book. It was very engaging. This same teacher began having us write journals entries; this is when I first fell in love with writing. I began writing fictional narratives for the journals because my life wasn’t interesting enough for a teacher to read. I continued writing like this throughout elementary school with the mandated prompts and things. I read often. I read and re-read many books during this time.

Around fifth grade my reading and writing ended. I guess you could say I lost interest. I started feeling like everything I read was juvenile and worthless. I was disillusioned with the fantasy and fiction I used to read. I couldn’t read without losing interest within a few minutes. Maybe it was partly due to my loss of concentration with school. I began despising it; it became monotonous and tiresome. I wasn’t having fun like I had before; I was skating through my classes while making good grades, but I wasn’t listening to the teacher any longer. I became disengaged very early in my primary education. Early on, I had been a bit of a trouble maker and had been scolded enough to feel that I would rather quit participating all together. I began doing all of the assignments ahead of time and sleeping during class to frustrate the teachers.

Further on, throughout middle school and high school I didn’t read at all. I had disengaged myself almost completely. I discretely listened to my Ipod during my classes or looked out of the window. I didn’t read a single assignment; I didn’t read a single book. I used Sparknotes to learn the information I needed to know for the tests. I researched papers enough to make a good grade. I did what was asked and nothing more; I received A’s and was awarded Honor Roll. It meant nothing. But it got my mom off my back about grades, and it was easy enough to pull off that I just continued through school.

I did, however, start writing again during high school. I started writing during my Junior year. I didn’t write narratives again, but I journalled notes, thoughts, ideas, and poems. I started playing guitar and writing songs or transforming poetry into songs. My writing output was minuscule compared to the past journals I had filled with serialized chains of stories, but at least I loved to write again. Honestly, slowly became a pretty bad habit being mixed with my disengagement with school. I would scribble notes on the back of assignments, tests; I would write in journals. I would find quotes in songs that expressed my ideas or quotes I thought might push students and teachers into uncomfortable areas of thought, still being a bit of a trouble maker. The margins of my math notes would be covered with scribbles, words, and quotes. Often times that is all there would be. Stacks of paper and notebooks accumulated in my room, notes I had stuck into my backpack to save for later.

I began to want to write again. I began to want to read again. Near the end of high school, I finally realized that there is more than juvenile fiction and fantasy out there. I was fascinated with Jim Morrison, the lead singer of The Doors for some time. I learned of his poetry. The first two books I bought at the end of my writing drought were two of his poetry books, Wilderness: The Lost Writings, Vol. 1 and The Lords and the New Creatures. I picked through them, reading the poems, picking out the small ideas that I believed to be profound break through. For me, they often were ideas I had been unknowingly longing for and relieved to read someone who had a vague resemblance of my thought process. The short lives of people who I likened myself to often troubled me during this time: Jim Morrison, Jimmy Hendrix, Shannon Hoon, Brad Nowell, Kurt Cobain, many of my musicians.

My ideas became more developed and profound. I fit them in small bits of song lyrics, poems, and paragraphs I would later learn were aphorisms. I would lie in bed at night thinking and writing my thoughts. I became restless with them and needed my journals beside my bed. My writing skill had been growing. Unknowingly, during the whole time I was not writing, my skill somehow still developed. I had written assignments for classes, so I suppose this is where it came from. But, I was often ahead of my peers with the writing I produced, not that this was any sort of great achievement. The writing I did throughout high school was almost like a sorting process for thoughts I would later develop. Most of the writing is very unsure whether or not I asserted my arguments forcefully. I was growing, but it would be a long time before I was happy with the finished products I produced...

Speaking of Doctor Who and Ninja Turtles...

                I have been thinking a lot about how I can look at some of my other interests in terms of New Historicism and Cultural Studies. During my undergrad I took a class titled “Rhetoric of Video Games” which used games as texts. The main paper I wrote for that was about the American interpretation of the feminine male villains in Japanese role playing games, and how our “non-threatening sissies” take is not at all how they are viewed in their country of origin. From this I started looking at all sorts of media, and  I have been analyzing more of the random things that catch my interest as texts and thinking about how they could be used as a basis for some academic work. A few examples:

                Doctor Who as a gage of the mindset of the British throughout the show’s run. The main part that made me think about this topic is the run of “base under siege” stories that comprised most of Patrick Troughton’s run as the Second Doctor. In some form or another, many of the(now missing) episodes focused on The Doctor showing up in a base, outpost or office beset from the outside by monsters.  While this was, and still is, a common trope within the show it dominated that era of the show in the late 60’s. Did it have something to do with the crumbling British Empire? Many of the stories, like “Tomb of the Cybermen” feature a traitor that works with the featured monster that leads to the base being overrun. Maybe the feeling of having subjects wanting to break away while national allies pushed them to give up territories led to a culture that felt beset from the outside and within. It also could have been the same fear of communism that gripped America at about the same time (The recent episode “Cold War” really ties in nicely with this). As the show at that time was an educational program for children, there has to be some didactic intent for some of those choices.

                Another thing that interests me, but might be too close to home for me to have an unbiased opinion, is how the boom of ninja characters within 1980’s American pop culture affected current cultural relationship between America and Japan. I myself was a huge fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which in part led to my love of Japanese culture. I will admit, it was a pretty roundabout way to get there, and the actual connection between the cartoon and the culture was extremely thin. There was still enough of the mystique that influenced my interest. There were also characters like Snake Eyes, the ninja member of the American fighting force G.I. Joe, that place ninjas and Japanese elements in completely unrelated situations. It seems that I am not the only one, as Japanese entertainment properties have never been more popular.

                Whether or not anything worth a darn can come out of these interests, I will still spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about them. I love working with various media as texts, and it is a field that is only gaining momentum. Remember, even Shakespeare’s plays were once pop media made for commercial purposes. 

Gary Lindeburg