Storytelling and Identity - Fall 2023

we are made of stories

Category: Daily Class Notes Page 1 of 6

Class Notes 4/19

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On April 19, 2024

In Daily Class Notes

 

Opening Things:

  • Started by reading the prep notes posted by Angelos, Kaylee, and Haven regarding “Are Prisons Obsolete?”  
  • Talked briefly about diner on Monday, which will be held in Dhall @ 5:30
  • Talked briefly about our last two assignments for the class, the reflection on group work (due 4/26) and our final reflection assignment (due 5/3)

 

Final Reflection Portfolio:

 

  • The final reflection portfolio will use the same exhibit structure as the final portfolio in the fall, except that we will create a portfolio of exhibits that has stuff that may or may not be used in the final reflection which will also be turned in
  • Examined the final reflection rubric
  • We talked for a bit about refining a thesis statement and reflecting on how we used that process in our first analysis paper in the fall. 
  • The process of setting up the final reflection is just as important as writing the reflection itself
  • Ifti was late, tisk tisk

 

Group Work Process:

 

  • Turned our attention to the group work reflection
  • When talking about the group work process, Brice mentioned how his group changed their guidelines as the group work process continued
  • Talked about the differences between the two person group and the four person group
  • Took some time to discuss the group work process with Ifti as a class while Prof. Dolson stepped out of the room
  • Any other thoughts about our group work process can be sent to Ifti

 

Discussion of “Are Prisons Obsolete?”

 

  • Talked about Haven’s prep note, specifically about the way certain groups of people don’t have to think about prison as much as certain minority groups
  • We mentioned guilt about the our story partner’s situations
  • Talked about the physical space of the detention center, especially touching on the bleakness of the dorms
  • Prof. Dolson talked a bit about the resistance she faced when she wanted to bring our story partners to campus, especially with regard to URPD
  • Nick G mentioned that his friends had similar reactions to the kids coming onto campus
  • We talked about the racist beginnings of the prison system and how that might have created connotations between race and prisons
  • Discussed the convict leasing system, which led to a discussion of reparations and the failure of the American Government to provide those reparations
  • Talked about redlining practices and the lasting effects it still has on Richmond today
  • Prof. Dolson mentioned the difference between how we said where we were from, and how our story partners would. We would say we were from certain cities or states, they would say they were from the specific project housing where they grew up
  •  Touched again on the racial disparity in prisons 
  • Nick J mentions the problems with retributive justice and the necessity for rehabilitative punishment for criminals
  • Brice talks briefly about Reagen era politics and the higher sentences brought about by the “Hard On Crime” policies of the time
  • Mitch mentions how he was struck by the way our story partners were able to still manage to joke around and maintain a positive outlook
  • Nick G mentions how powerful the relationships between the inmates were and how they used those relationships to keep themselves sane through humor and friendly interactions
  • Wesley talks about how his experience was different with the Tuesday night group where his story partners rotated often. 
  • Asked the question: are juvenile detention centers obsolete? What are the pros and cons?
  • The biggest positive we mentioned of the detention center we visited was the opportunities for furthering rehabilitation and education for the people there
  • Brice mentioned the importance of external opportunities to help the incarcerated youth expand their perceptions of their world and the life they can have
  • Wesley mentioned the importance of education and the preemptive effects it may have 
  • We talked about what we would hope for our story partners’ future and for our own future mentalities

Class Note 11/28/23

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On November 28, 2023

In Brice, Daily Class Notes

Share stories from Thanksgiving break:

Glance over each others prep notes:

Different storytellers, grandparents vs friends/cousins.

Most storytelling, especially from grandparents has lots of nostalgia which changes perspective. Nostalgia is its own category of stories. What makes something nostalgic? Within nostalgia, theres a positive feeling to a story. It also romanticizes and warps events. The teller shapes a story in an attempt to build on a relationship.

Siblings sharing work experiences and stories allows them to bond with each other and find something in common

Sharing stories changes perspectives and shows different sides of people. Stories have the ability to transport us into a moment that we couldn’t see ourselves in.

Video and images can tell its own story.  Nostalgia plays a role in remembering family history, and your past.

We place a nicer lens on our past.  How do stories allow use to share culture and move it forward into future generations.

Are there any family traditions?  Reenactments of stories, watching movies, music etc.

What do we notice in each others stories? Relatability, and awareness of the audience. It’s common to use relatability to create a story. Everybody sets the scene to their story.  What structure makes the most sense to someone listening to a story and don’t have any relatability to the subject.

Stories don’t have a strict chronological order. What aspects of story make it interesting and engaging? Hearing stories from family makes a story engaging because of prior connection to the storyteller. What feelings do stories contain in them.

What does a person have to know to understand a story?  What is the goal of your story?

On what occasions do we share stories? When we have to use up time, and stay in the present moment with people. Family events: holiday gatherings, funerals, weddings.

What was it like to try and relate to others just over screens during Covid? It’s hard to connect with people when they keep their cameras off. It was eye opening, because I’ve seen them before but have never engaged with them. Takes away the opportunity to build relationships with people. You lost unscripted moments before and after class.

It was awful for students to put away phones.  A student always had her phone out in class. Everybody was still uncomfortable with engaging with each other, so they would turn to their phones. Difficult to form community while being uncomfortable. Stories are natural ways to ease discomfort when surrounded by people.

Discuss the Spring Semester:

Who is willing to go to the Bon Air Center on Tuesday at 6:30 and coming back at 8:30?

Meet twice before the project and meet twice afterwards (scheduling will be done soon)

Discuss time slots/days to share personal story

Hand out graded Analysis Papers

Class Notes Response 11/21

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On November 26, 2023

In Daily Class Notes, Julia

Last week we talked about a lot of important aspects of telling a story, especially how to start one and what questions can prompt someone to tell a story. I thought that listening to the article by StoryCorps was very interesting because it talked about the different ways to tell a story and how family stories can be preserved in the library of Congress for years to come. Additionally, I liked how we all brainstormed ideas of how to tell a story, especially focusing on how to start one. I liked how Professor Dolson gave many different options for which story we decide to write about in this week’s prep note.

I liked the video we watched about the boys interviewing their father because even though it was different from what we have seen this semester, storytelling often comes at unexpected times by unexpected topics or questions. Overall, I thought this lesson was good preparation for our prep notes and helping to think ahead for our personal stories that will be due in a few weeks.

I hope everyone had a nice and relaxing break 🙂

Class Notes 11/21

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On November 21, 2023

In Daily Class Notes, Will S

We held class on Zoom due to Thanksgiving travel plans. Briefly mentioned that there is one more slot open for the Tuesday night option for the project in the spring. Talked about our personal story project and the preliminary ideas we had about how we were going to present our stories. Might have a whole day of Moth stories during the last week of class, maybe outside. TLC (Technology Learning Center) could be a good resource for this project.

Introduced the Great Thanksgiving Listen project by watching a video. The project, run by StoryCorps involves people collecting stories from the people around them and submitting it online. All the stories will be put into the Library of Congress as a collection. Our task is to collect a story over break. In our prep note for next class we will relate the story we collected, discuss the process of collecting the story, and what makes it a story.

We looked at an example where two boys interviewed their father. We talked about the unstructured nature of the video and how it was a little different from the other stories we’ve seen. Brice brought up how there was very little reflection on the part of the boys. However, the questions the boys asked pushed their father to tell stories about himself. In this way, stories can come out of a discussion.

We thought about who we might collect our story from and how we can listen them into story. We brainstormed questions we could ask to connect with the story teller. We also thought how after we could use follow-up questions to prompt them into storytelling. Professor Dolson also mentioned that listening to stories being told to other people, potentially while traveling, could also be a viable option. Holiday times in particular are good for storytelling. Stories could also be collected just through normal conversation without asking any questions.

We should all try to read each other’s prep notes before next class so we can come to class ready to talk about the stories we’ve all collected. We will discuss why we think stories are so important and what effect we see stories have.

Class Notes 11/16/23

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On November 16, 2023

In Daily Class Notes, Kaylee

  • Our class next Tuesday will be over Zoom.
  • Over break, we need to collect a story. Our prep note after the break will be about debriefing stories
  • We started the class by talking about everyone’s plan for their story project and how we might work the reading into our story. The project will be creative, and we will create a rubric together.
  • We discussed the book
    • The book is about how the founders of Moth coach people to help them tell their stories.
    • In the narrative stepping stones portion, Mitch was struck by the metaphor of stepping stones.
    • For many people’s stories, it is easier to know the story’s end and beginning. The middle pieces of the “story puzzle” are a little more of a grey area.
    • There are three elements of a good story: Scenes, summaries, and reflection.
    • Instead of just describing something/someone, you should try to include examples of how they can be described that way. (For example: Don’t just say “My son had charisma”; you need to include examples of him being charismatic)  (show; don’t tell)
    • Pg. 107 has a good example of how stories should have some level of meaning (but we’re not writing fables)
    • There’s a difference between including some comedy in your story and doing standup.
  • One strategy for our story assignment can be to write down every detail about a story, and then shift through the details and decide what to include and what you don’t need.
  • “Nanette”: a comedy special by Hannah Gadsby is something interesting you can watch to see how humor can be used as a tool to tell a story.
  • We grouped up and talked about our stories and how to improve them.

 

  • What do we want to get out of our story project?
    • We want to learn more about our classmates and their stories
    • Maybe include 1-2 points for active listening?
    • Maybe at the end of each story, we turn in a paper that rates how engaging the story was?
    • Maybe for our final portfolio, we could talk about someone else’s story/ make a story connection?
  • 20 points total for the storytelling project
    • 5 points for skill as a listener
      •  Maybe have a test after each story (kinda): “How would you tell this story in 6 words after hearing it?”
      • Maybe just write a “Here’s what I got out of your story” note for everyone who presents?
    • 15 points for the story itself
      • doesn’t have to be shocking or deep, but the story should have substance
      • One category of points could be relatability (does the story have an applicable theme)
      • Taking time to come up with a story that does justice to the assignment is important (carefully shaped)
      • Points for putting effort into the final product? Was the story/final product polished?
      • Make sure your presentation isn’t a lecture or a list of facts
      • The meaning can be light (doesn’t have to be as serious as the boy who cried wolf”

Class Notes 11/14

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On November 14, 2023

In Daily Class Notes, Will L

Two Options for Spring: Fridays at 2 or Tuesday nights (only about 3 spots for Tuesday night)

 

Start class by watching Dr. Gabor Mate about the 7 impacts of trauma

  • Trauma is not what happens to you, it’s what happens inside of you as a result of what happens to you
  1. Separation from self
    1. Ignoring a gut feeling
  2. Disconnection from others
    1. A feeling of isolation, don’t trust others
  3. Altered worldview
    1. However you see the world, that’s the world you live in
  4. Lifelong pain
    1. The wound is open and never [disappears], it’s pain you need to escape from (need to deal with it to heal it)
  5. Disruption of cognitive development
    1. Infants have no self-regulation, what happens if an adult never developed that self-regulation
  6. Personal shame
    1. Shame on who and what you are as a person (self-blame)
  7. Difficulty being present
    1. It keeps you stuck in the past, when you think you are reacting to the present you’re actually reacting to the past

 

Listening to Noa Baum

  • The effect of this difficult storytelling exchange
  • “created not just by the content of the story at the process of being together in the same space and time sharing stories and this process is the core attribute that sets storytelling apart because you see it’s not just about the story it’s about us that human connection”
  • Shift in the cognitive 
  • Accepting the paradoxes around us is the hardest thing for us
    • As long as you insist on one answer, only your own story, then you aren’t open to change
  • Opening up leads to insight and compassion, but it’s not easy
    • Do you stay safe in your familiar shelter of “us vs. them?” OR do you allow yourself the “uneasy territory of paradox the choice”
  • Julia – even though there’s a lot of divide right now, there can be understanding through storytelling/sharing

 

Prof. Dolson – Are you experiencing polarization when you move into campus and have a roommate? Have you experienced the ability to connect? Find common ground?

  • You need imagination to do that
    • Kaylee – “Trying to put yourself in their shoes”
  • How many times have you had to “fall off the wagon” to recover
    • 6 or 7 times to get a stronghold in recovery
  • Pain is inevitable, suffering is not
    • Pain is one of the things that keeps us alive, but how do you deal with mental pain?
      • We have developed tools for that, storytelling is (one of) the most important ones
      • When we share a story we build a bridge

 

This semester we’re sharing our own stories

  • There’s a need to work with your story and make it one that your audience can find themselves in
  • It should be a story you feel comfortable sharing, but important enough that you can work on
  • Looking at Persepolis: 
    • How much of her story is trauma? How much is memory? What stands out to you when you consider why is she telling her story?
    • Where is a place in her story that you find yourself relating to her?
      • Brice – kinda just the book itself, considering yourself as a younger version and what you viewed then vs. what actually happens/the views of your parent or an adult
      • Kristine – surprised at how perspective she is as a child
    • Did anything stand out to you about Iran
      • Brice – the dress code, didn’t know it died at some point and then came back

 

Last part of class: share your idea for the story you want to tell with a partner

  • What would that story be like?

Class Notes Response 11/9/23

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On November 9, 2023

In Daily Class Notes, kristine

I found that using the rubric to grade another person’s essay was pretty difficult. I wanted to give some good advice, but I didn’t want to assign a grade just like that or criticize the essay. However, this exercise did help me with familiarizing myself with the rubric and helped me notice some things I could fix in my own essay. I noticed that a lot of us tend to summarize more than analyze, so now we can go back and try to find where we do this and shorten the summaries. I think it was hard to evaluate whether or not a bonus point was awarded because I didn’t know what to look for.

Regarding Grammarly and Hemingway, I thought it was interesting how many of us use a lot of adverbs in our writing or that we write long sentences. This shows how we can all benefit from consulting each other when editing. When it comes to A.I., I think that we just have to trust ourselves in making the decision of whether or not to follow every piece of advice. Although I would feel a little uncomfortable, I would recommend having someone read your paper aloud because we grow so used to our own words in our own internal voice, so having another voice read it can help us catch mistakes.

For sentence length, I found it interesting that professors prefer shorter sentences because they read it in a hurry. I always thought they preferred shorter sentences because they were hard to understand, but apparently it’s not the case for some professors. Passive voice has always been a struggle for me. In my English class last year, my teacher pointed out every instance of passive voice in our papers and always advocated for active voice. When I read academic articles though, they often have passive voice. I’m glad I got some clarity of what different fields of study prefer regarding active or passive voice.

Moving onto The Moth, I thought the discussion about Good Actor vs Bad Actor was interesting because I thought about my experience with class presentations. Whenever someone reads off a slide or script word for word, it doesn’t seem as compelling as when they speak spontaneously. The story about a boss’s murder fantasies really had me smiling a lot, which points to the humor that the narrator utilized to capture the audience’s attention. When we discussed the storytelling project we’ll be doing later, I was excited by the prospect of using iMovie to record our stories because I enjoy using that platform and telling stories verbally since I haven’t done it much yet. But we can also utilize any other avenue of storytelling like at the Book Arts Studio, which gives us other options to fall back on.

Class Notes 11/9/2023

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On November 9, 2023

In Daily Class Notes, Javier

  • Today we start with looking and reading someone else’s essay. 
  • Pickup from where we left off yesterday.
    • Contrast from thinking of a piece of art / content analysis.
    • Grading from rubric.
      • Can feel a little weird, as a student, not certain how the teacher might evaluate it. 
      • Come alongside one another – Not judgment – Look at elements in rubric and raise questions of the essay via rubric. 
      • “Not grading other people’s paper” – opportunity to use rubric as a lens when viewing an essay. DISCUSSION. 
  • Later today we start reviewing the Story Project. 
    • Various partners reviewed their essays in accordance with the rubric and received advice that promoted discussion. 
    • This lasted until around 12:25 in terms of class-time. 
  • We then circled back up once more for discussion after a brief stint of moving chairs around. 
  • Discussion Summary vs Analysis
    • Times to do Summary – but need to understand you might be doing “too-much” over analysis. 
  • Rubrics are interesting.
    • As much as we try to make it objective, it is inherently subjective in nature.
    • True in many things, and many courses.
  • Professor Dolson cares about fairness – that’s why we do so much in-class work to understand subtly what the terms mean in-context. 
    • Each of them are pieces to understand what Professor Dolson is looking for.
    • Rough Draft + Progressions – All to help to communicate and develop writing.
  • Each paper gives rise to new conversations – by nature communication is hard to describe and evaluate so important to remember. 
    • Not All or Nothing – Find paths to make it feel fairer. 

Did anybody see something in the paper’s read today that might trigger “bonus point” award?

  • Tricky to find if not looking for it. 
    • Professor will be looking to award it – To find it. 
    • Remember Professor Dolson does partial points so if something is a bit off or extra, there is the potential of loss or gain of ½ points. 

 

Notice: 

  • One of the rows has to do with correctness and how it contributes to the respect of writer over how they control the medium
    • For this reason, she asked us to compare and contrast Grammarly and Hemmingway.
    • Kristine Nguyen mentions comparing the two systems in her Prep Note. 
  • Professors are becoming more and more uncomfortable with the development of A.I. and other similar technologies
    • Professor Dolson believes them to be tools to be used, depending on their use. 

 

Kristine Nguyen’s take on Grammarly vs Hemmingway

  • Starting with Grammarly and free
    • More limited with free features as compared to premium
    • Broader categories of edits
      • Ex: Clarity
  • Hemmingway is much more specific
    • “Use too many adverbs” – Something that might’ve been unnoticed if not pointed out
    • Will Sheets has a similar experience where Hemmingway is telling him to eliminate the usage of adverbs
    • Nick Gunn is also being told to use too many Adverbs. Noticed that Grammarly in contrast never mentioned too many adverbs. 
      • New levels of awareness.

 

Bryce

  • First time using Hemmingway – Noticed / highlighted the last column that was hard to read and long
    • Bryce realized that much of his sentences needed to be worked on for the sake of clarity 
  • Different kinds of A.I highlight different “stylistic choices” – but the writer is the one that decides what they want to use. 
  • Nothing in the A.I. asks about your audience or their level, but it can possibly tell you what it evaluates the level of complexity
    • Ex: Highschool Level, Collegiate Level, etc.
  • Do you think every sentence is as simple as possible to forge better writing? Or is it subjective to choice? 

 

Hemingway as an Author

  • Holden and Bryce:
    • Read Old Man and the Sea
  • Hemmingway was coming into a new distinctive writing style that focuses on nouns and verbs and shorter sentences rather than adverbs 
    • Has a certain kind of power
    • Has a certain kind of clarity
    • Influenced writing and American tastes today – in Journalism as well
      • See a difference from turn of last century, to the modern day. 
      • Journalistic style is now much more clear rather than ornate with the new Noun-Verb emphasis
    • Some can find it to be almost boring with lacking adjectives or adverbs
  • Question of who is the audience? What is the purpose? 

 

Have a conversation with Artificial Intelligence

  • It is your choice as the author to decide what you want to write about and the style that you want to take it upon. 
  • Who is your audience?
    • Writing to Collegian?
    • Writing a letter home?
  • It’s hard to tell from “self” what the written voice sounds like
    • By having another person read your writing out loud
      • May feel vulnerable or embarrassed about it. 
      • Maybe do it with somebody you trust
    • Don’t need feedback, just possibly listen aloud to your writing.
      • Easiest way for some to hear where the writing stumbles or the sentence does not make sense. 
      • Great way to hear what a written voice sounds like. 
      • Some adverbs might be necessary to help get a complete message across, but when using too many – its almost like reaching for or imitating other voices. 
  • Students use Adverbs a lot when they are trying to write a paper about ahrd ideas and struggling to draw them together. 
    • That is when you try compensating with other elements 
    • Fast vs Good vs Cheap 
      • Can only have two of the three, etc. 
    • Similar elements in writing to the process. Different techniques. Slow the process down and see how effective it is – give time for ideas to draw together. 
  • Use Adverbs as a marker to see – “can I say this more clearly?” “Can I state this better with different words?” 
    • Readers like action. 
    • Academic Pros try to make everything nicer / quieter / more boring
    • Chance to change that. 
    • Interesting elements over Sentence Length
      • AIs note if it is too long of a sentence. 
    • Professor Dolson thinks in writing, students more often err on leaving sentences longer when they would prefer it a little bit shorter.
      • They are trying to read in a hurry and they want to be able to understand clearly. 
      • Not extreme noun-verb noun-verb pattern
      • Good to VARY sentence length to emphasize some places not others.
      • Always look for clarity, as reading is hard. Easy to be misunderstood in writing. 
  • Is it ethical to write rough drafts with Artificial Intelligence?
    • AI can’t talk about personal experiences – and the books are not deeply involved with technology like Chat GPT so it cannot analyze the draft for you.
    • Sometimes AI might single out quotes with having errors, but make choice to ignore it.
  • Some disciplines prefer and some abhor passive voice.
    • Scientists use it a lot in their writing
    • English professors consider it as incorrect
  • Lanham’s Paramedic Method
    • I should be using it a lot
    • Circle elements of “be” or “is” or “are” and substitute them with better phrases and words. 
    • Writing Center and Writing Consultants are a helpful resource when dealing with them. 

 

Storytelling – New Assignment 

  • The Moth:
    • What is it?
    • Almost like an online archive of stories, starting with dinner parties and eventually growing and expanding into the archive that it became today.
    • Storytelling of Personal Narratives – new definition of Moths. 
  • When telling stories with the Moth Method
    • Tell a true story, 7 minutes, with no notes.
    • Idea that it was prepared beforehand. 
    • Interesting: 
      • Good Actor vs Bad Actor
      • Bad Actor has memorized lines but just sounds like they’re reading it. 
    • Don’t memorize it word for word and then release it – Tell it by heart. 
      • Divide a story like a graphic novel or storyboards, and as you progress – recall phrases or images of the components to help flow through the story.
    • If you’re interested in doing it, you can send in a pitch and they will help you shape your story for presentation. 
  • We could watch a “moth” video or jump into a “discussion” about the Moth videos / stories. 
  • My Boss’s Murder Fantasies:
    • Man is 20 years old on College Campus sitting in Housing trying to get and maintain his job. 
    • Boss is Emily, who is older but she’s friendly. 
    • They let Mike keep his job.
      • He comes back from Study Abroad to find Emily is gone and new boss from Kentucky is back
    • Rick comes back to meet Mike and Mike has to adjust to the new boss. 
      • Rick wanted to bond with Mike and asked if he could take walks around campus to get to know Mike.
      • Rick really wants to be Mike’s friend because everyone likes Mike.
      • He goes on a lot of Mike’s tours just to watch him give tours and talk about campus life adn laughs at all the jokes. 
    • Rick keeps asking Mike to go on walks but notices that he isn’t interested and gets all sullen.
    • Mike goes to bathroom and Ricks man the computer and when he comes back – Rick has closed all the tabs that Mike ahd open. 
      • He opens browser history to find his tabs and discovers Rick has a blog.
      • Rick has a blog about his sexual encounters and drug usage and drug recovery and then entries about Mike.
      • Rick wants Mike to eat some shrimp someday and chokes on it and dies…
      • Mike looks into further entries of himself and finds that there are several posts about how Rick murders him or just lets him die. 
    • Mike starts wondering about where this comes from blaming himself – realizes that its not his fault but that Rick is the problem.
      • Afraid to look into Rick’s eyes.
    • Becomes hyper suspicious about Rick being in the back of his car and he starts telling Steph his roommate about everything. 
    • He prints the entire website out as proof in case it gets deleted.
      • He calls Emily and sends her the link. 
      • She says “You need to call Kim” – Emily and Rick’s boss. 
      • He talks to Kim and Kim says she won’t be on campus for two days and asks Mike to hold out. 
    • Kim looks through the stack of papers like “Why did you wait two days?”
      • Tells him not to come to work and tells him to wait until they have something to do. 
      • Keeps the stack of papers, the website disappears.
      • They said they would not let Rick go, unless Mike really wants him to be fired. 
      • He accepts Rick can keep his job – she has Rick come into the room to apologize and starts crying about the murder fantasies website. 
  • Hearing the audience during the stories like laughter plays a role. 
    • Mike featured elements of Self Deprecating Humor.
    • Aware of Self, and makes the audience aware that he is aware of himself. 
    • The way he sets up stories makes the audience crave knowing some sort of ending. 
    • Establishment of setting up the story and the plot and how it is put together plays a role.
  • Why did Mike want to tell that story?
    • Entertainment and Shock? 
    • Something so shocking – feels like you have to tell people. 
    • Very well-thought out story.
  • You do write a script and record yourself reading a script with our kind of Story-Telling. 
    • Will use the I-Movie Software and add some Photographs. 
    • Audio Track and Visual Track
    • Blend Audio Track and Musical Track
  • Do we need to have deep meaning to our stories?
    • Discuss it next time.

Class Notes – 11/7

By

On November 7, 2023

In Daily Class Notes, Nick G

  • The point of FYS is to get everybody on the same playing field
  • When writing, take time to understand the assignment, goals, and what the reader is expecting
  • Expectations typically done through rubrics
  • FYS is about the development of analytical skills
  • Coogan’s goal with WoWo was similar, have inmates analyze moments in their lives that were pivotal, both by choices they made and things they couldn’t control
  • If we reflect on our own stories we can make different choices
  • In this class, essays are about meaning and not exact correctness
  • Groups of 3 discussions about each other’s essays
  • Each takes the role of either artist, reader, and facilitator
  • Professor Dolson came around and asked the question “From a reader’s perspective, what would make us want to continue reading” and not focusing on the writing as an essay and for a grade
  • Extra points are awarded for an outstanding piece of our essay
    • Could be an interesting metaphor or a great title
  • MLA in-text citations
    • Bibliography at the end for in-text citations
    • First in-text do Coogan et al and page number
    • For the rest of the citations just do page number
  • Prep note for Thursday
    • Use Grammarly and then the Hemingway app and see if there’s a difference

Class Notes 11-02-23

By

On November 5, 2023

In Brice, Daily Class Notes, Uncategorized

Technologies have changed cultures and language. Writing allows communication with a person across rooms.  We have not figured out how to communicate well enough without conflict.

The author is telling here narrator as a child through childish ways. Comparing WOWO memoir writing to visuals. What if the WOWO writer used images? How would it change their stories?

Stan evokes visuals of Moses flowing down the river in a basket.  Provoked our thoughts on adoption

The author is making sense of painful topics without making them seem painful.

What’s a story? Would our ideas of a story become more compelx now that we’ve been exposed to different forms of storytelling?

We’re sharing another personal story with our partners.  How do we make memories into stories?

We can use artistry and improvise details. Consider your audience. Think of the structure, beginning, middle, and end. The storyteller makes meaning out of their stories.  Words can create a picture for the audience. Share a story where you can remember a time when you had an experience that you reflected back on later in your life because it taught you something.

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