I really appreciate how focused Burke is on making sure his students get to where he wants them to be. He seems to always have very specific goals in mind, and this shows in how he thinks through process papers. There is no confusion about what he expects, he gives a specific task, what the paper must contain, and what the student needs to do in order to get to that point. For me, however, it seems a little too structured. I understand that students need direction and don’t want vague assignments (I’m the same way, after all!), but I don’t see how Burke avoids totally controlling the students’ process. Isn’t part of learning trying that process and seeing what works for them as writers and what doesn’t?
I think this is where Burke differs from K&G–he is much more structured in the sense of how he guides students to their goals. K&G have specific goals, but there are different ways that students can get to their goals. This seems to tie closely with what I read about writing on demand and writing to learn. However, I really appreciate the way that Burke addresses revision, as that is something that I struggle to teach (and do as a student!) So, for the In My Classroom Task, I want to create something that concerns revision and how to approach revision.
To be clear, I think structure is a good thing and appropriate in many contexts. I’m wondering how to maybe take Burke’s ideas and allow a little more freedom into them. I’m excited to hear what the rest of you think about this…am I being a bit too laissez faire? One of my personal goals as a teacher is to not ask students to do something I wouldn’t want to do. Now, obviously that is within reason as many students won’t want to read and write, but in general thinking about the process paper that Burke describes sounds a bit forced and not entirely joyful.
Emily's Blog 
HI Emily!
I love what you have to say about the structure Burke discusses in his book. I totally agree with you – students should be able to take part in the process. Students should have choice. All students, and all people for that matter, write in different and unique ways. Some people really need to plan out their writing. Other people prefer to start their drafts right away, and then they revise over and over again. We, as teachers, should teach our students about the options, but then give them some freedom in what they would like to do and what works best for them. If our students are turning in poorer drafts and did not plan, we should require planning from them, but if our students are turning in great drafts without planning, that should be fine.
We need to remember what our overall goals are. Some students are able to do the majority of planning in their heads, so we should not require them to do what feels like busywork. As long as students are able to create the products we desire, the path they choose to get to that product should be up to them. We just need to help provide powerful tools for the students that need them.
Jennifer
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Hey Emily,
Burke gives the example of the process paper for “Into the Wild” and one fo the requirements was that students had to have six paragraphs in total. He claims to do this as a way to push students away from the five-paragraph essay, but the effect is still the same: students are being controlled and old that they have to fit a certain mold when writing. However, as I was reading your criticism of this, I started to think back on what I created for my “In the Classroom” this week. Perhaps it is too controlling with too many steps, which means it is simultaneously stifling and overwhelming, neither of which is conducive to student gains when writing.
Thanks,
Holly
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Great point! But even with a 6 paragraph structure you are still asking students are organize their thoughts in a particular way. My opinion is that is a bit too much. Rather, we should teach students to tell a cohesive story through their writing that is not dependent on the number of paragraphs they have. This is just the way I am processing things right now, though, and I’m sure your in class activity is useful and meaningful for you as a teacher!
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Hey Emily,
I really appreciate your ideas especially since they are slightly different from mine. I really love the process paper mainly because it is structured. I try not to think of it as me controlling the students writing, but its like putting the bumpers up when you take kids bowling. They are free to write how they want, but the process model is just there in case they get off track. I’m sure the main reason I like this paper is because I am in a middle school. My student’s writing is not where you would think a 13 year old’s writing would be, so I think that is why I am so heavily reliant on them.
You had a question about how to give students more freedom, and I try to do this as well. When I introduce the process paper, I stress that this is only 1 way to write an essay which is suppose to make it easier to write like a puzzle. I also stress that the better their writing gets, the less they will stick completely to this model. If my students begin to realize they can still fulfill my expectations without sticking to the model, then that tells me that they have learned and they do not need it, so I let them write like who they are and not like the model. So basically the process model comes in handy for those who need the structure, those who do not, fill free to break the mold.
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I really like that approach! I definitely think there is a time and place for structure, I just worry about how we might limit our students with that structure. But you’re right. If students need that structure to actually be able to accomplish what we are asking them to do, it seems like a necessity. Thanks for your perspective on this! I hope I can offer my students something similar.
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