Hello as I wonder yet again,
It is shortly after midnight, and feeling exhausted earlier, I laid down. I feel asleep and awoke more than once listening to the news of the day. Now I am as wide awake as if it was time to get up in the morning, after a restful night’s sleep. As I’ve laid here, my mind has thought of one person after another, wondering how they are, and, in some cases, if they are. I reached out in a couple of cases. I am cognizant of how life seems to continue on, much like a rambling running post-winter stream — cold, and yet beautiful in its own way. We have not had much of a winter thus far, with it feeling more like late March for a couple weeks. I think I have had the shovel out only once the entire season. And yet perception and experience can be so varied. My two young, kind, and intelligent Ecuadorian house guests noted earlier how much they hate the weather. And that was their word at dinner this evening. Of course, I learned when there in early January, it is almost always 28-30 degrees Celsius and humid. So 0 degrees Celsius for them is quite a departure from their continual equatorial experience.
This week we will finish the first third of the semester, and after having an additional class added to my plate a week ago, I am feeling like I started over. I am working diligently to get up to speed, but managing another person’s class with no relational context and no sense of how their CMT was designed as it is has proven to be a challenge, and that is an understatement of gargantuan proportion. And at this point, my want to figure it out is more about the students depending on me than my personal desire to place this jigsaw puzzle into some recognizable image. Later this morning, it is my plan to drive to Mansfield, another of the branch campuses to our new Commonwealth University. It’s a 90 mile drive, and there is a chance the weather could be a bit dicey. So we’ll see what happens. Should make for an adventure. . . the adventure of Mansfield was a adventure of snow-covered highways on my return trip. It was a wonderful trip there, and our (my) colleagues on that campus are wonderful. It has been a wonderful beginning of the semester overall, and I feel like I am just managing whatever gets thrown my way.
What continues to alarm me, however, is how many people struggle with language and writing, but more so that such struggles are just to be expected. The number of students who note the following, with little sense of a need for change, confounds me. The most common statement I hear about writing from my students, at almost every level is: “I am not a very strong writer.” or something to the effect, “I don’t really like to write, and I have never been very good at it.” Either statement is difficult, but what is more consequential is they are not readily aware of what such a lack can create. I do understand some of the reason for their difficulty, but I do not really understand the belief that it is not really something they should be concerned about. Writing is one of the things that make us uniquely human, and I believe writing is what offers us an opportunity as humans to make sense of our thoughts, of our emotions, and even of our hopes. The more I witness our commitment to writing in daily life, in our public schools, in our universities, and even within our professional situations the greater concern I have. Writing is the way we move beyond the surface. Writing is how we make sense of complexity. And yet, even in my daily world, the amount of difficulty expressed by people when you ask them to write thoughtfully, analytically, and with an eye toward some sense of integration, the amount of trepidation that comes from such a request is beyond palatable. What allows someone to claim they are educated? Is it a piece of paper? Is it because they attended classes? It is because they have a particular position? Personally, and with a serious sense of conviction, I will assert it is none of these. I believe education is about what we did with our brains. I think it falls back on the ability of someone to think critically in any given situation; I believe it is the realization that one must engage in thorough analysis of that situation; and finally, I believe it is a commitment to intentionally integrate what is learned into the larger body of knowledge that makes the individual who they are. Sometimes their fear is not wanting to make a mistake. In the beginning of February is the birthday of the German theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the person who is the basis of my dissertation. That is the reason for his quote at the outset of this post, as well as it is germane.
An ability to think beyond the obvious requires someone to push themselves into that place unknown, proceeding with some fear, but also with some assurance that this is necessary. Thorough analysis comes from thinking, and realizing there is more than meets the eye; there is more than what initially comes to our minds. Again, it is being willing to realize the initial limits of something and wonder how we can achieve more. Too often we are content to take whatever comes, failing to imagine possibilities. And after the fact, we move quickly onto the next thing, seldom considering how it all fits together. I think it is at the minimal some appraisal of what has happened that allows for a different choice the next time. It is contemplating what my responsibility in the outcome is. We have become a world of blamers, of victims, abdicating our own free will when it is convenient and then complaining that we have it or we someone is taking it away when we want to claim it. It is the proverbial “wanting-the-cake.” When I think of some things I have done earlier in life, and then lamenting the outcome, I needed to step back and ask myself honestly what was my responsibility in that situation. Let me be brutally honest about the concept of accountability: it sucks! However, more importantly, it is real.
I remember arguing quite adamantly with my younger sister at one point. She really should have gone back to college as a veteran. She was a brilliant person, much smarter than I am. I believe that with every fiber of my being. However, when she graduated from high school (barely, but knocked her ACTs out of the park), she attended college. But it was private school and she had loans. She dropped out and went into the service, and probably could have received deferments on her loans, but failed to do the paperwork. When she got out of the service, she could not get Federal Financial Aid because of her delinquent loans, but she did nothing to fix it. Her SSN made her accountable. That number makes you easy to trace. In fact, a few years ago, I read an article about people whose SS payments were being garnished to pay their student loans. Consider what that says . . . things have a way of finding us, and with what we can do with technology, the idea of hiding is really quite impossible. Even today conversations with students, comments from students, demonstrate the reality of accountability in our lives. The reality of the legal age of accountability is different than the drinking age . . . 18 opens the floodgates of responsibility in a manner that many are not ready to face. One of the ways I see this on a college campus is with drinking. It is a different world, but if one thinks critically and honestly analyzes the consequence of that beer, that bong, or that briefly pondered action, I believe that many would take a different path. Our willingness to ponder any sort of reverberation of our actions is not something most of us are able to do. And yet, perhaps that is not avoidance as much as it is we are not well versed in how. We are so coddled. Perhaps too often, believing we are protecting the other, we actually make them more susceptible to getting their proverbial come-upense . . . consequence should not be something we fear, but rather something we understand. What does it take? “How many times will it take to get it right?” Luther in his Small Catechism seemed to understand this in the way he offered explanation. His mantra “We are to fear and love God so that . . . ” looked at both the difficulty being the saint and sinner that Luther believed us to be. Indeed, considering the Apostle Paul, he understood the issues of accountability. He understood the concept of hating the sin, but still loving the sinner. What happens in this reality is profound; it is freedom, the incredible freedom to be human. If we have the freedom to make mistakes to learn, then the critical, the thorough, the intentional offers safety. We have an opportunity to push the envelope of being incomplete, imperfect, but willing to make a difference. How do I allow my students the freedom to fail, to make the mistakes without judgment? What can I do to open the doors to growth, growth that does not merely happen, but happens intentionally . . . completely? If I can figure this out, I allow them to be educated, world-changing, individuals. I help in some small way to make the world a better place. That is the most profound pay one can offer. This video reminds me of how hard it is to be true to ourselves at times. Understanding who we are is where it all begins.
Thanks for reading as always,
Dr. Martin
thewritingprofessor55 
Hello professor, I thought that this was a really thought provoking and engaging blog post, I really connected with the what you said about thinking beyond the obvious and pushing into the place unknown from an analytical standpoint. It was really interesting to hear your thoughts on critical thinking and I agree with what you said about how more and more people nowadays just aren’t interested in writing, or at the very least don’t believe that they’re capable of “good” writing. Which is of course incorrect, because everyone has the capability to become a strong writer. The greatest thing that I can think of in terms of a solution as a future teacher of writing myself is that we must encourage writing at all costs, of any kind, and emphasize what you referenced as being part of the human experience. On a separate note, I really engaged with what you said about 18 “opening the floodgates of responsibility” because that really is the best way to refer the onslaught of personal and external burdens thrusted upon you at that age. I think people forget how intrinsically insecure in every aspect of your life most people are at that age, and I don’t mean in the physical or egotistical sense, but in the life and human experience sense. Everything is opened up to you at once, good and bad, and I felt like you vocalized that really well within your blog post Professor.
Regards,
Jeremiah1800
Taking into consideration the first part of your blog, regarding your new class and the state of your students’ writing skills, I find there to be a profound issue. We’ve spoken about this in some of your classes, but so many students find English and the arts in general to be boring or useless, when it reality it acts as a basis for almost everything else we do. How could people research the sciences, form reports, and communicate thoughts to their peers without understanding of how to read and write? I don’t necessarily fault the students for their inability to write, however, because an education is a two-way street. You need a motivated student along with a willing and knowledgeable teacher, which is getting harder and harder to find these days. With funding being taken away from the arts and higher education in general, colleges have begun cutting more and more programs. With the merge into Commonwealth University being one primarily because there isn’t enough money to operate three long-running schools separately, I feel like the future looks pretty bleak. With Bloomsburg and many other schools getting rid of their philosophy majors, we’ve already begun to make an important way of critical thinking that should be a basis for education less accessible. In my opinion, it’s only a matter of time before the same is done for things like art, writing, and literature. Everybody knows that the money lies in technology, and in a world so bleak, sometimes having a bank account with a big number is the only comfort some people may find.
So I suppose the question is: what will it take to make people realize the importance of the things that are being taken away? How long will it take to feel the consequences of the movement that has already begun to occur. With this being my last semester in higher education, I wonder what impact this will have on my future work. The people that are in my field already are likely well-versed in writing reports and communicating with one another, as that’s a big part of their job. However, change is happening fast, and I feel like in as little in three years we might see a drop in the quality of many people’s work. A well-rounded liberal arts education doesn’t simply make you a better writer and communicator, it makes you a better thinker. Sure, STEM teaches you to be analytical and precise, but that’s not always what’s needed. Not everything has a set formula or an answer carved in stone. Sometimes, your experience and education about how things were before can matter more than any number of hours staring at math problems. I genuinely hope that education of the arts isn’t going to the wayside, but I’m not very convinced. As a single person, it feels almost hopeless that anything could be done to change the course of how things are going. I suppose only time will tell, and whatever the outcome I’ll have to continue acting as an example for how things should be.
As an individual I fall into the category of being scared to write or even avoid the idea at all costs. Writing is shown to be profound in helping to convey thoughts and emotions. The idea to think critical, through, and intentional can be conveyed better through conversation and speech. As someone who struggles to write my feelings, my words in an important paper, or even to explain myself is a challenge. I feel like I can communicate or even clearly convey my thoughts or emotions through the use of conversation. A lot more emotion is shown through conversation rather than writing and you are able to accomplish more in person than you can through writing on a paper or an email. Personally, with more conversation comes bigger results. You can only put so much on paper. I believe a bigger story is written the more you engage with someone, hell, you can form an opinion on that individual immediately. There is more of a personal feeling and connection depending on the person you are speaking to. While writing accomplishes some of these goals and it is important to learn writing I feel to learn the art of conversation just as much as the art of writing.
This blog post resonated with me for many reasons. Not only am I in the class you recently were assigned to teach, but the ideas of accountability, discipline, and mistakes are all things I am struggling with right now. Here is my current perspective on those areas of discussion. As someone who is always busy, taking on change is hard for me. Not only have I disliked the idea of online classes, but I really dislike having an online class change halfway through the semester. However, I am thankful to have gotten such an understanding and flexible professor to take over the class. It is hard to have discipline and be held accountable when class is online because you are not forced to meet face to face with your professor and attend class at a certain time. With online classes there is a lot of flexibility, which means there is a lot of room for mistakes and errors. Recently I made the mistake of overlooking an assignment. I need to hold myself accountable for that mistake and not let it happen again.
Another aspect of this blog post that I related to is the fear of writing. I have never been good at expressing my feelings by word of mouth, let alone on paper. I often struggle trying to find the right thing to say and second guessing myself. In the blog you stated, “writing is the way we move beyond the surface.” This makes me look at writing differently, it should be easier for me to express my feelings and emotions on paper. I should not worry about making a mistake or saying the wrong thing. My thoughts and emotions are what makes me who I am. Just because someone might have a difference of opinion, does not mean I should change how I express my own opinion. Writing allows us to have that outlet to express ourselves. It also allows us to grow and almost vent our feelings. Not all writing must be scary. Even graded writing should not be scary, because that grade will not matter in the future, but being true to yourself will.
Something that stuck with me out of this post was your personal definition of the word “educated.” I want to say I agree with you. People often think that the word “educated” and the word “intelligent” mean the same thing, and that is why I agree with your challenge of the word. It has been my personal belief that education does not equal intelligence. To me, educated refers to some sort of higher education, whatever that may be. Intelligence fits along your definition. Including your thoughts, I also think to be intelligent is to be self-aware and empathetic.
The issues with student’s writing is something I have thought about a lot. Some students seem to have a fear of writing, which must translate to a fear of academic failure. Somewhere along the line for some people, the area of study failed to penetrate. When I was in high school, I remember my school district making a choice to add more writing assignments because we were not good enough. Maybe our test scores were too low, but we did a lot more writing. It was a lot more work. I am not someone that has ever been afraid or hated writing, but I remember complaining about all the extra work. I completed the assignments, just like everyone else, and we were probably all better for it. When it comes to writing, practice is key. The frequency of the activity is what is necessary for success. For some areas of study, writing essays is not typical, so it may only be done once a semester. That does not make the practice any less important for them. Writing not only improves skill, but it helps one’s mind expand. I believe that the practice, even if it is just casual, should be incorporated into everyone’s life.
I love to write. I never considered myself a “strong writer” because I didn’t do it because I wanted to be a strong writer, I just wanted to write. Your class changed that for me. I love to write but I want to be good at it now too. From your class, I have learned a lot about what makes a strong piece of writing and even though I have not mastered it yet I have a spark to. You not only teach students but you inspire them and I am one of those students. Being completely transparent, I took this class because my advisor told me to. I was told it was an easy class and that it would complete my goals. That was so far off from what I actually got out of this class. I truly do agree that this is an important class for any type of student. It is such an important skill to have in all professions. This class is also far from easy. It takes work and effort as all classes do but the feedback on how to improve is what stands out because most classes don’t offer that. You go above and beyond for your students.
You talk about how fear of the unknown and achieving more. The biggest fear that I have carried with me for most of my life is failure. Being content with the bare minimum or with average has never been my strong suit. I love to achieve but when you say people are too quick to move on to the next thing, that is true about me as well. As much as I love to achieve, I look at it as not failing because as I said, my fear is that I will fail and if it’s average it’s not failing.
As a college student, I agree this generation lacks accountability. We often find blame on others or from something else other than ourselves when in reality it was not the teacher’s fault that the exam was hard, if I would’ve studied more the exam would’ve been easier, point blank. Many of us struggle with that topic including myself. I often try to find reasons for everything when in reality I need to see it how it is and understand my part in it. No excuses.
I thought that this was a very interesting blog post that brought forth the ideas of education and responsibility. To start, I agree with your viewpoint on when someone can claim they are educated. Anybody who puts forth effort can pass a class and get a degree – even if they end up changing it. However, deeply understanding the course content is a completely different matter. I have taken gen eds where I walked away with a solid grade, but no practical concept of the content that has been taught. Many courses grade you on how well you can regurgitate content into an essay or an exam, but do nothing to make sure you learned the content otherwise. As a computer science major, it is one thing to do well on tests but if you do not have a strong grasp on fundamentals you have no hope for getting any of your projects done. I believe this goes alongside what you said about how education is what you do to integrate what you learned into your personal identity. One should take classes they are interested in, and try to foster a passion for learning. If one does not have interest in a class, it is very unlikely that they will put forth the effort to internalize what they are being taught. If you learn instead how to problem solve, study, and how to increase understanding, the results will be very different.
Another huge area of your blog post that I found was interesting was the section about responsibility. I feel very fortunate that my parents instilled a strong mindset for responsibility as my siblings and I were growing up. If we wanted to do something they did not believe was smart, they would not stop us but they would make sure we understood potential consequences for our actions. They had us understand that if we make a bad choice, then we are the ones who have to face what happens next. I have many friends who do not have consequences, and I honestly believe that it only hurts them in the long run. At some point entering adulthood, you are going to lose the barrier of your parents and your mistakes will fall only on you. I believe people need to make mistakes to learn how to make better decisions, and without being forced to face your own consequences there is no way to learn this critical skill.
Thank you for another thought provoking blog Professor, I feel like I always gain a new insight into life while reading your thoughts.
As a college student, I understand and relate to your writing and language skills concerns. In fact, I think it’s a common issue among students, and it’s something that needs to be addressed more seriously. I agree that writing is one of the essential skills that make us uniquely human and offers us an opportunity to make sense of our thoughts, emotions, and hopes. However, I also think that it’s not just about writing skills, but also about critical thinking and analysis skills that are equally important.
As a student, I can say that it’s not easy to develop these skills, especially when the educational system emphasizes memorization and regurgitation of information rather than encouraging critical thinking and analysis. But I believe that it’s possible to change that and help students develop these skills. As you mentioned, it’s about allowing students to fail, make mistakes without judgment, and offer them a safe space to learn and grow intentionally.
Personally, I think it’s crucial to have educators who are passionate about their work and are willing to go the extra mile to help their students. I can see that you are one of those educators, and I appreciate your dedication to your work. It’s inspiring to see someone who genuinely cares about their students’ growth and success.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and concerns. It’s a reminder that we all have a role to play in creating a better future, and it starts with education.
Dr. Martin,
Considering your feelings about writing and how it relates to our educational system, I felt I should comment. I grew up having a grandfather who also taught English at Bloomsburg University, Harold Ackerman. His wife, my grandmother, was a 4th grade schoolteacher at a small elementary school. Between the two of them, I was always surrounded by literature when I was young. To this day, my grandfather still publishes poetry online and occasionally self-publishes books of poetry and short stories.
As a child, I read a lot. There were no tablets, and computers were tethered to the walls in only a few specific rooms in the school. I read textbooks, visited the library, and ready a lot of fantasy novels. But growing up, I fell in love with technology. Video games replaced books to satisfy my taste for fantasy worlds. But I do still believe there is value in paper.
My wife teaches 7th grade science at a middle school where they exclusively use tablets. I’ve found through her just how much practical skill is lost on these devices. Kids don’t know how to type or have any opportunity to practice writing. They don’t read, and their vocabularies are weak. So many assignments are completed by watching videos and answering multiple choice questions. Things are different, and I would argue they are worse.
Preparation is relative to the world as we experience it. Are students today learning enough to function practically in society? I don’t know, maybe. I’ve really come around on language being so strict. I embrace slang and efficiency in communication, it can be useful and offer a way for people to communicate in a style that represents them. That said, you need to be able to do that and write properly. That’s my opinion anyways. Am I getting old?
Dear Dr. Martin,
One of the first things that stood out to me in this reflection was the company of your Ecuadorian house guests. You mentioned visiting their home country earlier in the year. Did you befriend them there and invite them to visit, perhaps as part of a cultural exchange? It’s interesting how much a person’s perception and experience can vary due to their environment. This is also true when it comes to students, who vary in maturity and the level of education they received at home. By “home education,” I mean the way they were raised and influenced by their parents. The ability to think critically and consider the consequences of their actions is something I believe every rational being possesses. However, I believe that many of us choose to blatantly ignore these consequences and continue, not out of fear but ignorance.
In my personal experience, there have been times when I acted without considering the consequences. For example, I went through a phase of drinking and behaving irresponsibly after I started college. These actions had consequences, as I gradually fell behind with school and my long-term plans. Living with the consequences made me reflect critically on how my actions, or rather inaction, could have had a different impact on my present life. The ability to deeply reflect on past mistakes and strive to become better in the future is crucial for personal growth. It allows us to better prepare ourselves for tomorrow, with the hope of making decisions that will ensure a brighter future.
When it comes to cultivating a better learning environment for students, especially one where there is no fear of failure, I find it quite challenging to achieve in an academic institution where students’ work must be evaluated. The role of a professor is essentially to critique students’ work and assign grades based on it. This makes it difficult for less proficient students not to feel as if they have failed when they receive a low grade. However, sometimes it is challenging for a professor to distinguish between a struggling student and one who simply lacks interest and effort in the class.
Hello from a shaded table on our freshly renovated deck as I embrace the birds chirping and the calming pisithurism of the trees.
I enjoyed reading through this blog, especially in the beginning when you touched base on taking over my English class for the spring semester. In previous conversations, I mentioned to you that I couldn’t imagine what that process looked like from your end, but this blog provided me with some insight. Coming from a student that was in the class from the first day of the semester, the class wasn’t structured well before the professor swap. I couldn’t piece content together, and it was quite unclear.
I have to applaud you for managing the task as well as you did. Contrary to some other opinions, the content of the course was very manageable. I loved the memoir assignment, and I plan on continuing to update it throughout the years. I hope to fulfill the purpose and show it to my future children. I’ve had many people in my life (professors, advisors, preceptors, friends) tell me that I should write a book about my life, and reading through your blogs has made me want to start writing my own.
Back to the class, I really enjoyed Normal People. Essays are quite tedious, especially when they are lengthy, but the content and plotline of Connell and Marianne’s relationship was very intriguing. I know the series is one I will watch again, although I have never been one to read a book more than once (very few exceptions).
You went above and beyond with our course. You drove from great distance on two separate occasions to meet with us (not including your Mansfield journeys). You made yourself easily accessible through office hours, text messaging, and emails. Overall, you managed the course very well, especially given the circumstances.
Through peer review assignments in the course, I also came to the conclusion that many people struggle with language and writing. I am by no means a perfect author or editor, but I believe myself to be blessed. I love writing, and I do it well. Is that arrogant? Possibly, I am not sure.
I can understand difficulty, I but I cannot understand not wanting to put in the effort to improve. I loved the way you described writing.
“[W]riting is what offers us an opportunity as humans to make sense of our thoughts, of our emotions, and even our hopes.” – I love this quote. I think this is the reason why I love poetry so much. Poetry allows me to sort out the thoughts that ricochet in my head, forming an analogous masterpiece.
Writing truly is everywhere. From simply formulated text messages to job applications and theses, it is impossible to escape from.
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I believe the audience for this particular blog could be intellectuals who fall under the category of those who claim themselves to be “bad writers,” or for those who are “educated,” but not in ways that suffice. Those who dislike writing or the idea of putting in the work to improve their writing skills could benefit greatly from this blog. You provide the significance of writing in-depth, and the quotes regarding, “[w]hat allows someone to claim they are educated,” is very insightful. For those who are merely trying to pass by with minimum effort, this section could provide them with motivation and a further sense of purpose.
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Again, Dr. Martin,
Thank you for sharing this piece. It is very well-written and insightful.
Thanks for listening to me!
Chloe Neal
I find it so amazing how people perceive and adapt to the temperature of their environment. For example, I have worked at a summer camp for a long time, and when it is 75 degrees and sunny, some people can walk around in winter jackets, and I’m in a T-shirt and shorts.
It must be frustrating having a class that you don’t feel confident in teaching. Mansfield is in the middle of nowhere and has nothing but hills. If anyone can handle the changes and extra load, it is you.
I understand why you may be shocked, but I relate to those statements. I am not confident when writing. You are correct in that writing is how we make sense of everything. Education is more than just a piece of paper or a degree.
What I struggle with the most is pushing past the fear and the unknown. I struggle to move past it, but for some reason, opportunities come up, and I go for it. Initially, I set limits for myself, but then I realized I would never know if I didn’t try, so those limitations became unimportant. I couldn’t agree that people never take responsibility for their actions and outcomes. I won’t lie when I say I have fallen into that a few times. Accountability sucks, but it is valuable and so important for everyone. You will get nowhere in life if you constantly blame others for your mistakes, outcomes, or missed opportunities.
Accountability is a concept everyone must learn, and you must be mature enough and responsible enough to be able to understand it. Most times, college students can only look at the fun they will have and the people they meet rather than the consequences of drinking alcohol. As a society, we are coddled. No one wants to be wrong, and no one wants to take responsibility for anything, which is so sad. In my eyes, I give credit to anyone who admits they are wrong or made a mistake because I know that it takes more guts and courage than not to take credit. Mistakes are certainly a way to grow and learn. One of my nursing instructors reassured me when I made a mistake and was incredibly sorry when she told me, “Tedra, you’re going into a profession where you are going to make mistakes. You made a mistake today, and you will make many more mistakes later in your career, and If anyone says that you won’t make a mistake again or that they have never made a mistake, they are lying to you”.