I found it amusing/discomfiting that, instead of thinking of my comp students (whose names I have yet to learn), I kept thinking, "Oh, yeah, I should probably stop doing that," or, "Oh, yeah, I should probably start doing that," or, "Oh, yeah, I should probably think about if I want to do or not do that, or if I want to stop or start doing that." While I have a history of successful binge-writing, I understand that the importance of discipline.
This is something that I've always tried to convey to students, the idea that when they write, it should be a process that spans days rather than late-night hours. Many students binge-write, I believe, because they don't enjoy the process. Rather than prolong it, they'd rather get it over with in one fell swoop, suffer five-six hours of excruciating pain, steal codeine pills from their narcoleptic roommate, rather than spend a week deposing a paper. It may even give them an excuse for a poor grade later: "Yeah, well, I wrote that the night before, professor-man."
So the task, then, is how to recover/instill the pleasure of writing. From what Boice says, a lot of this has to do with adjusting their writing process, the way they approach their writing. Somehow the dread and fear of failure must be removed. In past classes I've required students to turn in parts of the process--theses, outlines, drafts-- in order to anticipate and avoid last minute writing, to varying success.
Also, reading this chapter and the excerpts from student responses, it felt like Boice was teaching older writing students. Is there a unique challenge in teaching 18 year-olds?
Steve, I think that's a smart move to require your students to turn in the parts of their process. While upperclassmen may find that redundant, I think 18 year-olds definitely have room to grow and to sort of "un-learn" their high school ways of writing. I've always felt like the draft system in freshman comp is set up well to avoid binge-writing. At least then if they've put off the final draft till the night before, then they have the previous draft already done to go off on. I struggle sometimes with hand-holding and believe that oftentimes the best way for them to learn is to make mistakes; however, the drafting system can kind of be a safety net in that regard.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why I didn't realize it before, but you're absolutely right in that students binge-write because they are uncomfortable with the process. Like you, I am also trying to get them turn in various parts of their papers (turn in ideas first, then outlines, then first paragraphs, then first drafts) to alleviate some of the problems that might come later.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting that you felt Boice was referring to older students and not necessarily 18-22 year olds. I do think there is a unique challenge in teaching younger students. Apathy, am I right?