FINALLY!!!

Yes!  I have finally found a writing "pedagogy" (I hesitate to even call it this) that I agree with.  Kastman does a remarkable job of discussing the relevance and application of the post-process pedagogy of writing in his article “Post-Process ‘Pedagogy’: A Philisophical Exercise”.  Post process pedagogy is the concept that writing cannot be represented by a single "thing" or body of knowledge but instead is a public, interpretive, and situated form of communication. However, the process theory of writing is so cemented in our education system that it can be difficult to consider writing without this content focused and "commodified" approach.  

I don’t agree with using convoluted process theories that attempt to quantify and generalize the writing process.  The writing process is inherently complex yet natural at the same time and should not be narrowed into the confines of labels.  I could barely get through Flower and Hayes “Cognitive Theory of Writing” because it was so theoretical and impractical that I became frustrated with the ideas being presented. This theory of writing attempted to expand on the traditional writing models with the integration of the concept that writing should be understood as a set of distinctive thinking processes.  This model takes into account the rhetorical problem, the long-term memory as well as planning, translating, and reviewing steps.  However, I saw this as essentially just replacing one stage theory for another. Although I commend them for their efforts in investigating the subtleties of the writing process, I could not see practical application of their work.

  I felt liberated when Kastman provided solid reasoning that knocked process theory off its pedestal.  Although the post-process theory is often criticized for its vagueness and lack of application in the classroom, I found this abstract element to be intriguing. Post process theory proposes that writing be viewed as an activity that cannot be mastered or even taught.  It should be approached as a “dialogic understanding of meaning-making”.  Even more intriguing was the suggestions for implementing post process theory in education.  Kastman suggested focusing on more one on one communication through writing centers and including more dialogue in teacher student interactions.  I think that tutoring, especially by other students, is an interesting idea because it has the potential to help both the writer and the tutor.  

One of my friends is in a class through the university writing center that prepares students to tutor at the writing center.  They discuss theories of writing and the best ways to help others learn to improve their writing.  I think this is a great idea and I'm going to ask him more about his experiences to possibly incorporate some of these learning and teaching strategies into my own pedagogy of writing.  

This article more than any other has sparked my excitement about this paper.  I have never really liked the way English classes are taught and this paper has introduced some ideas that I feel like I can build from to create a method of teaching that I think is more effective and relevant.