Allen, C. A. (2001). Create flow: Pulling in all together.
In The multigenre research
paper: Voice, passion, and discovery
in grades 4-6 (pp. 96-99). Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.
Styslinger, Multigenre-Multigendered Research Papers.
Blitz, Sara Teaching Literature through the Multigenre Paper: An Alternative to the Analytical Paper.
Say:
Before this class, I had never heard of a multigenre paper. I've seen projects that touch on different areas/modes of expressing the students knowledge, but never really in this format. I loved the way the Romano article explained the beginnings of how multigenre papers came to be. I've never read Billy the Kid, but it definitely was interesting. The seperateness of each genre as a way to show seperate snapshots. The examples that the article showed was really helpful for me to get a grasp as to what this really looks like as an assignment. The premise of a multigenre paper really fits into a lot of different things we have discussed. Through narrative writings, the students are using experiences and other modes to express knowledge or comprehension. It definitely creates a more transactional experience with texts. This allows more creative thinking. Book clubs can be adaptable to this because each group could do a multigenre paper and divide and conquer (seems less threatening); also the article mentioned YA literature that served as a good example so book clubs could have a multigenre kind of theme to it. This also combines with writing/reading workshops with students having time to go through the writing process; however, this is stoical. Hearing from the variety of methods and adaptations that teachers used were really helpful to see how I can switch or modify for my personal use.
The Allen article is a nice edition because since we are trying to do so many different genres, students need to be taught how to consider the reader and the flow of their paper. Also, multi genre papers allow students to think about the presentation and audience way more than the typical analytical paper. The article gives a lot of great ideas on how to have the kids consider tying in their paper and this made me think about author's craft. I feel like teachers could use this as a way to intertwine author's craft, but they are actually doing it!
I thought Sara Blitz's breakdown of how she plans the multigenre paper for her students was very helpful. Seeing her goals and objects along with the detailed plans were really great! The only thing I didn't like or at least made me question was the topic that she gave for the research paper. In Styslinger's article, she narrowed the research paper down to focus on gender roles, which I loved, but Blitz was more broad, allowing students to do research on an author. I don't know why I had issues with that, but it made me wonder as to whether or not I would have to have a broad topic, like just researching an author, or can they have a more narrowed focus. I know she suggest individual multigenre pieces in the works of literature she presented that actually analyze the text, but I felt like researching an author is a little too mundane for a senior class. I just didn't really see the research part incorporated as much. I also felt like Styslinger's research paper allowed students to create a more real world experience in which students looked at a text and brought it into their personal space. Since research papers are informational, I think that it is important to keep in mind the problem/solving kind of method, where research papers are multigenre, but also incorporating ways students can create solutions with their research.
DO:
When I read through the material this week, I couldn't help but think about Vic's class. All of these writing assignments that are multigenre could also be writing invitations that are a part of literature circles, book clubs, or just daily writing assignments. I like scaffolding a multigenre paper by with writing assignments they've already done. This DO is kind of hard to imagine, but before I introduce the paper, I would have specific writing assignments during their reading and then they could choice these pieces for their multigenre paper. They do not have to use these for their final paper if they don't want to!
Here are some of the writing assignments I would do to scaffold the kids into a multigenre paper. I have put these writing assignments with Night by Elie Weisel.
1. Students can write a memoir piece, focusing on a small amount of time (similar to the time frame in the book).
2. Recipe on how to survive in the camps.
3. Students will pick a character, map out their progression through novel by writing a bill of sale/report of their number (similar to the way they kept 'bookings')
4. Propoganda poster (it can be about Nazi or reflect on another genocide)
5. (after reading MAUS) students can write comic strips on a scene/memory from the book.
6. Diary entry of a character or a person who would be going through the camps.
Absolutely – you know what they say about minds thinking alike? It is vital that we introduce and scaffold students into different genre before assigning a paper. I like to do it through response journals but writing invitations would be a wonderful way to do this as well. I appreciated all of the connections you made across the course readings in our class and even more so, the connection you made across courses – to Vic's class.
ReplyDeleteBrittany,
ReplyDeleteI think the question you raise about how broad a subject should be for this kind of project is a valid question. I think it's important that the topics you choose for these projects are actually important to your students. I have done one multi-genre project (I posted it as my "Do" if you want to check it out!) and I got to choose the topic. However, this was for an advanced writing class my spring semester of my senior year. But because I chose the topic I was more invested in it and my project came to life. I actually enjoyed doing the research and doing the presentation at the end. I wanted my peers to know all of the things that I knew, so I did a thorough job. Now, I don't think this will happen with every student, but I think it will happen with most. Also, the topics should pertain to the unit at hand too. Or you could do a HUGE end of the year multi genre project where students find the link between all of the units you've covered and do a multi-genre project on that.