How to develop professionalism among student writers
How to develop professionalism among student writers: An introduction with excerpts from Learning Inventories by students in “Introduction to Research Writing” and “Professional Writing” classes.
By Henrik Eger
Good teaching, like good writing, usually takes many years of practice, patience, and an ongoing dialogue with students and colleagues inside and outside one's own discipline. I was fortunate in having had the chance to grow as a teacher and writer of English in an environment that allowed me to try out different methodologies. It was particularly helpful to work with students of all ages and backgrounds, including
—ten year olds in Germany who learned to speak and write their first English statements (“Good morning. My name is Martina. What's your name?”) and young teachers of English who conscientiously prepared each lesson and opened up their classrooms to fellow teachers to discuss further professional growth on a regular basis.
—students at an Adult Education Center in the industrial Ruhr, Germany, who felt so privileged about their advanced English classes, that as a group, they adopted some students from a housing project and taught them by example how to change their life for the better;
—once-nervous “foreign” students at the City Literary Institute in London who performed Shakespeare in Spanish, German, and Japanese, and who became more willing than ever before to overcome their fear of the unknown, in this case, advanced English; *
—veiled and unveiled students at Kerman University, Iran, who trusted me with their poetry at a time when all creative publications were banned (I still) fear for those who, unlike me, did not survive the heat of Khomeini’s revolution and its aftermath);
—students from different casts in my workshops at the Goethe Institute in Bombay who learned to write surreal sketches and dramas for the first time in their life and to perform them in front of large audiences, thus bridging their Indian past with the screams of their present, the silence of their unfolding future;
—students at the University of Illinois at Chicago—tough African-American men from the South side of Chicago, shy Hispanic women, Polish refugees who turned punk somewhere between Warsaw and the Windy City, well-groomed suburbanites who got lost on the highway of aspirations, and other adult students with the self-esteem of wastepaper baskets—all of whom learned to grow and mature through writing and sharing;
—professional writers and aspiring writers in Chicago and in Santa Fe, New Mexico, who turned some of their dreams, nightmares, and realities into film or TV scripts, and who learned that writing in a professional context demands additional skills that are hardly ever taught but which need to be learned and practiced, such as networking and marketing of ideas, treatments, and scripts;
—rural students at Indiana University at Kokomo, many of whom saw their parents lose the family farm on the auction block and who, with friends and neighbors, night-shift at one of the local conveyor belts, spraying metals, trying to survive, not only economically but as human beings; these are students who, in spite of all the pressures they experience daily are carrying a deep desire to grow intellectually, professionally, and personally through a wide range of classes. Through “Professional Writing and Communication Skills” and “Advanced Expository Composition” they learn to recognize and appreciate difference and deal with their own and society’s ambiguity; instead of regurgitating someone else’s insights, they learn to generate knowledge and meaning of their own that, ultimately, benefits both the individual and society.
By Henrik Eger
Good teaching, like good writing, usually takes many years of practice, patience, and an ongoing dialogue with students and colleagues inside and outside one's own discipline. I was fortunate in having had the chance to grow as a teacher and writer of English in an environment that allowed me to try out different methodologies. It was particularly helpful to work with students of all ages and backgrounds, including
—ten year olds in Germany who learned to speak and write their first English statements (“Good morning. My name is Martina. What's your name?”) and young teachers of English who conscientiously prepared each lesson and opened up their classrooms to fellow teachers to discuss further professional growth on a regular basis.
—students at an Adult Education Center in the industrial Ruhr, Germany, who felt so privileged about their advanced English classes, that as a group, they adopted some students from a housing project and taught them by example how to change their life for the better;
—once-nervous “foreign” students at the City Literary Institute in London who performed Shakespeare in Spanish, German, and Japanese, and who became more willing than ever before to overcome their fear of the unknown, in this case, advanced English; *
—veiled and unveiled students at Kerman University, Iran, who trusted me with their poetry at a time when all creative publications were banned (I still) fear for those who, unlike me, did not survive the heat of Khomeini’s revolution and its aftermath);
—students from different casts in my workshops at the Goethe Institute in Bombay who learned to write surreal sketches and dramas for the first time in their life and to perform them in front of large audiences, thus bridging their Indian past with the screams of their present, the silence of their unfolding future;
—students at the University of Illinois at Chicago—tough African-American men from the South side of Chicago, shy Hispanic women, Polish refugees who turned punk somewhere between Warsaw and the Windy City, well-groomed suburbanites who got lost on the highway of aspirations, and other adult students with the self-esteem of wastepaper baskets—all of whom learned to grow and mature through writing and sharing;
—professional writers and aspiring writers in Chicago and in Santa Fe, New Mexico, who turned some of their dreams, nightmares, and realities into film or TV scripts, and who learned that writing in a professional context demands additional skills that are hardly ever taught but which need to be learned and practiced, such as networking and marketing of ideas, treatments, and scripts;
—rural students at Indiana University at Kokomo, many of whom saw their parents lose the family farm on the auction block and who, with friends and neighbors, night-shift at one of the local conveyor belts, spraying metals, trying to survive, not only economically but as human beings; these are students who, in spite of all the pressures they experience daily are carrying a deep desire to grow intellectually, professionally, and personally through a wide range of classes. Through “Professional Writing and Communication Skills” and “Advanced Expository Composition” they learn to recognize and appreciate difference and deal with their own and society’s ambiguity; instead of regurgitating someone else’s insights, they learn to generate knowledge and meaning of their own that, ultimately, benefits both the individual and society.
The following “Learning Inventory” by my students at Indiana University at Kokomo describes approaches which helped each individual to become more aware and more professional through writing and sharing. Many of my students from varying educational, intellectual, and emotional backgrounds are making visible breakthroughs, semester after semester. I feel grateful to them for having supported my various approaches to innovative teaching—in spite of the heavy work lead which I require of them. For example, my students hand in one portfolio of their writing each week and engage in a written dialogue with me.
My students learn not just the basics of writing—including basic formats and conventions, the function of stand English, and an ever increasing awareness of their readers—but they also learn to think of reasons for their writing, the values behind their statements, and their overall goal for writing in the first place. I have seen teenagers and returning adult students, single mother and seasoned professionals—men and women of all ages and backgrounds—give of their best: their joy, their pain, their hopes, and above all, their willingness to go beyond routine and the ordinary.
Below I am presenting a brief overview of some of the things that I do in class to support thinking and writing, creativity and criticism, sharing and growing among students who want to become professional—not in the traditional sense of becoming lawyers, physicians, and accountants, but “professional” in a liberating almost ennobling sense where the individual is respected as an individual and contributes to society in many different ways.
1. From day one, I encourage all students to see themselves as equal partners in the classroom and to take full responsibility for their intellectual, emotional, and social/professional progress.
2. I encourage all students to let go of whatever is holding them back and to get in touch with their innermost voice, to believe their capacity to move forward, and to turn all negativity (especially “old tapes”) into positive challenges, to go beyond the status quo.
3. I encourage all students to empower themselves, both within and outside the classroom by speaking and writing as professionals and equal partners—junior partners maybe –but partners all the same, and to negotiate anything they need to negotiate—including our syllabus—so that their voice can be heard. At the same time, I encourage the students to listen to the needs or demands of others, including the hidden demands of a standard syllabus in Professional Writing.
4. I ask all students to write daily, especially in class, to take copious notes, to annotate those notes the way they have learned to annotate their textbooks: to start and continue a dialogue with others and with different voices and values within the student’s own head. Very soon my students realize the advantage of frequent writing, especially when they get regular and detailed feedback from their classmates and from me.
5. I ask all students, whether students in developmental or advanced writing classes, to find and work with two mentors on a weekly basis—one mentor in the student’s major field of study or career goal (a nurse, social worker, or engineer) and a general reader. The students are encouraged to interact with their two mentors, who can’t be lovers or spouses, nor faculty members, to discuss the various writing projects, including drafts, before they hand them in. As a result, the writing is more informed than ever before, even the first drafts, as students discuss matters with at least two knowledgeable people. Also, I encourage all students to join at least one professional organization in their field of study.
6. I request from each student a memo for each major writing project. In the first paragraph the students describe their paper’s strengths; in the second paragraph they describe what they want to change in their second or third rewrite. As a result, students become more aware of their own writing and editing processes.
7. In practically each session, my students share their drafts with each other and give each other feedback. Example: “I liked A, B, and C because . . . I was somewhat concerned about D, E, and F because . . . Would you consider X, Y, and Z for the following reasons . . . ?”
8. In my own comments to my students I do not correct their work. Rather, I write questions in the margin with my #2 pencil; ask the writers to probe deeper, expand, or consider opposing views; offer possible alternatives; refer my students to our handbook for specific grammatical programs; and gently remind the student writer that most writing is written for real readers. In my summary, I usually refer to the paper’s main strengths and encourage each writer to go beyond his or her level of present knowledge and skills—way beyond.
9. To help students expand their range of vocabulary and depth of insights, I ask each student to build up a weekly “Toolbox”—a collection of new terms used in class and in our textbooks, together with dictionary definitions and examples; a section on personalized insights (example: A quote like “The microphone of life is always on” is then followed by the student’s individual response to it, often accompanied by an analysis and a very personal commitment to the new goal or awareness); and a section of a description and analysis of the weekly mentor interactions with special reference to their impact on the thinking and writing process.
10. Every day my students share new insights and experiences. These comments can range from a regular “Today I am glad I just made it here” to summaries of the most important insight or skill that the individual took from that particular class, all the way to a sharing of deeply empowering experiences and insights that came out of class and transformed the individual, and sometimes the class as a whole.
If the excerpts in this collection are representative of the strength and integrity of our students at IUK, perhaps even of our students in the United States, we may consider no longer talking about “poor learners.” Instead, we might want to ask ourselves what it is that we—as teachers, researchers, administrators, and members of society in general—can do to support our students in more meaningful and more effective ways.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all writers who contributed to this collection for their perseverance, their honesty, and their willingness to explore areas of life that they apparently had not probed before. And I would like to encourage all of them to go beyond their present achievements by thinking more often, by writing with more clarity and effectiveness, and by communicating more directly, thereby empowering themselves and others even further—for in those moments of rethinking we have a chance to rewrite life.
Henrik Eger
Indiana University at Kokomo
Spring 1991
My students learn not just the basics of writing—including basic formats and conventions, the function of stand English, and an ever increasing awareness of their readers—but they also learn to think of reasons for their writing, the values behind their statements, and their overall goal for writing in the first place. I have seen teenagers and returning adult students, single mother and seasoned professionals—men and women of all ages and backgrounds—give of their best: their joy, their pain, their hopes, and above all, their willingness to go beyond routine and the ordinary.
Below I am presenting a brief overview of some of the things that I do in class to support thinking and writing, creativity and criticism, sharing and growing among students who want to become professional—not in the traditional sense of becoming lawyers, physicians, and accountants, but “professional” in a liberating almost ennobling sense where the individual is respected as an individual and contributes to society in many different ways.
1. From day one, I encourage all students to see themselves as equal partners in the classroom and to take full responsibility for their intellectual, emotional, and social/professional progress.
2. I encourage all students to let go of whatever is holding them back and to get in touch with their innermost voice, to believe their capacity to move forward, and to turn all negativity (especially “old tapes”) into positive challenges, to go beyond the status quo.
3. I encourage all students to empower themselves, both within and outside the classroom by speaking and writing as professionals and equal partners—junior partners maybe –but partners all the same, and to negotiate anything they need to negotiate—including our syllabus—so that their voice can be heard. At the same time, I encourage the students to listen to the needs or demands of others, including the hidden demands of a standard syllabus in Professional Writing.
4. I ask all students to write daily, especially in class, to take copious notes, to annotate those notes the way they have learned to annotate their textbooks: to start and continue a dialogue with others and with different voices and values within the student’s own head. Very soon my students realize the advantage of frequent writing, especially when they get regular and detailed feedback from their classmates and from me.
5. I ask all students, whether students in developmental or advanced writing classes, to find and work with two mentors on a weekly basis—one mentor in the student’s major field of study or career goal (a nurse, social worker, or engineer) and a general reader. The students are encouraged to interact with their two mentors, who can’t be lovers or spouses, nor faculty members, to discuss the various writing projects, including drafts, before they hand them in. As a result, the writing is more informed than ever before, even the first drafts, as students discuss matters with at least two knowledgeable people. Also, I encourage all students to join at least one professional organization in their field of study.
6. I request from each student a memo for each major writing project. In the first paragraph the students describe their paper’s strengths; in the second paragraph they describe what they want to change in their second or third rewrite. As a result, students become more aware of their own writing and editing processes.
7. In practically each session, my students share their drafts with each other and give each other feedback. Example: “I liked A, B, and C because . . . I was somewhat concerned about D, E, and F because . . . Would you consider X, Y, and Z for the following reasons . . . ?”
8. In my own comments to my students I do not correct their work. Rather, I write questions in the margin with my #2 pencil; ask the writers to probe deeper, expand, or consider opposing views; offer possible alternatives; refer my students to our handbook for specific grammatical programs; and gently remind the student writer that most writing is written for real readers. In my summary, I usually refer to the paper’s main strengths and encourage each writer to go beyond his or her level of present knowledge and skills—way beyond.
9. To help students expand their range of vocabulary and depth of insights, I ask each student to build up a weekly “Toolbox”—a collection of new terms used in class and in our textbooks, together with dictionary definitions and examples; a section on personalized insights (example: A quote like “The microphone of life is always on” is then followed by the student’s individual response to it, often accompanied by an analysis and a very personal commitment to the new goal or awareness); and a section of a description and analysis of the weekly mentor interactions with special reference to their impact on the thinking and writing process.
10. Every day my students share new insights and experiences. These comments can range from a regular “Today I am glad I just made it here” to summaries of the most important insight or skill that the individual took from that particular class, all the way to a sharing of deeply empowering experiences and insights that came out of class and transformed the individual, and sometimes the class as a whole.
If the excerpts in this collection are representative of the strength and integrity of our students at IUK, perhaps even of our students in the United States, we may consider no longer talking about “poor learners.” Instead, we might want to ask ourselves what it is that we—as teachers, researchers, administrators, and members of society in general—can do to support our students in more meaningful and more effective ways.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all writers who contributed to this collection for their perseverance, their honesty, and their willingness to explore areas of life that they apparently had not probed before. And I would like to encourage all of them to go beyond their present achievements by thinking more often, by writing with more clarity and effectiveness, and by communicating more directly, thereby empowering themselves and others even further—for in those moments of rethinking we have a chance to rewrite life.
Henrik Eger
Indiana University at Kokomo
Spring 1991
Below, excerpts from my IUK students' observations as presented in their Learning Inventories:
------ SHASHI A. ------
The teaching methods undertaken by Dr. Eger in our class have been some of the most self-empowering methods that I have come across in any of my college classes.
------ JOE C. ------
When Dr. Eger teaches his class, I learn about everything; nothing is too trivial or lofty for us to discuss. We, as a class, choose the classroom topics. Dr. Eger does not just tell us how to write a research paper; he shows us how to move beyond linear learning.
Dr. Eger takes my writing very seriously, and when it is not as good as it can be, he lets me know. He never tells me what to do in his comments to me; he only suggests or asks that I try something. His comments are always constructive and full of energy. I can see a huge difference in my writing since I have started this class. When I sit down now to write, I feel that I know what I am doing, not just for this class, but others too. I’m changed—that’s all I can say.
------ LAURA G. ------
We could use our own intellect to determine if something needed to be worked on or not. Dr. Eger’s insights and comments gave me a new sense of self-worth. I am encouraged to do more and stick up for what I want.
------ VICKI H. ------
I was able to take charge of my own learning experience through negotiation. Through organized and substantiated discussions and through written formal proposals, I can now see anything can be negotiated. The variety of experiences I have been exposed to have contributed to my “roundness” as a scholar. Dr. Eger has assisted in helping me achieve a more polished writing project and to expect only the best from myself. I am grateful for this eye-opening experience which has empowered me to dream the impossible. I can only move forward.
------ VINCE M. ------
Dr. Eger encouraged us to negotiate with him over any part of our learning process. Dr. Eger encouraged us to even come up with our own student evaluation form, so that we could share our insights with each other. He taught me to evaluate my own ideological beliefs; I had to learn to be more objective and more open-minded toward people with opposing viewpoints.
Dr. Eger has encouraged me to view myself as a professional. He made me realize that I had as much to offer as my mentors. Once I stopped being a “yes man” and always agreeing with what my mentors were saying, I actually gained more respect from them.
It has been a wonderful year. I have learned to overcome my inhibitions and go for the most professional qualities achievable for my educational growth. I want to thank Dr. Eger for being so concerned, thoughtful, and caring. I think that he has a loving spirit.
------ STEPHANIE S. ------
What I had to say really did matter. I was no longer a mere college student, but I was a “guest speaker.” I felt more at ease and equal than I had before.
------ LOU ANN V. ------
I want to thank Dr. Eger so much for his patience and genuine interest in me. He has made a real impression on me and is one professor I will not forget. I have learned to mentally interact with what I am learning and think in my own way. This has carried over into my other classes.
Of all the classes I have taken, I have learned the most from this one. It wasn’t just reading or writing. Our discussions and powerful interactions brought much more to this class. I have never had a teacher so willing to give of himself to the students.
------ CINDY V. ------
On an intellectual level, I have been able to see how taking myself and my ideas more seriously has led others to take me and my ideas more seriously as well. This was really brought home to me in two ways. The first was when one of my classmates quoted me in her midterm. This was a great honor for me. The second incident was Dr. Eger’s suggestion that I try to polish some of my work and submit it for publication. Dr. Eger’s suggestion was a validation of my sense of myself as a good writer.
On a professional level, some breakthroughs have come as a result of the “board of directors” approach used in class sessions. I have come to see myself as a responsible person who takes charge and gets things done. This has translated into competence in other areas of my life such as study habits. I have also noticed that as a result of my higher confidence level, I am more likely to reach out to others rather than waiting for them to “discover” me.
------ GARRY A. ------
He made us aware of the fact that we would be teaching each other. Yes! We the students would teach our classmates. Dr. Eger had created a “crack” in my amateurish shell, and the professional in me was trying to break through.
------ SANDY C. ------
I observed the importance of seeing things from the other person’s view. I also became aware of deeper issues, thus not just focusing with a narrow view. Dr. Eger has helped me realize that it is okay and desirable to bring my own feelings into my work. I made it a goal to find my true voice and demonstrate that voice in my writing.
------ MARK C. ------
Dr. Eger has taught me much more than professional writing. This class has been a turning point in my college career. It has been the most involved class that I have attended in three years of school. His class reminds me of the movie Dead Poets Society. Dr. Eger reminds me of Robin Williams, the teacher in the film. He, too, was very persistent in his teaching. Dr. Eger has striven to bring me and all of my peers to a higher professional level.
------ JOANI M. ------
The intellectual transformation which I have achieved this year through my studies has astounded my family and friends. Dr. Eger and this class have helped me more than I would have ever imagined.
------ LORA M. ------
This was not only a professional writing class but a class on how to be professional. Dr. Eger not only taught me how to write professionally but how to speak and act as a professional.
------ JEFF S. ------
The teaching methods used by Dr. Eger this semester were the most effective I have seen to date. He has an incredible knack for motivating his students. I have taken more knowledge from this class than I thought possible. His comments also challenged me to dig deeper in my thought process. I have learned to step back and ask myself, is this the most effective way to convey my message?
------ CANDI S. ------
I found myself asking and answering many more question than I ever had before. This class has changed how I fell about many things, and in the future, I’m sure that I will accept new and unique ideas much more readily. I can now see that the only way in which to improve is through change and new ideas.
------ ANETTE W. ------
Dr. Eger mad it very clear throughout the semester that he was concerned about my writing and more than willing to help me move forward in any way that he could. Dr. Eger is a very caring individual.
------ MICHAEL A. ------
As I have graduated to a higher level of thinking. I have become more aware of the intricate details of writing. I spent many hours rewriting my papers to make them top-notch. I moved from a style of writing that was weak and generalized to a more specific style of writing. I learned the importance of being a professional at all times, especially in times of negotiation. I even gave up the part of playing the victim, and I truly believe that I have a fellow professional.
------ MARK M. ------
Of all the courses I have completed in my student career, this one has been the only one to truly challenge me to reach beyond the status quo. The thing that most set Dr. Eger apart from other instructors was the way in which he involved the students.
I have filled two and a half notebooks with class notes. I feel that I have definitely grown as a writer. Due to this class, my conduct has become more professional, and I will continue to grow. I wish to thank Dr. Eger for his concern for me as a student. I also appreciated his open-door policy of supplying his office and home phone numbers on the syllabus.
------ ANDREA M. ------
I’ve never had an instructor who could take 15-20 students with 15-20 different personalities and form a family-like unit between the students. By utilizing the group process as a learning tool, we, the students, began to rely on each other’s feedback. I also enjoyed Dr. Eger’s guest speakers. It was almost like going to a professional seminar every evening of class. By changing my thinking, I have changed my behavior patterns. By presenting consistently professional behavior, I have noticed that others I work with have begun treating more like a true professional. I have a choice and am now using it effectively.
------ BEVERLY M. ------
Dr. Eger used a style of teaching that I have come to appreciate over the last few months. It includes the Socratic method of teaching, student-to-student feedback, professor-to-student feedback, group and team discussions, and networking.
Dr. Eger encouraged me to take an active part in all classroom proceedings. I was told to “negotiate” to make this class really mine. I was asked to take charge of my own learning.
Many times Dr. Eger stayed after class with me to discuss some changes or improvements in my work. His comments really helped me to expand my work—“to take things to the cutting edge of knowledge.”
Also, I have become more aware of my own attitudes and ideologies. I have become a better communicator professionally as well as personally. My work is now filled with positive “I” statements. I have a less narrow perspective in my work, and I have earned to juxtapose view points and treat each fairly.
I HAVE BECOME AWARE. This sensitivity holds all of the other skills in place. I have learned to weave a thread of myself into everything that I do, say, or write and to claim it as my own.
------ DENNIS P. ------
Dr. Eger’s use of the Socratic method through the dynamics of group interaction in our class provided the forum I needed. His method was a recursive process of asking questions and then asking new questions about the answers.
I learned to develop the skill of colleague support; I empowered myself in the process of empowering others; and I involved my audience in what I was doing.
I have always been hesitant in the past to speak at length before other people. Participation in this class has helped me develop more self confidence in speaking effectively and ethically.
I am now aware of the complexity of ideas. I have become more open minded in m approach to the creative process. I have begun to let go of my fear of being messy while being creative. I have learned to be courageous in sharing the “not-so-wonderful” with my colleagues.
The microphone of life is always on in Dr. Eger’s class. As a result, I have grown as a person trough others’ feedback about my writing. I have turned what are perceived by other as weaknesses into strengths.
I’d like to thank Dr. Eger for introducing me to the diversity of ideas and perspectives that have made his class different from any other experiences of my life.
Dr. Eger has been the mentor that I found difficult to meet among professionals in my own field. The feedback that he provided this semester has enabled me to move forward in my life. I look forward to exchanging more ideas with Dr. Eger on campus next semester. I would prefer to do this, rather than just wave at each other while passing in the hall.
------ TAMY V. ------
What impressed me most about Dr. Eger’s class was his democratic style of teaching. He didn’t hid behind a lectern in front of the classroom and read for a text to a room full of bored and uninterested students; instead, he sat with his students in a circle and interacted with us on a professional level.
He didn’t “lecture” us over our reading material: instead we all had a chance to discuss what we thought or how we felt about a particular subject, and he welcomed our insights and rebuttals. We took notes, not over the text material, but over our discussions on our insights.
By teaching us how to negotiate effectively and allowing us to exercise that power in the classroom, Dr. Eger not only demonstrated his sensitivity to our group and individual needs, he also gifted us with another skill to take into the professional world. I didn’t realize the difference W231 had mad in my attitude until my friends, family, and classmates began to point it out to me.
This class has been the most challenging class I have taken in my college career, and it has also been the most rewarding. To sum up my experience in W231, I crept into the classroom a caterpillar; I flit out a butterfly.
------ KARL M. ------
Team teaching was the greatest difference between my writing class and other courses I have taken. This was yet another tool Dr. Eger used to involve the students in their own learning. The groups were informative and demanded participation. By mid-term, these groups became powerful networks by which valuable information was shared.
------ MINDI V. ------
Dr. Eger encourage us to expand our vocabulary by learning ten new words a day and using them as often as we could, thus improving our verbal and written communication. Without the inspiration and push that I was given in Professional Writing Skills, I probably wouldn’t have had the nerve to start something on my own. I’ve actually become a self-starter. I am now a more confident, ambitious, and happier person than I was before this class.
This class has helped me in work as well as family relationships. More important to me than any grades are the doors that have opened for me as a result of this class.
------ SHASHI A. ------
The teaching methods undertaken by Dr. Eger in our class have been some of the most self-empowering methods that I have come across in any of my college classes.
------ JOE C. ------
When Dr. Eger teaches his class, I learn about everything; nothing is too trivial or lofty for us to discuss. We, as a class, choose the classroom topics. Dr. Eger does not just tell us how to write a research paper; he shows us how to move beyond linear learning.
Dr. Eger takes my writing very seriously, and when it is not as good as it can be, he lets me know. He never tells me what to do in his comments to me; he only suggests or asks that I try something. His comments are always constructive and full of energy. I can see a huge difference in my writing since I have started this class. When I sit down now to write, I feel that I know what I am doing, not just for this class, but others too. I’m changed—that’s all I can say.
------ LAURA G. ------
We could use our own intellect to determine if something needed to be worked on or not. Dr. Eger’s insights and comments gave me a new sense of self-worth. I am encouraged to do more and stick up for what I want.
------ VICKI H. ------
I was able to take charge of my own learning experience through negotiation. Through organized and substantiated discussions and through written formal proposals, I can now see anything can be negotiated. The variety of experiences I have been exposed to have contributed to my “roundness” as a scholar. Dr. Eger has assisted in helping me achieve a more polished writing project and to expect only the best from myself. I am grateful for this eye-opening experience which has empowered me to dream the impossible. I can only move forward.
------ VINCE M. ------
Dr. Eger encouraged us to negotiate with him over any part of our learning process. Dr. Eger encouraged us to even come up with our own student evaluation form, so that we could share our insights with each other. He taught me to evaluate my own ideological beliefs; I had to learn to be more objective and more open-minded toward people with opposing viewpoints.
Dr. Eger has encouraged me to view myself as a professional. He made me realize that I had as much to offer as my mentors. Once I stopped being a “yes man” and always agreeing with what my mentors were saying, I actually gained more respect from them.
It has been a wonderful year. I have learned to overcome my inhibitions and go for the most professional qualities achievable for my educational growth. I want to thank Dr. Eger for being so concerned, thoughtful, and caring. I think that he has a loving spirit.
------ STEPHANIE S. ------
What I had to say really did matter. I was no longer a mere college student, but I was a “guest speaker.” I felt more at ease and equal than I had before.
------ LOU ANN V. ------
I want to thank Dr. Eger so much for his patience and genuine interest in me. He has made a real impression on me and is one professor I will not forget. I have learned to mentally interact with what I am learning and think in my own way. This has carried over into my other classes.
Of all the classes I have taken, I have learned the most from this one. It wasn’t just reading or writing. Our discussions and powerful interactions brought much more to this class. I have never had a teacher so willing to give of himself to the students.
------ CINDY V. ------
On an intellectual level, I have been able to see how taking myself and my ideas more seriously has led others to take me and my ideas more seriously as well. This was really brought home to me in two ways. The first was when one of my classmates quoted me in her midterm. This was a great honor for me. The second incident was Dr. Eger’s suggestion that I try to polish some of my work and submit it for publication. Dr. Eger’s suggestion was a validation of my sense of myself as a good writer.
On a professional level, some breakthroughs have come as a result of the “board of directors” approach used in class sessions. I have come to see myself as a responsible person who takes charge and gets things done. This has translated into competence in other areas of my life such as study habits. I have also noticed that as a result of my higher confidence level, I am more likely to reach out to others rather than waiting for them to “discover” me.
------ GARRY A. ------
He made us aware of the fact that we would be teaching each other. Yes! We the students would teach our classmates. Dr. Eger had created a “crack” in my amateurish shell, and the professional in me was trying to break through.
------ SANDY C. ------
I observed the importance of seeing things from the other person’s view. I also became aware of deeper issues, thus not just focusing with a narrow view. Dr. Eger has helped me realize that it is okay and desirable to bring my own feelings into my work. I made it a goal to find my true voice and demonstrate that voice in my writing.
------ MARK C. ------
Dr. Eger has taught me much more than professional writing. This class has been a turning point in my college career. It has been the most involved class that I have attended in three years of school. His class reminds me of the movie Dead Poets Society. Dr. Eger reminds me of Robin Williams, the teacher in the film. He, too, was very persistent in his teaching. Dr. Eger has striven to bring me and all of my peers to a higher professional level.
------ JOANI M. ------
The intellectual transformation which I have achieved this year through my studies has astounded my family and friends. Dr. Eger and this class have helped me more than I would have ever imagined.
------ LORA M. ------
This was not only a professional writing class but a class on how to be professional. Dr. Eger not only taught me how to write professionally but how to speak and act as a professional.
------ JEFF S. ------
The teaching methods used by Dr. Eger this semester were the most effective I have seen to date. He has an incredible knack for motivating his students. I have taken more knowledge from this class than I thought possible. His comments also challenged me to dig deeper in my thought process. I have learned to step back and ask myself, is this the most effective way to convey my message?
------ CANDI S. ------
I found myself asking and answering many more question than I ever had before. This class has changed how I fell about many things, and in the future, I’m sure that I will accept new and unique ideas much more readily. I can now see that the only way in which to improve is through change and new ideas.
------ ANETTE W. ------
Dr. Eger mad it very clear throughout the semester that he was concerned about my writing and more than willing to help me move forward in any way that he could. Dr. Eger is a very caring individual.
------ MICHAEL A. ------
As I have graduated to a higher level of thinking. I have become more aware of the intricate details of writing. I spent many hours rewriting my papers to make them top-notch. I moved from a style of writing that was weak and generalized to a more specific style of writing. I learned the importance of being a professional at all times, especially in times of negotiation. I even gave up the part of playing the victim, and I truly believe that I have a fellow professional.
------ MARK M. ------
Of all the courses I have completed in my student career, this one has been the only one to truly challenge me to reach beyond the status quo. The thing that most set Dr. Eger apart from other instructors was the way in which he involved the students.
I have filled two and a half notebooks with class notes. I feel that I have definitely grown as a writer. Due to this class, my conduct has become more professional, and I will continue to grow. I wish to thank Dr. Eger for his concern for me as a student. I also appreciated his open-door policy of supplying his office and home phone numbers on the syllabus.
------ ANDREA M. ------
I’ve never had an instructor who could take 15-20 students with 15-20 different personalities and form a family-like unit between the students. By utilizing the group process as a learning tool, we, the students, began to rely on each other’s feedback. I also enjoyed Dr. Eger’s guest speakers. It was almost like going to a professional seminar every evening of class. By changing my thinking, I have changed my behavior patterns. By presenting consistently professional behavior, I have noticed that others I work with have begun treating more like a true professional. I have a choice and am now using it effectively.
------ BEVERLY M. ------
Dr. Eger used a style of teaching that I have come to appreciate over the last few months. It includes the Socratic method of teaching, student-to-student feedback, professor-to-student feedback, group and team discussions, and networking.
Dr. Eger encouraged me to take an active part in all classroom proceedings. I was told to “negotiate” to make this class really mine. I was asked to take charge of my own learning.
Many times Dr. Eger stayed after class with me to discuss some changes or improvements in my work. His comments really helped me to expand my work—“to take things to the cutting edge of knowledge.”
Also, I have become more aware of my own attitudes and ideologies. I have become a better communicator professionally as well as personally. My work is now filled with positive “I” statements. I have a less narrow perspective in my work, and I have earned to juxtapose view points and treat each fairly.
I HAVE BECOME AWARE. This sensitivity holds all of the other skills in place. I have learned to weave a thread of myself into everything that I do, say, or write and to claim it as my own.
------ DENNIS P. ------
Dr. Eger’s use of the Socratic method through the dynamics of group interaction in our class provided the forum I needed. His method was a recursive process of asking questions and then asking new questions about the answers.
I learned to develop the skill of colleague support; I empowered myself in the process of empowering others; and I involved my audience in what I was doing.
I have always been hesitant in the past to speak at length before other people. Participation in this class has helped me develop more self confidence in speaking effectively and ethically.
I am now aware of the complexity of ideas. I have become more open minded in m approach to the creative process. I have begun to let go of my fear of being messy while being creative. I have learned to be courageous in sharing the “not-so-wonderful” with my colleagues.
The microphone of life is always on in Dr. Eger’s class. As a result, I have grown as a person trough others’ feedback about my writing. I have turned what are perceived by other as weaknesses into strengths.
I’d like to thank Dr. Eger for introducing me to the diversity of ideas and perspectives that have made his class different from any other experiences of my life.
Dr. Eger has been the mentor that I found difficult to meet among professionals in my own field. The feedback that he provided this semester has enabled me to move forward in my life. I look forward to exchanging more ideas with Dr. Eger on campus next semester. I would prefer to do this, rather than just wave at each other while passing in the hall.
------ TAMY V. ------
What impressed me most about Dr. Eger’s class was his democratic style of teaching. He didn’t hid behind a lectern in front of the classroom and read for a text to a room full of bored and uninterested students; instead, he sat with his students in a circle and interacted with us on a professional level.
He didn’t “lecture” us over our reading material: instead we all had a chance to discuss what we thought or how we felt about a particular subject, and he welcomed our insights and rebuttals. We took notes, not over the text material, but over our discussions on our insights.
By teaching us how to negotiate effectively and allowing us to exercise that power in the classroom, Dr. Eger not only demonstrated his sensitivity to our group and individual needs, he also gifted us with another skill to take into the professional world. I didn’t realize the difference W231 had mad in my attitude until my friends, family, and classmates began to point it out to me.
This class has been the most challenging class I have taken in my college career, and it has also been the most rewarding. To sum up my experience in W231, I crept into the classroom a caterpillar; I flit out a butterfly.
------ KARL M. ------
Team teaching was the greatest difference between my writing class and other courses I have taken. This was yet another tool Dr. Eger used to involve the students in their own learning. The groups were informative and demanded participation. By mid-term, these groups became powerful networks by which valuable information was shared.
------ MINDI V. ------
Dr. Eger encourage us to expand our vocabulary by learning ten new words a day and using them as often as we could, thus improving our verbal and written communication. Without the inspiration and push that I was given in Professional Writing Skills, I probably wouldn’t have had the nerve to start something on my own. I’ve actually become a self-starter. I am now a more confident, ambitious, and happier person than I was before this class.
This class has helped me in work as well as family relationships. More important to me than any grades are the doors that have opened for me as a result of this class.
