NWP Summer Orientation

I am excited that the UNCC WP Summer Institute is encouraging inquiry and the search for answers (or more questions?). My burning question(s) might be worded as: How can teachers break down barriers and build bridges among disciplines? How can ELA teachers encourage writing across curricula and reinforce/question/explore different audience and genre expectations/conventions?

I have been wrestling with this question for years now. During one of our small group sessions, I was able to trace my journey with this question as my constant companion in my Daybook (see first picture). I grew up traveling and enjoying a variety of cultural and educational experiences. In college, I double-majored and was constantly trying to balance and connect my two passions of history and literature/language. I taught English in a STEM Academy, forcing me to consider all of the other core subjects in addition to my own. And, as I have come to realize, I hate being forced to think inside of a box, even a disciplinary one! Even at the graduate level, I have struggled trying to decide if I want to pursue literature or rhet/comp as my M.A. emphasis, simply because I don't want to have to make a choice - why can't I do both?

All of these mile markers on my journey have led me to my burning questions about cross-curricula learning and writing. I am wondering why such differences across disciplines exist (though I do have some thoughts about this question), but more importantly, I want to know if those differences can be challenged or if we, as ELA teachers, need to help support and reinforce those differences while, at the same time, questioning and exploring ways to make connections with other subjects. Why is it that ELA teachers are responsible for all things communication, especially writing? Why do CCSS expect ELA teachers to teach all formatting styles? Shouldn't APA be taught in a psych class? Turabian and Chicago in a social studies class? Different courses expect different conventions, and yet English is seen as the "catch-all" for such skills. Why does this disconnect exist? And what can we do about it?

As we were searching on Twitter during another orientation session, I noticed some interesting results popping up when I used "crossing borders" as my phrase (see second picture). While there were two genre-crossing tweets, many of the results had to do with immigration and traveling. I was fascinated with these ideas because I have always loved to travel and because I enjoy working with ELL students. When talking with Debarati (another FYW instructor) earlier this year, I realized that my burning questions had a lot to do with "placelessness." The idea of crossing borders - whether physically or figuratively - helps to focus my thinking and inquiry around movement and identity as they relate to "place." I am so excited to continue questioning and exploring with some wonderfully-insightful peers and mentors this summer!