ENGL 475: Postmodern Literature (Fall 2004)

["Making a conscious" "effort to keep" "up with the" ""blog.""]
Anyway, it looks like participation is an artform... but I have always tended to be more of the observer. Is professor K insisting on participation? I'm down for discussion, but what the essay/directions on participation left out is the whole spirit of participation. I have to be moved. It's like writing... sure I can write any time of day, but unless I'm moved to do it, it will generally be sub-par. (And it's really always sub-par anyway).
There will always be the handful of perpetual participators and for them I am thankful... I doubt I will ever be able to participate on such a grand and consistent level. I forgot my point. I think it was: good directions, I will take them under advisement, I will remember them when I am so moved to be a participator. After all, no one wants to hear how the quotations in DESCENT are simply "neat."

I have a really hard time talking out loud in class. I feel like I participate, because I do the reading, and pay attention to what is going on, but find it really difficult to say anything myself. By the time I've organized my thought, and convinced myself to go ahead and say it, its too late...

Dr. Wyatt says that not participating in class is like going out on a date, and not talking. Basically that you have to give in order to receive...

The article gives alot of good advice, but I'm not sure it convinced me to talk out loud in class.

Thanks for the comments, folks. The article isn't trying to convince you to speak up in class--only you can convince yourself--it's trying to equip you with the tools that will help you participate more easily and more effectively.

Good article. I didn't think of participation as a formula. The steps serves as a good backbone. as long as one keeps in mind that you cannot always anticipate what ideas others will bring to the discussion; you cannot follow a formula without flexibility. In other words, sometimes you have to go with the flow of discussion. I agree with Pat: I like to participate when I have something I would like to share and not speak out just for the sake of it. I understand what Kathleen means when she says not everyone is inclined to speak in discussion. Some people express themselves better in small groups, writing etc.

Haha, Pat, smart use of quotes.

nothing to say other than,
'your comment' 'is' 'really neat,' 'Pat' 'S.'