|
|
What a Writing Teacher Can and Should BeOne of the wonderful things about the blogosphere is that it provides for connections
that would otherwise not be made. This is an incredible facet of
online communication, and it is especially helpful in academic
discourses, where feeedback and revision is necessary, if not crucially
vital.
In 2003-2004, I probably had more "blog" conversations with John Lovas
than any other academic. He challenged my ideas, especially in
rhetoric, composition, and pedagogy, and he helped define one of the
most important seminar projects I did as an MA student--The Classroom Blog: A Moment for Literacy, A Moment for Giving Pause.
Even when I periodically stopped blogging in the late fall of 2004,
I continued to read my regular list of blogs, but sometime in the late
spring/early summer, I noticed that John Lovas was no longer updating
his blog. This was a
blog I had come to know and loved reading, particularly because Lovas
represented a compassionate pedagogical voice in a community I
love--writing teachers.
Today, I googled John's name and came across a memorial page. I wish I would have known when Lovas passed. My tribute may be a bit late, but I feel it is in order:John,
You challenged my ideas, critiqued my thoughts, and compelled me to
hone my own reflections. You also provided me with a pertinent,
relevant, forward-thinking, and compassionate example of what a writing
teacher can and should be.
Thank you.
It saddens me that I could not say "good bye," even if only in a
blog comment or in an e-mail, and in retrospect, that our online
discourse about blogging and technology within the classroom came to an
end...far too soon.
Blessings. John truly was an incredible writing
teacher, and he served his community for over 40 years. Were it not
for the blogosphere, I would never have known John, nor would his
feedback shaped my own ideas and writings.
Discuss
|
|
|
