EspritHabile

I'm in at Purdue but likely to decline the offer.

!!! That has to be a good sign. All available appendages are crossed for you!

You mean my geocities site with "I'm Blue" isn't hip anymore?

Congratulations! It's so great to see these "dream come true" posts!

Yay!

Congrats!

Best of luck to you! Also, I absolutely love your username.

Thanks! The imposter syndrome is at an all-time high now; how will I do this Ph.D. thing if I can't even GIF?

!! How? How?! Please teach me; I obviously need it. lol

<iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/hqIaXesRGpP44" width="480" height="258" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/loop-personal-fireworks-hqIaXesRGpP44">via GIPHY</a></p> That's excellent news! I know you've posted a few times that you really love your job, so I can't tell you how happy I am that you get to keep doing what you love while the hubbinator takes on Hah-vahd!

Hi, @E. Coronaria: I'm sorry--I didn't mean to insult or offend you with my post. I wasn't trying to say that I think you're only going to chalk and talk all day about grammar rules or that I think you're unfairly penalizing students. I'm also certainly not trying to advocate for ignoring grammar or withholding any sort of "code" from students. I did, however, feel a need to respond to the idea of using grammar to "clearly articulate to my students why their writing is poor." I've been teaching composition for over a decade so I've worked with a lot of students who, as you said, have been effectively disenfranchised and whose confidence has been all but obliterated by past experiences with grammar instruction (or lack thereof), writing instruction, and school in general. And as @M(allthevowels)H has said, this is all part of a much larger conversation that has a lot of momentum in the field, so I think we were both trying to offer a summary of the larger state of things in order to position what we were saying in context. Like you, I care deeply about giving students access to as many tools for success as possible, and that's all I was trying to offer in my post: ways of granting and facilitating that access that don't involve having to necessarily master advanced grammatical concepts or to fall back on the all-too-common modes of teaching grammar that loads of people use because it's just the norm to do so. I tried to be pretty clear in my post about ways that I provide grammar instruction that gives students access to SAE without enforcing it as the only or even best way of presenting their ideas. The text I recommended is also an excellent read for anyone--not just people who will be teaching others--because it directly addresses the issues of being disenfranchised by grammar instruction (or a lack thereof) by reframing grammar is a toolkit rather than as a code students must learn or a monolith they must bow down to. The first time I read Rhetorical Grammar, I felt vindicated and empowered and it opened my eyes to ways that I could reframe my teaching role and relationship with students to give them rhetorical choices without having them leave their own grammar at the door. Again, I'm not trying to suggest that I think you're out to do anything bad, I'm just an old fart with unsolicited advice.

Full disclosure: I am running on exceptionally little sleep right now, I know you didn't ask for advice, and I'm a composition wonk. I've found that grammar instruction on its own doesn't really do a lot for students other than make them sleepy and insecure about their writing and/or identity (so-called "Standard Academic English" is a construct and not an actual linguistic standard, so it's fraught with a lot of classism, racism, etc.). In my experience, students are more likely to retain, personalize, and use that kind of information in productive and meaningful ways if it's offered not as a way to diagnose poor writing, but as a series of rhetorical choices that they can make in order to have certain effects on their audience. Writing centers tend to focus on "global" issues like organization and content over "local" issues like grammar, unless there are things happening at the sentence level that significantly interfere with clarity of meaning. This approach works well in writing and content-survey courses, too. Once students get interested in more clearly expressing their arguments, and feel empowered to do so, they may seek out grammar or other avenues of rhetorical choice. With my own students, I focus a lot on content, and then they either end up asking me about grammar because they feel comfortable doing so, or--if I notice there's a pattern of, say, passive voice construction--I can say something like, "Ok, so now that you've got the argument down and you know who your audience is, I think you're ready to challenge your own writing a bit by exploring what happens if you write this sentence in the active voice [briefly explain active vs. passive, using their sentence as context and example]. What effect(s) might that have on your audience? What effect most strongly aligns with your goals for this project? Ok, cool, so think about that, try it out in this draft, and let me know if you want to talk about your ideas or explore other strategies." An approach like this can help students to build confidence in their writing, and to be more willing to accept feedback, revise drafts, etc. because it's more individualized to their needs and goals and it offers choices rather than serving as proof that their writing is bad. I also find that this approach is a lot more fun for me to teach and it helps me to build good relationships with my students because I'm kind of like their personal trainer for writing; they have goals, and I show them a variety of options they could use to reach those goals. Sure, sometimes I might strongly suggest leg day when they want something else or think donuts sound better, but at the end of the day it's ultimately still up to them to decide how they want to communicate their ideas. I think that empowering students with the ability to think about writing as a heap of choices and not rules also helps them to transfer that skill to other courses and professors who have more traditional views on things like grammar. TLDR; you don't have to be a grammar expert, and neither do your students, to be successful in the classroom. If this approach sounds like something you'd like to learn more about, I highly recommend Kolln and Gray's Rhetorical Grammar. This forthcoming special issue of The Dangling Modifier looks like it should also have some helpful perspectives on this topic. I'm also happy to chat via PM or on a separate thread. Also, I know imposter syndrome is ramping up for everyone now. You're all going to be okay!

If you want to escape via science fiction (I'm guessing this since you mentioned Dune), I'd recommend just about anything by Hugh Howey: http://www.hughhowey.com/ Wool is fun, and Beacon 23 is quick and immersive. I also love Margaret Atwood's work and The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi (but don't bother with Water Knife). If you want something cute and funny, Sheepish is delightful. https://www.catherinefriend.com/books_adults/bk_sheepish.html

Congratulations!!!

Wow, @Daenerys. That's tough. I'll second @marisawhy's advice to call the DGS. If they're willing to be up front with you in writing, I think they should be just as forthcoming--if not more so--over the phone. I think R/C has a lot of flexibility (e.g., my writing sample was very rhetorical but was technically produced for a lit audience and advised by lit people and that was good enough to get me into some great R/C programs), but it kinda depends on what your end goal is. Do you want to work in higher ed? If so, I think the advisors you associate with matter, as do the scholarship you produce and the administrative experiences you get to have. Having R/C people available to support you will make it easier to get those experiences. Do you want to work outside of higher ed? If so, then the scholarship you produce and the way you spin that work really really matters, but whether or not that program is "strong" in RC in 2023 (or whenever) matters a little less. I think it all boils down to what other opportunities and benefits that program would have to offer if your POI weren't there.

Congrats! I hope you get more good news from them! Congratulations!

Well done! That's such a great program!

Welcome, and congratulations on your acceptances so far! What are your areas/research interests?

I've thought about your situation a bit more, and from what you've shared I think you need to trust your gut. At some organizations, employees will be frogmarched out the door the day they turn in their notice. It doesn't sound like your situation is like that, and I think that's important. And if your relationship with your supervisor is really strong, that's important. If you have seen them maturely and professionally respond to other situations or people, I think that speaks to how they would treat you. And I think Maengret is absolutely right that you can frame your departure in a positive, thoughtful way that will help to ease that transition. And creating process guides for your successor will help to ease that transition in practical as well as relational ways. What makes you say that 8 weeks would be a terrible idea?

!!!! That's so awesome! Congratulations! I hope the acceptance from haw-vawd eases some of that waitlist tension. How exciting!

Congratulations to you both!

In my experience (as a former student, advisor, and as a recent applicant scouring programs), this is common. The intention is that students won't take on too many outside commitments that would result in attrition from the program or stunted progress in the degree. These are two stats that departments tend to try to manage since they're a large component of rankings. That said, some departments will give you permission to do other things. And I know some very naughty Ph.D.s who did take on extra working relationships outside of the institution without notifying anyone (very risky business, so I strongly advise against it). When in doubt, just operate above the board. If funding is such an issue that you're distracted and looking for additional money, let the department know and they may be able to help you figure out viable funding alternatives or special accommodations.

Congratulations on the acceptance! Sometimes, MA students can get LOA (letter of appointment) adjunct positions in affiliated departments. Might be worth looking into.

@klader: How was the Purdue visit?

Hi, @automatic. I received the following message on one of my list-servs. FWIW, I don't know anything about the program, but John Carroll is accepting applications (and it looks like they are almost guaranteeing admission with funding to serious applicants). Here's the message from my list-serv: Hello, fellow WCenter listserv-ers, As the result of a very low applicant pool, I write to share that the English department at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio is seeking applications from any student who may wish to pursue a Master's in English, and would be interested in a fully-funded Graduate Assistant position. Applications are needed rather urgently; I've attached a document that provides an overview of our program and assistantship offerings (ignore the due date--that was the message from awhile ago). Please share this with any student you may know who would be interested--at this point, we would ask that only committed applicants apply. If you get any responses from students who plan to apply, please ask them to contact me immediately so I can notify the committee (msoriano@jcu.edu). Thank you for your help! My best, Maria -- Maria Soriano Young Writing Center Director Listserv Announcement about MA in English Program John Carroll University, a Jesuit liberal arts university located just outside of Cleveland in University Heights, Ohio, invites applications for the Master of Arts program in English. Students may choose from two tracks for this degree: Literature or Creative Writing. A wide span of course offerings ensures that MA students will study, discuss, and write about various genres of literature from the Medieval period to contemporary literature. The course of study—which is completed in two years by full-time students, but offers flexible enrollment to part-time students—is completed with a comprehensive examination in a chosen period category and either an Essay or a Thesis. MA students study under faculty members who are published scholars, poets, and fiction writers, and benefit from their support and guidance among a close-knit department. Graduates of John Carroll’s Master of Arts in English program find their writing, critical thinking, analysis, and professional skills readily transferable to a number of post-graduation paths: PhD programs in Literature or Composition and Rhetorical Studies, Master of Fine Arts programs, adjunct professor positions, secondary school teaching positions, nonprofit work, and technical writing are just a few examples. A limited number of graduate assistantships are available for students interested in gaining teaching experience. GAs receive a tuition waiver for up to 18 credit hours per year plus a stipend of $10,000 per year with no additional fees. Responsibilities include working in the Writing Center, teaching composition courses, assisting with program assessment, and aiding faculty members with research. Students who want to apply for a GA position must submit all required materials. Applications for the MA program itself are accepted on a rolling basis. For more detailed information about the program offerings, please visit the English department’s Graduate Studies website at http://sites.jcu.edu/graduatestudies/pages/graduate-programs/masters-programs/english/.