NCTE Committee on Composition
You earned your Ph.D. from the CAL program, went on to a distinguished career of teaching and publishing, and, at your friends’ urging, have been elected to serve on the National Council of English’s (NCTE’s) brand new Committee on Composition Teaching. You were thrilled to earn this professional accolade, until you arrived at the first meeting only to find…
The Debate
The Committee on Composition Teaching is in a deadlock. Writing teachers wedded to process pedagogy feel this method is the only way to help students grow as writers. But Post-Process theorists say this is trying to teach a one-size-fits-all writing process that just does not work for too many students.
The Problem
NCTE has been asked by beleaguered writing teachers across the nation to put out a position statement which settles the question of process vs. post-process. To get that document produced, they have turned to the field’s best and brightest who serve on, you guessed it, the NCTE Committee on Composition Teaching.
Your Task
You will be divided into groups which will advocate for either the Process approach or the Post-Process approach. (You do not have to personally agree with a particular approach in order to write about it!) Your group is to write a Position Statement in which you explain the following:
- What is the process approach or post-process approach?
- How should it be taught?
- Why is this approach better than the other approach?
Your Reward
If your side wins the debate, you will receive acclaim from NCTE and your alma matter’s library will receive a 1 year subscription to College Composition and Communication. (But, NCTE still will need you to pay your membership dues on time because, hey, times are tough.)