And the fight goes on and on and on...

If I had to determine whose side I fell on, I would have to say that the majority of my beliefs as a teacher lean toward David Bartholomae. However, I do think Elbow has some very good theories as well; so I believe both. Some may say that is a cop out, but to be an effective teacher of writing, you must be open to many theories and take from each what will be best for the students.

I agree with Bartholomae when he says that students need to establish power over text first and then add the voice at the end of the writing process. They do need to understand the argument they are presenting in their writing before they can persuade an audience; the synthesis process is pertinent. Once the argument is complete, then it is better understood by all. I also like that he sees the teacher as a manager, in control and in charge. Students need to have that kind of structure in the classroom, especially in writing. The instructor is ultimately the one who is responsible for the class. But I do not like that he sees students within the cultural context. Here is where I agree with Elbow. Students are individuals and need to be comfortable with the writing before they can produce anything worth while. I tend to lean more toward the academic writing than the personal writing because having the foundation in academic writing will allow students to become successful no matter what they do post graduation. The skills are stressed instead of the content.

Bartholomae seems to be teaching students to adapt to the situation, whether it be an academic , social, or personal discourse community. That sounds somewhat like Bizzell, but where she stresses instructor adaptability, Bartholomae emphasizes student adaptability. I must agree that writing should be academic and critical rather than personal. I guess the question is what do students need in order to be successful? Maybe start with personal and expressive writing so students can become comfortable with writing, like Elbow suggests, then move to academic and critical writing which will lead to critical thinking which in turn is needed in any professional setting. There has to be a happy medium somewhere.

Great presentation Emily - KUDOS!