James L Kinneavy-
This composition theorist seems to have been a key influence bringing composition studies from the start of the 20th century up to the present. He is a traditionalist in that he believes there must be structure and guidelines as we saw with his triangle of four compositon genres borrowing from PLatos ruke of three : audience, occasion, and purpose
I really enjoyed being pulled through history with this presentation , showing who and what influenced kinneavy. I also appreciated Kinneavy's clarifying analogy to a window. This helped me start to understand what is expression, vs persuasive, vsreferetial, vs esthetically
he grew up being a member of a brother hood the Christian brothers. This disciplined life style at such a young age may be the discipline that he brought into "reinventing the rhetoric tradition" and making writing a scholarly pursuit.
Klayton told us that Kinneavy was upset ( perhaps toward the end of his life that composition studies was losing it's discipline and structure, that college courses were fuzzy and classes being taught by graduate students. I can't help thinking about Andrea Lunsford, three decades younger, who is all about having more and more graduate students have more opportunities to teach, rather than less, and in collaboration with faculty. Lunsford also would be the antithesis of clearly defined courses; instead, she recommends that faculty listen to graduate students and learn from their creative ways of producing composition with media.
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Thanks, Nancy! I posted more information on Kinneavy that I wasn't able to get to in my presentation, but which helps clarify my overall ambivalence regarding Kinneavy's work.
ReplyDeleteThis idea of students having more influence on curriculum is very intriguing to me. The move towards specialization in higher education couldn't be student driven, could it? To me it seems that all of these scholars are fighting to establish a new territory and stake their claim. Everyone wants to believe that his work is essential. Contributing to the academic dialogue taking pace is not good, but the pompousness and exclusionary tactics in higher education is no longer attractive.
ReplyDeleteThe freedom for students to explore life's essential questions was once the corner stone of higher education. But this aspect of the university setting seems to be disappearing, which I believe is tragic.
What strikes me in your post is the comment about Lunsford's push for more graduate students to get teaching opportunities.
ReplyDeleteI was spoiled while at BYU as it is not really a research university, and as such, there is a great focus on teaching. During my entire time at BYU I had exactly one course that was taught by a Graduate Student. The courses were taught by the professors, who, it seemed to me, were there first and foremost to teach. A novel concept! I would have to agree with Kinneavy's push for these courses to be taught by full professors...Especially as we get further into the semester and the theory begins to take hold, I feel these courses are important enough to require the best possible instructors. That means those with the most knowledge and experience, which means professors in the classroom.