Presentation/Proposal Title
When Imagination and Metaphor Soar: Poets as Writing Center Directors
Type of Presentation/Proposal
Individual Presentation or Paper
Start Date
6-4-2019 10:00 AM
End Date
6-4-2019 11:00 AM
Keywords
creativity, improvisation, poetry, writing, tutoring
Description
We, Julie Moore and Shanna Powlus Wheeler, as published poets and writing center directors, propose a presentation in which we explore how we became “mindful of the relationship between creative work and academic work” (Bouquet and Eodice 4). Using the relationship between Dayton neighbors Paul Laurence Dunbar and the Wright brothers as inspiration, we will draw upon Wendell Berry’s argument that science and art are not “inherently at odds with one another . . . [for] ‘science’ means knowing and ‘art’ means doing . . . Out of school, the two are commonly inter-involved and naturally cooperative [even] in the same person—a farmer, say, or a woodworker, who knows and does both at the same time” (124). As poets and administrators, we both know and do, so we will discuss how we’ve applied the seven principles in Bouquet and Eodice’s framework for “[c]reativity and [i]mprovisation” to devise imaginative approaches to our own writing center work. In particular, we’ll explore how we disrupt “habit patterns,” construct standard practices that allow for “maximum flexibility,” and foster community and discourse, all while assessing competence and encouraging risk-taking (8). Inspired by Wendy Bishop’s unique tutoring techniques and Severino and Mosher’s “[i]nvitation and dialogue-based,” workshop-like writing center, we will explore how we integrate disparate fields of knowledge to train our tutors and develop our centers in imaginative ways. To prompt discussion among participants, we will share a couple of our poems about this vital work in liberal arts education and solicit other creative ideas.
April is National Poetry Month, so we will also be doing an off-site poetry reading at Books & Co. at The Greene on Thursday (4/4) or Friday (4/5) evening along with Greenville poet Myrna Stone. Shanna's first full-length book of poems, Evensong for Shadows, was published in November by Wipf & Stock Publishers. My fourth collection of poems, Full Worm Moon, was published in July by Cascade Books in its Poiema Poetry Series.
When Imagination and Metaphor Soar: Poets as Writing Center Directors
M2320
We, Julie Moore and Shanna Powlus Wheeler, as published poets and writing center directors, propose a presentation in which we explore how we became “mindful of the relationship between creative work and academic work” (Bouquet and Eodice 4). Using the relationship between Dayton neighbors Paul Laurence Dunbar and the Wright brothers as inspiration, we will draw upon Wendell Berry’s argument that science and art are not “inherently at odds with one another . . . [for] ‘science’ means knowing and ‘art’ means doing . . . Out of school, the two are commonly inter-involved and naturally cooperative [even] in the same person—a farmer, say, or a woodworker, who knows and does both at the same time” (124). As poets and administrators, we both know and do, so we will discuss how we’ve applied the seven principles in Bouquet and Eodice’s framework for “[c]reativity and [i]mprovisation” to devise imaginative approaches to our own writing center work. In particular, we’ll explore how we disrupt “habit patterns,” construct standard practices that allow for “maximum flexibility,” and foster community and discourse, all while assessing competence and encouraging risk-taking (8). Inspired by Wendy Bishop’s unique tutoring techniques and Severino and Mosher’s “[i]nvitation and dialogue-based,” workshop-like writing center, we will explore how we integrate disparate fields of knowledge to train our tutors and develop our centers in imaginative ways. To prompt discussion among participants, we will share a couple of our poems about this vital work in liberal arts education and solicit other creative ideas.
April is National Poetry Month, so we will also be doing an off-site poetry reading at Books & Co. at The Greene on Thursday (4/4) or Friday (4/5) evening along with Greenville poet Myrna Stone. Shanna's first full-length book of poems, Evensong for Shadows, was published in November by Wipf & Stock Publishers. My fourth collection of poems, Full Worm Moon, was published in July by Cascade Books in its Poiema Poetry Series.
