Connections and Power

All three readings offer support for validating the knowledge, expertise, and frustration of the classroom teacher. All recognize the ups and downs in the continuum of pratis and relevance everyday face off with students, parents, and administrators. Where are classroom teachers able to place themselves by choice and necessity in the world of composition research?
Alvarez shows one example of how to make the research personal. Through authentic tasks, goals, and purposes she continued a personal learning journey that included the students. One has to wonder where her techniques would fit into a world of education today that based in testing score. A very important point to consider encompassed her own negativity about her students. Additionally, she did make reflection and change a part of her everyday teacher, BUT she did leave the public school system to join academia.
Errors can lead to learning, I believe the key is to learn and then adapt. The Teacher-Research Process offers reflective analysis (writing)of the research plus a synthesis into alternatives and realities.
Starting at the end of Kirsch and Sullivan for a beginning is a personal favorite method of my own reading and skimming on an initial read of this "oh so interesting and riveting material". Without real-life application of results validated by the research, is there any way for front-line teachers to join with academia to promote literacy? Where is the power when labels such as "researchers" and "practitioners" separate the real world? At the end of the day, where is the excitement? Will there be excitement at the end of the day? But, academia should welcome practitioners in the field of composition. That would be a foreword step for recognizing the front-line teacher's worth for the administrations and tax payers.
I love the title of Phelp's discussion "Toward a Human Science Disciplined by Practical Wisdom". Acknowledging real world application, she says, "Theory is a way to make sense out of life"(K&S 323).

Of course, I am so happy to see references in actuality and in innuendo to P. Freire!

Where will we be situated, how will we be situated, and how can we collaborate with others in the writing of our worlds?
Lauer and Asher go along with my personal belief of the importance of connections. The whole discussion regarding "multimodality"(LA 6. allows for the blurred boundaries that exist within our worlds. As in any scientific study the hypothesis can be proved, disproved, or adapted. Research maybe every changing and refined with the connections of real world use by real people.
I believe that the greatest part of these first readings is the value placed on the teacher-driven research.
For those who want to check out Teens and Online Social Media Stats check out a 2007 national survey conducted by Pew Internet & American Life Project @ www.pewinternet.org. The need for composition remains important even in the world of alternative texts.