The classic jumbled thesis

Moffett's most important ideas that he has contributed to the field of teaching writing are student-centered, teacher-centered, teacher and student relationship and class room process through pre-writing, mid-writing, and post-writing.

Class Agenda 3.28: Returning Moffett Paper, dialgoues

1. Blog: Writing Center Observation
2. Student consultations and Email: Compose brief email to professor explaining the following: do you understand where your grade came from on the Moffett paper? Were my comments clear? Do you have questions about my comments? And then: reflect on your writing process. How did you go about researching for this assignment? Did you consult any books other than Active Voice? Why or why not? Were all your sources web sources? Why or why not? Did you consult the course blog expectations about the ENG 101 essay? Why or why not? And then: revision. Do you plan to revise? What is your plan for revision? What would you do differently next time?

3. Review of Moffett Essays and writing expectations: class overview.

4. Dialogues: share your dialogues with the class. Professor and class will make final recommendations for revision.

5. Time permitting: pedagogy videos.

To discuss based on papers

thesis statements
topic sentences
direct quotations: integrating quotes, paraphrasing quotes, explaining quotes
assignment directions
templates
citations

communicating to your reader in the essay

critical thinking strategies
research strategies
summarizing research
skimming


generic openings
fluff strategies
wordiness/word choice

writing process: time, space, drafts, expectations

Sample of Slightly Above Average Moffett Essay (B/B-)

            The Ideas of James Moffett

            The developmental theory of James Moffett fit a dynamic systems perspective on development that predetermined views of human development. The role of social media (technology) processes, such as learning (education) and childrearing practices in child development shows the theory of this educator. Moffett’s theory is to analyze the development process of the student’s active construction of their knowledge, the help they receive from teachers and how media impacted on their learning.

            James Moffett had created and contributed to the field of teaching writing. He always wanted to prove that all the writers express their ideas in one or another way. He used to say that "thinking processes formed the very basis of the while sequence from first assignment to last" (Active Voice, 3) trying to prove that the development of critical thinking on the student is extremely essential in order for them to write a paper "Emphasis was on, and remains on, the evolution of one kind do discourse into another, on progressions of assignments that allow language experiences to build on and reinforce each other in significant ways" (Active Voice, 3) critical thinking and language most work together in order to provide the student the tools to start building their future.

            Furthermore, we have Vygotsky how agrees with James Moffett on the theory that every student learn in a different way and have different needs. Vygotsky believes that young children are curious and actively involved in their own learning, the discovery and development of new understandings (schema). Proving that students learn when they want to learn and always like to incorporate new methods, an example of it can be technology and the use of media between teachers and students sending an email with the essay attached to it. You will never find students that learn, understand and process the lesson at the same time and more if it was teach the same way. Every human is different than the other one and that is what Moffett tried to prove when he said that people didn't understand the funniest of writing and that he didn't follow the procedure by the time he needed to write the assignment. James did follow procedure but he wanted to add technology to it so that the students can get more into the assignment then the attention students used to give when they get their regular hand writing assignment. This hand writing assignment which did not have any fun or attraction for the students and they use to reuse to do it, Moffett had found the way to make writing more fun for students of the XXI century adding media to it. Agreeing to James Moffett the funniest that makes a good writing and/or reading is what makes a good paper. But since people usually think that James Moffett does not complete the assignment since he does not take it seriously but he points out that no one sees the funniest part of writing. He argues that any type of writing is a good writing “…poetry and other imaginative writing…” (Active Voice, 4) it does not matter what students write the point is to have them writing making grow their critical thinking skills and trying to incorporate the new technology to attack their attention.

            According to Moffett who is supported for Vygotsky argued that we do not live in a social vacuum and it is through people we socialize with, such as family and friends, “Try things out, interest other teachers so you can trouble-shoot and brainstorm together, and do the assignments yourself” (Active Voice, 23) a writer cannot easily write a paper without discussing it first. The idea here is to have students make use of the Process Model Stage using prewriting, which is having a student discuss the information with another person that will take them to another level of understanding but make them get to their own work, which later affect the way we grow and develop our thinking.

            As we know children learn on their own time and it’s essential that an educated adult interact with them to help during their learning process. James Moffett’s theory it’s based on the way that children’s learn, which is on their own time and manner. The teachers most guide them and correct them but it’s all up to the child if they want or don’t want to learn something. James Moffett believes in the theory of stop and check what each student is at, in terms of learning since everyone learns in a different amount of time and in different ways. Teachers must pay attention to every single student and the stage they are at when the teacher gives the lesson, also based in the program “No Child Left Behind”.    

            James had created a program to increase the writing skills comprised of Revising Inner Speech, Dialogues (talk to a friend about what you think you can put in your paper and exchange ideas about it) and Monologues “the teller will learn what her audience want to know that she did not at first include” (Active Voice, 19) and Narrative into Essays “assignments could mostly be printed and passed around” (Active Voice, 23) which is also known as pair share. Moffett lays out his vision of how a teacher might use technology in a language arts classroom: “A student learns by doing projects organize curriculum which is basically the three I’s individualization fill each individual student, interaction (human interaction by talking, learning modality, media) and integration around the students and around realistic projects” (Video) James theory should work out if technology and teachers where just one by the time teachers go inside the classroom. Meaning that if teachers used technology in an efficient manner/ way, an example of how technology should be helpful if teachers most pauses the video every 10 to 15 minutes to explain the students what was the information presented about. Technology can help the teachers to keep track of the students work.

            Concluding with the theory of James Moffett I will like to state that I agree with what Moffett tried to prove that every student learn different with different techniques and in a different amount of time. I come to an agreement that technology make a grand impact on the learning process and that the most important role is the role of the teacher helping the student to understand making pause during videos or regular lesson making sure that the student is on the truck. Teachers most believe on the idea of stop the lesson see where each student is at in terms of learning since we conclude that ever student learn in a different time.

Works Cited

Moffett, James. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

Moffett on Media (2013, July 2)

            Retrived from http://youtube.moffettonmedia.com

Theory of Cognitive Development. (2012, July 26). Theory Of Cognitive Development.   

Retrieved from http://stage.ezinemark.com/theory-of-cognitive-development-31ddefacb57.html

Walcott, D. (n.d.). Rules & Policies. Language Access Plan. Retrieval from            http://schools.nyc.gov/RulesPolicies/languagepolicy.htm

Sample of Weak Moffett Essay (F)

The knowledge and skills of writing are extremely useful and significant for many reasons. Not just having the “basic skills” but also being able to put your own thoughts down on a piece of paper or even typing it on a computer, as we do presently. "Together with handwriting, spelling and punctuation shift speech from an oral to a visual medium, and because they are basic to literacy are misleadingly call “basic skills” (276). It all begins with the language of an individual. Writing is its physical form of communicating because it consists of the person tracing words or characters on paper with a writing utensil (such as pencil, pen, etc.).
             "It is impossible to understand the teaching of writing in America if one does not realize that, in one form or another, from first grade through graduate school, it serves mostly to test reading” (276). Writing is used to test if a student can read and to what extent they can do this. The ability to do this can further your success in education and also future careers that you decide to pursue.​ Writing can be defined in different ways and have importance in different levels. This all depends on the person and educator.
             As a future English teacher, I don’t see writing as just being a tester to a student’s reading ability. In my experience it has helped me express thoughts that I could not do verbally and honestly, in a more professional matter. I also find it as a stress reliever when my mind is scrambled with thoughts and in a sense it helps organization of them. Of course the ability to read is important and what the mind can intake from the reading one does. Writing can take you places; better colleges/universities, admirable professions such as journalist or anything that has to do with a person using their writing skills.
              Language is a major factor to this because the higher your knowledge of your language, the more you have to write since it is your speech you are expressing. James Moffett makes it

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known that inner speech is a significant part of teaching writing, amongst other things that can contribute to better teaching it. Moffett does not belittle any of the factors to teaching writing instead suggest improvement, so that we as educators can assist students to progress their writing skills. He focuses on what is critical to teaching writing and at what level they are to be placed without trying to correct anyone’s way of teaching. ​James Moffett sought to make a positive difference in how writing should be taught.
              He focused on his main ideas which he had experience and evidence to support his suggestions to make such improvements. In my research, Moffett’s attention was inner speech because that is the where writing comes from. “Most of all, keeping inner speech as the matrix of all writing keeps teaching of writing centered on authentic writing” (234). It is easy for a student to paraphrase from another's work. Moffett thought that if an educator emphasize on a student's own inner speech and how to practice it, they wouldn't have to copy as often as they do.
               Most educators find that drawing or "scribble scrabble" as many call it, is nonsense. They can believe that there is absolutely no use and nothing can come of it. This should be encouraged often because “drawing is one aspect of writing. Because it bridges between the invisible world of spirit and the visible world of matter … “(276). It is a student’s beginning to the literature world and what it has to offer. From there the educator should follow up with assisting the student in authoring their drawings.
               Moffett insist on what approaches can make writing for students a smoother process. In regards to inner speech, “the crafting approach to writing can help a student see alternative and better ways to say what he has in his mind…” (277). This approach simply advices the student on how to construct acceptable sentences which turn into paragraphs and the organization of

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their paper in general. “A person cannot write something he cannot say at least to himself ...” (278). He also expresses that no person should write something that they cannot fully understand themselves.
                During my research, I noticed that Moffett loves and encourages the idea of being honest to ones work. “True authoring occurs naturally to the extent that the writer is composing with raw material” (278). Raw material is based on one’s own feelings, memories, and experiences. If the student is given a good topic as to where he can write using his own ideas, there would be no need to use outside material. This can also give the student a sense of accomplishment because of not having to copy from someone else’s ideas.
                 James Moffett is looked at as a motivator and positive figure in educating students how to write.  He not only made educators revise their way of teaching but also made change throughout curriculum that was a must. “In any case, wouldn’t educators do well asking constantly how much authoring their writing program honestly calls for and how much it truly aims to teach writing for the sake of writing” (277). He was not trying to question any of the educator’s methods but simply making progress towards becoming better educators. “Let’s direct discourse toward its own self-transformation and self-transcendence. In doing so we will also accomplish better the traditional curriculum goals.” (246). Once in a while, educators need to be guided to make better decisions, which can help the development skills of their students.

“It is important that educators try to hold this trend to the highest conception of writing, the one that has the most educational value and the one that works because it stems from meaning and motive.” (279).

Works Cited:

Moffett, James. “Integrity in the Teaching of Writing.” The Phi Delta Kappan. 61.4 (1979): 276-279. Print.

Moffett, James. “Writing, Inner Speech and Meditation.” College English. 44.3 (1982): 231-246. Print.

Article on student transfer

You guys should probably read this when you have a spare moment (click here).

I would give extra credit points to anyone who emails a CUNY four-year and gets more information about how transfer credits are assessed!

Sample of strong Moffett Essay

                                                                       

James Moffett Research Paper

James Moffett has influenced many educators with the ideas he contributed to the field of teaching and writing. His ideas went beyond the classroom and the cognitive mind to improve writing and reading skills for teachers and students. Moffett advocated the ideas of student-centered curriculum such as dialogue, developing reasoning skills, getting in touch with emotion and child psychological development to improve students’ writing. He believed in student-centered reading activities as well, which helped students develop more of an interest in reading and writing. He also developed four stages for students to use to develop their writing. He believed in the idea that learning is a social and spiritual concept which we learn together. With all his ideas that he encouraged the education system to adapt, he became an inspiration for teachers and students to learn to become better writers.

Moffett believes that there are four stages of discourse: inner verbalization, outer vocalization, correspondence, and formal writing (Moffett 197). He argued that this stage process was essential for students to write through so they can find their own unique style and voice. He believes writing is a socializing process and by using the world around them in their everyday experiences it can help students develop their own flair of writing. Moffett stated that using the senses between speaker and audience heightens development of writing. The activity changes from thinking to speaking to writing to publishing (Moffett 197). Piaget and Vygotsky agree with Moffett that early egocentric speech of the child becomes gradually “socialized” and adapts itself to other people (Moffett 200). This theory is the view from our self to the world, form a point to an area, and from inner speech to a public universe. We interpret the world around us based on social experiences and what the world wants us to view it as.  Moffett believed that if we give students the freedom to write from experience than just based on the reading, their writing would be better.

Moffett is a big advocator for student-centered curriculum. He was certain that no matter how different students were in their race, wealth status, or age, if students were able to express themselves freely their writing would develop and they would find their own voice. Three important aspects that derive from this concept are individualization, interaction, and integration. Students learn at their own level by select what activities they want to do, interact and interact by learning from other students, and students can develop their learning using their own cognitive skills. Moffett believes that each student learns at difference paces and has different strategies to form concepts.  By using a more student-centered approach you are assisting to each child’s needs and they are learning from fellow students as well.

Moffett’s theory for student-centered reading gives students the power to choose whatever they want to read. This theory allows students to develop more of an interest in reading and broadening their literacy skills. Moffett’s theory also suggests that using different activities to discuss the readings such as peer discussions and performing texts help develop their understanding of the reading. By picking a book of their own choice gives students more encouragement to develop their writing skills based on something they have an interest in. Moffett stated that by transforming the text from the literature to another form of writing such as poetry, or a fable can further the students writing development (Moffett &Wagner 72). Moffett and Wagner also concurred that collaborative learning can help students reach their maximum ability in learning literacy (73).
            Moffett’s theory of writing through dialogue was also a brilliant idea that furthers the education of writing. He stated that the point of students to write was to see what they learned and understood. All oral conversation including improvisation, and discussion, provides pre-writing activities, and transcribing spontaneous speech provides fine practice on literacy skills. Using dialogue deals with both reasoning and fictionalizing (Moffett 46). Moffett believed that this theory generates and clarifies one’s thoughts. The purpose of this theory is to explore all possible ideas without feeling the pressure to build a case for the assignment. Being able to discuss infinite possible ideas with someone helps generate a more focused appropriate case for the writing. This theory ties back into his previous stages of writing theory, were an audience is necessary for brainstorming a writing assignment. Moffett believed that sociality is one of the best learning tools. By using writing and speaking dialogues in social contexts Moffett stated that when you are equally discussing an issue to another person, the student is not being assessed which leads to them producing more ideas, as oppose to a teacher whose role would be to assess. But Moffett believed if the teachers and all students create an equal discussion it can lead to important learning (Gage 406).

Moffett started his advocacy for better writing with the psychological development of the child. He identified that it wasn’t about higher thinking but about making thoughts and feeling coherent to one’s self. His research state that as children we project ourselves first into animals, creatures, heroes, and legendary figures and then gradually we withdraw projection back to our self. We start to recognize personal meaning symbolized in our myths (Moffett 418).  His theory stated that students need to be in touch with their inner most self before they can start to write better. He believes that women are more in tuned with their emotional side than men are. In Moffetts’s essay The Spiritual Awakening, he argues that learning is a social and spiritual concept that we all must learn as one. He believes that students need to learn how to connect within them to be able to write for themselves. He argues that a student cannot develop that through standardize testing. Moffett defines spirituality as all inclusive is the one that most applies to education. Advocates of holistic education, for example, insist on the total development of all levels of a human being (Moffett 28). He sees education as a whole not breaking them down to us against them and completion against each other. In order to change education to a more holistic education, Moffett suggested that we have to understand the system behind public education. He believes they are too organizational and political instead essentials of the learning process. His vision is to have schools that give access to everything to students and teachers. He wants them to be able to have an abundance of material to help students learn. Although Moffett has not further this advocacy of his, it started a trend that led to other researchers following Moffett’s vision of spiritual perspective in the education system.

The important ideas, theories, and visions of Moffett’s have led to further development of our education system to enhance students writing and teachers teaching writing. His theory has practiced true in most schools. His visions have also led other researchers to advance his concepts into more practical use. His theories are constantly evolving the writing process in our education system.

Work Cited

1.     Gage, Tom. Harmonic Learning: The Congruent Education Models of Fethullah Gullen and    James Moffett. Peaceful Coexistence. (2009), pp.397-406.

2.     Moffet, James. Active Voice: A writing program across the curriculum. 2^nd Ed   Boynton/Cook Publishers. Portsmouth, NH. (1992)

3.     Moffett, J., & Wagner, B. J. Student-centered language arts, K-12. Portsmouth, NH:   Boynton/Cook Publishers Heinemann.  (1992)

4.     Moffett, J., & Wagner, B. J. The English Journal, Vol. 80, No. 6. (Oct., 1991), pp. 70-73.