So, I am teaching this English Writing and Rhetoric course this semester and I have been THOROUGHLY enjoying this semester long assignment, so much so, that I am going to do it right along with my students this semester.

We’ve been asking them to choose a topic to write about over the course that is a problem with social implications. Some call it an issue of public concern, some a social justice issue (that last term is so politically one-sided, that I don’t care for it much AND because it’s so charged – it can be an off-putting.  This is a shame because, quite honestly, there is a lot of good that can come out of the work that is brought about through writing, researching, and creating around these problems and questions.  I suppose that in itself is another blog post for another day). But, I digress…

The topic that I’ve chosen to write about isn’t necessarily earth-shattering, life altering, nor controversial, but it is something near to my heart and, I believe, may be one (of many) contributing factors to problems within our society. Are you ready?

Brrruuuuummmmm (that’s a drum roll, by the way)  😉 –

Creators and Consumers

Some Guiding Questions that I’ve been thinking about –

• Are we a society of creators or consumers?
• Should we be worried about how much we consume?
• Would creating more give our collective souls a much needed uplift?
• What is meant by creativity?
• Is creativity more than just crafting or working in the arts?
• What constitutes creativity?
• Does each individual inherently have the ability to create?
• Is creation for myself fulfilling enough?
• Or must creation have some sort of monetary remuneration to be worth my (or  anyone’s) time?

Anyway, these notebook assignments have been created so that the students can explore their issues and create in an online space. The prompts were created by two of my brilliant colleagues, Lisa Bickmore and Kati Lewis. The reason that I love the course that they’ve written is because there is SO much freedom for creativity built into the work. Here is the link to the notebook prompts  and I encourage you (if you are interested in doing something that will open up your writing) to join me this semester. For the first assignment, my students can choose one of the following prompts – 5b, 5e, 5f, 5g, or 5i. You may choose to write on any topic you would like (from really angst ridden ones like abuse, to comical ones like the 2016 US Election Cycle ;), or things that would improve the world or place around you (I had a student write about bike trails in his area, another about prepping, and another about how using too much social media as teenagers can stunt their social abilities). Choose anything that you want to research, study, or explore this semester!

See you tomorrow with my first notebook (the assignment is due at 11:59pm, and seriously, if you decide to join me in this little project, link your first assignment to me either in the comments or thorough the contact page) and I will review  and “grade” your work  (people … as a professor, I have a going freelance rate of $50 – 75 an hour. I’m sending out this one time, special offer to review your notebook work FOR FREE to any of you who join me in this endeavor, this Fall 2016 semester!)

Talk soon!

P.S. Here are some ideas to research topics that are quire interesting to me (please feel free to add some of yours in the comments section) –

• Religions effect on society
• Boundaries with friends, family, etc.
• School choice (charter schools, home schools, public schools)
• Breakdown of the family and effect on society
• Freedom of thought, press, speech, religion – are these being attacked and what to do about it?
• Clutter and chaos in the home – how to make it a better place
• Technologies effect on children
• Dating or Hanging out? – how to help our children have healthy social relationships
• Media – it’s effects and how to create more uplifting media