Opinion - The Importance of Literary Fellowship

 

(Image Credit: Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne)

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riting stories can be the antithesis of easy.  Indeed, the sheer amount of uncertainty is what often causes writers to become overwhelmed and procrastinatory in nature.  With no external voice to give guidance and approval (or disapproval), writers may habitually second-guess themselves.  Of course, such doubts and anxieties are neither productive nor healthy.  Indeed, writers struggling with such problems make little progress, and likewise, they make no significant progress in their own personal journeys as human beings.  This leads to a rather depressing stagnation—a place in which nothing is done and growth is non-existent.  Many writers may be familiar with this bleak purgatory.  However, there are ways to avoid this place—and break out of it should you find yourself here.  And I firmly believe that one of the greatest ways to unshackle yourself from it is to forge what I call a “literary fellowship.”

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “fellowship” is defined as “companionship” and “company.”  However, it also defines fellowship as a “community of interest, activity, feeling, or experience.”  I believe it is the second definition that most accurately describes the spirit of a literary fellowship.  “A community of writers who possess common tastes, interests, aspirations, and values” would be my own definition of the concept.  But make no mistake—this is much deeper than a typical writers’ group you may find at the local public library.  The reason I make this distinction is because the typical writers’ groups often consist of numerous individuals—all with vastly different interests in genres, styles, and subject matter.  This is not to say that a diversity in writing philosophies is necessarily a bad thing.  On the contrary, it can be beneficial and bring about new ideas and fresh inspiration to beginner writers who have not yet established their genre and style preferences.  However, for more advanced writers who have already written a great deal, these groups can sometimes make progress sluggish.  In this imaginary scenario, I will illustrate how:

Bob is an aspiring high-fantasy writer who reads Tolkien.  Bob prefers archaism and rich language to that of simplistic/concise writing more commonly found in contemporary fantasy stories.  Bob then attends a local writers’ group at his library.  Among those attending are writers with entirely different tastes.  For instance, Beth is an avid reader of modern mystery novels who has read little outside the genre.  John is a voracious science-fiction reader who leans more towards low sci-fi.  And Jackie loves to read political thrillers by Tom Clancy.  Beth, John, and Jackie hold no interest in mid-20^th century high fantasy—nor have they read it.  This leads to a problem.  While critiquing each other’s stories, Jackie criticizes Bob’s writing for using what she deems to be “antiquated” language.  Similarly, John believes Bob’s manuscript is far too descriptive.  On the other hand, Bob criticizes Beth’s writing for being too bland and non-descriptive.  Jackie also complains that Beth’s writing seems arbitrary and painfully slow.

By this point, the problem should be clear.  None of these writers has any grasp of each other’s preferred writing style and genre.  Beth’s mysteries may be slow-burns in comparison to Jackie’s fast-paced political thrillers.  Similarly, Bob’s writing appears unnecessarily ornate in comparison to the writing style of John’s science fiction.  Thus, not a single writer in this group is truly equipped with the knowledge and experience to fairly critique each other’s work.  They all have zero frame of reference.  And in the end, the result is a diverse group of writers becoming frustrated with one another or confused—unable to grasp each other’s inspirations and goals.  We must then realize that what John deems to be relevant criticism is actually more relevant to someone else writing within his own favorite genre. 

Now, if we are strictly looking at these individuals as readers, the heart of the issue becomes far more apparent.  Beth reads mysteries.  Bob reads fantasy novels.  John reads sci-fi stories.  And Jackie reads thrillers.  If all four have demonstrated little to no interest in reading genres outside their own, how could they possibly be prepared to effectively critique each other’s work?  It makes little sense.  Now, suppose they read a wide range of fiction.  In this scenario, their reactions to each other’s work would probably be far more constructive and less dismissive.  But, since they don’t, their help is finite.  And while they may be able to help with punctual and grammatical errors, these edits are merely technical.  Locating logical plot holes and inconsistencies would likely be their most significant contributions.  Yet critiques on plot and character development would be limited, for some genres are more plot-driven than others.  Likewise, some genres are more character-driven than others.  A romance novel, for example, will likely spend much more time exploring the inner-thoughts of a character than a fast-paced thriller.

Then, you might ask, what is your solution?  How are writers supposed to get help?  Well, my answer to your question is this: the writers with whom you associate often should have similar interests, tastes, and values.  But, you might object, wouldn’t this merely create an echo chamber in which no measurable progress is made?  This is certainly a valid concern.  However, what you’ll discover is a bit paradoxical.  Simply because two writers have similar interests in genre, style, and subject matter does not mean that their approaches and conclusions are necessarily the same, for both writers in this scenario are two separate individuals and their life experiences may vary—including the authors and books they read.  Thus, while the wells from which they draw inspiration might have some overlap, this does not mean that their creative output is the same.  And a pertinent example of this is none other than the friendship between J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.

Although Tolkien was far more of an expert in linguistics while Lewis was more concentrated in literature, the two created a strong bond through their meetings and correspondence (Loconte; Geneva College).  After all, both felt alienated by the increasingly modern world and had experienced tortures beyond compare in the brutal trench warfare of the First World War (Loconte).  Along with other associates, they met regularly at a local pub, calling their group “Inklings.”  It was at these meetings that they shared their work with one another and received honest feedback (Friess).  Interestingly, these meetings did not construct some terrible echo chamber of incessant nodding and agreements.   In fact, Tolkien and Lewis had a number of disagreements.  Tolkien believed that Lewis’s work was unsophisticated and Lewis believed Tolkien’s work was taking too long due to his own “self-criticism” (Oxford Visits; Gilsdorf).  Nevertheless, the feedback both authors gave one another was imperative to their growth as writers.  And despite their different approaches to world-building and narrative development, we can clearly see that their life values were remarkably similar.  Perhaps one of the reasons Tolkien and Lewis bonded was their similar philosophical and theological outlooks (Gilsdorf).  And now—well into the 21^st century—their influences continue to resonate with writers and readers alike.

Therefore, what can be learned from their friendship is that there is no harm in associating with like-minded individuals; for no group of writers is ever entirely uniform.  It is simply a matter of balance.  Too many different kinds of writers can diminish progress, which is precisely why it helps writers to surround themselves with those who are also well-acquainted with their favored genre.  Moreover, being able to consult someone with greater experience can be equally beneficial.  For instance, Lewis was more experienced in publishing than Tolkien, and this is one of the reasons his advice to him was so instrumental (Gilsdorf).  Indeed, when a writer has the success to demonstrate the merit of his or her work, advice from such an individual is invaluable.  We can see that Tolkien—who did listen to much of Lewis’s advice—is now considered the founding father of the fantasy genre we know today (Louinet). 

However, equally valuable is your own relationship with the other writers.  Perhaps you have a better understanding of how stories in certain genres approach narrative and structure.  This is precisely where your own experiences can help others who seek to excel.  And by regularly meeting with such people, you begin to know each other’s visions, motivations, inspirations, and aspirations.  And likewise, you might learn something from them.  Ultimately, your “Literary Fellowship” is not only about your own progress as a writer, but the progress of other writers as well—and writers for whom you come to know and care.  The results in the end may indeed be more incredible than any of you could have imagined.

Works Cited:

“A Fantasy Friendship: Tolkien and Lewis.” Geneva College, https://www.geneva.edu/blog/uncategorized/tolkien-lewis-fantasy-friendship.

“C.S. Lewis at Oxford: Narnia & J.R.R Tolkien Friendship and Rivalry.” Oxford Visit, https://web.archive.org/web/20230324193625/https://oxfordvisit.com/articles/c-s-lewis-at-oxford-narnia-j-r-r-tolkien-friendship-and-rivalry/.

Friess, Polly J. “C.S. Lewis and J.R. Tolkien Friendship.” Jackson Hole Classical Academy, https://www.jacksonholeclassicalacademy.org/news-detail?pk=1054326.

Gilsdorf, Ethan. “J.R.R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis: A Literary Friendship and Rivalry.” Literary Traveler, https://www.literarytraveler.com/articles/tolkien_lewis_england/.

Loconte, Joseph. “War, Friendship, and Imagination.” C.S. Lewis Institute, https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/resources/war-friendship-and-imagination-how-j-r-r-tolkien-and-c-s-lewis-rediscovered-faith-friendship-and-heroism-in-the-cataclysm-of-1914-1918/.

Louinet, Patrice. “Robert E. Howard, Founding Father of Modern Fantasy for the first time again.” Taylor & Francis Online, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/17409292.2011.557926.

The Place from Which Words Come - A Philosophical Essay

Written by Benjamin Fouché

I have known it to be quite true that the mind is the loudest at night.  And I dare say many would agree that this sentiment is hauntingly accurate.  For when the cacophony of daily sounds finally subsides; and the bright radiance that is the sun sinks below the horizon; and the birds deaden within their nests; and the bustle from the streets dissipates; and the neighboring souls retire to their beds, sinking into the haziness of sleep—it seems that those of us who reluctantly remain awake are cognizant of many sounds.  Yet these sounds seem to be suppressed during the day.  But, when the world around us slumbers—and our eyes gaze upon the ceiling through the darkness of our rooms—we hear them.  What are they, you might ask?  They are many things.  Memories.  Fears.  Doubts.  Regrets.  Wishes.  And a thousand of other things.

But to simply remain staring and pondering in the duskiness is possibly no different from subjecting oneself to perpetual torment.  Indeed, if nothing is done about these specters of the mind—especially the formidable ones—they will vanquish us one sliver of sanity at a time.  Then, after years and decades pass, our hearts and minds will be noticeably marred and eroded.  I say this not to be melodramatic, but because this is something I have lived with for far too long.  And I’m certain many writers can relate.  After all, writers are often observant creatures.  They scrutinize and interpret the world around them, and then reinterpret and illustrate what they know into something that only a reader’s imagination may observe.  It certainly makes the human experience far more intriguing. 

Yet the price one pays for noticing, discerning, and retaining even the seemingly insignificant details of life is absurdly high—sometimes even grave.  This means both enjoyable and dreadful memories reside within our minds, ever-present.  Yet despite pushing the bad ones away and endeavoring to forget them, we may not recognize that they merely linger on out of sight during the day.  But at night—especially when we are awake—they come out to remind us of their multiplying legions.  We then stare at the ceiling—seeing not the ceiling, but all of these thoughts.  And listening, we hear not the silence, but the sounds of our grim reveries.  We remember.  We are afraid.  We doubt others and ourselves.  We regret and wish.  We yearn.  And as this foreboding wave rises from the sea, we seem to stand all alone on a shore—awaiting the black waters and our inexorable drowning.

Even so, such a fate is not necessary.  Nor is it ‘inexorable.’  This is the moment when the lights should be turned on and we ought to throw ourselves out of bed.  This is the moment where we should remind ourselves that we are still alive and no such wave actually exists!  ‘Then,’ you might ask, ‘what are we to do at this time?’  The answer is to—whether penned or typed—WRITE.  It may be 9:00 pm.  It could be 11:00 pm.  Possibly even 12:00 or 3:00 am.  Regardless of the time, there is no reason to remain awake in our darkened rooms, tortured, tossing, and turning.  Sometimes, the remedy to such melancholies and anxieties is to sit down and travel to whatever distant realms our imagination leads us to.  From there, we may realize that these places, too, are inhabited by characters—characters who are surprisingly not so different from us. 

Sometimes the predicaments in which these imaginary figures find themselves may be quite extraordinary or unbelievable.  And yet, is not life itself (or the entirety of the world for that matter) unbelievable?  For instance, here you now exist—breathing the very air around you, reading this sentence, and living in this precise moment.  Likewise, your characters dwell within their own worlds and exist within their own moments of every paragraph, sentence, word, and syllable.  From the stirrings of your mind, heart, and soul, they were born.  And now, through the symbols of language, you have opened a window into their own story.  Doubt not, for this phantasmagoric vista can illustrate conflicts, loves, sufferings, adventures, and victories beyond our own empirical senses.  And you—yes, you, reader; whoever you may be—possess the ability to open this window and create this world. 

As a writer, you can seize every specter residing in your mind.  The memories, regrets, yearnings, doubts, and fears—all can become the coals that fuel the fires of your creative furnace.  These great journeys that we call ‘fiction’ share with others an experience constructed from both fantasy and reality.  Through your words, doorways open.  And sometimes these doorways are paradoxically mirrors.  In them, we see different worlds, but sometimes we may even see our own.  What is the result?  It is a voyage to somewhere else, but also an examination of the real story we call ‘life.’  Conflicts, adversaries, and tragedies all transpire within our lives at some point or another.  For loss, struggle, and hardship are certainly no strangers to us. 

Yet hope, joy, and affection are equally undeniable in their existence.  And knowing this, we take what we have known to be good and bad in this life and merge it with the fantastical.  The result is a realm to which we escape, but also a realm from which we discern meaning and collective experiences.  Sometimes, if the journey is quite exceptional, readers may never again be the same.  Such is the mystery and beauty of words and writing.  We can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch what they create—yet they are not tangibly present.  Like some distant apparition, they appear before us—only to dissolve once the experience has long-subsided.  But undoubtedly, we remember them always.  This is perhaps the greatest gift of fiction.  It is something that touches the spirit in ways that nothing else truly can.

In the end, it is up to us writers to make the choice as to how we handle the perturbing midnight thoughts that overwhelm us.  Either we allow these prowling anxieties to call to us and inflict a thousand tossing-and-turnings in bed or we seize the night and turn our millions of straying thoughts into something meaningful.  The choice is yours. 

(Opinion) Working With Difficult Students

 Written by Benjamin Fouché

I’ve had the pleasure of working as a writing consultant for the Athens State University Writing Center for 1 ½ years.  Although I am by no means a veteran, I’m surprised by how much I’ve learned in a relatively brief period of time.  Students from many different walks of life will come to us for help.  Sometimes their predicaments are rather simple.  But other times their problems can prove to be exceedingly challenging.  The most important lesson I have learned from all of this is that not all students should be approached the same.  Of course, you might be wondering what I mean by this.  After all, aren’t we supposed to treat all students equally?

While it goes without saying that we are expected to treat all students with the utmost respect, there are many observations I have made while working with various students.  Furthermore, I believe that my observations (and evaluations thereof) are worth sharing—especially with newer writing consultants who have only recently started working in a writing center.  Through examining them, I hope to shed light on a much deeper issue.

To begin, I strongly believe that the way in which students are approached ought to be different—with specialized attention and careful scrutiny for each one.  Therefore, in order to effectively work with students, writing consultants must approach them adaptively and delicately.

Many students whom I have worked with in the past have shared similar behavioral patterns—and three specific ones seem to most commonly transpire.  I have consequently divided these into three distinct categories: 1) defensive, 2) apologetic, and 3) shy.  Sometimes there is overlap between these traits, but a great deal of the time I am able to detect which one is most prevalent in a student.  In order to understand them, I will explain each one.

As the name implies, defensive students can be sensitive when it comes to their work.  They may even come across as aggressive or rude to some writing consultants.  Quite often, anything said that may be even remotely construed as critical will quickly be shunned or explained away by the student.  These are not always the easiest students to work with—especially since even pointing out something as minor as a typographical error can set them off.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is what I call the apologetic student.  Rather than incessantly lashing out, they are almost always apologizing and talking negatively about themselves whenever a mistake comes up in their work.  Sometimes before you can even say or read anything further, they will evaluate and criticize their own writing—constantly interrupting the flow of the session.

But the most tragic and indecipherable of these three categories is the shy student.  Unlike the two previous students with these traits, this one is almost always silent.  He or she enters the session saying very little—unless prompted to do otherwise.  Their responses to your feedback will typically be minimal or merely nods to acknowledge anything you say.  It isn’t always clear if these kinds of students are understanding anything you explain to them—for even their facial expressions and body language can be obstinate and uncertain. 

Nevertheless, there are two common elements behind all three of these traits: insecurity and self-doubt.  This should really come as no surprise, for if we are working with other human beings, we must anticipate them sometimes bringing their own dread and anxiety.  Thus, the concern should be how we as writing consultants work with these types of students, as well as how we can lessen their fears.

The first step to helping the defensive, apologetic, and shy students is the conscious management of our own disposition.  That is to say, how do we speak to them?  And how does our body language appear when they approach us?  Because contrary to popular belief, first impressions are of great importance.  If we remind these students of the professors they find disagreeable or unpleasant, they are likely to assume we are the same and put up a barrier.  However, if we can demonstrate that we are relaxed, friendly, and unassuming, they may become easier to work with.

The second step is to show that any mistake—no matter how significant—is not unique or a symptom of a deficiency.  Assure the students that you have made such errors in the past—and perhaps even bring up stories through which you may relate and laugh.  By doing this, the tension reduces substantially and the students becomes more comfortable.  Furthermore, this allows you to gradually show them how to overcome the mistake and avoid similar ones in the future. 

The third step is to reinforce the notion that you are only there to help the students.  When writing consultants establish that they are not formidable authorities who secretly report back to the student’s professor, they again help take down the barrier and begin building a more positive relationship.

Through these practices, writing consultants can progressively determine the type of student with whom they are dealing.  I say ‘progressively’ because sometimes the process may take much longer.  While there certainly exist students who will make known their temperament within the first few minutes, it may not be immediately apparent with others.  That is why it is imperative to deliberately evaluate the student within your mind throughout the session.  As it becomes clearer, you will realize the specific needs of the student.

In addition to this, one of the most invaluable abilities you will need as a writing consultant is sympathy and the aptitude to read between the lines.  As I mentioned earlier, students come from all walks of life and there is no way to know for certain what hardships and struggles they are currently battling.  And because this is something that may not be visible on the surface, we must make sympathetic inferences from their insecurities and shortcomings.

For example, it is possible that some defensive students act the way they do because—from an early age—they had parents or teachers who always scolded them; as they grew older, they felt like their choices had to always be explained and defended, for there was always someone out there to be critical of them. 

Likewise, apologetic students may have had similar experiences growing up, or they could have had experiences where someone was always blaming everything negative on them.  As a result, they became passive and fearful—believing everything bad must be their fault. 

Shy students could have endured verbal abuse from family or teachers, or perhaps had difficulties with bullies.  Hence, they are afraid everyone seeks to belittle and destroy them—or they are even fearful of saying anything, lest someone retaliates viciously.

Keep in mind, I am not advocating writing consultants to become psychoanalysts; instead, I am encouraging them to give others the benefit of the doubt.  Patience and stoicism can go a long way when working with uncooperative or disruptive students.  Sometimes it may simply be a matter of demonstrating that you are also a student and have experienced the same hardships and challenges.

Subsequently, the student (if they continue making appointments) will become more trusting and relaxed.  Once your professional relationship with the student has developed, they will become far easier to talk to and possibly far more honest about their concerns.  Once the communication is straightforward and natural, you will beyond the shadow of a doubt see positive change.

(Opinion) The Unrivaled Qualities of Human Creativity

Written by Benjamin Fouché

There is a great deal of dread pervading the minds of artists, writers, and musicians alike.  And this dread is known by many as Generative AI.  A technology trained on the creative work of human beings, it can put together music, images, and writing based off of instructions fed to it by the user.  Although there currently exist numerous tell-tale flaws within the content it produces, many are fearful that—over time—it will only become more accurate in what it replicates.  And due to this increasing precision, creative individuals fear AI will inevitably put them out of work.  They argue that companies will prefer the inexpensive route of paying a subscription for a service rather than paying human artists, writers, and musicians for their work.  Understandably, creators are also upset that these programs have been trained on copyrighted, human-made material—oftentimes without the consent of the original creator.  Consequently, concerns of intellectual theft committed by the companies who train these machines become undeniably valid.  And thus, the creators’ future livelihoods are not only being jeopardized, but their current work is being stolen—sometimes even without their knowledge.

One of the other major problems arises from a general ignorance in the populace.  Regrettably, it consists of many people who are unaware, indifferent, or see absolutely nothing wrong with Generative AI.  And rather than acknowledge the problems, they are solely focused on the benefits.  Worse, there are also the unapologizing advocates themselves, who claim that simply typing instructions within a prompt is somehow equivalent to human inspiration.  Thus, they willfully ignore that the very work upon which these AI models were trained took years—and sometimes decades—to accomplish by their human creators.  For any true artist struggles; his or her life is full of trial and error.  There were mountains of failure, disappointment, and doubt that they had to overcome in order to acquire the skills they have today.  A machine does not know pain, suffering, and sacrifice.  Yet even other humans themselves do not always sympathize with such hardships.  The unfortunate reality is that this is not a world of abundant compassion.  Profit and expediency are king to businesses, whereas principle, idealism, and honor are often disregarded entirely and laughed at by those who solely seek their self-interests.  It would also be equally dangerous not to admit that the future appears to be increasingly in favor of AI within all aspects of life (especially within our daily lives).

Yet despite these seemingly dreary times, there is something humans possess that machines will never: a lifelong, unique experience—from which to draw and harness infinite inspiration.  It is certainly worth pondering.  From what places were some of the most notable pieces of literature, art, and music in the entire history of humanity inspired?  The answer to that question is the mind, heart, and soul.  For the paths we cross with others—the good and joyful—the bad and sorrowful—the special moments alone or with others—and the things we witness on these journeys—no program can ever replicate.  Indeed, human creators retain something quite extraordinary and unique.  True, it may be, that many companies will only value what is efficient and cheap.  But there will always exist other humans who appreciate a song written by a musician or a story written be a writer.  Thus, it is the connection creators make with these kinds of people that is extremely imperative.   Furthermore, the forthcoming conflict is all the more a reason to encourage awareness and support.  And being brothers and sisters in this struggle, we must hold up one another.

Yet one might doubt and question how this would make any significant impact.  Are not these sentiments merely wishful thinking—or perhaps simply a coping naiveté?  Although the pessimists will—no doubt—insist on creators giving up, I believe the aforementioned vision is actually quite realistic.  With the precise coordination, ambition, and momentum, the opportunity can be seized.  Indeed, creators must take advantage of the various spaces currently online—especially platforms meant to promote specific artistic mediums.  For example, Bandcamp is one of the best websites to support independent musicians.  The majority of the proceeds go to the band, and there are numerous download options for albums or songs.  Likewise, countless visual artists may be discovered on Bēhance; here, artists may proudly display their portfolios, highlighting their most striking accomplishments.  As for writers, The Writer’s Beat is an excellent forum for writers seeking feedback on their fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.  For a wide-range of hand-crafted items, Etsy is an excellent place to search for and purchase such independently made products.  There are, of course, many other platforms in existence that can help creators promote, share, and sell their work to a potential following.

Ultimately, creators must not wallow in despair and give up.  Rather, they should all come together—now more than ever—and evaluate the options that exist before their very eyes.  Waiting for a technological dystopia to arrive certainly will not help anything—or others for that matter.  Conversations need to happen, as this is where the commonality amongst creators can be found—as well as ideas of how to move forward in an increasingly AI-centered world.  Furthermore, discussing ways in which works may be protected from AI and bringing this issue to the attention of big platforms could potentially help change the policies and awareness of such companies.  And once more, it is important to remember that there will always exist those who appreciate human-made art; this is precisely why the platforms on which creative work is shared must be brought to the attention of such individuals.  In the end, human creativity and determination are the tools that will ensure that real art is never eclipsed by the soulless mimicry of a machine.

Creative Writing and How it Relates to Academic Writing

 

Written by Benjamin Fouché

    Often times when we hear the word creative writing, we associate the word specifically with fictional stories, poetry, and perhaps even world-building.  Nevertheless, creative writing is more than simply an artistic outlet for writers; it is a way in which writers can practice the craft of communication and articulation; it is a way in which writers can learn to become more proficient; and it is especially a way in which writers can learn new things and gain self-confidence.  Ultimately, all of this contributes to a writer who is not only great at creative writing but also great at writing in general; this may include emails, resumes, and even academic writing.  Yet this may seem unlikely to some people.  After all, one might ask how—for example—writing a story may be beneficial to students in college and the innumerable papers they are required to write.  But the truth of the matter is that creative writing can indeed be helpful—and helpful in more ways than anyone could possibly imagine.

    According to Patrick T. Randolph of West Michigan University, creative writing has the potential to overall improve a student’s writing abilities.  Randolph explains this after conducting his own research amongst his students when he says:

[…] [A]t my current institute, there is a writing assessment test given at the end of each eight-week term for all the students in the program. In order for the students of the intermediate level to move on, they need a four out of seven to pass. Before the creative writing program was instituted, the number of students who passed to the next level was lower than after I started the program. In general, 50% to 60% of the intermediate students would pass the writing assessment. After the first creative writing course started, the numbers improved dramatically. Currently, 80% to 85% of the students pass the writing assessment, and, in some cases, I have had terms where up to 90% of the level four students move up to level five. It was after this substantial change in the test scores that the administration of the institute decided to permanently keep the creative writing program for the intermediate level writing class (Randolph, 78-79).

Here, we have an outstanding example of creative writing overall benefiting students; without the creative writing program, fewer students passed—yet with it, those numbers rose exponentially.  Thus, it appears that creative writing can be used to help students grow into stronger writers; yet, why is this?  Randolph explores this question further when he says:

Neuro research has also recently […] discovered that fiction excites and stimulates the brain more than academic literature […] If this is true, then the use of creative writing, as a pedagogical tool, is the best way for ESL learners to acquire new vocabulary and sentence structures and to expand their command of the English essay (Randolph, 78).

Randolph brings up another excellent point in that fiction—not academic writing—is something that captivates students—and this ultimately gives them motivation.  Therefore, as they continually write with determination, the skills they develop will eventually manifest in their other, non-creative writing.  Randolph exemplifies this further in his own study when he says:

Another assessment element is that the readers of the writing assessment noted a better command of vocabulary and use of language among the creative writers as compared to the general academic writing classes. The creative writers started using more colorful vocabulary and taking more risks in their writing. For example, instead of using words like ‘nice,’ ‘beautiful, ‘difficult,’ and ‘good,’ they used vocabulary such as ‘delightful,’ ‘breathtaking,’ ‘arduous,’ and ‘embrace.’ Two simple sentences were more likely to be combined to form a compound sentence, and the writing, in general, possessed a richer sense of voice (Randolph, 79).

Subsequently, we may conclude from this that the creative writing program that many of Randolph’s students took had beneficial impacts on their writing skills.  With this increased self-confidence, students would write in ways they normally wouldn’t—thus experimenting and pushing the boundaries of their abilities.  In contrast, students who were only subjected to classes with academic writing were not nearly as creative in how they approached writing.  Therefore, it becomes far more reasonable to believe that creative writing can in fact strengthen and improve a student’s academic writing and stylistic choices.

    Furthermore, this opinion is echoed by Dr. Maria Antoniou and Jessica Moriarty.  In their article entitled “What can academic writers learn from creative writers?”, Antoniou and Moriarty argue the following:

 

In our experience, writing in whatever style or genre is an emotional and identity-related activity, as well as a technical, craft-based one. Writing is intricately linked to a sense of Self (personal and professional), and is a way of expressing that Self. Therefore, writing cannot only be taught in technical terms. Any support and guidance for academic writing must address personal experience and emotional processes (Antoniou and Moriarty, 166).

 

This statement brings up a very crucial component of writing: the writer him or herself.  Indeed, writing is always an expression of one’s mind and thought process.  And because of this, the authors argue that writing should be approached with this understanding.   This is not to say that the technical and structural aspects of writing should be ignored; rather, Antoniou and Moriarty place emphasis on the personal elements of writing and believe that it is actually quite necessary to give writers more creative freedom, as this allows such self-expression to flourish.  Moreover, allowing this will also encourage students (instead of discouraging them) to write their papers.

    Undoubtedly, it is this freedom to express the self that can motivate students to write—but how does it impact their lives personally, as well as their overall attitudes?  This is another crucial question that may illustrate the larger impact of allowing creative writing and choices within the classroom.  Laura Bean of Berkley University of California reflects upon this very question in her article entitled “How Creative Writing Can Increase Students’ Resilience.” By discussing her own experiences with her past students, she is able to demonstrate the effectiveness and positive changes she noticed within her classroom.  Additionally, by discussing the science behind this as well, she is able to give an explanation as to why her implementation of creative writing has been extremely successful.  One particular part of her article touches on these aspects when she says:

 For students, sharing their own stories of bravery, resilience, and determination brings these qualities to the forefront of their minds and helps solidify the belief that underlies a growth mindset: I can improve and grow. We know from research in neuroplasticity that when students take baby steps to achieve a goal and take pride in their accomplishments, they change their brains, growing new neural networks and fortifying existing ones. Neurons in the brain release the feel-good chemical dopamine, which plays a major role in motivating behavior toward rewards.  After writing about a few different personal topics, students choose one they want to publish on the bulletin boards at the back of the classroom. […] In my experience, students are motivated to do this assignment because it helps them feel that their personal stories and emotions truly matter, despite how their other academics are going (Bean). 

Therefore, by granting her students the opportunity to share the work they create, she raises positive outlooks and a sense of inclusion and belonging within her classroom.  Ultimately, this leads to greater confidence amongst her students and far greater enthusiasm.  Perhaps many could learn from Bean’s example—and if schools began incorporating such practices within their curricula around the nation, the positive outcomes would be immeasurable.

    After reviewing these examples of the benefits of creative writing and its contribution to academic success, students and instructors alike ought to feel encouraged to pursue these activities.  Moreover, they might be surprised by the results—and perhaps by what they learn about themselves in the process.

Works Cited:

 

Antoniou, Maria, and Jessica Moriarty. “What Can Academic Writers Learn from Creative Writers? Developing Guidance and Support for Lecturers in Higher Education.” Teaching in Higher Education, vol. 13, no. 2, 2008, pp. 157–167., https://doi.org/10.1080/13562510801923229. 

Bean, Laura.  “How Creative Writing Can Increase Students’ Resilience.” Greater Good Magazine, 30 Oct. 2018, https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_creative_writing_can_increase_students_resilience

Randolph, T. Patrick. “Using Creative Writing as a Bridge to Enhance Academic

Writing.” Michigan Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages Conference, https://commons.emich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&filename=7&article=1001&context=mitesol&type=additional, 7-8 Oct. 2011.

Will AI Replace Human Tutors and Teachers?

 

Written by Benjamin Fouché

There is no denying that over the past few years, AI has heavily impacted our culture.  With the introduction of sophisticated tools such as ChatGPT, the academic world has been confronted with a very tricky dilemma.  Teachers are struggling to define what is acceptable and unacceptable when it comes to AI assistance.  Some are not opposed to its use (under specific conditions) while others argue against students using it entirely.  And of course, many students are fully taking advantage of these tools while their teachers continue to argue.  Yet there is a question that will likely linger even well after the dust of this 21^st century pandemonium has subsided.  Will AI eventually replace human tutors—and perhaps even teachers?  Indeed, such a question cannot be answered easily, as there are many variables to consider.  Nevertheless, it is certainly a question of grave importance—and especially one that should not be disregarded as simply fearmongering.

First, let us examine what we—at the moment—do currently know.  According to a study conducted by Intelligent.com, it appears that students do in fact favor ChatGPT over human tutors.  Out of the 3,017 high school/college students surveyed, 85.38% preferred using ChatGPT.  Likewise, out of the 3,234 parents of younger children surveyed, 96% preferred ChatGPT over human tutors.  Intelligent.com thus explains that “9 in 10 prefer studying with ChatGPT over studying with a tutor.”  But this still doesn’t tell us enough.  Specifically, for what subjects do students depend upon ChatGPT?  According to the same study, Math and “Hard” Sciences were the top two.  English and Art/Music were the least common subjects for which students consulted ChatGPT (Intelligent.com).  Perhaps this offers a glimmer of hope to tutors in the branches of humanities, which—as the name implies—has a far greater emphasis on the human aspect.

Still, what is incredible (and equally frightening) about these trends is that ChatGPT was only released as recently as November 30^th, 2022 (Marr).  One can only imagine where the technology will be a decade from now—and how it will impact schooling across the globe.

Intelligent.com’s article goes on to share the sentiment of a student named Johnson Adegoke: “As a current student using ChatGPT, I have found it to be a helpful and convenient tool for studying […] Unlike seeing a tutor, ChatGPT is available 24/7 and can answer my questions immediately” (Intelligent.com).  Once more, it should be noted that this is far more representative of Math and “Hard” Science subjects, which possess problems that only have objective/right-or-wrong answers.  Thus, further studies would need to be conducted as to how efficient ChatGPT and other AI tools are at helping students with subject/opinionated answers to questions (such as one’s own personal take on a piece of literature or music). 

Notwithstanding, the student’s response definitely gives an insight into a much larger trend—and the thought process of many students alike.  They see convenience and instant answers to their academic inquiries.  Even so, where students see a savior, many teachers see a machine lacking the most important human elements.  In an article advocating for human teachers over artificial intelligence, author Sarah Hanawald explains the advantages of human beings as instructors when she says:

AI tools can help provide personalized learning for a student but only when directed to do so by a skilled and empathetic teacher. AI cannot discern emotions beyond a coded response, and even a bot “trained” to be supportive will be limited when compared to a human teacher […] Teachers are flexible in adapting their approach to their students’ varying needs and learning styles, flexing their ability to read their students’ emotions, and respond accordingly with empathy and support (Hanawald).

While this may certainly ring true to many teachers and tutors alike, there are others who argue that the cost of AI services such as ChatGPT is far cheaper than tutors—many of whom charge hourly rates (Intelligent.com).  Thus, although the human element of a tutor is undeniable—parents and students will likely choose the cheaper route—especially with the rising costs of basic necessities thanks to inflation (Chiwaya; Milden).  However, it should be noted that many institutions offer free tutoring services to their students—meaning that pricey, hourly rates do not necessarily have to be a concern.  And, despite previous problems with funding, there have been recent efforts starting back during the 2020 pandemic to fund tutoring programs in schools by many state governments (Wall, et al.).

In addition to these concerns, Harvard University began to implement an AI instructor into their coding courses as recently as July of 2023 (NewsNation).  Moreover, Sal Khan of the extremely successful Khan Academy has also endorsed AI tutoring and believes it will have positive, revolutionary impacts on global education (TED).  Still, others would disagree.  Special Education and Inclusive Learning states that AI cannot help teach children “soft skills” and “behavioral/emotional development.”  Furthermore, they claim that the development of emotional skills is also something AI cannot teach children (Special Education and Inclusive Learning).  Thus, it appears that many of the arguments coming from tutors and teachers alike revolve around AI’s lack of genuine empathy and moral support that a human can offer.  Conversely, those in favor of AI—especially students and parents alike—argue that AI is affordable and convenient.  This consequently leads to another question: is the sincere human element more important than expediency and lower prices?

            According to an article from the National Library of Medicine, a human teacher is not only a necessary element—but an extremely crucial one—in the social and emotional development of young students.  This is evident when the authors explain:

Teachers of young students are charged with the task of guiding students toward proficiency in a range of academic topics. At the same time, teachers in the early grades often directly and indirectly instruct students in social-emotional competence, such as how to get along with diverse peers and strategies to focus on and follow directions […] [T]eachers are prime candidates to consider as socializers of emotion-related behaviors (Valiente, et al.).

Again, the human aspect is indeed instrumental in the development of students.  Thus, to replace teachers and tutors with AI instructors would risk children learning and developing the aforementioned soft skills.  For indeed, if especially young students develop their social and emotional abilities through their relationship with human teachers, how will these soft skills develop if their teacher is merely a machine?  It doesn’t seem likely.

It’s also worth noting that as far back as 2014—before this new age of AI commenced—technology had already been a major concern for many people.  Morgan Hampton of Brigham Young University wrote about this at length in an article entitled “Technology: Is it making kids anti-social?”  One of the first problems Hampton addresses is the decline and absence of personal relationships.  She explains that such a void cannot be filled with technology, as “[r]elationships are essential; humans are social creatures. Human nature craves human interaction, and that interaction cannot be effectively replaced by technology” (Hampton).  Another critical factor Hampton brings up is low self-confidence resulting from excessive reliance on technology; she explains that “teaching children the value of personal relationships” is ultimately what will secure their future in a world where technology is central to daily life.

            But while it is quite encouraging to see many people recognizing the significance of human educators and their value in society, there still remain trends that paint a rather grim picture of the future of education.  For instance, Mark C. Perna of Forbes explains that it is a field that very few young people wish to venture into—and one of which few veteran teachers would recommend to younger generations.  Poor workplace environments, few benefits, and extremely low salaries are factors that have contributed to far less people seeking to become educators (Perna).    What’s equally worth noting is that, according to neaToday, current educators are already anticipating leaving their profession early while “[i]n the last 10 years alone, the number of people completing traditional teacher-prep programs has dropped by 35 percent” (Flannery).  It also does not help that educators—due to these shortages—are experiencing “[…] higher levels of anxiety, stress and burnout” (Walker). 

With this in mind, the question remains that if fewer people are becoming teachers—and many teachers are leaving their profession behind—will the implementation of AI instructors become more convenient and cost efficient?  Although it is too soon to fully answer such questions, these are scenarios that should nevertheless be paid close attention to as this decade continues to unfold.  Of course, and as noted earlier, AI may likely be used more heavily in certain branches of education than others.  Whereas Science and Math are shown to be ones for which students most frequently use ChatGPT, students are less likely to use AI assistance with English and Art/Music.  Thus, AI taking over tutoring roles in every field is not likely to happen all at once—nor equally.  But, with that being said, we already see major universities like Harvard implementing AI instructors; this should be concerning, as it certainly sets an historical precedent.  The day might come when some individuals propose AI as a solution to the increasing lack of educators.  Humanity is undoubtedly at a crossroads—and sooner or later, a choice will have to be made on how we wish to educate future generations.  And indeed, we will have to choose soon.

Works Cited:

“How AI Could Save (Not Destroy) Education.” TED, 1 May 2023, https://youtu.be/hJP5GqnTrNo?si=HfujAL2eecuZ_Fcr.

“New Survey Finds Students Are Replacing Human Tutors With ChatGPT.” Intelligent.com, 24 Oct. 2023, https://www.intelligent.com/new-survey-finds-students-are-replacing-human-tutors-with-chatgpt/.

“Why A.I will never replace teachers.” Special Education and Inclusive Learning, https://inclusiveteach.com/2023/07/08/why-a-i-will-never-replace-teachers/. Accessed 4 Mar. 2024.

“Will AI robots replace teachers in the classroom?” NewsNation, 7 July 2023, https://youtu.be/LPOUal0Xvz8?si=SDzKTDHN0OZT_Apo.

Aldeman, Chad. “Why Are Fewer People Becoming Teachers?” Education Next, 28 Sep. 2022, https://www.educationnext.org/why-are-fewer-people-becoming-teachers/.

Chiwaya, Nigel, et al. “Inflation in America: Where are prices rising and falling?” NBC News, 16 June 2022, https://www.nbcnews.com/data-graphics/inflation-tracker-how-much-prices-rising-us-consumers-n1296378.

Flannery, Mary Ellen. “Missing: Future Teachers in Colleges of Education.” neaToday, 29 Mar. 2022, https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/missing-future-teachers-colleges-education.

Hampton, Morgan. “Technology: Is it making kids anti-social?” The Daily Universe, 22 Aug. 2014, https://universe.byu.edu/2014/08/22/technology-is-it-making-kids-anti-social/.

Hanawald, Sarah.  “Why Teacher Intelligence Will Always Matter More Than Artificial Intelligence.” Educational Records Bureau, 12 Sep. 2023, https://www.erblearn.org/blog/ai-wont-replace-teacher-intelligence/#:~:text=AI%20tools%20can%20help%20provide,compared%20to%20a%20human%20teacher.

Marr, Bernard. “A Short History Of ChatGPT: How We Got To Where We Are Today.” Forbes, 19 May 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2023/05/19/a-short-history-of-chatgpt-how-we-got-to-where-we-are-today/?sh=574cf95a674f.

Milden, Dashia, et al. “Inflation Rose in January to 3.1%, Dimming the Prospects for Interest Rate Cuts in March.” CNET, 14 Feb. 2024, https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/banking/advice/inflation-interest-rates/.

Perna, Mark C. “No More Teachers: The Epic Crisis Facing Education In 2024.” Forbes, 3 Jan. 2024, https://www.forbes.com/sites/markcperna/2024/01/03/no-more-teachers-the-epic-crisis-facing-education-in-2024/.

Valiente, Carlos, et al. “Emotion-Related Socialization in the Classroom: Considering the Roles of Teachers, Peers, and the Classroom Context.” National Library of Medicine, 1 Mar. 2021, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7041856/.

Wall, Patrick, et al. “Tutoring help reaches few students despite nationwide push.” Chalkbeat, 10 March 2023, https://www.chalkbeat.org/2023/3/10/23629236/learning-loss-tutoring-students-pandemic-funds-covid/.

Walker, Tim. “Getting Serious About Teacher Burnout.” neaToday, 12 Nov. 2021, https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/getting-serious-about-teacher-burnout.