conferencing

This week I'm conferencing with my composition students. It's our first such meeting of the semester, and I find it a wonderful opportunity to touch base on a personal level. The first paper for both my 101 and 102 students is a narrative essay, and this personal writing encourages discussion of their lives as well as their writing. My 101 students are writing about their college identity--I want them to think about why they're here, how they came to be here, and where they're going next with a greater mindfulness. My 102 students are writing food narratives--rituals, diets, favorite meals, family connections...the possibilities and stories are as endless as food itself.