Conference Reflections - part 1

Michael and I had a good time at the recently ended CCCC Convention on the theme of identities in New York, hearing great panels, meeting scholars we have read and know about, getting inspired for teaching next term (me), connecting with others who train graduate student teaching assistants (me), dancing (Michael), seeing family and friends (me), and presenting our talk on graduate teaching assistants & their evolution of a teacherly identity as it appears in blogs (us, together). I found this conference more helpful than the 2005, (I missed 2006) perhaps because I am more deeply situated into my job at Oregon State. I'm already thinking about what I can propose for a panel for next year in New Orleans. The deadline for presentation proposals is so soon.

Meanwhile, I wonder if Michael and I should post our presentation on line as Clancy Ratliff has done on her blog. We enjoyed her talk on blogging & plagiarism. The retort by a blogger who had plagiarized that -- Wikipedia is meant to be plagiarized -- gave a possible insight into our students' attitudes as I return to grading student papers which often have copy/paste "issues." Rebecca Moore Howard's attention to the tropes around plagiarism - are teachers detectives, prosecutors, judge, and jailers? - resonated with me. Neologism - Plagiarologist?

I'll be posting more reflections. Let me know what you want to hear about.