Over the last 3 weeks, I have been working with a contractor to renovate my bathroom. Remodels test my patience. Problems arise and each phase of a renovation requires careful planning and setting. Fortunately, I didn't have any major structural issues, and most of the projects that needed to be completed were finished without fuss. I'll spare you most of the boring details.
One of the things I noticed about my contractor is that he plans. I wanted to participate in the remodel, so I had to suck it up and let someone boss me around. Yet, doing the small evening tasks helped to move the renovations along and get the work done. For example, one night I textured. Another night, I sanded. On the weekend, I got the painting done. One evening, I helped lay flooring. All of these little things added up to a beautiful reno.
Another thing I noticed about my contractor is that he has a process. As post-process theorist, one of my critical observations about process is that processes are dynamic. When something came up, my contractor had to step back and reorganize. The process for each stage of renovation was not the same. For example, laying floors is definitely not the same as painting walls. They require different tools, different processes, and result in different outcomes. Similarly, writing in different genres or for different rhetorical situations requires different processes.
Laying the foundation for a good process requires students know where they are going with their writing. Considering the writing project or the final outcome is just one of the steps, but sometimes students need help with the planning and time management. As a teacher, one of the things I plan to do more of is laying a stronger foundation for the writing task. Asking questions about how students plan to get there and to consider where they are going as they engage in each part of the process.
In my own writing, my tactile foray revisiting my construction days reminded me how patience and planning yields solid results. I have not been diligent and disciplined lately about how I write. I've gotten off track of my plan, and now I have a bit of cleaning up to do...and perhaps I need to lay a stronger foundation for my dissertation writing.
Want to see how my remodel turned out? Well, here's a quick before and after:
Happy writing!
Best,
Michelle