"I look forward to reading multi-genre papers. I hated to read traditional research papers because I had to sit in an uncomfortable chair and literally pinch myself at times to stay focused. Such papers, when well done, revealed the belnding of many sources--except for the most important one--the student's voice. I began to resent spending my precious life reading this lackluster writing." --Sue Amendt, quoted in Blending Genre, Altering Style by Tom Romano, page s 5-6

For some reason, teachers complaining about grading papers is becoming one of my leading pet peeves. In conversations with some of my fellow co-horters, we've come to the conclusion that while Romano does give us a great guide for guiding students in creating multi-genre papers, it doesn't do a very good job of telling us what multi-genre papers actually do. I'm trying to find a way that the reason doesn't lie in the above quote--that we would be doing these papers for some pragmatic, altruistic reason--but instead, I'm left with a feeling of a shortcut, or a concession. "Fine" we seem to be saying, "if you can't write an enganging essay, would you please just write a freaking poem? I'm bored to tears, here!"

Why does expository writing exclude the student's voice? The truth is that it doesn't, it could never hope to, but for some reason, the perception is that the 5-paragraph essay structure comes attached with the idea that we must be as nuetered, as non-prominent, as possible. This is a misconception, especially since high schoolers should begin writing persuasive essays, which better well voice an opinion. And labeling expository writing as inherently boring and factual, while narrative writing is inherently exciting and emotional and interesting, is a huge diservice to both creative writing and expository writing.

Teachers need to find a way to make expository writing engaging for their students (making the writing engaging to read as a result), not just allow students to create engaging projects in the hope that they will include some expository details, such as a 5 year old report on Allosaurs.

Teachers also need to understand, that if you are sick and tired of reading the same boring esays time and time again, then there is something wrong with the method, not the students, and not the genre. I'm sure that I could easily teach creative writing in such a formulaic, stilted way that soon, all student poems would begin to look the same as well, and then I would have to begin pinching myslef to get through it all. In fact, if multi-genre papers become a standard somewhere, it's only a matter of time.

MadS