Community college creative writing expectations

[Innisfree]

Dd is taking a creative writing class at our local community college, and came home disappointed today. Her teacher is apparently not giving any constructive criticism or suggestions at all on students' writing.

They turn in a first draft, go over it with classmates, then take it home again and compare their own work to a very general set of guidelines provided by the teacher. They do their own revisions, then turn it in again for a final grade. At no point does the teacher do more than check to see their haiku has the correct number of syllables (and they had been assigned three poems, of which the haiku was obviously the shortest). 

I'd love to get a reality check on what expectations are appropriate for such a class. Is it reasonable to ask a cc professor to comment on students' writing and offer suggestions for improvements? I know she is probably teaching a number of classes. Maybe this is just how it's done.

Dd is thinking about going to the professor's office hours and asking for suggestions. If she does this repeatedly, is this going to be a nuisance? 

Dd is so disappointed. She is a good writer, and she loves writing, but she has lots of room for improvement. Yet every single class she has been in before, from online writing class to public high school class to hs co-op class, she seemed to do just well enough that the teacher focused on students who needed more help. She could do the things they were asking her to do. But she has never gotten the critiques she needs to improve her own writing. Now she's in a CC class, and the professor seems to not intend to even comment on work beyond issuing a grade.

I'll admit I'm frustrated too. These classes are not cheap, and students put a lot of time and effort into their work. How do they learn without help? What gives here?

Edited September 9, 2019 by Innisfree

[Farrar]

Feedback is the whole point of a writing class, IMHO. 

I will say though... if there are lots of assignments, this model doesn't seem out of line. You write something, it's workshopped under the supervision of the prof, then the prof gives a grade with feedback that you can then turn around on the next assignment. If there are a dozen short assignments, seems great. If there are fewer assignments, but the prof is a generous grader and, say, you get to do extensive revisions to an assignment for a bigger grade at the end... also seems potentially good. If there are like four assignments for the whole semester, way less good.

Office hours are there to be used.

[Innisfree]

1 hour ago, Farrar said:

Feedback is the whole point of a writing class, IMHO. 

I will say though... if there are lots of assignments, this model doesn't seem out of line. You write something, it's workshopped under the supervision of the prof, then the prof gives a grade with feedback that you can then turn around on the next assignment. If there are a dozen short assignments, seems great. If there are fewer assignments, but the prof is a generous grader and, say, you get to do extensive revisions to an assignment for a bigger grade at the end... also seems potentially good. If there are like four assignments for the whole semester, way less good.

Office hours are there to be used.

This is helpful, thanks.

I'll tell her to make use of office hours. We did already talk about that, dd was just worried about turning up often and having the professor feel she was a nuisance. 

[chiguirre]

Definitely use the office hours! That's why they're there.

It's also a good idea to see if there is a writing center. My dd has used them extensively and they've sat with her and gone over her papers line by line making very useful comments. My dd is a good writer, but they've helped her improve. Honestly, the writing center at our CC is more useful than the professor's office hours.

[Innisfree]

I'll get her to check for a writing center, thanks.

[BusyMom5]

Is there a writing lab?  If so, I'd have her take her writing there first.  There might be feedback on the paper after its graded.  

[Innisfree]

9 hours ago, BusyMom5 said:

Is there a writing lab?  If so, I'd have her take her writing there first.  There might be feedback on the paper after its graded.  

Are the writing labs you all are familiar with staffed by students? That's how they seem to be run here. And in a community college, with only two-year programs, the help available wouldn't have much more experience than dd herself. It's still worth a try, and might be useful.

She did try to go to office hours, but the professor wasn't where she said she'd be.

So far she's turned in two assignments, has two more due Monday, has not gotten anything back, and has not gotten any comments. The other students were trying to work out meter and rhyme scheme; dd had those. They told her that her language was sophisticated. That's all she's heard from anyone. She's worried about coming across as thinking that she's better than others, but just objectively, she is better prepared for the class. Meter and so on are pretty easy for her. She does need help, and she cares about this a lot, but so far the class is not offering much.

Edited September 13, 2019 by Innisfree

[Farrar]

This is unfortunate. I’d have her start by asking for turnaround on assignments. She shouldn’t have to wait for multiple pieces to see where she stands. She should send the professor an email if she has trouble approaching her after class and can’t find her at office hours. 

Rather than lay out every concern, I’d say focus on those two very clear, very basic things. What is the turnaround for assignments and when can she expect them back. And what are the prof’s office hours.

[chiguirre]

5 hours ago, Innisfree said:

Are the writing labs you all are familiar with staffed by students?

At dd's CC the writing center staff were mainly elderly women. I'm guessing they are retired English teachers.

[kiwik]

On 9/13/2019 at 11:33 PM, Innisfree said:

Are the writing labs you all are familiar with staffed by students? That's how they seem to be run here. And in a community college, with only two-year programs, the help available wouldn't have much more experience than dd herself. It's still worth a try, and might be useful.

She did try to go to office hours, but the professor wasn't where she said she'd be.

So far she's turned in two assignments, has two more due Monday, has not gotten anything back, and has not gotten any comments. The other students were trying to work out meter and rhyme scheme; dd had those. They told her that her language was sophisticated. That's all she's heard from anyone. She's worried about coming across as thinking that she's better than others, but just objectively, she is better prepared for the class. Meter and so on are pretty easy for her. She does need help, and she cares about this a lot, but so far the class is not offering much.

Can she get a refund if she withdraws now? It seems a waste of time and money.