Collaboration in Writing

After reading Andrea Lunsford's "Collaboration, Control and the Idea of a Writing Center" in St. Martin's Sourcebook (and also constructing a pre-draft response for class review), I have a few thoughts.

I've never really thought about all the different ways you can go about working on your writing, at least as far as writing centers are concerned.  Lunsford really does a good job delineating the differences between "Storehouse Center," "Garret Center," and "Burkean Parlor Center."  Her writing was effective in this regard, as it helped me to understand the foci of the centers, while helping me to put them each into respective categories.  Overall, too, I feel that Lunsford presents her argument well, and indeed presents a number of points to validate her stance.

However, upon reading and reflecting on her article, I couldn't help but think of all of the group projects that were meant for "collaboration" but ended sourly.  I can honestly say that most of the group assignments that I've had in my school career have been assigned by teachers who meant well but had no real idea as to how the project was inherently meant for "collaboration."  Those projects were either dominated by one person, able to be figured out individually without the help of others, seemingly meaningless and a waste of time, or all of the above.  It is really unfortunate how many students are subjected to "collaborative" tasks just because the teacher feels that group work should be implemented in some form or fashion.  Group work is like writing assignments--we are still questioning why some teachers give them.

Not to completely bash group work at all.  It can definitely be beneficial to all involved, but I think that teachers assigning those activities should read Lunsford--she could give them a pointer or two that would spare us all in the end.  No students suffering through contrived group work, no teachers grading BS assignments.  Everyone is happy.