Dr. Geller forgot to say/remind everyone at the start of class that she added a folder to the Google Drive folders if anyone wants to upload their in class co-composed writing from September 14th.
Thursday’s class was devoted to discussion of Alexander and Weems’ Collaborative Spirit Writiing and Performance in Everyday Black Lives. Dr. Geller had rolled out paper down the middle of the table before class started. (Thank you Alex, for the pre-class consult on the plan for the evening.) We spent the first ten minutes of class quietly re-immersing ourselves in the text. Then, she asked that everyone use the paper and the markers to write thoughts, questions, and epiphanies from the Alexander and Weems chapters (5-24) on the paper. While we were writing Michelle asked if she could put on music, so we thought and wrote with music playing [*playlist from Michelle below].
Dr. Geller intended to flip the paper so everyone would be sitting in front of someone else’s writing, but we decided instead to treat it as a gallery we walked around to read. The request was to write response as we walked, so there is a layer of comments, questions, and notes alongside the original writing.
Here’s what the paper looked like after class, and here is a folder of more readable closeups of sections of the paper (some may be repeated and I hope all sections are here — the paper can also be put up again in/near class next week).
There was talk about the exercise itself, the intensity of the writing/ideas, and the vulnerability of putting this thinking on paper for everyone.
From about 6:20pm to 7pm we talked about these thoughts, questions, and ephiphanies and we went around for one final round of no comment reflection/questions we wanted to leave with before we left (at 7:04!).
Feel free to add anything you’d like about this conversation in the comments — and we’ll also invite comments on the 21st at the start of class on the 28th.
I’m (Dr. Geller) left thinking about the challenges of talking about authorship, writing, and learning and teaching via a Black centered text within the “white noise” (Alexander, 152) of higher education, reactions and responses to the genre/writing/style of the text, Alex’s question about whether there were at least six possible ways to think about applying Alexander and Weems to learning, teaching, and writing that we couldn’t even conceive of as we were talking, a question on the paper — “the f**k is academic writing?” — and our conversation about authoring/writing academic writing. I also appreciated the ways the Alexander and Weems’ text extended and pushed our thinking about notes/citation, influence and originality and legacy, raised issues of how we classify texts, introduced some to authoethnography. Thank you to Rachel for her description of herself as a white high school teacher required by curriculum to teach a white text (Frankenstein) but/and striving to center the identities, knowledges, histories, and experiences of students of color as they read and wrote about the text. Oooof, so much more Dr. Geller isn’t capturing here from our writing and our talk!
Thanks for presence and participation and energy as well as the pauses for reflection and questioning and challenges on Thursday evening!
*In-class playlist from Michelle (thank you!):
Cool Jazz
I’ll Remember April – George Shearing
Retrospection – Lee Konitz
In Your Own Sweet Way – Wes Montgomery
Makin’ Whoopee – Gerry Mulligan
Blue Friday – Kenny Dorham
Nuages – Paul Desmond
Moon River – Vince Guaraldi Trio
Miles Ahead – Miles Davis
Where is Love – Sonny Stitt
I Was Doing Alright – Stan Getz
Evidence – Thelonious Monk Quintet
Pick Yourself Up – Nat King Cole
Waltz for Debby – Bill Evans Trio
All the Things You Are – Lennie Tristano
English 170 | Fall 2023 
Hi all. Sorry, I missed out on this thoughtful reflection and exercise. I did share some notes with Dr. Geller so I could have some participation in place of my absence. Hope to see everyone this Thursday.
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Yes, Matthew! Thank you for the reminder! Sorry I didn’t post what you wrote yet.
Here is the thinking Matthew sent me and I said I’d share:
Co-authoring takes center stage in “Collaborative Spirit-Writing.” The book’s unique structure, blending poetry, prose, and dialogue, is a poignant metaphor for the collaborative process. As I delved into the discussions and exchanges within the book, I witnessed a vibrant exploration of identity, history, love, and spirituality. The heart of “Collaborative Spirit-Writing” lies in its reflection on the essence of co-authorship and its profound implications for defining a writer and an author. The authors posit that writing is inherently collaborative in its most accurate form, echoing the sentiment that we generate meaning through our connections with others. In this context, a writer becomes more than an individual wielding a pen or typing at a keyboard; they become a conductor of collective experiences, an alchemist who transmutes shared emotions into words.
Furthermore, “Collaborative Spirit-Writing” underscores the importance of active engagement, where each author’s words inspire and inform the other’s contribution. This is significant because I felt this in the exercise last week with Michelle. It was meaningful and thought-provoking. Alexander and Weems demonstrate that attentive listening and thoughtful response are pivotal in effective collaboration, a skill set that transcends writing and can be applied to various aspects of human interaction. I feel we accomplished this last week, as well.
Ultimately, the book serves as a testament to the transformative power of co-authorship in literature and life. It highlights that becoming an author goes beyond writing; it encompasses the ability to co-create, harmonize voices, and forge connections that transcend the limitations of individuality.
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