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"CW: Writing Peer Group" Case

Case Description

Jamie is in an Introduction to Writing Fiction course. The course requirements are five short stories with subsequent peer reviews by all class members. No prompts are provided, so students have the freedom to write on self-chosen topics; they are asked to produce only 3-5 pages per draft.

Jamie's stories all focus on some aspects of the unexpected passing of a female friend. Two stories, however, thoroughly detail the friend's death, bordering almost on medical non-fiction. Some classmates are uncomfortable with the subject matter when critiquing Jamie's stories in the peer group.

As a faculty member, what would you do?

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Case Responses

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Response 1.
Make thoughtful comments on Jamie's paper once it comes to you after the peer group. Within your comments, offer to meet privately with her to discuss her writing or any other issues she might have, and provide a number for professional counseling help. At the meeting, you will broach the subject of writing and depression.
Response 2.
Tailor your peer group/workshopping requirements, possibly allowing students to choose a draft to spend extensive time discussing and revising, rather than spending short time on every draft. If you have use of a web-based learning program that allows students to post their work, you could require students to post an assignment and respond to a classmate's story via the program. Make thoughtful comments and offer plenty of suggestions to those papers that do not receive full workshopping time .
Response 3.
A main purpose of this class is to learn how to form on-going revising techniques and to work with peer critique. Peer groups teach students how to thoughtfully respond to others' work, critique their own work, and learn tolerance for various genres and styles of writing. Jamie's stories may be disturbing, but they fulfill the teaching goals. You will remind students of tolerance and the acceptance of criticism. You will be sure to look at Jamie's paper privately.