A MOTHER SON COMMUNIQUE

MOTHER to SON

I signed on to check my Yahoo mail and noticed that there were some relating to your class. I read a couple and deleted them before I realized I was in your mailbox. You had not logged out. Sorry. Be sure and check your trash in case I deleted Something major.

And let me know what happens in Monday's class!
XXOO

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SON to MOTHER

no worries - if you read some stuff you might see that my class is about to revolt, I think. Today will be a make-it or break it class. I think. but I've been spending a lot of time feverishly witting (in the context of the class) on these blogs - the intent is to get a dialog with both my students, and the outside world, so you comments are requested.

but as a primer, I'm basically engaged in what we call a PROCESS. how do we teach process? I am attempting to teach process through example - exposing my thought
"process" so that hopefully the students can learn.

point of story I am experiment with narrative as a method of representing ideas - not architecture, because architecture should be about representing ideas, and to talk about representing architecture is like placing importance on a faximile. What I'm trying to do is talk about ideas.

Its also an exercise in free association - the generation of ideas.

I cite as president for my narrative style, movies like slacker or waking life (same director). These movies play with narrative and representation in a way that relates back to the overall IDEA - I cite Gonzo journalism, and i'm sure countless others. Its about playing with relationships - putting chocolate and peanut butter together and see if a transformation occurs.

but ultimately its a way for me to access writing - something I have been trying to do for quite some time - point being the work I am engaged in is larger than the class I'm teaching.

put look through and let me know what you think. - here is the link to the main page - again its disjointed and intentionally so - its about process. the intent is that by the end of the semester I will end up with something well written.

oh here - http://studio-details.blogspot.com/

-owen
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MOTHER to SON

Owen,

I think all of this is very interesting. And I think I see what you are trying to do.

Since you asked for my thoughts, here they are, but please don't go off in a huff and not email me back for weeks on end.

Try to look at it from the school's perspective: they hired you to teach a specific class, and it appears that is not what you are doing. I know you think the class was bogus from the start, but I am not sure veering off like this is the right way to express your thoughts.

Plus, you write on your blog that students in the first year are not getting a good architectural education. How could the school possibly react?

As to your students --- they are paying money for this class, and I guess they think they signed up for a course that is not being taught, where the teacher admits he doesn't know for sure where he is going. I can understand that they may be confused.

I think you have to give them some assurance that they are going to come out of this class smarter/wiser and in the end better architects.

Please let me know what happens. As always, I worry.

XXOO

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SON to MOTHER

can I post this publicly? this is what I am looking for.
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MOTHER to SON

Sure. You might want to take out the XXOO and the part about going off in a huff.

XXOO
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MOTHER to SON

Why couldn't you teach the course you were hired to teach and offer your course as something like extra credit, for those who want to explore process?

That way, you would pacify the non-adventurous students, who signed up for the course; put the school at ease and emerge from the experience with a book, which you won't if you walk off the job or are dismissed.

Please, please don't quit. You did, remember, agree to teach the course. So do it.