In Macy's post about the gendering of composition, she argues that while our reading this week makes a point to paint composition as a powerless position, the implications of what the composition teacher actually accomplishes can be construed as quite a powerful position, indeed. I fully agree with this, and would take it a step further to ask: Is our ability to recognize and demonstrate the power of first year composition studies a key to breaking down the systematic gendering of the field? Admittedly, the decks are stacked against our favor. But is it not possible for us to take the power back, so to speak, and to make a difference at least in the minds of our students? Might we not simply refuse to buy into the assumptions we are continually sold -- that we cogs in a machine not of our own making? And if this causes the machinery to break down, might we not take the opportunity to build, or at least influence the building of, a better, more democratic way administrating FYC?
A realize this just brings me back to the point of my post from earlier about the Bartlett article. But nonetheless, I feel that recognizing the true power of what we do can get us at least closer to understanding our role in significant change.
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