Feedback Strategies

Try Feedforward Instead of Feedback

I loved this article. While I enjoy getting and giving feedback, I have never thought that being berated by knowing everything I did wrong that I can't change was a particularly effective means of criticism. I like that in this article feedforward is characterized as specific suggestions for the future. I also appreciated the emphasis the article placed, especially since it will be applied to a creative writing setting, on not trying to prove the person you are providing feedback to wrong.



How to Give Students Specific Feedback That Actually Helps Them Learn
Overall I really liked this article. I thought its strongest points were that feedback should be consistent, goal oriented an transparent. Nothing bothers me more than taking a paper into a professor and getting feedback, applying their suggestions, and then having them criticize the application of those suggestions. I also think that having a goal contributes to motivation in a very palpable way. As for transparency, no matter the actually difficulty of the paper I find it much easier when I know the expectations.

Growth Mindset Cat
growthmindsetmemes.blogspot.com

Week 3 Story - Kamadeva's Diary

Edit: new version of this story is now available at elizindianepicsportfolio.blogspot.com

Vishnu and Lakshmi
commons.wikimedia

Date  October 1^st, 10495BC

Dear Diary,

       This is my first attempt at journaling my thoughts, but supposedly it will help my decision making. Personally I think my choices are excellent. True, as the God of Love and Desire, sometimes I can wreck a little havoc on people’s lives. However, what is life without a little craziness? 

    Today was one of my personal bests. My dear friends Vishnu and Lakshmi are currently reincarnated as mere mortals, Rama and Sita. Vishnu and Lakshmi’s love is one of my greatest achievements. They respect each other greatly and are the epitome of fidelity and passion. I couldn’t just let their mortal forms miss out on each other!! So, I made sure to infuse the purest breath of desire into both Rama and Sita. True, I probably breathed a little to heavily in Sita’s direction but it will be fine. 

Right diary? 

What harm could possibly come from making Sita alovelorn to the point that she is almost suicidal? 

It’s fine. 

    The extreme desire will die down in the coming years. In that time I’m sure Vishnu and Lakshmi’s souls will have recognized one another through the guises of Rama and Sita. I’ll be honest though. It was complete luck for me that Rama could string that bow. If Vishnu’s human form hadn’t been strong enough then Rama and Sita could not have married and the desire I gave them would most likely have driven them insane. Whoops. Oh well, I’ll just have to be a little more careful with my next couple.

      I suppose I should find someone for Lakshamana. Heroes tend to want worthy partners and I aim to please. I’ll make sure not to infuse as much desire though. The last thing someone as hot-tempered as Lakshamana needs is more passion. I’ll get started on that first thing tomorrow. For now I think its time to get some rest, creating true love does take a lot out of me.

Authors Note/Bibliography

Narayan's Ramayana, Guide A

The major plot points of my story stay true to the original story. Rama and Sita see each other and instantly are obsessed with one another. Sita is almost inconsolable. Rama is allowed to marry Sita because he can string a god's bow. My story is Kamadeva (the god of love's) commentary on their love story's origin. I wanted to play with different tones for Kamadeva and will probably go more serious next time. 

Reading Notes - Narayan's Ramayana Section B

Rama, Sita, and Lakshamana
commons.wikimedia.org

-       The contrasting characterizations of Rama and Lakshmana add to their believability as brothers and give depth two the two heroes.  Lakshmana’s quick temper makes it apparent why he was not ever even considered to be king, but his loyalty to Rama explains why Rama allows him to come into exile with him.

-       I liked that Sita was finally given a little bit of agency in her decision to follow Rama into exile. Thus far all of her choices had been made for her, but in this scene we see her actually win an argument with Rama.

-       The debate between Bharata and Rama is a really interesting moment. You get to see a little of bot brother’s personally and values as well as their love for one another. They also raise an interesting debate as to whether ultimate authority is derived from the house or the state.

-       I thought it was interesting that both Ravana and his sister claim that the god of love is influencing their desires for Sita and Rama respectively. Especially since Kamadeva is never met as a character thus far.

-       Lakshmana continues to develop as a character when Sita spots the deer and he warns Rama that it is an illusion. We see a great deal of discernment and wisdom in an otherwise hotheaded character.

-       We also see wisdom in maricha as he tries to talk Ravana out of capturing Sita. Maricha knows that following Ravana’s lead will not only mean his death but Ravana’s as well. It is clear that Maricha loves Ravana which I think is really fascinating. In most stories the “villains” are depicted as incapable of really loving others and thus far that hasn’t really been true in this epic

Bibliography

Narayan's Ramayana, link to Reading Guide A.

Reading Notes - Narayan's Ramayana Section A

- I liked that the first scene between Dasaratba and Viswamithra set the stage well for the rest of the story. You can clearly see a divide in the personality of the king that the boys had been raised under and their new guardian Viswamithra.

- Viswamithra mentions Shiva reducing the god of love to ashes. (Look up when working on project)

 - Ahalya's story was definetely not my fave. She literally did nothing wrong and ended up as stone for who knows how many years only to be ordered to return to the service of the man who cursed her. (Potential story: have god of love narrating the story + new ending with role reversal)

Ahalya bows down to Rama
blogspot.com

 - The beginning of Rama and Sita's story is interesting. It is fun as a reader to know that part of the reason for their overwhelming attraction to one another is because their divine forms are already married. It conveys a sense of both young passionate love and older more mature commitment.

- Sita seems to have had a rather extreme reaction but to each her own. Rama's reaction made much more sense to me.


- I thought it was really interesting how communal Rama and Sita's wedding was. The detail that every single man, woman, and child from the two capitals was invited gave a lot of insight into the cultures.

- I also liked that the cummination of Rama's time with Viswamithra was his marriage to Sita. The pace of the story gave the reader the impression that all of those tasks were meant to lead to Rama proving his worth to marry Sita.

 - Kaikeyi's sudden change of heart after speaking to Kooni felt unnatural but was an interesting plot twist. It also make her a more complicated character as she did save the kings life, he did promise her father that he would name her son king, and he owes her two promises. The only thing I hold against Kaikeyi is banishing Rama. That feels excessively cruel, especially since Rama has no desire for the throne and views Kaikeyi as his own mother.




Bibliography
Narayan's Ramayana, link to Reading Guide A.