Composition Studies
"A difficult time in school is not unique to you, not odd or freakish, that there are reasons for such a life, that though difficult, the difficulty is not of your making. You are a legitimate member of this place, and your struggles and successes are important. Your efforts and your mind are taken seriously."
-Mike Rose, author of Lives on the Boundary
Introduction to "A Look to the 'Outsiders'"
First year composition courses often serve as gateway courses for college studies (Crowley), which means composition teachers are among some of the first professors that first generation students come across in their college experience. The U.S Department of Education estimates that, in 2012, the total number of all undergraduates was roughly 21 million (Digest of Education Statistics). Of those 21 million, the National Study of Post-Secondary Aid estimates that 40% of those 21 million undergraduates are first year undergraduates (U.S. Department of Education), making that roughly 8 million first year undergraduates students enrolled in any type of college. While not all of these 8 million students are going to enroll in first year composition, we do know that a good majority of those students will take first ear composition, most likely in their first semester at a college or university (Poblete).
Conclusion to "A Look to the 'Outsiders'"
This, I believe, is one major reason that composition studies needs to return their attention to the educational experiences of first generation students. Regardless of the strides made in access for underrepresented student populations, education equality is still far from complete. First generation students face multiple, significant barriers to educational access and success. Because first year composition serves as a gateway course for students, meaning that without success in these courses, students cannot move on in their academic goals, composition instructors are positioned with the unique opportunity to provide some of the support that first generation need to succeed in the academy. It is time we paid explicit attention to this population.
