Vietnam : slipping on the green weenie

Vietnam: Slipping on the Green Weenieis a collection of short stories, haiku, and a haibun submitted as an original writing thesis. The elements stand alone and also link to tell a larger story. They constitute action research directly affecting teaching practice, but may not be generalisable except as an example.

Vietnam: Slipping on the Green Weenie, is a case study drawing on the memories of one man and the stories of many, each told as oral histories over the years. It is uninfluenced by books or movies released since the war ended. The author intentionally avoided material released after 1969, the latest date linked to a story source. The author looked up the Vietnam War in encyclopedia year books each dated from 1965 to 1969. The author saw Forest Gump. The author saw half of Apocalypse Now, the author did not see The Deerhunter, Platoon, or Full Metal Jacketor hang around with people who did.

Teaching writing relies on two underpinnings. First, it must be teachable and second, it must be assessable. Completing a writing project certainly leads to an enhanced understanding of that project's form. It also provides material with which to teach the revision and editing process. Thus engagement with writing seems the appropriate form of research for a potential writing teacher.

The simple study of literature does not produce good writers. Reading is not the same skill as writing. There are many more literature teachers than writing teachers and an exquisite facility with insight and critical evaluation of literature does not make a good writer. If it did, every candidate for a doctorate in literature would produce masterpieces on both a literary and a popular fiction level.