Well, Irina and Tim stole my thunder a bit. Logic and rhetoric are something I didn't get enough of as an undergraduate, so I'm interested in getting more now, and in passing it along to students as much as I'm able. One of my goals in teaching English 1000 would be to get students to question their assumptions- all part of reading critically. If they can think in terms of logic, and spot holes in the logic of others, that makes their critical reading skills stronger. As Irina says, Aristotle and others use some memorable examples; could we make logic fun? Looking ahead to the following essay ("The Enthymeme as Postmodern Argument Form" - delicious) gives us some timely examples as well.
Joe
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Finding Your Grading Curve
Curzan and Damour claim that "You have to find the 'zone' of grades that makes you feel comfortable and that is acceptable at your university" (152). I wonder if these two categories are always reconcilable. It seems that the zone of grades that "makes you feel comfortable" may not necessarily overlap with the grading scheme "acceptable at your university." I've heard stories (from undisclosed sources) of T.A.s who have been reprimanded for not "producing" the correct range of grades or for having a class average that deviates from the norm as defined by the institution.
This external pressure to "manufacture" a predetermined range of grades makes me a bit uncomfortable. As a teacher, I will have high expectations of my students -- that's a given. I've discovered during my experience as a student that I have always admired (and learned more from) the teachers who took their classes seriously and expected excellence. I worry that high standards may interfere with my ability to "produce" the acceptable grade range. What if the class is significantly more or less talented/equipped than the norm? Should an excellent class be punished for its excellence by the necessity of producing a standard grade spectrum? Should a terrible class be rewarded with the giveaway of lower grading standards?
I hope we can talk a little more in class about what Mizzou's standards look like and how they are maintained. What I gleaned from Dr. Kinnison's speech on the "supervision" system seemed to imply that one was expected to manufacture a fairly standard set of scores semester after semester. Could one be punished by the institution for grading in his or her "comfort zone?" How do we fell about that?
This external pressure to "manufacture" a predetermined range of grades makes me a bit uncomfortable. As a teacher, I will have high expectations of my students -- that's a given. I've discovered during my experience as a student that I have always admired (and learned more from) the teachers who took their classes seriously and expected excellence. I worry that high standards may interfere with my ability to "produce" the acceptable grade range. What if the class is significantly more or less talented/equipped than the norm? Should an excellent class be punished for its excellence by the necessity of producing a standard grade spectrum? Should a terrible class be rewarded with the giveaway of lower grading standards?
I hope we can talk a little more in class about what Mizzou's standards look like and how they are maintained. What I gleaned from Dr. Kinnison's speech on the "supervision" system seemed to imply that one was expected to manufacture a fairly standard set of scores semester after semester. Could one be punished by the institution for grading in his or her "comfort zone?" How do we fell about that?
Logic and rhetoric for in-class activities
In Aristotle’s Rhetoric there are interesting examples of persuasion based on classification of human knowledge. His distinction of speaker, audience and speech reminded me modern theories of communication. His explanation on syllogisms made me recall the introductory course of logics I took in undergraduate school. It was interesting because I still clearly remember many things I learned in it. Being logical is the first requirement for any persuasion. So I think it is possible to use some basics of logic to help students comprehend the perplexity and importance of argumentation.
What I’m speaking about is not theoretical information but rather using famous examples that either proved to be irrefutable or demonstrate difficulties in building argumentation. Some of them are quite entertaining and easy to memorize. For instance, in the sentence “I lie” it is impossible to define whether this statement true or false. The simple logical problems could be helpful too such as true/false syllogisms. In fact, my comment mostly deals with adding to the variety of tasks and activities we can offer to students. I think logic is not bad option.
What I’m speaking about is not theoretical information but rather using famous examples that either proved to be irrefutable or demonstrate difficulties in building argumentation. Some of them are quite entertaining and easy to memorize. For instance, in the sentence “I lie” it is impossible to define whether this statement true or false. The simple logical problems could be helpful too such as true/false syllogisms. In fact, my comment mostly deals with adding to the variety of tasks and activities we can offer to students. I think logic is not bad option.
Time flies when you're grading
I thought it was really interesting that both Curzan & Damour and Bean suggest that for the first few batches of grading, you should read through all the essays quickly to make note of organization, topic sentences, thesis statement, and other isssues you should be able to find easily. This seems like an excellent way to get an overall impression of which essays are very strong and which need lots of work, and I plan to use this method at least at the beginning of a course. Also, it can give a good overview of a student's individual style of writing, which will become more familiar as the course progresses. In that way, you don't have to do the quick read-through with every submission because you will already know a student's style.
When I was a T.A. for a professor as an undergrad, I found that it was really difficult to grade the first few groups of essay submissions. I would read an essay I thought was pretty good early in the grading process, and then I would find some deeper in the pile that were definitely better examples of A or B work. I think once or twice I went back and changed the grades I assigned because of this.
I guess my question is: is that an ethical thing to do? Although I think it would be helpful to "arrange [an essay] in the stack of graded papers from best to worst" without writing a grade on the paper the first time around, I also think this borderlines on judging one paper against another (Curzan & Damour 153). I don't think that is an effective way to grade papers. When I was grading, I tried to convince myself that I saw quality writing in the early essays. I would only change a grade if I realized the essay did *not* meet the criteria very well, but I would only realize this because of how well another essay was written. It wasn't that I was comparing one essay to another, I just found a better example of A/B work. Still, it's a very fine line.
And again...is it ethical to change a grade if you've already written it down?
When I was a T.A. for a professor as an undergrad, I found that it was really difficult to grade the first few groups of essay submissions. I would read an essay I thought was pretty good early in the grading process, and then I would find some deeper in the pile that were definitely better examples of A or B work. I think once or twice I went back and changed the grades I assigned because of this.
I guess my question is: is that an ethical thing to do? Although I think it would be helpful to "arrange [an essay] in the stack of graded papers from best to worst" without writing a grade on the paper the first time around, I also think this borderlines on judging one paper against another (Curzan & Damour 153). I don't think that is an effective way to grade papers. When I was grading, I tried to convince myself that I saw quality writing in the early essays. I would only change a grade if I realized the essay did *not* meet the criteria very well, but I would only realize this because of how well another essay was written. It wasn't that I was comparing one essay to another, I just found a better example of A/B work. Still, it's a very fine line.
And again...is it ethical to change a grade if you've already written it down?
Grading
In thinking about holistic vs analytical grading, it seems to me that the smaller components might be relevant to think about, but that with writing, it is (I think) possible for a paper to be greater than the sum of its parts. Sometimes a paper that seems mildly disorganized and does not have a particularly clear thesis statement, but whose purpose is clear throughout, can be a pretty decent paper overall, etc.
In my undergraduate experience I only remember having a grading rubric handed to me once and, honestly, I didn't really know what to do with it. I certainly never said to myself, "gee, the rubric says to get an A I need a clear, well defined thesis and frankly this one is rather vague." If I could see that, it wouldn't be a problem! Rather, it is only in the last 2 years or so that I have been able to really assess my own work's strengths and weaknesses, so I don't necessarily think that I should expect my students to, either.
One thing that I think was suggested by one of the instructors Ken Bain interviewed in What the Best College Teachers Do is to spend a day very early on talking about assessment. This professor brought examples of A and B papers, etc to class and spent the entire class period discussing what constituted what grade and why. I think that I would like to adapt that somewhat, but I think that it would be highly relevant for students to be able to see what an A paper looks like before being expected to produce one.
I suppose the only problem with that is that when teaching for the first time, where do we get such papers? I guess we'll have to write them ourselves if we really want them, but gosh, I don't know if I can write an F paper!
--Bri
In my undergraduate experience I only remember having a grading rubric handed to me once and, honestly, I didn't really know what to do with it. I certainly never said to myself, "gee, the rubric says to get an A I need a clear, well defined thesis and frankly this one is rather vague." If I could see that, it wouldn't be a problem! Rather, it is only in the last 2 years or so that I have been able to really assess my own work's strengths and weaknesses, so I don't necessarily think that I should expect my students to, either.
One thing that I think was suggested by one of the instructors Ken Bain interviewed in What the Best College Teachers Do is to spend a day very early on talking about assessment. This professor brought examples of A and B papers, etc to class and spent the entire class period discussing what constituted what grade and why. I think that I would like to adapt that somewhat, but I think that it would be highly relevant for students to be able to see what an A paper looks like before being expected to produce one.
I suppose the only problem with that is that when teaching for the first time, where do we get such papers? I guess we'll have to write them ourselves if we really want them, but gosh, I don't know if I can write an F paper!
--Bri
making the grade
I appreciate that Anne Curzan and Lisa Damour point out the importance of instructors telling students what they expect when they assign a paper. Curzan and Damour even encourage instructors to be so specific with their students that they explain what constitutes an A paper, a B paper, etc. Working in the writing lab, I see many assignment sheets. I find few that go into this much detail about how an assignment will be graded. Nevertheless, I think this is the only fair way to grade these papers.
Further, pointing out the areas that students need to focus on helps them write and revise. It’s like the “Guide to Revision” that we tutors give to the students we work with in the writing lab. Most of their instructors are hoping that they will think about the questions that sheet poses and write with them in mind. As instructors, we can make sure our students think about the parts of the paper by assigning certain scores to each part—taking what John Bean calls an analytic approach to grading.
I have heard it said that professors and instructors, especially those teaching English 1000 and the like, should grade student papers more harshly at the beginning of the semester so students have something to work toward. Will students continue to work hard to improve and to develop their writing if they make an A on the final draft of their first paper or on their first submission? How can instructors grade with fairness and consistency and still motivate their students?
Further, pointing out the areas that students need to focus on helps them write and revise. It’s like the “Guide to Revision” that we tutors give to the students we work with in the writing lab. Most of their instructors are hoping that they will think about the questions that sheet poses and write with them in mind. As instructors, we can make sure our students think about the parts of the paper by assigning certain scores to each part—taking what John Bean calls an analytic approach to grading.
I have heard it said that professors and instructors, especially those teaching English 1000 and the like, should grade student papers more harshly at the beginning of the semester so students have something to work toward. Will students continue to work hard to improve and to develop their writing if they make an A on the final draft of their first paper or on their first submission? How can instructors grade with fairness and consistency and still motivate their students?
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Problem Solving Mode, Holistic vs. Analytic
I was struck by Curzan/Damour's bit on Problem Solving Mode- the temptation to suggest very specific improvements in papers. This is probably familiar to anyone who's done tutoring! As an instructor grading papers it might be even harder to avoid, since your goal in teaching the course is to improve their writing...offering constructive advice is what we do. I agree that this is a trap to avoid, but how do you avoid it and still feel you've given them enough to go on? A student might come back saying your comments are too vague. Anyway, it seems like a narrow path to walk between not enough and too much.
From Bean: I like the holistic grading approach; it's much more in line with my college instructors, and may help to sharpen the delineation between high school writing (in which I almost always had very compartmentalized analytic grading) and college writing. One way to blend the two (similar in effect to the letter grade catechism on p. 264) is to comment analytically -- addressing various important areas like thesis, organization, style, and then grade on overall effect. I can see how a paper that's technically sound, organized well, but uninspired in concept will be inferior to a paper that is unorganized but has brilliant ideas, at least in the first submission round.
The discussion of grading in both books has the drawback of not strictly applying to the English 1000 structure, in which revision is _required_. Our grades and especially comments need to take this into account. In addition, we need to think of ways to encourage revision in papers that were pretty good in first submission form- "good" writers can get complacent in a hurry.
Joe
From Bean: I like the holistic grading approach; it's much more in line with my college instructors, and may help to sharpen the delineation between high school writing (in which I almost always had very compartmentalized analytic grading) and college writing. One way to blend the two (similar in effect to the letter grade catechism on p. 264) is to comment analytically -- addressing various important areas like thesis, organization, style, and then grade on overall effect. I can see how a paper that's technically sound, organized well, but uninspired in concept will be inferior to a paper that is unorganized but has brilliant ideas, at least in the first submission round.
The discussion of grading in both books has the drawback of not strictly applying to the English 1000 structure, in which revision is _required_. Our grades and especially comments need to take this into account. In addition, we need to think of ways to encourage revision in papers that were pretty good in first submission form- "good" writers can get complacent in a hurry.
Joe
Grades
As an undergrad I never appreciated the grading rubrics I received, I often discarded them—or shoved them away until the end of the semester (interesting how karma has returned to me). I am not familiar with the common point system Mizzou utilizes, for in my undergrad there were only letter grades and percentiles. However, I find that developing an analytical scale, as described in Bean most appealing. I believe that with an initial class to delineate exactly what is expected for each paper (well constructed topic sentences, a strong thesis, etc.), in addition to providing students with examples of each along with their handbook, that an analytical scale can be appropriate… As far as holistic scales are concerned, if I can stay away from them I would prefer to :) .
Arguments and Persuasion...
As I reflect on the types of arguments that have happened around me in the past days I automatically begin to think of shouting matches I may have observed in my daily routine or in the media. However, I abruptly stopped my train of thought to allow myself to think of argumentation in a less ordinary sense. On Monday I spoke to an Eng 1000 class on the art and significance of graffiti. This course focuses on utilizing the hip-hop culture as a pedagogical device to teach students multicultural, practical, and theoretical approaches to writing. With that said I found myself in the middle of twenty students trying to persuade them that graffiti (‘tagging’ and ‘bombing’) was worth writing a five page paper on regardless of their personal view of graffiti being art or vandalism. First I was persuaded that this would be no easy task as I saw the blank, highly skeptical faces in the audience. Secondly I found myself being able to persuade them of the merit of this first paper by sharing my personal experience with graffiti and the hip-hop culture. Ironically the formal speech I’d prepared, supported by text citations throughout had no real effect on them; it actually left them somewhat bored and even more disinterested in the topic. Once I removed the suit jacket, threw my loaded jargon out the window (as well as broke down my theoretical cues), and utilized visuals to support my argument did the class take heed to my presentation. It seemed to me that the means of personal experience, as well as a tone that was informative yet non-intrusive seemed to be great persuasive tools. However, with all this said and whether or not I’ve really answered/addressed the topic at hand, the main question as raised by Rebecca earlier also arises in my thought process (and of course with no solution). Seriously speaking, how can we expect students to express their opinions supported by textual evidence if they haven’t been expected to previously and currently? Also how can we expect them to form an opinion about something that may not be of any interest to them and possibly over their heads? (Yes, we’ve all had to and we know that they must learn how to argumentatively write—but if it means nothing to them, in the end will they have learned the basic concept and carry it with them or will they continue the great perpetual cycle of unfounded speech?)
Argumentation
I have chosen to think of argumentation very broadly. Rather than, for example, selections with a clear thesis and supporting points, I have chosen pieces that persuade us (or attempt to persuade us) to rethink ourselves, our positions, our community, our values, etc. I know I'm showing my cards, so to speak, a little early, but I'm going to do it anyway. Warning: spoilers below!
The first is a very classic piece by Zora Neale Hurston entitled, "How It Feels to Be Colored Me" that explores, through self-reflection and memoir, what being African-American means to her. In it, Hurston asserts her independence as an individual and describes her first awareness of being "colored." Her tone is rather light throughout and she inserts humor, yet it seems throughout that she is deathly serious; she will not be defined by others. One great quote from the short essay is, "Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It is beyond me." Anyone interested in the piece can access it here: http://beatl.barnard.columbia.edu/wsharpe/citylit/colored_me.htm but obviously I will bring a copy to class Thursday.
The other text I've selected is a highly humorous but also startlingly jarring look at the irrationality of religious faith. It is entitled, "Kissing Hank's Ass" and was written by Jed Huber and was widely circulated in the late '90s. It is a parody that consists solely of dialogue between an unnamed character ("me") and two missionaries trying to get him to agree to "kiss Hank's ass" with them. While I doubt that this text alone ever convinced anyone to do anything per se, it, again, encourages readers to step outside of their assumptions and question their own beliefs. You can read the text here:http://www.jhuger.com/kisshank.php
--Bri
The first is a very classic piece by Zora Neale Hurston entitled, "How It Feels to Be Colored Me" that explores, through self-reflection and memoir, what being African-American means to her. In it, Hurston asserts her independence as an individual and describes her first awareness of being "colored." Her tone is rather light throughout and she inserts humor, yet it seems throughout that she is deathly serious; she will not be defined by others. One great quote from the short essay is, "Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It is beyond me." Anyone interested in the piece can access it here: http://beatl.barnard.columbia.edu/wsharpe/citylit/colored_me.htm but obviously I will bring a copy to class Thursday.
The other text I've selected is a highly humorous but also startlingly jarring look at the irrationality of religious faith. It is entitled, "Kissing Hank's Ass" and was written by Jed Huber and was widely circulated in the late '90s. It is a parody that consists solely of dialogue between an unnamed character ("me") and two missionaries trying to get him to agree to "kiss Hank's ass" with them. While I doubt that this text alone ever convinced anyone to do anything per se, it, again, encourages readers to step outside of their assumptions and question their own beliefs. You can read the text here:http://www.jhuger.com/kisshank.php
--Bri
Textbook Review
I will claim the following Textbooks:
Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Students--Sharon Crowley and Debra Hawhee
Envision: Persuasive Writing in a Visual World--Christine Alfano and Alyssa O'Brien
It looked like only one other person had claimed either of these.
Now who do we talk to about getting desk copies?
Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Students--Sharon Crowley and Debra Hawhee
Envision: Persuasive Writing in a Visual World--Christine Alfano and Alyssa O'Brien
It looked like only one other person had claimed either of these.
Now who do we talk to about getting desk copies?
Morality of Rhetoric
As I was reading through the exerpts from Aristotle, I found myself wondering about the morality of all of the forms of argumentation he lists, and I thought it was interesting that that issue was not raised in the text, considering that rhetoric is supposed to be "an offshoot ...of ethical studies" (6). I suppose that the ethics of rhetoric are outside of the realm of what Aristotle wanted to deal with here, but I kept coming up with ethical questions as I read.
For example, ethos is useful because it "make[s] us think him [the speaker] credible" (5). Of course, many speakers/writers who are not entirely credible are able to make themselves appear credible. Also pathos "stirs their [the audience's] emotions" (6), which also can have ethical problems-- if emotions have to be used to clinch the argument, is the argument really valid? On p. 7, Aristotle points out that something can be "persuasive and credible" merely "because it appears to be proved from other statements that are so." All of these statements, among others, raised ethical questions for me.
I'm not saying we shouldn't use these means of persuasion or that we shouldn't teach our students to use them. These methods can be used in perfectly ethical ways. Actually, teaching our students about these means of argumentation will (hopefully) make them less likely to be deceived by invalid arguments.
As I was thinking about this, I remembered an assignment that we saw in the writing lab last semester where the students were required to argue the opposite from what they really believed on an issue. I think this was a really good exercise in argumentation, but I wonder about asking students to argue something they don't believe. Not to say that I don't do the same in my papers; I'm not always completely convinced by my own arguments. But I'm still not convinced that this is entirely ethical.
Perhaps/probably my concerns are overly legalistic, and our students should be perfectly able to make moral judgments about argumentation for themselves. Does anyone else have any thoughts?
For example, ethos is useful because it "make[s] us think him [the speaker] credible" (5). Of course, many speakers/writers who are not entirely credible are able to make themselves appear credible. Also pathos "stirs their [the audience's] emotions" (6), which also can have ethical problems-- if emotions have to be used to clinch the argument, is the argument really valid? On p. 7, Aristotle points out that something can be "persuasive and credible" merely "because it appears to be proved from other statements that are so." All of these statements, among others, raised ethical questions for me.
I'm not saying we shouldn't use these means of persuasion or that we shouldn't teach our students to use them. These methods can be used in perfectly ethical ways. Actually, teaching our students about these means of argumentation will (hopefully) make them less likely to be deceived by invalid arguments.
As I was thinking about this, I remembered an assignment that we saw in the writing lab last semester where the students were required to argue the opposite from what they really believed on an issue. I think this was a really good exercise in argumentation, but I wonder about asking students to argue something they don't believe. Not to say that I don't do the same in my papers; I'm not always completely convinced by my own arguments. But I'm still not convinced that this is entirely ethical.
Perhaps/probably my concerns are overly legalistic, and our students should be perfectly able to make moral judgments about argumentation for themselves. Does anyone else have any thoughts?
Rhetoric and folklore
I'm new to rhetoric; have never had a class in it before, and know very little about the field. So, it was with great relief that I read the Aristotle. I've used rhetoric; I've even used the word "rhetoric," but I really didn't understand where the concept was coming from and where it was going. I knew some of the things that Aristotle discusses thanks to prior politically-oriented jobs where I used a lot of rhetoric and a lot of persuasion, but finally I feel more or less comfortable with the word, and with the field. It's nice to go close to the source, especially after the job talk yesterday.
On pages 12 and 13 of the Excerpts from Rhetoric, Books I and II, Aristotle cites examples of the use of stories in rhetoric. As a folklore student I'm obviously interested in stories. Folklorists are also very interested in what happens when you write down a text that has previously been oral. I thought it was interesting that in many places within this text (Aristotle) oral tradition has been written down and "solidified." This is fascinating to me; how has argumentation changed since oral forms were initially written down? How might argumentation have changed, had the rules and analysis remained oral and more fluid? Has our worldview been narrowed or broadened by this shift? It's interesting.
Same page, slightly different angle. The relationship between proverbs (a generally accepted genre of folklore) and maxims are fascinating. Also, so is the fact that it is only appropriate for certain people to use maxims in certain situations. Serious folklore elements here.
It's nice to find some overlap between my classes. And I will try to get my brain out of folklore-mode before I post next time.
On pages 12 and 13 of the Excerpts from Rhetoric, Books I and II, Aristotle cites examples of the use of stories in rhetoric. As a folklore student I'm obviously interested in stories. Folklorists are also very interested in what happens when you write down a text that has previously been oral. I thought it was interesting that in many places within this text (Aristotle) oral tradition has been written down and "solidified." This is fascinating to me; how has argumentation changed since oral forms were initially written down? How might argumentation have changed, had the rules and analysis remained oral and more fluid? Has our worldview been narrowed or broadened by this shift? It's interesting.
Same page, slightly different angle. The relationship between proverbs (a generally accepted genre of folklore) and maxims are fascinating. Also, so is the fact that it is only appropriate for certain people to use maxims in certain situations. Serious folklore elements here.
It's nice to find some overlap between my classes. And I will try to get my brain out of folklore-mode before I post next time.
Arguments
I'm not sure if this should really be a response to other blogs or my own post because it, too, asks the question about what should we consider as arguments for class on Thursday. It is difficult to identify text arguments in the world around us since everything is becoming multi-media. Advertisements are everywhere, but it is difficult to find a persuasive argument in print that has nothing to do with a product. I looked through a few of the editorials and opinions in the Jeff City News Tribune, but I was not thoroughly convinced with many of them simply because they were poorly written. People don't seem to take the time to carefully construct written arguments anymore. They are usually filled with preposterous claims and slanderous gossip.
This realization lead me to question how this all relates to EN1000. How can we explain to students the importance of constructing arguments if they have not ever really seen any convincing or "real" examples in the world around them. I feel the poor editing of many publications these days may be responsible for why students often fail to tie in effective quotes or support opinions. However, maybe I am being a bit too cynical and critical of today's media. It may be better in more urban areas than Jeff City, but I think that is another problem in itself. Are we saying that we expect rural students and audiences to be "backwards"? And, if we (as society) are sending this message, how do we correct it?
I realize I probably rambled a lot, but my main concern is how can we explain the importance of a strong, scholarly argument to students if our society does not seem to be sending the same, consistent message?
Rebecca
This realization lead me to question how this all relates to EN1000. How can we explain to students the importance of constructing arguments if they have not ever really seen any convincing or "real" examples in the world around them. I feel the poor editing of many publications these days may be responsible for why students often fail to tie in effective quotes or support opinions. However, maybe I am being a bit too cynical and critical of today's media. It may be better in more urban areas than Jeff City, but I think that is another problem in itself. Are we saying that we expect rural students and audiences to be "backwards"? And, if we (as society) are sending this message, how do we correct it?
I realize I probably rambled a lot, but my main concern is how can we explain the importance of a strong, scholarly argument to students if our society does not seem to be sending the same, consistent message?
Rebecca
Textbooks
I would like to review the following two textbooks if no one else has claimed them (I didn't see a claim).
Writing in a Visual Age--Lee Odell and Susan Katz (Bedford)
Ancient Rhetoric for Contemporary Students -- Sharon Crowley and Debra Hawhee (Longman)
Thanks!
Rebecca
Writing in a Visual Age--Lee Odell and Susan Katz (Bedford)
Ancient Rhetoric for Contemporary Students -- Sharon Crowley and Debra Hawhee (Longman)
Thanks!
Rebecca
Monday, January 29, 2007
I will review these two textbooks.
I will review these two textbooks:
1. Beyond Words: Reading and Writing in a Visual Age - Ruszkiewicz, Anderson, Friend (Longman)
2. Remix – Catherine Latterell (Bedford)
1. Beyond Words: Reading and Writing in a Visual Age - Ruszkiewicz, Anderson, Friend (Longman)
2. Remix – Catherine Latterell (Bedford)
Climate Changes
I spoke to a professor yesterday about the “Climate Changes” described by Curzan and Damour, a phenomenon this professor claimed occurred not just after the first round of grades, but throughout the semester. He described his own difficulty with not only building a rapport with young undergraduates, but also in maintaining that bond on a weekly basis. To control or at least soften the effects of this ‘climate change’, Curzan and Damour recommend building a lesson plan that includes a high level of class participation on the day you return the first submissions, which seems like an excellent strategy to use every class period. I thought the sample questions on page 161 also offered a great way to stimulate class discussion and effectively address common problems. A question like “Do you have any thoughts about what we can do in class to make you feel more prepared for the next [paper]” (Curzan and Damour 161) might not only demonstrate dedication to my students and a willingness to listen, but it could also prove a means of addressing key issues that I had previously overlooked or undervalued.
I have to admit, however, that my professor’s struggles exacerbated my own fears; if he continues to struggle with this after years of teaching, I don’t expect to fare well in my first foray into teaching. I’m hoping that frequent freewrites might help soften this blow by kindling new ideas and (with any luck) class discussion (much like this blog is designed to set the thought process in motion). I don’t want to develop what one of our fellow graduate students has called his “Keatisan acceptance of undergraduate apathy”. Do any of you have any sage wisdom or sneaky tricks to incite class participation?
I have to admit, however, that my professor’s struggles exacerbated my own fears; if he continues to struggle with this after years of teaching, I don’t expect to fare well in my first foray into teaching. I’m hoping that frequent freewrites might help soften this blow by kindling new ideas and (with any luck) class discussion (much like this blog is designed to set the thought process in motion). I don’t want to develop what one of our fellow graduate students has called his “Keatisan acceptance of undergraduate apathy”. Do any of you have any sage wisdom or sneaky tricks to incite class participation?
Persuasive texts
So far, I'm having a good time picking out my persuasive texts. Like Katie, I had a hard time initially conceiving what constitutes a persuasive text that is valuable to me. Then I started going over my bookshelves and it got easier.
I have a lot of cookbooks. A LOT of cookbooks. Many of them are vegetarian cookbooks leftover from my housing co-op days and from my years as a vegetarian cook. All of the vegetarian cookbooks contain prefaces or introductions that espouse the benefits (moral, health, spiritual, etc) of being vegetarian. These texts are incredibly persuasive; they work on many levels, and argue a specific point of view. I'll probably wind up using one of those.
Then, I get a lot of mail for previous tenents that once had my apartment. Almost every day I get fundraising letters from various Catholic charities, and these too contain many sophisticated persuasive tactics. I thought about using one of these letters but since they're not really of personal value or meaning to me (though very effective!) I probably won't.
After going over my folklore books I realized that many of them make various arguments about folklore, its importance, its role, its significance in our current culture and above all, the need to collect and preserve material. While I don't necessarily agree with everything in these texts, these books certainly persuaded me to make an enormous shift in my goals and plans and come to school here.
But, to return to what Katie brought up, it doesn't seem like there's anything wrong with using advertisments in this assignment. I especially like it, actually, because it really pushes our views of "text." I think that if we're going to use texts of relevance to our ownselves, then the texts we choose will be wide-ranging. And that seems good.
I have a lot of cookbooks. A LOT of cookbooks. Many of them are vegetarian cookbooks leftover from my housing co-op days and from my years as a vegetarian cook. All of the vegetarian cookbooks contain prefaces or introductions that espouse the benefits (moral, health, spiritual, etc) of being vegetarian. These texts are incredibly persuasive; they work on many levels, and argue a specific point of view. I'll probably wind up using one of those.
Then, I get a lot of mail for previous tenents that once had my apartment. Almost every day I get fundraising letters from various Catholic charities, and these too contain many sophisticated persuasive tactics. I thought about using one of these letters but since they're not really of personal value or meaning to me (though very effective!) I probably won't.
After going over my folklore books I realized that many of them make various arguments about folklore, its importance, its role, its significance in our current culture and above all, the need to collect and preserve material. While I don't necessarily agree with everything in these texts, these books certainly persuaded me to make an enormous shift in my goals and plans and come to school here.
But, to return to what Katie brought up, it doesn't seem like there's anything wrong with using advertisments in this assignment. I especially like it, actually, because it really pushes our views of "text." I think that if we're going to use texts of relevance to our ownselves, then the texts we choose will be wide-ranging. And that seems good.
Claiming text
I'd like to claim the following text:
Compose, Design, Advocate – Dennis Lynch and Anne Wysocki (Longman)
-Claire
Compose, Design, Advocate – Dennis Lynch and Anne Wysocki (Longman)
-Claire
Gathering Persusaive Arguments
I don't know if I'm the only person having this issue, but it seems difficult to me to find an example of argumentative writing that isn't simply an advertisement or a product packaging. It could be that I'm drawn to these things because of my interests in visual media, but I'm convinced (nay, I'm persuaded!) advertisements are the natural move if you're looking for a persuasive piece — that's what they're designed to do!
Anyway, I was wondering what other pieces people are finding — not that I want to "steal your ideas" or anything (heh...), and I'm sure that I'll find out on Thursday at the latest, but really...what else is there? I could think of a few scholarly essays, and we talked about the State of the Union Address, but those are also relatively clear examples. I kind of want to find something that doesn't immediately announce "this was designed to persuade you."
This whole process of argument gathering has made me think a lot about what I value in a persuasive piece. We also talked in class about how lots of us tend to think we're swayed most commonly by reason & supporting evidence, but emotional factors and "gut reactions" also come into play. Maybe I'm just not that good at finding my persuasion "soft spots." I guess an interesting point is that I'm only marginally aware of what affects my opinions. If I could pinpoint exactly what persuades me, I would probably be a lot harder to convince...or at least I wouldn't own as many shoes as I do.
Anyway, I was wondering what other pieces people are finding — not that I want to "steal your ideas" or anything (heh...), and I'm sure that I'll find out on Thursday at the latest, but really...what else is there? I could think of a few scholarly essays, and we talked about the State of the Union Address, but those are also relatively clear examples. I kind of want to find something that doesn't immediately announce "this was designed to persuade you."
This whole process of argument gathering has made me think a lot about what I value in a persuasive piece. We also talked in class about how lots of us tend to think we're swayed most commonly by reason & supporting evidence, but emotional factors and "gut reactions" also come into play. Maybe I'm just not that good at finding my persuasion "soft spots." I guess an interesting point is that I'm only marginally aware of what affects my opinions. If I could pinpoint exactly what persuades me, I would probably be a lot harder to convince...or at least I wouldn't own as many shoes as I do.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
HOC vs. LOC
After reading the pieces on grading this week, I am skeptical of some of the advice offered by Curzan and Damour in the section “Keeping Control of Grading Time” (page 147). While they recommend spending no more than 20-30 minutes per paper, I’ve heard some professors/graduate students advocate a speedy and efficient ten minutes each. I’m much more inclined to side with Curzan and Damour and devote 20-30 minutes, but I nevertheless balked at their assertion that the graduate instructor can’t tackle EVERY flaw in a student’s paper. While this seems to be sound advice, and something I certainly practice in the Writing Lab (HOC vs. LOC!), I resist the idea as an instructor. It seems unfair on my part to withhold information that would improve the student’s revised paper. Moreover, if I wait to effectively comment on the LOC until the second draft of the paper, won’t the student have trouble understanding why I didn’t critique the issue in the first submission? Besides, no matter how seemingly insignificant a student’s error may be (and I don’t think a student’s failure to grasp secondary sources is as minor as Curzan and Damour seem to believe, an example also on page 147), that LOC is a factor in the paper’s overall grade. I know I can’t afford to spend an hour on every draft, but I really want my students to improve. I feel it’s my duty to highlight and elucidate every point of their paper that could use revision, but perhaps that’s just unrealistic. Any suggestions?
Thoughts on grading
I have to admit that I was a bit disheartened to read the following quote in the Bean text:
"'Out of the 300 essays graded, 101 received every grade from 1-9; 94 percent received either seven, eight, or nine different grades; and no essay received less than five different grades'" (256). I know that grading essays will always be somewhat subjective, but I didn't think it was that subjective. It makes me wonder how some students (such as those of us in this class) have managed to receive consistently high grades on papers, despite this wide variance in grading. I also wondered if we could all, as a class, go through a grade norming exercise this semester, so that we have a better idea of the consensus about what types of papers should receive what types of grades.
I appreciate Bean's explanation of and guidelines for analytic and holistic grading, and I think that an analytic approach may be better suited to me, since I'm very detail-oriented. I think that looking at a paper holistically could be difficult for me, since I sometimes have trouble separating the forest from the trees. However, I'm concerned that my attention to detail will make it difficult for me to limit myself to the 20-30 minutes per paper that Curzan and Damour suggest. The suggested grading scale on p. 264 in the Bean text looks to me like it may offer the best of both worlds, since it breaks the essay down into manageable parts but avoids being too detailed.
"'Out of the 300 essays graded, 101 received every grade from 1-9; 94 percent received either seven, eight, or nine different grades; and no essay received less than five different grades'" (256). I know that grading essays will always be somewhat subjective, but I didn't think it was that subjective. It makes me wonder how some students (such as those of us in this class) have managed to receive consistently high grades on papers, despite this wide variance in grading. I also wondered if we could all, as a class, go through a grade norming exercise this semester, so that we have a better idea of the consensus about what types of papers should receive what types of grades.
I appreciate Bean's explanation of and guidelines for analytic and holistic grading, and I think that an analytic approach may be better suited to me, since I'm very detail-oriented. I think that looking at a paper holistically could be difficult for me, since I sometimes have trouble separating the forest from the trees. However, I'm concerned that my attention to detail will make it difficult for me to limit myself to the 20-30 minutes per paper that Curzan and Damour suggest. The suggested grading scale on p. 264 in the Bean text looks to me like it may offer the best of both worlds, since it breaks the essay down into manageable parts but avoids being too detailed.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Claiming a Textbook for review
I would like to claim the following texbook for review ( #9 on the list):
The World is a Text: Writing, Reading and Thinking about Culture - Jonathan Silverman and Dean Rader (Prentice Hall)
Thanks,
Gregory
The World is a Text: Writing, Reading and Thinking about Culture - Jonathan Silverman and Dean Rader (Prentice Hall)
Thanks,
Gregory
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Southern Discomfort
As I read the “Your Language” section of Anne Curzan and Lisa Damour’s book (19), I thought of an experience I had in English 1000 last semester. I was stood in front of a class of freshmen, encouraging them to bring their papers to the writing lab. During my speech, I involuntarily said the word “y’all” instead of the English second-person plural pronoun “you.” I felt a stirring in the class. I quickly apologized and explained that I am from
It seems that the Southern accent doesn’t carry much authority at MU and can even be a distraction. This is especially true when a speaker drops words in the Southern accent among strings of words spoken with the Standard English pronunciation, which is a good description of how I think I talk. This is probably something my English 1000 students can get used to. So, on the first day of class, I plan to mention that I have this tendency. I also plan to be more careful not do anything that distracts my students from what I am saying.
Arguments Around Us
In response to the question on the schedule about arguments that happen around us every day, and methods of persuasion, it seems that this week is rife with examples. The week began with the State of the Union address, an argument unto itself, and the argument it presented-- for additional troops in Iraq-- has been hotly contested weeks for the announcement was made a few weeks ago. Each side uses its own argument, with supporting evidence, key points, and, regrettably, a tendency for logical fallacies.
Besides politics, we have commercial avenues for argument, as advertisers attempt to persuade us to buy one product over another.
Both of these types of examples have been around forever. What seems to be relatively recent (mainly due to our 24-hour news channels) is our tendency as a society to milk the news for everything it has to offer. For example, the story about the couple getting kicked off their flight because their child was throwing a tantrum has ignited new debates--on whether it was justified-- as well as some old ones--on whether or not parents have gone too soft in disciplining their children. Stories like this fuel a need for drama and antagonism essential to keeping the ratings up for news channels (and simply giving them something to fill the void with).
Besides politics, we have commercial avenues for argument, as advertisers attempt to persuade us to buy one product over another.
Both of these types of examples have been around forever. What seems to be relatively recent (mainly due to our 24-hour news channels) is our tendency as a society to milk the news for everything it has to offer. For example, the story about the couple getting kicked off their flight because their child was throwing a tantrum has ignited new debates--on whether it was justified-- as well as some old ones--on whether or not parents have gone too soft in disciplining their children. Stories like this fuel a need for drama and antagonism essential to keeping the ratings up for news channels (and simply giving them something to fill the void with).
Icebreakers: Part Three
After reading the sample icebreaker in Curzan and Damour, and participating in my own round of icebreakers these first week of classes, I’ve been thinking of the introduction process. While I can now, at 24, introduce myself reasonably well, it was much different a shy and awkward 18 year old. My icebreaker experience has been a traumatic one, filled with uncomfortable silences and stupid utterances on my part. In fact, I dreaded those very situations as an undergraduate. So, as a graduate instructor, I have to wonder—do I really want to subject my students to the same pain?
The answer is (surprisingly), YES! But I have to question the nature of that impulse; I’m unsure if it stems from a desire to break down barriers between students, follow normal classroom procedure, or merely sadistically subject them to the same awkward pain I suffered. I certainly want make sure that the students are acquainted with each other, but I’d really like to move away from the average scenario posed by Curzan and Damour. Like Jenn, I’d like to try something that is more enjoyable. Not only will a fun activity prove more effective, but I think it will even help my nerves in the classroom. I expect to be nervous the first day, so I'd like to do something that will make me laugh and ease my own fears. Do any of you have any ideas or suggestions?
Another issue related to class discussion/participation is the student workshop. I feel that the fundamental relationship between students (initiated by the icebreaker) will really come into play when they read their peers’ work. In the Writing Lab, I’ve seen some peer reviewed essays that are thoughtless and even rude. I would like to foster a sense of respect and dedication between my students, but am unsure how to enact this. Also, I’ve seen some suggestions by student reviewers that are absolutely awful, suggestions that their classmate unfortunately follow. Do you guys have any ideas that might produce thoughtful and relatively helpful/accurate critiques from students?
The answer is (surprisingly), YES! But I have to question the nature of that impulse; I’m unsure if it stems from a desire to break down barriers between students, follow normal classroom procedure, or merely sadistically subject them to the same awkward pain I suffered. I certainly want make sure that the students are acquainted with each other, but I’d really like to move away from the average scenario posed by Curzan and Damour. Like Jenn, I’d like to try something that is more enjoyable. Not only will a fun activity prove more effective, but I think it will even help my nerves in the classroom. I expect to be nervous the first day, so I'd like to do something that will make me laugh and ease my own fears. Do any of you have any ideas or suggestions?
Another issue related to class discussion/participation is the student workshop. I feel that the fundamental relationship between students (initiated by the icebreaker) will really come into play when they read their peers’ work. In the Writing Lab, I’ve seen some peer reviewed essays that are thoughtless and even rude. I would like to foster a sense of respect and dedication between my students, but am unsure how to enact this. Also, I’ve seen some suggestions by student reviewers that are absolutely awful, suggestions that their classmate unfortunately follow. Do you guys have any ideas that might produce thoughtful and relatively helpful/accurate critiques from students?
"A Problem That Demands a Thesis"
In crafting the first draft of my assignments, I found Bean's suggestion to "give students a problem or question that demands a thesis answer" (88) quite useful. The main problem I encountered with assignments in the writing lab last semester involved the intricate-but-confusing prompts that consisted of a slough of vaguely related questions. I have tried to keep the primary question of each assignment lucid and spare to avoid both ambiguity and overdetermination.
For the capstone assignment, I've tried a variation on this "thesis-demanding" format. I've asked the student to define (by his/her own lights) the most pressing world issue/problem that will face his/her generation. From there, I want the student to provide reasons for that choice and to work towards a global solution based on research and personal insight. It seems to me this type of assignment will allow discipline-specific ways of entry: the biology student may consider something like the loss of biodiversity as a result of climate change; the economics student may address national debt inequalities; the sociology student could pursue overpopulation, etc.
I hope this type of variation on Bean's theme will allow for a degree of self-determination and a sense of participating in the vital dialogues of the present.
For the capstone assignment, I've tried a variation on this "thesis-demanding" format. I've asked the student to define (by his/her own lights) the most pressing world issue/problem that will face his/her generation. From there, I want the student to provide reasons for that choice and to work towards a global solution based on research and personal insight. It seems to me this type of assignment will allow discipline-specific ways of entry: the biology student may consider something like the loss of biodiversity as a result of climate change; the economics student may address national debt inequalities; the sociology student could pursue overpopulation, etc.
I hope this type of variation on Bean's theme will allow for a degree of self-determination and a sense of participating in the vital dialogues of the present.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Variety within assignments
Another problem I'm thinking about. I'd like to use a modified workshop format, with a week set aside for each paper cycle to do small-group peer review (6 or 7 depending on class size). Within that group, I'd like to reduce the chance for plagiarism (intentional or unintentional) by providing assignments with sufficient range of variety that I can guarantee no two students in a workshop group will have the same topic. This isn't always easy, especially when I want to use a movie for the paper- can't always get 7 different movies that accomplish the same goal! One possible solution is to use this as the two-source paper and have a variety of critical articles for students to use as a lens to examine the film(s) in question. While the articles will need to be similar, they won't be identical, and I should have some variety built in there. Or I could poll the class for movie ideas for the assignment I have in mind...
Joe
Joe
Textbook Review
I'd like to claim my texts: The World is a Text: Writing, Reading and Thinking about Culture - Jonathan Silverman and Dean Rader (Prentice Hall) and Remix – Catherine Latterell (Bedford).
Details, Details, Details
In response to designing the syllabus, I must say there are some simple aspects of teaching that I’ve often overlooked. Specifically speaking, I think that the dozens of syllabi I’ve had, I’ve often taken the details of it for granted. It was only as I sat down to write my draft that I realized how important it is to be detailed. Things such as a breakdown of grades, classroom etiquette, and of course the instructor’s teaching policy, are all obvious things, but honestly I never realized (or appreciated) the time and effort put into creating a loaded syllabus that does serve as a true contract between the instructor and student. With all that said, chapter 2 in Curzan and Damour has helped me to wake up, as well as curbed some of the fears I initially wrote about in class last week.
Also, and interestingly enough, as a person that really doesn’t like icebreakers (though I completely understand their importance), the sample icebreaker (the interview) in Chapter 2 seems simple (and painless). As a future instructor I’m constantly thinking of ways in which to make my classroom an enjoyable learning environment and the regular ‘go around and introduce yourself’ icebreaker simply won’t suffice. However, introducing a partner seems to be a better alternative, especially to address, recognize, and appreciate diversity amongst the group.
Also, and interestingly enough, as a person that really doesn’t like icebreakers (though I completely understand their importance), the sample icebreaker (the interview) in Chapter 2 seems simple (and painless). As a future instructor I’m constantly thinking of ways in which to make my classroom an enjoyable learning environment and the regular ‘go around and introduce yourself’ icebreaker simply won’t suffice. However, introducing a partner seems to be a better alternative, especially to address, recognize, and appreciate diversity amongst the group.
Varying an Assignment
The part of Bean's work that I found most interesting and helpful dealt with varying an assignment in order to emphasize different aspects of writing and critical thinking. I think the results were the most telling since one assignment produced so many different answers. I also thought that the difference between the attitudes of the responses was interesting.
As I read, I thought how beneficial this idea could be when dealing with students who had different learning styles. But, since some of the variants required much more work and time, I wonder how fair this process is even if it is voluntary. Could a teacher give more than one option and still grade fairly? I ran into this trouble with projects in high school. Each option always had various strengths but some were obviously more difficult. I had trouble assigning them the same point value. So, I guess my question is how can we utilize this idea in the classroom or can we at all?
As I read, I thought how beneficial this idea could be when dealing with students who had different learning styles. But, since some of the variants required much more work and time, I wonder how fair this process is even if it is voluntary. Could a teacher give more than one option and still grade fairly? I ran into this trouble with projects in high school. Each option always had various strengths but some were obviously more difficult. I had trouble assigning them the same point value. So, I guess my question is how can we utilize this idea in the classroom or can we at all?
Mentor of Pushover?
In reading Bean, I was struck by a quote culled from Meyers on page 8 that states “teachers of critical thinking will often spend much of their class time as ‘referees, coaches, and mentors rather than as lecturers and purveyors of truth . . . For most of us,’ he continues, ‘this is a worthwhile but difficult shift’”. While I’ve been struggling (like many of you seem to be) with what sort of assignments to assign, I’ve also been wondering how, exactly, to run my classroom. One of the most difficult portions of shaping my syllabus has been, in fact, the tone. While I’d like to strike that oh-so-appealing balance of strict yet kind, decisive yet open-minded, I am acutely aware of my own faults—namely, I’m a pushover. I’ve tutored long enough to realize that the obviously false ‘my dog ate my homework’ sorts of excuses often too easily persuade me. I feel a degree of comfort and ease between teacher and student is essential to open discourse, but a degree of distance is still a must. This tension also surfaced when reading the cautionary section on the home/cell phone number on page 20 of _First Day to Final Grade_. While I had initially included my cell phone number on the syllabus (for emergencies only), I removed my number after reading Curzan and Damour.
I’m torn between this a desire to assist my students in whatever way possible and a fear for my own graduate career. My best teachers have been those that acted as Meyers’ description of mentors and coaches; I felt these instructors were always available and excited to assist me. I, however, would never call a professor at 10:00 pm, a courtesy I fear every student will not observe. I’d like to act as the 7-11 of graduate instructors—open and ready to advise 24 hours a day—but my own study demands attention. Where do we draw the line between our role as teachers and our duties as students ourselves? How may be act as approachable coaches and mentors, yet retain authority over our classroom? Any ideas/suggestion?
I’m torn between this a desire to assist my students in whatever way possible and a fear for my own graduate career. My best teachers have been those that acted as Meyers’ description of mentors and coaches; I felt these instructors were always available and excited to assist me. I, however, would never call a professor at 10:00 pm, a courtesy I fear every student will not observe. I’d like to act as the 7-11 of graduate instructors—open and ready to advise 24 hours a day—but my own study demands attention. Where do we draw the line between our role as teachers and our duties as students ourselves? How may be act as approachable coaches and mentors, yet retain authority over our classroom? Any ideas/suggestion?
Icebreakers
Looking at Curzan & Damour, Chapter 2 and their suggestions for first day activities, I thought I'd share an icebreaker that I've used in the past. I tend to think that icebreakers are most effective when they are also relevant to the class in some way. Considering that the class involves writing and their essays will involve using the skills of summarizing, paraphrasing and quoting, I try to make the icebreaker activity involve these in some respect. I pair them up, and they interview their classmate, and I tell them to take careful notes. After the interview, I tell them that the notes they took will be considered "source material" for the paragraph that they will write about their classmate. Then I give them five minutes to write the paragraph. Afterward, I tell them to look at the paragraph, isolating where in the paragraph they paraphrased from the interview, summarized from it, or quoted from it. Then they read their paragraphs out loud to introduce their classmates.
"Borrowing" Assignments, etc
I've started wondering exactly how plagarism, intellectual property, and sharing/borrowing teaching materials interact. When does "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" turn into plagarism? If we hear about a neat assignment idea from a friend of a friend, can we use it? As teachers, what will our responsibilities be, as far as citation, permission, etc, goes?
While working on my syllabus, I've used lots of other syllabi as a guide. If I borrow a pleasing style of formatting, is that plagarism? If I borrow subheadings (or even put someone else's subheading concepts into my own words) is that plagarism? I know our assignment is informal (for now) but it's made me think about teaching materials very differently and now I'm all uncomfortable.
On an entirely different note, after reading the Bean I'm feeling excited about making my English 1000 class less English-y. I mean, I truly love English, and reading, and writing, and I wouldn't be here if I didn't, but obviously everyone has different compulsions. I'm excited about free-writing assignments that could bring together really disparate ideas. I wonder if its doable to start off every class period with a 5 minute free-writing exercise that is handed in and read (and thusly counts for attendence) but not really graded?
While working on my syllabus, I've used lots of other syllabi as a guide. If I borrow a pleasing style of formatting, is that plagarism? If I borrow subheadings (or even put someone else's subheading concepts into my own words) is that plagarism? I know our assignment is informal (for now) but it's made me think about teaching materials very differently and now I'm all uncomfortable.
On an entirely different note, after reading the Bean I'm feeling excited about making my English 1000 class less English-y. I mean, I truly love English, and reading, and writing, and I wouldn't be here if I didn't, but obviously everyone has different compulsions. I'm excited about free-writing assignments that could bring together really disparate ideas. I wonder if its doable to start off every class period with a 5 minute free-writing exercise that is handed in and read (and thusly counts for attendence) but not really graded?
Creative Writing Assignments, etc
In one of my Russian history classes as an undergrad, the professor gave us the following assignment (more or less):
"You are one of the characters in Turgenev's Fathers and Sons. It is now 20 years after the close of the book. Write a letter to one of the other characters expressing your view on the current political situation."
This assignment provided a nice change from the other types of writing assignments I got while I was in college. It was challenging, in that it was a complicated subject, but it was also challenging because I had to figure out how to structure and support an argument about what I/my character would think based on what I/my character had said 20 years before. Figuring out how to cite "myself" was a bit difficult, but it was also fun because it allowed room for creativity.
Bean also has some interesting assignment ideas that I think could be a nice change from the run-of-the-mill type of assignments. For me, the challenge is figuring out how to incorporate those into an English 1000 class. We are somewhat limited (although not too much) in the types of papers we can assign based on the guidelines for what the three papers should be like. I think these guidelines are good, since they ensure that students will be writing the types of papers that they'll have to write throughout the rest of their college careers, but I'd also like to be able to have some more creative assignments.
One way I'm thinking of doing this is by having a class discussion board on blackboard and requiring students to post on there in response to prompts. Some of the things Bean suggests that I think would be interesting to try are writing dialogues (p. 94), writing essays from different people's perspectives (p. 95), and writing essays based on metaphors (e.g. "writing an essay is like riding a bike...") (p. 111).
Another way I'd like to incorporate a larger variety of writing assignments in addition to the longer essays is by having the students do in-class writing. We did this the first day of my honors comp II class as an undergrad, and I still remember the essay I wrote. I enjoyed that class much more than I did my honors comp I class, because in honors comp II we spent our time discussing the works we had read and writing about them, whereas in honors comp I we spent our time talking about writing.
I suppose that raises another question: How do we talk about writing to our students? In some ways, writing is something that you learn by doing, although, in other ways, talking about it can be very helpful. (I think I actually learned a lot in my honors comp I class, even though I didn't enjoy it.) Even though I learned a lot, though, the class was pretty boring; I probably wouldn't have learned nearly as much if the professor hadn't had the nerve to give me a B on my first paper. :) How can we teach these concepts to students who aren't as grade-driven as my freshman self?
"You are one of the characters in Turgenev's Fathers and Sons. It is now 20 years after the close of the book. Write a letter to one of the other characters expressing your view on the current political situation."
This assignment provided a nice change from the other types of writing assignments I got while I was in college. It was challenging, in that it was a complicated subject, but it was also challenging because I had to figure out how to structure and support an argument about what I/my character would think based on what I/my character had said 20 years before. Figuring out how to cite "myself" was a bit difficult, but it was also fun because it allowed room for creativity.
Bean also has some interesting assignment ideas that I think could be a nice change from the run-of-the-mill type of assignments. For me, the challenge is figuring out how to incorporate those into an English 1000 class. We are somewhat limited (although not too much) in the types of papers we can assign based on the guidelines for what the three papers should be like. I think these guidelines are good, since they ensure that students will be writing the types of papers that they'll have to write throughout the rest of their college careers, but I'd also like to be able to have some more creative assignments.
One way I'm thinking of doing this is by having a class discussion board on blackboard and requiring students to post on there in response to prompts. Some of the things Bean suggests that I think would be interesting to try are writing dialogues (p. 94), writing essays from different people's perspectives (p. 95), and writing essays based on metaphors (e.g. "writing an essay is like riding a bike...") (p. 111).
Another way I'd like to incorporate a larger variety of writing assignments in addition to the longer essays is by having the students do in-class writing. We did this the first day of my honors comp II class as an undergrad, and I still remember the essay I wrote. I enjoyed that class much more than I did my honors comp I class, because in honors comp II we spent our time discussing the works we had read and writing about them, whereas in honors comp I we spent our time talking about writing.
I suppose that raises another question: How do we talk about writing to our students? In some ways, writing is something that you learn by doing, although, in other ways, talking about it can be very helpful. (I think I actually learned a lot in my honors comp I class, even though I didn't enjoy it.) Even though I learned a lot, though, the class was pretty boring; I probably wouldn't have learned nearly as much if the professor hadn't had the nerve to give me a B on my first paper. :) How can we teach these concepts to students who aren't as grade-driven as my freshman self?
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Who is Bean writing for?
John Bean wants professors—all professors—to integrate writing and critical thinking into their courses to help students learn. As I read his book, I couldn’t help thinking he is preaching to the choir. I am not the one that needs to be convinced that students benefit from thinking critically and developing their ideas through writing. It is the professors who do not teach liberal arts courses—the math and science teachers—who really need to read Bean’s words. But then I realized how important being an English 1000 professor is. In those math and science senior-level courses structured on Bean’s recommendations—courses in which professor ask upperclassmen to think critically and to write to solve problems—both the lives of the professors and the students will be easier if these seniors have developed their skills early. Bean points out that “students, when given a critical thinking problem, tend to reach closure too quickly” (7). They have to be taught how to think critically. Most of us do. As English 1000 professors, we can help students, offering them guidance and support, as they develop their critical thinking skills.
To do this, as Bean suggests, we must encourage students to “suspend judgment, question assumptions, imaginative alternative answers, play with data, enter into the spirit of opposing views, and just plain linger over questions” (7). As I read this passage, I remember one assignment an English 1000 teacher gave last semester. The teacher asked the students to take a side on a controversial issue. Once the students each chose a side, the teacher made each student argue against the position that he or she chose. Based on my meetings with some of these students in the writing lab, I noticed some frustration. I wished that these students could recognize that this assignment provided a great opportunity for them to question their own beliefs—to think critically.
As an English 1000 teacher, in what other ways can I help students internalize the critical thinking skills—leading to a richer experience at college and beyond?
To do this, as Bean suggests, we must encourage students to “suspend judgment, question assumptions, imaginative alternative answers, play with data, enter into the spirit of opposing views, and just plain linger over questions” (7). As I read this passage, I remember one assignment an English 1000 teacher gave last semester. The teacher asked the students to take a side on a controversial issue. Once the students each chose a side, the teacher made each student argue against the position that he or she chose. Based on my meetings with some of these students in the writing lab, I noticed some frustration. I wished that these students could recognize that this assignment provided a great opportunity for them to question their own beliefs—to think critically.
As an English 1000 teacher, in what other ways can I help students internalize the critical thinking skills—leading to a richer experience at college and beyond?
More paper design challenges
A challenge for me (for most of us?) is to design papers that don't look like English major assignments. That's what I know, so they would be easier to do, but I'd also like to give the students a broader range- to keep their interest, and to increase applicability for the range of majors coming through. I'm liking film analysis, history analysis, media analysis...what other ways can we stretch ourselves and the students?
The other big challenge is building process into the assignments. The first/second submission format works well, but seems incomplete as far as really developing an idea from scratch. Exploratory writing building into early drafts looks interesting to me.
Oh, also I want to claim my review texts early: Everything's an Argument (Lunsford/Ruskiewicz) and Writing Analytically (Rosenwasser/Stephen).
Joe (up too late)
The other big challenge is building process into the assignments. The first/second submission format works well, but seems incomplete as far as really developing an idea from scratch. Exploratory writing building into early drafts looks interesting to me.
Oh, also I want to claim my review texts early: Everything's an Argument (Lunsford/Ruskiewicz) and Writing Analytically (Rosenwasser/Stephen).
Joe (up too late)
More Course Design Thoughts
Like Bri & Tim, I've been having some trouble determining what types of readings and assignments to include on my intended syllabus. I think Tim's idea of a recent/contemporary novel that reads quickly is a great idea. As we are all such erudite scholars of English, I feel that each of the students would likely take an important lesson away from the reading. As Rebecca said in a comment to my previous post, if we're excited to teach, they'll be excited to learn. And after all, it wouldn't be the humanities if there weren't something "human" about what we study. (Not that I'm applying a totalizing effect on the students or the texts, but everybody can learn something from any given book.)
I have been having some low-degree anxiety about the assignments I've written. I keep looking at them and thinking "If I were a student, would I want more direction than this?" or "If I saw this prompt come into the Writing Lab, would I furrow my brow in puzzlement over what the teacher 'really' wants?" I suppose we will be getting into this during class, and hopefully in later readings, but I'm just wondering how much is too much direction, and how little is not enough? Maybe I've been too busy acting "non-directive" all last semester to remember how to delegate work.
Right now, I feel like I will be falling back on variations of good prompts I have seen throughout my career. Someone mentioned prompts based on current events (I forget whom), and I think that's a fantastic way to incorporate different disciplines and possible fields of interest. It would give me a chance to keep up with the news as well, which I obviously don't do enough of now (because who needs the news when you have piles and piles of dead authors to keep you busy?).
I have been having some low-degree anxiety about the assignments I've written. I keep looking at them and thinking "If I were a student, would I want more direction than this?" or "If I saw this prompt come into the Writing Lab, would I furrow my brow in puzzlement over what the teacher 'really' wants?" I suppose we will be getting into this during class, and hopefully in later readings, but I'm just wondering how much is too much direction, and how little is not enough? Maybe I've been too busy acting "non-directive" all last semester to remember how to delegate work.
Right now, I feel like I will be falling back on variations of good prompts I have seen throughout my career. Someone mentioned prompts based on current events (I forget whom), and I think that's a fantastic way to incorporate different disciplines and possible fields of interest. It would give me a chance to keep up with the news as well, which I obviously don't do enough of now (because who needs the news when you have piles and piles of dead authors to keep you busy?).
Designing a Course
During the time I've spent this week imagining an interesting English 1000 class, I've had difficulty deciding how much and what type of material to assign. My personal inclination is to work with a couple of novels (in addition to the as yet undetermined rhetoric primer): I'm thinking Bellow's Seize the Day and Delillo's White Noise. Both of these novels, in addition to being stylistically excellent and reasonably short, are full of interesting themes that could be extracted and developed. I recognize that this grounds the class pretty solidly in the English Department, but it seems to me that the main themes are general enough to transcend departmental barriers and allow for some interesting, exploratory writing. I feel that many of the skills derived from critically interpreting a novel could be applied to any type of critical analysis -- even across disciplines.
My main concern so far is how to structure and balance the readings. I don't want the novels (or the novella in Bellow's case) to suck all the attention away from the rhetoric primer. However, the novels would have to be read simultaneously with the rhetoric primer, so I need to figure out some way to tie both readings together -- perhaps short prompts on the novel material utilizing the ideas in the rhetoric primer. In any case, I feel like this type of structure will allow me to be passionate about what I'm presenting (because I love both of these novels with a mad and literary love) while still incorporating the technical aspects of rhetoric that make this course what it is.
I'm hoping that the "literariness" of these works will not scare off the non-English majors, but both of these are so readable that it seems unlikely to me. I hope, in particular, that the famous "college arrival" scene at the beginning of White Noise will catch everyone's attention. We'll see how it turns out.
My main concern so far is how to structure and balance the readings. I don't want the novels (or the novella in Bellow's case) to suck all the attention away from the rhetoric primer. However, the novels would have to be read simultaneously with the rhetoric primer, so I need to figure out some way to tie both readings together -- perhaps short prompts on the novel material utilizing the ideas in the rhetoric primer. In any case, I feel like this type of structure will allow me to be passionate about what I'm presenting (because I love both of these novels with a mad and literary love) while still incorporating the technical aspects of rhetoric that make this course what it is.
I'm hoping that the "literariness" of these works will not scare off the non-English majors, but both of these are so readable that it seems unlikely to me. I hope, in particular, that the famous "college arrival" scene at the beginning of White Noise will catch everyone's attention. We'll see how it turns out.
Assignments and writing skills of students
Many of you posted your comments on the fact that students from all departments take English 1000 that makes teaching more difficult. It is necessary to find their interests to facilitate teaching process. Besides, students in one class have different level of writing skills. The assignments may turn out to be easy for some of them and difficult for others. Of course, individual consultations are important. Yet the course has to give a chance of improvement to everyone. Therefore the level has to be found during the first classes.
I am thinking now about what assignments to offer. I suggest that the very first ones should be aimed on learning about writing skills of each student. It should be, for example, an essay on a generic question. The results would let us get the general state of things and correct the further directions of teaching.
I liked the variety of examples that can be drawn from our readings and from your comments. It seems that it is better to try all possible types of assignments in order to find out the best ones.
I am thinking now about what assignments to offer. I suggest that the very first ones should be aimed on learning about writing skills of each student. It should be, for example, an essay on a generic question. The results would let us get the general state of things and correct the further directions of teaching.
I liked the variety of examples that can be drawn from our readings and from your comments. It seems that it is better to try all possible types of assignments in order to find out the best ones.
Taking courses for granted
Am I the only one who has come to appreciate instructors even more since trying to put together a syllabus and paper assignments?
I must confess that it has been much trickier than I thought it would be. Having had so many good paper topics in my educational career, I suppose I just never thought about all that goes into them. When I thought about teaching, I thought primarily about my interactions with students, classroom demeanor, and (to some degree) content. I did not think about how tricky it would be to decide whether attendance is mandatory or merely suggested, how to penalize late work, and how strict to be about academic honesty.
The syllabus was considerably easier to write than the assignments, though. I don't know that I've had writing assignments that I thought were so good that I needed to emulate them. In the end, I borrowed one from Jenn Albin (my first paper assignment) that I thought was evil but immensely useful and crafted the other two as best I could, given that I haven't decided about readings yet.
I'm curious what you all thought about the Bean chapter. I thought it was interesting, but not really as relevant to English 1000 instructors, given that our job is to teach writing. Have any of you thought of any way of implementing some of Bean's suggestions?
So, even though I was really excited about this assignment, it was not nearly as simple as I thought it would be.
--Bri
I must confess that it has been much trickier than I thought it would be. Having had so many good paper topics in my educational career, I suppose I just never thought about all that goes into them. When I thought about teaching, I thought primarily about my interactions with students, classroom demeanor, and (to some degree) content. I did not think about how tricky it would be to decide whether attendance is mandatory or merely suggested, how to penalize late work, and how strict to be about academic honesty.
The syllabus was considerably easier to write than the assignments, though. I don't know that I've had writing assignments that I thought were so good that I needed to emulate them. In the end, I borrowed one from Jenn Albin (my first paper assignment) that I thought was evil but immensely useful and crafted the other two as best I could, given that I haven't decided about readings yet.
I'm curious what you all thought about the Bean chapter. I thought it was interesting, but not really as relevant to English 1000 instructors, given that our job is to teach writing. Have any of you thought of any way of implementing some of Bean's suggestions?
So, even though I was really excited about this assignment, it was not nearly as simple as I thought it would be.
--Bri
Curzan and Damour
I was relieved to find that much of what is expected in the college classroom is the same as the expectations for a high school teacher. As I read, I felt like I was receiving a very valuable refresher course. I did have a few questions, though, and would like to know what others thought. Mostly I found the idea of introducing myself interesting since it mentions the option of having students call you by your first name. I might be from an older tradition since I think this might be a bit too informal and serve to undermine my authority. I still have some difficulty calling graduate professors by their first names because of respect. Does using one's first name diminish respect?
My other question deals with the racial and gender issues. I, like Claire, wonder if it is better to face these questions head on or side-step them altogether. I taught in a small, rural school with only white students. I am not sure how confident I feel concerning the issue of race/cultural differences in the classroom. I would hope at this level, people would leave differences/prejudices outside the classroom, but what does the instructor do if it becomes confrontational in the classroom? I have never experienced an instance where it was a blatant problem even when I was in school in St. Charles.
Also, I wonder if gender of the instructor is an issue anymore. When I first graduated with my BA I was warned about the problems concerning respect and ability to show authority as a woman, but I never encountered any problems from the students. Is the problem possibly with other instructors or others in authoritative roles? I had much more difficulty with older women teachers and my principal than with students. How do we deal with those gender issues?
Anyway, this is my first blog ever so I hope it goes well and makes sense. And for Katie, Go Colts!
My other question deals with the racial and gender issues. I, like Claire, wonder if it is better to face these questions head on or side-step them altogether. I taught in a small, rural school with only white students. I am not sure how confident I feel concerning the issue of race/cultural differences in the classroom. I would hope at this level, people would leave differences/prejudices outside the classroom, but what does the instructor do if it becomes confrontational in the classroom? I have never experienced an instance where it was a blatant problem even when I was in school in St. Charles.
Also, I wonder if gender of the instructor is an issue anymore. When I first graduated with my BA I was warned about the problems concerning respect and ability to show authority as a woman, but I never encountered any problems from the students. Is the problem possibly with other instructors or others in authoritative roles? I had much more difficulty with older women teachers and my principal than with students. How do we deal with those gender issues?
Anyway, this is my first blog ever so I hope it goes well and makes sense. And for Katie, Go Colts!
Curzan & Damour=useful
Last night I read the second chapter of the Curzan and Damour. I was immediately struck by the sheer volume of specific, useful information. I particularly appreciated the suggestions for easy name memorization, and for structuring the first day of class. I'd never considered that it might be beneficial to hold a full-length class the first day, but it makes a lot of sense. It's kind of like ripping off a band-aid quickly, rather than slowly. I like the idea that a full first day will help students acclimate more quickly. I like a short first day as much as the next person, but I think the book is probably right.
I was a little troubled by some of the discussion of racial and cultural issues. I appreciate the upfront way that the authors describe how race/culture power dynamics can, and will, affect classroom dynamics. I'm just not sure if (on page 18, last paragraph) it's equally problematic to ignore racial and cultural issues or make them an explicit issue. I'd be curious to see what others think on this point.
On page 17, the authors say, "Be sure that men and women are equal participants in class discussions; if they are not, consider possible reasons for this and make the necessary changes." This seems to be a really common-sense suggestion. By making us, the instructors, see that it is our responsibility to adjust gender dynamics, I think it gives us the opportunity to see that it IS possible to make changes. I'm hoping that the book will give some suggestions, because I'd appreciate some more discussion about adjusting power dynamics. Or maybe others have thoughts?
I was a little troubled by some of the discussion of racial and cultural issues. I appreciate the upfront way that the authors describe how race/culture power dynamics can, and will, affect classroom dynamics. I'm just not sure if (on page 18, last paragraph) it's equally problematic to ignore racial and cultural issues or make them an explicit issue. I'd be curious to see what others think on this point.
On page 17, the authors say, "Be sure that men and women are equal participants in class discussions; if they are not, consider possible reasons for this and make the necessary changes." This seems to be a really common-sense suggestion. By making us, the instructors, see that it is our responsibility to adjust gender dynamics, I think it gives us the opportunity to see that it IS possible to make changes. I'm hoping that the book will give some suggestions, because I'd appreciate some more discussion about adjusting power dynamics. Or maybe others have thoughts?
Monday, January 22, 2007
Textbooks
Hi all--
I promised to offer a list of suggested textbooks to review. I'm still working on my own personal list, but, in the meantime, have a look at the one compiled by Jeff Rice at Wayne State:
1. Internet Invention - Greg Ulmer (Longman)
2. Writing About Cool - Jeff Rice (Longman)
3. Literacy, Technology, and Society: Confronting the Issues - Gail Hawisher and Cynthia Selfe (Prentice)
. City Life - Richard Marback and Patrick Bruch (Longman)
5. Picturing Texts - Cynthia Selfe, Lester Faigley, Diane George, and Anna Palchik (Norton)
6. Seeing & Writing 2 (or 3) - Donald and Christine McQuade (Bedford)
7. Convergences - Robert Atwan (Bedford)
8. Writing in a Visual Age - Lee Odell and Susan Katz (Bedford)
9. The World is a Text: Writing, Reading and Thinking about Culture - Jonathan Silverman and Dean Rader (Prentice Hall)
10. Everything's an Argument - Andrea Lunsford and John Ruszkiewicz (Bedford)
11. Textbook - Greg Ulmer, Robert Scholes, Nancy Comley (Bedford)
12. CyberReader - Victor Vitanza (Longman)
13. Good Reasons with Contemporary Arguments - Lester Faigley and Jack Selzer (Longman)
14. Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Students - Sharon Crowley and Debra Hawhee (Longman)
15. Envision: Persuasive Writing in a Visual World - Christine Alfano and Alyssa O'Brien (Longman)
16. Remix – Catherine Latterell (Bedford)
17. Beyond Words: Reading and Writing in a Visual Age - Ruszkiewicz | Anderson | Friend (Longman)
18. Compose, Design, Advocate – Dennis Lynch and Anne Wysocki (Longman)
A few of these texts might be more readers than rhetorics, and I would prefer that you choose books that are primarily rhetorics. But a quick look at the publishers website should help you to make the distinction.
And I'll continue to work on adding to this list of his. You should feel free to do your own research, too.
One caveat: try to avoid "modes based" rhetorics. These are rhetorics that teach students to write in traditional modes (definition, narration, argument, etc.). As Rhoda Flaxman at Brown University explains,
Questions? Ask them here or email me.
Update: I've crossed out texts above that seem more "reader" than "rhetoric" to me. If you would like to use a reader, you might take a look at the ones listed (and crossed out). Here are a few other rhetorics to consider:
Alexander and Barber, Argument Now (Longman)
Ramage, Bean, and Johnson, The Allyn and Bacon Guide to Writing (Longman)
Ramage, Bean, and Johnson, Writing Arguments (Longman)
Palmquist, Designing Writing (Bedford)
Post a comment here to claim any of the textbooks listed here. Email me (if you haven't already) to ask about a textbook not listed here. Thanks!
I promised to offer a list of suggested textbooks to review. I'm still working on my own personal list, but, in the meantime, have a look at the one compiled by Jeff Rice at Wayne State:
1. Internet Invention - Greg Ulmer (Longman)
2. Writing About Cool - Jeff Rice (Longman)
5. Picturing Texts - Cynthia Selfe, Lester Faigley, Diane George, and Anna Palchik (Norton)
6. Seeing & Writing 2 (or 3) - Donald and Christine McQuade (Bedford)
7. Convergences - Robert Atwan (Bedford)
8. Writing in a Visual Age - Lee Odell and Susan Katz (Bedford)
9. The World is a Text: Writing, Reading and Thinking about Culture - Jonathan Silverman and Dean Rader (Prentice Hall)
10. Everything's an Argument - Andrea Lunsford and John Ruszkiewicz (Bedford)
11. Textbook - Greg Ulmer, Robert Scholes, Nancy Comley (Bedford)
12. CyberReader - Victor Vitanza (Longman)
13. Good Reasons with Contemporary Arguments - Lester Faigley and Jack Selzer (Longman)
14. Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Students - Sharon Crowley and Debra Hawhee (Longman)
15. Envision: Persuasive Writing in a Visual World - Christine Alfano and Alyssa O'Brien (Longman)
16. Remix – Catherine Latterell (Bedford)
17. Beyond Words: Reading and Writing in a Visual Age - Ruszkiewicz | Anderson | Friend (Longman)
18. Compose, Design, Advocate – Dennis Lynch and Anne Wysocki (Longman)
A few of these texts might be more readers than rhetorics, and I would prefer that you choose books that are primarily rhetorics. But a quick look at the publishers website should help you to make the distinction.
And I'll continue to work on adding to this list of his. You should feel free to do your own research, too.
One caveat: try to avoid "modes based" rhetorics. These are rhetorics that teach students to write in traditional modes (definition, narration, argument, etc.). As Rhoda Flaxman at Brown University explains,
The problem with teaching writing by utilizing rhetorical modes is that they tend to be taught as empty forms into which students should fit their ideas, rather than emerging organically from the subject at hand. In addition, often teachers neglect to explain that most skilled writers understand that many rhetorical modes can be used in the same piece of writing.
Questions? Ask them here or email me.
Update: I've crossed out texts above that seem more "reader" than "rhetoric" to me. If you would like to use a reader, you might take a look at the ones listed (and crossed out). Here are a few other rhetorics to consider:
Alexander and Barber, Argument Now (Longman)
Ramage, Bean, and Johnson, The Allyn and Bacon Guide to Writing (Longman)
Ramage, Bean, and Johnson, Writing Arguments (Longman)
Palmquist, Designing Writing (Bedford)
Post a comment here to claim any of the textbooks listed here. Email me (if you haven't already) to ask about a textbook not listed here. Thanks!
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Assignments
Reading the chapter in Bean forced me to think about some of the courses I took early on in my undergraduate career. As some of you may know, I started my undergrad work at a community college. There was one instructor in particular who gave us assignments similar to some that Bean describes. I ended up taking 3 of his history courses because the assignments, take home essay exams, required application of principles we'd covered in class without rudimentary memorization of dates and such.
We had a few grouped courses offered called Learning Communities, that paired two classes from different departments. The one I took was with this history instructor and a biology instructor and was entitled History and Health. One of the take home exams, for example, asked us to explain Mendelian genetics and the history of the civil rights movement in the US by analogy. The assignment read something like this:
On the planet Occuli is dominated by a group of humanoid creatures which only have one eye (making up about 1/4 of the population). They treat those with two and three eyes as second-class citizens. Two-and three-eyed creatures (which are approximately 1/2 and 1/4 of the population, respectively) are not allowed to use the same facilities and are required to use alternate transportation, etc. Using your extensive knowledge of genetics, explain the phenomenon of the one-, two-, and three-eyed beings. Then advise the one-eyed creatures about what sorts of actions they can expect if their oppression continues, drawing on your knowledge of history.
I'm sure that I haven't done the assignment justice in my recreation of it, but that is it in essence. It was a highly enjoyable semester and I learned a lot from the class(es) and from the assignments themselves.
Unfortunately, I find myself wondering how to implement something similar in my own classes. Does anyone have any ideas yet?
--Bri
We had a few grouped courses offered called Learning Communities, that paired two classes from different departments. The one I took was with this history instructor and a biology instructor and was entitled History and Health. One of the take home exams, for example, asked us to explain Mendelian genetics and the history of the civil rights movement in the US by analogy. The assignment read something like this:
On the planet Occuli is dominated by a group of humanoid creatures which only have one eye (making up about 1/4 of the population). They treat those with two and three eyes as second-class citizens. Two-and three-eyed creatures (which are approximately 1/2 and 1/4 of the population, respectively) are not allowed to use the same facilities and are required to use alternate transportation, etc. Using your extensive knowledge of genetics, explain the phenomenon of the one-, two-, and three-eyed beings. Then advise the one-eyed creatures about what sorts of actions they can expect if their oppression continues, drawing on your knowledge of history.
I'm sure that I haven't done the assignment justice in my recreation of it, but that is it in essence. It was a highly enjoyable semester and I learned a lot from the class(es) and from the assignments themselves.
Unfortunately, I find myself wondering how to implement something similar in my own classes. Does anyone have any ideas yet?
--Bri
reading response
Hello, all —
As I was doing this week's reading, I found myself concentrating really intently on some of the example writing prompts that John Bean uses in "Engaging Ideas." Maybe I was just trying to convince myself that I remember how to solve basic mathematical and scientific problems, but these examples made me think about the various students we'll have when we're teaching English 1000.
I suppose I understand that as an English course, it would only make sense for the course to use literature (whether written, spoken, or visual) as primary texts. I also understand that writing clearly and concisely will be a necessary skill for students whatever degree they pursue. Still, our future students are going to be in disciplines across the curriculum. How can we (or how do any of you) plan to incorporate materials that "matter" to more students than just those who will go into English Studies?
If a student goes into something like Agricultural Science (for example), what if those professors discourage the writing skills we teach? I know this is kind of an extreme example, and if the student learns to write well, chances are the professor will not tell him/her to change the style. It's been years since I wrote a "science paper," so I'm not sure how differently these students would be expected to structure writing for their majors. And this is probably a bias of mine, but I think it's a lot easier to find an opinion on a piece of literature than to disprove the Pythagorean Theorem. Whether or not it's easy to structure your thoughts into a logical argument is another story, but I'm pretty sure we've all been through that by now.
Also, on the topic of persuasion, my days as an undergrad in Indiana have persuaded me to cheer for the Colts to win the Superbowl :)
Cheers!
Katie Z.
As I was doing this week's reading, I found myself concentrating really intently on some of the example writing prompts that John Bean uses in "Engaging Ideas." Maybe I was just trying to convince myself that I remember how to solve basic mathematical and scientific problems, but these examples made me think about the various students we'll have when we're teaching English 1000.
I suppose I understand that as an English course, it would only make sense for the course to use literature (whether written, spoken, or visual) as primary texts. I also understand that writing clearly and concisely will be a necessary skill for students whatever degree they pursue. Still, our future students are going to be in disciplines across the curriculum. How can we (or how do any of you) plan to incorporate materials that "matter" to more students than just those who will go into English Studies?
If a student goes into something like Agricultural Science (for example), what if those professors discourage the writing skills we teach? I know this is kind of an extreme example, and if the student learns to write well, chances are the professor will not tell him/her to change the style. It's been years since I wrote a "science paper," so I'm not sure how differently these students would be expected to structure writing for their majors. And this is probably a bias of mine, but I think it's a lot easier to find an opinion on a piece of literature than to disprove the Pythagorean Theorem. Whether or not it's easy to structure your thoughts into a logical argument is another story, but I'm pretty sure we've all been through that by now.
Also, on the topic of persuasion, my days as an undergrad in Indiana have persuaded me to cheer for the Colts to win the Superbowl :)
Cheers!
Katie Z.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Persuasion
First of all, I have to make a comment that is really completely unrelated to the rest of my post. I was looking at publishers' websites earlier today, and remembered that my freshman comp teacher once asked me if he could use some of my work in the book he was writing. Inspired, I did a google search and soon figured out that the book in which my writing might appear is Writing and Community Action by Tom Deans and published by Longman. You can see it online at http://ablongman.com/catalog/academic/product/0,1144,0321094808,00.html. I think the project about the Manhattan Boys and Girls Club listed in the table of contents is mine.
Okay, sorry for the unrelated comment. I thought it was cool.
As I was thinking about the prompt on the schedule of assignments, I realized that a large part of the argumentation I am exposed to comes in the form of junk mail. I started sorting through my recycle bag and found some interesting examples.
Some try making their point by using shock value. One letter I recently received has big orange letters proclaiming "Orphans in Crisis!" splashed across the top. After the salutation, the first sentence of the letter reads, "Every 15 seconds, a child in Africa dies of a hunger-related disease." This strategy is indeed memorable, but I think that it runs the risk of being ignored as overly dramatic.
Another strategy is demonstrated by a letter I received couple of weeks ago, which was enfolded by a piece of cardboard. The cardboard envelope was supposed to reinforce the message inside that many homeless people have to resort to living in boxes in the winter, despite freezing temperatures. It seems to have worked, since I still remember the letter; the tactile quality of the cardboard reinforced the message inside.
Use of visual aids seems to be another popular way to reinforce these arguments. All of the pieces of junk mail in my extensive sampling make use of pictures to reinforce their message. The letter seeking funding for orphans shows a few serious-looking children; an advertisement for "Friends Journal" has the word "simplicity" superimposed on a photo of a peaceful-looking farmhouse.
These are some of the primary strategies I noticed. Actually, I'm rather intrigued now. Perhaps there are some job opportunities in the junkmail industry...
Okay, sorry for the unrelated comment. I thought it was cool.
As I was thinking about the prompt on the schedule of assignments, I realized that a large part of the argumentation I am exposed to comes in the form of junk mail. I started sorting through my recycle bag and found some interesting examples.
Some try making their point by using shock value. One letter I recently received has big orange letters proclaiming "Orphans in Crisis!" splashed across the top. After the salutation, the first sentence of the letter reads, "Every 15 seconds, a child in Africa dies of a hunger-related disease." This strategy is indeed memorable, but I think that it runs the risk of being ignored as overly dramatic.
Another strategy is demonstrated by a letter I received couple of weeks ago, which was enfolded by a piece of cardboard. The cardboard envelope was supposed to reinforce the message inside that many homeless people have to resort to living in boxes in the winter, despite freezing temperatures. It seems to have worked, since I still remember the letter; the tactile quality of the cardboard reinforced the message inside.
Use of visual aids seems to be another popular way to reinforce these arguments. All of the pieces of junk mail in my extensive sampling make use of pictures to reinforce their message. The letter seeking funding for orphans shows a few serious-looking children; an advertisement for "Friends Journal" has the word "simplicity" superimposed on a photo of a peaceful-looking farmhouse.
These are some of the primary strategies I noticed. Actually, I'm rather intrigued now. Perhaps there are some job opportunities in the junkmail industry...
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Welcome!
Welcome to the class blog for English 8010! I look forward to our conversations this semester, both here and in person.
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