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August 23, 2007
Not Much Time, So Writing Fast
I don't have quite enough time to do my morning journaling, and yet, I still want to make my mark in the world somehow, so I thought I'd do a quick update here.
Classes are going well so far. Crazy busy, but the students are fun and seem to be interested and willing to talk. I assigned this really ranty--REALLY ranty--essay for one of my classes. It gives a background on some important issues, but is extremely, well, extreme. Which makes it easier to start to talk about how to look at a piece for things like bias. Because in this piece, the author's opinions are in your face. His tone gets very pointy. As in, if he were in the room, he would be waving his index finger about and jabbing at people with it.
However, I was afraid that my students would take the author's opinion for mine and that I would only have six students left when I walked into class yesterday. Fortunately, no such thing happened. They were ALL there. All 36 of them. And when we started talking about the essay (after the pop quiz I gave on the contents of the syllabus--Dave's idea), one of the first things I said was, "I don't always agree with the opinions of the pieces I assign you." There was an audible response from the class. Of relief.
And then we could get into the essay and start developing some critical analysis skills.
I'm hoping they stick with the class. I know one student has already had his Truth-with-a-capital-T rocked. When we get back into class tomorrow, I want to be sure to point out that we started the analysis by looking for and listing verifiable information because you never attack the strong points of an argument. Check the speaker/writer's facts first to make sure they're accurate, and then look at how they're applied. This kid was arguing with the facts (which in this case are accurate). But I think they'll begin to get that after a while, when we keep applying the same formula to analysis:
1) What's the author's background in relation to the topic?
2) What are the verifyable statements the author makes?
3) What are the opinions disguised as fact?
4) Does the author use generalizations or stereotypes?
Those are, of course, just the first questions we'll ask. We'll get deeper into it as the semester progresses.
Anyway, I'm off to teach the other freshman core class now. It's funny. Already I can tell that I'm much more nurtur-y with the budding creative impulses in Art, Artists & Madness. Very protective, very "Ooooooh. Let me take care of you and see that you come to no harm." With Sex & Culture, I'm still concerned for their well-being, but it's more Wild Animal Mother-y. More, "This is the world. Here's how you survive in it."
Interesting.
Posted by sally at August 23, 2007 08:22 AM
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