Daybook Post 1

Final Reflection

I am talking about something I want to link to!

April 23

Today, we graded ourselves on participation.  Then, we got into our blog groups and workshopped our papers using the method we used for the last workshop.  For each group member, the paper was discussed for 15 minutes.

Homework:

• On your blog, answer the questions on the "Workshop Reflection for Your Blog" handout before class on Thursday.
• On your blog, answer the questions on the "Self Assessment Reflection" handout before class on Thursday.
• Post your second draft to the blog (copy and paste) and to Blackboard (a Word file) before class on Thursday.  You will post your paper in Discussions under "Post Your Argumentative Essay Here."

Note: Valerie Bright will be a sub for Megan on Thurday.  Colleen, Brett, Lila and Christa have been given the authority to ask people to quiet down and get back to work.

April 18

To begin the day, we started with red tape.  The class decided to change the schedule to the following:

• April 23 - Workshop Argumentative Essay
• April 25 - Work Day
• April 30 - Work Day
• May 2 and May 9 - Presentations

For writing into the day, we wrote a poem about our experiences this semester.  Then, we finished the discussion about the final reflection letter by answering the following questions:

1. If you described the final reflection to someone outside of this class, what would you say?

• Flowing conversation - talking to someone about what you have learned
• The meaningful connections you have made to something you have learned

2. What might you use as the topic of your reflection?

• What you've learned - stuff around us
• Identity as a student
• How this class affected you outside the classroom
• Identity as a researcher

We talked about the logistics of how to turn the dialogue into an academic paper by answering the four questions in the PowerPoint.  We came up with the following answers:

1. What do you need to add?

• Introduction
• More of your own words
• Intext citation
• Works cited
• Closing argument

2. What do you need to keep the same?

• Direct quotes
• Structure (Rogerian or Toulmin)

3. What do you need to take out?

• Script elements
• Cast list
• Setting

4. What did you need to keep, but change a little?

• Paraphrase the direct quotes
• Introduction and the conclusion (now what), but work on the flow

We talked about writing more simply (instead of writing to "sound smarter") by using two example sentences about bilingual education (see the Power Point).

Then, we wrote the introduction of our papers by using the reading from Swales.  In your introduction, include these four things:

1. Pick one of the steps from Move 1
2. If you are writing the Toulmin, write out how you introduced the problem.  If you are writing the Rogerian, write out how you introduced the issue.
3. If you are writing the Toulmin, write out how your solution (claim, reason and warrants).  If you are writing the Rogerian, write out your buy-in.
4. Write out the organization of your paper starting with the words "In this paper, I will..." 

We read page 254-255 in Practical Argument about quoting sources.  We took some time to decide which direct quotes to use by using the blue box on page 254.

Things to remember:

• Use inline citation with paraphrases and direct quotes
• Your conclusion should be the "now what"
• Use the blue box on page 257 for example words to use when introducing quotes
• If you are writing the Rogerian, make sure you use objective language and acknowledge that both sides have valid arguments.
• If you are writing the Toulmin, make sure you are consisently supporting your thesis (claim and reason). For example, if your thesis is "I believe standardized testing should be eliminated because they are decreasing student creativity" your whole paper should show how tests are descreasing creativity.  A paragraph about how tests cost the school a particular amount of money would, therefore, be off topic.

Homework

• Post your first draft of your Argumentative Essay on your blog.
• Bring in hard copies of your first draft for your blog group.

April 16

For writing into the day, we responded to the question: In relation to an English class, what do you think of when you hear the word "reflection"?

The class responded with the following:

• Tracking your progress - how you got from points A to point B
• Drawing on personal experiences and analyzing them
• Looking at your writing process and figuring out how you can improving and what you're confident about
• Looking at what worked and what went wrong

Megan then gave the following a working definition for this class:

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines reflection as: “(1) the action of bending or folding back [and] (2) consideration of some subject matter, idea, or purpose¹.” Reflecting in a writing classroom combines these two definitions.

“Reflection is thinking for an extended period by linking recent experiences to earlier ones…The thinking involves looking for commonalities, differences, and interrelations beyond their superficial elements.²” “The act of reflection, therefore, becomes crucial to [students’] education. It serves as the bridge between experiences and learning.^3”

“Meaningful reflection considers three questions:

1. What—what happened?
2. So what—what does it mean? 
3. Now what—what is the next step?⁴” 

We talked about the Final Presentation and Final Reflection assignments.  On the last day of class, you will need to put the on your blog:

• In one post, you will embed the final drafts of the major assignments (see the document "Using Scribd to Post to Your Blog" for how you should do this)
• In another post, you will write the final reflection letter

Finally, we used Megan's SI Reflection (http://megansreflection.blogspot.com) as a model for the final reflection and discussed it.

What types of things might you link to or use as examples in your final reflection?

• Comments from blog group
• Pictures -  visual analysis pictures, quotes on papers, pictures of writing process, print source
• Drafts
• Daybook entires
• Textbook
• Vidoes - TedTalks
• Handouts
• PowerPoint slides
• Reading Responses
• Reflections
• Blog group posts

Homework:

• Decide whether you want to use the Rogerian or the Toulmin structure for your argumentative essay.

Note: All drafts for extra feedback must be email to Megan by midnight on April 18.

April 11

Today, we wrote into the day creating goals for today and for the rest of the semester.  Then, we brainstormed for the Toulmin dialogue by pulling information from our sources to find the backing, the grounds and the rebuttals.  We also wrote a "now what."  We use the slide on the PowerPoint on BlackBoard for this brainstorming.  In the last 15 minutes, we drafted for the dialogue.

Homework:

• Post your Toulmin dialogue to your blog and to BlackBoard before class.
• Post the "Self Assessment Reflection" for the Toulmin dialogue on your blog before class.

April 9

Today we responded to a comic about argument for writing into the day.  Next, we talked about the following red tape:

• If you want 10 points extra credit on your Annotated Bibliography second draft, revise it thoughtfully and turn it back into BlackBoard by Friday at midnight.

• If you do not turn a draft into BlackBoard, you will receive a zero on the entire assignment (all drafts, workshop and reflections).  This is in the syllabus and has been discussed in class before.

• The last day to turn in drafts for feedback from Megan is April 18.  Email these drafts to Megan.  (This is NOT the due date for final drafts.  This is only for extra feedback.)

Then, we read about the structure of the Toulmin argument on pages 153-156 of Practical Argument.  In groups, we read the example essay that begins on page 157 and discussed the five questions at the end of the essay.
We discussed the organization of the Toulmin dialogue, which is as follows:

• Cast list (including yourself)
• Describe scene.
• You: Introduce the problem.  Then, state the argument (a solution to the problem) by explaining the claim, reason and warrant.  (i.e. What are you arguing? Why are you arguing it?  What is/are the unstated assumption(s) behind that argument?)
• Sources in support of claim: Present their supporting arguments for the claim and reason. Be sure to include any important qualifiers.
• Sources of both sides: The sources that are against the claim will offer their arguments.  The sources in support of the claim will rebuttal each argument.  (This will be back and forth communication.).
• You: Explain the “now what.”  This will state steps that can be taken in support of the claim.  (i.e. Meetings between certain groups, advertising in particular places, talking to particular government officials, etc.)

Finally, we began brainstorming by writing out the claim, reason and warrant of our papers.  Then, we began writing out the backing for the claim.

No homework due Thursday.

Homework due Friday at midnight:

• On your blog, respond to the four questions in Megan's email about her comments on the Annotated Bibliography.

* Next class, bring laptop, sources and any relevant papers.  We will be brainstorming and having work time for the Toulmin dialogue.

April 4

For writing into the day, we responded to a quote about compromise and related it to Rogerian argument.  Then, as a brainstorming activity, we responded to each of the following sets of questions for 10 minutes each:

• Set the scene.  Where are you and the authors of your sources? What is around you?  What is happening?  Why are all of you there?

         Write down how you will introduce the issue.  How are the supporters of each side affected by      

         this issue?

• Look at your sources/annotated bibliography.  Find quotes you want to use to support one of the sides of the issue.  Write down the direct quote or write the paraphrase you will use in your dialogue.  Make sure to write down who is saying which quote or paraphrase. 

          Start writing the conversation.  Who will start talking?  Who will respond?  How will each author         

          respond to the others?

• Look at your sources/annotated bibliography.  Find quotes you want to use to support one of the sides of the issue (if you have already written about one side, write about the other side).  Write down the direct quote or write the paraphrase you will use in your dialogue.  Make sure to write down who is saying which quote or paraphrase.

          Start writing the conversation.  Who will start talking?  Who will respond?  How will each author   

          respond to the others?

• Explain how one side might benefit from considering the other.  Write out how you will explain the compromises. Will you have your sources react to the compromises or will they stay quiet?  If they will react, what will they say?

          Explain the “now what.”  What steps should be taken now that you have 

          discussed compromises?

For the last 20 minutes, we continued to draft the dialogue individually.

April 2

For writing into the day, we responded to one of three quotes about argument.  

1. —“Don't raise your voice, improve your argument." Desmond Tutu
2. —“That's the beauty of argument, if you argue correctly, you're never wrong.” Christopher Buckley
3. —“It does take great maturity to understand that the opinion we are arguing for is merely the hypothesis we favor, necessarily imperfect, probably transitory, which only very limited minds can declare to be a certainty or a truth.” Milan Kundera

Then, we read pages 146-148 in Practical Argument to learn about the structure of Rogerian argument.  In groups, we read and discussed the structure of the example essay on page 150-152.  Remember that Rogerian dialogue is not about proving one side wrong.  It is about explaining the valid opinions of each side and finding a compromise.  

We then talked about the organization of the Rogerian dialogue, which is as follows:

• Describe scene.

• You: Introduce the topic, explaining the issue and how supporters of both sides of topic are affected.  This tells your readers why they should care about this issue regardless of which side they support.

• Sources: Present one side of the issue and the arguments for it.

• Sources: Present the other side of the issue and the arguments for it.

• Sources: Explain why the second side would benefit from moving toward the first side’s position.

• You: Lay out possible compromises.

• You: Explain the “now what.”  This will state steps that can be taken once compromises are agreed on.  (i.e. Meetings between certain groups, advertising in particular places, talking to particular government officials, etc.)

Finally, we got into our blog groups and talked about possible compromises for each person's topic.

Homework:

• Post the second draft of your Annotated Bibliography to Blackboard and the blog.
• Post the answers to the Self Assessment questions to your blog.

Note: Bring your annotated bibliography and sources to class on Thursday.  We will be doing brainstorming and drafting for the Rogerian dialogue in class.