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.