Friday's class

I am learning how to allow groups to do presentations:

• First I had them stand up front. That seemed unnecessary so I let them stand where they were.
• I had a hard time not correcting the students. Sometimes there is a lot to add.
• 20 minutes got us through three groups. I am going to have to do better than that on Monday.
• I need to be more specific in what they are looking for.
• How do I make this an effective means of teaching and allowing students to participate in the learning experience?
• I need to think about this

I felt like discussion about how to actually write an introduction was good. Finally I am talking about writing. Students asked questions, questions I could answer.

Monday plan -

• Discuss body paragraphs - refer to Chua essay and project 1 handout
• Discuss conclusions - refer to Chua essay and project 1 handout

• Go over some strategies commonly used in Pinker's piece. Prepare handout. Find those strategies in the piece.

1. What role does the use of section titles play?
2. Where does Pinker establish his ethos?
3. What role does pathos play in this piece? Why is it minimal? What is Pinker doing?
4. What role does logos play?
5. Anticipatory refutation? Where do we see this?
6. Where do we see distributions?
7. Where do we see analogies? What do these do?
8. How does he use authoritative quotations
9. He uses lots of scientific evidence. What is he DOING?

• 11:30 - groups

Whew!

rhetorical strategies

I want to develop some kind of way to teach students about different kinds of rhetorical strategies. Language helps us define and identify.

I thought perhaps I could use McClish's "Toolbox," but when I went back and looked at it, I realized that the language was pretty complex for freshmen.

I wish I had done this for them before--

How are they going to come up with a rhetorical analysis if they don't know what they're looking for?

I'm wondering how I can introduce some of these things for them in the next couple of days AND at the same time finish the group presentations, discuss how to write a body paragraph and a conclusion, and have a frequently asked questions day.

On Friday, I think I'm going to have them get into their groups and do workshops. If the peer review is done in class, I think that might be helpful.

What do I want them to know? What does Pinker use?

Use of titles to lead his audience

Examples

Distribution - dividing a subject into categories that enhance the argument

Argument by elimination - only one or no categories are acceptable or logical or possible (incest example

Antithesis - special kind of distribution which emphasizes binary opposites

prolepsis - anticipatory refutation of opposition, addressing your skeptical audience's doubts

Analogy - comparison of two terms

Precedent - arguing from a previous decision

Motive - why we should or shouldn't trust someone to do the right thing -difficult to prove

Definition - ad hoc definitions - choose definitions which develop your own argument

Repetition - saying something more than once for emphasis

Rhetorical question - a seemingly open question that has only one correct answer

Transitional question - moves the audience forward to your next point

Paradox - contradiction that is true

Ambiguity - deliberately suggesting more than one possible meaning

hyperbole - exaggeration

Authoritative quotation - direct quote

Common wisdom - a maxim

Demonstration - a vivid, powerful description that recreates something or someone before your very eyes

How does word choice play a role?

Oh, so much to do, so little time.

I wish I would have started a reflections blog a month ago . .

I really wish I would have started a reflections blog a month ago. I'm learning something new every day and since I really do plan on teaching, I want to remember what I'm learning.

I secretly hope someone will read my other blogs, but I'm fine with this one begin completely anonymous.

Planning -

• You don't know what you don't know. I couldn't plan adequately until I knew what I would actually be doing.
• Choose texts.
• Choose assignments. Read the assignments carefully--especially if I didn't create them.

First Date Reflection:

• I am passionate about the subject. I want them to see why this class matters. Energy is good.
• I really liked the in-class essay asking: 1) Why are you in college? Why SDSU; 2) What is your major and why? 3) What are two strengths and two weaknesses in your writing?
• I wish I had been able to keep those.
• The note card idea from Alicia would actually be helpful. I could keep them and remember which student is wanting to be a nurse, which one wants to be in business, which one is an engineering major.

Be absolutely clear.

• Absences - must contact me
• Late work - daily work - one day late
• Everything - just choose

Advertising Assignment

• The assignment was too interpretive. I wasn't totally clear on what
• Rewrite the whole thing.
• Create a template.
• Be specific.
• Maybe even post sample ads on Blackboard for students to choose from.

Email assignment

• Worked well--but I would take out talk your friend out of dating someone else.

Grading

• For papers worth ten points, if students do an extraordinary job, they get eleven points.

Start the primary first project text at the end of the second week.

• I waited way too long and now I'm playing catchup.

Group Work

• Yea! for group work. I didn't think I would like this. It uses up time, allows all students to participate.
• Be specific about what you want them to do.
• Have a plan for how to divide up.
• Random works well --or planned. Some TAs are allowing students to develop "small groups" so that they learn to work within a team. I think I like that as well.

Learn to take advantage of the Smart classroom.

• Writing on the board causes me to turn my back on the students, and I lose presence.
• Students are used to looking at something. There will be a focus point.
• I wish I had started with this earlier. It allows us all to look at the notes, at the text, at the images. Instead of eyes on their books or eyes on the board, we are all looking at the same thing.
• I think this would be advantageous.

Sigh. There are days when I feel like I was made for this, and there are days when there is absolutely no energy in the room. I hate those days.

Kirsten says that my students are lucky. I am a teacher who really does care about each student, and that matters. On the other hand, I want to teach well. Hopefully these reflections will help me focus and improve my teaching now--and in the future.

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