Course Description and Student Learning Objectives
This class is designed after the model described in Patrick Sullivan’s A New Writing Classroom: Listening, Motivation, and Habits of Mind (Utah State University Press, 2014). It will focus on reflective writing based on thoughtful reading of a variety of texts, including excerpts from truly important books, in-depth essays from leading magazines, a documentary, and short stories. The readings will be challenging but also engaging and important for citizens of today’s world. Writing assignments will start with guided weekly journal responses to readings and move on to three major reflective essays that respond to several pieces of writing on related themes. The three themes we will be engaging this semester are:
1. Maximizing Learning in College and Beyond
2. Happiness and Discontent
3. Creating a More Just Society
Let me say a word about two important terms and objectives for the semester: Listening and Reflective Writing. Sullivan uses “listening” to refer to paying attention to what someone else is saying–in our case what they are “saying” through writing. So, it means reading closely, attentively, asking questions, turning ideas and actions and motivations over in your mind, connecting something you read in one place with something else you read in another place. It means identifying meaningful quotes and presenting them and responding to them, connecting them to your own experience, extending their ideas to connect with your life and your ideas, ADDING VALUE TO THE CONVERSATION. The goal of your writing will not be to arrive at a number of neat (and simplistic) solutions, but to engage with difficult ideas at a high level, developing your ability to use writing as a way of thinking.
This will be a challenging course and will stretch your thinking and introduce you to new ideas. Why come to college if that doesn’t sound exciting? But each of you can be successful in the class if you put in the time and work diligently. I look forward to working with each of you and you can always talk with me after class, in office hours, or through email with any questions you have.
This class is designed after the model described in Patrick Sullivan’s A New Writing Classroom: Listening, Motivation, and Habits of Mind (Utah State University Press, 2014). It will focus on reflective writing based on thoughtful reading of a variety of texts, including excerpts from truly important books, in-depth essays from leading magazines, a documentary, and short stories. The readings will be challenging but also engaging and important for citizens of today’s world. Writing assignments will start with guided weekly journal responses to readings and move on to three major reflective essays that respond to several pieces of writing on related themes. The three themes we will be engaging this semester are:
1. Maximizing Learning in College and Beyond
2. Happiness and Discontent
3. Creating a More Just Society
Let me say a word about two important terms and objectives for the semester: Listening and Reflective Writing. Sullivan uses “listening” to refer to paying attention to what someone else is saying–in our case what they are “saying” through writing. So, it means reading closely, attentively, asking questions, turning ideas and actions and motivations over in your mind, connecting something you read in one place with something else you read in another place. It means identifying meaningful quotes and presenting them and responding to them, connecting them to your own experience, extending their ideas to connect with your life and your ideas, ADDING VALUE TO THE CONVERSATION. The goal of your writing will not be to arrive at a number of neat (and simplistic) solutions, but to engage with difficult ideas at a high level, developing your ability to use writing as a way of thinking.
This will be a challenging course and will stretch your thinking and introduce you to new ideas. Why come to college if that doesn’t sound exciting? But each of you can be successful in the class if you put in the time and work diligently. I look forward to working with each of you and you can always talk with me after class, in office hours, or through email with any questions you have.
- Teacher: Moncrieff, Scott