April 24

Today, we talked about grades in place of doing a writing into the day.  We spent the rest of class working on things for class, such as the final reflection, meeting with panel groups, revising, etc.  Megan also met with panel groups four, five and six.  In the last 20 minutes, we filled out instructor evals.

Homework:

• Post your final drafts and your final reflection to your blog before class on Monday.
• Panel groups one and two will present on Monday.

April 17

Today, we graded ourselves on participation.  We spent the rest of class working on things for class, such as the final reflection, meeting with panel groups, revising, etc. 

No Homework.

*Note: No class on Monday, April 22

April 15

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:

• Looking back on work you've done, thinking about it and relating it to yourself or other work you have done
• A way to think about how your writing has grown, how it has improved and how that might help you in the future
• Thinking back about how assignments have changed
• Thinking about your progress
• Thinking about what you've done
• Looking at something you got out of the work you did
• An opportunity to look at what improvements you would make if you could go back an revise more

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 Reflection assignment.  On the last day of class, you will need to put the on your blog:

• In one post, you will imbed the final drafts of the major assignments (see the document "Using Scribd to Post to Your Blog" on Moodle 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?

• Blog posts
• Daybook entries
• Comments - instructor comments, comments you've written, comment posted by your inquiry group
• Reflections
• Reading Responses
• Schooling trajectory
• Videos like TedTalks
• Readings
• Classmates' work
• Class discussions
• Papers
• Meetings we have had
• Pictures - daybook entries, peer workshop writing, timeline, questions from discussions

How might you use these models to think about your own reflection?

• Figure out where to start
• Do the reflection sequentially or by topic
• Include a lot of what is going on in your head 
• Choose a topic and support it with the blog

No Homework

Note: All drafts for extra feedback must be email to Megan by midnight tonight.

April 10

Today,  we wrote into the day about our writing processes for the Joining the Conversation Part #2 (Academic).  Finally, we got into our inquiry groups and workshopped our papers.  If there were four people, the paper was discussed for 15 minutes.  If there were five people, the paper was discussed for 12 minutes.  

Homework:

• On your blog, answer the questions on the "Workshop Reflection for Your Blog" handout.
• On your blog, answer the questions on the "Self Assessment Reflection" about Part #3.
• Post Part #3 on your blog and on Moodle.

Note: On Monday, bring your laptop.  We will be talking about reflection and will do a model activity using computers.

April 8

Today, we wrote into the day by answering these two questions:

1. Why shouldn't you use second person (you, yours) in academic writing?
2. Why should you write formally in academic writing?

Then, we got into our inquiry groups and discussed specifics of how to turn the dialogue into an academic piece.  We came up with the following:

• Remove play structure (Name:, stage directions, setting)
• Paraphrase and use the name as inline citation
• Use third person
• Use first person when describing personal experiences or explaining your opinion at the end
• Group similar ideas together
• Group by ideas rather than by sources
• Take out words indication conversation (well, I think, ya know); make this a paraphrase or quote.
• Explain how quotes explore/connect to/answer your inquiry question.
• Dialogue becomes supporting details.
• Include a works cited page/footnotes
• Analyze the quotes more
• Maybe include a thesis

Finally, in our inquiry groups, we read the Swales piece, talked about how to introduce our academic pieces and had individual work time.  In the last ten minutes of class, Megan handed out and explained the current grades.

Homework:

• On your blog, respond to the four questions in your email about Megan's comments on your Annotated Bibliography.
• Post your first draft of Part 2 to your blog.
• Bring hard copies of Part 2 for your inquiry group to workshop on Wednesday.

April 3

Today, we wrote into the day about our writing processes for the Joining the Conversation Part #1 (Dialogue).  Then, we got into our inquiry groups and workshopped our papers.  If there were three people in the group, the paper was discussed for 20 minutes.  If there were four people, the paper was discussed for 15 minutes.  If there were five people, the paper was discussed for 12 minutes.  

 

Homework:

• On your blog, answer the questions on the "Workshop Reflection for Your Blog" handout before class on Monday.
• Bring the Swales reading (on Moodle) to class on Monday.

Note: On Monday, bring your Annotated Bibliography, your dialogue and your sources on an electronic device.  We will talk about how to start your academic piece and spend time drafting in class.

April 1

For writing into the day, we responded to the quote (in italics) that is at the beginning of the Multimodal Piece assignment description in the syllabus.  Then, we discussed the Mulitmodal and Panel assignments.  The panel descipriton is as follows:

• Groups of 3-4 people grouped by topic of inquiry
• Show (and explain, if necessary) your multimodal project
• Explain why you chose that form
•  Discussion 

• Entire panel time: 30-35 minutes
• 10 minute (minimum) discussion
  • Start out by asking if the class has questions (if so, discuss)
  • Prepare 3-4 questions about your panel’s topic to discuss with the class if you have extra time

As a class, we designated panels. I emailed this list to the class.  Finally, for the last 30 minutes of class, we had work time to talk with panels or draft the Joining the Conversation dialogue.

 

Homework:

• Post the first draft of your Joining the Conversation dialogue on your blog.
• Bring hardcopies of your draft for your inquiry group to class on Wednesday.

* You are no longer required to post comments on the blog.
* The last day to revise a draft for additional feedback from Megan is April 15.

March 27

Today, we wrote into the day about our writing processes for the Annotated Bibliography.  Then, we got into our inquiry groups and workshopped our papers.  If there were three people in the group, the paper was discussed for 20 minutes.  If there were four people, the paper was discussed for 15 minutes.  If there were five people, the paper was discussed for 12 minutes.  While groups worked, Megan passed around a notebook for each person to write down his/her current inquiry question.

Homework:

• On your blog, answer the questions on the "Workshop Reflection for Your Blog" handout before class on Monday.
• Post your second draft - five sources - to the blog (copy and paste) and to Moodle (a Word file) before class on Monday.  You will post your paper in the forum called "Post Your Annotated Bibliography Here."
• On your blog, answer the questions on the "Self Assessment Reflection for Your Blog" handout before class on Monday.

Note: On Monday, bring your Annotated Bibliography and your sources on an electronic device.  We will have some time to start working on the Joining the Conversation dialogue.

March 25

Today, we responded to a quote by Kenneth Burke for writing into the day.  (This quote can be found at the beginning of the Joining the Conversation assignment description.)  Then, we talked about the Joining the Conversation assignment.  The due dates are as follows:

• April 3 - Dialogue (Step 1) first draft due on the blog; workshop in class 
• April 10 - Academic Paper (Step 2) first draft due on the blog; workshop in class 
• April 30 - Inquiry Project Paper (Step 3) first draft draft due on Moodle and the blog

We analyzed the example Annotated Bibliography that was sent in an email on Wednesday.  Finally, we spent the last 15 minutes of class working on our Annotated Bibliographies.

Homework:

• Finish your Annotated Bibliography for the first three sources.
• Bring hardcopies of your Annotated Bibliography for your workshop group.

March 18

Today, we responded to one of two quotes about active reading for writing into the day.  Then, we talked about the uncoming assignment, Annotated Bibliography, and the schedule for the next few weeks.

After that, we used two active reading strategies (Annotating - Marking up the Text and Dialogic Journal).  We discussed and practice these stategies with the two articles we brought to class.

Homework:

• Pick the strategy that you like best of the two.  Complete this strategy on two articles you know you will be using for your Annotated Bibliography.  On your blog, post pictures, scan or a typed version of your active reading strategy for the first four pages of your source.  If your source is not four pages long, complete the strategy for the whole sources and post that.  (Example, if you are using a newspaper article, use the Annotating or Dialogic Journal on the whole article and post that.)
• Bring two articles to class on Wednesday.  You need to be sure that you will use these articles for your inquiry project.  Come to class having read and fully understood them.

February 27

Today, we responded to a quote about research on the Web for writing into the day.  Then, we discussed the Research Proposal.  The Proposal does not need to go on Moodle (as it states in the assignment description).  Instead, we will bring a hard copy to the conference.  The Proposal will still need to be posted to the blog before the conference.  It would also be smart to bring a daybook to the conference to take notes.

After discussing the Proposal, we read the "Finding Credible Sources" handout in small groups.  We watched a video about the Primerica Scam and discussed whether it was credible:

How is the video credible?

• A lot of people talked about their experiences.
• People make big money.
• They stated facts.
• It sounds desirable.
• People from high in the company spoke.
• There was a diverse sampling of people; this suggests that anyone can do it.
• It was all positive.
• They discredit the Internet.

How is the video not credible?

• The people seemed like actors.
• It was biased.
• They didn't say what the company does.
• They only read half of the quotes.
• They didn't say names.
• They didn't say where the money goes.
• They said you can't believe what you hear, so how can you believe them?

How could they make the video more credible?

• Show financial records.
• Show names.
• Show better statistics.

Then, we talked about why Wikipedia is considered an uncredible sources in academic (anyone can write on it) and how we can use it to our advantage.  Wikipedia is a good starting point.  It can give the reader a foundational understanding of a subject.  Then, the reader can follow (and use in a paper) the citations provided at the bottom of the Wikipedia article.  Make sure, though, that the source that it takes you to is credible before you use it in your paper.

Finally, we wrote about what participation grade we believe we deserved based on the following: participation in whole group, participation in small group, coming prepared to class, volunteering to read and staying attentive in class.  (If you were absent, please email this to me before Spring Break.)

Homework:

• Post the answers to the "Self Assessment Reflection" handout on your blog before Monday at noon.
• Post your second draft of your Exploratory Essay to your blog before Monday at noon.
• Post your second draft of your Exploratory Essay to Moodle before Monday at noon.  Post it in the forum called "POST YOUR EXPLORATORY ESSAY HERE." If you do not turn in the essay on Moodle before noon on Monday, you will receive a zero for this assignment.

Note: On March 11 (the day we come back from Spring Break), we will meet in Room 125 in the library.

February 25

Today, we wrote into the day about our writing processes for the Exploratory Essay.  Then, we got into our inquiry groups and workshopped our papers using the method discussed last week.  If there were three people in the group, the paper was discussed for 20 minutes.  If there were four people, the paper was discussed for 15 minutes.  If there were five people, the paper was discussed for 12 minutes.

Homework:

• On your blog, answer the questions on the "Workshop Reflection for Your Blog" handout before class on Wednesday.
• Post your second draft to the blog (copy and paste) and to Moodle (a Word file) before class on Monday (March 4) at noon.  You will post your paper in the forum called "Post Your Exploratory Essay Here."

February 20

Today, for writing into the day, we answered questions about the purpose of workshopping.  After discussing the writing into the day, we got into small groups and made a list of do's and don't's of workshopping using "Responding - Really Responding - to Other Students' Writing," the "Revision is" handout and our past experiences with workshopping.  We made a class list of the Do's and Don't's for the reader and the writer, which is as follows:

 

Do

• Respond truthfully
• Ask questions
• Give suggestions
• Tell the writer what is working
• Inspire the writer
• Have an open mind
• Elaborate
• Give ideas on how to fix paper
• Give clear opinions
• Write on the paper
• Focus on concept
• Be respectful
• Respond with a smile
• Comment on grammar
• Take notes (writer)
• Have an open mind (writer)
• Have a positive attitude (writer)
• Bring concerns (writer)
• Bring hard copies (writer)

Don't

• Be disrespectful
• Ignore suggestions
• Lie
• Just focus on grammar
• Destroy paper
• Be afraid to say anything
• Skim
• Re-write
• Be vague
• Be rude/harsh
• Have side conversations
• Cut down the writer's ideas
• Make the writer cry
• Be defensive  (writer)
• Forget your paper (writer)
• Half-do your paper (writer)
• Feel pressured to change your ideas (writer)

Then, we discussed the handouts about reflections.  After workshopping next class, we will answer the questions on the "Reflection for Workshop" handout on the blog.  Then, when we hand in the second draft, we will answer the "Self Assessment" questions on the blog.  After conferences (which will take place the week after Spring Break), we will answer the "Reflection for Conferences" on the blog.

 

When we workshop next class, we will use the following steps:

1. The writer address 2-3 concerns about the work
2. The writer reads the paper aloud
3. The writer and readers discuss the paper.  The writer asks questions and pushes readers to explain criticism.

For the last five minutes, we wrote out our current inquiry questions and our weekly availability.  Megan will be using these to schedule conferences.

Homework

• Finish writing your first draft of the Exploratory Essay.  (It must be three pages.)
• Post a copy of your draft to your blog before class.
• Bring four hardcopies of your draft with you to class.

February 18

Today, we wrote about what we have learned and/or thought about since the beginning of the semester.  

After writing into the day, we reread the assignment description for the Exploratory Essay and talked about the "Exploratory Essay - Further Explanation" handout.  Then we did brainstorming about the Exploratory Essay in partners.  We wrote about our ideas and then talked them over with our partners (see the "Murray Brainstorming" powerpoint).

Then, we got into our inquiry groups and talked our golden lines.  In the last 10 minutes of class, we had a debate about whether students should be required to take liberal arts classes.  Some said that these classes are a waste of time unless they deal directly with one's major.  Others said that these classes are beneficial because they make a person more well rounded and teach things like history; these people argued that it is the responsibility of the student to figure out how to apply what he/she has learned in liberal arts classes to his/her life and major.

Homework:

• Keep up with your blog.

February 13

For writing into the day, we listed everything we know about a country or countries.  Then, we watched two short videos about 21st century skills and global competition.  After these videos, we discussed questions (on the PowerPoint) in small groups, then have the following whole group discussion:

• Studying a language should begin in elementary school.
• Other countries learn languages earlier.
• Only two years in high school is required; that's not enough.
• Even with four years of high school language class might not prepare you for college language classes.
• Language study should be required.
• Global awareness is our weakness. The only thing we know is how we beat them in wars.  We don't know anything about the other cultures.
• Can you cooperate with countries or can you only compete with them now?
• Other countries go to school year round.
• Are we being dumbed down by getting 12 weeks off every year?  If you constantly learn, you will be smarter.
• Could we shorten school days and go year round?  Then we would have the same amount of time but not forget things over the summer.
• Because it's free, we don't value our education.
• We only see other countries on TV, but the media doesn't tell us about the people.  They only tell us what the country does.
• Schools focus on memorizing dates and names.  They should concentrate on the culture of the countries.
• Maybe we should have a class for global awareness.
• We think we are the best.  When we hear other countries names - like Iraq or Mexico - we only think of violence.
• We too easily believe what the media tells us.
• Is history class important?  
• You could incorporate culture.  
• We only learned about our history, not other culture's history.
• We have to remember that other countries are older than us.  Maybe we have so many problems because we are too young.
• Maybe we don't remember history because we thought it was stupid while we were taking it.
• We need to learn the customs of the other cultures if we are in business.
• It depends on what you need to do.  Why do you need to be globally aware if you are never going to leave the US?
• The US is a melting pot.
• Most professionals interact with people from other countries.  Even at the grocery store, you might do something to offend someone from another culture just because you don't know about their culture.
• We judge other countries' customs because we are ignorant of them.
• Some people from other countries who come to America feel like they need to act American.
• Most jobs require that you speak at least two languages now.
• In grade school, we don't know what we want to do yet so we don't know how much global awareness we will need for our jobs.  Because of that, we should just learn it anyway.  It could only benefit you.
• Do you think we really learn the other four 21st century skills listed by Ken Kay?
• We might have one or two word problems or critical thinking questions in school, but we don't know how to answer them.  Most of the time, we would just skip them.
• Collaboration wasn't something that we learned well.  We had to do the work ourselves unless we were purposely put into groups.
• Before college, there wasn't much group work. 
• Group work allows us the opportunity to learn others' ideas and points of view.
• It goes back to who's teaching the class.
• In college and in jobs we will need to collaborate.  They should make sure we collaborate in high school.
• We've always been pinned against the world.  There's always a target on our backs.
• Who can tell you what's right or wrong when it comes to the customs of different countries?
• As a nations, we are covering up what's going on around us.  We think it's all about "me".
• People turn off the TV as soon as there is something they don't like.
• The news is depression.  They don't tell you the good stuff.

Then, we read the descriptions of Liberal Education and Montessori Education.  In small groups, we discussed what we thought of these methods.  Most people preferred the Montessori method because of the student teaching and the focus on first hand experience.  Some also emphasized that liberal education allows the person to be well rounded.

Homework:

• Read "On the Uses of a Liberal Education."

• Post a reading response on your blog.

• Bring your golden line to class with you on Monday.

February 11

For writing into the day, we responded to a newspaper article about why high school students aren't prepared for college.  Then we had the following discussion:

• In high school, AP was busy work and book work.  In college, it's more critical thinking.
• Each week we'd have timed writing responses.  You don't have those kinds of timed writing in college.  You have at least a week to write a paper.
• We were just taught how to pass.
• How are you being prepared for college if the course is a year long?  Why did it take so long to teach/learn that material?
• They don't have adequate teachers to teacher higher classes in high school.
• Multiple choice doesn't allow for learning concepts; it's about memorization.
• You have to focus on what the teacher says in college, not just memorizing dates and facts from a book.
• We only learned what was on the exam.  The teacher wouldn't answer questions about things that weren't going to be on the exam.  
• Test scores are the measure of what the students supposedly learned.  So are teachers teaching kids to pass the test to help the student or to save their job?
• It's cheaper to do multiple choice.  It's not feasible to respond to many students with critical thinking responses.
• Often, we don't think about what other people say; we just accept it.
• Teachers can't impact all students in the same way because each student is different.
• Classes should be smaller.
• But that means more teachers, more classroom and more buildings which means more money.
• High grades might occur more often in smaller classes.
• It's easier to get your questions answered in small classes.
• In small classes,  you get to know the teacher better so you are more comfortable talking to him/her.
• In big classes, you're just a number.
• Education is about pressure: pressure to pass for the student, pressure to make students pass for the teacher.
• It's everybody's fault that education is failing.
• In big classes, it's harder to connect with peers.
• In big classes, it's easier to fall asleep, skip or check out.
• The teacher impacts your class and your grade.  It's on the professor to make the class interesting, regardless of class size.
• When classes are more about concepts and discussion, it's easier to remember what you learned.
• Because we are of similar age and position, it's easier to understand when your classmates explain things than when the teacher does.
• Some teachers don't know how to explain their knowledge to the students.
• Some teachers don't understand why students aren't grasping the ideas.
• Some teachers are too smart to teach.
• It's like Sheldon on Big Bang Theory.
• College starts hard.  You can't slack even the first week.
• Teachers don't understand that we haven't been taught how to start hard from the beginning.
• Some teachers think that because we are paying for college, we will work harder.
• When you go from high school to college, it's going to be different.  You expect your first semester to be easy, but it's not.
• In 7th grade, each class should start getting harder, but it doesn't.  So we don't believe teachers when they say college is going to be hard.
• In college, you need to study.  In high school, you didn't.
• You have to do homework in college.  You never had homework in high school because the teacher helped you do it.
• College makes you think for yourself instead of having someone else do the thinking for you.  It teaches you responsibility.
• Your parents aren't there telling you to go to class and do your homework.
• Are we old enough to take care of ourselves at 18?
• There's more the college than just the education part of it.

We also talked about whether everyone should go to college:

• You can't get very far without a college education.
• If you don't have a pathway after high school, college is the other option.
• Most people have the opportunity to go to college, but not everyone does.
• It's not an open opportunity.  Money is a big issue.  FAFSA doesn't see what your family is spending money on.
• You can do vocational school.
• It's all about who you know.  If you know someone you can get you in the door, you might not need the degree.
• If there is something you need to know to do the job, you should go to college.
• It's harder to get it for some than others, but everyone has the opportunity to go to college.  You can work multiple jobs, get grants and apply for scholarships.
• If you inherit a business, you don't need college.
• It comes back to money.
• Everyone has a different path and different views.  It's your choice.
• Your parents play a role too.  Your family might make a lot of money but have to spend that money in other places.
• Isn't the government here to take care of us?
• Why is tuition different at different places if we are supposed to be getting the same education?
• Are teachers as qualified in community colleges as in private college?
• Colleges are like brand names.  You get a job just because the name looks good.

Homework:

Keep up with your blog.

February 6

After responding to a Calvin and Hobbes comic for writing into the day, we got into groups based on the assigned sections of "Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work."  In these groups, answered questions (found on the PowerPoint) about the assigned section.  Then, we divided up the groups so that each of the new groups had at least one person representing each section.  These new groups shared what they had read.  In essence, after this group work, each person knew what the whole article said even though he/she hadn't read the whole thing.  We had a discussion for the rest of class.  We covered the following topics:

• Is the writer biased?  Did she let her preconceived notions about class affect what she saw?
• Should she have used students in middle or high school instead of elementary school?
• Elementary kids aren't thinking about the job market yet.
• Even in elementary school, kids are being prepared for a social class.  Those are the years that kids are being prepared for who they will be for the rest of their lives.
• She chose elementary to show that we are judged from the beginning and to show what we get exposed to from the very beginning.
• It's a study of the teacher, not the student.
• She is being general.  She is saying that, typically, working class gets the worse teachers and the elite get the better teachers.
• There is too much pressure on young children to be super smart.
• It all comes back to the teacher.  There are all different kinds of teachers in each school.  Some will teach like elite and some will teach like working class teachers.
• Someone has to help the students realize that they do have a choice (like in Freedom Writers).
• The working class teachers didn't allow their students to grow and hindered the students' opportunities.
• There is an assumed cycle in society: children will end up like their parents.
• We need to allow kids the option to step into different social classes.  Right now, they are restricted.
• There are more choices for class movement now than there was in the past (albeit still limited choices).
• We will have even more choices in the future.
• Working class doesn't get the same opportunities as the elites.
• It's not about working harder; it's about working smarter.
• It's who you know that gets you in the door, but what you know keeps you there.
• It's about your mindset.  You have to appreciate school in order to succeed in it.  You have to be will to take the initiative.
• It comes down to passion.  Whatever you are passionate about is what you will become.
• The community around you has a lot to do with how you end up being taught.
• Students should be allowed to be bused to better schools.  There needs to be a place for students where there is support and where they are pushed.
• Why are we spending so much money on categorizing people?  We should be spending money on helping kids succeed.
• We need to figure out what the problem is.  We keep looking for someone to blame.
• There isn't one person (or set of people) to blame. It's a bit of everyone's fault.
• The gap between poor and rich is formed because of the attitude that the rich are better than the poor.  So the schools will always be separated.
• Rich people put money into schools, but the poor can't.  If you put the two in the same school, the rich people would get mad that they were paying while the poor were not.
• We'd all be the same if we got the same education.  We need the different classes for society to work.
• Not everyone would want to have the education opportunity - the ones that don't want it would end up being the working class.
• We already learning generally the same material.
• Is it circumstances or initiative that determines social class?
• We keep going from blaming the teacher to the student to the government and back.  Is there a solution?

Homework:
Read "In the Basement of the Ivory Tower" and post a reading response to your blog.

January 30

Today we began by responding to a quote by Cizek for our writing into the day.  Then, Megan walked through "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001" and highlighted the important parts of the article.  These parts discussed the intended benefits of this Act.  After that, we got into our inquiry groups and made a list of the positives of standardized testing according to Kaplan (using "My 54 Year Love Affair with the SAT).  We listed the following:

• Critical thinking
• It's for everyone
• Free of bias
• The questions are the "how" and "why" instead of the "what"of a subject
• Knowledge application rather than memorization
• You can't cram for the test
• It will predict where students will be in the first 6 months of college
• More opportunities are provided when a student gets a high score
• The test requires a student to focus, reason and practice
• Reliable and predictable
• Beyond normal testing

Then, we watched a Why Standardized Testing Fails (a TEDTalks video).  After watching the video, we talked in small groups about how to "fix"standardized testing, especially the SAT.  Then, we spent the last 15 minutes of class having the following discussion:

• The problem is the cost of the SAT.  It should be cheaper.
• High schools should require an SAT prep course.
• This would allow students to work with teachers and fellow students rather than studying from a book.
• Core subject classes should dedicate time for SAT prep.
• The SAT is exhausting.  By the time you get to the fifth section, your brain is done.
• What about history, science and the other subjects?  Why aren't they on the SAT?
• There is too much pressure put on just one day.
• Time pressure is the issue.  Scores would be higher if students were given more time.
• Split the sections up over a series of days.
• Individuals move at different speeds when they take tests.
• What happens to slow readers when they take the SAT?  They are at a disadvantage.
• The SAT is meant to break you.
• The SAT is nothing like college exams.
• High school tests need to be structured more like the SAT with less memorizing and more "how" and "why" questions.  Students would be less stressed on the actual SAT because they'd be used to that kind of testing.
• How much time was wasted in high school just memorizing facts?
• You learn in college because you spend so much time outside of class studying.
• The SAT is so tedious, like the questions about parts of speech.
• There is a lot that students don't remember when they get to the SAT.  For example, most students haven't taken Algebra for years, so they don't remember the content for the test.
• The vocabulary is full of words we've never heard before.
• Who talks like that in real life?
• You'll never have to compose a piece of writing in a 25 minute time period in real life.
• It's hard to test people in creativity.
• Because of the scoring of the SAT, it's hard to tell if you should guess or leave an answer blank.
• The comparison of scores is good.  The comparison with other test takers shows more than the actual score itself.

Homework:

• By Sunday at midnight:
1. Post to your blog about what you are thinking involving what we've talked about in class or something else involving school/education.
2. Comment on two blog posts from your inquiry group.
• By Wednesday before class:
1. Read your assigned section of "Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work" and post a reading response.

If you missed class, you need to email me so I can assign you a section of the reading.