Group Activity

Individual and Group Activity

There seems to be a great deal of malaise regarding the drafts in 1301. A large part of this results from students who did not take the time to select a topic of self-investment. I believe if the students are interested in the topic, they will learn more about writing as well as their topic, and the experience will become more enjoyable. In other cases, the students just seem to be at a loss when given the freedom of choosing their own topic.

In an effort to counteract this in my 1301 class, an entire class period will be dedicated to topic selection. The topics of the drafts will also not be limited to a discussion of language. Since this course is geared towards writing across the curriculum, students will be allowed to select a topic in their discipline if they so choose.

I have developed a highly sequenced activity that involves both individual work as well as collaboration to assist students in selecting a draft topic. The qualities of expressive writing are emphasized in this activity as this is one of the primary characteristics of my teaching philosophy.

First Objective (15 minutes)
Following a class discussion of possible topics, students will individually form a written list of 10 possible draft topics.
Goal: This objective aims to initialize thought process and allow students to consider their personal interests. The first three objectives emphasize the self-reflection aspect of expressive writing or what James Berlin calls “the cultivation of the self” (73). This may be a foreign concept to the students who have largely been topically restricted in high school writing assignments.

Second Objective (5 minutes)
Individually, students will narrow the list down to the top five favorites.
Goal: I want to engage students in the process of eliminating those ideas that may not work in a draft. Also, this requires individuals to give considerable thought to their personal interests.

Third Objective (10 minutes)
By each possible topic, students are to write ideas about the subtopics they would like to cover under each general theme.
Goal: I want to engage students in the process of elimination. This also requires some critical thinking as students begin thinking about the ways in which they would execute a discussion of each topic. In addition, they must reflect on the prior knowledge they have acquired concerning a given subject.

Fourth Objective (20 minutes)
In small groups of about three individuals, students will discuss their ideas with peers.
Goal: Students should engage in collaborative learning, in effect teaching one another as first recommended by Aristotle. This will probably cause students to think of their topics in different terms outside of self. As suggested by Stephen Fishman, this form of expressivism will provide the students with “new ways to identify with one another and, thereby, new grounds for social communion” (654). As this course is designed to emphasize writing across the curriculum, students will also learn about other disciplines through one another. Each student is to suggest his or her favorite topic for the drafts of group members in a written statement.

Fifth Objective (10 minutes)
Following the peer discussion, students will again work individually to narrow down the list of five possible topics to two topical ideas.
Goal: Again, I want to engage students in the process of elimination and critical thinking. Now the students will have the benefit of collaboration and social connection to narrow their lists even further.

Sixth Objective (15 minutes)
As the instructor, I will call on random students to recite the two possible topics under consideration for the draft. I will engage in a discussion with each student about why they would like to write to a certain topic and the ideas they would like to discuss within this theme. This will be my opportunity to guide the student in a certain direction if I feel a certain topic would be more profitable than another.
Goal: I want the students to be able to articulate their thoughts as I believe this is an important part of the writing process. Also, while they have made the social connection with peers, it may be important for them, personally, to also develop that relationship with the instructor.

Accountability:
At the end of the class period, students are to turn in the top two possible topics with possibilities of discussion within the draft. During the next class period, they will be required to declare their choice for the draft topic in a thesis statement.

Works Cited:
Berlin, James A. 1991. “Some Thoughts on Expressive Discourse: A Review Essay.” Journal of Advanced Composition 11: 83-93.
Fishman, Stephen M., and Lucille Parkinson McCarthy. 1992. “Is Expressivism Dead? Reconsidering Its Romantic Roots and Its Relation to Social Constructionism.” College English 48: 647-661.