Purpose Statement
There are many ways to think about goal setting. In the
Student Success Grant Team's discussions we explored how to help students
figure out their career goals (which helps them care about doing well in their
classes), as well as ways to help them define and meet a much narrower goal,
like turning in a revision of a paper, or earning a "B" in the class,
or reading an entire book over the course of the semester.
While I have developed assignments for narrower goals, my favorite approach is
to think goal setting for my classes from a larger perspective. In other words,
every discipline, and every class, has one or two main concepts or skill sets
that students should learn. The two assignments I will describe here help
students to focus on this larger goal.
Description of
Activity
In English 100, my goal is to help students become more
effective analytical writers. Most English 100 students find the expectations
of college writing mysterious and somehow beyond their reach. I therefore
attempt to demystify these expectations, both by defining them (over and over)
and by helping students to figure out where they are failing to meet them.
Abstract descriptions of these expectations only go so far: students need to
connect these descriptions to their own writing
Materials Needed
The first part of this activity involves having the student
define his/her strengths and weaknesses as a writer. Out of this exercise, the
student defines his/her goals for the semester: improving in the areas of
weakness defined.
I just describe this assignment, and use the board to indicate how they should
organize the information.
Here's the simple graphic organizer I put on the board for them to copy:
Strengths
Weaknesses
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4.
5.
Goals for improvement over the semester (list one to three):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The second part of this activity involves self-analysis at the end of the
semester. Here is my handout for this second stage:
English 100
MW 1:00-3:15
5/10/99
Dr. Monda
Final Exam: Strength and Weaknesses Chart and Essay
This last assignment is due at your exit conference on Monday 5/17 or Wednesday
5/19. You must complete this assignment in order to receive credit for either
English 100A (if your portfolio was not judged at the English 110 level) or
English 100 (if your portfolio was judged at the English 110 level).
First, I would like you to make a neat, organized list of your strengths and
weaknesses as a writer in English 100 this semester. This list may be neatly
handwritten, in ink.
Begin with your strengths: list at least three strengths, based on my comments
and your own assessment, of your essays this semester. Number these strengths
and, after each one, note, in parenthesis, the essay(s) that exhibited these
strengths.
Then go on to your weaknesses: list at least five weaknesses, again based on my
comments and your own assessment, of your essays this semester. Number these
weaknesses and, after each one, note, in parenthesis, the essay(s) that
exhibited these weaknesses.
Second, write an essay about what you have learned about writing, and yourself
as a writer, this semester. This essay must be typed, and should include an
introduction, a conclusion, and three to four body paragraphs.
You might focus in this paper on the strengths and weaknesses (based on your
list) you noted in your essays this semester. Or, you may analyze your writing
process: what works, what you think you should change. You might also want to
discuss how ready you feel for English 110, and what you expect to encounter in
that class.
This essay should reveal the elements of effective writing we have discussed
this semester: it should be logically organized, present specific evidence or
examples, and include analysis of this evidence.
At the same time, try to have fun with this essay: write in a natural, easy
voice, and use vivid, creative language as you express your ideas.
Application
After students have received comments on two of their
essays, I give the first part of this assignment. We spend about ten minutes
going over it in class, and then it is due to me as homework. I especially like
this assignment because it forces them to read my comments on their papers.
Also, it forces them to synthesize information: they have to read all the
marginal comments and integrate them into larger categories. I then collect
their lists, and comment on them. By laying this ground work early, I have
found that students take my comments more seriously.
The second assignment, due at the end of the semester, revealed impressive
analysis of their writing. These essays also highlighted how much more
confident they felt about going on to English 110 having both defined
expectations and evaluated how well they are meeting them.
Related Student
Services
The Writing Lab in Learning Support Services would help
students analyze their rough drafts using this paragraph glossing technique.
Students who are in DSPS or in EOPS also have access to writing tutors who are
hired by those programs.
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and modified on 6/9/99 at 4:40:55 PM