Blog # 4

Dear Ann,

Fulwiler’s reading was actually the only reading this week that didn’t put me right to sleep. I really liked his idea of having his students write letters to him. However, I think he encountered the same problem that you brought up in that he just does not have enough time to have ALL of his classes write letters. You say that you have too many students, but maybe you have one class that is a little bit better than others or maybe you teach an advanced class that you could implement this in. Fulwiler says, “I would write letters with all of my classes if I had time and energy. I ask other classes to keep journals…” (p16). You mention later on that you are teaching all of the freshmen the same book. Maybe if you like this idea and want to implement it your class room, you could have each class write a letter on different chapters. For example, class A could write a letter about chapter one this week and class B could write a letter about chapter 2 next week. That seems, to me, to be the only way that this could be incorporated into more than one class.

I also like this reading because I thought it was interesting that Fulwiler asked his students to write a paper using the letters. I did not see that one coming. When I have a paper due, I usually write some notes while I’m on the ferry going to work and when I get home, I refine the notes. It occurs to me that writing a letter to a teacher and taking informal notes for myself is the same thing. If there was only a teacher responding to my queries all semester long, perhaps writing term papers would be a faster process, because I have most of my prewriting done.


In regards to the readings on Bean, I think there were some good points made; especially that critical thinking can be learned. On page 4 Bean cites a list from Kurfiss that “supports critical thinking.” I liked his idea about students having to justify their answers. Instead of giving basic yes or no answers, students should have to explain themselves. Not only will they help themselves in the long run, but they may also offer helpful insight to other students.

The Non-Designer’s Design Book, I think, is going to be very helpful for our theorist card. I agree that repetition will be helpful. It will make our points easier to find as well as easier to read. I need to let you know that I am very nervous about this theorist card, as well as the presentation.


I also found Britton’s reading very hard to digest. His two different types of reading intrigued me though and I made notes about them in the margin. Efferent reading seemed to be what is required while studying. You have to take something away from the reading. You have to have learned something. However, it would help if what you were studying was also aesthetic. Aesthetic reading is reading what you are interested in. Not many students are interested in their math textbooks, though and so they probably approach them with efferent reading. Math textbooks are there to teach you a method that can be used later on. Your mythology book might be approached with aesthetic reading. Hopefully, your students will enjoy reading them and the stories will appeal to them while at the same time, they will remember the stories to use on the Regents.

Good luck with your double period freshmen!

Sarah