Writing Assignment #1: On Education [Essay]

· [minimum of 1500 words]

· [use complete sentences (thoughts) and paragraphs (ideas)]

· [use MLA format (Links to an external site.) ]

· [write with patience]

Use course readings, recommended readings, discussions, and additional, outside research, to compose an essay that critiques/explores/unconceals conditions within a system (in this case, Education [or your alternative])

· Specifically: the structure (and its effects), its negation (as a way toward the ideal), signs & symbols of disfunction, and the personal and societal constraints that prevent change

Readings

· Karp, Walter. “ Why Johnny Can’t Think: The politics of bad schooling. (Links to an external site.) ” Harper’s. 1985.

· Keizer, Garret. “ Why We Hate Teachers: Notes on a noble American tradition. (Links to an external site.) ” Harper’s. 2001.

· Lapham, Lewis H. “ School on a Hill: On the design and redesign of American education. (Links to an external site.) ” Harper’s. 2001.

· Lewis, Wyndham. “ The Democratic Educationalist State.” & “People’s Happiness Found in Type- life. (Links to an external site.) ” The Art of Being Ruled. 105, 151. 1926.

· Nehring, Cristina. “ The Higher Yearning: Bringing eros back to academe. (Links to an external site.) ” Harper’s. 2001.

· Solnit, Rebecca. “ Abolish High School. (Links to an external site.) ” Harper’s. 2015.

[ additional essays on education from the Harper’s archive (Links to an external site.) ]

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FOR THE FINAL: adherence to this Revision Checklist is required for a grade of “A”

Revision Checklist—Work with ‘fractions’ of text—parts, sentences, complete ideas.

Sentence Level (all)

? Concrete Detail. Add senses.

? Define all uses of “-/thing,” “stuff,” and “it.”

? Eradicate worthless words: -ly words, being words, adverbial “just.”

? Revise sentences to eliminate “is,” “was,” and “would.”

? Revise sentences to be statements instead of questions.

? Revise sentences for better word choice (eliminate “get/got,” etc.)

Elements of Good Writing (all)

? Logos: functions through logic—flows from one sentence to the next.

? Pathos: evokes emotional response; appeals to the senses.

? Ethos: contains cultural presence; a ‘here and now’ quality; honesty; authenticity.

Completion (all)

? Spelling checked.

? Format (MLA) checked—font/size; margins; spacing issues; alignment; citation.

? Typos corrected—spacing issues (sentence-level); capitalization and punctuation.

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