Morphing Textbook ~ Rhetoric Tools

A Plan for the First Week

Notes to the Instructor: In my classes, I (Heal) tend to spend the first week of a semester building class coherence, ensuring that students know each other and their instructor before we plunge into the intellectual adventuring we do together. In my experience, this time has been well-spent: the activities give us all a chance to get to know each other, and the increased comfort in the classroom leads to more dynamic discussions and increased trust between the instructor and students. Note: This is only one of many different ways to conduct a first week. Please develop a way that suits you personally. Week 1: Getting Going Day 1: Introductions: Me. Then you. (Have students answer roll call with hometown, favorite vegetable, or most beloved office supply. It’s important to let them know that the classroom is funny this way.) Define Rhetoric, course policy, goals, some of the approaches we take. Play that first game: Categories Day 2: Establish class guidelines: Ask students to describe their best and worst classroom experiences. From those, form a list of rules we all agree to play by. Typical inclusions include Come prepared, Speak your Mind even if it’s not crystal-clear, disagree respectfully.... Play that game: Not a Knot. (This one ties in beautifully with rhetoric in terms of Analysis, mapping, and advocacy.) Collect student contact information on notecards—names, e-mail, phone numbers on one side. On the other side, have them fill in this blank: “I’m the one who _____. Day 3: On the board: list things you’d like to know about your fellow students. (Hometown, favorite meal, how much they read or watch TV...) Then pair students up for ten minutes and have them interview each other, preparing to introduce your partner to everyone else. Be sure to include answers to those questions. Introduce each other. Day 4: Diagnostic Writing: Describe yourself as a writer/speaker/reader —your strengths, what you’d like to improve, how enthusiastic or unenthusiastic you are.... Have students write in class for the entire time. You’ll gather important information about their experiences and strengths, and you’ll get to see how those strengths and needs are demonstrated.

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