APELC Class Notes
Second and fourth period juniors and seniors, as usual, we did the same as your period 1 and 3 colleagues did yesterday. As you (all aPELCers) work on your revisions this weekend, I wanted to post what I shared with you earlier this week from Brennan, CDO’s valedictorian last year, about writing for one of his classes at Swarthmore. Thus he,
Questions of Inquiry [. . . .] is an amazing class [. . . .] We’ve done The Apology, Euthyphro, and Meno [. . . .] I’ve been writing very “chunk”y paragraphs (I think that’s the term you taught us) with green leading into yellow and followed up by blue. Of course, I deviate a little from the chunk pattern, but it really works. My professor had to schedule a meeting with me last Wednesday to discuss my Euthyphro essay. I was really nervous and didn’t know what to expect in this meeting, but it turns out he scheduled the meeting to congratulate me on my “perfect” essay. So I guess they like that kind of writing in college?
Validation is nice. I know many of you may still be dubious of the model I’ve advocated, and understand that I don’t recommend it for all modes of written discourse, obviously. But for exposition and analysis it works well. Learn it. (I’m working on revising this model, and I hope to have it ready for Monday.)
Also, all APELCers, I wanted to pass along Brennan’s post-secondary counsel:
I want more CDO students at Swarthmore [. . . .] It’s a very hard school to get into, but [. . . .] there are dozens of CDO students who are not only smart enough to get into this school, but they also would thrive here. Public schools from the west coast are so disproportionately unrepresented here. If any of your students, or other teachers’ students that are interested in attending (in my humble opinion) the best college in the country, have them email me and I’ll give them some expert advice.
Generally, don’t limit yourselves. There are fantastic opportunities waiting students, and you’re encouraged to think big. To that end, the Tucson Convention Center will host the 36th Annual College Night; it begins at 6:30 pm next Tuesday, September 29. I heartily encourage you to attend, even if you’re still a junior or even if you think you already know where you want to go.
See you Monday.