TO: Sherry Robertson FROM: Jasmine Williams, Composition Teacher DATE: April 30, 2013 SUBJECT: Composition Lesson

Plan: Turning Rants into Arguments Firstly, this activity was designed as an introduction to argumentation. The importance of teaching argumentation stems from the rich source of Aristotle. Aristotle defined rhetoric as use of the available means of persuasion. He asserted that human nature innately gravitates toward truth but all humans are not able to easily detect truth. Learning the appropriate use of rhetoric will enable one to become familiar with the available means of persuasion to discern truth from falsity. Aristotle further asserted that rhetoric spanned across all disciplines and is not bound by one subject. Therefore, it is useful for first-yearcomposition students to learn argumentation as a way of arriving at truth across all fields and life experiences. Secondly, this activity was designed in light of learner-centered pedagogy, with an emphasis on collaborative pedagogy. Rebecca Moore Howard, a leading scholar on collaborative pedagogy, asserts that students learn best in communities where knowledge is shared and ideas can be expounded. Howard discusses the practices of collaborative learning and peer revision as key concepts in collaborative pedagogy. Participating in collaboration immerses students in advanced intellectual conversations and prepares them for the workplace. Students participate in collaborative pedagogy throughout this activity. o During the mini-lesson, students construct new knowledge through social interaction. o During the final discussion, students are actively involved in small collaborative response groups (peer revision) which places students before a direct audience willingly to share experiences, knowledge, and offer feedback. Thirdly, and most importantly, this activity was designed with the learner in mind. When teaching with a learner-centered approach, there are specific practices that should be addressed in order to be most effective in your presentation. Maryellen Weimer, a leading scholar on learner-centered pedagogy, shares five dimensions of effective learner-centered pedagogy. As a practitioner of learner-centered pedagogy, an understanding of the five dimensions will aid in the transformation to a learner-centered classroom.

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Weimers five dimensions of learner centered pedagogy are the following: the balance of power, the function of content, the role of teacher, the responsibility for learning, and the process and purposes of assessment. Balance of Power Weimer asserts that negative use of power by teachers can inhibit student learning by creating resistance among teachers and students. Teachers submit some of their power to create an egalitarian environment in favor of creating autonomous learners who are inspired and moved by creativity. The following are examples of the balance of power illustrated in this activity: Prelude: o This first portion of this activity uses an attention getting strategy to capture the students attention in a perplexing way. o This initial experience consists of an introductory discussion that encompasses an understanding of the balance of power in which the instructor immediately invites the students to share their experiences in verbal and written form.

In-class Writing: o Part one of the journals requires the students to reflect on previous experiences. This shifts attention and power from the teacher to the student as a balance of power. The classroom experiences becomes about the students feelings, beliefs, and opinions. o By being asked to write about things that hold significance to them, students feel as though the teacher values their feelings, beliefs, and opinions. o Students are so concerned with ranting about their annoyances they write free of inhibitions and express themselves in a way that is true to their identity. Function of Content Weimer asserts that courses are often too content-driven when content should be adapted to the needs of the learner. Content should be used to develop a knowledge base, develop learning skills, and create self-awareness. The following are examples of the function of content demonstrated in this activity: Mini-Lesson:
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o After the reading of materials, the students are once again invited to engage as active participants in their learning process. o Students are asked a series of questions that adapt the function of content of the lesson to a pace and form that is easy for students to understand. This peer discussion focuses on the collaborative aspect of learner-centered pedagogy where the questions provoke critical thinking that requires students to work collaboratively to propose the most effective solution to a universal problem. o Content is used as a base of knowledge where students engage in the content first-hand. Instead of the teacher telling them how to form an argument, they form one. Role of the Instructor Weimer asserts that students learn best when the teacher takes a backstage role and allow the students to engage one another. The role of instructor involves distancing from a position of authority and adapting to more a humble position of master learner in a classroom. It is vital that the teacher does not to intrude upon the students learning processes. The following are examples of the role of instructor demonstrated in this activity: Mini-Lesson: The questions listed are intended as a guide for the teacher to shape the lesson that students are to grasp from the activity but the students are not to be limited in their responses. For example, the class may veer far beyond the scope of an employee orientation program to a vastly different approach or wider societal dilemma on customer service. o o o o Facilitate the discussion and promote critical thinking Avoid intrusion upon the learners natural processes. Participate alongside students only as a master learner Act as discoverers as the students unveil the argument hidden within

This is a central aspect of effective learner-centered teaching and a key component of the success of this activity. If the teacher transforms the rant into the argument, the students are missing the Ah -ha! moment of their learning experiences. It is the students responsibility to create a solution to a common problem. As a result, students will: o Be required to reflect on their own experiences and think critically about a common rhetorical situation they are likely to or have been likely to have been involved o Behold their creation after they have completed an outline of the proposal
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In-class Writing/Discussion: o Teacher submits some power to students by allowing them to bring external experiences to the classroom. Responsibility of Learning Weimer asserts that students must become autonomous learners who can metacognitively reflect of their learning experiences. The teachers role is to create an environment that fosters growth and autonomous learning. Mini-Lesson o Students are given the power and responsibility to control the pace and intensity of which the argument develops. In-class Writing: o Students are asked to complete the process on their own o Teacher surrenders all control of the learning process to the students Discussion: o Students are asked to share work and aid each other in development of ideas for a potential major assignment o Students are grouped together to create a collection of shared ideas that can be used to develop a simple idea into a complex argument Process and Purposes of Assessment Weimer asserts that the process and purposes of assessment involves establishing a view of these practices as a valuable tool that aids students in the promotion of learning. Evaluation and assessment should be used as an opportunity for students to learn about how they learn. o In-class writing will aid the teacher in evaluating the students understanding of the material presented during the mini-lesson. In summary, this lesson is a learner-centered approach to turning rants into arguments. It establishes a rhetorical situation in which students are placed in a role where they are active agents of change. As a fulfillment of these roles, students engage in a collaborative critical thinking process in which they must create a solution to a problem. According to Maryellen Weimers five dimensions of a learner-centered
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teacher, this activity fulfills the requirements to establish a learner-centered environment for the purpose of introducing argument. For further information on Maryellen Weimers five dimensions of a learner-centered teacher. Please see the remaining pages.

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Maryellen Weimers Five Dimensions of a Learner-Centered Teacher Weimers five dimensions of learner centered pedagogy are the following: the balance of power, the function of content, the role of teacher, the responsibility for learning, and the process and purposes of assessment. Understanding the balance of power involves submitting to the learning needs of the students but also maintaining the role of master learner (not to be confused with knowledge dispenser). This, in turn, creates an egalitarian classroom. According to Weimer, in most classrooms, the power is used negatively and in favor of the teacher. The students are immediately bound (by our syllabus and their potential grade) to follow every rule or else. Weimer says this negative use of power stems from the teachers intuitive feeling of vulnerability. It is our best way of finding predictability in an unpredictable situation. Students suffer in one of two ways: 1) we refuse to teach until the rules have been followed (i.e. not speaking until every cell phone is on vibrate 2) students sometimes detect this negative use of power and resist. Both of these ways interfere with student learning. By submitting this power to students, allowing them to make decisions teachers usually make such as assignment deadlines, or in the case of this activity, the structure of the writing assignment, students are empowered in the classroom. Teachers submit some of their power in favor of creating autonomous learners who are inspired and moved by creativity. Understanding the function of content involves understanding content as material that is to be adapted to the needs of the learner. Too often, teachers are teaching to the content and not building and restructuring content based from the needs of the students. Ironically, teaching writing according to the response of the rhetorical situation, the function of content often suffers most from the failure to acknowledge audience. Weimer believes that the best way to describe the value of content to teachers it to think of its own metaphor. Teachers cover content instead of uncovering a portion of it. The result is that students are bombarded with too much material and not enough time to adequately process it. Many of them leave courses knowing little about the field. Weimer suggests that a portion of content should be stressed and new content should be added or subtracted based on the needs of the students. Content should be used to develop a knowledge base, develop learning skills, and create self-awareness. An example Weimer provides is to scaffold assignments to minimize the learning curve between assignments. Active learning and meeting the demands of content can be balanced in favor of the student. Understanding the role of instructor involves distancing from a position of authority and adapting to more a humble position of master learner in a classroom. Weimer states that the embodiment of this role is important because she believes that instructors do too much of their students work. They start the
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discussion, probe the discussion, summarize student responses, add new knowledge etc. Weimer believes that students learn best when the teacher takes a backstage role and allow the students to engage one another. The teacher is not to intrude upon their learning process. Understanding the responsibility of learning involves establishing the independency of students to become autonomous learners and be able to practice metacognition of their learning experiences. This dimension primarily falls on the student. The teachers role is to create an environment that fosters growth and autonomous learning. Weimer states that classrooms have become token-based economies where students only act based on points. In order to create an environment that motivates students, teachers should aid students in their shift to autonomous learner. Weimer suggests three basic principles: 1) You can lead a horse to water but you cant make it drink. Teachers should show students the value of learning, show them the relevance of our content, demonstrate its power to make change in society but the responsibility to learn is their own. 2) Teachers should help students understand the penalty of violating rules a logical consequence to their behavior and not punishment. 3) Teachers should be consistent in their rules and policies to provide structure for students. Understanding the process and purposes of assessment involves establishing a view of these practices as a valuable tool that aids students in the promotion of learning. Evaluation and assessment should be used as an opportunity for students to learn about how they learn. When adapted successfully, each of Weimers five dimensions can lead to the effective transformation to a learner-centered teacher, and eventually a learner-centered classroom.

Source: Weimer, Maryellen. Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2002. Print. Williams RHET 1311 Page 7 of 7