First Day Writing Assignment

• due on paper at our first class meeting (Monday September 24 at 10 am in the Computer Applications Lab, Lab 2 1223A)
• for class discussion, but not read by classmates
• will be submitted to faculty, who will check for evidence of thoughtful completion
• should aim for a minimum of a typed, double-spaced page of writing, but you are free to write more than the minimum

We’ll spend some time on the first day of class talking as a group about what it means to be in a learning community and setting norms for our work together in the program. To prepare for that conversation and for the program as a whole, we want you to do some reflecting and a bit of writing about your educational experiences, both productive and unproductive. This piece of writing need not be polished, but it should be thoughtful. Here are some questions to answer in your writing:

1. When have you felt particularly empowered in your classroom work? What factors do you think led to those feelings of empowerment? Feel free to organize this part of your answer around a particular anecdote, or just discuss the factors you’re aware of more generally.

2. When you have felt alienated or dis-empowered in your classroom work? What factors do you think led to those feelings of alienation or dis-empowerment? Again, you are free to either organize this around a particular anecdote or discuss the factors you’re aware of more generally.

3. What can we (Krishna and Brian) do to make the program learning environment inclusive for you, and for all students?

4. What can you do to make the program learning environment inclusive for you, and for all students?