Sherry Lit&Soc’11

TELL – Tracing Education in your Life as a Learner

Purpose
To decide what getting a college education/being literate means to you;
To practice crafting a narrative
In college, you are often asked to write a personal narrative; to do this requires awareness of your
own beliefs and how they connect to your history, as well as how to tell a good story.

Assignment
In this assignment you will compose a personal narrative about what a college education means to
you. What have you (and perhaps your family) gained and/or given up for this? The audience for
this piece is you, and its purpose is to reflect on what you believe and where you came from as a
student.

Process
• What does it mean to be educated/literate? Draw on the readings we’ve addressed
and on your own beliefs to try to make a list or write a definition.
• Choose three moments (or three artifacts—objects, symbols, etc.): one from your past,
before college); one from your present, in college; and one from your (imagined)
future, after college. Tell the story of each of these in detail. Use specific “scenes”
rather than “summaries.”
• Compare these moments/artifacts to your beliefs, and to each other. Are they
connected? If so, how? Revise and add to your stories to emphasize these

connections/contrasts.
• Use the composing practices modeled by the readings (concerning telling detail and
point of view); use a footnote to mark at least two places where you’ve done this.
 Sherry Lit&Soc’11
Assessment
Criterion/Grade 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0
Organization: arranges relevant details clearly to accomplish purpose(s)
Content : uses details thoroughly and specifically to make point(s)
Conventions: style and grammar match the models read in class
Technique: uses composing practices discussed in class

A 4.0 is… Relevant details selected and clearly arranged to make point(s)
Details used thoroughly and specifically to make point(s)
Style/grammar of genre(s) examined in class used appropriately for author’s own purposes
Composing techniques discussed in class are used appropriately for author’s own purposes

A 3.0 is… Relevant details selected and arranged to make points

Details used thoroughly or specifically to make point(s)
Style/grammar of the genre(s) examined in class are used appropriately but mechanically
Composing techniques discussed in class are used appropriately but mechanically

A 2.0 is… Details arranged to make point(s)

Details used to make point(s)
Style/grammar of the genre(s) examined in class are attempted but not always appropriate
Composing techniques discussed in class are attempted but not always appropriate

A 1.0 is… Details do not seem relevant; arrangement unclear

Lacks details; does not make point(s)
Style/grammar of the genre(s) examined in class are not used
Composing techniques discussed in class are not used