Reflection Letter

21 February 2016
Dear Dr. Hartman,
As one who is hoping to go on to teach, I found this project to be thoroughly helpful. My only
experience with creating assignments is from an ESL course I took during undergrad. I was assigned a
fictional person with a particular situation and had to write several lesson plans that I would use to help
her. So, since I have little experience with creating assignments, I really appreciated this assignment.
As I mentioned before, I know that many students taking a Freshmen composition course will probably
not have much experience completing this type of an assignment. If there are students who are familiar
with poetry, then it is still possible they have not done any type of criticism (at least where they had to
write their criticism down). But, even if they intend never to read another poem in their entire life, I
think this assignment will not only give them some exposure to it but also help them with writing skills.
I want the students to be able to think critically about what they are reading and be able to write well
concerning what they have read. Poetry can be useful in that it does require thinking and, in some form
or fashion, some interpretation to be able to write about. Moreover, I think the type of writing that they
are going to be doing is reflective in that it requires them to ruminate some on what stood out to them
as they read. Finally, while doing the compare and contrast part of the assignment, I want them to be
get used to viewing topics from different angles. In turn, this will give them an elementary beginning in
either defending their own views or synthesizing those views with others. There is more that I want
from the assignment, but that can all be seen in the goals/standards.
While formulating this assignment, the hardest part was actually determining what I want the students
to learn. Of course, using standards from a source did give me some great thoughts which helped me
nail down my goals/standards section. Even though I did have an idea of what I was going for before
watching the backwards design videos, they were profitable. I do think that backwards design really
allows the important stuff (what is it that you want your students to learn how to do) to take
precedence. In other words, thank you for sharing those videos.
To conclude, I am open to any advice or critique that you would like to provide. This is my first time
creating an assignment for a class, and I am sure that shows. However, I would like to refine my skills
and become better at doing it so that I can be prepared when the time comes.
Sincerely,
Brent King

Brent King
ENED 683
Dr. Shana Hartman
21 February 2016
Writing Assignment Design: Design Phase
Overview:
Although some first-year composition students might have had exposure to poetry, many have either
not been asked to be critical when reading poems, or have not been asked to compose thoughts about
them. This assignment is not only designed to give these college freshmen exposure to poetry but also
to advance their critical reading and writing skills. By reading, examining, and writing responses about
Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem Break Break Break, students will be more prepared for critical reading
and writing later in their college career.
Yet, the assignment is not just going to require the students to read, assess, and write initial responses to
the poem, they will also be asked to compare and contrast their response with someone else in the class.
By requiring them to perform this part of the assignment, I hope to get the students engaged in and
prepared for doing textual comparisons. Furthermore, this part of the assignment will prepare the
students to see topics in more than one perspective, allowing them to either readjust their initial view or
substantiate their claims.
Objectives/Standards/Goals:
Critical Thinking, Reading, and Composing:
-Use strategiessuch as interpretation, synthesis, response, critique, and design/redesignto compose
texts that integrate the writer's ideas with those from appropriate sources (others);
-Use composing and reading for inquiry, learning, critical thinking, and communicating;
-Develop critical reading skills through a reader response interpretation of poetry;
-Develop critical and reflective writing skills via interpretation and comparison;
-Develop abilities to compare and contrast perspectives
Processes:
-Develop flexible strategies for reading, reflection, reviewing, rereading, and writing;
-Use composing processes and tools as a means to discover and reconsider ideas;
Context:
This assignment will be given during the course of one week to a Freshmen composition class. This
particular class meets three times a week for fifty minutes each; however, this assignment will only
take up two of those periods. The first period (Monday), students will be given the first handout and
asked to complete. They will then turn in their responses to the poem to me. For the next class time
(Wednesday), students will be given back their response from the first class and asked to swap
responses with someone else in the room and then asked to complete the second handout, finally
returning all work to me for final assessment.

Writing Assignment Design: Phase 1Monday--The Initial Response to Poem

(*Students will receive a mini-lecture introducing the assignment which will last about five minutes)
Instructions/Handout:
Introduction:
Though some of you might have experience with poetry in some form or fashion, many of you do not
(and that is Okay!) This assignment is not only going to give you some exposure to poetry but also
experience with critical reading and composing thoughts about that reading. Plus, this assignment will
allow you to compare your literary criticism (response to the poem) with another one of your peers and
reflect on the similarities and differences of both your responses.
So, Why are we doing this?
I always welcome great questions! Like I said before, this assignment is going to help you with your
critical reading skills, reflective and critical writing skills, and with your ability to critically compare
and contrast texts (you and your partners responses). In other words, this assignment is going to help
you to read and write more efficiently!
How is this assignment going to be graded?
The initial response to the poem is not going to be graded. The second part of the assignment (the
comparing and contrasting of responses) is going to be graded. It is going to be graded based upon your
ability to:
1. Effectively explain the differences/similarities between your response and your partners.
2. Effectively explain the difference/similarity between both interpretations of the meaning of the
poem.
3. Effectively describe any changes/affirmation to your own initial view in light of reading your
partners.
4. Effectively communicate (grammar, mechanics, etc.)
Assignment:
Read the following poem by the Victorian poet, Alfred Lord Tennyson, who is considered one of the
prominent poets of the English Language. You might want to reread the poem several times, for one
reading might not be sufficient to fill your head with enough thoughts to compose your response.

Break, break, break,

On thy cold gray stones, O Sea!
And I would that my tongue could utter
The thoughts that arise in me.
O, well for the fisherman's boy,
That he shouts with his sister at play!
O, well for the sailor lad,
That he sings in his boat on the bay!
And the stately ships go on
To their haven under the hill;
But O for the touch of a vanish'd hand,
And the sound of a voice that is still!
Break, break, break
At the foot of thy crags, O Sea!
But the tender grace of a day that is dead
Will never come back to me
Break, break, break by Alfred Lord Tennyson
After reading the poem, I would like you to write me a response (no less than half a page, but no more
than a whole) in which you reflect upon the following questions:
1. What are the images that stood out to you?
Why?
2. What does the tone of the poem seem to be (happy, sad, indifferent, etc.)?
Why? Do the images help give you this feeling?
3. Overall, what do you think this poem is about?
Why?
Submission:
Finally, when you are done writing your response, turn in all the assignment materials to me. This part
of the assignment is not going to be graded (there are no wrong responses!)

Writing Assignment Design: Phase 2Wednesday--Comparing and Contrasting Responses

(At this time, students will be given back their initial materials and asked to swap with someone else in
the classroom. Then they will be given handout 2.)
Instructions/Handout:
Introduction:
To expand the way that you have thought about/viewed this poem, I am going to have you look at the
initial response from one of your peers. Often times it is beneficial to be exposed to the interpretations
of others in order to gain insights you might have missed and/or to bolster your own view.
Assignment:
After you have swapped responses with someone in the class, You are going to compare and contrast
your response with his/hers. I would like you to write one page in which you address the following
questions:
1. What differs in both of your responses? (Did he/she address different images, do your
assessments of the poems tone differ, what about the feelings elicited by the images?)
2. Compare and contrast both views on the poems overall meaning.
3. Did reading his/her response change/shape the way that you now read the poem?
Submission:
After writing your compare and contrast reflection, turn in all materials, including your peers initial
response, to me. Be prepared to talk about your initial responses and how those changed/were affirmed
in light of reading the response from your partner for next class.

Works Cited
'Break, break, break' by Alfred Lord Tennyson. Poetry Foundation. Web. 18 February 2016.
WPA Outcomes Statement for First-Year Composition. Council of Writing Program Administrators.
Web. 19 February 2016. <http://wpacouncil.org/positions/outcomes.html>