Sherry Foundations14

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 (for scholarships, internships,
fellowships); 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 weve addressed
and on your own beliefs to try to make a list or write a definition.
Choose three moments (or three artifactsobjects, 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 three places where youve done this.

Include a reflection: How did you address the criteria for this assignment? For each
category of the rubric, write an explanation using a specific example from your work.







Sherry Foundations14

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 authors own purposes
Composing techniques discussed in class are used appropriately for authors 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