ILA Weekly Journal

Instructions:

In a sturdy journal that can withstand traveling home with you and with me, write the story of your intellectual journey.

    This may be done in the form of daily reflections or one lengthy, weekly report. If you choose to write daily, then you must include a summary entry that ties together the thoughts of your week.

    Your intellectual journey includes what you read and hear and contemplate, what you learn as a result, and the connections you make between and among your classes.  It includes what frustrates you in your intellectual career here as well as the transcendent times, the "ah-ha" moments when something comes together and you understand in a new way. Describe the frustration; explain it to me. Describe the transcendence; explain that, too. You should be writing about what you are learning in your other classes and what you are learning from talking with your MC colleagues and what you are discovering about yourself--intellectually--as you learn.

    Your job will be to keep the focus on what you are learning and the connections you are making. To that end, your personal life is not germane unless it in some way triggers or supports or delimits your intellectual journey.

    The journal must be handwritten and it must fully and thoroughly demonstrate your thoughtfulness about your past week's learning. The journal is worth 25 points each time you hand it in. Due dates are on the syllabus. If you forget to bring your journal to class, thus missing a due date, like all assignments in ILA it will drop one letter grade for each day late, including weekend days.

    I hope that this will be an interesting, fun assignment that will help you track your learning and be mindful of your intellectual curiosity. Taking note of the type and length of your studies may help you to understand why you are receiving the grades you are in your various classes.

    Good luck! Let me know if you have any questions.