1. I want to see that you are reading each piece beyond the first few pages. Pro

1. I want to see that you are reading each piece beyond the first few pages. Provide me with the main arguments and key ideas from the readings, not small details and little factoids that are randomly plucked from them. What is the piece about and how does it connect to the topic for the week?
2. Please do not do this: “I found it interesting how the author mentions…” (insert interesting fact that while intriuging does not convince me that you’ve made a good attempt to understand the entire piece and what the author is trying to communicate by writing it.)
3. For each discussion post I’d like a nice, robust paragraph on each reading that shows me what you know, what you learned, and that you’ve spent the needed time reading and reflecting. I’m not expecting perfection or for you to touch on every key point. I’m also fine with a revised list of bullet points, taken from your notes, that helps me grasp your understanding of the texts as you went through them.
4. To sum things up, I’m open to a variety of strategies with these discussion posts just as long as they convince me that you’re reading carefully, grasping the main ideas, and articulating them as clearly as you can.
5. If I notice high levels of session participation regarding our class readings, I’ll ask students to overlook future discussion posts and I’ll give you all free points. How does that sound?