Chapter 10 Response

In this chapter, the authors talk about the use of discussion to improve writing due to the fact that it helps focus students and causes them to engage in higher level thinking. When they are able to collaborate and debate with their classmates, they are able to develop a broader understanding. Also, students can figure out exactly where they stand on the issue, which in turn helps them when it comes to writing their argument. They get to see what the counter-arguments are, and they can come up with a way to contradict it.

I feel that this is a great way to get students to form an opinion about something and then be able to argue that opinion. With each scenerio that I read, I formed an argument of my own. For the Max Burger story, I thought it was rediculous that he would be arrested for murder or even manslaughter. Like the students in the book pointed out, he was given ample warning about the security system, and he shouldn't have been breaking in to the restaurant anyway. This reminded me of the story about the guy who was robbing a house and in the process he broke his leg and SUED the family who lived in the house, and WON! The only thing Max Burger should have gotten in trouble for was violating building and city firecodes. Other than that, he was just trying to protect what was his.

In the scenerio about more students getting better grades, I felt as though the argument that teachers were giving out better grades to get better scores was silly. My position is that the teachers started teaching better, not to get better scores, but because they were able to see in what areas they were strong, and in what areas they were weak, and used the surveys to improve their teaching styles.

I have opinions about the other two scenerios as well: the one about the healthy food, and particularly about the John Q. Public one, but the point is that this method seems to be very useful. People are quick to form an opinion about things, and through discussion, they are able to voice these opinions. Once they voice their opinions, they are given the opportunity to see from the perspective of other people, and form a more developed/complete argument for when they sit down to write. Then they can come up with a better, more solid argument because they can hear what the counter-arguments are and then pick them apart. It also helps them to become more informed so they are not just spitting out and argument that has no basis of truth.