olol o 't

report'
to the Spe/lings
Hownotto respond

toI'e r00! ?aorI o[

r,lre 1'por*Almn l lnereducJlrorr
f
l'rre\Ir'^rmissio on
trl*"'"" tlJrs'rPrslP
I i.."t*
"' Hi*r''' t:Jtt'!lrlr' a i:'t uJtlrd't'hip:
i'ur'"
I'r"
tio).to'relr-r'cula"
Trn,nr' ,o" r'r,, i ot '" Hi4h(rtltuc
or-rag"rr'rha'edu'lrrr^"rr
't.,rrr'r'l
;
;;.:;
"'" "n cal'Pd
r' s
""d.
rle
ro'n
,n" '"'i
"Pi$er
'ep'
"u'r'' '
io this arsument the stardardi'
'li#"]
ffil;;;;"b[
lddF\u.or
^"';rding
11'orrrrn<rrdlio'*wo'
1
*
",'., ",.i,eJ a*
'r" "r'"r1
I 'rver5i'ie:'u
"rcil rnerr
u""
,;,r'
',"t'"tses.rrd
r'rrrd'nor
"."+.
.,,"^'"
.r."f. c1,r\ar I'er"ut'''J rux comrnon
rL ds fh''\Lrnrn\ f rr"$rong
.l^"'1."'.a'-,',*'O,.
mrla-r- rtoL'e'
s1
ssr' no. r-J vl\ r'
;'
"'
"'.' ;;
""t;'\"
rr 5 $o haLe'o r'i-1u:rl\
$e qbnr
"i;'-,,"1,;';;.',-.u;,'",eh
'rpti'irv
,""' ,""' ' n ' s q r' '" J:r'
,;J'il',
bi
"i'11
r'on"r"rJ'd'{d
"r'o.-.
; :;i; ,.g,*. .,.-. 'o' crr.''
'l
'
drm' rJ'i' corprrrr
LFJ
u I"i'"" *, I" ,".f"""

ThespellingsAPProach
l,'"' \"F'ir'" \'inq Fd!'r'io'rora5l
ii;'Jri-;:i;.";
| I rrr' r\J b l p' o \q ro o r' r" u" i " bi l i \
" , " ; t r , a" ' . ' i* ' ^
a
,hx,
. r"ee"h, eJuL,(/' nroJd
:;.J,.;i*,1;;,,.;,i'.
'r'
1r'F
(\JTe'
rr4r
ir
,"..i'l'r';' .'.a L!a' ' o" b'Fsrc" c rl'
Ji
" rl
L^
, :' n ' rri Fn' a F rru d ^ rtr" r ruL' r
- " ' " , ' . " r r : *" ' " .
: ; 1" " - " ; ; ; ;
';;,;";",;,
"'*

I -.

""p,,

\ i ' .ru '

o n ' e a s nf n J' ' ) f i P rr

rh e
os,o"'^ '^rresP
"' " d J ' r' o n

l ^ g o o n ro' o ll rs" I' evpl

rl
' L ' rd ! |
^
tu i ri ' n F so
" f ' . " - +" "n|"| '^
, f " i,
f' ' ' r' \ h p ' d - ' " rp e e
r^J
- ' upf " u
O r'
" r' b -c ' " ' F ' n| rn Pi ^ nre't
' n i \ro
5'br'rnl'
n ' w udr' -xl'rrrs
" l. " " i. ' *. "
t"."l

'"" ' "' "'rr' '"(tr

rh(
""i'"-*"ra,"
L'r '|r'rlh
i",*'r"
'''crro -trrrn('mu-p
{"
den'
'
'','.fi,'
rn " rF.' " d ' n u u rr' g' i 1 h d ' | " ' anL
'
;;
";;; '
d .' ' ' 1 ' r) r' rn rre u
: i; , ; ' , ; ; : ; : ; ; " " .
'r' e-p!d' ns'
" ,' " t'" u 'ra rrrrp d b !l ^ d a ) ' ' ornoP
ti ' ' \'
*, , t ' . i. . " " ' , ' i f" ' ." '
ort\er

andthatcollcse
forcollegeleveLwork
beestabLished
standards
rh")
n-Ple lns
rrn$ ru'h
.i-alno n. *'"r
'o,rn-n'ine
rFUoLin'j'r' rr
o'j"ri.""rl ""-.", ', ' J:1 ' anii'$Ls'he
corrFre'rd
d!nl'
5,
^r
;ii ;'i: ;; i, ;r; ;;.
_,
" r-e!/n'',"ir
F
lh"
lu'lrF ol
r'rdl'{lrret' lo'on'nJ
..,'*'*.
t'ers"'r'
""""u
urer'"
Lnar
;.;;;;;;J'''
"" 'r'ri'rriorrurr\
i-'Aln
er'r
rrrF
o"
tru''r' 'lrcn
rf 'e,rtp. t*^t
I
l
$"rl
"""."":""lr'
no"
'hn
u tU" n"'" , |'t'''|)'" mct5rk ol
/ct
lorlod') ' ll':rt\Prf
""fu
t rret'r'lori' I 'rLdFnLs
'n'rrrrrio

to the Report
Challenges

!
ol I\r ?rul ha\Fdr' $r' l ' rrrn r aul'4'r o
t''r\ |
IL legti ale l^ 'r | '/L l\
'
'
"1",, "
r r r 'ir P'
$i
l
o-p'
1rtl"I
"
"
,.' ' " ,' .1" t" * ' t
' " ' " drc' ' or

;\eral
;.b
'tt"In"n'tf"'

"r' "lr^"1
I' ' ''r.lPl
Ir ' e
'' '"{aorninJr"qnre
'
ii!
i" n i' j[ e . i, ' a i, , . r ' \ ' r e il:r"
r r oe"'^r
m,F ' r'''rhl"'
''P
"*;"ro,,e,r'. tspr'(' ,
;;".";'.;iL orn ' ru \ ' r' s l r r r d ' r J r r ' r l
rrre rn p
,
,
i^
,
, . iri. " " . "n,
" ' ' " " *' r" sul'|db! r:dl r^ ld Jc'i' J
,'""ii""",
'|''
"'i u","||ed.ull<eFr' /r.rhP
'o 'rrun in'
rinr".r||'
rr'r c^rrrr
J
l
JtPl
"r,.r,t,
r"r
r't'
.i."a.,',1.
'
^o"r| * '
r"'
u'|1 ' 'r 'd/ $' r'rbF
,,r.o''"
ilt:;1,' 'r*,"r,"||

li,',,',a'i.*'"'"''

' "r
J pri'J" ffr r''r'" r
i"."i"' ot
'" ' "'J6e'sI'
.'
{"
ILr" r" rr'' D 'qi n3" '"rr'l
-,";;;J;,'r
"
L\'rrr
"^".^ ,'""r Ip freF-i:her id'o
^ "'r'
ti"". i," '
lighef
'',1
ol
'"
"., " ,q,",t' rarfowlvvocationxl
ili''. i**
'ision
".J,i*

collges
lhxt
""i"r1tiil*l'* u* ,"0"n thesrcLrnds
^rrerican
irkp
"n
r''r'Fnr
'' '
,'".Jj''#"ro "" i"a""l' ., i '""'
r
r
lclpr
"
r
r
r
'"
r
i
r
'
"n'r
i""J' .. ' ' .r r 1"' ,' g,' a'
"\Fr
0 ' r r o ur^rJ'rr1l
$i I
^'olrF!F'
i"'.,'""ioi.,r'r'r''".r,.'|'or'|r
.:.- r\"ll nr"rgrrr'J'"'r'Jr$i'l
'i,'
'"."",,,,r.",.i'r'.1',1.'
. '- n " '
O *, t " t

'' 't

i\'

b u u l 4 L r ' l ' i 'l l r

'

'

rf lLr(

rrron hrrr"' t'n- rlrL!i"1

ii..*.,'"".'*a",."'q"
"i" i-i"
J r'|ir r'e Ior^PquFn@'
: r11r'lr"''nrr *'on
l.(M' f
*."",''*'"
"': "t:'| {"'re"''rroj' ru'\''ncore
rrm''rls
'^r'l'l/i
"',r."*"
'fr.
"1"'
;' ."".'i;".';;;
r"n nrl JrrL5'Jl 'o-'r'ndrd'zfi 'rr "
'
',"",'""i.'a^';
nftodties
Ini"iJr^or'ur ' all l'nrJ
fof ncial xnd ethnic
;nd
,",ia
'
?r-\'
'r" ''.*
s
'
F
n
ri
al
l
'
u'
n(
rr
r
r,'
"
,q
"
:
'"ir'.' -i" *",'"' *pot\e rn ihe rclo ' Ro'al'Lcrulch'.
t r , " . , i - , *' *. ,.* .1
"'
I' e
rns
h
t
l
"
s
e
'
1
'
n
;hLF
,lssesthai jt
L
'
c
$
\P'
." l ' ."
""i"iii".
t""legeorruassachuseils
,;';" ;;/"
tilii'."4"'"
"
n
'
'
r'""'^$rnt-or 'r'nI'ur(ro
'.i"'i"',,^.
"io;i "t*
!o ffeaslrrceechinnixrrionLrvthe
' "'rrndh FI JL"l'ro'snr'P+nurarre ;;liil;;;*"""'
'"take
'^*,^*
connnlrritvcolLeges'
univelsjlies
i."i"',
t,
l"taunf.,-.it*'"t"arch
" """pt!md'|r'
that co mon
'r'l to
'r" ."ro
rcpo|t
lhe
Foposes
"ri.
i;5*"nag
'lttt "nd,
16

MAY-JTIN E

2O O B

" "'

d Gvo- 7
publicinstitutions,andpdvaleliberalartscollgeshavediflercnt
missionsandseraediffrntpopulations."PtsidentBennettof
Eadbrm complaiff that thconrmissioncomesdangeroudyclose
to implyingthat a onesize-fits-ailmelsurcshouldlreusedi
"The dive$ityof o hstilutions' missionsand [of] our studnts
callsfor a diveNiryof mersures-not someli($hington-in1posed
singleist.
Alongsimilar lins,JohnChurchlll,dle secrct:lrvof lhe Phi
BetaKappaSocietxinsiststhat the rcport's demrndfor common
whal hasbeenthestrenglhof Americar
measurmnf'threa@ns
AndJill
highreducation,its "dive$ity ' and"decnha1i2ation."
arguesthat weshould
Bck,tbepresidentof LawrcncUniversiiJ',
resist"'one siz-fits-all'tstinstruments,"since afundamenlal
strcngthof highreducationis ils rmarkableinslitulionaldivf
"misguidedbenchmark,"Beckconnnues,
slry."Thecommission's
''havetlle effectof lrying to bomogenize
Americanhigher

Good standardization Demystifies

Ve seefour majof prcblenNwlfi this ,nti-standaldization
position.Fimt,fie wholesaLe
rcjeclionof commonstandar&fails
to distinguishbetsengoodandbadfoms of standafdization.
No child tft Behind
Tbstandardizedtes$that characterize
(followinga long historyof assmblylineapproaches
to school
ing) haveCivenstandadizationsucha bad namerh2t il has
a.rsrt, tbrougha sort
becometoo easyto rejectstandardization
Aslong aswequateall standardization
of guilt by association.
with invidious,No Childlft Behind-styletestingor tlr
of knerican culturc,\l ignoreth exislenceof
McDonaLdization
health,and
otherfornrsof standard'zalion----{nvirormental,
to mentiononly a fewobviousexamples-that
safelysta.ndards.
mostof us readilyacceplof insiston. Inded,somedegreeof
but for one
sta ardizarionis ssenlialrot just for a goodsociety.
aswil.Howwouldyou like it if, everytime you
that is accssible
useda computetyou had !o leam an entirelynewpmgramor
adjustto an eniilly differcntkeyboardconl'iguratior?
Second,the blankelrcictionof educationalstanda'dizationis
can't bejudged
undemocratic.Tosaythat acadmiccompetenc
byturnmersuremysliiiessnchcomplence
by anyslandardized
jng it into a mattrof tasteolrYhirf.
inefr leje ne Mit quoi
by a minority of^n
sulJedoftalntsrather
mysterioudypossessed
rhan a stof practicesthat canbe identified,modeled,andmade
generallyaccssible.
It s a shortstpftonl telling the Spellings

"Sory, bul wecollegesarc jusl toodiverseto be

Commission,
hy
,ny
conrmonstandard,to lelliDg.lt r&t?b, Sorry
masurd
but thebasicskillsihal you needto smceedin collegeale just too
to be explainedto youclearly."
complexandhetemgenous
educational
standadizationsimpLymirror
Third, attacl$on
fmgmented
education!
djsconncld,
and rcinforceAmdcan
prcudof their
inded
be
quo.
collegs
loday
can
status
Anrerican
What
is far less
,nd
disciplhary
djversiry
imprcssiveintellectual
students
rlegotiate
is
thir
rcod
in
helfing
implssiv,
howevr.
needed
to
nlak
povidjng
drem
with
lhe
skjlls
thardivelsilyby
s)sten
of
fie
educational
senseof il. Chrn the discontinuities
(discontinuitiesdra! standafdiz ion wouldhlpcouni,eracl)
,
studentsha\ no assunncethat wbat theyleam in onegrad
rewarded,
institution,discipljne,or coulswill be rccognizd,
1e\1,
manages
lo
of
high
achievers
andbuilt on in the Dext.A nrinoriiy
fundrmen
to
detct
the
sethroughthecunicular disco.nection
lal criticahhinkirg skillsthat hndedieeffectiveacademicwork in
fu1ycourseor dscipline.'fh majodtyof studerts,ho$tver,hrv to
ifftructor
rsortto thefxn1iliartacticof givingexchsuccessive
again
,nd
Lhen
doing
that
whatverbe or shesemsto want
giving
rbr
fies
studenls,
with the nexi instructofaDddrenexi
stldents
can
figurc
instructo$wbateveriheywa -rrsuming
aca
socirlizatlon
into
out whatthat is-repla.s cumulative
qa)(
rhr|s
\nl
bp,
ornp.
r 'ere
dFI .
orrninkjnS,jnd rg CollegF
pesent
a
diffrnt
eachtndingto
of discidilsandcourses,
pictureof wha!acadernicworklook lik b t fewhavingthe
overarchhgstatusthat a cu||iculum with graterslandardiz ion
of basicinte ectualp|acti{rswouldcontbr
lrst and mostimportanl,it is snrply not true,asthe anti_
standadizationargunent hasit, tba! collegesarcsodiv$dlat
because
trvopeople,fo.
fiey sharcno commonstandaftLs.Jusi
it does
or cooking,
don'tsharc
an irtefijstin baseball
example,
not lbllow that drcydon'! hale otherthingsin comnlon-or that,
justbecaus
serl?lcollegeshavediffercntttpesof facultiesof
se e differentstudentpopulations,iheycansharno common
goals.
al a comm'.rnity
college,
pdagogical
A nalketinginstructor
a biblical studisinsluctof at a church-affiliatedcollege,and a
feminls!literaturcinstructorat an Iq Leaguercsearchuniv6iq'
x!rtise,
diffr{adicallyin thelrdisciplinary
wouldprsumably
lheir intilectlLaloutlooks,and$e st entstheyleach,but il
wouldbesuDrisingif thrcwercnot a gfeatdealof cofirmon
college-leveL
wol*. At the
grcundin what theyrgardasacceptable
ndof thedai! fiese instruclorswouldprobablyagre-ot.rrrrll
MAY_.]UNE

2 OEEl

] 7

0 $uo't

ints readers
g vrlh^utconfu
sD.ndin
Spllingslcritics,lrowe\f'a|gue
h'$ 1i
showing
and
crliny,eviderrct
is iLlusory
thatsuchagreemeni
rnLInot
ttrgument
oneso$rr
suDrr;r$
to $rlPorl'
Tllus in his lsponse
anncipating
c;peing onesland
oi ihe
l Shlrlnan,Prsident
lor tlrcAdvJnce ,nd rswedngcounterargumenB
Forrtrdation
Carnegje
Thesefundantntals-trhose
mntuf feaclrillgrrgue\tht tlrougn
in dt intellectualworLd
ubiquitv
mal smrto agrceon r|
educators
shlrLmandenies-arc Prec'sIY
a
imDort"nceot critic'l lhiDkingas
ihosethxt mostsiudentsiail to lexm
le\lwork'the
standadfor coLlege
goon
Andin ouf {iew,studentswlL
termis Lr*d to lneansomaI,Y
fundamntals
asa failiry to leam thes
diffrcntthingsdr^t ils usetulnss
the,\'aresiandadizedacross
Lrnlss
sBndardls rndenninedAsShulman ,ll donainsxndievels-that$' xr
putsil, comnloneducxtionatgoars
vith noughrcun
reDresenied
ateoften
like 'cdticalfiinking
d;cx consistnq.md transparcncY
achiel
invokedlof quiieditTercni
that stlrdent!can rccognizthe|n/r'
siot Ineasurs
ments.. . . NosingLe
.. fundxmentalsrxiher than rs onest
cando iusticeto all dlocevarixhons
competing
of atbitmrY
!rcferrces
i,ikeSoellinss oftr cihl]s melr
for their altentionxnong rnan)
iiorleiabo!e,ShulmJndemrn'isrLrxt
hekeeto lnke man\ddrr
colleges
to highereducrrrorl Condusion
cni/plrcaches
ln sum.then,ihereha\ io be a Dettef
reNa)'io rslondto the SpellineF
E ]N
IN
S
IS
TIN
E
co
oI
ide^
D EF E N S IVE L \/
EF
oort drxn to reiecttl]e
I NS T E A D
IN H IE H E R
\^/E
mon standardslnsteadol dtensi\'eD IV ER SITY '
di\cc
I
RR
E
D
U
g
IEL
E
O LJ R
h inlsrinP,of olrr irrcducibl
U P D E E tA TE S
ne
nn
shoul0
E
]P
E
N
IN
G
BE
srhr$e ir1hLghrdLlcat
S H E L IL D
E DLJ E A T I O N
Lamluyr
un
OW E R
o|eningLrfdehates
E OU N TR Y
TH E
A ER O S 5
tttrc
E I N E A M P U S ES
aircs rhecounLnuverwlrcrtrer
P
R
A
E
TIE
E
S
underne
ihxt
E EMME N
commonpmctics
ARE
T H ER E
W HE T HE R
^re , Li\elsrq Il a corsensrrs
efltlges
T HA T

that
IhrI rlren xk rs with gurd leadenLrip
worK
w think itwill, $ shouldiben
thai being forcdto cotNer$
nther
pr
r
t
r
lr pxf
ull
cnl l ecti !el \-$r t h dr
aqrce-drxI cuLleg-ducatd
bstslstem '
''onlhe
one
rdntLw
bact<
tffuhjes-ro
iiorl nf culLege
siudort*,regardlestof Lheit
Bu1v ndgo no fufiher thatl
criticiL
be
ihose practicesso
{LUUld
InxJor,
stanclatdiT
or
md
uruund
-of innt oI
own
Shulmxn's
lrcs
mas
trrinithat studenlscllrl morc reddiLy
;hinkers,nening thxt, ata
cfitics-tof an exlm_
SDLlings
othr
a
ris
siandamF
read
tef fiem. Engagingit1
nu , tlrci'shouidbeableio
Dlcof thclih.xl thinkrngskjlk
we
a
otfer
lxt.
Prlnlenr
l\l
zatior Dr,'crssN rmPodrnr'
colle{e
qhosecnLnnronalihhedenrcsE\n
it No
wr
t
hout
ard
thrnk,;ot l ustllause
srrm;afy ot jts cen!fti clailll'
.rrmr thil lhe cofcll
as
Shuln]sn
lr
\
eAior
r
s. ur
\
t
\
le
C hrl Jkft B .hr nd
makea relerantrcsponse'whe
thjnking rsholles ttilot
crrtjcrL
on
rrs
inrlrnscd
rtrng
mn\ be
b ) a ts r (i u$grth rt,L o ml l rc
like ral of Sflling'\s standardrzatroLr
tu,lris$,ntjnF
inbell'
tuf
but because
us Lrnwiilingha
clx,ms oroffcrrng criljqLre
'
other critics,J,r'\ ihal ii i'xoNes .
is criticatto our
instrudors
ihse
qent
tilough
stxndardization
thermorc,
as idnlirying xno
morcs
srh
br-sic
;ission of dcmocmticedlrcation'
iShte\lrecl'tuLlentsat diffcrerrt,
vielvsto
sLrnlmarlTing
accurxlly
as
sKru\
which enlailsbeing a explicit
instLtlliionsto cfnl out these
to rcspondiseLcrlranrs
one
which
aclr
oi
moves
Dossible$out the k!
.
$rrh \xr) InAdegree\nf sunhlslira
1rnde\llsinrrg qrorn
[rJmrnr,
rng
Jno
litracr
agrce
pubLic-slhere
demic
tron,rLre\wouldstrll Prohrl)ty
r!1de\nrarn_
cl'rrrns
iionsie\ploring
^nd
a5mrn\ studdrt5r' sl: crn
belfints
tirat -rn) institlrtio dla1 lelsisied
irnplic,tronsnrakinqcondrerr
rnq
oI
ro rn*stefLhen ln our view rrqner
in graduatiig largenumbers
nildf or rclitedchiinr
lo
si
nctions
snn'
ducliion doesnedcommon
studenb deiicient in thesDaslc
arglrment ol one s
cogenl
a
offerlns
bc,
c ri i i c trl rh rfk i rr \k rl l s{ h ul rl ' l
drgu_ clafds,eln if ttle Sleuln$
o\lr1imovjng betwenone\ o$r1
rtsloo
do
to
oul
ho\\
frglrre
lo
Commissionsnysit does
$kd
one ls rc
mnt and the view to wlich

UN D E R L IE

1B
MAY_JLIN E

2O O A

T H AT

DIW E R S ITY '

06u a '1

i-j:,:i,t:r,. Ti rir:.k:.::,i.
of crl.al
1:] ut hovv.anthflndanrentarnoves
l-'r thinkfq be stand.rdized th.t i5,reprerefted
acrcss
the
wth enoughconssiency
ancired!ndan{y
noli!nlheeitefe\/, can
curflculum
thrta studenls,
? Andhow.anth s
5eethsemoves
asfundamenia
be dorein a waythatal owstheeducat
onalre5uts
be
as!ssed
.nd
measured?
to
Th-.f rst stepis to Ldertify.nd namelhesefunda
mentas if term5lhataresimpieand{am iarenougr
of
to be gr.spedandrelanedby lhe vastrnalorty
move
lrom
but
siudeftsa91hey
coLrrse
io coLrrs,?
comprehensve
enoughLodo iun(e io ihe obvous
compexly andheteroqeferty
of acadern.praclrces
O!r !andid.tefor 5Lrch
a formuat on,as\'vehavr
prrciceoi summary
r the d .lectrcal
suggened.
and
andresponse
On lhe onehand,summaizlng
isa famllafargumentative
ski that
fesponding
havepraciiced
v rtualyeverydaysince
stLrdents
('BLrt
you
ch dhood
laidi{ cleaned
up my room
toniqhtlcouldgo outwth nryfrends')Aswesee1,
gelsasc oseasanyroTmu
sumrnary
an0respon5e
a
ve pract,:e
of makrlgc a ms
tioncanto the prvas
.r01o!1 of lhe bl!e,bLt a5responses
to orherson
theotherhand,5Lrmmaizrng
andresponding
nron
passes
al the mosladvanced
academ.skLs, n.lLdrng(inaddillon10trose rted nourarlce)cos
ng wth
readng,rnterpretaton,
andanalysr;work
1" .

.,

..
"

or

|
-

| .c

o ,"( o t6 .

ol

andeventhe ethrcal
abiiiyto enterta
n opposinq
prspectives,
pLttng ourseves
ln theshoes
of tfose
who d saqreewihus Andthouqhth s sumnary
pracice s deployedn d fferent\,v.ysin
fesponse
dllferent
academ
c disopf,"r,therei5no di5cpl ne
thatdoesnol require
lhat!!e eiler a conleTsat
on,
rral ng our v e\!s for Lra viruurn Dulasa fesponse
to whatothersn thef eldhavesad or mighisi,
Descrbrngth 5transdscplinarypracti.-"in more
L"r r"r d 5"o
po" I.dl F.
pol
",do
tlonspecialst
Davd Bartholomae
obleNes
that"the
be5lnudefl wril nll \,\rorks
againsta convenlona
po n1of ! ew. The moresLracessful
vv'tefs9etthemseves.. againrtwhat
iheydeinedassomemore
nave wayof Lalkng nbouLthe r subjecl-again5l
'thosewho th nk th.t
or aganstearlier,
morc
nalveversonsof ihmse
ves 'once tholqhtthat "

I th s v elv is right-that rhe ben 5tudentwrtlng

(chalengesor addsloJotherpr5pe.tive!engages
thenwhywthhod thi5cftrcalinlormaton
lrom
strdents?Why not be expicitaboutth s keyto
Butth s f rst step high !lht fll summaryre5pofse
acrossthe grades,d 5cpllns,and.ourss is not
efough A second
stepis neededn whi.hwe go
ng thatengaging
othrsisthe
beyondsimpyexplaln
qd-.

-.-b-prord6
""d.a.
.fotd
o. .d6 6. pop o

o1
g

t.

enable
5t!dents
to enactihi5
movein therwriting.
p'at .
B.1Loo "-po/d" "''"
I
" "
heurist.when
he recalls
ofe of hs !rdergr.d!atelt
ng lhal, wheneverre \a,as
eratureteachers
sLrllgesl
stLrrkfor somethrng
to say I h ! wr 1fq, he Vy out
thefolowlng'rrachine':"Whre moslreaders
ol
havsad
, a cosandcareful
' A siaffoldirq ikeih s
readnq show5that qtudents
.oLrd hep
unsur
aboLtth ba5c shapeol
why that
academ
c dGcou6maLea r aimand rrdicat
c airnmalters
by showng whata lernalec a ni rl 5
corre.tn9,suppemeitfg, aompaatng,or otherwse
.d"log " 1; r ll'o' mo "dd"
b i'.
^.
trr o.6o
" "r

oflL"-

"

or

o-

howth s sraffoldlng
canbe adapted
to v rtualy.rny
discpne.
Folowng Bartioomae'sead,we haveplb lshedn
'! , , b o o r

. cal 5q tsd)

.e vo,e

vd .lt

Academ/cll/riting,rnwh ch we provrdetemplaieslke
ih fo low ng that promptstudentsto engagediaectca lywithlheviewsof otherthinkers
andwrters
I recntdis.ussons
oi
, a controversiai
hasbeen\/hcther-Onthor hand,
55ue
F om thisperspe.tv,
somearquthai
. Onihe othrhand,howver,
other5argue
n the wordsof oneof th 5 view5
'

Vro

'

rov

'5

5'

16

Tro.g

o' elo

trat
thal
,lsli malnLain
Thoughsomemighioble.t
Forexampe,
The ssues
thdt
, I replyth.t
nportantbeca!9e
MA Y

,-?.-'F7*Gl

JT ]N E

2E OE

0a'to'{
At frrslglance,I s easyto d smi59tuch form{lalc
devcesfor be nq too m-".hanca and prescnpiLve
nts gnorethe iall tllatslch
Bultresecompla
nrodekcanbe modfed to rneelth needsoT
vo ces,aLrdences,and con
pafticuar arqLrments,
a
so gnofethe fa.t lhat, whi e
comp
arnls
iexts The
y absorbthes
wrilersunconsclous
exprienced
do not
mostst!den15
modes throughtheirreading,
wll nevermakea move ke 'my po nl
lvloststLrdent5
1 5n o t _ ,

'

t
I

.,r' a

oul

Jor,d

o.e

r 'o .

'

io

l '^ 5 !'

'P

"

are
t5ol suchtempatcslandthe5kls theymodel)
and debated
be ng v\'crghed
zedap)roa.h.an.lsorrepmeetone
Thissiandard
avod(ha
as5essment:
of outcoms
enges
of the key
r1wh.h
liet
1rap,
inqwhalm ghtbecaledthe aundry
cfltel. areotferedthat
so m.ny dillereniassesnrent
endsup m rrornq the lfagmented
asressrfent
corneaway
l:urrc!um d9elafd 5tuoents
academic
batc shape.
htefacyS
of academlc
with no 5(]rd !,lrasp
exitestaysTh s lrap .an be avoldedby dcvloping
afd progam5aro!ndthem
.urricLrla
afd gearing
c convefsalofs
to enier.cadem
that.sksludenls
Forexample,at the compet on oi theL.ollege

lnlessI venaxplct
youmayoble.tthat-"
prompt5
Tordorngso.
to belevethatlL s
Indeed,
theres evefreason
but !lraduate
jusi
e
Lrndergraduales
h!mb
not
. o r . o r l a '6 aswell wrroneed
5tlrdentsand fa,:uty member5
d!le,to \tr te es5ay5
Unver5ily_Northr
ifornia
State
Ina
fa
c move5
explcthep makinqthesekeyacadm
Student5
fterest
of
a!rrent
b.sedon af articl
to thes5 andd ssertaton
recenltaxlbookaddressed
defen.i
lreneL C ark \,voud dentlfythe text5bas. arqurnenls,
the a.ademc d|sciplnes,
wnlersacross
opposn!l
and,deay, imagine
offerslhe fo Lowng formuasfor enternq academ.: theifown position,
rnalors.
ol
their
compleiiof
peEpectlves
Or,
ai
ihe
who wrileaboulth 5
ons "50mescholar5
conver5at
ed
on
tem'
qtht
exarni
mode
wrlteerlL
nudenl5m
. Otherschoarswho wnte
top c say'botll
pl.rtesrkethe io lowLng
My own
thir top c disagreeThey5ayL,ProD
. BeloreI beg.n riy malolrn-,
deafboLrtthGtop. ispeople,
thal
ass!med
other
ike
mon
ably
Academy
of
Along5m laf ne5,the Nalional
Blt h.v ng slrd ed lhetreld now
Edu.aton requresapplcani5for itt pondoctora
s-"ethat lts far rnor.omp icaied,pr mar y De
in lilty
fe owehipto compete the lolowing tempLate
in the f e d no'
wordsor fewer:"l'lon scholars
. One5choolof thoLrqhtrr the f eld of
be ieve. . ; a5a resut of mYstLrdy. '
Skeptct,
that--.
suggens
theeditorof theleadnq 5cence
io'rrnal
Slmilary,
MYo$/n
however,m qhi oblectthat
coftnbrnors
felob igedto provldeprospectve
Arature
v ew rsrrar_
lumm.ry
vvthwrl ng gu de nesthalfoliowa cassic
I ke thes
essays
Al the samet me that agsessment
open
respofseformat,requr ng that a submissons
they
nkinq
sklls,
noijun olthe author9'cenlralwould1enslldents'critic.lth
wth a cearde,:araLion
sklls ikefam iarily\ /th
wolld a so Lesttraditiona
wth
{ nd nqscompare
butof ho!! Lhose
findings,
of ihe fe d, Ltskeyconcepts
"prevlousknowiedqe" lf, astheseexamper 5Lrqgest' the baslcknowledge
echoosoi thoughl
how
its
dLffereft
andlerm5,and
eventhosa1lhe highenreaclesoTa.ademfed
pL(
Inlodlaoque
canbe chalefgedafd
xpllcilhelpmaknq the nandardmove5ol ac.'lem'
YesAndthat5
apprcachT
a
ore
slzeJts.ll
is
thls
rrg
strugo
mLr.h
mofe
.fil ca ltelacy,thrnkhow
to work,
it
has.
chan.e
prec
lve
thlnk
5ey
why
and h gh schoo5t|denl5ned t
urdergradLr.te
democratLcaly
implemenlecl
{
ii
caf
be
erpeca ly
tempates ke ihese
nandaidlzed
n lntroduclng
!./th a h gh degreeof facuty bry- n Themorevve
dlfferences
ollen
w
de
ignor
the
nd
not
leachels
the es5
and 5tandards,
e objeclives
ard earnnqstyes prolferatemLrltip
cutura backgrounds
in sludentg
studenls-or
numbers
oi
is
lar!e
there
that
chnfce
otten res5t be
lor nstnnce,
nudn1s,
l\4idde-class
for thal maiter \'tl | .ss rn ate anyof then'l
reachers,
comingth typeof Lftelectuacr I c that the lcnl
y, th morew standardze-lhat ls,co ec
Converge
plate5
whie somewomenandm nortystu
assume,
arg!mentativeper5(rna tv y strea.nlne,s mp fy, and renforce-_wh.twe
dentsresi5tihe contennou5Ly
geem
wanl nudentsto earn,the morecharlcelve haveo1
lo requre.Thesen
lhatthe tempategm qht
avalabe on a mas5
c crIc.l lteracy
makfg acadern
afd
dLscusslon
faciareexcelenttop csfor classroom
democratc 5cale..9
.'^od
oeoo- B
"db, -e
I
back
of
a
tenp.ts canonlyernpowernLrdenG
2AO E