Purpose in Education

An Introduction to Claims & Evidence in Argumentation

Quickwrite: Failure

Copy this quote into your Writers Notebook. Then, spend 5 minutes writing in response to it:

• What does it mean to you?
• What experiences does it remind you of?
• What does it have to do with learning?

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Argumentation Begins With

Claims

“Effective claims provoke interest and require a defense, rather than simply stating an obvious, known fact that requires no defense or justification.”

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• Claims establish positions.
• Claims provoke interest.
• Claims require defense.

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“Joining the conversation”

Effective arguments are constructed such that they enter into conversation with previous discussions about the topic. This may mean:

• Extending previous arguments
• Synthesizing previously unrelated arguments
• Responding to and refuting prior misconceptions.

Evidence

Writers defend their claims with evidence and/or reasoning.

Types of evidence may include:

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• Facts
• Anecdotes
• Analogies
• Statistics
• Examples
• Details

• Illustrations
• Expert opinions
• Personal observations
• Personal experiences
• Testimonies
• Experiments

Dan Pink, “The Puzzle of Motivation”

• What are the problems with a model of motivation based on external rewards (like grades or recognition)?
• How well do schools traditionally do at encouraging autonomy, mastery, and purpose?
• What would a classroom look like that was built on these principles?

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Dan Pink, “The Puzzle of Motivation”

Work with a partner to complete the exercise. Identify:

• The Rhetorical Situation of this text
• 2 claims that Pink makes regarding motivation
• 2 pieces of evidence that he uses to support this claim
• One previous misconception that Pink seeks to refute, and his method for doing so.
• Two rhetorical strategies that you see him using to construct his argument.

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Autonomy: the urge to direct our own lives.

Mastery: the desire to get better and better at something that matters.

Purpose: the yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves.

Quickwrite: Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose

Consider the definitions to the right. Then spend 10 minutes writing about something you do (or have done) that meets the requirements of these three categories. Use language (imagery, metaphor, etc.) to show us how this activity affects you.

Autonomy: the urge to direct our own lives.

Mastery: the desire to get better and better at something that matters.

Purpose: the yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves.

Sir Ken Robinson, “Changing Education Paradigms”

• What points does Robinson make about the way that we organize education?
• How does Robinson define creativity? How does it relate to divergent thinking?
• To what extent have your experiences in school encouraged divergent thinking?

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Quickwrite: Purpose in Education

Consider what you think purpose of education is (both in terms of your own opinion and that of society). Then spend 10 minutes writing about how the elements to the right factor in.

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• Grades, Rubrics, Tests
• Learning
• Writing or reading
• Creativity
• Failure

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Alfie Kohn, “The Case Against Grades

• What are the effects of traditional grading systems on student learning & motivation?
• To what extent does Kohn’s analysis of teaching and grading practices ring true to your experience as a student?
• What alternatives to these traditional systems does Kohn suggest?

Roundtable Discussion

As you discuss, record your responses (informally) to each of these questions. Be sure to include the CONCRETE examples from your experiences that inform your opinions.

1. To what extent have your school experiences matched the descriptions given by Sir Ken Robinson?
2. What role does intrinsic motivation play in your life? Extrinsic motivation?
3. What issues does Alfie Kohn identify with traditional grading practices? How do these relate to your own experiences?
4. What would a classroom experience not built around grades look like? What positives and negatives can you imagine in such an environment?