Reading Response:
1. Readings: Read the following resources before attempting to compose this journal: Becoming a Learner, Chapters 2-3
2. Summary: Compose a one-paragraph summary of Becoming a Learner Chapters 2-3.
2. Reading Response: Respond to any ONE of the critical thinking prompts below. You may respond to additional prompts for extra credit.
A. Sanders says that students can graduate from college actually “worse in terms of [their] character, intelligence, and personal capacity.” Explain how that can happen. Then relate it to your own experiences or the experiences of others you know. Does that seem like a reasonable claim to you? Why or why not?
B. Sanders identifies three realities that will affect your world after college graduation. What are those three realities? Explain a little about how Sanders supports each of these claims. Then compare them to the realities you and others you know have experienced in their lives. Do his claims seem legitimate to you? Why or why not?
C. Sanders identifies four essential “personal character traits” or “ways of thinking” that are “transferable from job to job” and “never become . . . outdated.” He claims they can be learned in any major course of study. What are these four characteristics and how would each be beneficial to you now, in your future career, and in life in general? Do you think they are the most important qualities you will need for a successful future? Why or why not? Are there any other qualities you think are equally, if not more, important? If so, what are they, and why do you think they are important?
D. Examine the box on p. 20 that contrasts a “student” to a “learner.” Had you ever previously considered the differences between these terms? Do you agree with Sanders’ definitions? What questions or concerns do these differences raise for you? What other comments would you like to make about them?
E. In Chapter 3, Sanders identifies five “faulty perspectives” and argues that each of these leads to conversations that distract students from the real purpose of college, which to him is to become lifelong learners. Explain what each of these perspectives is and briefly summarize Sanders’ arguments for each of them (in one or two sentences each).
F. As you read about the “faulty perspectives,” did you find yourself thinking of conversations you had heard or engaged in yourself? Were these perspectives were offered as reality? To what extent have you yourself believed them before? How has Sanders’ argument made you think differently about them? Do you disagree with anything Sanders says in this chapter?