Professor Josh Hall shared his narrative essay assignment, which is the first major essay, and is written in class, by hand. The assignment asks students to reflect critically on the role of reading and writing in their own lives, and then construct a personal narrative. The prompt asks students to follow clearly stated conventions for academic writing (a central theme, transitions and structure, relevant connections and supporting evidence). A strength of this approach is its combination of personal narrative and reflection with well-defined skills, bridging personal narrative with academic writing.

Professor Hall is passionate about teaching reading and writing because reading and writing are beyond practical “skills”–they are also tools for personal and intellectual inquiry and growth. To teach only “skills,” “rules,” “strategy,” and “utility” is to limit and devalue a richer experience of texts, thinking, and writing. This is one way to “advocate” for the importance of actually DOING the work of class, rather than allowing a bot to do it.