FIRST SEMINAR BOOK

The first book we will read and discuss is titled, Learning Outside the Lines, by Jonathan Mooney and David Cole. The book was published by Simon & Schuster in 2000; the ISBN is 0-684-86598-X.You can find it at Barnes and Noble or Borders bookstores, or hop on-line and order it from amazon.com. You can probably also order it from your local book-store. It's in paperback so you don't need to pay for a hard-cover edition.

Two young men who recently graduated from Brown University wrote this book. Both have diagnosed learning disabilities. Both experienced considerable difficulty during their public school careers. Both have interesting insights about what learning is and is not and what learners need to do to "own" their education.

We thought we'd start with this book for several reasons. First, it's about learning and one of the central questions we want to answer this quarter is: What is learning? However, there are MANY books about learning, so why this one? Well, a considerable percentage of children and adolescents in America 's public schools have diagnosed learning disabilities. A great deal of evidence suggests that these students often do not receive the support they need from teachers. As people who are thinking about becoming teachers, you need to consider the variety of learners you will encounter.

Second, we think the book is well written, readable, and addresses important issues with humor and compassion.

Third, it explores what it means to be responsible for one's own learning and provides suggestions to support all learners in gaining important benefits from their education. 

Fourth, it challenges the assumption that schooling and learning are synonymous.

The Forward, Part I, and Part III are about what it means to learn, to succeed at learning, and to feel like a failure. The other sections of the book contain specific suggestions about what the authors believe will maximize what any student can get out of her/his college education.

Read this book thoroughly and carefully before our fall quarter retreat. Make written notes, diagrams, or charts either handwritten or computer written on separate paper (not in the book) to be turned in about: 

a. the authors' definitions of learning; 

b. their ideas about learner responsibility; 

c. their arguments about the relationship of schooling and learning; and,

d.  YOUR questions or responses.

Your written insights will help you to prepare and contribute to the focus of seminar discussions.  In addition, we plan to read them as a way to know how you are making sense of the book. Enjoy!