Philosophical Issues
in Education
DePaul
University
Winter 2004
Professor Cunningham
Reading Summary
Framework
When preparing your 5 minute Reading
Summary, please be sure to address the following questions:
- What
is the main idea expressed in this reading?
- What
is the context or underlying reason for stating this idea? Is it a response to someone else’s idea?
- How
does the author support this main idea? (Be specific.)
- Is
this idea controversial? To
whom? Why?
- Did
anything in the reading confuse you or lead to an emotional response? Why?
- What
three questions for discussion does this reading raise for you? Be sure
the questions are appropriate for the class to discuss in the context of
the course and other readings.
Please submit your three discussion questions on paper to
the professor at the start of class or email them to him before 3 pm on the day of class.
Other helpful considerations:
- The
purpose of the summary is to bring others in the class up to speed on the
contents of the reading.
- While
personal experiences or reactions to the reading may be relevant, they
should not be the focus of your summary.
- Look
up any words for which the meaning is not clear to you.
- Consider
giving a handout with summary information and/or graphical organizers.
- Consider
doing some research on the Web or elsewhere to find out more about your
author and/or the piece you have read.
- Consider
checking your understanding of the reading by emailing the professor (c-cunningham@uchicago.edu) or
talking to other students in the class about the reading.
- Consider
quoting specific passages as you are giving your summary (be sure to give
page numbers for direct quotes).
1-2-04; cac