Loose rubric for the 1st paper:

"A" paper: Must quote more than one source from the book, explaining the intentions behind the quotes and how the author wants to use them.

Contains a personal narrative that is not ashamed to be ambiguous for the sake of telling the truth about a particular subject. Narrative is complete, robust, gives us the feeling of "being there."

Arrives at a thesis that is defended by the experience narrative; represents fairly (and rebuts fairly, without dismissing) opposing points of view.

Corrected spelling, syntax, grammar.

"B" paper: Quotes one source from the book, explaining in outline the intention behind the quote or its author's use.

Contains a personal narrative that supports a perspective. Narrative is more distinct in some areas than in others.

Arrives at a thesis that is defended somewhat by the experience narrative; represents opposing points of view, but doesn't consider them very carefully.

Uncorrected spelling, syntax, grammar.

"C" paper: Quotes one source from the book, without discussion of intention.

Contains a personal narrative that justifies a perspective in a somewhat arbitary way. Narrative is more-or-less bare bones simple recounting of some events, while leaving out others.

Arrives at an arbitrary thesis undefended by the experience narrative. Opposing points of view dismissed outright or not represented at all.

Readable spelling, syntax, grammar.

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-------- A method for writing the first paper --------
Write out your personal narrative using freewriting. Give yourself a prompt related to your schooling history. I suggested three in class: 1) intellectual culture, 2) history of reading, 3) philosophy of education. Fill in the details using the methods commonly prescribed in texts such as Mangelsdorf and Posey's Choices. Ask the basic questions: who, where, why, when, how, what? Freewrite a lot, write more than the required paper length -- you're going to be paring it down when you write the essay itself. Break it up into shifts if your hand gets tired freewriting or if you can't stand to look at a computer terminal for more than a few minutes.

Look for a theme. Examples could be: Classroom management and "rules." Did they play an important part in your life at school? There's plenty about them in the texts, from Gatto to Anyon to Rose. Keep in mind that the following list is by no means exhaustive.

Social decline. Berman, Gatto, and Cheney are all pessmists, sometimes for conflicting reasons. Are you?

External reinforcement as a goad to "learning." Were you a participant in a pizza-for-books program? Were you obsessed with grades? What good did it do? What harm did it do? What did it teach you, what did you learn? Gatto, Cheney, Kohn.

Intrinsic reinforcement as a goad to "learning.," and personal reading history. Did you participate in a program of free voluntary reading? What sort of adventure did it bring you? Rose, Kohn, Malcolm X.

Standards. Will students rise to meet them, if the teacher raises the bar? Or will they just fail? What does your experience with teachers with high/ low standards show you? Rose, Berman, Cheney, Kohn, Tannen.

Learning and social class. Do you agree or disagree with Anyon's thesis, or is your opinion mixed? What are the reasons behind your opinion on Anyon? See also Berman, Rose, Malcolm X.

Debate culture. Do you feel that the mood of oppositional thinking in schools is silencing those who do not wish to face hostile opinion? See Tannen, Cheney, Rawlins.

Role models. Was there a Jack MacFarland you experienced in your career as a student? What did he teach you? Berman, Rose, Anyon.

School culture. Was there a particular school culture that allowed you to defy the reigning banality of culture and to become more of what Morris Berman calls the "New Monastic Individual"? Berman, Rose, Gatto, Anyon, Malcolm X, Tannen, Cheney.

Once you choose a thesis, you should decide what you want to do with your audience, what your appeals will be. Select from the sort of appeals you see in Rawlins. Have a conversation with a friend about the topic you choose, to decide what sort of approach will be most effective. Consider opposing sides to your argument. What do the "other sides" think? What are their reasons? Consider how you want to deal with them in your essay. Lastly, don't lose sleep over this one. Plan your time wisely.