This assignment gives you a chance to
reflect on and integrate what you have learned over the course of our time together
articulate intentions, aspirations, and plans for continuing to engage in and share your practice of restoring your relationship with the more-than-human world
Trace your journey throughout the semester by selecting passages from your own writing, the writing of your classmates, or other materials that are meaningful to you. Please include a few passages from others that inspired you or helped you in your practice of and your thinking about our course material. Those passages, however, should not exceed 50% of your total selection. For all passages, be sure to identify the source (e.g. whole brain narrative, blog, class notes, book, poem, video, article, etc.). The total selection of passages ought to be around 1,200 words. Selection of passages may be bulleted. Cite blog authors with date and topic of entry. Cite references from articles and books.
Write a reflective essay (1,000-1,300 words) explaining what the collection of selected passages as a whole means to you and how they reflect your developing experience with and understanding of the shift of consciousness you believe needs to happen within yourself and, if you choose, the wider society. Your learning experience is the focus of this essay.
Although we encourage you to address all the questions below, it is your choice which ones you'd like to explore in greater depth. Other questions may emerge for you as you write.
How has your thinking about and your experience changed or been confirmed over the course of the semester? What does this development or lack thereof mean to you personally? Where do you plan to go from here? (Please refer to specific experiences, ideas, themes, and threads you found in your writing and the writing you selected from others, explaining why passages still resonate.)
How do your insights connect to your life and personal values? How do you plan to make use of your insights in the future? How might they affect your future path?
Returning to your whole brain narrative, please note in which ways you have grown.
How do your ideas connect to those you developed in other courses? How does this course fit into your overall undergraduate education?
The essay is to be ~1,500 words (excluding references) and may be written in any format that you prefer. Either single or double space is o.k. Cite all articles and books using the format of your choice, e.g., APA, MLA, etc.
Include the selected passages (Step 1) as an appendix. Please don't include those passages in your narrative. Instead, you can paraphrase the passage and include a reference (e.g. "see excerpt 1, blog post, Sept 5, Charlotte M.")
Please feel free to give each other feedback on drafts!
In reviewing your essay, we will look for the following:
Critical analysis of why and how your thinking (and/or writing) about the subject of the course has changed or not changed;
Evidence of your preparedness to take an active role as a participant in the discourse about nature connection;
Ability to connect the course material to other fields you have studied (and/or to your personal interests in different areas of your life including your plans for the future and/or your overall education);
Depth and specificity of reflection;
Persuasiveness of your evidence-based case; and
Clear organization; engaging and comprehensible style; correct grammar and vocabulary.