When are these assignments due?

 

They will all be due near the end of the quarter that they're assigned. Typically, I will set the date for the Monday of the week that the quarter ends. This gives me time to grade them all and account for any students who may turn the assignment in late. All due dates will be announced in class and added to the calendar.

 

What does a thorough question response look like?

 

At the bare minimum, I will be looking for a short paragraph. A helpful trick I have learned is to keep answering "why". This single word guides many of our responses, and by constantly questioning your own thinking, you end up thoroughly explaining yourself. It is always better to write too much than write too little.

 

Why do we have to do these assignments?

 

It can be annoying to stop reading to write every so often, but it does plenty more good than harm. When you stop to reflect on your thoughts, you tend to remember what you read far more vividly. Also, these assignments get you to  consider not only what's happening in the story, but how the author is revealing it. You develop a critical lens. You become a smarter reader; your ability to read between the lines and pick up on the subtleties increases. Trust me, this spills over from reading. It can change the way you listen to music and watch movies. It's a skill that will make you a better speaker, listener, and reader, all of which are essential skills to being successful nowadays, no matter what your career entails.