by Matthew Oswald, Philosophy

One of the best pieces of advice a professor has ever given me about coursework is to write about whatever topic I understand least. We develop the most when we’re challenged; stretching our capacities is how we extend them. Sadly, one of the deleterious features of our university system’s fervor for grading is that it directly opposes this avenue for growth. With the premium put on maintaining a high GPA, students are highly encouraged to write about what they perceive to be easiest, rather than what most interests or challenges them.

One of the most satisfying elements of being a WIP TA is that I can provide students with the scaffolding required to make them feel comfortable with taking this kind of risk. Encouraging early drafts and repeated meetings lets students see that their mistakes can be avenues for improvement instead of just deductions from their grade. When courses are structured to include feedback and advice, students don’t feel like they’re gambling on their grade when they go the extra mile. The kinds of enlightening confusions we discover in our thinking by writing these thoughts out can then be worked through during the next revision cycle. It’s helping students through this kind of process which has been the most satisfying work I’ve done as a writing coach.

Encouraging early drafts and repeated meetings lets students see that their mistakes can be avenues for improvement instead of just deductions from their grade.

Of course, this only helps to make it more possible for students to challenge themselves, rather than actively persuade students to do so. Unless the aim of tertiary education is made to be education, rather than a degree or some other result, a number of students will still pick the path of least resistance, as I’ve done many times. Fostering a desire for knowledge on its own terms is then another important aim for any educator.

Something I’ve really been considering then is having a greater focus on ungraded or less graded assignments to try and facilitate shift in the aims of my students. If we structure our courses around assessments, then it’s no surprise if that structures our students’ engagement with the course. So, I hope that by presenting students with questions and exercises which solely encourage thinking rather than trying to quantify them, that students will absorb that attitude and bring it to those assignments which are graded.

As a philosopher I perhaps have it easier than most. At the end of the day, philosophy quite literally translates to “love of wisdom,” and so my discipline already encourages this kind of attitude. However, it’s worth remembering that philosophy forms the foundation for almost all of modern education. And so, I believe the ideals of philosophy remain the ideals of academia at large.