Hi guys!

Hi guys! It’s been a week that we’ve all been back at it, so it’s about time I write something here! First, it’s great to see you all – again and for the first time (for some of you). We’ve got a hell of a lot to do this year, but it should be good! I’m excited and enthusiastic, and I hope to maintain that rhythm throughout the year! To make the most out of our hour, please do the weekly readings and be prepared to discuss them in class. This does NOT mean reading each sentence and learning the text by heart (memorising). This means reading the articles strategically so you a) understand the key points and b) have something to say about them. SO, when you read, read for main ideas and WHERE and HOW the authors’ get their information. This second part is as important as the first. I’m not interested in everything on page 47 – if I were, I’d read all of page 47. I’m interested in what the author’s have to say (that is, why they wrote the damn thing and why they want me to think about it). Reading for this purpose is like processing information. You don’t have to read all of the articles – you have to read in order to get information. You can actually process large amounts of information fairly well if you apply a strategy of prioritising the information you read and skipping the parts you don’t consider necessary to a) understanding the author’s point and b) supporting what YOU consider to be important about the piece.

SO – let’s start with that! Happy reading! Tomorrow we talk about Lenz, I believe, “Culture as an Individual Process”.

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