Lost Tools of Writing, Lesson 1, Modules 2 & 3

The last two weeks we covered Lesson 1, Module 2 (Arrangement) and Module 3 (Elocution).

Overall, these were very basic lessons for most of the students. The lesson on Arrangement was a very basic outline with 3 Roman numerals: I. Introduction, II. Proof in 3 statements and III. Conclusion. The Introduction included the Thesis statement and the Exposition. Some of the students were already familiar with the term "Thesis statement," but Exposition was new to all of them.

Then this past week, we simply converted the outline into an essay -- a very short, very boring, very repetitive essay! For some, this may have seemed boring and "too easy." For a few, it was a new process. However, they all needed to learn to do this in a very basic way. Subsequent lessons will build on this foundation.

Since we are a Waldorf-inspired group, I added in to our lessons an opening verse and a closing verse for each class meeting. We also finished reading the story of St. George, the Patron Saint of England, as we are soon approaching Michaelmas Day. Most of the students knew the story of St. George & the Dragon -- but this was a longer tale which told of the many adventures and other stories of St. George. (Available at www.mainlesson.com)

Next week, we will begin Lesson 2's first module which will introduce some new thinking tools for the Canon of Invention.