Theme: We* need to clear mental space so that thoughts about an issue in question can emerge that had been below the surface of our attention. (*teachers as well as students)

Guided (topic-based) freewriting
In a freewriting exercise, you should not take your pen off the paper. Keep writing even if you find yourself stating over and over again, "I don't know what to say." What you write won't be seen by anyone else, so don't go back to tidy up sentences, grammar, spelling. You will probably diverge from the topic, at least for a time while you acknowledge other preoccupations. That's OK—it's one of the purposes of the exercise. However, if you keep writing for seven-ten minutes, you should expose some thoughts about the topic that had been below the surface of your attention—that's another of the aims of the exercise. Reference: Elbow, P. 1981. Writing with Power. New York: Oxford U. P.

Continue for 7 minutes where the sentence below leads off. (Note: This freewriting will NOT be handed in or read by others.)
"When I consider the challenge of 'critical thinking about the diverse influences shaping the life sciences,' the questions/ ideas/ experiences that come to mind include..."




Initial personal/professional development (PPD) planning (You might draw from the Freewriting. Post as a Profile to the blog when you are done--Make the post Private if you want only the instructor to see it)