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Sep. 6, 2006
TWEM: Chapter 3
The Well-Educated Mind
by Susan Wise Bauer
Chapter 3 "Keeping a Journal: A Written Record of New Ideas"
Theme
repeated from first two chapters and from Adler: Reading for pleasure
(or merely for information) requires a different approach than truly
reading--ingesting--the classics.
Bauer notes her ability to
rapidly consume mystery novels while still processing the other events
of her day. She reads Agatha Christie in the same way I read Elizabeth
Peters, Robert Jordan, or a host of children's series authors.
(p. 35)
Bauer writes:
When
we sit in front of Plato or Shakespeare or Conrad, "simply reading"
isn't enough. We must learn to fix our minds, to organize our reading
so that we are able to retain the skeleton of the ideas that pass
before our eyes. We must not simply read, Isaac Watts tells us, but
"meditate and study," an act that "transfers and conveys the notions
and sentiments of others to ourselves, so as to make them properly our
own."
My revision of that last line:
"...transfers and conveys the notions and sentiments of others to ourselves, so as to..." ascertain whether or not they should
become properly my own. This goes back to comments in chapter two about
wide-spread literacy, and equally wide-spread gullability in the face
of advertising and mass media. If something is old, considered a
classic, read and raved over by many through multiple generations, then
I probably need to be familiar with it. However, the above qualifiers
don't necessarily mean the "notions and sentiments of others" should
become my own. Perhaps I'm nitpicking here about semantics, but that
phrase sent up red flags. (Note added later: Chapter 4 does finally
address judgement of appropriateness of material.)
Bauer recommends keeping a journal "to organize your thoughts about your reading. What we write, we remember...."
That's me. Copious note taker. The writing fixes it for me--rarely have to re-study, just a quick scan through notes.
(pp 35-36)
Journaling--now
carries personal connotation--how do you feel about ____? "...a
subjective, intensively inward-focused collection of thoughts and
musings."
Used to be collection of quotations--usually with no
commentary or interpretation by the owner. Just copy work to help owner
remember. Called "Commonplace Book."
Some were
expanded--self-education best follows this form. In addition to quotes,
owner recorded throughout the day snippets of responses and original
writing.
(p. 36)
3-part process for reading:
1. Write out quotes as they stand out while reading.
2. after reading, sumarize briefly.
3. "[W]rite your own reactions, questions, and thoughts."
Connects objective and subjective learning. (I used to do this with Bible study. Need to start again!)
"Education is that process by which thought is opened
out of the soul, and associated with outward...things,
is reflected back upon itself, and thus made conscious of
its reality and shape. It is Self-Realization .... He who is
seeking to know himself, should be ever seeking himself
in external things, and by so doing will he be best able to
find, and explore his inmost light."
--Bronson Alcott, 1834 journal
(p. 36)
"The
goal of classical self-education is this: not merely to 'stuff' facts
into your head, but to understand them." We haven't really learned if
we have just accumulated facts. The goal of classical self-education is
to process that information --digest it.
Although Bauer didn't use
the word "digest" on this page of the book, when I used it in my notes,
I got a mental picture. Just having the book, or even quickly scanning
for information is like going through a salad bar and dishing up an
appetizing and eye-pleasing collection--and never eating it. It looks
so lovely, but there is no benefit. You have to eat it to absorb the
nutrition. You can bolt it just to get the nutritional benefit, but it
is much more enjoyable if you take time to savor the flavors and
textures.
To continue the metaphor, in savoring it slowly, you don't
take as much in one sitting--you feel full before consuming as much as
you would when bolting. Likewise, in truly reading you don't consume as
much material as you would when quickly reading--or only scanning--for
information.
Could the metaphor continue still? As bolting our food
leads to overeating, does bolting information for pleasure reading
alone give us "brain fat"? Instead of nourishing the intellect, making
us mentally lean and strong, perhaps brain fat makes us intellectually
flabby.
That is not to say we should never read for pleasure. Rather, everything in moderation.
(p. 37)
Bauer
quotes Lydia Sigourney (19th century educator, as per p. 21 TWEM),
saying she recommends summarizing often. The quote then suggests
weekly.
That doesn't seem particularly often to me. That would
seem to be journaling of another sort. The first being journaling as
you read, including direct quotes, reflections on them, summaries, and
original writing. This second kind of journaling would seem rather a
mental revisiting of the first, a review over time. Both seem
appropriate. After all, "Repetition is an aid to memory," according to
a sermon delivered by Pastor Ted Buck in Boise, Idaho in the early
1980's. He said that several times that morning. It has been with me
ever since.
Sigourney stresses that, rather than verbatim copy work,
the journal should hold summaries of the original "correctly and
clearly in your own language."
(pp. 37-39)
E.M. Forster's commonplace book demonstrates well the concepts of reading, quoting, summarizing, and reflecting.
(p. 39)
In one paragraph, mid-page, Bauer shares the variety of uses Thomas Merton had for his commonplace book, titled The Asian Journal.
"Classical
self-education demands that you understand evaluate, and react to
ideas. In your journal, you will record your own summaries of your
reading; this is your tool for understanding the ideas you read. This
-- the mastery of facts-- is the first stage of classical education."
--Bauer
1st Step--Chapter 1--regular time to read and study.
2nd Step--Chapter 2--practice the mechanics of reading
Now...
(pp. 39-40)
3rd Step--Chapter 3--practice taking notes and then summarizing.
1. Invest in a journal (Got it!)
2. Keep to a schedule of reading 4 times/week (Ouch! Don't got it!)
Guidelines:
a) Record title of chapter, then read chapter without stopping. Okay to write out particular quotes.
b) Notice major sections of chapter. After reading the 1st
time, go back and summarize each section in one
paragraph each. "What is the most improtant point
that the writer makes in this section? If I could
remember only one thing from this section, what would
it be? Now what else does the writer tell me about
this important point that I'd like to remember:" Leave WIDE margins (2-3 inches)
c) When done with chapter, re-read summaries, recording reactions in the margins--change of color helpful.
Note to self: I would like to use 3 colors:
black or blue for summaries
red for quotes
green or purple for reactions.
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Posted by 
Sep. 17, 2006 - Sharron...