Response from Mr. West

This was Mr. West's response to our email: http://mirmanseniors2008.blogspot.com/2007/10/email-to-mr-west.html

Dear Seniors:

That’s a very general question you’ve posed, but I will try to clarify as best I can from what you’ve given me.

Given the format of the Lectio, I want you to use the three sections of Chapter 1 of Constructing a Life Philosophy as your text reference. For each of the three sections you should one entry (3 in all) in your journals. Each entry should reflect a minimum 1 hr. time of close reading and reflection; each entry should be dated and include the quote to which you are responding; each entry should, like an expository essay, state the personal significance of your selected quote and develop into some statement about how the ideas or concepts included in the quote might change or alter your personal point of view or behavior. It is also possible that a quote could simply reinforce a point of view or behavior. If that’s the case, explain it. Remember that you are challenging yourself for new insights or discoveries about your thought process and/or behavior. All of this is building toward your ability to write an extended personal creed – a personal statement of belief.

Because your entries should be spontaneous, the expectations of reviewed and edited thought and coherence that I might apply to a prepared essay would not pertain here. I am not expecting you to revise your writing here. I am, however, assuming that you have spent some time during the Meditatio phase of the Lectio to consider your thoughts carefully and to craft your response as carefully as possible as you write during the Oratio.

If this is still unclear, please feel free to come down and visit with me during your recess today for clarification.

Thanks,

Mr. West