The Little Red Schoolhouse

The Little Red Schoolhouse is a writing and pedagogy program developed by Joe Williams (The University of Chicago) and Greg Colomb (University of Illinois). It addresses the development of writers and teachers in two ways. First, it outlines a formal approach to writing tasks and texts; that approach is the substance of the Little Red Schoolhouse lectures that I now offer to students in the Woodruff School. (You can read more about these principles in Williams and Colomb.) Second, it teaches and uses a structured (or staged) approach to the writing and thinking processes that must come together when people write.

How Does it Work?

A formal understanding of texts allows a reader to distinguish bad writing from professional or intellectual confusion. The text functions as a symptom of the student's grasp of the concepts under discussion and of the professional scenario into which the text will fit. Consequently, a student text offers the occasion for the student to address two kinds of associated concerns:

The Text:

"How do I know if this is well written?"

The Context:

"Where do I fit in, professionally?"
"What is my audience like?"
"What is common knowledge in my profession?"
"How does a professional SOUND?"

For more information about the Woodruff School's professional writing program, contact Jeffrey A. Donnell, at jeffrey.donnell@me.gatech.edu