# Help me with ideas for a "Composition 101" demonstration

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-ideas-for-a-composition-101-demonstration/391579>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [February 10, 2007, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-ideas-for-a-composition-101-demonstration/391579 "2007-02-10T00:28:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2007, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-ideas-for-a-composition-101-demonstration/391579/1 "2007-02-10T00:28:31Z")

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So, I’m taking this course called “Teaching in the Community College,” which is basically a prep course for applying to teaching positions at the community college or high school level. Next Saturday we have teaching demonstrations and I have to do 20 minutes of a “Comp 101” class. It can cover anything that a typical beginner’s writing class would teach, but I only have 20 minutes so I’ll probably have to stick to one topic. It has to be lecture-based, but can also include some discussion as well.

I was thinking of lecturing on the concept of “audience” and how writing styles have to adapt according to the expected reader. Either that or do something about how to begin a piece of writing in a way that will draw a reader in (maybe make handouts of famous first lines from books and discuss why they are so famous). Any suggestions on these or other topics would be greatly appreciated!

PS: I am slightly worried about the whole thing - not because I’m nervous about teaching, because I do have experience, but because the day before is our department’s winter dance party and I know I’m going to be horribly hungover the morning of my demonstration. 😛