Essay Bodies

Today students continued to work on their essays in class. By now, they should be well into the body paragraphs and should be ready to start the conclusion tomorrow. Details are at Google Classroom.
As a side note, some students asked why I don't allow headphones in class while they are typing. I gave my reasons and promised to post research-based sources.

• Here's an article from Psychology Today which includes this illuminating quotation based on neuroscience research: "Each time we move from hearing music to writing a text or talking to someone, there is a stop/start process that goes on in the brain. That start/stop/start process is rough on us: rather than saving time, it costs time (even very small micro seconds), it’s less efficient, we make more mistakes, and over time it can be energy sapping."
• Here is a blog post that summarizes various research into music and studying (much of which is admittedly inconclusive) and includes the following quotation: "In other words, whether students enjoyed the music or not, having it on while they worked was just as distracting as hearing someone talk. Scores were significantly higher for tests taken in a quiet environment."