Wednesday, May 27, 2009

 

Finals

Today we finished the English 201, 1-3 PM finals. Those students who presented shared the lives of people who care about others in society enough to dedicate their lives and work to ameliorating the barriers which keep certain people outside the realm of opportunity and success.

Again, tomorrow, May 28, 8-11 AM in L-235, we will be assembling the portfolio. I have had technical problems this weekend and can't use my laptop, so I was not able to send students grades yesterday. Come by tomorrow if you have questions and want papers back. Also, don't forget you can always call me. I return calls.

Some students skipped the final today. The final presentation was something which could help your final grade. The portfolio is not optional. I will be in my office at 12 noon Friday, May 29, to receive completed checklists.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

 

Parallel Structure

Post your Parallel Structure essay here and email it to me by May 26.

 

Bad Granny Essay Cyber-Post

Post the Bad Granny Essay here and email it to me.

 

Congratuations!

Today in class we completed the Multiple-Choice Exam 2. It is similar to the MCE 1 at midterm. It is closed book. If you missed class or didn't finish come to L-235 between 12-3 and do so.

Before completing the second portfolio essay, don't forget to read the section on revision in Bedford Handbook. It is here that the five areas one should note when doing a global revision is located. You can copy it from the desktop and email it to yourself. If you have Diana Hacker's Rules for Writers, it is in the section called: Planning, page 27-39.

The checklist is on page 28:
Purpose and Audience: Does the draft accomplish its purpose--to inform readers,persuade them, entertain them, call them to action? Is the draft appropriate for its audience? Does it account for the audience's knowledge of the subject, level of interest in the subject, and possible attitudes toward the subject?

Focus: Is the thesis clear? Is it prominently placed? If there is no thesis,is there a good reason for omitting it? Are any ideas obviously off the point?

Organization: Are there enough organizational clues for readers (such as topic sentences and headings)? Are ideas presented in a logical order? Are any paragraphs too long or too short for easy reading?

Content: Is the supporting material relevant and persuasive? Which ideas need further development? Are the parts proportioned sensibly? Do major ideas receive enough attention? Where might material be deleted?

Point of View: Is the draft free of distracting shifts in POV? Is the dominant POV appropriate for writer's purpose and audience?

Check on the web>dianahacker.com/rules Writing Exercises E-ex 3-1 and 3-2

I will be in L-235 12 noon to 3 p.m. May 21, and 8-11 a.m. May 28. You have the option of turning in your portfolio the day of the final, if your final is Wednesday, May 27, 8-10 a.m. or Friday, May 29, at 12 noon.

I will give you another grade checklist the day of the final or when you drop off your paper copies Friday, May 29. I'll post it here also. Fill the form out and give it to me on the day of the final. Don't forget to email me the Parallel Structure essay by Tuesday, May 26.

Post the Bad Granny essay at the link here sometime between today and tomorrow, along with its attachments (error list per assignment handout). Email it to me also.

Students are making too many errors on their research essays and on the Pidd essays. Apply what you have learned about Pidd's essay analysis to your writing. Read the essays aloud and correct them before submitting and posting.

Your grade will reflect your ability to incorporate what you have learned about essay writing to your own final written work.

I want to congratulate everyone who has made it to the end of the course. The journey wasn't easy for many of you. Make sure your final work reflects your best effort. I am around next week and if you need to make arrangements regarding Pidd essays, such as Bad Granny or Parallel Structure, let me know. You can write one of these essays May 21, 12-3, the other, May 28, 8-11, while I am in L-235.

Monday, May 18, 2009

 

Finals Recap

Finals
The scheduled final for the 10-12 AM class is Friday, May 22, at 8-10. We will have our final instead, Wednesday, May 20. We will write the Bad Granny Essay.
The portfolio is due the following week Wednesday, May 27, by 3 p.m.

If you need more time let me know.

The final for the 1-3 p.m. class is Wednesday, May 27, 12 to 2 p.m. in the classroom. You will present your essay. Have an abstract for each student. If you'd like me to make copies, give me the document in advance.

If you need technology, let me know by 5/18. I have a laptop, a TV with VCR, DVD player and CD capabilities. Your portfolio is due the day of the final or as noted above. You can always turn it in early.

 

Assignments

I went back through the blog to see when I assigned these essays, and noted that it was quite a while ago. We are behind, but if students buckle down and do the work, they will be fine.

Coming to class without the assignments completed means you have more work to do alone. It was my intention to work on Hootenanny or the Bad Granny essay, but students hadn't completed their Subject-Verb Agreement homework. I am almost afraid to ask about the Parallel Structure essay.

REPOSTED
Thursday, April 23, 2009

Earth Day and Stewart Pidd final assignments with due dates
April 22 was Earth Day and the class watched a New Heroes program on Albina Ruiz, a Peruvian social entrepreneur. Students then wrote a summary using the questions from the essay assignment. We also, developed three thesis sentences using the 3-part thesis formula (handout).

If you did not hand in your summaries or thesis sentences, post them here. Students were also given copies of the research essay assignment (posted below). We then reviewed part 6 in Stewart Pidd. Homework in Pidd is to completed pages 196. We will write the essay in class during the final hour Monday, April 27.

Homework 4/27 will be Pidd Part 7 Possessives (216-227).

Wednesday, April 29, we will write the essay (Essay Exam 2)in class and do the Possessive Pronoun Quiz (handout). We'll start Parallel Structure. We'll write the in-class Essay Exam 3: Parallel Structure Part 8 (244-253), Monday, May 4, after the parallel structure quiz.

Homework for 5/4 will be Subject-Verb Agreement Part 9 (272-279). We will write the essay in class (5/6). We will do the Multiple Choice Exam (handout) in class also. Arrive on time.

Homework for 5/6 Hootanny Essay Part 10 (282-294). We will write the essay in class (295-299).

 

Parallel Structure Quiz and Bad Granny Essay

We are going to run through the answers for the parallel structure essay after completing the quiz. The remainder of the class will be devoted to identifying the errors in the Bad Granny at the Hootenanny essay (283-292).

Homework is to identify the errors for your essay pages assigned. if we get to it, bring in your six errors on the error log worksheet If we don't get to it, we'll do this Wednesday, May 20 in class before writing the paragraphs.)

We will write the introduction and conclusion together at the top of the hour.

We ran out of time today, so students will not be able to present their essays Wednesday, May 20 (10-12 class).

The 10-12 class have the option of turning in essays 5/27 by 3 p.m. You need to complete the portfolio checklist. I will give you another one Wednesday with just the assignments.

Your portfolio is due next week, Wednesday, May 27 by 3 p.m. E-mail your parallel structure essay to me by Tuesday, May 26. Include your phone number on the essay. Research essays can be turned in 5/20. Final drafts. Pick up the graded essay by Friday, May 22. I will leave them in the Writing Center in an envelop. Ask for your essay from staff. If the Writing Center is closed. Ask Ms. Frances, in the Open Lab, to get it for you.

Wednesday, May 20, you will also complete Grammar Exam 2.

 

Subject Verb Agreement Essay

The freewrite today is to complete 1-2 error paragrahs for Essay 5 (277).

The template for the error paragraphs is [claim naming the type of error]. "Insert the error." the (singular/plural) subject "____" does not agree with the (singular/plural) verb "____." [Explain why the error is an error. Explain how to fix the error.] The correct sentence will read, "Give example of the corrected sentence."

See page 277 to see how to write the introduction and conclusion.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

 

Resources

Resources
Website for www.dianahacker.com/rules

I suggested students read and do the exercises in the section of Bedford Handbook on revision before writing their second portfolio essay. Here is a resource you can access from home.

http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/rules6e/Player/pages/Main.aspx (you can get an account, just send in your email address)

 

Check-in

Check-in
Yesterday, many students shared their concerns with the class. Thanks for your feedback. If you were absent and have something specific you need, you can email me: professorwandasposse@gmail.com

Between the two classes, over half of you have not attended classes consistently this semester, or turned in essays on time or at all. The deadline is already past for late papers and those students who did not speak to me prior to May 4, will not pass the course if they do not speak to me now. I do not give incompletes.

Many students read the syllabus and then forgot important details, one was to keep all of your work, it is your evidence, it is your proof. The graded essays are your evidence of academic achievement. If you did not create a blog to store work as recommended at the beginning of the semester, or at least keep your work in a folder, how will you prove you were here?

I am in L235 today, and next Thursday, May 21. I recommend everyone of you get in touch with me to see how you are doing if you haven't already done so. Bring the graded work with you. You can also call me. I am always available by cell phone.

Homework is to complete the essay on Subject Verb Agreement. We did four quizes yesterday: Be-Verbs, Possessives, and two on Pronoun Agreement.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

 

Field Trip

Field Trip Information

I bought 10 tickets for the stage adaptation of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Fukú Americanus, for next week, Thursday, May 21, 8 p.m. at Intersection for the Arts. They are $12 each. I will have the novel tomorrow in class to share with you. Junot Díaz got the Pulitzer Prize for his first novel. He is a fantastic writer. Let me know if you are interested in attending ASAP.

Intersection for the Arts is located in San Francisco's Mission District, at 446 Valencia Street, between 15th and 16th Streets.

Here is information from the theatre's website: http://www.theintersection.org/about_map.php

Prize Winning novel 'The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao'

"Campo meets Díaz
Novelist and short-story writer Junot Díaz is the latest author to be turned into a playwright through the innovative open-process format practiced by Campo Santo. Material from Díaz's "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao," winner of the 2008 Pulitzer and many other prizes for fiction, has been adapted for the next Intersection for the Arts-Campo Santo project and will open May 18 (previews begin May 14) as a play called "Fukú Americanus."" Robert Hurwitt San Francisco Chronicle

INTERSECTION FOR THE ARTS and Resident Theatre Company CAMPO SANTO is proud to present the highly anticipated world premiere of Fukú Americanus inspired by Junot Díaz's Pulitzer Prize Winning novel 'The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao'.

Developed and directed by Campo Santo's Sean San José, and co-directed by The Living Word Project's Marc Bamuthi Joséph, Fukú Americanus brings together an array of talented performers including Carlos Aguirre, Maria Candelaria, Vanessa Cota, Anna Maria Luera, Brian Rivera and Savannah Shange in a simultaneously epic and intimate tale about family histories, ancient curses, migration and ill-starred love.

Combining historical Dominican mythologies and mysticism with current cultural references, the tale forms a dense narrative reflecting the current melting pot of the United States. This stage creation inspired by Junot Díaz's unique fiction comes alive with endearing characters, an unforgettable story and authentic language - living proof that languages, like cultures, are fluid and alive, and evolves with history and each new generation.

 

Research Essay Draft

Please post your research essay here Wednesday, May 13, 2009.

Assignment:
Respond to minimally one classmate's essay. Look at how well he or she answered the questions, after stating the problem. Did the writer define social entrepreneur? Are there any questions you want answered? If so, ask them. Is the essay well-organized, if not, ask clarifying questions so the writer can address your concerns. List five things about the essay that the author does well. Oh, how is the MLA?

Make sure you include the outline and the works cited page.

 

Portfolio Checklist English 201 Spring 2009

Portfolio Checklist Spring 2009
English 201

On the cover page identify yourself by responding to the following:

Name
Mailing Address
Phone Number
E-mail address
Course number and code

This page is followed by the narratives.

The only paper copies are the freewrites, perhaps reading logs, and this checklist completed. Do not give me your originals. Turn this checklist into me filled out to the best of your ability the day of final.

The portfolio narratives (These are essays)

1. The first narrative essay will look at the past 18 weeks of study, and the themes we looked at this semester as we explored the life of the first black president and the idea that we are the ones we've been waiting for, that is, if there is something in our communities or government we do not like or want to improve we can change it. Obama's work as a community organizer proves this, your social entrepreneur’s work proves this, and hopefully, your work presently or in the future will prove this also.

In your research papers you chose a person to highlight who has made it their life’s work to use their skills to better the lives of others in society. Talk about what you've learned and discovered this semester about writing and yourself, college and life, which have transformed or changed you.

What have you learned about the discipline you are studying here: reading and writing that you plan to carry forth into your lifelong pursuit of learning.

Please also comment on the texts and whether or not they were helpful in this process. You can also talk about the instruction, culture of the class and the teacher. You can also offer suggestions for future students, instruction and on the instruction.

2. The second part of the narrative looks at the writing process and what you have been learning about yourself as a writer. Take two essays and talk about the planning, research and revision strategies you used. It helps to choose an early paper and compare to a later paper. Often you can more easily see the differences in your writing and a better example of mastery of certain concepts. Also discuss skills you need to improve and how you plan to address that.

Besides the two essays, I also want you to include the Pidd essays and the research essay, cyber-essays, and all the writing from Dreams from My Father and Alehouse.

Writing Workshop
We began writing the narratives this week. Thursday, May 28, 8-11, I’ll be between L-235 and L-202E.

Finals
The final for the 10-12 AM class is Friday, May 22, at 8-10. We will have our final instead, Wednesday, May 20. You do not have to have your portfolio ready, just your research essay, and the abstract. The portfolio is due the following week Wednesday, May 27, by 3 p.m. If you need more time let me know.

The final for the 1-3 p.m. class is Wednesday, May 27, 12 to 2 p.m. in the classroom. You will present your essay.

If you need technology, let me know by 5/18. I have a laptop, a TV with VCR, DVD player and CD capabilities. Your portfolio is due the day of the final or as noted above. You can always turn it in early.

Additional narrative considerations for the portfolio essay:
The second essay has students look at the writing process and discuss their own writing process: the topics chosen, the information used, revision strategies, writing as a process. This should include a definition of the difference between editing and revising and a value statement on the place for both in composition.

I am really interested in discourse about audience and how that shapes or determines how the writer approaches her topic.

I am also interested in discussion of the revision process, and whether or not seeing writing as a work in progress or a draft, liberates or stagnates the creative process. (Students are to use examples from their writing to illustrate these points.)

I'd also like students to think about and give at three specific ways how they have grown as writers and thinkers this semester. Each essay should be minimally 1-2 pages (250-500 words).

Grade Justification
What grade do you think you earned in the course? If you have a strong argument with proof: graded work. I will consider it.

Your essay and the attached copy of a completed grading sheet are the evidence.

Do you have any questions about writing or anything else?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Teacher Research
Can I use you writing in teacher research projects? I will give you full credit and inform you of its use. Indicate Yes or No. Please circle one.

Evaluation
In a third response, evaluate the semester: teacher, textbooks, assignments, methodology, etc. Please be frank and feel free to offer suggestions.


Assignments:
Just put a grade next to the assignments you have completed. I will put a grade next to the sections and assignments you do not have grades on. To pass the class, students have to have passing grades on all the essays, plus complete the portfolio essays and turn the portfolio in. Come to the study session May 21. If the time conflicts with other finals, let me know, and arrangements might be able to be made.

For all revisions include the narratives each graded draft and the final draft with a passing grade. Put the passing essay on top.

The narrative essays are the introduction to your portfolio which is a collection of all your writing this semester. Please give me a copy of your in-class notes if applicable. Do not give me a hardcopy. I’d like the portfolio emailed to me, on a CD or disk, with a completed checklist filled out. Don’t forget a phone number just in case something is missing.

Stewart Pidd Essays
Sentence Punctuation_______
Pronoun Agreement _______

Grammar Exam part 1 ______ (50 possible)
List errors___________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

In-class Essay Exam 1:
Pronoun Case: Midterm Essay Synthetica _________

Point of View _______
Be-Verb _________(paraphrase worksheet completed)________

In-Class Essay Exam 2: Possessives _______

Subject Verb Agreement _________ (in-class 5/13)

Hootenanny__________ (paraphrase for Bad Granny Essay)_______
Monday, May 18 Group Identification of Bad Granny Errors. Start essay, Monday, May 18, due Wednesday, May 20, typed.
You will have a take home final, due Tuesday, May 26, via email by 3 p.m. It is the parallel structure essay from SPHE.

In-Class Essay Exam 3: Parallel Structure_________ (due Tuesday, May 26, via email by 3 p.m. Look for a grade, just in case you need to revise it before your portfolio is turned in. )

Multiple Choice Exam #2________ (50 possible) (Given 5/20)

Dreams from My Father

Obama cyber-assignments ________
Dreams from My Father essays responses________
Notes________
Journals _________

Research Section
Library orientation worksheet ______ (if applicable)
Evaluation of a website_____ (with librarian signing off on it or teacher)
Frontline World (3 assigned) _____
Planning Sheet ______
Document search (5-10 minimum) _____________
S.E. outline posted ________
S.E. essay draft posted ________
Research essay final draft sent to professor (date) _______
Research essay grade___________ (written essay) _________________ (presentation)
Abstract or outline for classmates_____________


Cyber-Assignments (partial list)
Inaugural Address Summaries______
Literature Circle reflections on process________
Letter from Birmingham Jail_________
Love Your Enemies________
Earth Day______

Felicia Pride Freewrites (partial list)
Wear Clean Drawers (from Felicia Pride’s The Message)_______

Writing and Reflections on the War:
War Poems package_______

Love Presentations and Journals ______________
Women’s History Month Presentations _________________
Response to syllabus__________
Response to instructor’s letter___________

Freewrites_____ (copies)

Extra Credit ______________________________________________

Anything else? _______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Monday, May 11, 2009

 

Portfolio Summary on Blogspot

We are working on Parallel Structure now in Pidd. Finish so we can talk about the exercises Wednesday, May 13. Most students did not complete the essay analyzing possessives today. Turn it in tomorrow or Wednesday. I am around tomorrow. I finish teaching at 10 a.m. and will go to my office for an hour, come by.

Today we created blogs at blogspot.com. Students were instructed to take all of their work this semester and create posts such as: Pidd essays, Obama freewrites (from blog), Love Assignment and research planning and drafts, The Message, and freewrites.

Research section:
Research process assignments: Frontline World, planning sheets, outline, introduction and conclusion, first draft with feedback, second and final drafts with narratives.

Portfolio narratives
Questions

Grades
Grades listed per assignment
Grade justification (narrative where you evaluate your writing and assign a course grade)

Graded Essay from another course (extra credit)

 

Portfolio Narrative and Sample Portfolio

Freewrite
Start the following reflections

Portfolios
The portfolio narratives for English 201
There is an example of a portfolio in the comment section below. You can see more examples, just ask, I have lots of them.

Each narrative is 250 words minimum

1. The first narrative essay will look at the past 18 weeks of study, and the themes we looked at this semester as we explored the life of the first black president and the idea that we are the ones we've been waiting for, that is, if there is something in our communities or government we do not like or want to improve we can change it. Obama's work as a community organizer proves this, your social entrepreneur's work proves this, and hopefully, your work presently or in the future will prove this also.

YES, WE CERTAINLY CAN CHANGE THE WORLD!

Talk about what you've learned and discovered this semester about writing and yourself, college and life, which have transformed or changed you. What have you learned about the discipline you are studying: reading and writing that you plan to carry forth into your lifelong pursuit of learning.

Please also comment on the texts, especially Stewart Pidd Hates English. Was this books and the others, Dreams from My Father,and The Message, helpful in this process? You can also talk about the instruction, culture of the class and the teacher.

2.Essay 2 has each student look at the writing process and discuss his or her own writing process: the topics chosen, the information used, revision strategies, writing as a process. This should include a definition of the difference between editing and revising and a value statement on the place for both in composition.

What have you learned about yourself as a writer? Take two essays and talk about the planning, research and revision strategies you used. It helps to choose an early paper and compare to a later paper. Often you can more easily see the differences in your writing and a better example of mastery of certain concepts. Also discuss skills you need to improve and how you plan to address that.

I am really interested in discourse about audience and how that shapes or determines how the writer approaches her topic.

I am also interested in discussion of the revision process, and whether or not seeing writing as a work in progress or a draft, liberates or stagnates the creative process. (Students are to use examples from their writing to illustrate these points.)

I'd also like students to think about and give at three specific ways how they have grown as writers and thinkers this semester. Each essay should be minimally 1-2 pages (250-500 words).

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

 

Social Entrepreneur Essays, Be-Verb Essay, Possessives

Today in the morning class students were not prepared to write the Possessives essay. We reviewed the exercises and students will write it on Monday, May 11, in class. You will be able to type it. Continue reading and doing the exercises in Pidd. We will review Parallel Structure on Monday and Wednesday.

Bring in your research essay on Monday. I only read one today and two in total: Mariam and Javon's. Many students are not hearing me when I tell them to state the problem first and then introduce the social entrepreneur. You also need to define SE.

We watched the film: "Immersion." Post your response to the questions here along with your arguments and supporting evidence. Remember, the evidence is introduced with the word "because."

Immigrants' children often fail in America because they are not equipped academically to navigate the linguistic landscape.

The evidence is the child who plays hooky during the test. Another example is the Principal's instructions to the teacher to pay attention to the kids who have promise.

This afternoon we fared better re: research essays completed for peer reviews. We reviewed the exercises first in Pidd up to the essay on Possessives. We didn't get to the film, maybe Monday. Only two students turned in their Be-Verb essay. If you did not turn it in today, it loses points for every day it is late. (You cannot skip it, and you have to get a perfect score.)

Monday, May 04, 2009

 

Be-Verb Essay

Today in class we spent the first hour writing and researching. Students then started their Be-Verb essays assignment (Essay 4). Students who missed class last week were given the handout to help with the introduction which is a paraphrase of the answers to questions. Bring the typed essay to class on Wednesday. We will review the Possessives essay and templates and write an essay in class. Bring in a draft of the research essay (a paper copy).

The academic writing labs have the Bedford Guide to Writing on the desktop. Use this source to help you to cite your sources (see Research Guide).

The essays you have written so far this semester are: 4 essays in Pidd (one was a midterm), a collection of short writings for Dreams from My Father, freewrites for The Message, Cyber-Assignments, and now the research essay. The portfolio will consist of all your work, plus two essays which will look at your revision process and your 18 weeks of study.

I will be around for an hour tomorrow: 10-11 AM.

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