Wednesday, August 26, 2009

 

Letter of Introduction

August 24, 2009


Dear Students:


I hope your summer was fun and exciting and that you are prepared for classes. I’m sure, especially if you attended summer school, that this semester came sooner than anticipated. Even though we give human attributes to time, like “time runs, flies, and is fleeting,” time actually moves the same or not at all—maybe we’re the ones who are moving, our cosmic body of water this thing called time—invisible with visible consequences—lines, aches, sadness.

However we define this illusive phenomena—time, we need to make the most of our brief flash in the universe or on this planet earth. Given the finite nature of life, if we don’t take advantage of the time—I am intentionally redundant, to refine the talents we have been given or developed to get from here to yonder we might look up years later, older but no wiser.

Obviously, your presence in this classroom means you respect the passage of time and have decided to actively engage this process by not passively letting it pass you by. Your presence, says to me that you want to be an active not passive observer in this phenomena—aging, developing, growing, deteriorating. Each moment, we die a little, so this writing, this active engaging of oneself in one’s life is like planting a stake on the moon, a stake that says, I am here, I was here, and I will be here, even after I am no longer visible.

Life is a gift; we don’t want to waste it. That said, you might be here under duress. Sometimes life circumstances dictate that we try new activities, change old ways and develop more positive habits. Reflection, in the form of reading and writing is one of the most productive ways to spend one’s time, especially when one is trying to figure out what one plans to do with this finite time each of us has been given.

I am recovering from an injury. I was riding my bike down San Leandro Street in Oakland, near Seminary. I was headed back home from the Bay Trail at Zone Way and 66th Street, I was feeling great having climbed steep Hegenberger Blvd., sailed by BART without getting off my bike. The sun was going down, visibility wasn’t great, but I was trying to avoid the uneven sidewalk, going around municipal obstacles, utility poles until I find myself suddenly on the ground—BAM! My head hits the pavement, my bike is on top of me, and after I check to make sure there is nothing broken and get up, check my bike, my hand—right hand is killing me. I can barely stand it, it hurts so badly.

Do I call my daughter to come get me? Where are the police I just saw at the Coliseum BART just moments before? Where is the Good Samaritan, who with concern asks me if I’m okay?

I get on my bike and try to ride home. Yes, I must have been in shock, because the pain in my hand tells me to get off the bike and walk. Unlike other times I’ve fallen, my gloves protected my hands and there were no cuts—just a bad bruise on my hand—it was purple, and a bruise where my helmet hit the pavement. This was July 13. I was going camping that weekend at Oakland Feather River Camp with my granddaughter July 18-24, so I went to the hospital the following day to get an x-ray—no broken bones. Yet, over a month later I am still in pain. I can’t open jars, turn a key in the ignition, steer the car once I am in it, parallel park, or use the computer for extended periods.

We have fun at camp, but perhaps I should have stayed home? I put ice on my hand while there along with a homeopathic remedy, wear my brace and don’t use it.

Yes, it isn’t easy when my hands, right hand in particular, are how I make a living. So I cancel the rest of my summer vacation—I was returning to camp the following week, but can’t navigate the mountainous road alone to Plumus National Forest. I rest my hand and rest it and rest it. Last week, I return to the doctor for a follow-up the day before we’re back on campus. She gives me a referral to physical therapy, but I can’t get an appointment until Friday, August 28 I find out when I call last week.

Well, before my 10 minutes on the computer are up let me tell you a bit about this semester and what you can expect:

The theme is hip hop culture in its purest form, by this I mean hip hop from its inception or the roots of the genre or musical form. In a few classes—I teach four classes, three preps: English 201, English 1A and English 1B, we explore the life of Tupac Shakur, a controversial, charismatic and creative architect in this movement. We will read books about him, reflect on him in our research and look for other artists who are also using their craft to better society—

Hip hop culture has influenced youth globally, and in my English 1B we will reflect on this global movement via the various aesthetic forms of expression: poetry, music, dance, theatre, spirituality, politics, visual arts, and media such as photography and journalism.

Though you might find the class fun, or entertaining, we are scholars, so the music and the videos, even the fieldtrips to concerts, all have a written component—the discourse is documented in what is called essays—short 250 word reflections and longer pieces depending on the assignment. We will have some assignments due on-line on the class blog called cyber-assignments and others will be due in class.

This is a draft syllabus until I learn how to use Dragon Naturally Speaking. My office is L-236, (510) 748-2131. The email address I check is professorwandasposse@gmail.com Office hours will probably be on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the morning (TBA) and perhaps Wednesday after 3 PM. I am not on campus on Fridays. I am hiring an aide who will be available to help with Stewart Pidd assignments and other work.

We will meet in a classroom in the A-bldg. with technology on Thursdays for the M-Th, T/Th classes and on Wednesdays with the MW classes. More on this later.

I highly recommend SPHE. It is required for English 201 and English 1A. Deceptively simple, the book is useful for all college writing levels as a refresher and also as an introduction to essay writing for college. SPHE gives students the language to talk about their writing and the skills to intentionally produce competent essays.

Students analyze the character Stewart Pidd’s essays and grade his essays by critiquing this work in essays they compose. The authors tell students how to write these essays and the assignments are prescriptive. Many essays are written in class and the exercises are also run on class. The book grows more complex as skills increase. I received good feedback on the text from some of my more accomplished writers in English 1A last year. Some students said that they learned a lot about writing that they hadn’t know before.

Keep all of your work, this is a portfolio based class. More on this later.

Fall 2009 Sabir English Composition
I have four classes, English 1A, two sections of English 201 A/B and English 1B.

English 201 A Required Texts
43502 Lec 08:00-08:50 MTWTh Sabir C 213
43505 Lec 01:00-02:50 PM MW Sabir A 200
English 201B
43510 Lec 08:00-08:50 MTWTh Sabir C 213
43513 Lec 01:00-02:50 PM MW Sabir A 200
REQUIRED:
1. Stewart Pidd Hates English, Attack the Text Publishing

2. The American Heritage Dictionary. Fourth Edition.

3. A Rose Grew in Concrete by Tupac Shakur

4. Evolution of a Revolutionary by Jasmine Guy

RECOMMENDED:
Holler if You Hear Me: Searching for Tupac by Michael Eric Dyson (10 copies)

Comments:
Margaret Coleman


Hello Professor Sabir,

This is my second meeting in your class and my intent is to complete this course with a A grade. That was a very interesting story you told about the bike riding. I do not bike ride, I should but I don't. However I understand exactly what you were going through as far as the absence of police and as you put it the good samaritan when help is needed.
 
Hello Professor Sabir:

It's been great so far. I class sounds exciting and interesting. I feel like it's going to be a great semester !!!
 
Hi,Im good had a very nice summer this year. I like your introduction alot. It explained alot about what we are about to get into. I look foward to being in your class and learning a lot more thean I already know
 
Kelley Yuen
English 201B
1-250pm MW

I have read your letter. From reading your letter, seem like you have fun over the summer. My summer was great and relaxing, although I would like a longer summer vacation. Last semester I took your class English 201A, and now this semester I will take your English 201B class. Doing Stewart Pidd Hates English should not be that hard to me. I am looking forward to be in your class again.
 
Jimmy Sengthavilay
August 26, 2009
English 201A
Summer just ended but it wasn’t full of fun and exciting thing, but I am almost fully waken and ready to learn and be motivated for this fall semester at College of Alameda. I agree summer do flies by really fast then expected, but that just how life is. Time is so limited that I feel we all have to be conservative with what we do to develop a better future ahead.
 
Denice Satchell
English 201A
So far I feel this class is off to a good start. I love how you allow the class to interact with you as well as each other. The autobiography assignment was a fun assignment that allowed me to reflect on my childhood.
I am really looking forward to a new school year; I took some time off after having my daughter so I hope to have a fresh new start with this class. I love your book selection for the class although I have to ask if you will inform us on what books to bring to class when or will we bring all of the books all the time? It’s quite the hefty stack of books for one class
And I hope you are feeling much better from the injury you received while riding your bike in Oakland.
 
Kathleen Adams 201 A
Dear professor Wanda,
I m sorry that you fell and hurt your hand, but I am also glad that you did not break any bones. This summer for me was kind of hectic. I had to bring my children to my job, because they did not want to go to the YMCA. I didn't go to summer school because I just started a new job. Overall my summer was very busy and enjoyed working with my children. I am trying to complete the courses I need to graduate and go on to the four year college. I guess that is all for now!
 
Mary Perez
8/26/09
English 201 1-3

First of all I would like say sorry to hear about what happened to you in the bike accident. Like you said in your letter;Life is a gift, and we should notwaste it. Unfortunately my summer was not as great as I would have want it to be.Tragedies do arise at unexpected times. This particular event, was not expected from any body. I hate to say this event opened my eyes and impacted me more than anything in the world.One of my close cousin's was shot in the head and survived for four days. After those four days it was history. Reading the quote from your letter instantly made me think about my cousins tragedy
 
Julianne
English 201B

Today I am doing ok, I am little annoyed that the weight room isn't finish yet. So I have to wait another two weeks until they finish up fixing the room and the lights. They also are fixing the Women's locker room too.
 
Tomasita Ponce
English 201A
1-2:50

To begin, I hope your feeling better from your accident. I never had any broken bones so I wouldn't be able to relate to you, but I have been in a car accident with my boyfriend. It was really shocking, I couldn't help but to cry, luckily i wasn't hurt neither was my boyfriend, nor the people in front of us. However, the front of the car was a mess. It belong to my boyfriend's dad it was 2003 silver nivigator. What a waste a money, and even though honestly i don't think it was our fault, its always the one that hits is their fault. After going out with my boyfriend for 2 years it was the first time my parents met his parents. Really awkward! Anyways, I'm glad to be in your class and hope to learn what i need, and be prepared for the next step. From what it seems like we are going to be learning about Rap Artist and their lives. Sounds exiting since it has something to do with music which i love, and can relate to.
 
Hello Professor Sabir

Hi, My name is Renelle Cullors and I am taking English 201a 1:00pm. I’m good had a very nice summer this year. I like your introduction a lot. It explained a lot about what we are about to get into. I look forward to being in your class and learning a lot more than I already know
 
English 201A
1:OOpm-2:00pm

Dear Wanda my name natalie hopkins my summer was great. i took a aerobics class here at college of alameda. the class really made me feel good about myself. i really look forward in learning new things in this class. im eightteen years old i graduated from treaure island jobcorps. Im working toward a degree in socialwork.

1:19 PM
 
English 201A
1:OOpm-2:00pm

Dear Wanda my name natalie hopkins my summer was great. i took a aerobics class here at college of alameda. the class really made me feel good about myself. i really look forward in learning new things in this class. im eightteen years old i graduated from treaure island jobcorps. Im working toward a degree in socialwork.

1:19 PM
 
Jonathan Kim
ENGL201 M-W 1pm-2:50pm

Hi Proffesor Sabir,
My summer was great thank you for asking, it seemed to go by way too fast but maybe that is just how I take my time. This is one of my longest classes and I hope it goes by fast and that I learn alot of new skills. I can tell my practice on the keyboard is already warming me up to type more if I need to.

This is my first day in your class and I am confused but intrested I feel like this class is a mix of reading, replying, typeing thinking and poetry so far I like the mix and you managed to put in Tupac, he is a great person, poet and R&B/RapStar and you have something in common a struggle of pain and a fight for getting better. Tupac was not as fortunate and lost his life but you may never know how he takes his death in heaven, like Tupac said "something we all adore something worth dieing for been nothing but pain stuck in the game searching for fortune and fame".

He sure had fortune and after his death the great fame he gained through his career grew even larger. You talk about planting a stake on the moon well Tupac has planted one on earth and everyone can see it even when he is not visible.
 
Yolanda Brewer
English 201a
August26,2009
Hello Professor Sabir,

This is my first day in your class. I missed the 1st day of the class because I thought the class was at Laney College and I was looking all over for it. But now that I have found it I think that I am gonna do well in your class once I get caught up on what you did on monday. I look forward to finishing the semester with an A!!!
 
Dear Professor Sabir: MY Summer was alright, for the most part. This is actually my first time in college. So it wasn't much anticipated. Honestly, it was very spare of the moment. I was in the rush of, trying to get a job and get in the military. I took the ASVAB test and needed get a higher score. So I decided to take college classes to improve that score. In doing this, I hope to get in the military at the end of the semester.
James hicks :Eng201A

1:00-2:50
 
Kholood Gaid
English 201A
Professor Sabir

Hello Professor Sabir,

Today was my first day in your class. SO far, Im very interested in your class, from reading the first introduction, i felt that i will learn and accomplished alot. I felt that i will actually start learning something the first week of fall classes.

Im so sorry to hear that you had alittle injury and sad to hear that you have spended your summer like that.
 
Kholood Gaid
English 201A,
Professor Sabir

Hello Professor Sabir,

Today was my first day in your class. SO far, Im very interested in your class, from reading the first introduction, i felt that i will learn and accomplished alot. I felt that i will actually start learning something the first week of fall classes.

Im so sorry to hear that you had alittle injury and sad to hear that you have spended your summer like that.
 
Hello Professor Sabir,

Today is my first day here at your class and I really like what you personally focus on, the way you summaries the class on Hip-Hop and music as a form of teaching English 201B and the other courses.
I’m very much a part of the social world culture events that affects the life of all walks of people; I strongly recommend the bringing of change world wide.

Thank you miss Floyd
English 201a 1:00-2:50
 
Hi Mary Perez,

im sitting next to you, my name is Tomasita but people call me kuky..
i can really relate to your comment about your cousin getting shot, except in my case my cousin shot himself god knows why.. we think it was because of stress he had two kids two baby mommas lots of drama, one night he was drinking and when he got home he shot himself in the bathroom...he wasnt my blood cousin but we grew up together and i miss him so much. He attended my quinceanera 4 years ago he passed away 3 years ago july 26,2006 right beofre my birthday so everytime august approaches i remember him...well i think about him all the time he was still young and he too was in the hospital for 4 days, yet doctors told us he was dead theres no hope..but our whole family was around him hoping...praying that he can still make it..but eventually we were put in a situation where we had to choose to keep waiting until his heart stops or let him go...
We did he's last request and we donated his organs 7 lives more survived... but he was gone...but never forgotten...
every year we visit his grave and remininse all the good times we had..
i just want to tell you that God knows why he does things and to keep your head up im sure your cousin would of loved to see you graduate college...which you will and he will b watching from up above...
I hope you feel better and sorry to hear that of your cousin
 
Kholood Gaid
English 201A
1pm-2:50pm
Professor sabir
Poem

Angels in the Doorway

The poem that i read today was called "Angel in the Doorway."
This poem was very touching. When i read it i remembered the war that has happened in iraq. This qoute i loved the most, "Comforting children guiding those taking their last breath..." that quote made me cry and remember all the children who has died in the war.
 
Eula Carter
Eng 201A
Date 26/09

Hello Professor Sabir

This is my frist day in class
over this summer I took an coun 24 class at merritt college an I recieve an Grade of an A. I have an Disability that affect my learning ability. I sometime leave out letter or words I have enroll in the DSPS program this will give me susport that I need to improve my learning ability. Life circumstancs have change for me in 2006,I had an head Injury an for two of these year time actually not move for me. your are right life is a gift;I do not want to waste any more of it. I hope my presence in this classroom will allow me to improve every day.I would like to develope good writing and spelling skills.
 
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