Wednesday, March 31, 2010

 

Women's History Month presentations

The afternoon class ran out of time, so we will make presentations on Wednesday, April 14. Post your narratives at the assignment post below.

 

Hear the Cry Cyber-Response

Today Ramona Jones, Victory Outreach Church, spoke to the class about Human Trafficking and an event this Friday, April 2, 2010, 5-7 PM, in Oakland to bring attention to this travesty of justice: "Hear the Cry Candlelight Vigil: Exposing Human Trafficking," on the steps of Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, CA 94621.

Please post your comments and reflections here. Connect what she told us about human trafficking in Alameda county to what we have learned from our readings in Half the Sky.

Some of the community resources are: MISSEY, A Safe Place, Family Justice Center, A new Day Children (Kathy Wilson), Children of the Night (Los Angeles County), S.A.G.E., H.E.A.T (Human Exploitation and Trafficking in the DA's office), Victory Outreach Church International www.vooakland.org

Some of representatives from these organizations as well as Assemblyman Sandre Swanson's office and Alameda county's District Attorney's office will have speakers at the vigil.

 

Cyber-Assignment

While we waited for our guest to arrive we watched a New Heroes segment featuring: Inderjit Khurana

Please respond to the profile answering the following questions in your response:

What problem did Inderjit Khurana identify?
How did Khurana address the problem?
How did she get by in from her constituents?
What population does Khurana target?
What are the measurable results?

Project: Ruchika School Social Service Organization (RSSO), Train Platform Schools

Location: Orissa, India


As a schoolteacher, Inderjit Khurana used to take the train to work. And each day, in the stations, she would come into contact with dozens of children who spent their days begging from train passengers rather than attending school. She learned that it was not a rare or isolated problem and that millions of children in India live on the streets.

Convinced that these children would never be able to escape their conditions of poverty and homelessness without education, and realizing that it would be impossible to enroll these children in school, Inderjit decided to create a model program for "taking the school to the most out-of-school children."

Khurana's "train platform schools" aim to provide a creative school atmosphere and equip children with the basic levels of education necessary to allow them to work productively, enjoy many of life's pleasures, and become positive contributors to their communities.

Khurana's ultimate goals reach far beyond the 20 platform schools she and her colleagues have created in India's Bhubaneswar region. She is determined that her program become a model for effectively changing the lives of the poorest children throughout India and the world.

See Visit http://www.pbs.org/opb/thenewheroes/

 
Today in class we reviewed Essay 3 before submission; some students presented on Women, and we talked about Essay 4 and what's next pre English 201 this semester.

Homework is to read your book and come to class April 12, refreshed and ready to review Half the Sky essays and Synthetica.

Look for comments on your Half the Sky essay and the grade over the next few days. Sorry for the delay.

Keep moving forward in Pidd. We'll try to get to Essay 4 by Wednesday, April 14.

For those students who like poetry slams, check out Youth Speaks finals at the Warfield Theatre this Saturday, April 3, 2010. The Brave New Voices competition for the National Teen Slam is close this year, Los Angeles. Last year it was in Chicago. I think I might go this summer.

I am trying to decide whether to go see Monique or to the slam. Let me know if you plan on going Saturday and I can confirm my attendance with you once I decide. I hope your vacation is restful. Again complete your book. Don't forget to keep notes and develop an outline and a question you'd like to explore in the essay.

Monday, March 29, 2010

 

Mimi Silbert: Delancey Street Cyber-Assignment

Today in class we watched another New Heroes episode about a social entrepreneur, Mimi Silbert. What do you think of Silbert and her program? Answer these questions as a part of your response.

What problem did Mimi Silbert identify?
How did Silbert address the problem?
How did she get by in from her constituents?
What population does Delancey Street target?
What are the measurable results?
Would you use Delancey Street services?

Visit http://www.pbs.org/opb/thenewheroes/meet/silbert.html

In 1971 Mimi Silbert founded Delancey Street with four residents, a thousand dollar loan and a dream. She envisioned a place where substance abusers, former felons and others who had hit bottom would, through their own efforts, be able to turn their lives around.

Silbert has since built an empire grossing 20 million dollars a year with locations in New York, New Mexico, North Carolina and Los Angeles. She has never accepted a single penny of government funds.

Since those early days in a single house, Mimi Silbert has empowered more than 14,000 people to lead crime-free, drug-free lives in mainstream society. They have acquired skills, they attend college and they are part of the workforce.

Silbert says she has spent her career cultivating a "university of the streets." She calls it a "Harvard for losers," where the students are former pimps, prostitutes, junkies, drug dealers and armed robbers.

Her program's name comes from Silbert's own past. Delancey Street is a place on Manhattan's lower east side where immigrants like her parents came to make a new life for themselves
(http://www.pbs.org/opb/thenewheroes/meet/silbert.html).

 

Women's History Month Assignment for March 31

Freewrite for Wednesday, March 31

Reflect on women (2-3) in your life you honor and respect. These are affirmations or positive reflections, not that all experiences with women have been such. Again, as in all posts, respond to each other. I found out this weekend that March 8, was the 100th Anniversary of International Women's Day.

Homework

For Wednesday, March 31, bring in music, poetry, art, or other media to share by a woman you admire. The work shared can be original. If it is something printed or musical (lyrics) bring enough copies to share with students. I can make copies if you let me know in advance.

 
Today we reviewed section 5 in SPHE, then identified the errors in Essay 3, Point of View. The essay is due Wednesday, March 31.

I am going to get your essays back to you by Wednesday. I am going to try to return them sooner with comments. Students who need to revise the essays will use SPHE format, that is, create templates and write an essay in third person advising the writer how to get a passing grade. Students will also have to revise the essay.

We will do this when you return, so don't worry about trying to write the essays over the Spring Break. All I want you to complete over Spring Break is the book you plan to use in your book report.

Other homework for March 31, is to bring in the book you will be writing your report on next month, and to bring in a song, poem or short piece of writing by a woman to share.

There will be a cyber-assignment attached to this presentation. I have posted a link already with more details on the oral presentation March 31.

The morning class will have a guest, Ramona Jones, from Victory Outreach, who will speak about the Candlelight Vigil at City Hall Friday, April 2, 5-7 PM. The focus is on trafficking of women and girls in Alameda county.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

 
1. Freewrite: Today in class we read from a package of poems, "War Poems," compiled by Alexandra Kostoulas, a colleague of mine years ago. Students were to read the Thomas Paine prose piece and then two poems and respond on-line. You can post the freewrite responses ehre. Identify the poem(s) and the writer(s).

2. Half the Sky peer reviews. We talked about introductions and conclusions (handout) and using Microsoft Office Comment (tools in MS '03 located in Review MS '07), students commented on each other's essay looking at a few key areas: thesis, topic sentences, conclusion, evidence.

I also wanted students to look at 3 areas of the writing where the student is doing something well, and name the skill demonstrated or describe it and how it affects the overall piece.

3. Homework: Write Half the Sky paper. Due by Friday, March 26, via email, new address: coasabirenglish201@gmail.com

5. Con't. in SPHE part 5.

6. Special Guest: Farad will speak about a poster campaign on "Rape" through the organization: Health through Art, Signs of Recovery. Visit www.healththroughart.org or (510) 549-5990.

For extra credit, students are encouraged to locate the posters and photograph them. Send the photos to me via email (the new address) with a descriptive tag line with your immediate response to the art and its impact on its audience.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

 

Catching up

Bring in your essays in an electronic format. Remember, no classes Thursday, March 25--Staff Development. The essays are due electronically by Friday, March 26. Email to the new address. Bring a copy of the essay to class on Monday, March 29, 2010.

If you have your essay electronically we can use Microsoft comment.

Quite a few students came by my office to write their midterm essay today. The rest of you made other arrangements (I hope). We are in Part 5, Essay 3, Parallel Structure. We will write this essay next week, perhaps in class as well.

We will set aside class time to check-in and discuss progress next week. I will return your midterm with verbal comments. Students will be able to revise the Synthetica or midterm in class next week. If you want to start early, this is okay as well.

Don't forget, the Half the Sky planning sheet, outline, student peer comments and reading log are all due with the essay.
I need the planning sheet and outline emailed to me. I can wait for the other notes until next week; students do not have to type them. You do need to type your outline and planning sheet. I will not read any paper without it.

Tomorrow students will spend a few moments reflecting on feedback and how this has affected their revision and/or rewriting.

 

Mirror's in Every Corner, Sunday, March 21, 2010












Quite a few students and their friends met for the play Sunday evening. After the talk-back a few of us stopped at the Burrito Restaurant down the street for dinner and then we got on BART close to midnight.

If any students want to post a reflection on the events this weekend, please do. If you want extra credit for the writing email it to me as well.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

 

Ise Lyfe: Pistols and Prayers

Fatima, Dominique and Adrianna, outside the theatre Friday evening, March 19, 2010. Read my review and see photos of the performance at http://wandasabir.blogspot.com

 
Also on Sunday, March 21 at Joyce Gordon Gallery in downtown Oakland, 14th near Broadway, 3-6pm, $5-10

Featuring Poets: Nancy Hom, Chinaka Hodge, Avotcja, Clara Hsu,

Coming to you this Sunday - activism, jazz, def poetry stirred and told by long-time Bay Area poets ! Prepare to be awakened.

Artist Bios:
Nancy Hom is an artist whose experience as an immigrant, a mother, a community leader, and spiritual seeker provide the framework for her visual and literary pursuits. Her writing has been published in several publications, including Mixed Blessings: New Art in a Multicultural America (Pantheon Books), The Movement and The Moment (UCLA), So Luminous the Wildflowers (Tebot Bach), The Other Side of the Postcard (Citylights Foundation), Blue Arc West (Tebot Bach), and Cheers to Muses (AAWAA).

Chinaka Hodge, age 25, is a playwright and poet from Oakland, CA. Her first full-length stage play, Mirrors in Every Corner, was recently granted The Rockefeller Foundation's prestigious MAP Award, and will premiere in February 2010 at SF's Intersection for the Arts. Additionally, her work has been featured in McSweeney's Panorama, Newsweek, Scholastic Magazine, Current Magazine, PBS, NPR, CNN, C-Span, and in two seasons of HBO's Def Poetry. Find out more about her online at chinakahodge.com

AVOTCJA & MODUPUE (the Bay Area Blues Hall Of Fame Jazz Group Of The Year for 2005) & 2009, as well as one of two nominated as Blues DJ of the Year.
AVOTCJA is a sound junkie, Storyteller/Musician, weaver of magical cloth, A gatherer of poetic wisdom, & musical medicine & definitely somebody not to be missed!

Clara Hsu was a nominee for the Pushcart Prize 2001 in poetry. Her first book of poems, Mystique, was published in 2007 by Beatitude Press. Clara is featured in poetry readings throughout the Bay Area, and for the last four years has performed poetry with a singing bowl in Central Turkey's cave churches. Her website is clarahsu.com.

Tureeda Mikell, dubbed, " The word magician" by author, writer, thespian, and professor, Ngugi' wa Thiango, is a Silver Poet award winner, writer, poet storyteller performer also known as a Griot Medicine Woman, D'Jeli Musa, Woman of Truths, U.C. Berkeley Bay Area Writing Project Fellow, CA Poet in the Schools, and StageBridge Civil Rights, host/director. Tureeda continues to perform in many venues throughout the Bay Area and abroad. Interviewed with Cornel West, performed in the Kings and Queens of Consciousness, and presented at the National Writing Project Conference in Denver Colorado. In 2008, Tureeda was nominated Storyteller for the Pacific Rim.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

 

March 17, 2010 Notes

Today in class we took the midterm. It was in two parts: Grammar Exam 1 and Synthetica (Pronoun Case). If students were late they were not admitted to the classroom. If you missed the midterm or part of it, come to my office hour next week to take it. You need half an hour for each part. You only have the one day to make it up.

Some students didn’t do well, but you can certainly revise the essays.
Check your sentences against the errors recap:

1. ". . . Ditch wanted to come with Camper and I . . ." (1).

2. "the General attacked two of the hill divers, Camper and
I . . ." (1).

3. ". . . Ditch was smarter than Camper and me . . ." (1).

4. "Me and Camper laughed . . ." (2).

5. "It was me . . . " (2).

6. "you are almost as pretty as her" (2).

7."[I]f the Pidd men, Sid and me, can do a little camping . . . (2).

The authors wanted me to give you the answers with ellipses, but I have confidence that you will write the answers correctly (smile). You don't loose points on the ellipsis mistakes. I just expect you to correct them. The grade drops on the templates and the basic MLA for essays: heading, header, works cited page, in-text citations.

We then reviewed the initial planning sheet and worked on our outlines for the Half the Sky essay.

Using the mapping strategy to develop ideas to write about, the afternoon class came up with the following on the theme or topic: Oppression of Women

1. Denial of education—lack of access

2. Abuse: physical, emotional, mental; sexual abuse: devaluing of women, sex slaves, lower social status

3. Culturally supported views and practices; actors often both men and women

4. Gender-based violence

5. Poverty—gender discrimination. Who controls the wealth and one’s access to it? Women have no opportunity to accumulate or control their wealth

6. Healthcare: an oppressed woman has little or no healthcare, which means she might not live as long or have a good quality of life

My question to students was, is this a true statement: Empowered women are not or can’t be oppressed.

Outline:
ThesisThe life of an oppressed woman is a missed opportunity.

Major point 1: Oppression is cruelty towards women and girls. (I don’t think this sentence is a good definition because the terms are too vague, but one must certainly define the term “oppression” simply because it is an abstract term and can be defined in a number of ways, none of them perhaps the way the writer intended.

A definition of the words yielded these key words: “an authority’s exercise of power in a cruel or unjust manner.”

Evidence: pp. 69, 154

Second supporting point: A woman who is oppressed has no opportunity for education. This is no necessarily true. Many oppressed women are highly educated.

Looking at the situation from multiple circumstances means there are no absolutes.

The numbered points from the mapping are places the writer planned to go when developing the outline.

The concluding sentence is: When women have access to resources the power often shifts in their favor. (This is not what was on the board but it ties back into the thesis better than what was there (smile).

Remember, students can only use three citations: one block quote, one in-text citation and one free paraphrase.

After you create the outline, write the paper. You can add the citations later.

We didn’t get to review signal phrases but in SPHE look at pages 330 In-text Citations, 331 Common Parenthetical Citation Errors, 333 Ellipsis Marks: Omitting Parts of a Sentence, 335 Telling and then Showing, 336 The Quotation Sandwich, 356 Signal Phrase Structure: Simple vs. Complex, 357 Creating Context: A Writer’s Credentials and Title, and related exercises.

Homework: Write the Half the Sky related essay. Bring it in in an electronic format Wednesday, March 24. Also bring in your book you are reading for the Book Report essay. We will share.

Thursday, March 26 is a Staff Development Day which means there is no class on any of the Peralta Colleges campuses.

 

Field Trip Recap

Tickets for Mirrors in Every Corner are $12 each. The Artistic Director of Intersection told me that cast members will be available after the show on Sunday, March 21, 8 PM, to speak to us about the play. I reserved 13 seats. I counted 11 reservations from the sign-ins last week. Students can bring the money with them Sunday. If you plan on attending, just call me in advance to make sure there are tickets left. Right now there are plenty.

We can meet on Sunday and ride BART (West Oakland Station) over together. We exit 16th Street Station. It's really easy. We thought about having dinner in the Mission beforehand.

Re: Speak Out Now with Ise Lyfe Friday, March 19, 8 PM. I only received $10.00 which means I need $90 more dollars for the group rate, otherwise 17 and under are $10 and 18 and up are $20. We are not going as a group, but if you plan to attend let me know and perhaps we can meet and sit together. Call me.

 

Midterms

Today we completed the Synthetica essay and Grammar Exam 1. Some students came to class late and were turned away. If you missed the exam, you have 1 week to make arrangements to make it up. My office hour: Tuesday, March 23, 10:30-12 in L-236, is the best option.

We then worked on the Initial Planning Sheet and outlines for the essay due next week.

Class is canceled Monday, March 22. Professor Sherron Smith's granddaughter died last week and the funeral is Monday, March 22. I am going.

Write your essay. I suggest students give each other peer reviews. You can do this electronically. Review in SPHE MLA In-text citations, Author and pages number in parenthesis, Author in Signal phrase exercises, paraphrase introductions, Signal phase structure: Simple vs. Complex, and Creating Context, plus the corresponding exercises.

We will have our peer reviews on Wednesday, March 24, 2010. Bring your essay in an electronic form. Students will comment on each other's essays.

Monday, March 15, 2010

 

Half the Sky and the Synthetica Midterm

In the afternoon class we completed the Pronoun Case and Ellipses quizzes. Students will take the Grammar Exam 1 on Wednesday, March 17. If any students in the English 201 10-12 class want to do the two quizzes come by my office in the morning (10:15-11:30ish). I'm in L-236 (by the elevator in the Writing Center wing.)

We covered a lot of ground in the afternoon class:

1. SPHE Quizzes. We also reviewed templates students were having trouble with.

2. Homework: Bring in the templates typed and in an electronic form on Wednesday, March 17. Students will write the essay in class. You will have about 15-20 minutes.

3. Block quotes and signal phrases (We used Half the Sky to identify and discuss. We also spoke about transitional words and phrases and how they are not the only device writers use to link ideas. Other strategies are repetition of key words, another is restating or paraphrasing a key idea. This happened in the topic sentence following the block quote, the opening of a new paragraph.)

Remember, a block quote is a citation that is more than four lines of text and is set off (4 spaces from the left margin, left justified).

A signal phrase introduces the speaker or the citation.


4. Freewrite: Half the Sky--develop 2-3 essay questions

Tracey's question was: Why despite globalization and advancement in the world does oppression still exist?

In the morning class we looked at Neal's question: In Half the Sky, the authors, N. Kristoff and S. WuDunn, show the oppression of women as part of a larger culture. If this is so, how are women cited here making these cultures change?

Students practiced completing the Initial Planning Sheet. Homework is to complete a planning sheet for your essay. Number five should be the thesis sentence (answer your question), then find evidence or support for your claims in Half the Sky.

We will develop an outline on Wednesday and perhaps write an introductory paragraph to share. Come to class on time.

There are students who come to class unprepared, the Synthetica essay is our third essay, (but it is not Essay 3), we will move right into the next essay for next week. If you are missing work, look for it Tuesday via email or in the envelop.

 
Posted below are all the assignments for the rest of the semester. This does not include freewrites. The remaining three paper assignments are posted here along with a preliminary portfolio checklist.

I will give you paper copies of everything this week; please hang onto the assignments and note the due dates. Stewart Pidd assignments will be handled concurrently.

Tickets for Mirrors in Every Corner are $12 each. The Artistic Director of Intersection told me that cast members will be available after the show on Sunday, March 2, 7 PM, to speak to us about the play. I reserved 13 seats. I counted 11 reservations from the sign-ins last week. I need the money by Wednesday/Thursday for the play. We can meet on Sunday and ride BART over together. It's really easy. We thought about having dinner in the Mission beforehand.

Re: Speak Out Now with Ise Lyfe Friday, March 19, 8 PM. I only received $10.00 which means I need $90 more dollars for the group rate, otherwise 17 and under are $10 and 18 and up are $20.

 

Half the Sky Essay Assignment Spring 2010

We have been reading Half the Sky for over a month now and have had many discussions in the class about the issues raised about global gender equity. It is now time for students to formulate their thoughts and develop a question to answer in a persuasive essay.

If students like some of the topics we have already explored and their freewrite responses, certainly they can expand on previously contemplated topics such as microfinance as a way to purchase freedom for many women in the world of Half the Sky, the benefits of education, and the power of alliances with other women and men within and without one’s society.

Other topics we have explored are the semantics of freedom—what is “power” or “empowerment”? Does the definition change when we compare regional change in the worlds of the women we meet in Half the Sky, or is the definition relatively consistent?

Is there a prototype or archetype for this philosophical empowered woman? What does she look like? Can we do selective breeding and mass produce these women so that the world changes overnight? Can we inject girls with a serum to prevent oppression once and for all?
Cultural traditions supported by women often continue oppressive practices many men are opposed to. How do women participate in their own oppression and disempowerment (if this is a word)?

Half the Sky is a sobering look at women abroad. It is written, however, in a way which makes all readers look for inequities at home, gender-based inequities at home. Yet, despite the huge job in front of us (empathetic readers) the writers seem to balance despair with hope. How do they accomplish this task? Look at the text’s organization for clues.

Rape is one of the worse forms of violence against women. In societies which have centered its core values in the chastity of its women, a rape mares the reputation of the entire family. Rape dishonors the family name and often causes irreversible harm to the woman’s status thereafter—no one will marry her. These women and girls are often tacitly encouraged in some cultures to end their lives. In Half the Sky, though, we are introduced to women who do not think their vagina is a symbol of their worthiness. Who are these women and how are they fighting back?

Feel free to develop your own questions to explore. We will talk about this further next week. Each question needs to look at Half the Sky as a resource, of course, and then use two articles outside the book to support the movement (thinking) of these issues outward. Try to find a local or western or first world nation connection in your search for related materials. Use the library database where possible. Students do not have to cite the source in-text, just read it.

The essay will be between 3-5 typed pages long. This includes a works cited page. Each essay will include 3-5 citations, one of the 3-5 citations, 1 should be a block quote and another, a free paraphrase. Students will also have to use ellipses in their block quote or in-text citation.

NOTE: The 3 page essay can only have 3 citations. 1 citation per page. English 201 students need only write a 500-750 word essay.


Half the Sky DUE DATES:
Planning March 15-17
Planning Sheet, Outline, Thesis due March 17_________
First Draft March 24_________
Final Draft emailed by March 26__________

In package include Half the Sky freewrites, also include reading logs
Turn all of this in with essay. Students can email me the essay and print me a copy as well.

 

Book Report Assignment

This semester we are looking at Women’s Stories

Each student was asked to choose a book by a woman author or about a woman. The author needed to be alive and living in the Northern California and if the book was about a woman the woman profiled needed to be alive and also living here, the San Francisco Bay Area.

If the author is a woman, and you want to take about her fiction writing, this is okay.

For each essay, students need to find three articles: a published book review or analysis, and for the author, if she is a woman, see if there is something on the author in Literary Criticism, (on-line in the Library Database and in COA library (public libraries as well). Third, find an article that addresses one of the themes in the book. Include all of these sources in your works cited page.

The essay will be 2-3 pages and in it you will summarize your book’s major themes and analyze them. If your author is the woman you are profiling, talk about her life and her source or impetus for writing the book you are sharing. If the book is a biography, feel free to tell us something about the author and how he or she comes to know the person he or she writes about.


Abstract

The presentation is weighted heavily here, so prepare well, and please include an abstract which includes the title of the book, the key points you plan to make and any arguments you’d like us to consider. Bring in copies for each student.

Book Report
Planning April 12___________
Planning Sheet, Outline, Thesis___________
First Draft Wednesday, April 14___________
Final Draft Friday, April 16 via email____________
Presentations: Monday-Wednesday, April 19-21___________

Book Report Presentations: Monday-Wednesday, April 19-21
Grade is an “A “for all presentations or “-0-“ for opting out. The presentation is a quarter of the grade for this assignment

 

Assignment: Social Entrepreneurs: Engaged Citizenry


Introduction

Open with the problem statement. Be descriptive.

The thesis sentence names your social entrepreneur as a person who is addressing the problem identified in the introduction.


Body paragraphs

Background on the social entrepreneur and what brings them to the work. You can cite statistics here to illustrate the problem

Introduce the organization or business venture. Does the work grow out of the community? How do the SE and the community interact?

Are there any partnerships with other organizations and/or government?

Are there any peer reviews or industry reports?

What are the measurable results for the community? Share a story here.

What are the measurable results for the SE. You could quote the SE here.


Narrative

Your essay needs to answer all of these questions; you can structure it like a typical problem/solution essay or cause and effect.

The person has to be alive. Try to find someone local, who is living in the San Francisco Bay Area or in California. The person has to have been doing this work for 10-20 years (the length of time is negotiable; see me).

You need to locate 5 sources on your subject to form a bibliography; you don't have to cite them all. The sources can be published or broadcast interviews, books, articles, and films or you can interview them yourself. The person cannot be a relative. You can work in groups and share data. In fact, I encourage it.

You will have three citations: 1 in-text citation, one paraphrase, and one block quote in the essay. The rest of the writing has to be your own. The essay should be 4 pages (English 1A); 2-3 pages English 201. This does not include the works cited page or bibliography.


English 201 Social Entrepreneur Due Dates:


Planning Due by Monday, April 26 (share)_____________
Essay: Planning Sheet, Outline, Thesis due Wednesday, April 28 __________
First Draft May 3-5 (Monday, May 3 and Wednesday, May 5, peer reviews)__________
Final Draft Monday- Wednesday, May 10-12 (during class time: appointments with professor to check off essay______________

SE Presentations: Monday, May 17-19___________
The presentation is a quarter of the grade.

Supplementary Assignments

On-line Frontline World (on-line responses 3) Start Wednesday, April 14-21_______
Library Research sheet: Wednesday, April 21 _______________
Website Evaluation completed (worksheet) by April 21 (in-class)_____________
List of sources (5) minimum in MLA format due Monday, April 26 (share in class)___________

 

English 201 Class Notes

SPHE Quizzes:
Quiz 1MLA, 2 Pronoun Agreement, 3. Pronoun Case, 4. Ellipses, 5. Parallel Structure, 6. Be Verbs, 7. Subject Verb Agreement, 8. Possessives.

Grammar Exam 1, (Wednesday, March 17)

*Note: The quizzes are given in class; we grade them together and I am keeping a record of scores. For the essays, students will develop templates for the errors, write an essay analyzing the errors and resubmit the revised essay along with the error analysis essay for a passing grade.

Each student can revise an essay once; for subsequent revisions the grade drops one to one- half point (my discretion). After SPHE, I expect students to be experts at revision and editing. If a student isn’t careful, a 4.0 can slip to 2.0.

Grammar Exam 2: Monday, May 3
For Pidd, we will complete 2-3 essays a month (so keep up). Pidd Essays: 1, 2, 3, 4 (at home). The other essays are in-class essays.

SPHE Essays: Midterm (3/18) or Synthetica, Point of View, Possessives, Parallel Str.,
*Template Essays (where needed) for Half the Sky, Book Report, and SE Essay


Half the Sky
Planning March 15-17
Planning Sheet, Outline, Thesis due March 17_________
First Draft March 24_________
Final Draft by email due March 26__________

In package include Half the Sky freewrites, also include reading logs
Turn all of this in with essay. Students can email me the essay and print me a copy as well.

March Presentations
Bring book to class Wednesday, March 17 to share________
Women’s History Month presentations: Monday, March 31__________
Bring in a song, poem, speech of a woman you admire to share___________
There will be a cyber assignment attached to this assignment (250 words) due April 1, 2010__________

War Stories
We will also look at the Poetry of War March 17 (freewrite handout)__________
Spring Break is April 4-10. Finish your book.__________

Book Report
Planning April 12___________
Planning Sheet, Outline, Thesis___________
First Draft Wednesday, April 14___________
Final Draft Friday, April 16 via email____________
Presentations: Monday-Wednesday, April 19-21___________

Book Report Presentations: Monday-Wednesday, April 19-21
Grade is an “A”for all presentations or “-0-“ for opting out. The presentation is a quarter of the grade for this assignment

Abstract___________
Self-reflection__________
Feedback_____________
(the last three are cyber-posts, which should be included in the portfolio)

Social Entrepreneur
Planning Due by Monday, April 26 (share)_____________
On-line Frontline World (on-line responses 3) Start Wednesday, April 14-21_______
Library Research sheet: Wednesday, April 21 _______________
Website Evaluation completed (worksheet) by April 21 (in-class)_____________
List of sources (5) minimum in MLA format due Monday, April 26 (share in class)___________

Essay: Planning Sheet, Outline, Thesis__________
First Draft May 3-5 (Wednesday, May 5, peer review)__________
Final Draft Monday- Wednesday, May 10-12 (during class time: appointments with professor to check off essay______________

SE Presentations: Monday, May 17-19___________
The presentation is a quarter of the grade.

Cyber-Essays:
Love Essay__________
Love presentation____________
Frontline World responses to videos______________
New Hero essay responses____________

Other cyber-assignments
Women's History Month presentation__________
Student comments to posts___________
Reflections on presentations_______________
Martin King Sermon Response___________
Women’s History Month_____________
Book Report______________
Social Entrepreneur Essay______________

Extra Credit essays: Half the Sky event, Mirrors in Every Corner. Speak Out: Tim Wise, Pistols and Prayers_____________________

May 12-18 Portfolio assembly
Workshops May 19-20_______________

Portfolios due: Monday-Wednesday, May 24-26 electronically. Make sure you receive a receipt for your submission. No paper copies, no exceptions.

Final Grade
Portfolio checklist _____________
Portfolio Essay 1_______________
Portfolio Essay 2_______________
Portfolio Grade_________

Course Grade_________

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

 

Cyber-Freewrite

What does it mean to be an empowered woman or a powerful woman in the world of Half the Sky? Use at least one example of a powerful woman to illustrate your point.

How did this womam realize her innate power and actualize it? What triggered the power within her? When did she stop being a victim?

Do the authors in Half the Sky define power, if so, what is it according to them? Form the women they profile, we can extrapolate a definition. What is it?

Respond to one post with an example of your own.

Other class work

After the freewrite, students spent the rest of class time reviewing exercises in Section 4 in SPHE. Many students got up to Synthetica. We will write the Synthetica essay in class on Monday or Wednesday. Make certain you do the exercises in the appendix on elipses (324-325 in 1st edition).

Finish Half the Sky. We will develop thesis sentences and outlines next week as well.

Field Trip

Students indicated whether or not they could make the Speak Out event (3/19)and/or the play (3/18 or 3/21). We only have commitments from two people on the play, and perhaps six people for Ise Lyfe's Pistols and Prayers. To get the group price ($10) we need ten people.

Monday, March 08, 2010

 

Cyber-posts

Today is International Women's Day

Cyber-post 1

1. Reflect on the contributions of women to your life (3). Where would you be without them?

2. Half the Sky --profiles: microfinance
New Heroes video Maria Theresa Leal. Cyber response.


Cyber-Assignment 2

In a short essay response, (3 paragraphs) look at the stories (2) in Half the Sky of women who are entrepreneurs. Compare the case history from Half the Sky to the women in Brazil we meet in the New Heroes video.

What experiences do the entrepreneurs share? Where do their lives intersect, where do they differ? Think about rural communities vs. urban; look at the economic situations the women face; look at the community and family support: are the women mothers, if so, how does this affect what they do to change their situations? Could Tete or Maria Theresa Leal like Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh?

Other issues are: violence, both in the community and in the home, like spousal abuse or rape; marriage or single-female headed households, law enforcement, gangs, drugs, safety, education, poverty, housing, environmental hazards, hygiene, medical care or access to treatment.

Visit http://www.pbs.org/opb/thenewheroes/meet/ for more information on Leal.

3. SPHE Pronoun Agreement quiz; Pronoun Case exercises

4. Field Trip (handout) posted below. Let me know if you can come and which days work for you and how many tickets you'd like. I will collect money on Wednesday, March 10, 2010.

5. Keep doing exercises in SPHE, keep reading Half the Sky.

Friday, March 05, 2010

 

Half the Sky


I'd been looking forward to this film since Lucia told us about it and the experience was worth the anticipation. I had a great time. I think the part I enjoyed the most were the stories about the women, the film about Woineshet, whom we'd read about in the book, and the opportunity to hear a discussion from a panel of experts: Maria Bello, Dr. Helene Gayle; Nicholas Kristof; Rachel Mayanja; Sarah, Duchess of York; moderated by Sheryl WuDunn.

Hearing India Arie perform, along with Angélique Kidjo (from Benin), the other artist(name?), were of course highlights, but the true stars were the women profiled, the women who truly hold up half the sky. Earlier this afternoon Dominique and I went to San Francisco to the CARE office to get tickets for students who hadn't purchased theirs yet. The turn out was pretty impressive this evening. I think we were one of the larger groups. I didn't see anyone else posing for photos in the lobby.

A percentage of ticket sales will support CARE's work in more than 70 countries.

"CARE is proud to once again celebrate International Women's Day with a rousing one-night-only event in theatres across the country," says Dr. Helene Gayle, president and CEO of CARE. "HALF THE SKY is more than just a night at the movies – it's a rallying cry to stand up and join a growing worldwide movement to empower women and girls to fight global poverty" (www.care.org).

For those students who were fired up this evening, please post your responses here for extra credit and send me a copy as well so I can send you a grade (smile). Send to the new email address: COASabirEnglish201@gmail.com

Thursday, March 04, 2010

 

Half the Sky film and tickets

For students who want to attend the film screening tonight in Emeryville and need tickets call me. We plan to meet at the Elephant Bar beforehand at 6 PM. It is in the same complex as Bay Street Emeryville Theatres.

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

 
Today we reviewed the templates for Essay 2. Students used the checklist at the end of the chapter and checked it against what they read and noted problems with questions. Students were not supposed to grade the papers or correct them.

Students who didn't have too many errors turned their essays in today, others were instructed to email them to me. Email me here: COASabirEnglish201@gmail.com

Students who finished the peer review were told to complete the exercises on pages 329-332 (1st edition) and pages 319-323 (2nd edition). These exercises help students with in-text citations.

Homework is to respond to the New Heroes video. Talk about how microcredit helps women take control of their lives. In three paragraphs use examples of what Yunus has done with Grameen Bank to support what the authors talk about in the section on microcredit (pages 185-198). This response should be three (3) paragraphs.

Include a citation in each paragraph. Don't forget the signal phrases and the works cited page.

For information on Muhammad Yunus go to kqed.org (New Heroes). Visit http://www.pbs.org/opb/thenewheroes/meet/yunus.html

Monday, March 01, 2010

 

Cyber-post

Post your in-class freewrite here.

1. Look at three profiles in Half the Sky. Focus on 1 case and show how it supports or proves the authors' premise stated on page xxi.

2. SPHE Essay 2

3. Homework--type the templates for essay 2. We will do peer reviews on Wednesday, March 3, and print copies of the essay in class. Keep reading Half the Sky. up to page 185 (microcredit). Reference the Muhammad Yunus New Hero segment (I might show you today).

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