Professor Sabir's Posse

The TTh English 201 met for the first time this Thursday in stuffy A-202 (smile). The class was full and the energy positive as we reviewed the syllabus and then looked at the course materials before completing a writing assignment based on Tupac Shakur's song, "Keep Ya Head Up." Most of the students knew the song, but had never analyzed it before. The idea of a song having a thesis was kind of far fetched for a few but overall students began to roll with the idea and in groups after spending a few minutes discussing the themes running through the song and arguing back and forth about whether the thesis or argument was stated or implied, students wrote a five-sentence summary.

Several students said that they believed the sampled track, the chorus, "Ooh Child . . . was from the Jackson 5, were correct. I was thinking as I pulled out of the COA parking lot I don't know why I said it wasn't (smile). Perhaps I needed a protein shot--at 3 PM my brain is kind of tired (smile).

Post the group discourses here. It's okay if you didn't get to finish. We will write a summary together in class on Tuesday afternoon next week.

Homework for both classes is to read the Introduction to Holler and annotate the text. Start your vocabulary logs for words you don't know and have to look up. Buy your books -all of them.

For those students who still need permission numbers, which by the way expire Sept. 3, see me Monday between classes in the morning. You can also call me on my cell if you were in class yesterday and are not on campus on Mondays.

Have a great weekend and if any student is not busy on Sunday afternoon, I have work in an art exhibit which is closing Sunday, August 28, 2011, 2-5 PM. I have posted the flier here.