Thursday, September 29, 2011

 

1:30-3:20 PM class

I gave students a verbal review of the chapters to come: "Point of View" and "Be-Verbs." We also went over ellipsis exercises and identified the errors in the "Pronoun Case" or Essay Exam 1.

Jennifer is up to "Be-Verbs," which is great! She is on schedule. If you finish one section of the book, do not stop because we are behind. Keep moving forward.

Homework
1. Type the templates for "Pronoun Case." Email to yourself. Bring in an introduction and outline--topics sentences for the body paragraphs and a concluding sentence.

I handed out mapping worksheets. Students that took the Dyson interview with Byron Hurt, read it. Many students had not visited the website for the film on PBS.org. We did as a class and I showed students the links to the areas we are discussing in the essay: misogyny, violence, homophobia and the media. Choose one, not multiple topics.

Here is a sample introduction with the topic of Misogyny in Hip Hop Culture

In Byron Hurt's film, Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes, he critically examines a genre of music he loves. While working as a consultant with young men on violence against women, he realized that the music and culture he loved was one that promotes violence against women. This began a quest to find answers that took him to historically black colleges in Georgia, to advertising firms in New York, to parties for college coeds in Florida and backroom discussions in recording studios with both scholars, artists and fans on both sides of the aisle. This film paints with a broad stroke rap music within the world of hip hop culture; however, more importantly, this film places hip hip's most celebrated art form, rap music, within a context that is larger than its humble beginnings, that is, American culture, which is all the things we don't like about hip hop: its violence, especially that against women, its homophobia, its hypermasculinity, and the media that condones and promotes what's more sexy about this exploitative art form at its worse because it sells.

Ultimately, rap music has evolved to this highly popular art form because it bodes well for its American audiences which is hyped up literally with violence and sex, the more violent the better, the more deviant the better, the more desirable, the more stock value and who after all owns the production of the music? Not the artists but investors who only care about the dollars and cents even if it is nonsense, unethical nonsense at that.

Michael Eric Dyson, noted hip hop scholar, writer and professor, interviewed in the film and also at length by Hurt in an essay Dyson publishes in his book, Know What I Mean, entitled: "Cover Your Eyes as I Describe a Scene so Violent: Violence, Machismo, Sexism and Homophobia" that "violent masculinity is at the heart of American identity" that "[v]iolent masculinity is central to notions of American democracy and cultural self-expression(93). Dyson links this core American value to a "hyperaggressive vision of masculinity" which is problematic when one looks at how it translates into male/female relationships as: dominance, disrespect and violence (97). Sexism and violence against women or the hatred of women (misogyny) is not the creation of rap artists or hip hop culture but the by-product of a society where patriarchy at its worse commodifies women and girls and renders them soulless objects of pleasure and exploitation for men. (My thesis)

Homework 2
Bring in an introduction and topics sentences for the balance of the essay and a concluding sentence. Here is a sample outline for the essay:

Introduction

Major point 1: topic sentence

Evidence
Evidence
Evidence

Major point 2: topic sentence

Evidence
Evidence
Evidence

Major point 3: topic sentence

Evidence
Evidence
Evidence

Concluding sentence


Bring in the Guy book. The topic for the essay connected the the Guy book is "nature/nurture." Students can profile Tupac or his mother, Afeni, or look at both of them and compare the two. We will do short writing assignments to develop these points.

Students in both classes talk about how we switch from one thing to the next. This is called multitasking. We are getting ready to start working on the Social Entrepreneur Essay while at the same time reading the Guy book, while completing Pidd. The work doesn't disappear when we get behind.

If you notice, we were to be finished with Pidd next week. We are not. I hope to be completed with the book by mid-October. Again, don't wait for the class, keep going.

 

My Testimony Cyber-Freewrite

Sebastian Chastang
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 1A 11am-11:50am
28 September 2011

Lyrics to my song "My Testimony"

Artist: Sebastian Chastang
Genre: Gospel Rap

Lyrics:

INTRO:

TO ALL LISTENERS THIS MY TESTIMONY
GOD BROUGHT ME THROUGH IT ALL
SEEN ME THROUGH THE UPS AND THE DOWNS
AND DIDN’T LET ME FALL
THIS MY TESTIMONY
SHOOT…………………………………

VERSE 1

LORD, I NEED YOU TO LEAD AND GUIDE MY STEPS
HELP ME TAKE MY TIME HELP ME REACH MY DEPTHS
‘CAUSE I CAN’T DO A THANG WITHOUT YOU BEING THERE
I SWEAR I’M SO SCARED WHEN I DON’T FEEL YOU NEAR
WHEN I BE PRAYING LORD I KNOW YOU HEAR MY PRAYERS
I KNOW YOU SEE MY THOUGHTS ‘CAUSE THEY ARE BRIGHT AS FLARES
AND WHEN I’M ON THE STAIRS ON THE WAY TO HEAVEN
I DON’T FEAR FOR A SECOND THAT I’MA SEE YOU THERE
HIGH ON YOUR THRONE REIGNING IN YOUR CHAIR
AND YOU ARE NOT ALONE ANGELS WATCHING EVERYWHERE
I JUST THANK YOU GOD FOR ANOTHER CHANCE
I DIDN’T HAVE TO BE THE MAN LIFE THAT YOU SPARED
WHEN I WAS IN THE WORLD YOU COULD’VE LEFT ME THERE
BUT YOU BROUGHT ME OUT OF THE MIDST OF THE DEVIL SNARES
WHEN I WAS AT MY WORST YOU SHOWED THAT YOU CARED
AND DIDN’T LET ME GO THROUGH NOTHING THAT I COULDN’T BARE

VERSE 2

I AINT COME IN THIS WORLD WITH A SILVER SPOON IN MY MOUTH
SOMEDAYS I PLOTTED ON ROTTEN WAYS I COULD MAKE IT OUT
MY DAYS WASN’T ALWAYS SUNNY SOME WAS RAIN AND CLOUDS
PAINS AND SMILES BUT NOW I’M THANKING GOD FOR MY TRIALS
HE DIDN’T HAVE TO BRING ME THIS FAR HE COULD HAVE LEFT ME
BUT GODS’ MERCY WAS SHOWN HE REALLY BLESSED ME
AND WHEN I THINK OF THEM LONG NIGHTS WHEN I WAS LIVING THE WRONG LIFE
I DIDN’T TAKE A SECOND TO THINKOF THE POWER OF GODS’ MIGHT
LIKE FOR INSTANCE DID I THANK GOD FOR WAKINGME UP
OR PROVIDING FOR ME MAKING SURE I HAD ENOUGH
OR FOR TAKING THE VEIL OFF OF MY EYES SO I CAN SEE
‘CAUSE I WAS BLIND WALKING IN PLACES NOBODY SHOULD BE
AND WHO WOULD OF THOUGHT TODAY THAT I COULD EVEN TALK ABOUT IT
WITHOUT GOD I KNOW I WOULDN’T HAVE WALKED UP OUT IT
NOW I CAN SHOUT ABOUT IT THANK GOD HALLELUJAH
ALL PRAISES TO THE KING ‘CAUSE IT AI’NT OVER

VERSE 3

I WAS RAISED IN THE CHURCH AND STILL RAN FROM IT
BLIND TO THE DEATH AHEAD LIKE I COULDN’T SEE IT COMING
SHOULD HAVE SEEN ME RUNNING LOOK I WAS CHASING
ONLY IF I WOULD HAVE KNOW THAT IT WOULDN’T AMOUNT TO NOTHING
I PROBABLY WOULDN’T HAVE WASTED ALL THAT TIME
IN THE STREETS GETTING HIGH PLOTTING ALL THAT CRIME
JUST IMAGINE IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN SAVED ALL THAT TIME
FOR REAL CHRIST THE ONLY REASON I AIN’T LOST MY MIND
AND I AINT LOST MY GRIND I JUST STARTED PUTTING CHRIST ON
‘CAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY HE THE ONE THAT KEEP MY MIND STONG
HE THE ONE I PUT MY TRUST IN LIGHTS ON
NOW I RAP FOR GOD I HEAR MORE THAN A NICE SONG
HIS FAVOR OVER MY LIFE I SAY RIGHT ON TIME
DEVIL BE TRYING TO DISCOURAGE ME I SAY KEEP ON LYING
‘CAUSE I’MA KEEP ON FLYING I THANK GOD FOR THIS LIGHT I CAN KEEP ON SHINING
I’MA KEEP ON SHINING

Whose Gonna to Take the Blame by Smokey Robinson
http://www.songlyrics.com/smokey-robinson/who-s-gonna-take-the-blame-lyrics/

We were just kids playing in the rain
When you threw a stone
And you broke a window pane

You were so afraid of what you done
That I held your hand little one
And I wouldn't let you run

Then you turned to me
With a look of shame on your face
And your eyes asked a question ever so tenderly

Oh, who will take the blame?
Who's gonna bear the shame?
Right then, I knew, how it would always be
Put the blame, put it on me

Ooh, at the age of twelve
You were a fine young thing
But I felt much older 'cause I had to shoulder
The trouble you'd bring

Like the time you pushed Sonny down
And she cried on me
With those same big eyes
You turned and you looked at me

Oh, who will take the blame?
Who's gonna bear the shame?
Right then, I knew, how it would always be
Put the blame, put it on me
Put it on me, put it on me

Now you're all grown up
And you're running wild
And they're so surprised
'Cause all along you seemed
Like such a sweet child


And there's nothing but bad news
From old friends I meet
How you've become
A woman of the street

And they give me a million
And one reasons why
But when I analyze it
I know where the real fault lies

Oh, who will take the blame?
Who's gonna bear the shame?
No doubt about it, oh, this time rightfully
Put the blame, put it on me.

Oh, who will take the blame?
Who's gonna bear the shame?
Put the blame, put it on me

Oh, who will take the blame?
Who's gonna bear the shame?
Put the blame

 
In the early class we didn't finish the film, Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes. Watch the rest of it on Youtube (it is there in 3-4 posts). We will talk about the essay assignment next week.

Here is a link to Part 1 of 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8YpcN7oKIM&feature=related

Type the templates for the Pronoun Case Essay Exam. We reviewed the exercises and identified the errors in the essay. There are 7. We also reviewed the Ellipsis Exercises in the auxiliary (134-35). We also talked about signal phrases (355).

I gave students an Initial Planning Sheet. You don't have to do anything with it presently.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

 

Library Orientation

Reflect on your library orientation today with Professor Steve Gerstle (ENG 201 8-8:50 AM). What did you learn about libraries that you were not aware of before? What are you looking forward to most when you visit the library at COA or in the community next? Why is information literary important? Why is the free library system one of the most underutilized resources in American today, and by extension on college campuses?

Visit the COA library website and Professor Gerstle's webpage. Send him a note of thanks for the tour today (smile). Comment on his web page. Visit http://alameda.peralta.edu/homex.asp?Q=Homepage (Look for the library website there).

If you get a response, let us know. You can send him this post. Click on the envelop at the end of the link.

 

Cyber-Assignment & Homework

1. Today we watched the Byron Hurt film: Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes. It is on Youtube in chapters.

2. Cyber-Assignment--handout (visit website)

3. SPHE

4. Discussion re: Hurt, Dyson, Shakur: "Bodies and Beliefs" as a metaphor

Cyber-Assignment
At this link, in 250-500 words, explore one of the issues raised: masculinity, misogyny, homophobia, or media literacy.

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/hiphop/issues.htm.


Homework Assignment

In 250 words minimum, discuss the evidence Hurt presents in the film and whether or not you agree with his premise that commercial rap is misogynistic, violent, and promotes a negative stereotype of black manhood.

I want you to visit http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/hiphop/ for background information on the film and director. In your essay cite a song which supports Hurt's claim(s) or refutes it. You can include the URL in your essay as the reference.

Think about Tupac where would his music fall in the continuum that Hurt portrays? That Dyson discusses? Talk about Tupac's work in light of Hurt's argument in your short essay.

Give examples of lyrics and songs that prove your point. Bring the easy in electronically along with an Initial Planning Sheet (handout).


Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes
Directed by Byron Hurt
From http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/hiphop/

Filmmaker Byron Hurt, a life-long hip-hop fan, was watching rap music videos on BET when he realized that each video was nearly identical. Guys in fancy cars threw money at the camera while scantily clad women danced in the background. As he discovered how stereotypical rap videos had become, Hurt, a former college quarterback turned activist, decided to make a film about the gender politics of hip-hop, the music and the culture that he grew up with. “The more I grew and the more I learned about sexism and violence and homophobia, the more those lyrics became unacceptable to me,” he says. “And I began to become more conflicted about the music that I loved.” The result is HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes, a riveting documentary that tackles issues of masculinity, sexism, violence and homophobia in today’s hip-hop culture.

Sparking dialogue on hip-hop and its declarations on gender, HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes provides thoughtful insight from intelligent, divergent voices including rap artists, industry executives, rap fans and social critics from inside and outside the hip-hop generation. The film includes interviews with famous rappers such as Mos Def, Fat Joe, Chuck D and Jadakiss and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons; along with commentary from Michael Eric Dyson, Beverly Guy-Sheftall, Kevin Powell and Sarah Jones and interviews with young women at Spelman College, a historically black school and one of the nation’s leading liberal arts institutions.

The film also explores such pressing issues as women and violence in rap music, representations of manhood in hip-hop culture, what today’s rap lyrics reveal to their listeners and homoeroticism in hip-hop. A “loving critique” from a self-proclaimed “hip-hop head,” HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes discloses the complex intersection of culture, commerce and gender through on-the-street interviews with aspiring rappers and fans at hip-hop events throughout the country.

Hip-hop has been accused of glorifying violence, misogyny and homophobia, and at the same time has been lauded for its ability to simply “tell it like it is.” Such controversial debates over forms of expression can rarely be boiled down to a simple case of wrong versus right. Instead, they are complex and multi-layered and must take into account the larger cultural context.

HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes goes beyond polarizing arguments to explore hip-hop’s most contested issues. How do limited perceptions of masculinity play into a culture of violence? What roles do misogyny and homophobia have in hip-hop culture—as well as in wider mainstream cultures? And are the media and music industries really to blame?

Monday, September 26, 2011

 
Today in class we reviewed "Pronoun Case." Students had a lot of questions on assignments and what is due. We responded to a poem, "Only 4 the Righteous," in a freewrite. Two students, Manuel and Ayo shared their work to applause (smile).

If anyone wants to post their freewrite here, you are welcome to do so.

Homework is to continue in Pidd, this week is the first Essay exam. We will review the errors on Thursday and take the 50 question, "Grammar Exam 1."

We will watch the film on Wednesday. It will take the entire period. There will be a cyber-assignment attached to the essay due Monday, October 3. Make sure it is posted before class. We will talk more about themes and arguments on Thursday, Sept. 29.

We are behind two essays; however, we will continue with 1 essay a week, this week "Pronoun Case" with the "Grammar Exam." We will start talking about Social Entreprenuers and I am adding another essay, the Book Report Essay. Students get to write about a person they admire. The book has to be a biography or autobiography.

I will give students the rest of the essay assignments this week. I will also post them.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

 

SPHE

In Pidd today, we graded the "Pronoun Agreement" in the afternoon class. The Pidd essays that are coming in look good. Many of the mistakes have to do with students not understanding the grammar exercises and not knowing they don't understand the grammar exercises (smile).

I am really happy that many of you are staying after class to talk to me and coming to my office hours.

Pidd will teach writers to pay attention to the details. Details matter a lot. Also, students should read their essays aloud before submitting them. Often one can catch errors when one hears the word aloud. Keep up the good work.

 

Cyber Assignment: "Bodies and Beliefs"

Write a 3-paragraph essay from the assigned chapter in "Bodies and Beliefs"

Outline for the Assignment

What does this section open up for you regarding Tupac's life. Does Dyson make good on his goals and objectives for the biography now that you have come to the end of the book?

Look back at "I Always Wanted. . ." (13-16)?

In a 3-paragraph essay respond to your assigned chapter (6, 7 or 8). If you didn't get an assignment, choose any of the concluding chapters (6, 7 or 8). Also respond to a classmate's post from a chapter different from your own. Use a citation to respond to your comment-on-a-classmate's-post which challenges or expands the claims the writer makes.


The essay needs to include three (3) citations, one per paragraph: a free paraphrase, a block quote, and a shorter citation, all from Dyson.

You also need a works cited page. Each paragraph needs to be between 5-10 sentences long.

Introduction

1. Talk about the chapter, your impressions. List Dyson's major claims or arguments. He generally starts each paragraph with an argument, followed by examples and if it is a sophisticated claim, he might use the following paragraph to continue developing and proving his prior argument.

The way you find the evidence for an argument is to say: So and so is true . . . because. The answer to because is the evidence or proof.

But back to the Intro.

2. List themes, that is, topics that are repeated.

3. Cite evidence from Dyson that agrees with what you are saying here.

4. State the thesis.

Body

1. One paragraph-discussion of the points stated in the thesis. This is where you answer the because question. This is where you give examples and reasons why what you say is true is true.

2. Include a citation. This is a good place for a block quote (a long citation that is justified on the left (indent 10 spaces from the 1-inch margin) without quotation marks.) See http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/03/

Conclusion

1. Bring up lesser, yet equally important themes. Remember the entire book is about Tupac. How does this final section, which addresses Tupac's morality, the body-politic as it were, wrap up Dyson's discussion?

How does this part of the book support or extend previous sections: "Childhood Chains, Adolescent Aspirations" and "Portraits of an Artist?" What does Dyson mean about the black body as canvas, as sacrificial offering, as blight, as stigma and Tupac's artistic response to this blessing and curse?

Do his ecclesiastic inclinations show here, especially in the "Epilogue"?

2. Citation

Read the post below this one as well for other assignments (smile).

 

Recap: Dyson Assignment . . . and other things

Today in class we were to discuss "Bodies and Beliefs" but students hadn't read Dyson since last week. So I gave students a chapter to write a summary essay on and for a freewrite students were to respond to another question developed last week from chapters 1-5. This is a 3-paragraph response. Remember to use a citation in each paragraph: free paraphrase, one block quote and a shorter citation.

Post the 3-paragraph essays in response to "Bodies and Beliefs" here. Don't forget to respond to two classmates' essays. The essays have to be from the two chapters that differ from yours. Respond with an idea not discussed in the essay. Again, use Dyson in your response. You can respond in a paragraph.

Next week
Monday/Tuesday I will show the class we will watch a video looking at misogyny in American culture and by extension hip hop culture: Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes. There will be a cyber-essay attached to the film. The film is 56 minutes, so there will not be any time for anything else, not even discussion, but we can talk about it on Tuesday (smile).

There will be a cyber-assignment connect to the film. The early class will not be able to have any discussion as the film is 56 minutes long. We'll have to talk about it Wednesday, as Tuesday, Sept. 27, we meet in the library for an orientation at 8 AM.

Pidd . . . Social Entrepreneurs . . . etc.
Continue doing the exercises in Pidd. The next essay is Essay 1. We will write the essay in class perhaps next Thursday. We'll see. We will start talking about the Social Entrepreneur essay. I want to suggest a field trip next Thursday to see a play at La Pena Cultural Center in Berkeley. More later. I'd also like to recommend another performance in San Francisco, Thursday, October 13. It is a pay-what-you-can. More later (smile).

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

 
Today in class we reviewed Essay 2: Pronoun Agreement. I have changed my mind. I want students to turn their essays in. I think it will be easier to get them back to you. I might change that later (smile).

Right now I am behind. What I suggest is you can email them to me and print a copy. Students in the afternoon class are behind in the reading. Only three students are up to part three. Homework is to complete the book and keep working on the Pidd exercises. Today in the afternoon class we completed two quizzes: Pronoun Agreement and Pronoun Case.

I am impressed by a few students' work, Jennifer and Mickey are two as well as Arthur and Jason, Leslie and Lyla. In the morning class Aman and Manuel.

If students haven't posted questions taken from one of the chapters 1-5 in Dyson, and then responded to a question in 3 paragraphs including a citation in each paragraph, then please do so. Also, respond to another student's post.

Continue with your character profiles. Add information from the current readings. Thursday we will do some writing, so read part three.

Cyber-Assignments
Morning class post your thesis sentence response to one of the two poems: "Untitled" or "When Ur Heart Turns Cold."

On another note:
Troy Anthony Davis did not receive a pardon from the Georgia Board of Corrections so if anyone wants for extra credit to respond to the appeal for clemency, write a letter stating why you do not feel Davis should be executed. There is a petition on the website: http://www.innocenceproject.org/

In Tupac's poem, "Untitled," he speaks about captivity.

You can post the letter here.

Monday, September 19, 2011

 
Today in class we reviewed Essay 2 in groups after going over some of the exercises. Many students were behind. Several students came by my office which was great. Keep track of the number of times for that extra 5-10 percentage --it could be the difference between an C- and a C, B- and a B, B+ and an A (smile).

Homework is to complete Essay 2. I will give you the quiz for the chapter tomorrow. We'll continue discussing Pidd. I haven't seen my camera since last Thursday afternoon, so I am looking for it at home and on campus. It was a Canon in a black case.

The afternoon class is meeting in A-205 Tuesday afternoon. The essays are to ready for peer review. The morning class is to bring the essay in printed out.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

 

Questions for Tupac: Cyber-Assignment Two Parts

Part 1: Questions
Develop 2-3 essay-type questions, that is, questions that do not have yes or no answers, for Tupac based on Dyson's writing so far.

Part 2: Response to Questions

1. Students can answer a question(s) in Tupac's voice. Be creative. Post the question you are responding to here. If you are Tupac then use the pronoun "I." Each response to a question needs to be at least three paragraphs long. Use a citation in each paragraph: a free paraphrase, a short quote and a long quote (4+ lines). Put the page numbers at the end of the sentence for all quotes. For example: (Dyson 4). If you want to quote Tupac from the collection of poetry in one of the citations, you can. The in text citation would be, for example: (Shakur 9).

2. An alternative response would be to answer another student's question in your own voice, rather than Tupac's. Dyson needs to be one reference in the answer no matter what perspective you chose.

3. For each cyber-assignment, this one and others to come, students need to respond to at least one student's post (1). Name the student in your response. Have a conversation with the student who has responded to a question. Would you respond the same way? Expand on their comment. Be positive.

Classwork
In class today in groups we compiled a list of characteristics that described Tupac and his mother. Students were asked to put page numbers next to the descriptions. Continue the list. At the end of the book it should be quite substantive.

Homework is to continue in Pidd. If you can start the essay, do the templates. The essay is not due. Monday we will spend time on Pidd, reviewing exercises and hopefully getting up to the essay. Students will work in groups reviewing the answers to questions.

 

Cyber-Freewrite Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2011

We read three poems Wednesday. Respond to one of the poems, "Sometimes I Cry" (7), "Under the Skies Above," "After the Miscarriage" (9), or "Life through My Eyes" (11).

Support your claim or argument with a reference from Dyson. Watch the signal phrases. Make sure the citation fits and really supports your claim.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

 

Cyber-Freewrite and Class Recap

Post your freewrite here, a response to Tupac's poem: "In the Depths of Solitude, Dedicated 2 Me" (5).

Students were to reflect on the poem in light of what Dyson reveals in "Childhood Chains" and find a citation from Dyson that supports your conclusion re: the poem. Find something Dyson writes that agrees with what you have stated in your freewrite and incorporate it into your work.

Don't forget to include page numbers for the citations (Dyson and Tupac).

Homework is to keep reading Dyson and to keep doing the exercises in Pidd. We reviewed and spoke about Essay 1, which is due today. The peer review and proofreading sheets were due in class by today. If you missed this step, and have spoken to me I will take it tomorrow.

I saw students today who are clearly lost. We are in the next section of Dyson. "Childhood Chains" is last week's reading (smile). I gave students copies of "Childhood Chains" but I don't have copies of the next section.

I am in my office now, D-219. I have a key. My office hours are MW 9-10:50 and after 12 noon by appointment, and TTh after 3:30 by appointment as well.

In the afternoon class, students didn't know that they were to continue in Pidd. Pidd is on-going, through all the books and projects and other activities we will be writing correction essays for the student named Stewart Pidd.

I let the afternoon class out early again by mistake. There are two students who leave early and this throws me off. The class is almost two hours long. I had a lot more to cover and so the three students who were left were able to ask questions and one student and I went over all the templates. It was fun.

The students who are leaving early, again, I don't know how you got into my class when your schedule overlaps. Sit in the back and leave quietly--I am sure this is against the academic policy. I'll get back to you on this.

I was tempted to drop you this afternoon, especially when the entire class thought I wanted to dismiss the class early, so no one said anything again. Now I know why I got confused last week and this week--your early departure is distracting.

The afternoon class asked me to remind them of due dates for assignments; I think people asked me to write the assignments on the board. I will remind you, but the way I remember is to look at the assignment sheet (smile). There were a couple of assignments in the syllabus we missed. I might make them extra credit(smile).

Put the writing assignments in the datebook the college gives students at the start of each academic year.

I have given them all to you already.

Monday, September 12, 2011

 

Literature Circles

Today we started discussing Dyson--Part 1: Childhood Chains. Many students had not completed the reading. Many students do not have their books. If you are behind, we will not wait for you.

Only one students who needed a peer review brought his SPHE essay in. Many students were still doing the essay. We have started the next section, Sentence Punctuation. We will talk about it briefly tomorrow.

If anyone has questions, my office hour is open for this. We cannot go over all the exercises in class. I will review the chapter tomorrow and again Wednesday. These are the times to make sure the exercises are done so you can ask questions if you don't understand.

Homework is to keep reading Dyson. Prepare for the Literature Discussion tomorrow. Communication is an art. Hosting or facilitating a discussion is an art. It is not easy, but the worksheet I gave students gives one areas to focus on when one doesn't know how to start. Stay on task.

Tomorrow the cyber-assignment will be to reflect on the discussion process: what you learned and how you plan to improve before the next discussion. I'd also like students to share any personal insight that developed as a direct response to this conversation or dialectic process.

Some students are still unclear re: a reading log.

Include: 1. A brief summary of the key ideas of the text. Include page numbers next to each entry. 2. Vocabulary or words one had to look up. 3. Questions 4. Background Research 5. Words or phrases one expecially loves (page numbers) 6. Key arguments raised and evidence used to support the argument 7. Does Dyson prove his thesis for the chapter or for the section? Be specific as to how. 8. Character profile. What important characters does Dyson raise in each section. Give a brief profile of that person.

One can have a separate page for this and add to it as Tupac unfolds. What other key characters are there? Afeni is another.

 

Heal the World for English 201 1:30 - 3:20 PM

Students who have not already done so, can post their minimally three paragraph reflections on Heal the World here.

Thursday, September 08, 2011

 

The Rose That Grew from Concrete Freewrites and Cyber Assignments

Post the summaries for Rose here. Each student can chose to summarize either the introduction, the preface or the forward. Don't forget in the 5-10 sentences to use one citation.

Include a works cited with the post. For the 1:30 to 3:20 PM class, this was a group assignment. Post it as a group, do not forget to include all the names in the heading.

Also post the freewrites for the title poem "A Rose That Grew from Concrete," here as well.

 
This morning we didn't get to everything. I didn't assign the summary assignment for Rose, so don't worry about it (8-8:50 AM class).

Many students were confused about what electronically means. It means email, flash drive, floppy disk (smile). Not paper. Students will email all essays this semester to me.

If you want to go over the essay in class Monday, bring a typed printed copy in and those students who want to do the peer review in class can. Students (8-8:50 AM) can then email the essays to me on or by Tuesday.

I gave everyone a copy of the Essay 1 Proofreading sheet and Peer Review Sheet. The peer review is for another student or teacher or tutor to look at your essay. Each writer proofreads his or her own essay. You will turn these sheets into me after you email me.

The best way to reach me is to call me. This not having an office for almost an entire year now has me scattered--but I am trying to hold the pieces together (smile). I have files in four places on campus.

Homework recap:

1. Complete Essay 1 (SPHE). Again print essay and bring questions for Monday/Tuesday.

2. Start exercises for Essay 2: Pronoun Agreement (Baker Pollitt 69).

3. Keep reading Dyson (Part 1).

4. Post summaries from Rose (1:30-3:20 PM before Tuesday). I will post a separate link for Rose. We'll post all our freewrites there (maybe).

Wednesday, September 07, 2011

 

Extra Credit September 11, 10 years later

Read a news article, go to an event, or talk to a someone affected by the bombings that day ten years ago. Write a 250 word (min.) reflection on the event. Post it here and email it to me. Don't forget your works cited and use a citation in the piece (1).

 
Today in class we read the title poem from The Rose that Grew from Concrete. It was the topic of the freewrite this morning.

We then took two "Sentence Punctuation" quizzes, reviewed Essay 1 in SPHE. Homework due Thursday for both classes is to bring the body paragraphs electronically.

Homework due next week is to complete the intro and the conclusion and bring in a printed copy of the essay for a peer review Monday/Tuesday. The essay is due electronically to me the following day. Do not forget to paste the essay and attach it. Hand the peer review and proofreading sheet into me the following class.

We will start Essay 2, Monday/Tuesday. Start the exercises now. If a student didn't do well on the quiz, he or she should review the chapter and if necessary get additional assistance in the academic labs in the Learning Resources Center (LRC). I am also a resource, a finite one however (smile).

The essay needs to be perfect. The details are important. The MLA should be perfect. I am not kidding.

Weekend Cyber-Homework
Read the intro, preface and forward in Rose. Homework for Thursday, September 8, 2011, will be to summarize one of the three in a paragraph (5-10 sentences). Include one citation in the summary: a free paraphrase, a short quote or a block quote. Don't forget the works cited page.

Post it here (English 201 8-8:50).

In class tomorrow we will spend most of our time in groups discussing Holler, Chapter 1, using the Literature Circles handout as a guide. The freewrite will be Michael Jackson's song: "Heal the World."

Next week Monday-Tuesday, we will spend most of the class on Holler, Part 1, since we didn't get to talk much about it this week. We will continue paraphrasing and summarizing as we look at Dyson's arguments and what evidence he uses to prove them.

There was an assignment due this week and another next week. Check the syllabus. We will talk about it tomorrow.

Thursday, September 01, 2011

 

Cyber-Assignments (Morning and Afternoon classes)

8-8:50 AM: Select two topic sentences from the introduction, beginning on page two and write a literal paraphrase. Write the original as well, so we can see what you did.

1:30-3:20 PM: The afternoon class was to paraphrase a paragraph (at least 4 sentences). Don't forget to include the page number(s) in parentheses.

Remember: a literal paraphrase is where you keep the sentence structure and you change the words with words or phrases that mean the same thing. One has to retain the intent of the writer.


 
Today in the morning class some students started the freewrite on an article, others completed the assignments and posted it below. If you didn't finish, it is homework. Post it where the assignment is.

I passed out assignment sheets for the readings and assignments for the rest of the semester. It is also pasted below at another link.

In both classes today we met in a classroom with technology. We will meet in A-232 each Thursday for the remainder of the semester and for the afternoon class, I am not sure yet where we will meet next week so meet me at A-202.

The afternoon class has an opportunity to review the sections in SPHE on paraphrasing. We went over the review boxes from pages 339 to 341, and completed exercises on pages 342-343. Students are to continue working on these exercises (see assignment sheet).

We also reviewed the "Reviews" on pages 2-8, then skipped to Sentence Punctuation, but only two students had completed the extercises so we left that for next week. Complete all the exercises up to page 30 for Tuesday.

Homework recap:
continue completing exercises in Pidd up to Essay 1 (page 30). Read chapter 1 in Dyson: "Dear Mama." Write a reading log on the chapter noting key ideas, questions and a vocabulary log.

Cyber-Assignment Homework
Select two topic sentences from the introduction, beginning on page two and write a literal paraphrase. Write the original as well, so we can see what you did.

Remember: a literal paraphrase is where you keep the sentence structure and you change the words with words or phrases that mean the same thing. One has to retain the intent of the writer.




 

Cyber-Assignment

Post your freewrite summary of the article on Katrina or Michael Jackson.

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