Professor Sabir's Posse

2012-01-25T17:28:00.000-08:00

We started SPHE this afternoon. We previewed the textbook, read the essay on MLA, looked over the works cited section and landed in Paraphrasing and Plagarism. I had some copies of this section and gave them to students who do not have the book yet.

All but two students have not had the Pidd Experience, so we will run the book over the next six weeks. Homeowork this weekend is to complete the package, pages 330-347 or in the second edition, pages 339-to the end of the book. Work until you get stuck or tired, about ten pages is fine.

Also for homework, students are to do a literal paraphrase of a paragraph from the essay on Hamster Thinking (smile). Bring in the paraphrase to class to share (typed is best). Type the original and the paraphrase.

Third and last, read or watch and take notes of the President's State of the Union Address. Here is a link: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/State_of_the_Union/state-of-the-union-2011-full-transcript/story?id=12759395#.TyCvMqWJdIE and

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/27/state-of-the-union-2010-full-text-transcript_n_439459.html

You can check them against each other. They are both supposed to be full text. The first post is also the footage. Oh I forgot to go to the White House website where I am sure the speech is documented.

Lastly, bring in SPHE, your dictionary, and House on Mango Street and Yummy next week. We will start with Yummy.

Students worked in groups and individually on the exercises. We took to quizzes on Confused Words and Sentence Punctuation, the first two chapters in SPHE. We will go over those chapters next. If you have any spare time, you can keep doing the exercises. We are going to complete them all9smi (smile). If you want to get ahead, I am hosting a Pidd Experience Boot camp being this coming Monday 10:30-11:30 AM at my office D-219. You are welcome to join us.

Day 1

2012-01-23T15:07:00.000-08:00

Today in class we reviewed the syllabus, most of it. Students have an assignment connected to the syllabus. Post at the link there. Don't forget to include a heading with each post, so I know who you are and what class you are in, English 201A or English 201B.

We spent a bit of time talking about the article, "State of Mind," by Douglas Kruger in the January 2012 Skyways magazine. We looked to see if there was a stated thesis and found one at the end of the article. We also looked at vocabulary and references used to support Kruger's claim that successful people did not think like hamsters, that is, get caught in tread-wheels to nowhere based on fear or false assumptions or self-sabotage.

We paraphrased the thesis, that is, restated it in our own language. If anyone jotted it down, post it in the comment section for your classmates.

On Wednesday we will think a bit more about the kind of thinkers we are and respond in a freewrite to the question Kruger poses: "Are you a hamster thinker or do you think side the [cage]" --my insert (smile) (62).

We will also talk a bit more about thesis sentences which students defined as the "main point or central idea of the discourse or writing" (Hacker too 476).

An argument we stated is a claim one has to prove with evidence. What is Kruger's claim? What is his proof?

What do you think about his argument? Why do you think he decided to use the hamster analogy? Why does it work? Don't forget to look up any words you couldn't pronounce or can't define before class on Wednesday.

Bring House on Mango Street to class on Wednesday, along with Stewart Pidd Hates English. If you bought They Say, I Say, bring that as well. Oh, don't forget the dictionary.

For extra credit, watch the President's State of the Union Address Tuesday evening. Think about what he is saying. What is his argument? What are his key points? How does the audience feel about his address? What about their body language clues you in as to their feelings? What themes or topics addressed here reflect similar ideas expressed over the president's four year tenure? What is different or unique about this address? What is the tone of the evening? Was there anything unexpected about the speech? If so, what? Were there any topics unaddressed? If so, what and why do you think these topics were avoided?

Watch the commentary after the speech for analysis. I like the noncommercial stations like Channel 9 and radio stations, KPFA (94.1). Tomorrow there is a meeting in Oakland to discuss the recall of Mayor Jean Quan in Nil Hall in Preservation Park. I am going to go to the meeting. I don't know if it conflicts with the State of the Union, good think it is taped (smile).

I will make paper copies of the syllabus for students who want copies. It was great meeting all of you. I am looking forward to a great class this semester.

I emailed the syllabus to students who asked. I also gave out three permission numbers to three English 201A students.

Course Syllabus for Spring 2012

2012-01-22T20:04:00.000-08:00

English 201, Spring 2012 at COA
Professor Wanda Sabir

ENG 201 A
21768 Lec 01:00-02:50 PM MW Sabir A-202

ENG 201 B
21774 Lec 01:00-02:50 PM MW Sabir A-202

Class Meetings: Jan. 23—May 17, 1-2:50

Drop dates: February 4, Full-Term Credit Classes and Receive a Refund. Note: Short-term and open-entry classes must be dropped within three days of the first class meeting to receive a refund. Feb. 5 last day to add. Feb. 11 last day to file for Pass/No pass. Feb. 16 last day to drop w/out a W. Drop February 24, Full-Term Credit Classes Without “W” Appearing on Transcript; April 25 (w/W) and no refund.

Holidays: Feb. 6, 17-20; May 18, May 30; Spring Break: April 2-8 M-Su Spring Recess

Final Exam Week: May 19-25. We have no sitting final. Portfolios are due by May 25, 12 noon electronically. Last day of semester May 25.

Class blog: http://professorsabirsposse.blogspot.com/

Syllabus for English 201A/B: Preparation for Composition and Reading

The English 201 series (4 units) is a two semester or one year preparatory course designed to emphasize the thinking, reading, organizing and writing skills required for successful execution of college-level papers in all subject areas. This course is designed to for those students requiring minimal preparation for entering English 1A.

Absences must be kept to a minimum. If you miss 6 consecutive hours or 8 cumulative hours you will risk being dropped from the course, doing poorly or both. English 201 consists of weekly essays and daily assignments. I believe we are to write about 6000 words, which includes rewrites and revisions. I tend to go overboard on this; I am told students in my classes write a lot more. Perhaps it’s a good thing we use cyber-space and post on-line, so I don’t feel as guilty as I would if I were contributing to the death of trees, which I treasure like I treasure people (smile).

This is a portfolio driven class. Keep all of your written work, graded and otherwise to turn in the last day of class. There will be an assessment, a midterm, a research project, a final and multiple class presentations.

Stewart Pidd Hates English will provide a context for essay writing which will -hopefully allow students the opportunity to become conversant about the writing process and use grammar in context, as well as, employ MLA documentation. Keep a reading log for the assigned texts: Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, and Always Running: Gang Days in LA by Luis Rodriguez, noting key ideas, themes, vocabulary, questions and an analysis of primary writing strategies employed: description, process analysis, narration, argument, cause and effect, compare and contrast, definition, problem solving.

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Research Project

Your research project will entail finding a person in Northern California who is a social entrepreneur. This research project will be an extension of the themes explored in our texts, youth, education and the criminal justice system. The essay will be about 3-4 pages. This will include a works cited page and bibliography. Students will make 5-10 minute presentations of these papers in May. The paper will be due about two-three weeks prior to the presentation. We’ll discuss this task further later on.

New Heroes

Visit PBS.org “The New Heroes,” to read about social entrepreneurs. There is also a program called Frontline World. We will explore this assignment more, later in the course.

Why socially responsible economics?

Too often people feel helpless or hopeless when there is a lot you can do as an individual as soon as you realize the answer lies inside of you. Choose an entrepreneur who lives in Northern California, someone you’d like to interview and perhaps meet. Students can work on the project together, share resources. Each person has to write his or her own paper, but you can make a group presentation if you like.

Course Objectives

English 201 will look primarily at writing which persuades: argumentative writing, as well as expository writing, narrative and descriptive writing. At the end of the course students will have read work of accomplished writers, as well as practiced writing in a variety of styles to suit the writer’s purpose.

Academic Blog

In this course students will submit essays and other written work on-line. The academic blog is an opportunity for students to utilize multiple intelligences as they engage one another in a variety modalities. Again, the website is: http://professorsabirsposse.blogspot.com Get used to checking the blog daily.

Student Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course students will have an altered or heightened awareness of the world around them, especially discourse: speech and text. Students will see that everything is an argument, whether that is a cartoon, advertisement, or lyrics in a song. Students will be able to analyze and critique each incident or contact to evaluate its author’s purpose, audience, and evidence to determine whether or not such goal was met and if appropriate, act accordingly.

This course is intended to be both a group learning experience as well as an individually rewarding one. Mid-semester we will schedule conferences so students can confer with the instructor to evaluate his or her progress in the course. Classroom instruction will consist of lectures, small group work, and students working in pairs. This is an effective way for students to exchange ideas with classmates, compare reactions to readings and practice giving and receiving constructive feedback on class work.

Preparation for class, regular attendance and active participation is imperative for those students who wish to succeed in this course.

It is a student’s responsibility to contact the instructor if he or she plans to miss class. The student is responsible for all materials and information given during the class time, so please get telephone numbers for three (3) classmates in case you are late or absent. You will not be able to make up in-class assignments when you miss class.

Requirements for homework assignments:

Not late papers are accepted unless arranged in advance. Any papers below a C grade are an automatic revision or rewrite. Essays range between 2-3 pages, 500-750 words (English 201B students write the longer essays).

Choose topics which give you enough to write about. We will use documentation to substantiate all of our claims. With this in mind, I expect all papers to utilize at least two (2) different outside print sources, in addition to the occasional interview, and broadcast news, that is, radio or television, Internet also.

You will learn to document sources; we will practice citing sources in text, using footnotes and endnotes, and writing bibliographies and notes pages. Remember save all your work! This is a portfolio course.

All essay assignments you receive comments on have to be revised prior to resubmission; included with the revision is a student narrative to me regarding your understanding of what needed to be done; a student can prepare this as a part of the Writing Center visit (see below), especially if said student is unclear over what steps to take. Sometimes students will have to write a correction essay in addition to revising the essay. Both essays and the graded draft are to be turned in together.

Library Orientations: TBA. We will meet in the library at the reference desk.

We will write short essays that reflect themes and ideas discussed that week. Stewart Pidd has essay assignments attached to the text. Some of these essays will be written in class. The research essay will be an argument. There will be a midterm and a final. The Stewart Pidd essays are nonsense essays. The strategy is to focus on the writing, not the content. The goal is to transfer the skills used to correct Pidd’s essays to one’s own work. This is what the correction essays do for students who are not seeing their errors when proofreading. The correction essay is the cost for my services as editor (smile).

Jot down briefly what your goals are this semester. List them in order of importance.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Please email a response to the following questions with your contact information to coasabirenglish201@gmail.com: Name, Address, phone number e-mail address, best time to call.

Answer these questions as well:
What strengths do you bring to the class? What do you hope to obtain from the course – any particular exit skills? What do I need to know about you to help you meet your goals?

Also respond to the syllabus on the blog. Speak to the plan, the materials and what you think about the course at least on paper (smile). You can share your list and anything else you like in the post, just remember that this blog is a public one and everyone in the class has access to whatever is posted.

If you email me, the information is private unless the FBI subpoena my class records—I’m kidding, but cyber-space is also monitored by the government. The only safe or private thoughts are the ones left unspoken or unwritten (smile). Respond to the syllabus by our next meeting, Wednesday, January 25, 2012, 12 noon.

I encourage students to start study groups. I will give all students who participate in a study group credit for hours spent there if you get a professor to sign off on the hours. If you study in the library in the classrooms, one of the librarians can sign document, you can draw up, for you. List all the participants by name and class and give a description of what was covered in the session each meeting. If I can, I could drop in and be available sometimes to meet with students in such sessions. Let me know if you desire my presence.

I am not around on Fridays.

Grading

The House on Mango Street: 10 percent
SPHE/They Say, I Say: 10 percent
Student Book—presentation and essay: 15 percent
Midterm— Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty: 10 percent
Always Running: Gang Days in LA: 10 percent
Social Entrepreneur Research Essay and presentation: 15 percent
Cyber-Assignments & other essay assignments: 10 percent
Portfolio: 20 percent

The essays which take their themes from the readings plus the book report are (35 percent), your midterm and final are (25 percent) and your portfolio with Pidd/They Say. . . (30 percent), Cyber-Assignments (10). To pass the class you need minimally 85 percent: All the essays and the portfolio.

(Save all of your work.) You can average the grades to see how to weigh the various components. Participation is included in the daily exercises and cyber assignments, along with the homework portion of the grade, so if your attendance is exemplary, yet you say nothing the entire 18 weeks, you lose percentage points.

You will also need to plan to spend time weekly in the Writing Lab (L-234 (510) 748-2132). It is a great place to get one-on-on assistance on your essays, from brainstorming and planning the essays, to critique in areas like clarity, organization, clearly stated thesis, evidence or support, logical conclusions, and grammatical problems. In the Writing Center there are ancillary materials for student use. These writing programs build strong writing muscles. The Bedford Handbook on-line, Diana Hacker’s Rules for Writers on-line, Townsend Press, and other such computer and cyber-based resources are a few of the many databases available. There is also an Open Lab for checking e-mail, a Math Lab, and an Accounting Lab. All academic labs are located in the Learning Resource Center (LRC) or library upstairs. The Cyber Café is located in the F-bldg.

Students need a student ID to use the labs and to check out books. The IDs are free and you can take the photo in the F-Building, Student Services. Students also need to sign up for a free LRC course to use the labs. See your counselor or LRC personnel.

Have a tutor of teacher sign off on your essays before you turn them in; if you have a “R,” which means revision necessary for a grade or “NC” which means “no credit,” you have to go to the lab and revise the essay with a tutor or teacher before you return both the graded original and the revision (with signature) to me. Revise does not mean “rewrite,” it means to “see again.”

When getting assistance on an essay, the teacher or tutor is not an editor, so have questions prepared for them to make best use of the 15-20 minute session in the Lab. For more specific assistance, sign up for one-on-one tutoring, another free service. For those of you on other campuses, you can get assistance at the Merritt College’s Writing Center, as well as Laney’s Writing Labs.

All essay assignments you receive comments on have to be revised prior to resubmission; included with the revision is a student narrative to me regarding your understanding of what needed to be done; a student can prepare this as a part of the Lab visit, especially if said student is unclear over what steps to take.

Students can also visit me in office hours for assistance; again, prepare your questions in advance to best make use of the time. Do not leave class without understanding the comments on a paper. I don’t mind reading them to you.

English language fluency in writing and reading; a certain comfort and ease with the language; confidence and skillful application of literary skills associated with academic writing. Familiarity if not mastery of the rhetorical styles used in argumentation, exposition and narration will be addressed in this class and is a key student learning outcome (SLO).

We will be evaluating what we know and how we came to know what we know, a field called epistemology or the study of knowledge. Granted, the perspective is western culture which eliminates the values of the majority populations, so-called underdeveloped or undeveloped countries or cultures. Let us not fall into typical superiority traps. Try to maintain a mental elasticity and a willingness to let go of concepts which not only limit your growth as an intelligent being, but put you at a distinct disadvantage as a species.

This is a highly charged and potentially revolutionary process - critical thinking. The process of evaluating all that you swallowed without chewing up to now is possibly even dangerous. This is one of the problems with bigotry; it’s easier to go with tradition than toss it, and create a new, more just, alternative protocol.

More on grades, and portfolio

We will be honest with one another. Grades are not necessarily the best response to work; grades do not take into consideration the effort or time spent, only whether or not students can demonstrate mastery of a skill – in this case: essay writing. Grades are an approximation, arbitrary at best, no matter how many safeguards one tries to put in place to avoid such ambiguity. Suffice it to say, your portfolio will illustrate your competence. It will represent your progress, your success or failure this session in meeting your goal. In past semesters, students have skipped the portfolio and/or the final. Neither is optional.

Office Hours

I’d like to wish everyone good luck. I am available on Monday and Wednesday morning 10:30-12 noon, MW 3-4 PM. MTWTh 3-5 by appointment. Office number: (510) 748-2286. Let me know a day in advance when you’d like to meet by appointment. You can call me on my cell and leave a message. By phone is the best way to reach me. My email address varies from class to class: coasabirenglish201@gmail.com I have a peralta.edu address as well, but that address is not the best one to reach me at. I have an office phone as well. Don’t leave messages there. I answer when I am in the office.

Exchange phone numbers with classmates (2-3), so if you have a concern, it can be addressed more expediently. Again study groups are recommended, especially for those students finding the readings difficult; don’t forget, you can also discuss the readings as a group in the Writing Lab with a teacher or tutor acting as facilitator. Keep a vocabulary log for the semester and an error chart (taken from comments on essay assignments). List the words you need to look up in the dictionary, also list where you first encountered them: page, book and definition, also use the word in a sentence. You will turn this in with your portfolio.

Students are expected to complete their work on time. If you need more time on an assignment, discuss this with me in advance, to keep full credit. You lose credit each day an assignment is late and certain assignments, such as in-class essays cannot be made up. All assignments prepared outside of class are to be typed, 12-pt. font, Times New Roman, double-spaced lines, indentations on paragraphs, 1-inch margins around the written work.

Cheating

Plagiarism is ethically abhorrent, and if any student tries to take credit for work authored by another person the result will be a failed grade on the assignment and possibly a failed grade in the course if this is attempted again. This is a graded course. There is an option to take this course C/NC. See Admission and Records this week to discuss this option as there are deadlines to consider.

Textbooks Recap:

Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. New York: Vintage Contemporaries, 1991.

Neri, G. Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty. New York: Lee & Low Books Inc., 2010.

Pollitt, Gary, and Craig Baker. Stewart Pidd Hates English: Grammar, Punctuation, and Writing Exercises. First or Second Edition. California: Attack the Text Publishing, 2008/9. ISBN: 13: 978-0-9755923-4-2

Rodriguez, Luís. Always Running: Gang Days in LA. New York, NY : Touchstone, 2005.

English 201B: for Pidd Alumni:

Diana Hacker’s Rules for Writers. Fourth-Seventh Editions. Boston/New York: Bedford/St. Martins.

Graff, Gerald and Cathy Birenstein. They Say, I Say. Second Edition. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010.

Students also need a dictionary. I recommend: The American Heritage Dictionary. Fourth Edition.

The Prepared Student also needs...

Along with a dictionary, the prepared student needs pens with blue or black ink, along with a pencil for annotating texts, paper, a stapler or paper clips, a jump drive to save work from college computers, a notebook, three hole punch, a folder for work-in-progress, and a divided binder to keep materials together.

Also stay abreast of the news. Buy a daily paper. Listen to alternative radio: KPFA 94.1 FM (Hardknock), KQED 88.5, KALW 91.7. Visit news websites: AllAfrica.com, Al Jazeera, CNN.com, AlterNet.org, DemocracyNow.org, FlashPoints.org, CBS 60Minutes.

This syllabus is subject to change based on instructor assessment of class progress.

Syllabus Letter

2012-01-22T13:24:00.000-08:00

22 January 2012

Dear Students:

I am still on South Africa time waking at two and four in the morning. The time difference is about 10 hours between here and there. It was great when I needed a bit more time to complete something, I could go to bed and wake up in the same day—different time zone. I got up today at 4 a.m. went to sleep yesterday about six or seven in the evening. Today is my granddaughter’s birthday. She is nine. Her mother is a graduate of COA: psychology, with a BS in psychology and women’s studies from Cal State East Bay (2011).

This morning I completed a wonderful book, might I say, a mighty work (smile), entitled, Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer, and Sex Changed a Nation at War, A Memoir, by Leyman Gbowee with Carol Mithers.

When I watched the film, Pray the Devil Back to Hell, directed by Gini Reticker, produced by Abigail E. Disney, I marveled over the courage of the Liberian women to defeat the Charles Taylor war machine with prayer and nonviolent resistance. The women assembled along the road where the president’s caravan passed twice daily. Dressed in plain white garments, these women, from the city, from the countryside, rural women, educated and uneducated women, Christian and Muslim women, women who called on the ancient indigenous spirits and goddesses, sat or stood together in the oppressive heat and in the summer storms getting wet and growing dark and weak as they became the key voice for peace in a country that was violently spinning out of control. The film is on-line at: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/women-war-and-peace/full-episodes/pray-the-devil-back-to-hell/ There are also links to other films in the series: Women, War and Peace, as well as to interviews with Ms. Gbowee.

Unlike her memoir, the film Pray the Devil Back to Hell, is a heroines’ story, the story of a nation which is confronted by its most vulnerable population, its women. It is a story, Liberia’s quest for peace is a story, a story which ends as it begins. The film could be a miniseries; the culminating event is not the end, rather the beginning, which we’d never know unless we read 2011 Nobel Peace Prize winner Gbowee’s tale of triumph and personal sacrifice. I am happy Abigail Disney told me about the memoir when we last spoke in a radio interview—what a wonderful journey is has been this weekend. I am just disappointed I wasn’t able to meet Ms. Gbowee when she was here on tour last year.

I bought the book at the college book store Thursday where I have it listed as required. I assigned it for my English 1A class, along with Half the Sky, the Pulitzer Prize winning book from the married team, Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. Students either hate the book or love it. I never know what to expect from Spring semester to Spring semester over the past three years. One criticism is the formulaic nature of the book and the fact that men are not key characters and when they are, they are often the villains.

I assigned this book after seeing the authors and a woman profiled in Half the Sky on Oprah. You can imagine my great surprise when a student told me its authors were hosting a global event for International Women’s Day in theatres throughout the country. We attended of course. Locally our event was in Emeryville. Students bought tickets and I got some free ones from a sponsoring organization in San Francisco and we went. Students said they found the film and discussion inspiring.

We will start with Gbowee and then shift into the Kristof WuDunn land where all women are suffering— Yes, it would be depressing without evidence of triumph. Gbowee’s success is not singular, that is why her story is so remarkable. However, Half the Sky is unable to go into such depth, this is why we are reading her story first.

Students in English 1A will look for a woman entrepreneur in Northern California to profile in an essay. Students will also chose a book about the woman entrepreneur or a book by a woman to write an essay exploring the memoir, autobiography or novel’s themes and topics as relates to women’s empowerment or peace. These are the major essays for English 1A. We will write a series of short essays and post on the blog, these cyber-assignments will often start in class. All cyber-assignment are interactive and students have to respond to minimally 1-3 students posts for credit for the assignment. The first cyber assignment is a response to this letter, the second is a response to the syllabus. The second response includes a private response to me. My email addresses are: coasabirenglish201@gmail.com, coasabirenglish1A@gmail.com, coasabirenglish1B@gmail.com, coasabirenglish5@gmail.com

I love memoirs and autobiographies that cover political, social and historic movements, like this one does. The Warmth of Other Suns does a similar job, except Isabel Wilkerson didn’t live it, as Gbowee does. A short book, just under 250 pages, Gbowee’s work addressed in the award winning film, Pray the Devil Back to Hell, doesn’t start until the book is nearly two thirds finished. I thought of all the murder mysteries I love where the crime is solved in the last ten pages; was this one of those reads?

Each Spring in honor of Women’s History Month in March, I have used women’s issues as the theme for the semester. So here we are again. In English 5 we are looking more are the criminalization of a population in California and in America, poor people of color, more specifically black people. California incarcerates more youth as adults than any other state and more women. I am concerned about this. I am a member of an organization called, California Coalition for Women Prisoners. We are an advocacy organization. I serve on its board.

Michelle Alexander’s book, The New Jim Crow, looks at the criminalization of a population and how this tale is not new when one looks at the historic Jim Crow polices of America’s south, instituted at the end of enslavement of an entire race for four centuries. Cornell West’s forward to the paperback edition is quite provocative as he raises questions and issues you might not be familiar with. As English 5 meets for 1 hour and 15 minutes. We will have to do a lot of preparation at home and come to class ready to talk and discuss what we have read, the theories we have explored in our text book or in other readings I will supply on other argument forms: Toulmin and Aristotelian. Writing Logically, Thinking Critically only uses the Rogerian argumentative form.

We will write four arguments using these forms. The last argument, which takes its theme from Alexander, will be an opportunity for a student to craft an argument using one of the three explored. There might be an opportunity for the “super students” to craft an argument taking on a topic they disagree with arguing its merits. Since this is an election year, it will be fun analyzing campaign speeches, looking for examples of logical fallacies or flawed logic in ads, op eds and other media.

All arguments are both written and oral. Students will present their written arguments for critique. Each of three arguments will take their topic from one of the texts. We will start with Yummy, then move to Mosely, and end with Alexander. Alexander is a hard read, so if you are a slow reader, start it early.

We are leaving Alexander for last, as I’d like to get through much of Writing Logically, along with its exercises, before we start the book. I love Walter Mosely’s work. He is one of my favorite writers since the Easy Rawlins’ series of detective novels, to his science fiction work, and lately his protagonist Socrates Fortlow novels, Fortlow who is just as thoughtful as Ezekiel "Easy" Porterhouse Rawlins, perhaps more.

One of my students in English 1A Fall 2010, shared the title with me and I checked it out from the Oakland Public Library. I read it in a day and a half and immediately decided to use it this Spring Semester. The argument is classic. How many of you ever thought the destination “hell” as negotiable (smile)? Well, Mosely’s character disagrees with his sentence and gets sent back to earth to work it out with his angel. There he meets the devil or Lucifer himself. It is a great story that makes the reader rethink her notion of right and wrong, good and evil.

When I was in Los Angeles last year in November to say good bye to a good friend who was dying, I went to the Holocaust Museum that Sunday, where the author of Yummy was receiving a book award. I hadn’t known the story of the child in Chicago. After reading Yummy, I decided to make it one of our texts this semester as it is an easy read and a story—those of us who live in urban communities can undoubtedly, unfortunately, relate to.

I also like films and in the classes longer than 50 minutes, we watch a few (smile). For English 1A, we will definitely watch, Pray the Devil Back to Hell, even if it takes two classes or I might assign it as homework (we’ll see).

Sandra Cisneros’s House on Mango Street, first, Yummy, second, and last, Always Running. Students will also read a book, a memoir of their own choosing. I suggest the sequel to Always Running, It Calls You Back.

There will be a Social Entrepreneur Essay for English 201 and English 1A students.

In English 201, we will take our freewrites in response to House on Mango Street and make a book. We’ll have a book release party with refreshments (smile). There will be five major essays, three tied to assigned textbooks, one tied to a memoir you choose, the last on the social entrepreneur.

Four of the five essays involve presentations: House on Mango Street, Always Running, SE Essay, Book Report Essay. The response to Yummy can be a graphic essay for the artistically inclined (smile). In English 201 we might read the play, Elephant Man. I see this play and its character as a metaphor for what happened to the protagonist in Yummy and what happened to Luis Rodríguez in Always Running.

I chose Always Running after many years of not teaching it, because of the recent by the author, whom I had the opportunity to interview when he was in town last November on a book tour. I loved teaching his Always Running, a classic tale similar to Down These Mean Streets by the late poet and author, Piri Thomas, Claude Brown’s Manchild in the Promised Land, Brothers and Keepers by John Edgar Wideman, and more recently, The Pact by Drs. Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt with Lisa Frazier Page, and The Color of Water by James McBride. These coming of age tales about young men, are stories where growing up is not a given for the men who tell these stories, so how they survive proves instructive then and now.

In English 1A we will read the Greek play, Lysistrata. I also have a collection of poetry with the theme, war, which we will look at in English 1A in March as well.

I hope we can attend at least one play or author event as a community of writers. I will let students know what is opening and where. You can let me know of events you are attending as well. Films are also great, especially when the director is present or there is a discussion before or afterward.

Some students are not receiving this communiqués from me, which means, said student has no email address on file with admissions and records. Correct this omission immediately. Add an email address to your application. Make sure the phone numbers listed are the ones you are able to be reached at.

I have be using the book Stewart Pidd Hates English for too many years to recall when I started exactly, but suffice it to say over the years, “The Pidd Experience,” which many students hate as well as Pidd, has become a trademark text I have become well-known for on this campus and perhaps in the District (smile). It is a book that through a series of prescriptive exercises and essays covers many of the more salient errors writing students make which give their college teachers the most grief. The errors reviewed are both grammatical and mechanical, with an overview of summary and paraphrasing most third semester students have forgotten, not to mention a mind expanding section on plagiarism, which some scholars are not serious enough about, a slight which often comes back to haunt many a student as he or she crams at the end of the semester.

Deceptively simple, SPHE grows steadily more complex until the student who has been simply gliding along runs into major difficulty. This is around the third or fourth essays, Pronoun Case or BeVerbs. The fictional character, Stewart Pidd, supplies all the course work and students act as his teachers, grading his essays and offering comments on how he can improve by naming the errors and giving an example(s) of how he can correct the essays. These corrective essays are written as templates, which means there is little space for creativity, rather, the correct essay looks like everyone else’s, with perhaps originality in the title or often in the concluding paragraph. Many students cannot believe how simple the task is, until this simplicity is shattered by failing grades.

The essays are nonsense essays, which enable students to focus on the writing, rather than the content. This to fosters in students a false sense of competence failing grades quickly shatter. It isn’t the difficulty that gets students; it is the attention to detail that gets them over and over again.

Last semester, for the first time, I had students write an essay called, “The Stewart Pidd Experience.” I also had students write an essay where they evaluated their two grammar exams in an essay. This was a part of the class portfolio which is our final assignment. There is no sitting final in this class.

I have decided to not require Pidd for Spring Semester, except as a recommendation for all students who have never used the book before. The only class where this is not true is English 201 where I am making SPHE required. For everyone else, if your essays include errors covered in Pidd, students will have to write a correction essay outlining their errors, how to correct them and a revised essay.

The errors covered in SPHE are: confused words, sentence punctuation, pronoun agreement, pronoun case, be-verbs, possessives, verb tense, parallel structure, MLA, plagiarism, paraphrasing, summarizing, ellipsis use, signal phrases, works cited pages.

I plan to give students the quizzes and the exams, just so you can know if you need to get the book and run the exercises. Beginning Week 2, I will host a six week workshop on MW mornings (10:30-11:30) for students interested in “The Pidd Experience.” I could possibly host a meeting also on M or W afternoons, after 3 p.m., let’s say, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., if more than 5 students are interested. Students do not have to be in English 201 to attend. One has to commit to the entire six weeks though. The workshop is open to all Sabir students. Students in my English 1B class last semester who did not buy a grammar style book and made many errors up to the portfolio in MLA from works cited pages to ellipsis marks, received Bs instead of As in the course. For English 1A, it was crucial that students cited correctly. This is a key goal of Freshman composition. After English 1A, students are expected to know how to cite their sources and understand the importance of scholarly research when proving a point. Students are also expected to know the difference between free and literal paraphrasing, summarizing and plagiarism. It is that serious that students who are scholars know this information, so if you don’t look at the book—SPHE, and think about this short refresher workshop.

I am teaching four classes: English 1B, 21792, 8-8:50 AM, MTWTh in C211; English 1A, 21757, 9-9:50 AM, MTWTh, A-202; English 5, 21763 & English 211, 21777, 11-12:15 AM, TTh, A-202; English 201A 21768 & English 201B 21774, MW, A 202, 1-2:50 PM. (The two classes ENG 201A & ENG 201B, as well as ENG 5 and ENG 211, run concurrently.)

As usual, I am looking to hold one class a week in a lab with computers so students can learn to navigate the blog and how I want essay portfolios sent to me.

If you do not have technology at home, use the computers here on campus in the LRC. There is the Open Lab and the Writing Center for your use. All you need is a Student ID, which is free. Make sure you get on early on. Students also need to sign up for a special LRC course, which is also free. Do this early in the semester as well.

For first year students, I suggest you fit College Success at COA into your schedules: Counseling 21739, MW 12-1:15, 3 Units, in C-113, with Cobb or Counseling 21738, MW 9:30-10:45, in CV-205 (portables) with Nakmo. Similar classes are offered at Laney and Merritt colleges (Peralta Colleges 2012 Schedule of Classes 96). There is a Grammar class at Laney: 20428 6-8:50 PM, Eng. 206A, English Grammar, 3 units (Peralta Colleges 2012 Spring Schedule of Classes 107).

In all except the English 5 or Critical Thinking class, I am using a new book, I hope students like or at least find useful, They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. Oh, no, students might cry, another book that uses templates?! What is wrong with Sabir, doesn’t she trust original thought (smile). You won’t believe this, but this book has been sitting on my desk for at least five years, maybe more and it wasn’t until a former student of mine, now professor, Maria Acuna, shared it with me last semester, did I decide to try it.

I have been reading it this weekend as well and I like the premise the authors use to explain why they wrote it. Granted, templates can get tiresome, but for those who are familiar with Stewart Pidd Hates English, these templates are nothing like the ones Pollitt and Baker use. Rest assured there (smile). Instead, this book helps students enter the discourse or conversation, often one which has been raging or simmering or bubbling over for a short or long while, a conversation you have never entered, however, one which affects your life in profound ways. Why haven’t you joined in? Often, the reason certain communities are not called to the table or invited to participate is intentional. The reason is, to do so doesn’t serve the interests of the body politic at the table.

Whether one is invited or not, whether one has a chair or not, whether one has the proper suit or proper language with which to engage those at the table using one’s life as a ping pong, the conversation is open in a democracy and it is yours to join even in an assignment for a class such as ours. I have students who have used their writing here to launch careers in politics. I have had students publish writing completed here in class in newspapers and respected journals. We are working in a laboratory where results can actually change lives beginning with our own. What you learn here is not “academic” if academic means useless. Each of you is a change agent; that is why you took time out of your life to show up.

Showing up is important. We all showed up for different reasons, some not as lofty as others, but you are here and because you are here, I expect great work from you. That is my goal and that is why and I am here and when you start hating me, remember, the promise I made to you here: meritocracy will never get a reward in this class. There is no grading on the curve. Everyone is held to a high standard and while I set the bar, well the State of California sets the bar and some of you will not reach it this time— keep trying and you will eventually.

The class might appear disorganized and I smile a lot and seem easy, this is an illusion. I am not easy. I demand a lot from each of you, but this is college—and you expect huge demands right? Don’t worry, I think you will get your money’s worth and then some. I do not assign writing assignments because I have nothing better to do. I can think or many tasks I love more than reading first drafts of students’ papers—you think they are final drafts, but they are not. I am a professional writer and I know what I am doing, so trust me when I tell you something is wrong. It is not personal, rather it is the writing not you I am critiquing. Some students enter the class with more skill sets than others. Some expect success in high school to tide them over here, and have rude awakenings. My suggestion is to come to class awake and sleep at home the night before.

I hope students surprise me and actually know a bit about the writing process and can read with comprehension and most importantly, are not lazy. You can enroll in this class not knowing everything, but if you do not exert yourself and fill in those spaces where perhaps time or preparation left you under-ready then, I expect you to get the extra help needed, whether that is attending my “Pidd Experience” workshop or a getting a tutor or both.

Be honest with yourself and do what you need to do to be successful here. Do not waste your time or your classmates. I will not let you waste mine or theirs or use my brain as your own. I do not suffer fools at all. Some students say I am rude, perhaps I am; however, when students are not prepared and want to waste the time of those who are, I cut them off. I am not interested in anything an unprepared student has to say. If you ever come to class unprepared, keep silent. Do not open your mouth except to tell us you are not prepared and are just observing that day.

I have to pay out of pocket for an assistant to help me with record keeping. I haven’t had a student aide in years to help students with their essays, so it’s on me and you. If you need help I can help you to a point—there is no magic. I am a great writer because I write and I kept writing when I got failing grades, had to take remedial writing classes at UC Berkeley, and got failing grades on first drafts at Holy Names.

Believe it or not, I didn’t know what a thesis sentence was until graduate school Teaching Writing course. I do not have hours to spend with one student a week, but you can get assistance, so ask when there are questions. I think faster than I write sometimes and I am an awful speller. No one is perfect. Learn what your strengths are. I have an almost photographic memory. Writing things down is a way for me to record them in my mind almost verbatim. I don’t hold hands and after last semester, a deadline is a deadline even if only one student makes it, so keep the due dates in your calendar, just in case I forget to remind you when something is due.

The blog is a place where reminders tend to go, but if you have limited access to the web, take good notes from the white board and get a few students phones numbers just in case. I suggest students hold study sessions to discuss readings and assignments. The library (first floor in the LRC or Learning Resource Center) has classrooms students can use for discussions.

Each class has varying requirements for the writing, which is about 6-8,000 words. I tend to assign more writing. In English 1A, students will have several short research essays, rather than one long essay. Each essay in English 1A will be about 3-4 pages, 250 words a page. In English 5 3-4 pages per essay. This is minimally. Essays can be a bit longer. In English 201 essays will be between 2-5 pages depending on the level. English 1B, 3-4 pages. This excludes the works cited page.

I am giving you all this in advance so you can drop the course and find a better fit.

Recap on textbooks. Find your class:

1. English 5: Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow; Walter Mosley's The Tempest Tales; Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri, and Writing Logically, Thinking Critically 6th Edition. Recommended: Diana Hacker’s Rules for Writers, American Heritage Dictionary.

2.English 1B:

Gardner, Janet E. Writing about Literature: A Portable Guide. Second Edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009. Print.

Grover, Linda Legarde. The Dance Boots. Athens, Georgia and London: The University of Georgia Press, 2010. Print.

Kwok, Jean. Girl in Translation. New York: Riverhead Books, 2010. Print.

Satrapi, Marjane. The Complete Persepolis. Pantheon Books, 2007. Print. ISBN 0375714839

Bannerjee, Neelanjana and Summi Kaipa, Pireeni Sundaralingam. Ed. Indivisible: An Anthology of Contemporary South Asian Poetry. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 2010. Print.

Recommended: Diana Hacker’s Rules for Writers, 4-7th editions. American Heritage Dictionary.

3. English 1A: Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn; Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer, and Sex Changed a Nation at War by Leymah Gbowee, Diana Hacker Rules for Writers, American Heritage Dictionary. They Say, I Say, Second Edition, by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birenstein.

Recommended for students who have not taken my classes before: Stewart Pidd Hates English.

4. English 201A: Stewart Pidd Hates English*, Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, Always Running: Gang Days in LA by Luis Rodriguez. American Heritage Dictionary.

English 201B: for Pidd Alumni: Diana Hacker’s Rules for Writers and They Say, I Say by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birenstein. If a student has not had me for English 201A then Pidd is recommended.

Sincerely,

Wanda Sabir
English Professor, College of Alameda

Course Materials for Spring 2012

2012-01-19T16:32:00.001-08:00

Greetings Students:

Welcome to English 201!

Course materials for all Sabir courses Spring 2012. Find your class:

1. English 5: Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow; Walter Mosley's The Tempest Tales, Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri, and Writing Logically, Thinking Critically 6th Edition. Recommended: Diana Hacker Rules for Writers, American Heritage Dictionary.

2. English 1B: The Dance Boots, Girl in Translation, The Complete Persepolis, Indivisible: An Anthology of Contemporary South Asian Poetry, Writing about Literature: A Portable Guide. Second Edition, Janet E. Gardner. Recommended: Diana Hacker Rules for Writers, American Heritage Dictionary.

3. English 1A: Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer, and Sex Changed a Nation at War by Leymah Gbowee, Diana Hacker Rules for Writers, American Heritage Dictionary. They Say, I Say, SE by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birenstein.

Recommended for students who have not taken my classes before: Stewart Pidd Hates English.

4. English 201A: Stewart Pidd Hates English*, Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, Always Running: Gang Days in LA by Luis Rodriguez. American Heritage Dictionary.

English 201B: for Pidd Alumni: Diana Hacker Rules for Writers and They Say, I Say by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birenstein. If a student has not had me for English 201A then Pidd is recommended.

Portfolio Submission Guidelines

2011-12-07T11:13:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to include in the subject line in the email: your name and the assignment: COA Sabir English 201 Portfolio Fall 2011

Email by or on Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, 12 noon to: coasabirenglish201@gmail.com Paste and attach the one word document.

Portfolio Checklist

2011-12-07T10:04:00.000-08:00

2011-12-06T09:46:00.001-08:00

Today in class we reviewed the portfolio process. Students were given two handouts on the Revision Process, "Chapter 7 1/2 Office Hours: Revision: Help from the Audience" (Skwire 217-218)and Chapter 8 1/2 Office Hours: Revision: The Psychology of It All" (251-252).

Feel free to use this information to write Portfolio Narrative Essay 2.

Skwire, Sarah E. and David Skwire. Writing with a Thesis: A Rhetoric & Reader. 9th Ed. Boston: Thomson Wadworth. 2005. Print.

Each essay is a real essay, in that it needs to be scholarly and you have to cite your essays and include the references in a bibliography.

I also handed out a drafty draft of the Portfolio Checklist. I failed to print the end of it, so there are parts missing. Look at the one on the blog for all the assignments.

Tomorrow I will post a final draft of the portfolio checklist. Use this as your table of contents in the portfolio.

Again, if you have a draft that is outstanding, put that grade in the checklist and then let me know in the same place that you have included the final draft, correction essay here.

2011-12-05T14:00:00.000-08:00

Today in class we discussed the portfolio process. Many students were confused (smile). I hope once you start assembling the portfolio questions are answered. it is a tactile assignment.

All assignments should be in. If there is anything without a grade (C or better), bring the assignment to my attention immediately. All assignments in the portfolio have to have grades.

The only new assignments are the portfolio essays, 1 & 2. I will give students two essays on revisions. Students were also instructed to read the section in The Bedford Handbook on Revisions(The Writing Process).

2011-12-01T17:53:00.000-08:00

Today in the afternoon class I shared copies of student portfolios from English 1A and English 5 classes. Two disappeared, please return them Tuesday.

We will assemble our portfolios on Monday-Wednesday. I have a special drop-in workshop Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011, 12-2 p.m. in A-205, drop by. Bring all work digitized, which means if a freewrite is written in longhand, type it for next week. Type all planning sheets and outlines as well.

Portfolio Checklist 2011 Draft

2011-12-01T17:33:00.000-08:00

This checklist can serve as the table of contents. Put a check next to the items to show inclusion in the portfolio. Use as the second page to the portfolio, after the cover sheet. Where there are questions for the section, students can post the answers to the narrative there.

Number the pages with a header.

Name ______________________________
Date ______________________________
Class including class code and semester ____________________
Address _______________________________________
Phone number __________________________________
Email address__________________________________

ENG 201 A
40015 Lec 08:00-08:50 MTWTh Sabir A 200
40019 Lec 01:30-03:20 PM T/Th Sabir A 202

English 201B
40020 Lec 08:00-08:50 MTWTh Sabir C 200
40024 Lec 01:30-03:20 PM MW Sabir A 200
Final Exam: 8-10 AM, Friday, Dec.16 or 12-2 PM, Tuesday, Dec. 13 (Portfolios due via e-mail. There is no sitting exam.)

Dec. 7 12 noon to 2 p.m.
Drop-in Portfolio assembly workshop in A-205 _______________

Portfolio Due Date

Portfolios due by Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, 12 Noon electronically. Make sure you receive a receipt for your submission. No paper copies, no exceptions.

Grade Justification

What grade do you think you've earned this semester? What evidence supports this conclusion?

1. Portfolio Essay 1 Reflection on COA Fall 2011, Professor Sabir’s English Class_______

The narrative will look at the 18 weeks, the themes we looked at this semester: the role family and community have in shaping the lives of its inhabitants, also how much control we have over our lives and their outcome. Are people ever stuck in situations they cannot or will not change?

We also read stories of forgiveness and faith, love and guilt. Friendship and parenting were other themes explored in the texts along with the power of art to change one's life and the lives of others both negatively and positively.

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

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

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

Additional narrative considerations for the portfolio essay:

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

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

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

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

3. Stewart Pidd Hates English Section:

The Stewart Pidd Experience _________
Multiple Choice Exam 1and 2 essay _________

Social Entrepreneur Portfolio

Planning _____________

Library Research sheet _______________(if you did it)
List of sources (5) minimum in MLA format (post here)

Essay: Planning Sheet, Outline, Thesis__________
First Draft (peer review)__________
Final Draft Grade ______________
Revisions (How many?)_____________
Pidd type essay ________________ or narrative ____________

SE Presentation date ___________
Self-reflection __________
Classmate responses __________

Cyber-Assignments:
Frontline World ___________
Muhammad Yunus ___________
Extreme Tour Oct. 7, 2011 (Extra Credit)____________

Nature vs. Nurture Portfolio

Book: Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary by Jasmine Guy
First Graded Draft __________
Revisions (How many?) _________
Correction Essays How Many?____________
Planning ___________
Peer Review _________
Related Cyber-Assignments _________

Hip Hop Portfolio: Dyson, Tupac, Hurt

Michael Erik Dyson: Holler If You Hear Me: Searching for Tupac Shakur
Cyber-Assignments (How many?) ___________
Byron Hurt’s “Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes” Essay__________
Planning _________
Revisions (How many?) ________
Correction Essays (How many?) ___________

Cyber-Assignments connected to Hurt_________

The Rose that Grew from Concrete Assignments

Cyber-Assignments (How many?) _________
Tupac-related cyber-assignments such as freewrites connected to songs (how many?) ________

Semester Cyber-assignments

Any cyber-assignments not connected to the two books or social entrepreneur essay, give another heading and post here. Some of these are connected to the other assignments. Put them there. Do not post twice.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Cyber-Assignment 1
Please respond to the syllabus in a minimally three paragraph essay August 23, 2011 (250 words). Comment on the goals and objectives, texts, methodology and anything else.

Thursday, September 01, 2011

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

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.

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).

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.

Monday, September 12, 2011
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.

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).

Thursday, September 15, 2011
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.

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.

Even though it was not a cyber-assignment, post the character study here as well.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

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.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

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.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

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).

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.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Cyber-Assignment & Homework

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

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.

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.

Students in the afternoon class in the orientation with Professor David Sparks, October 7, 2011, post your freewrite here as well.

Thursday, September 29, 2011
Sebastian Chastang’s “My Testimony” Cyber-Freewrite

Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Destiny vs. Free Will. Was Tupac’s life a matter of destiny or free will? Post your freewrite here.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Cyber-Assignment & Homework

Today we reviewed the chapter on Be-Verbs. The freewrite is a response to the following questions:

From Evolution of a Revolutionary
Why did Jasmine Guy want to write this book? Describe the relationship between Guy and Afeni. How does Guy's relationship with Afeni differ from Michael Eric Dyson's relationship with Tupac Shakur? What does Afeni want Guy to show with her story? Describe their first interview session.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

From Evolution of a Revolutionary
Freewrite: Why did Jasmine Guy want to write this book? Describe the relationship between Guy and Afeni. How does Guy's relationship with Afeni differ from Michael Eric Dyson's relationship with Tupac Shakur? What does Afeni want Guy to show with her story? Describe their first interview session.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Topical Invention
Post your sentences here: analogies, definition, consequence, testimony. Don't forget to start with the name of the poem and the theme you are referencing. If you want to open with a short summary of the central themes you can.

The questions are:

Definition: What is it/What was it?
Consequence: What caused it/Did it cause?
Analogy: What is it like or unlike?
Testimony: What does an authority say about it?

Note: October 13, 2011
When writing sentences using Topical Invention, include the word in the sentence.

Also, we are not looking at general definitions; rather connect everything to the world of "Evolution of a Revolutionary." The sentences evolve or revolve around the life of Afeni Shakur the protagonist of the story.

Some of the sentences are too general or off topic. They should tie in specifically to the text.

Remember, these sentences could be used as thesis sentences in an essay on the topic.

Monday, October 17, 2011
Today in class students were to develop four thesis sentences from the poem: The Shining Star Within! Dedicated 2 Marilyn Monroe (Shukur 23). Choose a topic and develop 4 sentences: 1 definition, 1 analogy, 1 consequence, 1 testimony.

We also read the poem Starry Night (25). Look up Vincent van Gogh and bring in a topic to reflect on tomorrow for the freewrite. Post the four sentences from today's freewrite in the post "Topical Invention."

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Assignments
1. Use the COA Database to find a scholarly article on the topic: Nature vs. Nurture. Read and summarize the article. Post the summary. Read the abstract and compare with your summary. Write the summary as an essay, that is, have a thesis or an argument.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Frontline World: Engaged Citizenry Cyber-Assignment

Frontline World Cyber-Assignment Post(s)
Visit http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/socialentrepreneurs.html

Respond to 3 stories by 11/10 (start 10/26). Bring in headphones for the computer.
Post your Frontline World Responses (3) here.

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Revision Strategies
Today students watched the video "Revision Strategies." Post your three (3) paragraph essay response to the program.

To site the video write:

The Write Course: Revision Strategies. Anneberg Learner. Videocassette.

Tuesday, November 08, 2011
Cyber-Assignment
Today in the early class we read the first essay in the package on Muhammad Yunus. We identified the topic and talked about the thesis. We never articulated it. In a short essay response, (250 words) analyze the article. Talk about its premise. We said it was about innovation and innovators, like Muhammad Yunus.

Monday, November 14, 2011
1. Identify and answer the questions posed for the Frontline World assignment re: Muhammad Yunus. Use the article from Ode magazine to find the answers.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Post your abstract for the Social Entrepreneur Essay here. We will present our essays on Thursday. The essay is due by then as well. Presentations will be 3-5 minutes long.

The abstract should answer the questions posed in the Frontline World Assignment.
Post self reflection and comments on students presentations here as well. Give concrete examples. In the self-reflection, speak about your process, what you learned and what you will do differently next time.

Extra Credit Essay: Students can turn in a graded essay from another course if the other teacher doesn’t mind. It has to use research and MLA style documentation, so certain courses are not applicable.

Anything else?____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

Teacher research

Can I use your work in presentations and publications? Would you like to be anonymous? If I plan on using your essays or work in a book, I will let you know and share any proceeds.

Yes, I agree.
No, do not use my work.

Final Grade

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

Course Grade_________

Arthur's Comrade Dies in the Line of Duty

2011-11-29T16:30:00.000-08:00

Today, Arthur made an annoucement about the recent deaths of three soldiers, two who trained with him who were killed in Afghanistan two months ago and a recent casulty just last week. He is collecting donations from students who'd like to help.

The young soldier was just 19, recently graduating from high school.

DANVILLE -- Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Joshua Corral, of Danville, killed Friday during combat operations in Afghanistan, will be honored Saturday night at a public memorial.

The San Ramon Valley High School Leadership program is sponsoring the tribute to Joshua "Chachi" Corral at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the school's football stadium, 140 Love Lane. The event is open to the public.

Corral, 19, graduated from San Ramon Valley High in 2010. A funeral has yet to be scheduled.

Corral's body will arrive Monday morning at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield. The Warriors' Watch Riders will escort the family to the base and will escort them and Corral's body home to Contra Costa County.

According to the Marine Corps, Corral died while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force from Twentynine Palms.
A memorial fund has been set up at Bank of the West. Donations should be sent to "Memorial Fund in memory of Joshua Corral," Account #25916759, Bank of the West, 307 Diablo Road, Danville, CA

2011-11-29T16:27:00.000-08:00

For the essay, include the following:

The Social Entrepreneur essay is due Wednesday-Thursday, Nov. 30-Dec. 1. Presentations are Wednesday-Thursday as well.

FINAL DRAFT OF ESSAY

PLANNING: INITIAL PLANNING SHEET (TYPED) & OUTLINE

5 SOURCES IN MLA

PEER REVIEW (TYPED)

Abstract for presentation

CYBER-ASSIGNMENTS WHICH INCLUDE: FRONTLINE WORLD AND MUHAMMAD YUNUS ASSIGNMENTS

2011-11-29T13:28:00.000-08:00

Post your abstract for the Social Entrepreneur Essay here. We will present our essays on Thursday. The essay is due by then as well. Presentations will be 3-5 minutes long.

The abstract should answer the questions posed in the Frontline World Assignment.

2011-11-28T10:00:00.000-08:00

Social Entrepreneur Essays

Today in class I read student Social Entrepreneur essays. I am pleased to say, all the essays I read received passing grades. Students were told what to do to improve them. Some essays were too short. The reason why I want to see these essays is so that I can let students know if they are passing the course. If you cannot write a passing essay, you will not pass the course, and I can drop students up to Nov. 30.

Organization
Follow the outline I gave you. If you answer the questions, you have an essay. A few writers did not give examples of the people served by the business, nor did most of the essays give a detailed analysis on why the person felt compelled to do what they are doing.

Sample Essays
Markese does a good job in answering this question about his social entrepreneur.

Survey Essay
While I was reading students continued writing or started the Stewart Pidd Hates English survey essay. This essay in first person looks at the semester long SPHE experience. Manuel has a really great introduction for those who need a model to start.

Revisions

I also looked at a few revisions of the Grammar Exam correction essay/evaluation. Students are not reading these essays aloud, so there are lots od errors one could catch if he or she proof read the essay.

For the revisions of the essays on Hip Hop culture, the same was true for the essay I read. 1. The student didn't go deep enough, and 2. the student didn't give any examples to support his claims.

Note: Students are also using contractions in their scholarly essays. Stop.

Presentations

Tomorrow we will continue writing the Pidd Survey essays and complete the SE essay, write an abstract and get ready for presentations Wednesday and Thursday. The presentation is optional.

Do not waste our time. Make sure if the person is an artist, bring in work for us to see. If they are a musician, we want to hear a part of a song. Also give us the lyrics.

Bring in CDs and DVDs and VHS tapes, books, magazines, films, etc. You will have 3-5 minutes to present. Afterward there will be a cyber-assignment, self-reflection and student feedback. This will go into your portfolio.

Errors
Some students had so many errors on their first drafts, I suggested they identify the errors and let me see the draft before they start on revision. You grade drops for all the errors which we covered this semester, so pay attention and submit your best work. Some students are making the same mistakes over and over again.

Make a list of these errors and check your final draft for them.

Winding Down

2011-11-16T12:49:00.000-08:00

Today in class students worked on revisions. Those students who missed the second grammar exam yesterday completed it today. I shared Corazon's introductions to her SPHE overview essay and her social entrepreneur essay.

Tomorrow we will hear from students who have done great work on the essays we have been working on for the past month: "Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes" and "Afeni Shakur: Destiny or Choice; Nature vs. Nurture." The students I called on are: Michael and Aman. Other students can share as well.

Social Entrepreneur Presentations

Practice your presentations in advance. Bring in abstracts for your audience. If you need copies, you can use the mail room. Get the copies in advance. An abstract is a short summary of your key ideas and argument. We will use the abstract to comment on the presentation.

An entrepreneur is a business person.

Related Cyber-Assignment due immediately
A follow-up cyber-assignment will be a self-reflection on the presentation: what did you learn, what did you like most about the process, what would you change?

Students will also give a positive and constructive response to each student presentation: content, delivery, anything else you want to share. You will include these assignments as part of the SE portfolio when turning in the essay electronically to me. Start grabbing the cyber-assignments now.

Homework

Complete the SE essay. Revise essays, work on revisions. If you have essays without final grades, that is: C, B, A. Get the revisions in. All revisions at this point need a essay narrative in third person. Write it like you wrote the Pidd essays.

If you want to identify the errors and check them off with me first, before writing the essay, that is fine. If the correction essay is not correct, you will have to revise it.

Stewart Pidd Final Essay

Yesterday, I wrote a sample introduction for the SPHE essay which looks at the entire book and its content. Some students used this for their grammar exams evaluative essay. This is okay. You can combine this essay with the review of the entire book and its content.

2011-11-14T10:38:00.000-08:00

1. Identify and answer the questions posed for the Frontline World assignment re: Muhammad Yunus. Use the article from Ode magazine to find the answers.

2. Grammar Exam 1. We corrected GE1. Students are to write an essay evaluating the exam (in third person) and advise the writer how to proceed in his or her studies based on the score.

We divided the exam into sections giving each a score of how many correct out of the total possible correct. Students then gave a grand total of how many correct out of 50 possible.

The essay is due attached to the exam in the morning. Print a copy for me.

3. Three part Thesis (handout)

For the Social entrepreneur essay assignment students are to use this type of thesis sentence. We practiced using Muhammad Yunus as an example. On the back of the sheet is an outline. Use this for the outline of your essay. We will practice in class tomorrow.

Bring in the SV AGR essay from Pidd tomorrow, printed out. We will review it and take Grammar Exam 2. We will also talk about the evaluative Pidd essay for the semester.

4. Some students asked about the Book Report Essay. This essay is optional, however, if there is a book written about your SE and you would like to write a separate essay about the book let me know. This essay is not a summary of the book. Students need to have a thesis, so check-in with me before writing it.

5. For students who did not complete Grammar Exam 1, you cannot write the essay. If you were not here today, you cannot write the essay tonight. I did correct the essays of students who were not here.

2011-11-10T09:42:00.001-08:00

Today in class we spent the entire time looking at how the Ode Magazine authors use signal phrases in the first article on innovative ideas and innovators like Muhammad Yunus, "Turning Poverty into Peace: What the Nobel Prize means to Muhammad Yunus--and how it shows the way new ideas come into the world" (Kamp and Visscher 43-44).

The second article is an interview with Muhammad Yunus, thus the quotes. The entire article is in his words. Does Yunus agree with the authors' preface?

Students first identified 10 signal phrases. many students didn't remember what signal phrases are: See SPHE pp. 330-332, 335-376. We will review the exercises on Thursday or Monday-Tuesday (8-9 AM) class.

Homework is to work on the SE essay. I don't understand why students don't understand that they need to read the articles they found on their entrepreneur, watch the films, read the book(s).

How can you write an essay about a person or on a topic if you do not know anything about the topic? How do you learn about a topic? Research isn't an activity, one does research to learn more about a topic, in this case the topic is Social Entrepreneurship.

After you have reviewed the five sources, see if you can answer the questions for the assignment (the same questions posed in the Frontline World assignment). If you cannot answer all the questions, then do more research to find the answers.

Students are turning in drafts. Bring in your best work for peer response.

Cyber-Assignment

Post your 3-5 sentences using the article or interview to support the following claim or thesis:

Ideas are more powerful than the most sophisticated weapons of mass destruction. Innovative ideas are even more powerful, because these new thoughts are the premise of industries that not only change lives, they change the world.

Example of sentences that support the thesis using evidence from the article. One is a direct quote. The other is a paraphrase.

1. In the Ode 2006 article "Turning Poverty into Peace: What the Nobel Prize means to Muhammad Yunus--and how it shows the way new ideas come into the world," journalists Kamp and Visscher, use the compelling story of 2005 Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus to illustrate the movement or development of innovative ideas, in Yunus's case: microcredit. They state: "Microcredit, [the system Yunus devised to lend money to the poorest entrepreneurs or business persons] has simply gone through the stages that every innovative idea undergoes: first it is ridiculed; second, it is violently opposed; and third it is accepted and embraced as self-evident" (43).

2. The idea journey is wrought with peril, and often the prize is not within view, yet, the innovator continues on often laboring in the dark or out of the limelight, because he or she believes in the vision and doesn't mind if there are naysayers who don't; I guess as long as these opponents don't effect the venture's bottomline. In such cases, one has to respond as was the case with the Wall Street Journal article in 2001 which criticized Muhammad Yunus's Grameen Bank (43).

Cyber-Assignment

2011-11-08T10:35:00.000-08:00

Today in the early class we read the first essay in the package on Muhammad Yunus. We identified the topic and talked about the thesis. We never articulated it. In a short essay response, (250 words) analyze the article. Talk about its premise. We said it was about innovation and innovators, like Muhammad Yunus.

Talk about the evidence the writers use and its effectiveness. Discuss the ease with which the writers use signal phrases to connect ideas and let us know more about their experts highlighted in examples.

Look at the organization of the essay. How does it start? How do you know when it is ending? What are some of the clues?

Look at the writer's style. Talk about the kind of examples they use. How Muhammad Yunus is referred to again and again and how specifically the writers bring him back into the discussion without jumping or losing the continual reference to innovation and innovators.

What do you like about the piece and how it is written? How will you use this article to help strengthen your own writing style?

This assignment is different from the previous one where students are asked to summarize the articles (2).

Revision Strategies

2011-11-01T14:53:00.000-07:00

Today students watched the video "Revision Strategies." Post your three (3) paragraph essay response to the program.

To site the video write:

The Write Course: Revision Strategies. Anneberg Learner. Videocassette.

Extra Credit Essay Assignment

2011-10-31T12:30:00.000-07:00

Book Report Assignment
This semester we are looking at Tupac Shakur, Art for Social Change and Hip Hop

Each student was asked to choose a book. The author needed to be alive and living in the Northern California and if the book is a biography, the person profiled needs to be alive and also living here, the San Francisco Bay Area. I suggested students chose a subject or author who might also work as a topic for the Social Entrepreneur profile. For example, Alice Waters is a social entrepreneur and there is a book written about her life. She lives in Berkeley. She is not 30 or younger, but that is okay. That requirement is flexible.

For each essay, students need to find three articles: a published book review or analysis, and for the author, 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 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. If the book is an autobiography or a memoir tell us how the author came to write it and if this is his or her first book.

This is an extra credit essay, but if students plan to write this essay, it is due no later than Friday, Nov. 25, 2011. I need to approve the book before you read it.

2011-10-31T09:29:00.000-07:00

Today in class students chose a poem we haven't read in class and 1. IDENTIFIED the THEME and 2. DEVELOPED a thesis sentence using TOPICAL INVENTION: definition, analogy, consequence, testimony (chose 1), 3. WROTE a 5 sentence introduction.

Students then evaluated another student's introductory paragraph noting the topic sentence, supporting sentences, which included evidence about the topic, ending the paragraph with an argument or thesis sentence.

Post the introductory paragraph, note the poem in your introduction and give us a synopsis of your peer review before posting your writing. Include a works cited with the introductory paragraph.

Homework is to read the poem again, which we read in class: "Love within a Storm" (85). The thesis is: LOVE HAS THE POWER TO CREATE A STORM. Make sure you cite the poem and the book at the end of the introductory paragraph.

Post the class assignment here. Bring the homework into class as a paper copy.

2. Revisions (handout).

Students have a week to revise and get an essay back in. The grade on the revision is the final grade, so get clarification before revising the essay.

3. Class format: Workshops

We will be reviewing writing concepts students might still be struggling with like Thesis Sentences, Introductions, Conclusions, Topic Sentences, Signal Phrases, Block Quotes, Evaluating Evidence, Citations, Paraphrasing.

This week we are working on Revision Strategies and Essay Structure: Introductions, Body, Conclusion.

We will spend next week writing the Pidd Essay covering the entire book. We will also complete Grammar Exam 2 and correct Grammar Exam 1.

I will give you a schedule on what we will cover over the next few weeks. Bring questions and if I am not covering something you'd like more clarification on let me know this week.

Nature vs. Nurture Essay Assignment

2011-10-25T15:22:00.000-07:00

Homework is to write the essay arguing whether or not Afeni's life was a matter of freewill or choice or environment (nurture) or heredity (nature).

Bring in a completed essay on Thursday, October 27, 2011. Bring in an electronic copy for a peer review. I will be paying attention to the introduction, topic sentences and conclusion: organization. The essay is due Monday, October 31, 2011, electronically and as a paper copy. Email it and the associated assignments to: coasabirenglish201@gmail.com

Secondly, I will be looking at how well students integrate their citations into the argument. English 201 A should write an essay minimally 500 words long and English 201 B should write an essay minimally 750 words pr three pages long. This does not include the works cited page and the bibliography.

Each essay includes an IPS, an outline and any cyber-assignments connected to Evolution of a Revolution. Include the scholarly article as a part of the bibliography.

Today in class we reviewed the first four templates for the Parallel Structure Essay. Students got all of them wrong. We will continue Thursday. Review them beforehand.

In the earlier class, students had not completed the templates. Well one student had.
Their homework was to complete the templates.

They are also supposed to bring in a completed "Initial Planning Sheet" (IPS) for tomorrow. The essay is due for both classes Thursday. There are students who have not turned in their "Hip Hop" Essay.

We only have two more essay for the semester: Afeni Shakur: Nature vs. Nurture and the Social Entrepreneur essay. I handed out the SE essay outline and supporting documents for finding a SE. Students who had headphones watched one of the Frontline World Videos. Other students were given the Muhammad Yunus essay to read and summarize.

Everyone will be given the essay eventually. There is a link for the assignment post.

Muhammad Yunus: Grameen Bank

2011-10-25T14:18:00.000-07:00

If you have the article on Muhammad Yunus, summarize it in 250 or more words and answer the questions about Social Entrepreneurship in your summary.

This should be a summary essay.

Frontline World: Engaged Citizenry Cyber-Assignment

2011-10-25T13:36:00.000-07:00

Frontline World Cyber-Assignment Post(s)
Visit http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/socialentrepreneurs.html

Respond to 3 stories by 11/10 (start 10/26). Bring in headphones for the computer.
Post your Frontline World Responses (3) here.

Answer the following questions in your response to the program.

Outline:

1.Who is the social entrepreneur profiled?
2.What problem did the person profiled identify?
3.What is the name of the organization they started?
4.Describe their relationship to the community that they serve?

• Why they decided to address this issue?

5.What is the local component?
6.How does the community own the process?

Assignment: Social Entrepreneurs: Engaged Citizenry

2011-10-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

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 Tuesday/Wednesday, Nov. 9/10 (share)_____________
Essay: Planning Sheet, Outline, Thesis due Monday/Tuesday, Nov. 14-15 __________
First Draft Wednesday-Thursday, Nov. 16-17

Final Draft Monday/Tuesday, Nov. 21-22 (during class time: appointments with professor to check off essay______________

SE Presentations: Nov.21-22/23___________
The presentation is a quarter of the grade.

Supplementary Assignments

On-line Frontline World (on-line responses 3) Start Wednesday, Oct. 26-Nov.10_______
Library Research sheet: Wednesday/Thursday, Nov. 9-10 _______________
Website Evaluation completed (worksheet) by Nov. 7-8(in-class)_____________
List of sources (5) minimum in MLA format due Monday-Tuesday, Nov. 9-10 (share in class)___________

Assignments

2011-10-20T14:26:00.000-07:00

1. Use the COA Database to find a scholarly article on the topic: Nature vs. Nurture. Read and summarize the article. Post the summary. Read the abstract and compare with your summary. Write the summary as an essay, that is, have a thesis or an argument.

2. SPHE--corrected essays

3. Possessives

4. Homework: Finish Evolution, revise Hurt/Dyson essay

2011-10-19T09:11:00.000-07:00

Today in class we corrected Possessives Templates, Be-Verbs essay, Point of View and Essay Exam 1, Pronoun Case. Print out your scores for me for these essays and bring to class. Analysis your errors for each essay where applicable.

Tomorrow we will review the first two essays, Pronoun Agreement and Sentence Punctuation.

We will also take the Possessions Quiz and Parallel Structure Quiz. We will start that essay.

Students will also use the COA library database to find an article on Nature vs. Nurture. Homework will be to read and summarize the article for Tuesday. Students asked for an extension to Tuesday for the Nature vs. Nurture Essay.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011, bring in an Initial Planning Sheet and outline for the essay on Nature vs. Nurture re: Afeni Shakur and by extension as a subtopic her children.

Under the Influence Cyber-Assignment

2011-10-18T14:43:00.000-07:00

Post the collaborative essay here.

After completing the three paragraph essay, we then ran the Possessives exercises and identified the errors. We will review the templates on Thursday. Students who got their essays back (I know, finally), have 7 days to get it back to me. Revise it while my comments are fresh in your mind.

Homework is also to keep reading Evolution of a Revolutionary. If you have completed the Possessives templates go on to Parallel Structure and then Subject Verb Agreement.

I returned the Pidd essays from Pronoun Case to Point of View. We will correct them together Thursday along, as I said, the Possessive templates. We will not write the essay, just go over the templates for the chapter. Keep all of your work.

2011-10-17T10:29:00.001-07:00

Today in class students were to develop four thesis sentences from the poem: The Shining Star Within! Dedicated 2 Marilyn Monroe (Shukur 23). Choose a topic and develop 4 sentences: 1 definition, 1 analogy, 1 consequence, 1 testimony.

We also read the poem Starry Night (25). Look up Vincent van Gogh and bring in a topic to reflect on tomorrow for the freewrite. Post the four sentences from today's freewrite in the post "Topical Invention."

2. We reviewed "possessives" up to page 229. Finish 230 and read the essay. If students have completed the essay and the templates, type them and email them to yourself.

3. Homework is to keep reading Afeni and Guy. We will have a writing assignment from Guy tomorrow. We are going to write a three paragraph summary for each chapter up to chapter six. Each student will have a different chapter. Bring your books to class and tonight think about central themes in each chapter. We will discuss this in more detail tomorrow morning.

If you are not there, Thursday, we will be up to chapter 8, so read chapter 7.

2011-10-13T09:37:00.000-07:00

Homework for the weekend: Keep reading Guy. Look at the reading schedule posted earlier. Also note the next essays due in Pidd.

Topical Invention

2011-10-11T15:11:00.000-07:00

Post your sentences here: analogies, definition, consequence, testimony. Don't forget to start with the name of the poem and the theme you are referencing. If you want to open with a short summary of the central themes you can.

The questions are:

Definition: What is it/What was it?
Consequence: What caused it/Did it cause?
Analogy: What is it like or unlike?
Testimony: What does an authority say about it?

Note: October 13, 2011
When writing sentences using Topical Invention, include the word in the sentence.

Also, we are not looking at general definitions, rather connect everything to the world of "Evolution of a Revolutionary." The sentences evolve or revolve around the life of Afeni Shakur the protagonist of the story.

Some of the sentences are too general or off topic. They should tie in specifically to the text.

Remember, these sentences could be used as thesis sentences in an essay on the topic.

From Evolution of a Revolutionary

2011-10-11T13:23:00.000-07:00

Freewrite:

Why did Jasmine Guy want to write this book? Describe the relationship between Guy and Afeni. How does Guy's relationship with Afeni differ from Michael Eric Dyson's relationship with Tupac Shakur? What does Afeni want Guy to show with her story? Describe their first interview session.

Cyber-Assignment & Homework

2011-10-11T09:48:00.001-07:00

Today we reviewed the chapter on Be-Verbs. The freewrite is a response to the following questions:

From Evolution of a Revolutionary

Why did Jasmine Guy want to write this book? Describe the relationship between Guy and Afeni. How does Guy's relationship with Afeni differ from Michael Eric Dyson's relationship with Tupac Shakur? What does Afeni want Guy to show with her story? Describe their first interview session.

2. Quiz (Be-Verbs)

3. Correct GE1 (didn't get to)

4. Homework: Keep reading Guy (chapters 3-4) 49-68; (chapters 5-6) 69-88. For Monday, October 17 (Chapters 5-7, 89-144). October 20 161 (chapter 8). October 24 189(chapter 9).

5. Some students turned their assignments in today. There were two essays due. If you didn't turn them in today, turn them in tomorrow. The Be-Verb essay is due oct. 13.

For Monday, October 24, bring in your initial planning sheet to share. Essay due Tuesday/Wednesday, October 25/26.

Final draft due between: Thursday, October 26 and Tuesday, Nov. 1. Print a copy of the essay and attach it to the peer review. Make sure the peer review is electronic and is signed by the student who writes it. You will also email the essay to me pasted and attached. We'll practice this in class a few times to make sure you are comfortable with it. The next two essays will be submitted entirely on-line.

Students should bring in the book they plan to read for the third essay Tuesday-Wednesday, November 1/2 to share.

Cyber-Field Trip Sign-up for next Thursday, October 13, 2011

2011-10-05T21:04:00.000-07:00

Let me know if you are interested and bring your $5 to class Monday-Tuesday, October 10-11, 2011. I want to buy the tickets in advance. The venue will not hold tickets for us, but I doubt that they sell out. However, one never knows, Marc is famous here and well-loved.

We can meet at West Oakland BART at 6:30 PM and travel together. YBCA is on Third and Mission Street, 701 Mission Street in San Francisco.

YBCA is pleased to present the world premiere of Joseph’s newest project, Red, Black & GREEN: Marc Bamuthi Joseph/ The Living Word Project October 13 - 22 7:30 p.m. Admission $5 You can buy as many tickets as you like. Invite friends and family.

Overview

It is a hard and obvious truth that people of color are under-represented in the environmental movement. It is also a hard and obvious truth that violent crime and poor education pose more of an imminent danger to most poor neighborhoods than environmental crisis. I personally am of the belief that the movement for social change and environmental accountability are one and the same, that focusing on steps to sustain the planet ultimately forces us to envision a pathway to sustaining humanity. — Marc Bamuthi Joseph

YBCA has had a long and fertile association with Bay Area artist and director Marc Bamuthi Joseph whose artistic work reflects an evolving aesthetic that integrates spoken word with contemporary movement to produce performance works that are populist, experimental and that challenge formal models from both a cultural and environmental.

2011-10-05T17:11:00.001-07:00

In class today, (8-8:50 AM) we reviewed essay structure, especially thesis sentences and conclusions --types: summary, findings (as in scientific or proof of an hypothesis posited in the introduction), synthesis, call to action, connections to larger issues.

I gave students a handout on thesis sentences. It is a handout I got from the COA library.

We spoke about how a thesis sentence is a declarative sentence or a statement of fact, not a question. We also talked about how the topic sentence functions in the paragraph the way the thesis functions in the essay. The topic sentence tells the reader what the paragraph is about. When one changes the subject, start a new paragraph.

There is unity of ideas in a paragraph and this makes the essay make sense or have coherence.

Homework:

1. The essay taking its topic from Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes: misogyny, hypermasculinity, homophobia, or media, is due tomorrow. See below for specifics. Use Dyson in the essay and certainly mention Tupac and his work and where it falls in the spectrum Hurt explores.

2. We will identify the errors in the POV essay.

3. English 201 1:30-3:20 PM, we meet in the library for an orientation first.

4. We will start reading Evolution of a Revolutionary by Jasmine Guy. For Monday-Tuesday, October 10-11, read up to page 48. For each chapter keep a log.

5. Bring in your reading logs for Dyson. In class we will pull together all the cyber-assignments and students will email them to me.

Extra Credit Activity for Social Entrepreneur Research Essay

2011-10-05T17:03:00.000-07:00

Register for http://extremetouralameda.eventbrite.com/

College of Alameda
Student Center (Building F)
555 Ralph Appezzato Memorial Pkwy
Alameda, CA 94501

If you go to the event, and post something here, a 250 word reflection on the program and its usefulness, you can have extra credit. You might meet an entrepreneur to profile for our final essay.

Friday, October 7, 2011 from 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM (PT)

It has never been easier or more important for students to start a business and think entrepreneurially! In a world of rapidly evolving technology and globalization, being able to leverage the entrepreneurial mindset regardless of career path is critical to success. The Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour (www.extremetour.org) puts on events that can be customized to your campus’s wants and needs in order to introduce all students to this new life framework and inspire them to plan, prioritize, and pursue their own vision.

2011-10-04T19:38:00.000-07:00

Today in the afternoon class several students were disruptive to the point that I had to ask them out. We were taking an exam and the three women were noisy. After I spoke to them privately in another classroom, the blame was thrown around and landed in front of everyone except the ones' responsible.

I couldn't help but reflect on how last week our freewrite looked at blame and responsibility. Who is to blame Sebastian asks in "My Testimony"? Who takes the blame Smokey Robinson counters, yet no matter who owns the blame, it is not the one who is taking the blame who suffers. It is the one who loses her form.

This is called giving away one's power.

I told one student she could have moved when the student, let's call her "the instigator," kept talking. The girl in question comes in late every class and is disruptive because students let her. When she asks me questions, I keep going and make her wait.

If her classmates allow her to interrupt them then they are giving her power over them. What if everyone ignored her? What if, when she spoke, no one paid attention? What if when she sat down everyone nearby got up and moved?

One always has a choice. It might not be the choice that makes one feel most comfortable. It might not be the easiest option, but you have power over your life and if someone disturbs your peace then you gave it to them on a platter, so don't complain about being hungry.

If you are so behind you come in and are lost, perhaps you need to rethink your priorities and decide whether or not this class fits your life at this time. College life requires certain commitments and if you are behind and can't catch up, it isn't my fault or anyone in the class's fault if you are lost. It is not my job to catch you up and I am not going to.

The hole is getting deeper and pretty soon you won't be able to make it out. I am not going to sprinkle dirt on the grave you have dug, but I am also not going to donate money for a headstone.

Right now the hole many of you are standing in is pretty deep and while you are smart men and women, some of you are dealing with situations that demand all your attention: safety issues, life and death issues with sick family members.

School is serious and so are these other situations. There is only so much of oneself one can spread around and still have a bit left. Sanity is also important and school should be fun. If your choice means you cannot continue, this is not failure, it is being real. It is taking stock and being rational. I was surprised when I spoke to the three women that two of them didn't know that this class was not transferable and then wanted to argue with me when I told one student that honors English was a way to opt out of English 1A or Freshman English. I used to teach at a college prep school, Maybeck High School and saw it happen with most if not all of our students at universities not community colleges.

It didn't happen with me. UC Berkeley had me taking Subject A, which is like English 201, but this is not something that has to happen if one is prepared at the high school level for college composition. You are here, as I was there, and I made it through Subject A and Comparative Literature and then took English 1A again at Merritt College for extra practice and still couldn't write. I only learned to write essays when i took a graduate course on Teaching Writing at the University of San Francisco. I got an undergraduate degree and didn't know what a thesis sentence was. I had never heard of MLA or citations. Crazy!

My patience is endless for the serious student, but for the children who wanted argue and posture and swagger -- you will fail and I will not allow you to drown others as you go down for the count.

On another note
This Friday there will be an all day event on campus looking at ways to become business men and women, entrepreneurs--ways to make money and help make the community better too. If you attend, you might meet an entrepreneur you might want to profile for your final essay.

There are appropriate ways to behave for any given circumstance. If one is not familiar with how one should behave, she can watch others and learn or one can ask questions. For student behavior we have a college catalog where it is spelled out clearly. It is common sense but then common sense doesn't necessarily translate cross culturally or cross generations.

Rude behavior will not be tolerated. If a student cannot come to class on time, skip the class. Late is 5-15 minutes after class starts. When we move into 30-40 minutes students really can just stay home. We only meet twice a week. The most disruptive students are the ones who are most lost.

If this ever happens again I am going to call the sheriff.

Note to those who are behind

2011-10-04T17:51:00.000-07:00

Many students who have missed a lot of class and are behind in Pidd ask me if they can do a special project to make up for missing work or substitute other assignments for one's assigned.

Students can always write more, but this is not a restaurant where one has carte blanche. A missing assignment grade is still zero. Students who have skipped Pidd are not going to be able to write a passing essay, and when given the opportunity to revise an essay, they will not know where to start. Students can only revise 2 essays of the four and only if they are not passing essays.

Students have to pass all their essays with a C or better to pass the class: Nature Nurture Essay or Destiny vs. Choice; The Dyson Essay Topic; Book Report Essay and Social Entrepreneur Essay.

Pidd is a rehearsal.

Two essays will be written this month and two in November. Presentations and portfolio are the first week in December 1, 5 & 6. Portfolio workshops Dec. 7-8. Final portfolios are emailed to me. We do not have a sitting final. All portfolios are due the last day of finals no later than 12 noon, no exceptions.

Destiny vs. Free Will

2011-10-04T17:41:00.001-07:00

Post your freewrite here.

8-8:50 AM Class; 1:30-3:20 PM Class where applicable

2011-10-04T16:58:00.000-07:00

In the early class on Monday we completed Grammar Exam 1. We still have to do Essay Exam 1. Today in class we finally got to the "Initial Planning Sheet." Using the theme "Destiny vs. Choice," we completed an Initial Planning Sheet and developed a thesis sentence. Students got copies of the 3-Part Thesis form.

In pairs students then wrote introductory paragraphs. Homework is to bring in a completed essay looking at hypermasculinity, misogyny, sexism, homophobia, or media.

Pidd New Dates
Do not wait for the class. Complete the book.

All the exercises for the POV essay are to be completed no later than Thursday, October 6. The essay is due Monday-Tuesday, October 10-11, typed and printed.

The Be-Verb exercises are to be completed by Tuesday-Wednesday, October 11-12. The essay is due printed Thursday, October 13.

The Possessives exercises are to be completed by Monday, October 17. Essay Exam 2 will be given to students Tuesday/Wednesday, October 18-20.

The Parallel Structure exercises are to be completed by October 20. Essay Exam 3 will be given Monday-Tuesday, October 24-25.

Subject-Verb AGR exercises are to be completed by October 27. We will write the essay in class Thursday, October 27. If students miss an exam, it might not be able to be made up.

Major Multi-tasking
Keep a clear head. The plan was to be completed with Pidd this week. You will notice that we are a month behind. None of the work is disappearing. We will be working on three tasks at the same time, so stay organized:

1. Reading Jasmine Guy's book. The essay planning will be due October 20. The essay due October 24-25, 2011. The final draft is due October 26-27.

2. Working on the Social Entrepreneur essay.

3. We will spend November on the SE essay and the Book Report Essay. Choose a biography to read preferably connected to the Social Entrepreneur profiled. The person needs to be alive and preferably living here in the SF Bay Area.

If you cannot correct Pidd's essays, you should be worried.

Staying on Task

In the afternoon class, only three students had their essays completed. These students were able to do peer reviews on each other's essays. The final drafts are due on Thursday. Remember the essays should have three citations: one block quote, one free paraphrase, one shorter in-text citation.

Dyson, Hurt, Shakur Essay
The essay should be minimally 500 words or 2 pages. The third page is the works cited page, the fourth is the bibliography. Even if you do not cite in-text, students should include Dyson's book, the Hurt film, lyrics to a song, perhaps Hurt's interview of Dyson, in a bibliography if not the works cited. The works cited page represents what is included in your writing. The bibliography represents what you read or used to gather your information.

In the afternoon class we graded Grammar Exam 1. Students will get them back Thursday. Some students are just getting SPHE. Do the exercises. You cannot complete the exams or essays without doing so. The Grammar Exam results were not good. Most students missed half the answers.

If you cannot correct Pidd's essays, you should be worried.

1:30-3:20 PM class

2011-09-29T15:41:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-29T13:36:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-29T09:51:00.000-07:00

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.

Library Orientation

2011-09-27T17:05:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-27T14:02:00.001-07:00

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?

2011-09-26T09:41:00.000-07:00

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.

SPHE

2011-09-22T20:33:00.000-07:00

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"

2011-09-22T20:18:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-22T19:59:00.001-07:00

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).

2011-09-20T17:12:00.001-07:00

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.

2011-09-19T12:28:00.000-07:00

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.

Questions for Tupac: Cyber-Assignment Two Parts

2011-09-15T09:38:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

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.

Cyber-Freewrite and Class Recap

2011-09-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

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.

Literature Circles

2011-09-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-12T09:32:00.000-07:00

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

The Rose That Grew from Concrete Freewrites and Cyber Assignments

2011-09-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-09-08T09:10:00.000-07:00

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).

Extra Credit September 11, 10 years later

2011-09-07T17:29:00.000-07:00

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).

2011-09-07T17:18:00.000-07:00

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.

Cyber-Assignments (Morning and Afternoon classes)

2011-09-01T09:47:00.001-07:00

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.

2011-09-01T09:38:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-01T08:46:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-31T13:36:00.000-07:00

In class this week we previewed the book, Stewart Pidd Hates English and completed a few exercises, namely quizzes to test our skills on "Confused Words" and "Sentence Punctuation." I was really pleased that most students have their books. I had a few copies of sections from Pidd, such as: "Plagiarism and Paraphrasing" and Essay 1.

Here are more details on the reading, essays and Pidd. I will give students copies of these assignments Thursday in class.

Homework was to read and do the exercises up to page 30 or Essay 1 as well as start the exercises re: "Plagiarism and Paraphrasing."

Tomorrow we will summarize the news articles students read about Katrina 6 Years after the Storm or Michael Jackson. Make sure you read your article.

Tupac Readings for Fall 2011 All classes

We will read a book a month. In August-September as we work our way through SPHE we will read Michael Eric Dyson’s Holler If You Hear Me: Searching for Tupac Shakur.

Weekly there will be at least 2-3 weekly cyber assignment connected to each section. At the end of the book we will write a short essay reflecting on a central theme from the book or a character analysis of Tupac Shakur based on Dyson’s scholarship. We will listen to select songs as well as write a skit based on one of the chapters and perform it in class (smile).

Week 2: Aug. 29-Sept. 1: Introduction-Preface
Summaries, paraphrasing and outlines. In class and cyber-assignments

Week 3-4: Sept. 5 – 8: Childhood Chains: “Dear Mama” (21) & “Son of a Panther” (47); “No Malcolm X in My History Text” (69)
Selections from The Rose that Grew from Concrete

Week 5: Sept. 12-15: Portraits of an Artist
Give Me a Paper and a Pen (105); For All the Real Niggas Out There (141)

Selections from The Rose that Grew from Concrete

Week 6: Sept. 19-22: Bodies and Beliefs
“Do We Hate Our Women” (175); “But Do the Lord Care” (201); “I Got Your Name Tatted on My Arm” (231)

“Epilogue: How Long Will They Mourn Me?”
Posthumous Presence of a Ghost Saint (247)

Selections from The Rose that Grew from Concrete

Week 7: Essay plans and essay
Plans Monday/Tuesday, Sept. 26-27

Essay due Sept. 27-28 for peer review 1

Essays due Sept. 29 for peer review 2

Final drafts due: Sept. 30 via mail coasabirenglish201@gmail.com for English 201 and coasabirenglish1A@gmail.com for English 1A.

There will be a separate essay assignment sheet.

Readings for Fall 2011 All Classes con't. (English 201 & English 1A)

Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary by Jasmine Guy is an easier read than Dyson and we will finish it quickly. I like to look at the themes: nature vs. nurture for this book as well as forgiveness of self and others. These will be the topics students can consider for the essay based on this book.

We will start the book in October, October 10, but students can start sooner. We will read, beginning with the preface, 50 or so pages a week. We will finish the book the week of Oct. 31-Nov. 3.

Essay plans are due: Nov. 1. First drafts are due Nov. 2/3. Final drafts are due: Nov. 7.

Students will already be looking at potential subjects for the final essay on a Social Entrepreneur and the research associated with this essay will start in November. The essay is due at the end of the month, Nov. 21/22, the presentation Nov. 29-Dec. 1.

We will be multitasking. Students will be watching videos late October on Social Entrepreneurs into November to get a feel for what a business person who creates wealth for social good, looks like.

There will be separate assignment sheets for all the essays. This is an overview for the semester. Students who have free time should read ahead. We will be finished with Pidd by the time the first essay is due—that is the plan (smile). Stay on top of the work and ask for help and get help if you are not grasping a concept. If you don’t ask questions, I don’t know what you don’t know until the essays come in.

There are quizzes associated with the Pidd work. We will take the short quizzes and longer Grammar Exams in class.

We will also squeeze a Library Orientation into the September mix (smile). Plan to be busy. This is a plan, so it is open to revisions and suggestions if it isn’t working for students. The only constants are the end marks or dates for the beginning and ending of the semester, as well as holidays like Labor Day, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving. We do not have a sitting final. The final is an e-assignment – the portfolio which we will work on the final week of classes.

Stewart Pidd Hates English Assignment Schedule for Fall 2011
English 1A/English 201 Professor Wanda Sabir

WEEK 2-3 August 22-Sept. 8

Part 1, Confused Words (p. 1)
Paraphrase exercise (pages 339-354)
Read MLA Format (pages 312).

Part 2, Punctuating Sentences (p. 18) (WRITE ESSAY)

MLA exercises (pages 319-320)
Do “Titles” and “Quotations” exercises (pages 322-329).
Paraphrase ex (pages 346-350)

WEEK 4 Sept. 12-15

“In-text parenthetical” exercises (pages 330-332)
More in paraphrases (pages 355-380)

Part 3, Pronoun Agreement (p. 69) (WRITE ESSAY)

MLA exes (pages 319-320)
“Ellipsis marks” (pages 333-334)

Part 4, Pronoun Case (p. 108) (In Class Essay)

WEEK 5 Sept. 19-22

Part 5, (144-175) Point of View (WRITE ESSAY)

Part 9, Subject-Verb Agreement (p. 277)

WEEK 6 Sept. 26-29

Part 7, Possessive (p. 221) (Take-home exam: optional)

Part 6, Be Verb (p. 178) (WRITE ESSAY)

WEEK 7 Oct.-3-6

Part 8, Parallel Structure (p. 243) (In class Essay)

2011-08-31T13:32:00.001-07:00

Film and Theatre in the SF Bay Area

Beginning Sept. 1 and for consecutive Thursdays in Sept. at 7:30 PM there will be a hip hop film festival presented by Fist Up! Productions. Visit http://www.lapena.org/. There is a $5 donation, but it is optional.

On Sept. 29, also at La Peña Cultural Center, in Berkeley near Ashby BART, Dennis Kim performs excerpts from "Tree City Legends," I saw this really wonderful work in the Hybrid program at Intersection for the Arts about two years ago.

The San Francisco FRINGE Festival starts next week too. Visit http://www.sffringe.org/

Students might also want to see what is happening culturally re: September 11, commemorations. Let us know.

Homework for 8-8:50 AM Class

2011-08-29T08:47:00.000-07:00

Today is the sixth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the worse natural disaster at that time to hit American shores. Presently there are many New Orleanian residents still in the disapora, displaced and then stuck in cities and towns throughout America. A lot of families here at College of Alameda are here as a result of this displacement.

Today is also the birthday of America and the world's most celebrated artists, Michael Jackson, who died about 2-3 years ago.

You have a choice: Find an article that looks at New Orleans or the Gulf Region, six years after Katrina (specifically hip hop's response if possible) or an article on Michael Jackson (something current). He would have been 53 today.

Read the article, bring the article to class, and be prepared to share it tomorrow.

Cyber-Assignment for Tuesday/Thursday 201 class and Homework Recap

2011-08-26T13:27:00.000-07:00

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.

Cyber-Assignment: Keep Ya Head Up

2011-08-24T09:25:00.000-07:00

Today in class we reviewed MLA format for the essay. Students got into groups and read an essay on MLA from Stewart Pidd Hates English and then corrected a student essay together (Politt Baker 311-314). We discussed recommendation for the student, so he could write a passing essay.

We then listened and read the Tupac Shakur song: Keep Ya Head Up. Homework is to write a 250 word summary of the key ideas or themes in the song.

1. Talk about the characters or subjects Tupac uses to illustrate his point. What is the song about? Is it about single parenting or more than that?

2. Use citations or examples from the song to prove or support your points. Remember, all ideas are good, but they need to reference the text.

3. Use Standard English. If you use slang, it needs to be from the song and in quotation marks. Put a line or stanza notation in parentheses after the citation or quote.

I brought the textbooks in this morning for students to look at. Buy your books or rent them or check them out from the public library. all the books are in the college bookstore. You need Pidd now and the other books: Dyson and Shakur by Monday at the latest. If you have Shakur now bring it to class, along with Pidd.

In Pidd
We start with the section Plagiarism and Paraphrasing (339-379). We will continue with the MLA review (315-317), Quiz (319-320) and (321-331).

At the same time we will be reading Dyson and starting on Chapters 1-3 (1-51)(Confused Words, Sentence Punctuation, and Pronoun Agreement).

Cyber-Assignment 1

2011-08-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

Please respond to the syllabus in a minimally three paragraph essay August 23, 2011 (250 words). Comment on the goals and objectives, texts, methodology and anything else.

To post:

Click on "comment." Post response in box, then click anonymous, make sure you have included a heading: student name, course and time, date, my name.

Student Name (first and last)
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 201 A (or B) 8-8:50 AM or 1:30-3:20 PM
24 August 2011

Title

Content

English 201 Syllabus, Fall 2011

2011-08-22T09:59:00.000-07:00

Course Syllabus for English 201
College of Alameda
Professor Wanda Sabir

English 201 A
40015 Lec 08:00-08:50 MTWTh Sabir A 200
40019 Lec 01:30-03:20 PM T/Th Sabir A 202

English 201B
40020 Lec 08:00-08:50 MTWTh Sabir C 200
40024 Lec 01:30-03:20 PM MW Sabir A 200

Final Exam: 8-10 AM, Friday, Dec.16 or 12-2 PM, Tuesday, Dec. 13 (Portfolios due via e-mail. There is no sitting exam.)

Drop dates: Sept. 2 (w/refund), Sept. 17 (w/out a W), Nov. 23 (w/W).
Class Meetings: August 22-Dec. 7 or August 23-Dec. 8. No classes: 9/5; 11/11; 11/24-27

Syllabus for English 201A/B: Preparation for Composition and Reading

The English 201 series (4 units) is a preparatory course designed to emphasize the thinking, reading, organizing and writing skills required for successful execution of college-level papers in all subject areas. This course is designed to for those students requiring minimal preparation for entering English 1A.

Absences must be kept to a minimum. If you miss 6 consecutive hours or 8 cumulative hours you will risk being dropped from the course, doing poorly or both. English 201 consists of weekly essays and daily assignments. This is a portfolio driven class. Keep all of your written work, graded and otherwise to turn in the last day of class. There will be an assessment, a midterm, a research project, a final and a presentation of the research essay.

Tupac Amaru Shakur

I thought it might be interesting to look at the life of one of rap’s more well-known artists, Tupac Amaru Shakur (25), who died before we had a chance to know the fullness of his genius. We’ll be reading a memoir about his mother Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary by Jasmine Guy; Holler if You Hear Me by Michael Eric Dyson, Ph.D.; The Rose that Grew from Concrete by Tupac Shakur, a college dictionary (American Heritage recommended)

The questions and analysis will come out of the discussions and listening parties as we look for themes in the work and try to reconstruct the artist’s life through his songs which were quite autobiographical. Tupac loved his mother, but he was angry with her too. We will describe this relationship and how mother and son were able to mend it. Forgiveness is preached, however, it takes a certain kind of personality to actually let bygones be bygones. Tupac personified “thug life.” He had old ladies tattooing his TL on their arms. What is a thug and why did Tupac celebrate it?

Keep a reading log. Discussion groups will meet each week. Students will also keep a reading log/journal/notes with key ideas outlined for each discussion section, along with vocabulary and key arguments listed, with primary writing strategies employed: description, process analysis, narration, argument, cause and effect, compare and contrast, definition, problem solving.

Stewart Pidd Hates English

Stewart Pidd Hates English is a workbook which looks deceptively easy; however, students need to pay attention to the details. The fictional character, Stewart Pidd, hates English, so he doesn’t spend the necessary time to complete his writing tasks. He’d rather do anything instead of writing, and his grades, you will notice, reflect this. The essays you analyze are not deep so don’t worry about content, the authors want you to practice the grammar lessons Stewart Pidd has not mastered. These grammar assignments might be ones you don’t remember or remember only vaguely. The goal of the book is to help you identify these errors in your own writing in your revision process, so you don’t make the same mistakes Pidd makes.

We will use Michael Eric Dyson’s Holler to locate the grammatical forms for analysis SPHE takes us through. Dyson is a much more interesting and engaging writer than Stewart Pidd. I am using this book with my English 1A class also. Those students shouldn’t have as much trouble with SPHE or at least this is the hope; however, after SPHE students should feel a lot more competent about their writing, because you will have the language necessary to talk about what it is you are doing right and what you need to improve on.

Grammar is not the most important aspect of writing. Having something substantive to say is, however, if you make too many grammatical errors, your audience will often not know what it is you want to communicate.

Research Project

Your research project will entail finding an artist or organization that uses hip hop culture as a tool to develop consciousness and mental, economic, social and spiritual liberation among the members of its discourse community. Cov Records out of Covenant House, is an example of such an organization. The Ella Baker Center’s “Stop the Violence” Initiative is another such organization. East Side Arts Alliance is another such organization. DESTINY Arts is another such organization. All are in Oakland. The social entrepreneur has to have been active in his or her community for at least 10-20 years (exceptions have been made, so talk to me); however, if the social entrepreneur is too new, the researcher will have trouble finding documented resources to draw from, such as, books, essays, articles, films.

The paper will be about 2-4 pages. This does not include the works cited page and bibliography. Students will make 5-10 minute presentations of these papers the day of the final. The paper will be due about two-three weeks prior to the presentation. We’ll discuss this task further later on.

New Heroes

New Heroes
Visit http://www.pbs.org/opb/thenewheroes/ to read about social entrepreneurs. PBS.org has another program call: Frontline World which also explores social entrepreneurship. Visit: http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/socialentrepreneurs.html. We will explore this assignment more, later in the course.

Why socially responsible economics?

Too often people feel helpless or hopeless when there is a lot you can do as an individual as soon as you realize the answer lies inside of you. If possible choose an entrepreneur who lives in Northern California, someone you’d like to interview and perhaps meet. Students can work on the project together, share resources. Each person has to write his or her own paper, but you can make a group presentation if you like. (If you have taken a class from me in the past, chose another subject.)

Course Objectives

English 201 will look primarily at writing which persuades: argumentative writing, as well as expository writing, narrative and descriptive writing. At the end of the course students will have read work of accomplished writers, as well as practiced writing in a variety of styles to suit the writer’s purpose.

This course is intended to be both a group learning experience as well as an individually rewarding one. Mid-semester we will schedule conferences so students can confer with the instructor to evaluate his or her progress in the course. Classroom instruction will consist of lectures, small group work, and students working in pairs. This is an effective way for students to exchange ideas with classmates, compare reactions to readings and practice giving and receiving constructive feedback on class work.

Preparation for class, regular attendance and active participation is imperative for those students who wish to succeed in this course.

It is a student’s responsibility to contact the instructor if he or she plans to miss class. The student is responsible for all materials and information given during the class time, so please get telephone numbers for three (3) classmates in case you are late or absent. You will not be able to make up in-class assignments when you miss class.

Requirements for homework assignments:

No late papers are accepted unless arranged in advance. Any papers below a C grade are an automatic revision or rewrite. Essays under 500 words (750 words for English 201B students) will not be accepted. (Put a word count on the upper right corner of page 1.) Choose topics which give you enough to write about. We will use documentation to substantiate all of our claims. With this in mind, I expect all papers to utilize at least two (2) different outside print sources, in addition to the occasional interview, or broadcast journalism, that is, radio or television, internet also. You will learn to document sources; we will practice citing sources in text, using footnotes and endnotes, and writing bibliographies and notes pages. Remember save all your work! This is a portfolio course.

All essay assignments you receive comments on have to be revised prior to resubmission; included with the revision is a student narrative to me regarding your understanding of what needed to be done; a student can prepare this as a part of the Writing Center visit (see below), especially if said student is unclear over what steps to take. SPHE will assist students with this response.

Library Orientations:
TBA

We will write short essays that reflect themes and ideas discussed that week. Some of these essays will be written in class and posted on the class blog: http://professorsabirsposse.blogspot.com/ The research essay will be an argument. There will be a midterm (SPHE) and a final (portfolio essay and presentation).

Jot down briefly what your goals are this semester. List them in order of importance.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Email the following data to me: coasabirenglish201@gmail.com
Your name, mailing address, phone number and e-mail answer, along with answers to the following questions. This is also due Tuesday, August 24, 2011:

What strengths do you bring to the class? What skills or knowledge would you like to leave with once the class ends? What can I do to help you achieve this? Is there anything I need to know, such as a hidden disability, childcare issues, etc., which might jeopardize this goal?

Presentation 1: Due Tuesday, Sept. 6 or Wednesday, Sept. 7
Bring in an object that represents hip hop culture. Write a brief profile on the object justifying its inclusion in the archives (100 words or so). Be prepared to share. This is also a cyber-assignment to be posted later.

Presentation 2: Due Tuesday, Sept. 13 or Wednesday, Sept. 14
Bring in an object that reflects America, American values, its people, landscape, or history. Write a brief profile on the object justifying its inclusion in the archives (100 words or so). This is also a cyber-assignment to be posted later.

Grading
Weekly essays: 20 percent
Cyber Assignments: 10 percent
Midterm: 10 percent
Final: 15 percent
Research Essay/Presentation: 5-10 percent
Portfolio: 15 percent
Office Hour Visits or instructor contacts (5 for the semester): 5-10 percent
This includes a reflection on the event sent as a follow-up.

Each book will have collected writings or essays. This in itself is its own “portfolio.” The essays which take their themes from the books are practice essays, and are about a fourth of your grade, your midterm and final are another fourth and your portfolio is the final fourth. (Save all of your work.) You can average the grades to see how to weigh the various components.

The Writing Center is a great place to get one-on-on assistance on your essays, from brainstorming and planning the essays, to critique in areas like clarity, organization, clearly stated thesis, evidence or support, logical conclusions, and grammatical problems. In the Writing Center there are ancillary materials for student use. These writing programs build strong writing muscles. The Bedford Handbook on-line, Diana Hacker’s Rules for Writers on-line, Townsend Press, and other such computer and cyber-based resources are a few of the many databases available. There is also an Open Lab for checking e-mail, a Math Lab. All academic labs are located in the Learning Resource Center (LRC) or library. The Cyber Café is located in the F-bldg.

Again, students need a student ID to use the labs and to check out books. The IDs are free. Ask in Student Services (A-bldg.) where photos are taken.

Have a tutor of teacher sign off on your essays before you turn them in; if you have a “R,” which means revision necessary for a grade or “NC” which means “no credit,” you have to go to the lab and revise the essay with a tutor or teacher before you return both the graded original and the revision (with signature) to me. Revise does not mean “rewrite,” it means to “see again.”

When getting assistance on an essay, the teacher or tutor is not an editor, so have questions prepared for them to make best use of the 15-20 minute session in the Lab. I will give you a handout which looks at 5 areas of the essay you can use as a guide when shaping your questions for your peer review sessions. Please use these guidelines when planning your discussions with me also.

For more specific assistance, sign up for one-on-one tutoring, another free service. For those of you on other campuses, you can get assistance at the Merritt College’s Writing Center, as well as Laney College’s Writing Labs.

Correction Essays & Essay Narratives
All essay assignments you receive comments on have to be revised prior to resubmission; included with the revision is a student narrative to me regarding your understanding of what needed to be done, that is, a detailed list of the error(s) and its correction; a student can prepare this as a part of the Lab visit, especially if said student is unclear over what steps to take. Cite from a scholarly source the rule and recommendations for its correction.

Students can also visit me in office hours for assistance; again, prepare your questions in advance to best make use of the time. Do not leave class without understanding the comments on a paper. I don’t mind reviewing them with you.

Student Learning Outcomes
English language fluency in writing and reading; a certain comfort and ease with the language; confidence and skillful application of literary skills associated with academic writing. Familiarity if not mastery of the rhetorical styles used in argumentation, exposition and narration will be addressed in this class and is a key student learning outcome (SLO).

We will be evaluating what we know and how we came to know what we know, a field called epistemology or the study of knowledge. Granted, the perspective is western culture which eliminates the values of the majority populations, so-called underdeveloped or undeveloped countries or cultures. Let us not fall into typical superiority traps. Try to maintain a mental elasticity and a willingness to let go of concepts which not only limit your growth as an intelligent being, but put you at a distinct disadvantage as a species.

This is a highly charged and potentially revolutionary process - critical thinking. The process of evaluating all that you swallowed without chewing up to now is possibly even dangerous. This is one of the problems with bigotry; it’s easier to go with tradition than toss it, and create a new, more just, alternative protocol.

More on grades, and portfolio
We will be honest with one another. Grades are not necessarily the best response to work; grades do not take into consideration the effort or time spent, only whether or not students can demonstrate mastery of a skill – in this case: essay writing. Grades are an approximation, arbitrary at best, no matter how many safeguards one tries to put in place to avoid such ambiguity. Suffice it to say, your portfolio will illustrate your competence. It will represent your progress, your success or failure this session in meeting your goal.

In past semesters, students have skipped the portfolio and/or the final. Neither is optional.

Office Hours

I’d like to wish everyone much success. I am available for consultation on Wednesdays, 9:30-11:00 AM and on MW by appointment. I am also available after 3:30 PM Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment. My office is located in the D-216 suite. My campus number is (510) 748-2131, however, I don’t have an office phone number yet. I will share that with students later this month or next. My email again is: coasabirenglish201@gmail.com. Let me know the day before, if possible, when you’d like to meet with me. I am more of a phone person. Texts are fine. Ask me for my cell phone number. I do not mind sharing it with you.

I am a phone person, especially on weekends, so take time to exchange email and phone numbers with classmates (2), so if you have a concern, it can be addressed more expeditiously. Again study groups are recommended, especially for those students finding the readings difficult; don’t forget, you can also discuss the readings as a group in the Lab with a teacher or tutor acting as facilitator.

More on Logs
Keep a vocabulary log for the semester and an error chart (taken from comments on essay assignments). List the words you need to look up in the dictionary, also list where you first encountered them: page, book and definition, also use the word in a sentence. You will turn this in with your portfolio.

Students are expected to complete their work on time. If you need more time on an assignment, discuss this with me in advance, to keep full credit. You lose credit each day an assignment is late and certain assignments, such as in-class essays cannot be made up. All assignments prepared outside of class are to be typed, 12-pt. font, double-spaced lines, indentations on paragraphs, 1-inch margins around the written work. See SPHE.

Cheating

Plagiarism is ethically abhorrent, and if any student tries to take credit for work authored by another person the result will be a failed grade on the assignment and possibly a failed grade in the course if this is attempted again. This is a graded course. There might be an option to take this course C/NC. See Admissions and Records.

Textbooks Recap:

Pollitt, Gary. Craig Baker. Stewart Pidd Hates English: Grammar, Punctuation, and Writing Exercises. California: Attack the Text Publishing, 2008. ISBN: 13: 978-0-9755923-4-2

Shakur, Tupac Amaru. The Rose that Grew from Concrete. Pocket Books. 1999. ISBN: 0-671-02844-2

Jasmine Guy. Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary. Atria Books. 2004. ISBN: 0-7434-7054-0

Dyson, Michael Eric. Holler If You Hear Me. Basic Civitas Books. 2001. ISBN: 0-465-01756-8 (or latest edition)

Hacker, Diana. Rules for Writers. Fourth or Fifth edition. Bedford/St. Martins.
(Required for those students who have completed Pidd.)

Students also need a dictionary. I recommend: The American Heritage Dictionary. Fourth Edition.

The Prepared Student also needs...
Along with a dictionary, the prepared student needs pens with blue or black ink, along with a pencil for annotating texts, paper, a stapler or paper clips, a jump drive to save work from college computers, a notebook, three hole punch, a folder for work-in-progress, and a divided binder to keep materials together.

Also stay abreast of the news. Buy a daily paper. Listen to alternative radio: KPFA 94.1 FM (Hard Knock), KQED 88.5, KALW 91.7. Visit news websites: AllAfrica.com, Al Jazeera, CNN.com, AlterNet.org, DemocracyNow.org, FlashPoints.org, CBS 60Minutes.

The syllabus and course schedule is subject to change, at the instructor's discretion, so stay loose and flexible.

2011-05-18T15:34:00.000-07:00

Today Julien presented his Social Entrepreneur essay. Julien post your abstract and write a self-reflection. Class write a response to Julien on his presentation. what worked well?

Reminder: the essays were due by today. If anyone is missing an essay he or she is not passing the class. Check your email for grades. Everything will be in by or before Monday, May 23.

We will meet in A-232 on Monday to review the portfolio assembly. Today I handed out copies of the portfolio checklist.

2011-05-16T15:26:00.000-07:00

Today in class we started our narrative essay 2. I gave students two chapters from Writing with a Thesis: A Rhetoric and Reader. Tenth Edition, by authors, Sarah E. Skwire and David Skwire. The publisher is Thomson Wadsworth 2008 in Boston, MA.

Students who have not revised or turned in the final two essays: The Book Report and the Social Entrepreneur essays, you have failed the class. The SE essay was due last week.

Portfolio Checklist Draft

2011-05-16T14:32:00.000-07:00

Portfolio Checklist 2011

This checklist can serve as the table of contents. Put a check next to the items to show inclusion in the portfolio. Use as the second page to the portfolio, after the cover sheet. Where there are questions for the section, students can post the answers to the narrative there.

Number the pages with a header.

Name ______________________________
Date ______________________________
Class including class code and semester ____________________
Address _______________________________________
Phone number __________________________________
Email address__________________________________

ENG 201 A
20232 Lec 01:00-02:50 PM MW Sabir D-204

ENG 201 B
20239 Lec 01:00-02:50 PM MW Sabir D-204

Class Meetings: Jan. 24—May 18, 1-2:50

May 23 9 AM to 12 PM A-232
Portfolio assembly workshop _______________

Portfolio Due Date
Portfolios due by Friday, May 27, 12 Noon electronically. Make sure you receive a receipt for your submission. No paper copies, no exceptions.

Grade Justification
What grade do you think you've earned this semester? What evidence supports this conclusion?

1. Portfolio Essay 1 Don't forget to talk about SPHE _______

2. Portfolio Essay 2 __________________

3. Stewart Pidd Hates English _______________

Quizzes: List scores for all:
Punctuating Sentences Quiz A______ Quiz B______; MLA Style Title Quiz ________; MLA Style Format _________; Pronoun AGR ________; Pronoun Case _______; Quotations and Ellipsis Marks Quiz _______; Possessive Nouns and Pronouns ________; Parallel Structure ________; Subject-Verb AGR_______

Essay Exams
Essay Exam 1: Pronoun Case______; Essay Exam 2: Possessives; Essay Exam 3: Parallel Structure __________

For each essay exam, note which errors were chosen and whether or not you had to revise the essay. If you did, what corrections did you make, and why?

Grammar Exams
Grammar Exam 1: Score: ________. Analyze your score. What type of errors did you make?

Grammar Exam 2: Score: ________. Analyze your score. What type of errors did you make?

Other Pidd Essays: Sentence Punctuation ________; Pronoun AGR _________; POV _____; Be-Verb ________; Subject-Verb AGR________.

List scores for all. Analyze your errors. How many revisions? Why?

In-class assignments (type them) ___________
First essay assignment: Write about a woman you admire _________

Half the Sky Portfolio
Post the graded assignments here and fill in the blanks

Planning Sheet, Outline, Thesis _________
First Draft _________
Final Draft Grade __________
Revisions (how many? Grades?) __________

Pidd-type essay grade__________or narrative _______________

Please include in this section peer comments and self-reflections (how many?)_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Half the Sky freewrites (how many?)_______ and reading logs (how many_______(if typed include them) and grade on reading logs ________

War Stories
Poetry of War __________

Book Report
Planning Sheet, Outline, Thesis___________
Final draft grade__________
Revisions__________________
Pidd-type essay grade ____________or Narrative________________

Book Report presentation___________
Peer reviews (how many?)_________________

Book Report Presentations:
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_____________

Social Entrepreneur

Planning _____________
On-line Frontline World (on-line responses 3) Post them here

Library Research sheet _______________(if you did it)
List of sources (5) minimum in MLA format (post here)

Essay: Planning Sheet, Outline, Thesis__________
First Draft (peer review)__________
Final Draft Grade ______________
Revisions _____________
Pidd type essay ________________ or narrative ____________

SE Presentation date ___________
The presentation is a quarter of the grade.

Cyber-Essays:
New Heroes essay responses (Inderjit Khurana, Mimi Silbert . . .), include with SE portfolio.

Other cyber-assignments

Response to introductory letter________
Response to syllabus _________

Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Extra Credit: President's State of the Union Address.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Cyber-Freewrite Response to President Obama's State of the Union

Monday, February 28, 2011
Character Profiles Cyber-Assignment

Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Cyber-Assignment Reflection on Information Literacy

Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Reflections on the Literature Circle

Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Cyber-Assignment: An Interview with Nicholas Kristof

HTS Introduction Summaries
Summaries of the introduction to Half the Sky here. 250 words.

Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Half the Sky: paraphrases and its originals.

Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Cyber-Assignment: February 1, 1902- May 22, 1967, was poet Langston Hughes' birthday. Response to one of his poems. I suggested I Too Sing America.

Extra Credit: Students can turn in a graded essay from another course if the other teacher doesn’t mind. It has to use research and MLA style documentation, so certain courses are not applicable.

Anything else?____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

Teacher research

Can I use your work in presentations and publications? Would you like to be anonymous? If I plan on using your essays or work in a book, I will let you know and share any proceeds.

Yes, I agree.
No, do not use my work.

Final Grade

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

Course Grade_________

Portfolio Essays

2011-05-16T14:15:00.000-07:00

Portfolio Checklist Spring 2011 Draft

Name_____________________________________________
Mailing Address__________________________________
Phone Number_____________________________________
E-mail address___________________________________
Course number and code___________________________

The portfolio narratives (These are essays)

1. The narrative will look at the 18 weeks, the themes we looked at this semester,
women and empowerment.

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

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

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

Additional narrative considerations for the portfolio essay:

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

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

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

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

We will work on portfolio assembly, Monday, May 27, 9-12 noon, in A-232. If there is a final being given there, call me to find our location.

2011-05-09T16:13:00.001-07:00

We are coming into the final stretch (smile). Congratulations! Today we wrote Essay Exam 3: Parallel Structure. Students also completed Grammar Exam 2. We didn't get to the Subject Verb Agreement Essay. Finish the exercises so we can get to it Wednesday.

If you do not understand the emailed Pidd comments, respond with a question, so you can revise the essay. Change the subject line to indicate such.

Bring in your drafts for the Social Entrepreneur essay Wednesday. Students are on their 2-3 revisions of the HTS and book report essays. Some of them are getting better.

If there are too many errors students have to write a Pidd-type essay for their essays.

Details matter. We have three more meetings left. During finals week, I will be around if students want to come in and work on their portfolios which aren't due until the Friday the week of finals.

Bring your Alice Walker handout to class Wednesday for our freewrite.

Cyber-Assignment

2011-04-27T14:45:00.000-07:00

Today we looked at Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank. See http://www.pbs.org/opb/thenewheroes/meet/yunus.html

We watched the New Heroes segment on his life and then developed introductory paragraphs. We looked at inductive and deductive forms of reasoning and came to the conclusion that if we took the premise: Credit is a human right as a thesis, and stated that women are human beings therefore women deserve credit.

The deductive argument form is a syllogism: major premise, minor premise and conclusion.

Post your 4 paragraph-essay here. Each paragraph can be five sentences long.

We began class with a writing workshop where students were able to focus on assignments they were behind on, such as essay exams (Jackie you took the exam home. If a student doesn't complete the exam, he should leave it with me.)

Matt and Julien worked in Pidd on parallel structure templates. They then completed the Parallel Structure Quiz. To make it interesting, we also corrected the errors. Both students did well.

The lecture today was on deductive and inductive reasoning. We talked about logic and thinking and came to the conclusion that argumentative writing has to do with logical or reasonable thinking on a topic.

There are three types of claims or arguments: claims of fact, claims of value and claims of policy. The Grammen Bank example is a claim of policy, because Muhammad Yunus completely changed the way financial institutions look at credit and loans.

Many students are behind, who need to catch up. The problem is the students who are turning essays in late are not writing passing essay, which means they then have to revise the essay again.

The social entrepreneur essay is the final essay. The planning sheet and outline was due today. It is due next week. Bring it to class Wednesday, along with a completed introductory paragraph. Only one student presented his book essay and that was Matt. The plan was for students to present their essays on Monday, but only two students were in class, Kimber and Matt. Try not to miss anymore classes.

Cyber-Assignment

2011-04-11T15:46:00.001-07:00

Today we worked on revising essays, the Half the Sky essays. Homework is to complete the revisions and turn them in electronically with the correction essay or narrative (students have their instructions) by Wednesday, start of class.

We will complete the SPHE Essay Exam 2 or Possessives, for those who have not. for those who have, we will complete the Parallel Structure essay. We will also complete another peer review on the Book Report essay.

Students who turned their HTS in late and those who are on their third revision have to do the correction essay as well. Everything is due Wednesday, April 13, 2011.

We watched Revision Strategies. Students are to post a reflection on what they learned about revision from the film that he or she didn't know before. Also, students are to note what aspects of the revision process were reinforced, that is, the student just needed a reminder of a skill he or she might have stopped using.

Students should not be making any MLA errors in the in-text citations or works cited. There is no excuse for an essay with mi spelled words or any of the errors we have covered in SPHE.

The idea behind Pidd is that students can catch and correct their errors because they have learned to identify errors in Pidd essays.

2011-04-06T13:45:00.001-07:00

We made a bit of progress in class today, several students--half, (only six showed up) were able to complete the Possessives Essay: Essay Exam 2. These three students also completed the Possessives Quiz. We then watched another video about social entrepreneurs, this time, young people in Cuba, who volunteered 50 years ago to teach their country men and women to read and write. This national literacy campaign is explored in the new film, Maestra (Teacher), directed by Catherine Murphy. Visit www.maestrathefilm.org

Some students, those who were behind, also left early, before 2 PM. One student came late and left after half an hour.

The book report essay is due Monday, April 11, 2011. We will meet in A-205. Bring the essay electronically. Presentations are due on Wednesday, April 13, 2011. I will be participating in a poetry reading on Wednesday afternoon. I think at 12:00 noon in the COA Library. Come over if you are on campus (smile).

This weekend The Northern California Book Awards is Sunday, April 10, 2011, 1:00 to 2:30 PM (Awards), 2:30-4 PM is the Book Signing, at the San Francisco Main Library, Koret Auditorium in San Francisco. It is free. Tanim Ansary, Afghan American writer, lecturer, editor, and teacher receives the Fred Cody Lifetime Achievement Award.

Another note is the Special Recognition Award for Indivisible: An Anthology of Contemporary South Asian American Poetry.

If you go and write something about it, you can get extra credit.

Catch up. We only have two essays: Parallel Structure and Subject Verb Agreement left in Pidd. The Social Entrepreneur essay and the portfolio wrap up the rest of the class (smile). The finish line is near.

Some students haven't turned in Half the Sky. If said student was absent today and hasn't spoken to me, drop the class. I received a Half the Sky essay Monday and the student was absent today. The essay received a failing grade.

You cannot turn two essays in at the same time. You cannot revise two big essays at The same time. If you turn in a late essay, it needs to get a passing grade the first time. You have no time to revise. That opportunity is gone, which means if you have a failing grade on any of the big essays: Half the Sky, Book Report or Social Entrepreneur, you fail the class.

I am getting 2-3 Pidd essays at once. I am not taking Half the Sky and the Book Report essay at the same time.

2011-03-30T16:43:00.000-07:00

I am trying to leave and at 4:45 I am still here (smile). Today we touched on a lot of topics: Topical Invention, Revision Strategies, (both handouts), the Book Report Essay plan due on Monday, Be-Verb Essays, and the Be-Verb Quiz. We also reviewed the rest of the questions in the Writing with a Thesis handout up to the example of thesis sentences in driving directions. Bring this handout to class as well, along with your completed Library Research Guide. At this point students should know who their social entrepreneur is. If you need help, let me know.

Students did really well on the Be-Verb Quiz.

Many students are have not completed their books, but students seem to be further along than Monday. Even if you have a few pages or chapters left, bring in an Initial Planning Sheet and tentative outline Monday. Students should also bring in their books reviews and any support materials.

Topical Invention

We began by looking at themes in the two titles: Sula and The Kite Runner. We then as a freewrite developed sentences that responded to questions: what is it/what was it; what is it like or unlike; what caused it, did it cause, will it cause; what does an authority say about it, to develop definitions, analogies, consequences, and testimony.

Bring in your sentences developed using Topical Invention Monday and today: analogies, definitions, consequences and testimony. Use one of these sentences as your thesis and the others as topic sentences in your outline.

The Be-Verb essay should be emailed to me by Monday or sooner. Keep working through Pidd. The next three essays will be written in class. Two are exams, the last essay, Subject-Verb, we will just write here to ease the pressure on you (smile). So just prepare the templates, type and email to yourself.

Next week we will start Possessives.

Revision Narratives

For the revisions to the Half the Sky essays, you have one week to return the revised essay. Also, please include with the essay a narrative explaining what changed between the drafts, what you did to merit my reading it again.

If a student makes more than three errors, depending on what they are, the writer might have to write a correction essay.

2011-03-21T23:16:00.000-07:00

Scroll down for Mimi Silbert Cyber-Assignment

Frontline World: Engaged Citizenry Cyber-Assignment

2011-03-21T22:45:00.000-07:00

Frontline World Cyber-Assignment Post(s)
Visit http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/socialentrepreneurs.html

Respond to 3 stories from Wednesday, March 23 to April 18. Bring in headphones for the computer. Post your Frontline World Responses (3) on the blog.

Answer the following questions in your response to the program.

Outline:

1.Who is the social entrepreneur profiled?
2.What problem did the person profiled identify?
3.What is the name of the organization they started?
4.Describe their relationship to the community that they serve?
5 Why did the person decide to address this issue?
6.What is the local component?
7.How does the community own the process?

Social Entrepreneur Essay Assignment

2011-03-21T22:31:00.000-07:00

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.

Define "social," "entrepreneur," and "philanthropy." This should be a part of your introduction. A philanthropist gives money to worthy causes. A entrepreneur is a business person. A social entrepreneur is a business person whose business creates social good and economic development in a community where poverty was a barrier to its financial growth. Use the library handout to flush out the difference between the two and to assist you in your research process tomorrow.

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 a woman. 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 5-10 years (the length of time is negotiable; see me).

You need to locate 5 sources on your subject to form a bibliography; you only have to cite three (3). The sources can be published or broadcast interviews, books, articles, and films. You can also interview the subject 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); 3 pages English 201. This does not include the works cited page or bibliography.

English 201 Social Entrepreneur Due Dates:

Essay: Planning Sheet, Outline, Thesis due Monday, April 25 __________
First Draft Wednesday, April 27 (peer reviews)__________
Second Peer Review, Monday, May 2 __________
Final Draft due via email, May 4, (during class time: appointments with professor to check off essay______________

Presentations: May 9

Supplementary Assignments

On-line Frontline World (on-line responses 3) Start Wednesday, March 23-finish by April 18 _______

Library Research sheet: Monday, March 21-Monday, March 28_______________
Website Evaluation completed (worksheet) April 13 (in-class) _____________
List of sources (5) minimum in MLA format due Monday, April 25 (share in class)

Book Report Assignment

2011-03-21T22:27:00.000-07:00

Published Book Review Cyber-Assignment

Bring in a published book review for your book Wednesday, March 23, to share with your group. The cyber-assignment will be to post a summary here, after class. If anyone wants to post the assignment early, this is fine as well. If the review or interview with an author is on NPR, they transcribe their broadcast interviews.

Book Report Essay Assignment

2011-03-21T22:18:00.000-07:00

The theme is friendship. How does each story define and defend the notion of friendship: its responsibilities and its benefits.

Usually I let students chose their own books, this time I gave students a choice between three titles: The Pact, The Kite Runner, and Sula.

For each essay, students need to find two articles from one of the three: a published book review or analysis, and for the author, 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) or third, an article that addresses one of the themes in the book. Include both sources in your works cited page, which means the writer has to cite the text in a direct quote or paraphrase.

The essay will be 3-4 pages and in it you will summarize your book’s major themes and analyze them. If the book is an autobiography or a memoir tell us how the author came to write it and if this is his or her first book.

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. If you would like the college to make copies, give me a copy of the abstract Monday, April 4, 2011. We will meet in A-205 on Monday, April 4. Make sure your essay and all support documents (planning) are digitized.

Book Report

Planning Sheet, Outline, Thesis April 4___________
First Draft April 6___________
Final Draft due April 11 via email____________
Presentations: Wednesday, April 6 & Monday, April 11___________

The presentation is a quarter of the grade for this assignment

Essay 3 Social Entrepreneur Cyber-Assignment

2011-03-21T18:52:00.000-07:00

Today we reviewed Point of View from SPHE Essay 3. Two students came to class with completed exercises. They completed POV Grammar Quiz, everyone else will have an opportunity to complete the quiz on Wednesday.

We also reviewed the Pidd essay. Homework is to complete the essay for Wednesday. Bring it in.

We then watched one of the programs from The New Heroes. See http://www.pbs.org/opb/thenewheroes/meet/

Mimi Silbert, Delancy Street, is the program we watched. Afterward we examined what we knew about her and the organization in relationship to what we defined as social entrepreneur per Robert Redford, program series host. At the series website there is a brief description of the program and a bio on Mimi Silbert. If students are interested in Delancy Street Foundation, visit the foundation website.

CyberAssignment
Write a three paragraph response to the episode in response to the question: what is a social entrepreneur and how does Mimi Silbert, Delancy Street Foundation, exemplify this?

Start doing your research re: the person you want to profile in an essay on a social entrepreneur. I will give students a copy of the assignment Wednesday, March 23, 2011.

Students were asked to bring their books to class on Wednesday and to read the first 3-4 chapters in The Pact and The Kite Runner. Only one person said she was reading Sula. There needs to be at least two people reading a book. If anyone besides Dina is reading Sula, let us know, otherwise Dina, choose one of the other books to read. Post your selection here.

On Wednesday, March 23, 2011, bring earphones. We are going to watch a Frontline World program on Social Entrepreneurs.

We closed with a couple of poems from the collection: http://www.poetsagainstthewar.org/ The poems I read were: Speaking: The Hero by Felix Pollak and NO by Joy Harjo, Honolulu, HI, 2003

2011-03-17T14:05:00.001-07:00

Other Announcement: Free Medical Check-ups

April 1-4 in Sacramento
April 9-12 at the Oakland Coliseum

Free medical, dental and vision services. Details on-line at RAM website: http://www.ramusa.org/expeditions/schedule.htm

Remote Active Medical, an organization that provides free services to the unemployed, under served, uninsured, under insured, and those who cannot afford to pay for these services.

Arrive at 3:30 AM to get a number.

Patients will be seen from 5 AM to late afternoon, early evening. The organization can also use volunteers.

2011-03-14T15:41:00.000-07:00

Today we completed Essay Exam 1: Pronoun Case and the 50 questions, Grammar Exam 1.

I hope to get them back to you by Wednesday. Students should not make any mistakes in their papers we've gone over in Pidd. If you do, you might find yourself writing an essay about the errors (smile).

Students who didn't complete the Essay Exam need to make arrangement with me to do so. We had an emergency drill. Half the class was gone before we found out it was a drill, that there was no real threat. I think our time was good.

Some students were working on their essays when the alarm went off. Of those students, you left before you received the Initial Planning Sheet and the essay assignment, which is posted on the blog.

Bring in a completed essay and definitely a completed IPS and outline for Wednesday. We will have a peer review using Microsoft Comment. The final draft is due Monday, March 21, 2011.

The Initial Planning Sheet asks these questions:

1. What is the subject of your paper?
2. Is your purpose primarily to inform, explain, explore, evaluate, describe a problem and propose a solution, or argue a point?
3. What audience will you write for?
4. What question do you want your essay to answer?
5. What is the main writing strategy will you use: Description, process or causal analysis, compare/contrast, problem/solution, classification, evaluation or argument are some of the possibilities.

Ask for a handout which includes a completed example.

Next Assignment
Bring the book you plan to read for the book report essay to class on Monday, March 21. You have three to choose from: The Pact, Sula and The Kite Runner. The theme is friendship.

While you are reading the book, we will be talking about the Social Entrepreneur essay. We will also read a play, Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, and complete a collection of poetry, with the theme of war. We also from time to time read from We Are the Ones We've Been Waiting For by Alice Walker.

Oh and we can't forget Pidd. I will return your essays tomorrow with grades. Keep working on the next essay; it is Point of View.

Homework
Homework is to bring in a completed essay with the Initial Planning Sheet completed and an outline. Keep working in SPHE. Do the exercises.

Read Everything

2011-03-09T16:25:00.000-08:00

Posts

Students are not posting the character profiles and essay assignments connected to these profiles in the right place. The character profiles are to be posted February 28, 2011, blog comment. No one posted their two profiles here.

The 3-paragraph essay is posted in the right place. Post the homework for today (another 3-paragraph essay) there as well.

I have posted five (5) comments this afternoon; scroll to the end and read forward (or up).

Some students left before I could return your Pidd essays. I can email your grades to you if I have your email addresses which I have for most of you. If I am missing an address I will call you. Since I don't have an office I can't leave the essays anywhere for you to pick them up. I am on campus Thursday if you want to call me an get the graded work.

2011-03-09T16:15:00.000-08:00

Essay Assignment 1: Half the Sky
English 201 Spring 2011
W. Sabir

Each question needs to look at Half the Sky as a resource, of course, and then use one article or other media (like a film) outside the book to support the movement (thinking) of these issues outward. Students could also 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 (1 per page); 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. 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.

Questions (Choose 1)

1. Identify three women who prove the authors’ thesis or purpose for writing the book. Be sure to state that thesis in your argument.

2. How do WuDunn and Kristof define empowerment using the lives of women in their book, Half the Sky?

3. Choose one or more of the successful interventions in women and girls lives that save and improve lives WuDunn and Kristof cite in Half the Sky. Use profiles of women cited by the authors to prove your point.

4. Though Half the Sky is a book that is uplifting and oppressing at the same time. This is one of the criticisms students have cited in the past when critiquing the text. Talk about the authors use of emotional appeals to convince. Do you ever feel manipulated and if so, where in the text is this more evident than elsewhere? Is manipulation ever fair to an audience? Why or why not?

Half the Sky DUE DATES:

Homework is to finish reading Half the Sky and think about which question you'd like to write your essay on. The first draft of the essay will be due, Wednesday, March 16, 2011 with planning sheet and outline. The final draft will be due by Monday, March 21 with notes.

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

Synthetica or Pronoun AGR

2011-03-09T15:56:00.000-08:00

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).

Watch Films By Women in the Muslim World

2011-03-09T15:31:00.000-08:00

http://womensvoicesnow.org/watch These films reinforce themes in Half the Sky. If you want to use any of these films as evidence to support your claims feel free to do so. We'd have to talk about how to cite multimedia sources.

Assignments

2011-03-09T14:55:00.000-08:00

Today in class we reviewed Pronoun Case or Synthetica. Students who had not completed the exercises, worked on those during class. We all tried our hands at the Pronoun Agreement Quiz. Most students did well.

Homework is to email three completed templates to oneself and paste the same. Make sure there is a heading and a header. We'll meet in A-205 and complete the essay exam and Grammar Exam 1.

Keep working in Pidd. The next essay is Point of View.

Homework is to finish reading Half the Sky and think about which question you'd like to write your essay on. I will post the questions in a separate link. The first draft of the essay will be due, Wednesday, March 16, 2011 with planning sheet and outline. The final draft will be due by Monday, March 21 with notes.

Other homework is to write another 3-paragraph essay and post at the link for Monday. Profile a different woman. The question is the same.

Independent Reading Project on Friendship
If you want to purchase your book from the COA bookstore, they are returning them this week: The Pact and Kite Runner. I guess the store didn't purchase Sula. The next assignment is the silent reading and book report.

Due Dates: This assignment or essay will be due April 11 with Planning Sheet & Outline; Second peer review April 13. Final draft due April 13-15.

Social Entrepreneur Essay
Social Entrepreneur Essay is due May 2, 2011 with Planning Sheet & Outline. Second Peer Review due May 4. Final draft due May 5-9. Presentations Monday, May 9 and Wednesday, May 11. Portfolios workshops May 16 & 18 (last day of class).

Portfolios due via e-mail by May 27, 12 noon. You can submit them anytime May 23-27, 2011 to coasabirenglish201@gmail.com Make sure you always paste and attach the documents.

Recap and Cyber Assignments

2011-03-07T15:42:00.000-08:00

There are assignments posted here that students have not responded to. Take for example the Library Assignment which most students attended about two weeks ago. Only one student posted a reflection.

Only a few students gave Professor David Sparks the completed research assignment. Turn it in to him, it is going to be counted.

Character Profiles
The character profiles started last week are not posted. Students were to complete two. Post those profiles. Today in class we reviewed "ellipsis marks," "pronoun case" and "quotation marks."

Quizzes
Students took two quizzes, Pronoun AGR and Ellipsis Marks and Quotation Marks. Wednesday, March 9, 2011, the plan is to complete the Pronoun Case Quiz and Essay Exam 1 or Synthetica. Next week students will take Grammar Exam 1.

Come on time Wednesday. Essay Exam 1 is your midterm.

Half the Sky & Women's History Month Skit
Wednesday we will also look at a few more of the women profiled in Half the Sky. International Women's Day is tomorrow, so to celebrate IWD, on Wednesday, March 30, 2011, students will write skits to perform in class based on Half the Sky.

We will discuss writing the essay for the book on Wednesday, March 9, 2011, as well.

Cyber-Assignment
Today in class as individuals and in pairs, students wrote three paragraph essays based on one of the women profiled. The exercise is how to integrate citations into one's text.

Each paragraph is to have a citation. The first paragraph which is to introduce the character. Tell us about the woman. Where is she from? What is her level of education? How is her health? And what events precipitate her troubles?

Paragraph two (2) is where you go into details about the problem.

Paragraph three (3) is where you indicate what event triggers the woman's decision to change the situation so that she is no longer a victim. Describe this moment and how she takes charge. You also can show how this stance benefits not just the woman but her family or community. Also indicate the long term systemic changes, if any. What are the consequences -- short and long term results of this action?

Feel free to use terms like "brave" and "courageous," "selfless" and "fearless."

After you have written the three paragraphs or your outline, look in the book for examples from the text that prove your point more eloquently than you could write it yourself. A lot of time, a great citation or quote is letting the subject speak for herself.

I told students five (5) sentences per paragraph or four original sentences and a citation per paragraph. Don't forget the in-text parenthetical citations. Also, don't forget to mention the authors and the book Half the Sky in your introduction.

Use 1 paraphrase, 1 short citation, and one long citation (5+ lines or a block quote. Pay attention to the signal phrase, that is, how you introduce the quote. Look at the authors in half the Sky; notice how smoothly they integrate other voices into their writing. It is seamless--the citations never jar or interrupt the flow of the narrative.

Post your three paragraphs here sometime Tuesday before 8 PM.

SPHE Pronoun AGR Essay
Make sure you email Pronoun AGR before 8 PM as well Tuesday, March 8, 2011.

We are behind, but the train is not stopping (smile). Catch up, especially on the reading. Bring your notes to class. Wednesday, we will not have a lot of time to spend on Half the Sky.

Students will have seven templates to complete in Pidd on the Pronoun Case or Synthetica Essay, plus write the essay.

I am going to give students the first hour to complete all the templates and 30 minutes to write the essay exam. Come on time. We will then have 15-20 minutes to discuss Half the Sky essays which are due the following week.

Character Profiles Cyber-Assignment

2011-02-28T15:04:00.000-08:00

In class we started our character studies. Students were to choose 2-3 women from Half the Sky and make a list of their characteristics. I handed out brainstorming worksheets and another sheet to take the ideas and put them into essay form (don't worry about that sheet now).

Post your Character Profiles (min 2) here.

The question is what is an empowered woman look like? I am being both figurative and literal. Are empowered women born or do circumstances make this choice inevitable?

Answer these questions in a commentary about the women you choose to profile her.

In Half the Sky, some women profiled do not live up to their own and others in the community, such as family, Nick or other supporters, expectations.

What does that say to you about these women? Do you think they are weak? What do the authors say? Is the opposite of empowered, "weak" or is the contrast between the two more complex? Why or why not?

We spent the bulk of the class reviewing the section in Pidd on Pronoun AGR. The essay is due Wednesday. E-mail it to yourself. We will complete the peer review.

In Half the Sky we are up to chapter 11 this week, next week we complete the book and work on developing a topic to write about. Next week we will also complete Pronoun Case--the Midterm Essay and Grammar Exam 1. On Wednesday, we will take the Pronoun AGR and Ellipsis Quizzes.

We have a lot more books to read so we can't stay in Half the Sky indefinitely (smile). If you are behind, catch up. Bring both books and the Alice Walker, We Are the Ones We've Been Waiting For handout to class as well.

Borders in Alameda is closing and all the books are on sale.

We had a library orientation last week with Professor David Sparks. He gave us five handouts. If you'd like the assignment ask him for it. After you complete the assignment, give it to him to grade. Put my name on it as well, so he can return it to me. It was due today, so get it to him by Wednesday.

Cyber-Assignment Reflection on Information Literacy

2011-02-23T16:17:00.000-08:00

1. Share three new investigative strategies you learned today to help you in your academic studies.

2. Why is information literacy so important today, not just for students, but for everyone?

3. What was invaluable about today's library orientation? Share something that changes the way you look at libraries, librarians, books, computers or databases, the World Wide Web.

4. Have you used any of the academic services yet in the LRC or Learning Resources Center? Did you know it was upstairs? What service do you plan investigating first?

The library assignment is due Monday.

Homework is to continue in Pidd--verb phrases and pronoun case. We will review exercises on Monday. In Half the Sky, we are up to Chapter 11 next week March 3. We will look at signal phrases, block quotes, develop character profiles.

Develop ideas for topics. Bring both books to class. I returned a lot of the Sentence Punctuation Essays. Most essays did not have a peer review. It's really important to have the peer review before turning the paper in. I will get to the essays emailed to me before this weekend with comments. So far, only one student passed his Essay 1 the first go round.

If you have questions call me and don't forget I am around everyday from 8 AM on M-Th. Did you know that the library offers a class on information literacy which is transferable to fulfill the California State University graduation requirement. Ask Professor Sparks or another librarian about it.

Free Theatre Production at Laney College Feb. 19, 2011

2011-02-16T15:38:00.000-08:00

On Saturday at Laney College there is a free theatre performance, I think at 2 PM. the play is currently on stage at the Magic Theatre in San Francisco and is for mature audience only. If you attend and write a short response or review, you can have extra credit. Visit http://magictheatre.org/ to read about the play.

Saturday is also the 26th Annual Empowering Women of Color Conference at UC Berkeley in the MLK Jr. Student Center. Visit http://ewocc.berkeley.edu/

Also this weekend, Saturday-Sunday, February 19-20, 2011, is a People's Tribunal on Racism and Police Violence at Edna Brewer Middle School. Visit http://www.eastsideartsalliance.com/

Recap

2011-02-16T12:09:00.000-08:00

Today we completed the Sentence Punctuation Quiz. There was a possible 20/20. If you didn't do well, that is, miss less than 5 total, you need to review the exercises in the chapter.

A great website for grammar exercises is: http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/rules6e/Player/pages/Main.aspx

Essay 1
Essay 1 in Stewart Pidd, Sentence Punctuation. We took a 20 question Quiz. Most students had to revisit the exercises. There was a lot of confusion; however, I think students are clearer now on how to complete the templates.

Students paired up for the balance of the class and completed the templates for the errors and for the introduction and conclusion. Before submitting the essay on-line by 12 noon Tuesday, February 22, to coasabirenglish201@gmail.com

Please have a classmate or friend answer the questions on the Peer Review sheet. If it is a classmate, they are to then grade you and write a short justification for the grade. If the grade is not 100 percent, revise the essay before submitting it to me. You will give me the Proofreading Assignment on Wednesday.

When sending the essay, make sure you paste it and attach it. Indicate the assignment and the date in the subject line of the email.

We are meeting in the COA library next Wednesday at 1 PM for an assignment and orientation with Professor Davis Sparks. Homework for the long holiday weekend is to continue reading Half the Sky and writing your logs. Also start Pronoun Agreement exercises when you submit Essay 1. It is the next section. Don't forget to complete the exercises on titles and ellipses (Part 3).

We will check-in briefly next week, but most of the time will be taken up with the Library Orientation. Bring your books to class that day.

Essay 4 is an in-class essay, we'll probably get to two weeks from now. I am in A-232 from 11-12 and 1-2 Thursday, February 17, 2011. You can call me if you can't find it. I am in A-232 from 8-11 AM. I might not be able to help you much, but you are welcome to come sit in my English 1A classes tomorrow.

If there are any questions over the long weekend, call me. I am around Thursday from 11-12 and after 12 until 1 PM in A-232. You can drop by with questions or to work.

Reflections on the Literature Circle

2011-02-09T15:03:00.000-08:00

If you were able to participate in the Lit Circle this afternoon, reflect on the process, what you liked and especially how it helped you go deeper into the material. Dis the discussion affect how you plan to approach the material next time? How does discussion help one better one's reading?

Don't forget to keep a reading log and to keep reading when there is extra time in your schedule. Do not get behind in the reading. The deadlines have to be firm, otherwise students will not have enough time to read the next selections.

We decided to push the Pidd essay: Sentence Punctuation to next Wednesday. Complete the templates. If you missed Monday and were behind today, I am around on Thursdays in A-232 between 10-11 and 12-1. I am here everyday except Friday. Call me and I can tell you where I am on Monday and Wednesday mornings. Also, I am around on Wednesday after class and can make myself available on Monday after class as well.

Cyber-Assignment: An Interview with Nicholas Kristof

2011-02-09T13:54:00.000-08:00

This is a link to an interview with Nicholas Kristof. We watched some of this interview in class. Reflect on the interview in light of what you have read so far. What is the impact of hearing directly from an author? What did you learn about Kristof or Half the Sky that you didn't already know? What impressed you most about his comments. Try to cite it in a paraphrase.

http://www.imow.org/economica/stories/viewStory?storyId=4719

Bring headphones to class on Wednesdays.