Our First Essay

1.  Turn in your crane, if you have it, plus the thinking skills questions you answered from another.

2.  Attendance!

3.  Journal:  Tell me a story about the time you were most embarrassed.

4.  Notes-- TAP, Writing Process, No way mistakes, Narrative to dos.

TAP:

Topic--  What it's about---  Interesting to others.
Audience-- Who it's for-- It's for a general audience.
Purpose-- Why it's being written.  It could be to entertain, explain, etc.

6-Traits (of grading/writing)

Some educators got together and decided that good writing is made up of these 6 things.  There's no way great writing can be boiled down into a list, but this is a passable way to teach and grade writing, and it's a also a pretty good framework for understanding the beginning.

Voice:                                Personality in your writing.
Ideas and Content:            Important/Interesting topics and support of those topics.
Conventions:                    Grammar
Word Choice:                   Choosing the best word. 
Sentence Fluency:           A good mix of short and long sentences.
Organization:                   A good plan for your essay.

Writing Process-  Steps we follow to make a successful paper, in this order:

Invention:      Creating ideas.  We use a journal, tv, radio, friends, etc. ( Ideas and Content)
Organize:       This is planning out our ideas in some type of logical order.  (Organization)
                       Use an outline, word web, or list.
Draft:             This a practice essay.  It's our first try- don't worry about gram errors  (Voice)
Revise:          To re-look.  Look again at sentences, organization, ideas, etc. ( Word choice, Sentence F)
Edit:               Finding and fixing grammatical/syntactical errors. ( Conventions)
Publish:         Publish means perfect.  No editing mistakes. ( We're done!)

No Way Mistakes:

a.  Tense shift.  I love to eat when I was hungry.

b.  PNA-    Someone who is cool has all the tricks; they know how to...

c.  VTA-  I loves to eat.

d.  Comma Splice: (CS) I love to eat, I love to cook.

e.  Run on:  I love to eat I love to cook.

f.  Parallelism:  I love to ride my bike, walk the dog, and watching movies

Narrative To Dos

Do:  Start en media res:  In the middle of the action.
Do:  Tell a story we care about/are interested in.
Do:  Have a beginning, middle, end, and (maybe) a moral.
Do:  Be human.

Don't:  Be egotistic:  we don't care about your 8th grade wrestling championship, you do.
Don't:  Start with all the background.  Start in the middle of the story!
Don't:  Write about your kids. 
Don't:  Try to make yourself sound amazing-- Be yourself.

5.  Model--  Sample essay taken through the first part of the process.  Notes on board...

6.  HW-  Post a picture of your crane on your blog and write blog entry that corresponds with it.

7.  HW-  Read this narrative...   And, This narrative..

8.  HOMEWORK:   Return to class with a typed draft of your own narrative.

9.  Next class, become a grader and a pretty good editor.

Blog and Self Presentations

1.  Please place your thinking skill questions on the front desk.

2.  Journal:  Tell me a story about yourself that will make me laugh.

3.  Self-presentations... on your new blog!

4.  HW:  Answer another's thinking skill questions from class about Mother Tongue.

5.  What's coming up... Our first writing assignment....

6.  HOMEWORK:  Follow these directions and complete your ORIGAMI CRANE masterpiece!

Thinking Skills Continued

1.  Please place your thinking skill questions on the front desk.  These are the questions about "Fish Cheeks."

1.5  Retuning Essays... Good Job!

1.7  Attendance!
 
2.  Journal:

When presenting in front of others, do you feel nervous?  (I do.)  How can you use the thinking skills to take away that nervousness?

3.  Presentations...Model.

4.  Homework for next class:  take another classmates thinking skill questions about "Fish Cheeks" home and complete the questions.

5.  Homework:  Read "Mother Tongue" by Amy Tan and create 10 more thinking skill questions for another to read.

6.  Homework:  Create a blog on www.blogger.com and introduce yourself. Please take time to design your blog the way you would like it.   Ask yourself 5 thinking skill questions and answer them on the blog.  Be ready to present your thinking skill questions, blog, and self-interview to the class next time we meet.

Thinking Skills Definitions

Thinking Skills

Analyze:               To determine the nature and parts…

Compare:            To point out similarities

Contrast:              To point out differences

Connect:              To place in relationship to something else

Clarify:                 To make clear

Distinguish:         To determine the differences between two things.

Elaborate:            To provide greater detail and length.

Explain:               To make understandable

Evaluate:              To determine the worth.

Infer:                    To determine based on evidence

Identify:               To name

Define:                 To determine the essential qualities of something.

Predict:                To point out a future occurrence.

Interpret:             To tell in other words

Summarize:         To tell a short version

Synthesize:           To combine into something new.

Thinking Skills Introduction

-1.  Attendance!

0. Please turn in your HW assignment to the front desk.

1.  Journal:

Have you ever thought something, believed something to be absolutely true, and then discovered you were wrong?  What happened?  How did you figure out you were wrong?  What lesson did you learn from this experience?

2.  Thinking Skills quiz... 

3.  Thinking Skills Vocabulary terms...  NOTES. 

4.  Homework!

Thinking skill interviews, partners, presentations due for next class.

5.  Homework!

Reading  Assignment-  For this assignment, you have to read the attached essay and create 10 questions or writing prompts that utilize 10 different thinking skills.

EX:  1.  Identify the narrator.
        2.  Connect this story with one of your own experiences....

Syllabus

Instructor:       Eric Berge

E-MAIL:         eric.berge@phoenixcollege.edu

Office Hours:  Monday and Wednesday: 3:30-5:00/Tuesday and Thursday: 2:00-4:00/B-149

Course:	Eng 081			Semester:	Spring ‘13
Number:	20604			Time:	5:40-6:55
Day(s):	Mon/Wed			Location:	E-217/B-121

Attendance Policy:

Class attendance is expected in accordance with the current college catalog. Excessive

unexcused absences may result in withdrawal from the course or a lower grade.

.

** It will be solely at the discretion of the instructor if the student will be withdrawn from the class based on the circumstances surrounding the absences. **

Note

In the event of an instructor absence, the class will meet virtually and complete assignments provided on the class blog.  Please check your e-mail and our class blog prior to each class period to ensure you are prepared for class.

Paper Format Guidelines:

• Final drafts should be typed or computer printed.  If you do not have a computer at home, try the Computer Commons in the lower level of the library.
• Final drafts must be double-spaced with one-inch margins.
• Use a 12-point font – no script or other fancy stuff.  Times Roman is a safe bet.
• Place your name, section number, genre, and date at the top of the first page—no cover sheet is necessary.
• We’ll use MLA format in this class.

Grading: 

Grades are based on a portfolio system.  At the end of the course, students will meet with the instructor to review the assigned essays and the final project in portfolio form.  The portfolio consists of work you complete in and out of class, including drafts, essays, journals, notes, and other marginalia.  When you meet with the instructor, the instructor will review your portfolio and assign a grade based on the portfolio rubric.

Each essay and the final project are worth 20 points.  The total possible points in class equal 100.

So, if students earn 90-100 points, they earn an A.

80-89 points = B

70-79 points = C

60-69 points = D

<60 = F.

Grades:

A—Excellent

N—Audit

B—Above Average

P—Pass

C—Average

Z—No Credit

D—Passing

I—Incomplete

F—Failure

W—Withdrawn/Passing

Y—Withdrawn/Failing

Objectives/Course Description

Emphasis on preparation for college-level composition with a focus on foundational skills. Establishing effective writing strategies through six or more writing projects comprising at least 1500 words in total. Prerequisites: Appropriate writing placement test score or a grade of "C" or better in ENG071 or ESL077, or permission of Department or Division.

MCCCD Official Course Competencies:

1. Describe the contextual nature of writing, including the importance of circumstance, purpose, topic, audience and writer. (I)

2. Organize writing to support a central idea through unity, coherence, and logical development. (I, II, III, IV)

3. Use conventions in writing complete sentences, using appropriate grammar, and using mechanics. (II, IV)

4. Use conventions in writing, including consistent voice, tone, and diction. (II, IV)

5. Recognize effective and appropriate ideas. (II, III)

6. Craft a variety of sentence types. (II, IV)

7. Recognize and implement steps in the writing process for sentence and paragraph projects, including prewriting, drafting, and editing for unity and coherence. (I, II, IV)

8. Use feedback obtained from peer review, instructor comments and/or other resources to revise writing. (II)

9. Assess one's own writing strengths and identify strategies for improvement through instructor conference, portfolio review, written evaluation, and/or other methods. (II)

10. Generate, format, edit, and deliver writing using appropriate technology. (II, IV)

Course Work: 

Course work consists of keeping a writing journal, completing class exercises including quizzes, taking tests, group oral presentations, computer work, and writing and revising papers.  Certain requirements may vary from the syllabus to meet the needs of the group.  You will be required to work on meet with tutors and complete computer exercises on your own time.

Accommodations for Diagnosed Learning Needs:

Students with special, diagnosed learning needs should meet with me as soon as possible to

arrange for reasonable accommodations.  For more information, please call the DSS office at (602) 285-7486 or (602) 285-7477 V/TDD.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND CLASSROOM COURTESY:

In addition to academic performance, students are expected to demonstrate honesty and integrity. All submissions by a student are expected to be the original work of the submitting student. Materials that in any way violate this requirement, or otherwise constitute any form of dishonesty, cheating, fabrication, the facilitation of academic dishonesty, and/or plagiarism, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course with appropriate disciplinary action. All students are expected to act professionally at all times.

SYLLABUS STATEMENT OF CIVILITY: PROMOTING A POSITVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

To establish a positive learning environment for this class:

As an instructor, I am expected to be professional, courteous, respectful, and empathetic to students and to:

Begin and end class on time

Be prepared for each class session

Provide academic feedback and grade assignments in timely manner

Be available for individual consultation

Clarify assignments and inform students of any adjustments to the class schedule

As a student, you are expected to be reflective, courteous, respectful, and empathetic to

classmates, the instructor, and other college staff assisting you in your learning and to:

Be in class and be on time

Be prepared for class sessions

Participate in class activities

Follow instructions and complete assignments

Keep up with and turn in assignments by the due dates

Put forth your best effort

Ask questions when you don’t understand

Maintain Knowledge of your grade status

Contact your instructor right away about concerns or situations that interfere with your success

in class

Comply with policies found in College catalog and student handbook

SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY

Everyone in this class, including the instructor, must adhere to PC policies:

“…provide an educational, employment, and business environment free of unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal and/or physical conduct or communications constituting sexual harassment as defined and otherwise prohibited by state and federal law.”

For additional information, please check P.C.’s General Catalog & Student Handbook.

technology Requirements

For this course, you will need a working email address and access to the Internet.  Internet access can be from school, home, or work.  ·         If you do not have an email account, you can get one for free at www.yahoo.com or http://www.msn.com/ (under Hotmail) or a number of other sources. The IT Help Desk can also provide support and assistance with your technology needs and questions.   For 24/7 help with Blackboard, call the help desk. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

 

 

Tentative Schedule

(Subject to change due to the needs of the class.)

Week 1

                        Diagnostic/What’s Good Writing/Narratives/Thinking Skills/Reading Strategies

Week 2

                        Writing Process and Narrative Drafts.  Grammar Review.

Week 3

                        Writing Process Continued, Narratives Due, Peer Editing.

Week 4

                        Genre Writing, Descriptive Essay Reading and Drafting.

Week 5

                        Descriptive Essays, Cont.      

Week 6

                        College Writing.  Reading and Writing from sources.

Week 7

                        Contrastive Essay…. Sources, cont.

Week 8

                        Contrastive, Cont.

Week 9

                        Argument, Reading and Drafting.

Week 10

                        Argument, Cont.

Week 11

                        Literary Essays… reading and Drafting….

Week 12

                        Lit Essays, Cont.

Week 13

                        Portfolio and Drafting

Week 14

                        Portfolio and Drafting

Week 15

                        Portfolio and Drafting and Conferences

Week 16         Confrences

                       
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Syllabus Statement of Understanding:

I, ______________________________, understand and agree to abide by all the terms in the syllabus.

Date:_______________