Today four students presented their essays on fiction: Erica, Nicole, Amy, and Itzel. Tuesday, Dec. 1--World AIDS Day, we will finish with Ilene and Doris. I really liked how Amy weaved her narrative into a presentation that covered the topics: graffiti, women in hip hop, DJing, and fiction. She used multimedia: projector, images of how graffiti is perceived by difference audiences, footage on Queen Latifah (the woman she profiled in her Women in Hip Hop); video footage from the concert she attended on DJing and Smashing or technological sampling vs.scratching. With notes Amy briefly surveyed the history of DJing in a couple of sentences--I saw a couple of nods from Erica and Jermaine who also presented this semester on this topic and from other students know a little something more now that the semester is over about hip hop culture and could appreciate the presenters facility with the material.
Amy's posters were also great. Itzel is the poster diva and for the past two presentation had no visuals, but Amy tried her hand at doing a tag very successfuly with her new motto: BOUNCE BACK. She also had these lovely posters of women --big women, full-sized black women whom historically not seen as beautiful have been empowered by the bold persona of a Queen Latifah.
There seemed to be a thread running through the entire presentation today and that was life is a journey and this journey is bumpy and ugly and hard, but art can make it, the ugly parts, beautiful too--though maybe only when one is on the other side.
Scars heal and injuries are sometimes preventable, especially if one lets oneself live vicariously through the personas created by artists for our consumption. But if surprised or caught off guard, we should remember that life does go on and art often is the way through which we find the space to smile again when we thought that impossible.
Nicole also weaved her personal narrative into her presentation on "The Dying Ground." It was great seeing how well she and Erica chose the same novel, yet developed such different claims. For Erica the novel was personal in that it took place where she lived as a child --the protagoinist went to her high school, and she knew people just like the fictional characters.
One of the qualities of good writing is honesty. Obviously Nichelle Tramble created honest characters, characters readers not only cared about, they believed in them.
Nicole spoke about how well the author, a woman, used a male voice. She also spoke about why she chose the book she did. She wanted to experience a life she had not lived and knew nothing about.
I didn't get a chance to ask Amy if the insertion of the author, Sister Soulja, into the narrative as a character was jarring. I thought that whole section artificial and preachy, certainly contrived, and could be taken out completely. The only good it did was give the audience background on the character Midnight, and I think this is one reason why the author did this, but there might have been a better way....Winter wasn't hearing it and for all intents and purposes it was just a digression along the path into Dante's hell.
Itzel's presentation was fun. I loved the way she talked about the protagonist and criticized the author (Omar Tyree) for his irresponsibility in creating a character so attractive she might become a role model or perhaps is a role model for gullible youngsters, girls who have no guidance. I loved it when Itzel said she was thinking about giving the book to her cousin and then when she got to the end of the book, all she wanted to do was burn it. Itzel also shared that most, if not all of Tyree's very popular books have similar themes and characters.
I agree, artists, are responsible for the life their work takes on after it leaves the printer, studio, stage, radio airwaves, concert halls, easels. Just like store owners are liable for the actions of clients they sell alcohol too if they knowingly sell alcohol to someone who is drunk, the same is true for artists. There is an ethical responsibility if not legal one.
So after Ilene and Doris wrap it up...we will work on the narratives for the portfolio and students can give each other feedback. I will show you the Revision Strategies video. I have copies of Diana Hacker's Rules for Writers you can use for material to talk about the revision process. Sometimes our work is intuitive, which means we don't know how we do what we do. However, in order to repeat a successful move, one needs to be able to articulate the process.
Bring all of your essays digitized so you can put the portfolio together as a blog or as a Word Document (per the example.) It really is as simple as it looks. If you have not been keeping a blog this semester for the class, do not create one just for the portfolio, I think it is easier to just put the work in a word doc. You will email me the portfolio by Wednesday, Dec. 2. Look for a confirmation.
Portfolio Help
I will be reading portfolios all day Wednesday, Dec. 2-Thursday, Dec. 3, 8-3 the first day, 8-12 the second. At least this is the plan, come by the lab and work if you like.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
My narratives
If you'd like me to email you my narratives on your graded essays this semester, namely, the final essays which I will put outside my office on Monday, Nov. 23, send me an email and I will forward it to you.
If any students want to meet with me after class at 3 PM Monday, Nov. 23 or at 12 noon or later, Tuesday, Nov. 24, let me know, I will be around.
If any students want to meet with me after class at 3 PM Monday, Nov. 23 or at 12 noon or later, Tuesday, Nov. 24, let me know, I will be around.
Portfolio Checklist English 1B Fall 2009
Portfolio Check-list
Major Assignments:
professorwandasposse@gmail.com
Name______________________________________________
Section___________________________________________
Mailing Address___________________________________
Phone number______________________________________
Email address _______________________
Put the grade next to the assignment. Your average is your course grade so far. Remember, your grade is based on writing passing essays – C and above. A C- is not a passing grade. Fill this out and give to me with your CD or disk on or before the day of the final completed. I will add your course grade.
The major essays are the ones based on “Total Chaos,” plus the final essay and midterm. Check this against the blog. Also check the blog for cyber-assignments. The more detailed description of the narrative essays is posted separately.
Essays:
James Baldwin on "Creativity" ______________
Felicia Pride's The Message_________________ (how many, which ones?
Cyber Assignments
How many and which ones: List freewrites separate from cyber-essays ______________
Artifacts Presentation:
Hip Hop as American Culture (include a brief narrative explaining your selection)
Class Essays
1. Women in Hip Hop with a side-bar on Hyper-Masculinity: October 1
2. The Graf or Writing Movement, October 6 essay is due for peer review, Oct. 8 presentation
3. Dance or Bi-boying, Bi-Girling, October 13/15
4. DJing, Oct. 20/22—
5. MC or Poet/Rapper Oct. 27/29, Nov. 3 presentation
6. Extra credit: Hip Hop as a Global Movement, Hip Hop Theatre, Hip Hop Spirituality (turn in by or before Nov. 12).
7. Extra Credit graded essay from another discipline this semester (with permission).
Presentations: Next to each essay you also presented respond to the following: Include the date and comments from classmates, if any. The comments should be posted on the blog. Also include your own reflection on the process, also on the blog. If you did the presentation you got at least a C.
Note: For the final presentations, Tuesday, Dec. 1, we will hopefully get through them in 60 minutes as I have a video on Revision Strategies which I think will help you on the second narrative. I also want to show students examples of portfolios. Please rehearse your presentation, each student will have no more than 10 minutes. Don't forget your abstracts. We will start on time.
Midterm: First Draft _________ Final Grade___________
Final: First Draft _____________ Final Grade __________
Be certain to include narratives for all revisions.
Portfolio Grade__________
Course Grade____________
Major Assignments:
professorwandasposse@gmail.com
Name______________________________________________
Section___________________________________________
Mailing Address___________________________________
Phone number______________________________________
Email address _______________________
Put the grade next to the assignment. Your average is your course grade so far. Remember, your grade is based on writing passing essays – C and above. A C- is not a passing grade. Fill this out and give to me with your CD or disk on or before the day of the final completed. I will add your course grade.
The major essays are the ones based on “Total Chaos,” plus the final essay and midterm. Check this against the blog. Also check the blog for cyber-assignments. The more detailed description of the narrative essays is posted separately.
Essays:
James Baldwin on "Creativity" ______________
Felicia Pride's The Message_________________ (how many, which ones?
Cyber Assignments
How many and which ones: List freewrites separate from cyber-essays ______________
Artifacts Presentation:
Hip Hop as American Culture (include a brief narrative explaining your selection)
Class Essays
1. Women in Hip Hop with a side-bar on Hyper-Masculinity: October 1
2. The Graf or Writing Movement, October 6 essay is due for peer review, Oct. 8 presentation
3. Dance or Bi-boying, Bi-Girling, October 13/15
4. DJing, Oct. 20/22—
5. MC or Poet/Rapper Oct. 27/29, Nov. 3 presentation
6. Extra credit: Hip Hop as a Global Movement, Hip Hop Theatre, Hip Hop Spirituality (turn in by or before Nov. 12).
7. Extra Credit graded essay from another discipline this semester (with permission).
Presentations: Next to each essay you also presented respond to the following: Include the date and comments from classmates, if any. The comments should be posted on the blog. Also include your own reflection on the process, also on the blog. If you did the presentation you got at least a C.
Note: For the final presentations, Tuesday, Dec. 1, we will hopefully get through them in 60 minutes as I have a video on Revision Strategies which I think will help you on the second narrative. I also want to show students examples of portfolios. Please rehearse your presentation, each student will have no more than 10 minutes. Don't forget your abstracts. We will start on time.
Midterm: First Draft _________ Final Grade___________
Final: First Draft _____________ Final Grade __________
Be certain to include narratives for all revisions.
Portfolio Grade__________
Course Grade____________
Sample Portfolio
I couldn't post the sample as a comment, so here it is.
Portfolio Table of Contents
Student Name
Course and Term
Contact information: Mailing address, phone number, email address
• Portfolio Essay #1
• Portfolio Essay #2
• President Bush’s State of the Union Address
• Byron Hurt film: Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes
• Initial Planning Sheet
• Midterm Paper
• Social Entrepreneur Essay
• Work Sited page for Social
Entrepreneur Essay
Student Name
Portfolio Essay #1
25 May, 2007
During this semester we the students of English 1a had to type a couple essays, and every time I started a new essay, I followed the writing process. Pre-writing is the first step out of four, in the writing process. When a person starts the pre-writing process they should start by thinking and talking to them self about the subject that is on hand. It always helps to think and talk out loud. After that one should do some research like go to the library and check out some books or if there is access to a computer one should go online and check some search engines. One should at least do something that helps get information on the subject. Now one should make a list of at least twenty-five ideas. From that one should take out the most important ideas and make a cluster. Now one should start to freewrite from beginning to end. One should now make an outline. An outline is kind of like a map, it helps one with the paper with out getting lost.
Drafting is the second step in the writing process. When a person enters the drafting phase of the process, that person should have an outline finished and sitting next to them on the computer. Now that a person is on the computer, they should start typing from the beginning to the end without stopping. No corrections or anything just start to finish by then it should be shitty and that is what one wants. After the shitty paper is done, one should save it and put it away for the day. This is the fastest step in the writing process and the one I like the most.
Like drafting this is also one of the fastest steps in the process. First one should start with the global/structural. Look over the paper and make sure that all the paragraphs are following the format guidelines. One should save it and put it away for twenty-four hours. This is when one should check the paragraphs to make sure that they are all indented and the right number of sentences. Now one should save it and put it away for twenty-four hours. Now it is time for sentences. All one has to do is check all the topic sentences and make sure they are short and simple. Also one should check the supporting sentences and make sure that they are on subject with the topic sentence. Once again one should save it and take a twenty-four hour brake.
Last but not least is edits the fourth part and last of the writing process. By now the paper is practically all done, except a couple of things. Now comes the time when punctuation can be added or taken away. A period here, a comma there or parenthesis there. This is where stuff like that gets changed or added. Now that the punctuation is done it is time for the grammar. One should now go through the paper again and make sure that the right words are being used and that there is no slang or stuff that a reader could not understand. Now that the punctuation and grammar is done one should spell check it. Also one should read through it with a dictionary and make sure everything is ok. Now there is one last step in edits and that is proof read the whole paper. By now the paper should be done and perfected. Practice these steps and they will make it easier.
Student Name
Portfolio Essay #2
25 May, 2007
This semester’s writing experience was one not to forget, and for all my hard work and preservation, I think I deserve a B for the semester. This semester’s English experience was not like any other, the class at times seemed to be unorganized and students were all ways unprepared, thus making this class, a non-educational experience. Our class had so much potential of being a fun and interesting learning experience, not that it wasn’t. We were reading excellent material, books such as Alice Walkers We Are The Ones We Have Been Waiting For, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style, and Spark Notes No Fear Shakespeare Hamlet. In addition to that we also read some great articles like The Making of a Criminal and Stephen Jay Gould’s Women’s brains. Because so many students didn’t either have their book, read the story, or plain just didn’t show up to class, it made this class almost a failure.
When our class first met in the begging of the semester, there was almost fifteen students enrolled in the class, but day by day, and week by week less students began to show up to class. I can’t lie. I my self missed more than my fare share of classes, but I always knew when to show up, or when I could miss a day without jeopardizing my self.
As students it was our responsibility to stay on top of our class work, and in the begging of the semester Mrs. Sabir told us to always check her blog, because it would be our source of what’s going on, and what is to come in our class. But when it came time to come to class on a certain day with a certain book, come to class with extra credit, or even come to class prepared for a mock trail.
When we were done reading Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, we had a mock trail to determine if Dr. Victor Frankenstein was to be held accountable for his creations actions. There were two teams, one team was the prosecutors, the other team was the defense team, and I was on the prosecutors. My team decided to gather information and evidence on things we could use against Dr. Victor Frankenstein on our own time, and not as a group: I knew that wasn’t such a great idea, but I went with it anyway. When it came time to gather all our findings and information, I was the only one to come prepared with my share of the work. Something told me the night before to not count on my class mates and to go ahead, and type out an opening argument. Thank God I did that, because no one had sufficient evidence to prosecute Dr. Frankenstein. I don’t want to come off sounding like this class was a total failure, because it wasn’t by any means.
Because students came unprepared or just plain didn’t show up, this class did not live up to it’s full potential. When a student puts his/hers hard time into something and their class mates don’t do their share, it robs that person of their education. I was not the perfect student this semester, but at least I tired to do what was expected of me, and for that I think, deserve at least a B for the semester. All in all I did enjoy this class for what it had to offer. I just wish that everyone was on the same page, because if we were, this class would have been one to remember for some time to come.
Student Name
State of the Union Response paper
24 January, 2007
With a grand introduction George W. Bush walked into the room of the white house for the seventh time to address the state and with just a few words he drew an easy pop from the crowd. Those words “thank you very much and tonight I have the high privilege and distinct honnor of my own as the first president to begin the state of the union message with these words, Madam Speaker.” When he said that, the air filled with thunderous applauses, a cheap pop is what I call it.
The purpose of his speech was to address some very important issues. Issues such as domestic issues, energy consumption, education reform, immigration concerns and health care deficiency. His speech was well organized, so well organized; one can not help but think that he did not write it. There have been times that George W get’s all choked up when talking but tonight was different, he was clam and quick. When it came down to evidence he didn’t have any but some of his claims, I found myself agreeing with. Like when he talked about health insurance. Not all of us can afford insurance and I would be one of those people, so by his purposesul of cheaper tax cut’s for those that pay for insurance , I like that idea. But just like Democrat Senator Reed said “this president is very good at pointing out problems but he is not good on the follow through and finding the solutions.”
Student Name
Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes response
01 March, 2007
"Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes" directed by Byron Hurt, is a documentary on how commercial rap promotes misogynistic, violence and gives black males negative stereotypes. Bryon Hurt grew up a fan of hip hop and he still is. Hurt’s arguments are not hard to disagree with and just incase one is to argue that today’s rap/hip hop music is not blatantly promoting sex, violence and misogynistic towards women, just listen to any current popular rap c.d.
Rap/hip hop has not always been about “bust’n caps” and “break’n hoes”. Back in the golden era of hip hop (1987-1992), it was all about who had the dopest rhyme and sickest dance steps. I know because I grew up in this so called “golden era of hip hop”. The music that was coming out in that time was new and different. When a person heard a song that they liked it made them want to get up and dance. That’s not the case in today’s day of age as to when a person hears one of their favorite songs, they transform into this hardcore gangster that is not to be messed with. Hurt interviewed a couple of well known rap artist; one of them was Fat Joe. Fat Joe even said that because of the image that rap displays, it makes every young male thinks he has to be hard. When it comes down to Hurts arguments of how today’s rap music promotes blatantly disrespect for women and promotes violence against each other, I would have to agree with him.
Student Name
Initial Planning Sheet
12 March, 2007
Initial Planning Sheet for MIDTERM ESSAY
1. I am going to write about Walker and how she came to use meditation in her life. What is its role, and why is it included at the end of every chapter.
2. I wanted to write about this subject because the meditation practices she uses in this book are very interesting to me.
3. The target audience I will be writing for will be a uninformed audience.
4. I want my research paper to answer the following questions. The how’s, what’s, and why’s of meditation.
5. The main writing strategy I will be using is descriptive writing. I will be describing the meditation method that Walker uses during her life and the effects that it has on her.
Student Name
Midterm
12 March, 2007
The first book we read in my English 1A class, was by Alice Walker and called We Are The Ones We Have Been Waiting For. In this book, Walker talks about her life and tribulations that she has encountered in her time. One thing Walker talks about is meditation and how it helps her in life. In this essay I will be responding to such question as how did Walker come to meditation and what role does it play in her life?
Meditation is a powerful, relaxing practice; one that Walker herself uses and encourages her readers, friends and family to practice.Walker first came to meditation by intensity of pain, loss, confusion, sadness, anxiety attacks, depression, suicidal inclinations and insomnia just like everybody else in this world. Meditation was first brought to her attention by a good friend of hers and Walker almost didn’t listen to her. But the pain that she was going through was too much to deal with, so she gave it a shot. Just like me, when Walker first tried meditation, she thought to herself that this was not going to work. “I remember sitting on my cushion thinking this will never work, and then gradually, later in the night, realizing that I wasn’t quite so jumpy, and that mornings no longer made me want to draw the covers over my head” (157).
Meditation has played a major role in Walker’s life. When she first started meditation it used to bring her to her favorite place in her childhood. “Gazing out into the landscapes, merging with it and disappearing” (157). But latter in life she used it for other reasons like writing her books, raising her child, and it has also made many of her losses, some personal and some material, bearable and easy to deal with. Walker confesses that she could not have written such books as Possessing the Secret of Joy, The Temple of My Familiar and The Color Purple. Walker say’s that “The Color Purple owes much of its humor and playfulness to the equanimity of my mind as I committed myself to a routine, daily practice” (158). When it came to raising a child, she said without meditation she would have not to been able to overcome the challenge of being a single parent.
In We Are The Ones We Have Been Waiting For, Walker includes a meditation practice in each chapter. I’m not to sure as to why she does this, but I think it’s to get us readers to try her methods and see if we like them or not. The first meditation practice that I remember her doing is one where we sit in our seat and imagine erasing ourselves. We tried it in class; it was working for minute until somebody came late to class and disrupted my meditation. Another one I remember but did not get to do until just last week was the meditation where we interviewed a child while observing them eating a fruit. I did this meditation with my little niece. I asked her questions like: Where do fruits come from and how does it taste? She replied by saying that mommy got them from the store, and it tasted good. I don’t know what type of answer Walker thought we were going to get in return, because the answers I got were short and simple, but the quality time I got to spend with my niece was something that I’ll never forget.
Alice Walker has lived a long and interesting life. I think through all of her hardships and wonderful moments in her life, she is trying to pass on some valuable information. Information like love the earth we live on, respect your elders, don’t let the way you were raised prevent you from making friends with the lesser/higher class, and love one another. Also she is telling us; her audience to be strong in the moments of despair and loneliness.
“When life descends into the pit
I must become my own candle
Willingly burning myself
To light up the darkness
around me” (39).
This message of no matter how bad things get in life, there is only one person to motivate one self, and that is one’s self. Alice Walker’s methods of meditation, after each chapter is purely relaxing, and is made for her readers to reflect on the issues she and the world present. I intend to use these methods of meditation, for it has helped me in my life.
Works Cited
Walker, A. (2006) We Are the One We Have Been Waiting For. The New Press
RESEARCH ESSAY
Student Name
Social Entrepreneur Essay
30 April, 2007
Although Bill Gates is labeled a philanthropist, he should also be recognized as a social entrepreneur, because a social entrepreneur works, manages, organizes and creates a solution for a social change within a social problem and Gates does all of the above. William Henry Gates III is the cofounder and chief executive officer of the computer software giant, Microsoft. Gates founded Microsoft with long time classmate Paul Allen in Richmond, Washington, in 1975. Gates created Microsoft with one thing in mind, he wanted to design and develop innovative software for the personal computer, making pc’s user friendly, and also universally popular. Microsoft is now a multi-billion dollar empire, and Bill Gates is one of the most famous men in recent history along with the wealthiest man in America.
William Henry Gates III was born in Seattle, Washington, on October 28, 1955. His parents were William H. Gates II, and his late mother, Mary Maxwell Gates (1929-1994). Mary Maxwell Gates was a school teacher for the University of Washington and chairwoman of United Way International, a global network of nonprofit organizations. William H. Gates II is a retired attorney, and currently he serves on the Board of Regents for the University of Washington and is co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which his son Bill along with his wife Melinda founded. Gates II has adopted the suffix "Sr." to distinguish himself from his more famous son William H. Gates III. Bill was not the only child of William and Mary, for they had two other children: Kristi and Libby, but that made him the only son of Mary and William. Mary and William had big plans of making their son Bill a lawyer but come the seventh grade, he got introduced to computer science.
Gates attended public elementary school, and the private school of Lakeside. It was there at Lakeside School when he discovered his friend: and future business partner Paul Allen, and his interest in computer software. Bill began programming computers at the age of 13, and while he was in high school, Allen and Gates formed a small firm called Traf-o-Data. Traf-o-Data earned them twenty thousand dollars for analyzing local traffic patterns. After that he discovered that the machine he and Paul built was connected to a national network of computers called cybernet. Bill invaded the network and installed a program on the main computer that then sent it to the rest of the networks computers, and from there they all crashed. Bill Gates was responsible for the world’s first computer virus. In 1970 when he was caught, he was severely reprimanded, and he kept away form computers for his entire junior year at Lakeside. He then made plans for college and law school, but in 1971 he was back helping Allen write a class scheduling program for their school’s computer.
In 1973, Gates was accepted to Harvard University and pursued his studies for the next year and a half. During Gates freshman year at Harvard, he developed a version of the programming language BASIC for the first microcomputer: the MITS Altair. H. W. Brand author of The Change Makers says out that “He [Bill] impressed his instructors in a variety of ways. “He was a hell of a good programmer,” said the director of Harvard’s computer lab.” (317). Then in his junior year, Gates left Harvard University to devote all of his time to Microsoft, the same company he had begun in 1975 with Paul Allen. Gates and Allen both firmly believed that the computer would be a valuable tool on every office desktop, and in every home, so they began developing software for personal computers fulltime.
In the year 2000, Bill along with his wife, co-chair holder Melinda Gates, formed The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (B&MGF). Bill Gates first initially funded B&MGF with one hundred and six million US dollars, but in the foundation’s first two years, funding grew to two billion US dollars. Today The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is the biggest charitable foundation in the world today. Part of the reason why it is so big is because in 2006 Warren Buffett (at the time was the second richest, after Gates) donated to the foundation ten million Berkshire Hathaway Class B shares valued at 30.7 billion us dollars at the time. The goals of the B&MGF are, globally to enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty, and to expand educational opportunities and access to information in the United States.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has put it’s footprint upon global health issues with their Global Health Program. The B&MGF gives approximately $800 million us dollars every year to help solve global health issues. That is almost as much money as the United Nation’s World Health Organization gives away annual, and the $800 million a year can also be compared to the United States Agency for International Development and the funds they give to fight against infectious disease. The foundation also provides seventeen percent of the world’s budget towards the eradication of poliomyelitis (polio). The Global Health Program also awarded grant’s to the following, The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, The Institute for One World Health, Children’s Vaccine Program, University of Washington Department of Global Health, and to HIV research. As if that was not enough, The B&MGF also has two other divisions’ the United States Program, and the Global Development Program.
The United States Program division focuses on problems that are currently with in the United States. The B&MGF provide their help to such problems as, help to the minority youth of America, full scholarships to both students and administrators. Not all people can afford to put them selves or their children through schooling, and Bill Gates is aware of this, so that is why he likes to help the needy. In a letter that Bill Gates wrote on his web site, gatesfoundation.com he say’s “We [Bill and Melinda] benefited from great schools, great health care, and a vibrant economic system. That is why we feel a tremendous responsibility to give back to society.” (Gates). Bill Gates saw that there was a problem with underachieving students due to overcrowded classrooms, and he wanted to change that.
Bill Gates came up with a solution to help fix some of the problems within our schools here in America. One of them was The New Schools Venture fund, and according to wikipedia.com “The foundation [The B&MGF] contributed US$30 million to help New Schools to manage more charter schools, which aim to prepare students in historically underserved areas for college and careers.” The B&MGF also donated one billion US dollars to the United Negro College, so that they can give scholarships to high achieving minority students. Wikipedia also states that “The Bill and Melinda Foundation announced on March 22, 2007 a million initiative to send hundreds of the Districts of Columbia’s poorest students to college.” Schooling and global health is not the only thing that Bill Gates is interested in, he also likes to help combat extreme poverty.
To help fight the war on poverty, Bill Gates incorporates science and technology to improve people’s lives. Bill Gates states in a letter that he and his wife wrote on their web site “Our goal is to help apply science and technology to the problems of the neediest people.” (gatesfoundation.com). The B&MGF awarded a 1.5 million dollar grant to the Grameen Foundation, so that they can make more micro loans (a very small loan to people living in poverty) to help millions of families overcome poverty. Micro loans enables a person who is poor, unemployed, and is not considered bankable, to receive money (micro loans) from everyday people, and start up an entrepreneurship to help lift themselves out of poverty. The micro loan plan is very successful, and it has a one hundred percent return rate, so the money a person lends out will be returned in full to the lender. In most cases the money the lender gets back, goes right back into the micro loan circulation, so that another person will have the same opportunity to further them selves in life.
Bill Gates is a philanthropist, but he is also an entrepreneur, because of all the hands on work he has done with many different foundations. Bill saw problems in today’s world and he wanted to help solve them, so he helped the only way he knew, with money. He would put his money towards scholarships for the poor, vaccines for children, charter schools to help prepare students for college and new careers, and to HIV research. Most critics say that a majority of today’s philanthropist donate their money for selfish motivations (to evade paying taxes or making a name for oneself). That might be true, but in William Henry Gates III case he didn’t do it for fame or tax evasion. He did it because he knew there were problems in today’s world, and he wanted to eliminate them. Also in the letter on www.gatesfoundation.com, he wrote “Our foundation and our partners are trying to solve these problems because we believe that all lives have equal value, no matter where they are being lived”.
Portfolio Table of Contents
Student Name
Course and Term
Contact information: Mailing address, phone number, email address
• Portfolio Essay #1
• Portfolio Essay #2
• President Bush’s State of the Union Address
• Byron Hurt film: Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes
• Initial Planning Sheet
• Midterm Paper
• Social Entrepreneur Essay
• Work Sited page for Social
Entrepreneur Essay
Student Name
Portfolio Essay #1
25 May, 2007
During this semester we the students of English 1a had to type a couple essays, and every time I started a new essay, I followed the writing process. Pre-writing is the first step out of four, in the writing process. When a person starts the pre-writing process they should start by thinking and talking to them self about the subject that is on hand. It always helps to think and talk out loud. After that one should do some research like go to the library and check out some books or if there is access to a computer one should go online and check some search engines. One should at least do something that helps get information on the subject. Now one should make a list of at least twenty-five ideas. From that one should take out the most important ideas and make a cluster. Now one should start to freewrite from beginning to end. One should now make an outline. An outline is kind of like a map, it helps one with the paper with out getting lost.
Drafting is the second step in the writing process. When a person enters the drafting phase of the process, that person should have an outline finished and sitting next to them on the computer. Now that a person is on the computer, they should start typing from the beginning to the end without stopping. No corrections or anything just start to finish by then it should be shitty and that is what one wants. After the shitty paper is done, one should save it and put it away for the day. This is the fastest step in the writing process and the one I like the most.
Like drafting this is also one of the fastest steps in the process. First one should start with the global/structural. Look over the paper and make sure that all the paragraphs are following the format guidelines. One should save it and put it away for twenty-four hours. This is when one should check the paragraphs to make sure that they are all indented and the right number of sentences. Now one should save it and put it away for twenty-four hours. Now it is time for sentences. All one has to do is check all the topic sentences and make sure they are short and simple. Also one should check the supporting sentences and make sure that they are on subject with the topic sentence. Once again one should save it and take a twenty-four hour brake.
Last but not least is edits the fourth part and last of the writing process. By now the paper is practically all done, except a couple of things. Now comes the time when punctuation can be added or taken away. A period here, a comma there or parenthesis there. This is where stuff like that gets changed or added. Now that the punctuation is done it is time for the grammar. One should now go through the paper again and make sure that the right words are being used and that there is no slang or stuff that a reader could not understand. Now that the punctuation and grammar is done one should spell check it. Also one should read through it with a dictionary and make sure everything is ok. Now there is one last step in edits and that is proof read the whole paper. By now the paper should be done and perfected. Practice these steps and they will make it easier.
Student Name
Portfolio Essay #2
25 May, 2007
This semester’s writing experience was one not to forget, and for all my hard work and preservation, I think I deserve a B for the semester. This semester’s English experience was not like any other, the class at times seemed to be unorganized and students were all ways unprepared, thus making this class, a non-educational experience. Our class had so much potential of being a fun and interesting learning experience, not that it wasn’t. We were reading excellent material, books such as Alice Walkers We Are The Ones We Have Been Waiting For, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style, and Spark Notes No Fear Shakespeare Hamlet. In addition to that we also read some great articles like The Making of a Criminal and Stephen Jay Gould’s Women’s brains. Because so many students didn’t either have their book, read the story, or plain just didn’t show up to class, it made this class almost a failure.
When our class first met in the begging of the semester, there was almost fifteen students enrolled in the class, but day by day, and week by week less students began to show up to class. I can’t lie. I my self missed more than my fare share of classes, but I always knew when to show up, or when I could miss a day without jeopardizing my self.
As students it was our responsibility to stay on top of our class work, and in the begging of the semester Mrs. Sabir told us to always check her blog, because it would be our source of what’s going on, and what is to come in our class. But when it came time to come to class on a certain day with a certain book, come to class with extra credit, or even come to class prepared for a mock trail.
When we were done reading Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, we had a mock trail to determine if Dr. Victor Frankenstein was to be held accountable for his creations actions. There were two teams, one team was the prosecutors, the other team was the defense team, and I was on the prosecutors. My team decided to gather information and evidence on things we could use against Dr. Victor Frankenstein on our own time, and not as a group: I knew that wasn’t such a great idea, but I went with it anyway. When it came time to gather all our findings and information, I was the only one to come prepared with my share of the work. Something told me the night before to not count on my class mates and to go ahead, and type out an opening argument. Thank God I did that, because no one had sufficient evidence to prosecute Dr. Frankenstein. I don’t want to come off sounding like this class was a total failure, because it wasn’t by any means.
Because students came unprepared or just plain didn’t show up, this class did not live up to it’s full potential. When a student puts his/hers hard time into something and their class mates don’t do their share, it robs that person of their education. I was not the perfect student this semester, but at least I tired to do what was expected of me, and for that I think, deserve at least a B for the semester. All in all I did enjoy this class for what it had to offer. I just wish that everyone was on the same page, because if we were, this class would have been one to remember for some time to come.
Student Name
State of the Union Response paper
24 January, 2007
With a grand introduction George W. Bush walked into the room of the white house for the seventh time to address the state and with just a few words he drew an easy pop from the crowd. Those words “thank you very much and tonight I have the high privilege and distinct honnor of my own as the first president to begin the state of the union message with these words, Madam Speaker.” When he said that, the air filled with thunderous applauses, a cheap pop is what I call it.
The purpose of his speech was to address some very important issues. Issues such as domestic issues, energy consumption, education reform, immigration concerns and health care deficiency. His speech was well organized, so well organized; one can not help but think that he did not write it. There have been times that George W get’s all choked up when talking but tonight was different, he was clam and quick. When it came down to evidence he didn’t have any but some of his claims, I found myself agreeing with. Like when he talked about health insurance. Not all of us can afford insurance and I would be one of those people, so by his purposesul of cheaper tax cut’s for those that pay for insurance , I like that idea. But just like Democrat Senator Reed said “this president is very good at pointing out problems but he is not good on the follow through and finding the solutions.”
Student Name
Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes response
01 March, 2007
"Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes" directed by Byron Hurt, is a documentary on how commercial rap promotes misogynistic, violence and gives black males negative stereotypes. Bryon Hurt grew up a fan of hip hop and he still is. Hurt’s arguments are not hard to disagree with and just incase one is to argue that today’s rap/hip hop music is not blatantly promoting sex, violence and misogynistic towards women, just listen to any current popular rap c.d.
Rap/hip hop has not always been about “bust’n caps” and “break’n hoes”. Back in the golden era of hip hop (1987-1992), it was all about who had the dopest rhyme and sickest dance steps. I know because I grew up in this so called “golden era of hip hop”. The music that was coming out in that time was new and different. When a person heard a song that they liked it made them want to get up and dance. That’s not the case in today’s day of age as to when a person hears one of their favorite songs, they transform into this hardcore gangster that is not to be messed with. Hurt interviewed a couple of well known rap artist; one of them was Fat Joe. Fat Joe even said that because of the image that rap displays, it makes every young male thinks he has to be hard. When it comes down to Hurts arguments of how today’s rap music promotes blatantly disrespect for women and promotes violence against each other, I would have to agree with him.
Student Name
Initial Planning Sheet
12 March, 2007
Initial Planning Sheet for MIDTERM ESSAY
1. I am going to write about Walker and how she came to use meditation in her life. What is its role, and why is it included at the end of every chapter.
2. I wanted to write about this subject because the meditation practices she uses in this book are very interesting to me.
3. The target audience I will be writing for will be a uninformed audience.
4. I want my research paper to answer the following questions. The how’s, what’s, and why’s of meditation.
5. The main writing strategy I will be using is descriptive writing. I will be describing the meditation method that Walker uses during her life and the effects that it has on her.
Student Name
Midterm
12 March, 2007
The first book we read in my English 1A class, was by Alice Walker and called We Are The Ones We Have Been Waiting For. In this book, Walker talks about her life and tribulations that she has encountered in her time. One thing Walker talks about is meditation and how it helps her in life. In this essay I will be responding to such question as how did Walker come to meditation and what role does it play in her life?
Meditation is a powerful, relaxing practice; one that Walker herself uses and encourages her readers, friends and family to practice.Walker first came to meditation by intensity of pain, loss, confusion, sadness, anxiety attacks, depression, suicidal inclinations and insomnia just like everybody else in this world. Meditation was first brought to her attention by a good friend of hers and Walker almost didn’t listen to her. But the pain that she was going through was too much to deal with, so she gave it a shot. Just like me, when Walker first tried meditation, she thought to herself that this was not going to work. “I remember sitting on my cushion thinking this will never work, and then gradually, later in the night, realizing that I wasn’t quite so jumpy, and that mornings no longer made me want to draw the covers over my head” (157).
Meditation has played a major role in Walker’s life. When she first started meditation it used to bring her to her favorite place in her childhood. “Gazing out into the landscapes, merging with it and disappearing” (157). But latter in life she used it for other reasons like writing her books, raising her child, and it has also made many of her losses, some personal and some material, bearable and easy to deal with. Walker confesses that she could not have written such books as Possessing the Secret of Joy, The Temple of My Familiar and The Color Purple. Walker say’s that “The Color Purple owes much of its humor and playfulness to the equanimity of my mind as I committed myself to a routine, daily practice” (158). When it came to raising a child, she said without meditation she would have not to been able to overcome the challenge of being a single parent.
In We Are The Ones We Have Been Waiting For, Walker includes a meditation practice in each chapter. I’m not to sure as to why she does this, but I think it’s to get us readers to try her methods and see if we like them or not. The first meditation practice that I remember her doing is one where we sit in our seat and imagine erasing ourselves. We tried it in class; it was working for minute until somebody came late to class and disrupted my meditation. Another one I remember but did not get to do until just last week was the meditation where we interviewed a child while observing them eating a fruit. I did this meditation with my little niece. I asked her questions like: Where do fruits come from and how does it taste? She replied by saying that mommy got them from the store, and it tasted good. I don’t know what type of answer Walker thought we were going to get in return, because the answers I got were short and simple, but the quality time I got to spend with my niece was something that I’ll never forget.
Alice Walker has lived a long and interesting life. I think through all of her hardships and wonderful moments in her life, she is trying to pass on some valuable information. Information like love the earth we live on, respect your elders, don’t let the way you were raised prevent you from making friends with the lesser/higher class, and love one another. Also she is telling us; her audience to be strong in the moments of despair and loneliness.
“When life descends into the pit
I must become my own candle
Willingly burning myself
To light up the darkness
around me” (39).
This message of no matter how bad things get in life, there is only one person to motivate one self, and that is one’s self. Alice Walker’s methods of meditation, after each chapter is purely relaxing, and is made for her readers to reflect on the issues she and the world present. I intend to use these methods of meditation, for it has helped me in my life.
Works Cited
Walker, A. (2006) We Are the One We Have Been Waiting For. The New Press
RESEARCH ESSAY
Student Name
Social Entrepreneur Essay
30 April, 2007
Although Bill Gates is labeled a philanthropist, he should also be recognized as a social entrepreneur, because a social entrepreneur works, manages, organizes and creates a solution for a social change within a social problem and Gates does all of the above. William Henry Gates III is the cofounder and chief executive officer of the computer software giant, Microsoft. Gates founded Microsoft with long time classmate Paul Allen in Richmond, Washington, in 1975. Gates created Microsoft with one thing in mind, he wanted to design and develop innovative software for the personal computer, making pc’s user friendly, and also universally popular. Microsoft is now a multi-billion dollar empire, and Bill Gates is one of the most famous men in recent history along with the wealthiest man in America.
William Henry Gates III was born in Seattle, Washington, on October 28, 1955. His parents were William H. Gates II, and his late mother, Mary Maxwell Gates (1929-1994). Mary Maxwell Gates was a school teacher for the University of Washington and chairwoman of United Way International, a global network of nonprofit organizations. William H. Gates II is a retired attorney, and currently he serves on the Board of Regents for the University of Washington and is co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which his son Bill along with his wife Melinda founded. Gates II has adopted the suffix "Sr." to distinguish himself from his more famous son William H. Gates III. Bill was not the only child of William and Mary, for they had two other children: Kristi and Libby, but that made him the only son of Mary and William. Mary and William had big plans of making their son Bill a lawyer but come the seventh grade, he got introduced to computer science.
Gates attended public elementary school, and the private school of Lakeside. It was there at Lakeside School when he discovered his friend: and future business partner Paul Allen, and his interest in computer software. Bill began programming computers at the age of 13, and while he was in high school, Allen and Gates formed a small firm called Traf-o-Data. Traf-o-Data earned them twenty thousand dollars for analyzing local traffic patterns. After that he discovered that the machine he and Paul built was connected to a national network of computers called cybernet. Bill invaded the network and installed a program on the main computer that then sent it to the rest of the networks computers, and from there they all crashed. Bill Gates was responsible for the world’s first computer virus. In 1970 when he was caught, he was severely reprimanded, and he kept away form computers for his entire junior year at Lakeside. He then made plans for college and law school, but in 1971 he was back helping Allen write a class scheduling program for their school’s computer.
In 1973, Gates was accepted to Harvard University and pursued his studies for the next year and a half. During Gates freshman year at Harvard, he developed a version of the programming language BASIC for the first microcomputer: the MITS Altair. H. W. Brand author of The Change Makers says out that “He [Bill] impressed his instructors in a variety of ways. “He was a hell of a good programmer,” said the director of Harvard’s computer lab.” (317). Then in his junior year, Gates left Harvard University to devote all of his time to Microsoft, the same company he had begun in 1975 with Paul Allen. Gates and Allen both firmly believed that the computer would be a valuable tool on every office desktop, and in every home, so they began developing software for personal computers fulltime.
In the year 2000, Bill along with his wife, co-chair holder Melinda Gates, formed The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (B&MGF). Bill Gates first initially funded B&MGF with one hundred and six million US dollars, but in the foundation’s first two years, funding grew to two billion US dollars. Today The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is the biggest charitable foundation in the world today. Part of the reason why it is so big is because in 2006 Warren Buffett (at the time was the second richest, after Gates) donated to the foundation ten million Berkshire Hathaway Class B shares valued at 30.7 billion us dollars at the time. The goals of the B&MGF are, globally to enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty, and to expand educational opportunities and access to information in the United States.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has put it’s footprint upon global health issues with their Global Health Program. The B&MGF gives approximately $800 million us dollars every year to help solve global health issues. That is almost as much money as the United Nation’s World Health Organization gives away annual, and the $800 million a year can also be compared to the United States Agency for International Development and the funds they give to fight against infectious disease. The foundation also provides seventeen percent of the world’s budget towards the eradication of poliomyelitis (polio). The Global Health Program also awarded grant’s to the following, The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, The Institute for One World Health, Children’s Vaccine Program, University of Washington Department of Global Health, and to HIV research. As if that was not enough, The B&MGF also has two other divisions’ the United States Program, and the Global Development Program.
The United States Program division focuses on problems that are currently with in the United States. The B&MGF provide their help to such problems as, help to the minority youth of America, full scholarships to both students and administrators. Not all people can afford to put them selves or their children through schooling, and Bill Gates is aware of this, so that is why he likes to help the needy. In a letter that Bill Gates wrote on his web site, gatesfoundation.com he say’s “We [Bill and Melinda] benefited from great schools, great health care, and a vibrant economic system. That is why we feel a tremendous responsibility to give back to society.” (Gates). Bill Gates saw that there was a problem with underachieving students due to overcrowded classrooms, and he wanted to change that.
Bill Gates came up with a solution to help fix some of the problems within our schools here in America. One of them was The New Schools Venture fund, and according to wikipedia.com “The foundation [The B&MGF] contributed US$30 million to help New Schools to manage more charter schools, which aim to prepare students in historically underserved areas for college and careers.” The B&MGF also donated one billion US dollars to the United Negro College, so that they can give scholarships to high achieving minority students. Wikipedia also states that “The Bill and Melinda Foundation announced on March 22, 2007 a million initiative to send hundreds of the Districts of Columbia’s poorest students to college.” Schooling and global health is not the only thing that Bill Gates is interested in, he also likes to help combat extreme poverty.
To help fight the war on poverty, Bill Gates incorporates science and technology to improve people’s lives. Bill Gates states in a letter that he and his wife wrote on their web site “Our goal is to help apply science and technology to the problems of the neediest people.” (gatesfoundation.com). The B&MGF awarded a 1.5 million dollar grant to the Grameen Foundation, so that they can make more micro loans (a very small loan to people living in poverty) to help millions of families overcome poverty. Micro loans enables a person who is poor, unemployed, and is not considered bankable, to receive money (micro loans) from everyday people, and start up an entrepreneurship to help lift themselves out of poverty. The micro loan plan is very successful, and it has a one hundred percent return rate, so the money a person lends out will be returned in full to the lender. In most cases the money the lender gets back, goes right back into the micro loan circulation, so that another person will have the same opportunity to further them selves in life.
Bill Gates is a philanthropist, but he is also an entrepreneur, because of all the hands on work he has done with many different foundations. Bill saw problems in today’s world and he wanted to help solve them, so he helped the only way he knew, with money. He would put his money towards scholarships for the poor, vaccines for children, charter schools to help prepare students for college and new careers, and to HIV research. Most critics say that a majority of today’s philanthropist donate their money for selfish motivations (to evade paying taxes or making a name for oneself). That might be true, but in William Henry Gates III case he didn’t do it for fame or tax evasion. He did it because he knew there were problems in today’s world, and he wanted to eliminate them. Also in the letter on www.gatesfoundation.com, he wrote “Our foundation and our partners are trying to solve these problems because we believe that all lives have equal value, no matter where they are being lived”.
Portfolio Narrative Questions and Sample Portfolio
Each portfolio has a table of contents. The table of contents is a list of all your work, the narrative essays are your introduction to the portfolio, please include your name, address, email address and phone number, course and course code.
I will post a portfolio check list to help you with the table of contents. I have included a sample portfolio in the comment section of this post. It is a word document. If you want to include scanned documents, you can submit a CD with your portfolio.
The portfolio narratives (These are essays each minimally 250-500 words or 1 typed page plus a works cited or bibliography. Use your written work as evidence in Essay 2.)
1. The narrative will look at the entire semester, the theme(s) we looked at this semester: hip hop culture and its impact on American society and the global community. Talk about what you've learned and discovered this semester about writing and yourself, college and life, which have transformed or changed you.
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.
2. The second narrative essay 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. As I stated already, use a scholarly source to discuss the writing and revision process.
Other considerations for essay two: besides students looking at the writing process and discussing their own writing process: the topics chosen, the information used, revision strategies, writing as a process, the essay needs to 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 or discussion about audience and how one’s audience 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 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).
Separate:
What grade do you think you earned in the course______________________________________________
Your essay and the attached copy of a completed grading sheet are the evidence.
Do you have any questions about writing or anything else?
Teacher Research
Can I use you writing in teacher research projects? I will give you full credit and inform you of its use. Indicate Yes or No. Please circle one.
Evaluation
In a third short response evaluate the semester: teacher, textbooks, assignments, methodology, etc. Please be frank and feel free to offer suggestions.
I will post a portfolio check list to help you with the table of contents. I have included a sample portfolio in the comment section of this post. It is a word document. If you want to include scanned documents, you can submit a CD with your portfolio.
The portfolio narratives (These are essays each minimally 250-500 words or 1 typed page plus a works cited or bibliography. Use your written work as evidence in Essay 2.)
1. The narrative will look at the entire semester, the theme(s) we looked at this semester: hip hop culture and its impact on American society and the global community. Talk about what you've learned and discovered this semester about writing and yourself, college and life, which have transformed or changed you.
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.
2. The second narrative essay 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. As I stated already, use a scholarly source to discuss the writing and revision process.
Other considerations for essay two: besides students looking at the writing process and discussing their own writing process: the topics chosen, the information used, revision strategies, writing as a process, the essay needs to 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 or discussion about audience and how one’s audience 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 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).
Separate:
What grade do you think you earned in the course______________________________________________
Your essay and the attached copy of a completed grading sheet are the evidence.
Do you have any questions about writing or anything else?
Teacher Research
Can I use you writing in teacher research projects? I will give you full credit and inform you of its use. Indicate Yes or No. Please circle one.
Evaluation
In a third short response evaluate the semester: teacher, textbooks, assignments, methodology, etc. Please be frank and feel free to offer suggestions.
Finals and Portfolio Questions
I read all the final essays and I am going to give students an opportunity to revise them for a passing grade in the portfolio which is due by Dec.1. Many students have not taken advantage of the academic services on campus this semester and it shows in the writing, even those students who have spoken to me have not internalized the lessons which would then reflect in the writing. Some students make the same mistakes essay after essay when a quick review of the work would raise the grade a level or two.
It's never to late to become a better writer because writing is a process; however, it is too late for many of you to pass this class. I suggest those students who have not written their 3-4 essays on the topics given at the beginning of the semester and who did not complete the midterm and the final or get passing grades on both and passing grades on 3 out of the 4 essays for the semester, drop the class. You will not pass and even if you are now writing 2-4 essays to catch up over the weekend to make the Monday, Nov. 23 deadline for late work, given the quality of the finals of said students, I am not hopeful that your late essays will get passing grades and you have passed all the deadlines, which means you cannot revise them.
Most students did not follow instructions and cite two scholarly sources along with their novel. The sources didn't need to be quoted just listed in a bibliography. One of the sources was to be Adam Mansbach's essay in Total Chaos. His was an essay assigned many weeks ago, and was a great example of a well-written essay on the genre of hip-lit.
Most students did not have an outline which stated the question, nor were there many Initial Planning Sheets. I invited students to meet with me and set aside multiple classes to help students on this final essay. Many of you wrote great first drafts. In the future write these drafts in advance and get feedback from the instructor or from a writing coach (tutor/teacher).
Many students think they have a grasp of essay writing and structure, and grammar and mechanics, most students could have benefited from the refresher I offered you. I think I was available this semester. I am still available, but this class is one of four. Below you will find the questions for the portfolio.
The portfolio is a word document with the narratives acting as the introductions. One essay looks at your writing process and revision process, the other is a reflection on the course and what you have gained and learned this semester. These are essays and they do count. You will send me these portfolios via email no later than Dec. 3. We can review them on Dec. 1 and 3. Come to class with all your writing digitized with the grades posted on each narrative. Within your revised narratives include my comments and your response. Read your grammar style book or look at the handout I gave you regarding the revision process. It is not intuitive and much have been written about it. Cite a scholarly source to support your essay on such in the portfolio. In the revision process narrative, chose an essay written at the beginning of the semester and one written later on in the course.
If you have written an essay for another class this semester which you have received a passing grade and the other teacher does not mind your including it in your portfolio, I will accept it to augment the essays assigned this semester.
It's never to late to become a better writer because writing is a process; however, it is too late for many of you to pass this class. I suggest those students who have not written their 3-4 essays on the topics given at the beginning of the semester and who did not complete the midterm and the final or get passing grades on both and passing grades on 3 out of the 4 essays for the semester, drop the class. You will not pass and even if you are now writing 2-4 essays to catch up over the weekend to make the Monday, Nov. 23 deadline for late work, given the quality of the finals of said students, I am not hopeful that your late essays will get passing grades and you have passed all the deadlines, which means you cannot revise them.
Most students did not follow instructions and cite two scholarly sources along with their novel. The sources didn't need to be quoted just listed in a bibliography. One of the sources was to be Adam Mansbach's essay in Total Chaos. His was an essay assigned many weeks ago, and was a great example of a well-written essay on the genre of hip-lit.
Most students did not have an outline which stated the question, nor were there many Initial Planning Sheets. I invited students to meet with me and set aside multiple classes to help students on this final essay. Many of you wrote great first drafts. In the future write these drafts in advance and get feedback from the instructor or from a writing coach (tutor/teacher).
Many students think they have a grasp of essay writing and structure, and grammar and mechanics, most students could have benefited from the refresher I offered you. I think I was available this semester. I am still available, but this class is one of four. Below you will find the questions for the portfolio.
The portfolio is a word document with the narratives acting as the introductions. One essay looks at your writing process and revision process, the other is a reflection on the course and what you have gained and learned this semester. These are essays and they do count. You will send me these portfolios via email no later than Dec. 3. We can review them on Dec. 1 and 3. Come to class with all your writing digitized with the grades posted on each narrative. Within your revised narratives include my comments and your response. Read your grammar style book or look at the handout I gave you regarding the revision process. It is not intuitive and much have been written about it. Cite a scholarly source to support your essay on such in the portfolio. In the revision process narrative, chose an essay written at the beginning of the semester and one written later on in the course.
If you have written an essay for another class this semester which you have received a passing grade and the other teacher does not mind your including it in your portfolio, I will accept it to augment the essays assigned this semester.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Fiction essay tomorrow
If students want to run their thesis sentence by me for feedback, you are welcome to do so. Two students, Jose and Ilene came by or stayed after class to get clarification and feedback and help on their essay questions. You can call me if you are away. I have actually been checking my email and haven't noticed any emails of this nature.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Revisions of the midterm took all the class time. Come prepared Thursday with your outlines, initial planning sheets, and prepared to write your essay. You will have 90minutes to write a 3-4 page essay.
You will be graded on how well you answer your question, also on how you tie the themes of your book to the on-going narrative that is hip hop culture, in this case, hip hop literature.
You will not be able to revise this essay, so come prepared. I will be walking around, so if you write a sample essay, you will not be able to use it. The essay needs to be written in class.
If you miss class, I don't know what to tell you. This is your final. Students will present their essays next week for an additional grade. Don't forget the abstracts. It is unfortuate that students were not able to spend time developing questions together. If anyone has a question he or she would like feedback on I encourage you to go to the Writing Center and talk to a teacher/tutor. Students can also speak to a librarian.
You will be graded on how well you answer your question, also on how you tie the themes of your book to the on-going narrative that is hip hop culture, in this case, hip hop literature.
You will not be able to revise this essay, so come prepared. I will be walking around, so if you write a sample essay, you will not be able to use it. The essay needs to be written in class.
If you miss class, I don't know what to tell you. This is your final. Students will present their essays next week for an additional grade. Don't forget the abstracts. It is unfortuate that students were not able to spend time developing questions together. If anyone has a question he or she would like feedback on I encourage you to go to the Writing Center and talk to a teacher/tutor. Students can also speak to a librarian.
Monday, November 16, 2009
The Plan for Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009
Tomorrow in class first thing students will revise their midterm essays after watching a short video called: Revision Strategies. I noticed the envelop was still full this afternoon, which means some students did not pick their essays up.
Secondly, after I give students about 20 minutes to revise their essays, we will take a poll and see how many students have not made a presentation this semester. I want to let students write their final essay this week, Thursday, Nov. 19, on their novel. Next Tuesday we will complete our presentations--on the novel, and start the portfolios. If you have missed all the presentations, this is your final opportunity. If there is time, I will consider other presentations. Students who have the same novel can present together. We will devote the entire class period to these presentations. I'd like abstract prepared and enough copies for each student. The earlier presentations were practices. This one gets a grade.
I will give you the narrative questions by Thursday, Nov. 19. Next week students will assemble their portfolios and turn them in.
For students who are behind you will probably not be able to complete this task by Nov. 25, so I am extending the deadline to Monday, Nov. 30. Come to class Dec. 1 so that we can review all work and you can revise anything which is not acceptable.
Email the portfolios to: professorwandasposse@gmail.com
In the title line identify yourself and the course with code and semester: Wanda Sabir, English 1B Fall 2009 Class Code...
Everyone needs to come to class on Tuesday, Dec. 1 and maybe Thursday, Dec. 3. I am not reading any new assignments after Nov. 23/24.
Assignments this semester recap posted 9/09/2009 and 9/22/2009: You cannot revise your midterm or final, which is the Hip Hop Fiction essay. I have let students revise the midterm twice and now three times. For those students who complete the final on Nov. 19, I might consider a revision with the portfolio. Remember, all revisions have to include a narrative.
1. Women in Hip Hop with a side-bar on Hyper-Masculinity: October 1
2. The Graf or Writing Movement, October 6 essay is due for peer review, Oct. 8 presentation
3. Dance or Bi-boying, Bi-Girling, October 13/15
4. DJing, Oct. 20/22—
5. MC or Poet/Rapper Oct. 27/29, Nov. 3 presentation
6. Nov. 5/10 Project reports in small groups
7. Nov. 12/17 Fiction presentations (all)
8. Extra credit: Hip Hop as a Global Movement, Hip Hop Theatre, Hip Hop Spirituality (turn in by or before Nov. 12).
Assignment:
Start with an artist who exemplifies the genre you wish to talk about. This person will provide the frame for you to tell the story of the development of the genre. This person will help you illustrate your point as well as focus the essay which is just a reflection on a larger topic.
Choose 3-4 key points you wish to develop. Give us a brief bio of the person, why they decided or how they found themselves using hip hop culture as their lens, include a sample of their work, compare and contrast it with both historic and contemporary examples….
Within each essay give a definition of hip hop culture and how the element emerges, reflects, fits into and expands this philosophical landscape.
If you are speaking of women in hip hop—the topic is broad so your introduction could be a historic overview and then you can focus your paper on the artist of your choice who illustrates attributes you’d like to consider in the paper.
Even though you are focusing on one artist, place your artist within the context of the work…which means you have to center the person within her genre surrounded by her peers…show how the work the artist produces expands and enlarges the scope of the discipline.
You can look both nationally and internally. In at least one paper, I want the focus to be on an artist who is from Northern California. The person has to be alive. If you chose to write about graffiti or writing I’d encourage students to borrow Style Wars, it is a great history of the Graffiti movement. You can also use material from Piece by Piece and the essay I gave you to read.
Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop is a great resource and of course so is Total Chaos, both are by Jeff Chang.
Secondly, after I give students about 20 minutes to revise their essays, we will take a poll and see how many students have not made a presentation this semester. I want to let students write their final essay this week, Thursday, Nov. 19, on their novel. Next Tuesday we will complete our presentations--on the novel, and start the portfolios. If you have missed all the presentations, this is your final opportunity. If there is time, I will consider other presentations. Students who have the same novel can present together. We will devote the entire class period to these presentations. I'd like abstract prepared and enough copies for each student. The earlier presentations were practices. This one gets a grade.
I will give you the narrative questions by Thursday, Nov. 19. Next week students will assemble their portfolios and turn them in.
For students who are behind you will probably not be able to complete this task by Nov. 25, so I am extending the deadline to Monday, Nov. 30. Come to class Dec. 1 so that we can review all work and you can revise anything which is not acceptable.
Email the portfolios to: professorwandasposse@gmail.com
In the title line identify yourself and the course with code and semester: Wanda Sabir, English 1B Fall 2009 Class Code...
Everyone needs to come to class on Tuesday, Dec. 1 and maybe Thursday, Dec. 3. I am not reading any new assignments after Nov. 23/24.
Assignments this semester recap posted 9/09/2009 and 9/22/2009: You cannot revise your midterm or final, which is the Hip Hop Fiction essay. I have let students revise the midterm twice and now three times. For those students who complete the final on Nov. 19, I might consider a revision with the portfolio. Remember, all revisions have to include a narrative.
1. Women in Hip Hop with a side-bar on Hyper-Masculinity: October 1
2. The Graf or Writing Movement, October 6 essay is due for peer review, Oct. 8 presentation
3. Dance or Bi-boying, Bi-Girling, October 13/15
4. DJing, Oct. 20/22—
5. MC or Poet/Rapper Oct. 27/29, Nov. 3 presentation
6. Nov. 5/10 Project reports in small groups
7. Nov. 12/17 Fiction presentations (all)
8. Extra credit: Hip Hop as a Global Movement, Hip Hop Theatre, Hip Hop Spirituality (turn in by or before Nov. 12).
Assignment:
Start with an artist who exemplifies the genre you wish to talk about. This person will provide the frame for you to tell the story of the development of the genre. This person will help you illustrate your point as well as focus the essay which is just a reflection on a larger topic.
Choose 3-4 key points you wish to develop. Give us a brief bio of the person, why they decided or how they found themselves using hip hop culture as their lens, include a sample of their work, compare and contrast it with both historic and contemporary examples….
Within each essay give a definition of hip hop culture and how the element emerges, reflects, fits into and expands this philosophical landscape.
If you are speaking of women in hip hop—the topic is broad so your introduction could be a historic overview and then you can focus your paper on the artist of your choice who illustrates attributes you’d like to consider in the paper.
Even though you are focusing on one artist, place your artist within the context of the work…which means you have to center the person within her genre surrounded by her peers…show how the work the artist produces expands and enlarges the scope of the discipline.
You can look both nationally and internally. In at least one paper, I want the focus to be on an artist who is from Northern California. The person has to be alive. If you chose to write about graffiti or writing I’d encourage students to borrow Style Wars, it is a great history of the Graffiti movement. You can also use material from Piece by Piece and the essay I gave you to read.
Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop is a great resource and of course so is Total Chaos, both are by Jeff Chang.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Digging In-class Essay
English 1A In-class Essay Exam Part 1
November 10, 2009
Write a two page essay (6-8 paragraphs) in response to the question. Include a works cited page.
Question: How is hip hop poetry -- rap or spoken word, a continuation of the djali tradition according to Amiri Baraka? Do you agree?
Use 3 citations from three sources--the first Amiri Baraka, the other two, Spoken Word Revolution and a scholarly source from the Library Database. Everyone should have handouts from SWR to cite from. If, for whatever reasons, you do not have the copies with you, use two scholarly sources.
This essay cannot be made up if you were absent.
This is a midterm. Give me your first draft. Thursday, you will have an opportunity to revise the essay during the first 20 minutes of the class.
I am not accepting late work--I will accept your portfolio up to the final week of classes--not ungraded essays will be accepted.
What I read so far from most students shows that you grasp the main idea or key point Baraka is making re: the griot/djali. Please call me if you were not able to complete the paper and plan to email me sometime between this afternoon and tomorrow. You will have an opportunity to revise the paper on Thursday. I will give you 20 minutes to do so. I plan to let you watch a video entitled Revision Strategies (The Write Course).
Who plans to present on Thursday? Students only have one week to revise essays which are C-/R or anything grade over R. Some students have not given me any essays yet, or they have all been unsatisfactory.
Poetry
We began the class listening to poetry from our textbook: Jerry Quickley's "Hip Hop Hollers" (43). Read pp. 46-50. "Disclaimer" (168) was another track we listened to, along with "How to Write a Poem" (174-175).
If you'd like to respond to the selections, please do so here.
November 10, 2009
Write a two page essay (6-8 paragraphs) in response to the question. Include a works cited page.
Question: How is hip hop poetry -- rap or spoken word, a continuation of the djali tradition according to Amiri Baraka? Do you agree?
Use 3 citations from three sources--the first Amiri Baraka, the other two, Spoken Word Revolution and a scholarly source from the Library Database. Everyone should have handouts from SWR to cite from. If, for whatever reasons, you do not have the copies with you, use two scholarly sources.
This essay cannot be made up if you were absent.
This is a midterm. Give me your first draft. Thursday, you will have an opportunity to revise the essay during the first 20 minutes of the class.
I am not accepting late work--I will accept your portfolio up to the final week of classes--not ungraded essays will be accepted.
What I read so far from most students shows that you grasp the main idea or key point Baraka is making re: the griot/djali. Please call me if you were not able to complete the paper and plan to email me sometime between this afternoon and tomorrow. You will have an opportunity to revise the paper on Thursday. I will give you 20 minutes to do so. I plan to let you watch a video entitled Revision Strategies (The Write Course).
Who plans to present on Thursday? Students only have one week to revise essays which are C-/R or anything grade over R. Some students have not given me any essays yet, or they have all been unsatisfactory.
Poetry
We began the class listening to poetry from our textbook: Jerry Quickley's "Hip Hop Hollers" (43). Read pp. 46-50. "Disclaimer" (168) was another track we listened to, along with "How to Write a Poem" (174-175).
If you'd like to respond to the selections, please do so here.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Howl
Today we read Allen Ginsberg's monumental work, Howl, and Beau Sia's response Howl in our textbook. Post your poems, reflections here.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Presentations
5 students told me they are presenting Thursday, so come on time and we will do the presentations first. Post your freewrites from today, also no one has responded to the poetry homework assignment from last week.
Erica read her essay on Women in Hip Hop, it was excellent. If we have time, Itzel and Ilene will read theirs. I will return your essays on Thursday, if not sooner. Check outside L-235. Please give me your best work. Go see a tutor and get professional feedback before turning the essays in. I am not your editor.
If you give me work with lots of errors, I don't know what you are capable of and I wonder how you got into this level college course. At the English 1B level, students know how to write an essay and how to do research. Errors like: SV Agr., sentence fragments, pronoun antecedent and pronoun case agreement, confused words, parallel structure, verb tense, to name a few, are easily identified in the final edit and corrected at the English 1B composition level.
Everyone should have at least one, one on one workshop critique of your writing. It doesn't take long, but after this one on one, you know what I expect and how I read your work and what I am looking for in the writing.
If you are having trouble, go to the tutoring center in the LRC and get help, this in addition to seeing me at my office hours or by appointment.
Some of you are behind and if you would like to complete the course, make an appointment with me and bring your proposal. I have met with a few students who are already in breach of their verbal contract with me.
Believe it or not, there are students who have not completed one written assignment in this class. This is a writing class and if you are said students, please be in touch. I am here Monday-Thursday starting at 8 AM.
Erica read her essay on Women in Hip Hop, it was excellent. If we have time, Itzel and Ilene will read theirs. I will return your essays on Thursday, if not sooner. Check outside L-235. Please give me your best work. Go see a tutor and get professional feedback before turning the essays in. I am not your editor.
If you give me work with lots of errors, I don't know what you are capable of and I wonder how you got into this level college course. At the English 1B level, students know how to write an essay and how to do research. Errors like: SV Agr., sentence fragments, pronoun antecedent and pronoun case agreement, confused words, parallel structure, verb tense, to name a few, are easily identified in the final edit and corrected at the English 1B composition level.
Everyone should have at least one, one on one workshop critique of your writing. It doesn't take long, but after this one on one, you know what I expect and how I read your work and what I am looking for in the writing.
If you are having trouble, go to the tutoring center in the LRC and get help, this in addition to seeing me at my office hours or by appointment.
Some of you are behind and if you would like to complete the course, make an appointment with me and bring your proposal. I have met with a few students who are already in breach of their verbal contract with me.
Believe it or not, there are students who have not completed one written assignment in this class. This is a writing class and if you are said students, please be in touch. I am here Monday-Thursday starting at 8 AM.
Song of Myself
Today we read a few poems from The Spoken Word Revolution (pp. 194, 104-108). We then read Walt Whitman's Song of Myself, or started it. We discussed the poet and his life and the America reflected in this poem, one of our greatest in literary history for the forms he broke and the images evoked.
Students were encouraged to write their own "Song of Myself," as Sherman Alexie did in his "Song of Ourself" after "Defending Walt Whitman" (104-105).
Post your poems and/or reflections here. We will look at Howl, by Alan Ginsberg, another famous poem during the period known for the Beat Poets. These young poets took their work to the streets, into the cafes, collaborating with musicians and other poets. Again Howl like Whitman in his Leaves of Grass where Song of Myself appears, breaks form.
Webistes for
http://www.internal.org/list_poems.phtml?authorID=2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_of_Myself
http://www.internal.org/list_poems.phtml?authorID=2
http://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/whitman/section2.rhtml
Poet Beau Sia titles his poem, Howl, also (179).
Homework, continue working on your essays. Thursday, let's talk about the novels you are reading. Prepare to do a book talk.
Students were encouraged to write their own "Song of Myself," as Sherman Alexie did in his "Song of Ourself" after "Defending Walt Whitman" (104-105).
Post your poems and/or reflections here. We will look at Howl, by Alan Ginsberg, another famous poem during the period known for the Beat Poets. These young poets took their work to the streets, into the cafes, collaborating with musicians and other poets. Again Howl like Whitman in his Leaves of Grass where Song of Myself appears, breaks form.
Webistes for
http://www.internal.org/list_poems.phtml?authorID=2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_of_Myself
http://www.internal.org/list_poems.phtml?authorID=2
http://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/whitman/section2.rhtml
Poet Beau Sia titles his poem, Howl, also (179).
Homework, continue working on your essays. Thursday, let's talk about the novels you are reading. Prepare to do a book talk.
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