Thursday, October 28, 2010

Self-Reflection on Revision Strategies and Evaluating a Website

Reflect separately on the exercises: Revision Strategies and Evaluating a Website.

Revision Strategies video.

Reflect on the revision process and video. What does it mean to revise? Where does revision fit into the overall writing process? What did Norm mean when he mentioned "skilled and unskilled writers"? What did Sandra Perl mean when she spoke about "editing prematurely"?

What assumptions did Dr. Flowers mention that writers have about "good writing"? What does planning have to do with any of this? What is "perfect draft syndrome"? How is revision a way to transform the writing? What is writer-based, reader-based writing?

What are the steps to revision? How are these steps confirmed by Diana Hacker in her various grammar style books in the section on revision? If you don't have Hacker, use the grammar style book you have to respond to the question.

How is keeping the reader in mind an important part of the writing process? What analogy does one of the character's use to describe the actual document?

Did you hear the questions used in the Initial Planning Sheet also used in the program?

Check out this website

Today students are evaluating websites. This website is a really fantastic medium for filmmakers out of Canada. Some students elected to evaluate it; however, all students are encouraged to visit it and listen to a few of the interviews: http://highrise.nfb.ca/ The director Katerina Cizek was a guest on my radio show October 27, 2010 in the first hour: www.blogtalkradio.com/wandas-picks She has a film in the United Nations Association Film Festival 2010: The Bicycle. Visit www.unaff.org The films are screening through October 31 at Stanford University.

This assignment is a part of the Library Assignment sheet I gave to students connected to the Social Entrepreneur assignment. The questions re: Evaluating a Web Page are on the College of Alameda site. Look at Library Worksheets. Students paired up to complete this in-class assignment and then sent it to me as an attachment and pasted in the document: Don't forget to include both students names, if you were a team. Send to coasabirenglish1B@gmail.com

We then watched a video on Revision Strategies: The Write Course and worked on revising The Known World essays.

Homework is to continue reading the book you chose. Let's meet in A-232 next week as well both days.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Proceed and Be Bold starring Amos Paul Kennedy Jr.

We spent most of the class watching this film about a former corporate administrator who leaves his profession and begins to make art--printmaking.

I showed the film as an example of an artist who is also an entrepreneur, a social entrepreneur.

How does APK use printing to alter or change the world? What is his motivation? How is printing art? How is what Amos does with printmaking metaphor, even poetry?

What about his life is most intriguing and most existing? What questions does Proceed raise? What questions does it answer?

Write this response in the form of a profile of APK and a film critique/review. Use a published review of the film as a guide. Give citations. Visit Brown Finch Films for more information. The response should be minimally three paragraphs.

I returned a few TKW essays. The revisions are due at the next meeting unless you need to see me. A couple students do. I am around on Wednesdays--call me. I have office hours in the morning and afternoon.

Visit http://www.kennedyprints.com/

http://sfdocfest.bside.com/2009/films/proceedandbebold_sfdocfest2009;jsessionid=DACE16C369829B888458937DF8CE65AE

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Cyber-Freewrite

1. Choose a poem from Totems: Politics . Develop three 3-part thesis sentences.

2. Review assignments

3. Read a play: The Angry Black White Boy

4. Homework: Continue reading your book, complete the Frontline World assignment.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Angela Davis: Radical Pedagogy Cyber-Assignment

In class on Tuesday we watched a film by director, Angela Carroll about social critic and activist, Professor Angela Y. Davis. After a lively discussion, students were then introduced to the three-part thesis sentence form which we practiced.

Students were to respond to the film in three paragraphs. Homework was also to start reading one's approved collection of stories or novel and to begin thinking about the Social Entrepreneur project and doing the Frontline World exercises.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Notes

I need to approve the book before you start reading.

The Known World essays are in and students are ready to move on. If any revisions are still required, turn them in ASAP.

Social Entrepreneur Essay
Our last essay, the Social Entrepreneur Essay planning is due mid-November for peer review. Choose an artist who is using their work for social change, to interrupt the status quo re: entitlement and privilege especially entitlement based on race, gender and class.

The Angry Black White Boy
This essay will be our final and is due with the portfolio, so there will still be a social entrepreneur essay due. This essay will profile an artist who is using his or her work for social change.

I will give you essay questions in December for the Angry Black White Boy. In the meantime, we will read the play based on the novel.

Portfolio
We will start reviewing the portfolio process in November. We will not have an in-class final. The portfolio is due by December 15 via email coasabirenglish1B@gmail.com

More later on the portfolio.

Frontline World: Engaged Citizenry Cyber-Assignment

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

Respond to 3 stories by 10/18-10/31. Bring in headphones for the computer. Post your Frontline World Responses (3) on the blog.

Answer the following questions in your response to the program.

Outline:

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

• Why they decided to address this issue?

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

Book Report Essay Due Nov. 12

This semester we are looking at Privilege

Each student was asked to choose a novel. The author needed to be alive and living in the Northern California if possible. I suggested students chose a subject or author who might also work as a topic for the Social Entrepreneur profile. For example, Isabel Allende is a wonderful Chilean writer who is also social entrepreneur. She is not under 30, but that is okay. Another wonderful writer is Maxine Hong Kingston and my favorite writer, Alice Walker.

For each essay, students need to find three articles: a published book review or analysis, and for the author, see if there is something on the author in Literary Criticism, (on-line in the Library Database and in COA library (public libraries as well). Third, find an article that addresses one of the themes in the book. Include all of these sources in your works cited page.

The essay will be 3-4 pages and in it you will summarize your book’s major themes and analyze them. Tell us something about the author and how he or she comes to write the book if applicable. You can always save this for the presentation, that and if the book is the author’s first.

Abstract
The presentation is weighted heavily here, so prepare well, and please include an abstract which includes the title of the book, the key points you plan to make and any arguments you’d like us to consider. Bring in copies for each student.

Book Report

Planning Sheet, Outline, Thesis Nov. 4___________
First Draft Tuesday, Nov. 9___________
Final Draft Friday, Nov. 12 via email____________
Presentations: Tuesday, Nov. 16___________

The presentation is a quarter of the grade for this assignment

Social Entrepreneur Essay Assignment Due Nov. 19

Assignment: Social Entrepreneurs: Engaged Citizenry
English 1B


Choose an artist who is using their work for social change, to interrupt the status quo re: entitlement and privilege especially entitlement based on race, gender and class.

Introduction

Open with the problem statement. Be descriptive.

The thesis sentence names your social entrepreneur as a person who is addressing the problem identified in the introduction.


Body paragraphs
Background on the social entrepreneur and what brings them to the work. You can cite statistics here to illustrate the problem

Introduce the organization or business venture. Does the work grow out of the community? How do the SE and the community interact?

Are there any partnerships with other organizations and/or government?

Are there any peer reviews or industry reports?

What are the measurable results for the community? Share a story here.

What are the measurable results for the SE. You could quote the SE here.


Narrative
Your essay needs to answer all of these questions; you can structure it like a typical problem/solution essay or cause and effect.

The person has to be alive. Try to find someone local, who is living in the San Francisco Bay Area or in California. The person has to have been doing this work for 10-20 years (the length of time is negotiable; see me).

You need to locate 5 sources on your subject to form a bibliography; you don't have to cite them all. The sources can be published or broadcast interviews, books, articles, and films or you can interview them yourself. The person cannot be a relative. You can work in groups and share data. In fact, I encourage it.

You will have three citations: 1 in-text citation, one paraphrase, and one block quote in the essay. The rest of the writing has to be your own. The essay should be 4pages (English 1A). This does not include the works cited page or bibliography.


English 1B Social Entrepreneur Due Dates:

Planning Due by Tuesday, Nov. 18 (share)_____________
Essay: Planning Sheet, Outline, Thesis due Tuesday, Nov. 16 __________
First Draft Tuesday, Nov. 30 (peer reviews)__________
Final Draft due via email, Thursday, Dec. 2. Send to coasabirenglish1B@gmail.com

Presentations: Dec. 2
Supplementary Assignments

On-line Frontline World (on-line responses 3) Start Tuesday, October 19_______
Library Research sheet: Thursday, October 21_______________
Website Evaluation completed (worksheet) by October 30 (in-class) _____________
List of sources (5) minimum in MLA format due Tuesday, Nov. 13 (share in class) ___________

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Homework is to catch up on the essay writing, if behind. Students can email me, just call me and let me know you have sent a revised essay. In your preamble, let me know what changed between drafts and the grade, if any given or comments.

Homework is also to bring in a book written by a Northern California writer 30 years old or younger. Sources to find such writers are: The Northern California Book Reviewers Association, Before Columbus Foundation, Poetry Flash.

This is Banded Book Month, I was told and there is a book display at Laney College Library students might want to check out. Berkeley is also a participant in Banned Books Month in the past.

Freewrite

Choose a poem from Reed and write a three paragraph response exploring the argument and themes.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Argumentation

Today we watched the video: Argumentation, produced by The Write Course. Post reflections on the video: What you learned and what was clarified about argument that you might have forgotten.

Why is argumentation an important rhetorical tool?

Homework will be to chose a poem from Reed's Men and Women, and state the argument and pull out support: definitions, analogies, testimony and/or consequences to support the argument. Post here.

What does Reed say about this section and why he included it in his anthology? Summarize his reasons and incorporate your example into this summary essay. Three paragraphs is fine.

Peer Review and Comments on Essay presentations

Checklist for Classical Argument:

1. Does my paper include the elements of Classical argument structure in proper sequence?

2. Does my introduction clearly present my thesis and necessary background information?

3. Have I acknowledged and accurately presented challengingly viewpoints? have I refuted them thoroughly?

4. Does my conclusion summarize the key points of my argument, present insightful interpretations, or make appropriate predictions or recommendations?

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Today in class we reviewed the Classical Argument form by doing some prewriting together around the topic: "choice" using three characters from TKW to illustrate the point: Robbins, Townsend and Skiffington.

We got as far as the Initial Planning and character profiles looking at certain aspects of the character's character such as motivating factors like wants and needs and what each one might have sacrificed to get what he wanted most.

I handed out samples of an essay to students, as well as additional questions to ask to fulfill the assignment which is due Thursday, October 7. Students need to come prepared to present their essays.

Some of the essays I read aloud were not compelling and the evidence used was not the best evidence. We are look for deep analysis at this level of academic writing. The essays don't have to be long, but they have to be powerful.

I also showed a film on Argumentation as well. We'll complete the film on Thursday. If students were absent today, you cannot make up the essay on Thursday, and this essay is part of a three-essay assignment. The next two are die next week: Tuesday and Thursday with presentations.

This is just a fun exercise I decided to try out this semester. It might be a new essay form for some of you.

For the students who have been missing class, drop the class. I am tired of seeing students once a week in a two-meeting class. Many of these students started teh class late.

I will not be gentle in the grading of this 3-part essay project on The Known World. I noticed that only one student, maybe two were involved in the discussion this morning.

This is a writing class, so I am fine with reviewing essay structure and research methods, but I am not going to review grammar without penalizing the student whose paper is rife with errors. Such students will have to write an essay identifying the errors and prescribing a solution based on a grammarian like Diana Hacker. You only have one time to get it right.

I don't think anyone from this class has met with me outside of class. In fact I am waiting right now for a student who never showed (12:15-1:40 PM).

I am leaving now.

We also talked about The Angry Black White Boy which will be our final essay and presentation. Students will chose from the three arguments forms and present an essay based on one of them to the class and in writing.

We will not do the Social Entrepreneur Essay. Oh, students need to use a scholarly source for each essay they write, including The Known World.