English 1B, Spring 2012 at COA
Professor Wanda Sabir
In the Night
Women are out in the night.
They are cleaning streets
some are walking streets
coming home from work
othrs are working/
answering a call
rushing to the hospital
to bail someone out of jail
getting the forgotten loaf of bread
running from here to there
going to hang with the girls
enjoying the freedom of the club
relaxing from a hard day
of taking orders
sunny-side up
by tomorrow
in stilettos dressed to kill
with glistening lips
begging for kissers.
And some are just alone again in the dark
actually enjoying the moon.
What are you doing out so late Ma?
Being a woman, Officer,
being a woman.
--Myesha Jenkins from Dreams of Flight: A Collection of Poems, Geko Publishing 2011
Course code 21792 Lec 08:00-08:50 AM MTWTh Sabir C-211
Class Meetings: Jan. 25—May 17, 8-8:50 a.m., MTWTh
Drop dates: February 4, Full-Term Credit Classes and Receive a Refund. Note: Short-term and open-entry classes must be dropped within three days of the first class meeting to receive a refund. Feb. 5 last day to add. Feb. 11 last day to file for Pass/No pass. Feb. 16 last day to drop w/out a W. Drop February 24, Full-Term Credit Classes Without “W” Appearing on Transcript; April 25 (w/W) and no refund.
Holidays: Feb. 6, 17-20; May 18, May 30; Spring Break: April 2-8 M-Su Spring Recess
Final Exam Week: May 19-25. We have no sitting final. Portfolios are due by May 25, 12 noon electronically. Last day of semester May 25, 2012.
Class blog: http://poeticsrapandtothersocialdiscourses.blogspot.com/
Syllabus for English 1B: College Composition
English 1B is a transferable college writing course. It builds on the competencies gained in English 1A with a more careful and studied analysis of expository writing based on readings of selected plays, poems, novels, and short fiction.
Writing is a social activity, especially the type of writing you’ll be doing here. We always consider our audience, have purpose or reason to write, and use research to substantiate our claims, even those we are considered experts in.
We’re supposed to write about 8000 words or so at this level course. The 8000 words over the semester (not per essay) include drafts. What this amounts to is time at home writing, time in the library on campus and public libraries too. Students will be researching, and reading documents to increase his or her facility with the ideas or themes he or she is contemplating, before he or she once again sits at his or her desk writing, revising, and writing some more.
Writing is a lonely process. No one can write for you. The social aspect comes into play once you are finished and you have an opportunity to share.
We are practicing skills which you developed in English 1A. The difference is we are looking at literature and analyzing other genres, in our case: poetry, fiction, music, theatre, visual arts, and dance. In order to do justice to the topics you chose to explore, the writer cannot ignore the history of the genre nor its current discourses or new roots.
I will be looking at the writing, but more than this I will be paying attention to the scholarship, which is why each essay has to include a citation from a scholarly article—4-10+ pages.
Your essays can use multiple styles . . . be creative. However, I need to know that you know how to write an essay, so save the creative work for last (smile). And if you plan to deviate from the norm, don’t surprise me, share the idea with me first.
We are going to read a book or play every few weeks. We start with short fiction and then move into a novel, dramatic literature, another novel and conclude with poetry. I am going to show you a film. We finish with students selecting writing outside of the assigned readings and writing a research analysis based on the work. The selection can be two short poems or a longer one, a novel, another play or a short story.
On Thursdays we will have critiques when an essay is due. More on this later. We will practice writing research analyses mid-semester. Students will grade each other based on a rubric.
Office Hours
I am a phone person, so when I give you my telephone number, use it. My office is D-219, (510) 748-2286 (office phone). If you are a poor writer, get a tutor. We will have minimal revisions, like none unless the essay is horrible—students only get 1-2 BAD ESSAY DAYs (and the penalty is writing a correction essay, plus revising the essay). We will do peer reviews. I want to see polished work. Last semester, students did poorly on their first essay. I don’t know, maybe it was the topic, Indian boarding schools, substance abuse, assimilation, who knows . . . find a topic that interests you; however, if you hate the stories and its characters, well then I don’t know what to tell you (smile).
Methodology
We will use Writing about Literature: A Portable Guide, Second Edition by Janet E. Gardner in the class. There is a chapter for each genre of literature we will examine. We will review a chapter every week or two. The first section of the book reviews the writing process.
Keep a reading log/journal/notes containing key ideas outlined for each discussion section, along with vocabulary and key arguments listed, along with primary writing strategies employed: description, process analysis, narration, argument, cause and effect, compare and contrast, definition, problem solving. I will collect these typed notes electronically with the completed essays. The essays will be submitted electronically. Type all your notes and in-class writing assignments.
I repeat: each book or play will have a corresponding essay. There will also be a series of short 250 word essay responses posted on the class blog pertaining to each piece of literature. Students have a choice of writing a new paper or expanding the cyber-assignment into a longer work. Each research paper will be between 3-4 pages long. This includes a works cited page.
Again, the final is an oral presentation of one’s paper or a defense of one’s thesis. The student portfolio is the FINAL for the class. We will talk about this more. If any students are creative writers and wants to lead a workshop, let me know (smile).
Each student will have to attend a literary event of his or her choosing: lecture or author event, play or film. We can attend an event together or separately. The writing assignment will be an analysis/critique, like a review . . . but a bit deeper. I suggest students read published reviews beforehand to prepare for the task. This essay will be minimally two (2) pages or 500 words, not including a works cited page with minimally two (2) sources. All essays have to have 1 citation per page, so in the case of a two page essay, that is two citations (period).
Essay research requirements
Each essay needs to use at least 2-3 outside sources which should include at least one (1) scholarly article along with other material (taken from the COA on-line Library Database (if possible). Each essay should also include One (1) direct quote, one (1) free-paraphrase and one (1) block quote—one citation per page—no more, no less. Each essay also needs to include a works cited page and a bibliography. It needs to be perfect. We will practice this in class. We will write many of the shorter essays in class or for homework. The task should be simple once students decide which four (4) elements they’d like to respond to in depth.
I am making an assumption that students know how to correctly document their sources using MLA. Diana Hacker’s Rules for Writers or text. At this level, I expect students to know how to write passing essays at the first submission. Submit your best work the first time. Don’t submit drafts, masquerading as polished work. I am serious.
Midterm
One of the essays will be the midterm, possibly fiction maybe dramatic literature (smile).
Jot down briefly what your goals are this semester and action steps to get there. Separate into what you can do alone or have control over and what you might not have control over and why.
List them in order of importance.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Homework Assignment 1: E-mail introduction to me tomorrow, Tuesday, January 24. Send to coasabirenglish1B@gmail.com.
Homework Assignment con't:
Besides the usual: where are you from? What languages do you speak besides English? What child are you in the family? What are your hobbies? Why are you taking this class? What books have you read recently that took your breath away?
Include: your contact information: Name, Address, phone number, best e-mail address, best time to call and answers to these questions as well: What strengths do you bring to the class? What do you hope to obtain from the course – any particular exit skills? What do I need to know about you to help you meet your goals?
Homework Assignment 2:
Respond on the blog to the syllabus, so I have a record of your reading it. Make sure you include examples from the syllabus to support your points. The response is due by
Wednesday, January 25.
Write a comment to me regarding the syllabus: your impressions, whether you think it is reasonable, questions, suggestions. This is our contract, I need to know you read it and understand the agreement. Include the understanding that to pass the class you have to have your materials by day 1, no later than the end of the week.
Grading
Essays: 55 percent of grade
Short Story
1. The Dance Boots by Linda Legarde Grover is the text for the short story unit. Each unit includes the definitive essay, plus in-class writing, group writing and blog assignments.
The Novel
2-3. Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok and The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is the text for the fiction unit (2 essays), plus a film.
Dramatic Literature:
4. Ruined or some other selection (handout).
Poetry Unit
5. Indivisible: An Anthology of Contemporary South Asian Poetry edited by Neelanjana Bannerjee, Summi Kaipa, and Pireeni Sundaralingam
6. Final essay –student choice
Portfolio: 25 percent
Participation: 20 percent
What do I mean by participation? This includes preparation and active participation in group assignments, blog responses and posted comments; discussion group preparedness, attitude and leadership. To post comments select “ANONYMOUS” and then type your name in the post. Students do not need to get Gmail accounts.
To encourage participation, and for this, students have to be prepared, I weighed the preparedness and participation strongly which means I will be taking notes when students do not do their homework. If you are in a group where students are pretending to be prepared when they are not, drop me an anonymous note. If a student is absent, he or she cannot make up in-class assignments such as group work, freewrites, presentations, etc.
Portfolio Suggestion
Students can start a personal blog for the class and send me the link for your portfolio at the end of the course. This is not the only type of portfolio. The other is to submit a word document with the semester's writing.
Quizzes
I am not above pop quizzes on readings. Remember, this plan can change in a twinkling of the eye, if we find it isn’t working.
Writing Center
The Writing Center is a great place to get one-on-on assistance on your essays, from brainstorming and planning the essays, to critique in areas like clarity, organization, clearly stated thesis, evidence or support, logical conclusions, and grammatical problems. In the Writing Center there are ancillary materials for student use. These writing programs build strong writing muscles. The Bedford Handbook on-line, Diana Hacker’s Rules for Writers on-line, Townsend Press, and other such computer and cyber-based resources are a few of the many databases available. There is also an Open Lab for checking e-mail, a Math Lab. All academic labs are located in the Learning Resource Center (LRC) or library. The Cyber Café is located in the F-bldg.
Again, students need a student ID to use the labs and to check out books. The IDs are free. Ask in Student Services (A-bldg.) where photos are taken.
Have a tutor of teacher sign off on your essays before you turn them in; if you have a “R,” which means revision necessary for a grade or “NC” which means “no credit,” you have to go to the lab and revise the essay with a tutor or teacher before you return both the graded original and the revision (with signature) to me. Revise does not mean “rewrite,” it means to “see again.”
When getting assistance on an essay, the teacher or tutor is not an editor, so have questions prepared for them to make best use of the 15-20 minute session in the Lab. I will give you a handout which looks at 5 areas of the essay you can use as a guide when shaping your questions for your peer review sessions. Please use these guidelines when planning your discussions with me also.
For more specific assistance, sign up for one-on-one tutoring, another free service. For those of you on other campuses, you can get assistance at the Merritt College’s Writing Center, as well as Laney College’s Writing Labs.
Correction Essays & Essay Narratives
All essay assignments you receive comments on have to be revised prior to resubmission; included with the revision is a student narrative to me regarding your understanding of what needed to be done, that is, a detailed list of the error(s) and its correction; a student can prepare this as a part of the Lab visit, especially if said student is unclear over what steps to take. Cite from a scholarly source the rule and recommendations for its correction.
Students can also visit me in office hours for assistance; again, prepare your questions in advance to best make use of the time. Do not leave class without understanding the comments on a paper. I don’t mind reviewing them with you.
Student Learning Outcomes
Student Learning Outcomes include a better facility with written communication which includes critical thinking, analysis and of course comprehension. Such tools help us make better choices and decisions about our lives and the lives of those persons we are responsible for. Hopefully students will gain an appreciation for the literary arts beyond what is due for the course. Education is not limited to the classroom; rather an implicit goal is always to trigger a desire in students to continue the cultural pursuit after transfer, after graduation, after career goals are met. Reading and writing are skills one does have to practice to prevent dullness, so another goal and SLO for this course is for students to know how to keep their tools ready for use which might translate into keeping a journal once the semester ends, reading more for pleasure, going to literary events, and/or hanging onto some of the course reference books like Diana Hacker's Rules for Writers.
English language fluency in writing and reading; a certain comfort and ease with the language; confidence and skillful application of literary skills associated with academic writing. Familiarity if not mastery of the rhetorical styles used in argumentation, exposition and narration will be addressed in this class and is a key student learning outcome (SLO).
We will be evaluating what we know and how we came to know what we know, a field called epistemology or the study of knowledge. Granted, the perspective is western culture which eliminates the values of the majority populations, so-called underdeveloped or undeveloped countries or cultures. Let us not fall into typical superiority traps. Try to maintain a mental elasticity and a willingness to let go of concepts which not only limit your growth as an intelligent being, but put you at a distinct disadvantage as a species.
This is a highly charged and potentially revolutionary process - critical thinking. The process of evaluating all that you swallowed without chewing up to now is possibly even dangerous. This is one of the problems with bigotry; it’s easier to go with tradition than toss it, and create a new, more just, alternative protocol.
Last words on Grades
We will be honest with one another. Grades are not necessarily an honest response to work; grades do not take into consideration the effort or time spent, only whether or not students can demonstrate mastery of a skill - in this case: essay writing. Grades are an approximation, arbitrary at best, no matter how many safeguards one tries to put in place to avoid such ambiguity. Suffice it to say, your portfolio will illustrate your competence. It will represent your progress, your success or failure this semester in meeting your goal.
Office Hours: D219
I’d like to wish everyone much success. I am available for consultation on Monday/Wednesdays, 10:30-11:30 AM and 3-4 PM and on MTWTh 3-5 p.m. by appointment. My office is located in the D-216 suite. I have an office phone, but do not leave messages on it. Call me on my cell phone and leave a message. My email again is: coasabirenglish1B@gmail.com Let me know the day before, if possible, when you’d like to meet with me. I am more of a phone person.
I am a phone person, especially on weekends, so take time to exchange email and phone numbers with classmates (3), so if you have a concern, it can be addressed more expeditiously. Again study groups are recommended, especially for those students finding the readings difficult; don’t forget, you can also discuss the readings as a group in the Lab with a teacher or tutor acting as facilitator.
Keep a vocabulary log for the semester and an error chart (taken from comments on essay assignments). List the words you need to look up in the dictionary, also list where you first encountered them: page, book and definition, also use the word in a sentence. You will turn this in with your portfolio electronically.
I do not expect students to confuse literal with free paraphrase (a literal paraphrase is plagiarism). Students should also not make confused word errors, sentence fragment errors, comma splice errors, subject verb agreement errors, errors in parallel structure, subject verb agreement errors, MLA citations errors, errors with ellipses, formatting an essays—margins, headings, etc. If you are not clear on what I mean, again I suggest you take my Stewart Pidd Experience workshop Mondays 10:30 to 11:30 AM.
Students are expected to complete work on time. If you need more time on an assignment, discuss this with me in advance to keep full credit. Again certain assignments, such as in-class essays cannot be made up. All assignments are to be typed, 12-pt. font, double-spaced lines, indentations on paragraphs, 1-inch margins around the written work (see Hacker: The Writing Process; Document Design.)
In class writing is to be written in ink—blue or black, then typed for inclusion in portfolio or posting on blog: http://poeticsrapandtothersocialdiscourses.blogspot.com/
Cheating
Plagiarism is ethically abhorrent, and if any student tries to take credit for work authored by another person the result will be a failed grade on the assignment and possibly a failed grade in the course if this is attempted again. This is a graded course.
Homework
If you do not identify the assignment, I cannot grade it. If you do not return the original assignment you revised, I cannot compare what changed. If you accidentally toss out or lose the original assignment, you get a zero on the assignment to be revised. I will not look at revisions without the original attached – no exceptions. Some student essays will be posted on-line at the website. Students will also have the option of submitting assignments via email: coasabirenglish1B@gmail.com
Textbooks Recap:
Gardner, Janet E. Writing about Literature: A Portable Guide. Second Edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009. Print.
Grover, Linda Legarde. The Dance Boots. Athens, Georgia and London: The University of Georgia Press, 2010. Print.
Kwok, Jean. Girl in Translation. New York: Riverhead Books, 2010. Print.
Satrapi, Marjane. The Complete Persepolis. Pantheon Books, 2007. Print. ISBN 0375714839
Bannerjee, Neelanjana and Summi Kaipa, Pireeni Sundaralingam. Ed. Indivisible: An Anthology of Contemporary South Asian Poetry. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 2010. Print.
Recommended
Hacker, Diana. Rules for Writers. Fourth or Fifth edition. Bedford/St. Martins. (If you don’t already have such a book.)
A college dictionary. I recommend American Heritage.
Additional materials
Along with a college dictionary, the prepared student needs pens with blue or black ink, along with a pencil for annotating texts, paper, a stapler or paper clips, floppy disks, a notebook, three hole punch, a folder for work-in-progress, and a divided binder to keep materials together.
Stay abreast of the news. Buy a daily paper. Listen to alternative radio:
KPFA 94.1 FM (Hardknock), KQED 88.5, KALW 91.7. Visit news websites: AllAfrica.com, Al Jazeera, CNN.com, AlterNet.org, Democracy Now.org, FlashPoints.org, CBS 60 Minutes.
This syllabus is subject to change based on instructor assessment of class progress.
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16 comments:
Maribel Arrizon
Professor Sabir
English 1B
24 January 2012
I like how in the first few paragraphs you said that writing is a social activity because you have to share it with other people to get better and to connect with them in ways that are sometimes very difficult. I definitely understand that.
I actually don’t understand what the difference is between English 1A and 1B if in 1A we read short stories and in my past English classes we’ve read a lot of poems, done essays on them and the short stories so I don’t understand what’s the difference. I also don’t really know what you mean by being creative when it comes to writing essays, what do you mean by that? I actually would like to read an essay from your previous classes to try and understand what you want in a good essay because an A for one English teacher could be considered a B in another.
The critiques on Thursdays sound promising, though I don’t know how well that will turn out if most of the class decides to be uncooperative and just sit there waiting for the time to pass, I won’t lie when I say that I will probably be extremely reluctant when it comes to sharing my essays with other students, but if I must I must.
The fact that you aren’t as available as much as my last English teacher slightly worries me, mostly because you are so demanding but I’ll just have to find a way around it, somehow.
I’m actually wondering how much do you want us to respond to the blogs? Do you have requirements? Like three responses per week or something? Or do you want us to participate as much as we can?
I actually don’t quite understand the correction process for the essays, but that will probably be answered once we actually do an essay and I have to revise it or something. So it’s no problem right now.
I don’t know what my learning outcomes will be, or what I want them to be. If anything as I read the syllabus I keep thinking that being able to say “I passed this class with a good grade” will be a good enough outcome for me at the moment.
The cyber assignments kind of worry me, I’m not that great with technology so I guess my worst fear regarding these assignments is that I don’t get the credit for the assignment because of some stupid internet problem that’s easy to fix but that I am very incompetent to understand for the time being. But I will do my best when and if these situations occur.
I find the idea of creating my own blog for the portfolio very appealing, but I need more info on it, like what kind of posts do you wanna see or something.
Giao Bui
Professor Sabir
English 1B
24 January 2012
The beginning of the syllabus gives a very clear summary of what the focus of this class will be. It does worry me a little that we will be mostly analyzing works of literature. However I do like the fact that you think that: “In order to do justice to the topics you chose to explore, the writer cannot ignore the history of the genre nor its current discourses or new roots.” I agree with you and have actually done a research paper to prove that the history of the Young Adult literature genre has changed and evolved.
I like how you listed what is required for the essays and where to get help in writing. Knowing those two things provides everyone an opportunity to get an A. I hope that I will be able to write passing papers but I am open to seeking help if my work is not up to par with this course. I plan to work hard in this class because the final is a culmination of the works done earlier in the course. I am looking forward to hearing more about the portfolio since that is what makes me feel the most anxious about after reading the syllabus.
Ashley Richards
Professor Sabir
English 1B
24 January 2012
I feel that this syllabus is very reasonable. I like the variety of writing assignments and the fact that we are going to be reading too. I went to an accelerated school so we didn’t really have the time to read books and get really into writing papers. Everything was rushed, which wasn’t all that great because I didn’t really get the time to learn the material like I should have. I’m real excited to see what I learn this semester.
I like how straight forward you are, not only in the syllabus but even in you lecturing or better said when you explain things. You have that “it is what it is” attitude and I can respect that. I don’t really have any questions or concerns with you class I’m just excited for what is in store. (smile)
Sherrlyne Apostol
Professor Sabir
English 1B
24 January 2012
After reading the syllabus designed for this course I was both apprehensive and excited at the same time. I’ve taken English classes before and I thought I had difficult classes then. In comparison to the expectations for this class raise the bar considerably. I am fond by the way the class is developed and I am curious about the books required, they seem fairly fascinating. I find it very interesting that this class is technology-friendly. The blogs posted for this class is amusing and sort of unique. Blogs as a way of communicating with students is beneficial for both students and teachers.
The genres that will be covered in this class interest me mainly because I don’t touch on those topics very much in literature. Last summer, I was exposed to theater arts and found a sudden urge to learn more about that topic. I am a little excited to get to that part of class.
The requirements and the expectations for this class I find won’t be a piece of cake and will require a consistent amount of time and dedication. This will honestly be one of the more challenging subjects for me this semester but I am hoping to come out of this class as a better writer. I am hoping this class will make me more proficient in writing and help me succeed in my future endeavors.
I hope to succeed in everything under the paragraph under “Student Learning Outcomes.” I want to become a better writer but simultaneously gain appreciation for literary arts. I want to exceed the expectations held in this class as well as my own.
I am somewhat confused about the portfolio. I looked at the blog and the proper way to organize it but I’m still a bit perplexed about what you are asking for? Furthermore, the essay research and the homework seem reasonable.
Astrid Brown
Professor Sabir
English 1B
24 January 2012
After reading your syllabus I found, to my pleasant surprise, your requirements and expectations refreshing. I am very motivated and excited to start the process, but also anxious to see how you will perceive my writing as compared to my previous English professors. Listening to you speak to reading your letter and syllabus I can tell that you are a good writer and an honest person. I especially liked how you ended your section about Student Learning Outcomes. You write that “it’s easier to go with tradition that toss it, and create a new, more just, alternative protocol.” It foreshadowed the State of Mind you had us read our first day of class. Instead of stifling ourselves with limits and narrow-mindedness, thinking critically and outside the box are tools that lead to development and creative ideas.
In regards to the syllabus I am excited to acquire more information about the portfolio we are to submit towards the end of the term. I think it is an excellent idea to highlight a student’s process and achievements. Besides, it is nice to finally be evaluated by ones progress and actually truly believe that the grade your teacher gives you is an honest one. I hope this is what I will experience in this course.
I am also happy that this class is technology friendly. There are far too many professors who try to cling to traditional practices that only limits developement because of what I consider to be a fear of the new and unfamiliar world within technology. Your blog and the cyber assignments are brilliant ideas and did motivate me to take sincere interest in the class.
I am delighted to have you critique my work and help me achieve my goal of becoming a better writer. I want to exceed your expectations and, perhaps,the expectations from my most ruthless critic: myself.
P.S!
I understand that to pass the class I have to have all my materials no later than the end of the week.
Billy Russell
Wanda Sabir
English 1B
25 January 2012
After reading through the syllabus, I got the impression that this is definitely not going to be an easy class. There are a lot of different types of assignments, reading, and even pop quizzes, it just sounds like a whole lot of work. Even though the amount of work advertised in the syllabus seems a bit daunting, I wouldn't call it unreasonable.
If an essay isn't up to par do you really give the paper back with a grade of "NC"? If so, how does it affect the final grade on a paper? I am sure this will be explained later, but I am just really curious to know, because it is the first time I have ever heard of it.
I don't really have any suggestions, mostly because I don't feel like I am in a good position to give you any advice after only being in class days. Anyway, I am looking forward to this class, it sounds like a challenge but with big time learning potential.
Allen Lee
Professor Sabir
English 1B
25 January 2012
I feel the syllabus is fair. I like how each literature has a description on what we would be doing as a class and individuals. Comparing this English class to my previous course at Berkeley City College (BCC), the expectations and structure is similar. What is I find different but intriguing is the final. Unlike the typical final essays where students are expected to sit and write on a topic, but never present it publicly, the final for this class is to present it orally. This method can be the downfall for some but beneficial for others. This adds more to what we can learn in an English class; we learn the method of writing along with public speaking skills and the way to interact with a group.
What I need clarifying on is how each student must attend a literary event. Does the event mean the workshops or will the events be discussed in class, later on in the semester? This also includes the play or film option. Will the visual option be provided in class or do students have to go out and search it?
Aaron Kohgadai
Professor Sabir
English 1B
24 January 2012
I believe that the syllabus gives a great overlook of what is to come from this particular English 1B course. You clearly explain what we will be covering, in most part, during the duration of the spring semester. The English class that I took two semesters ago had failed to mention a majority of the work that was going to be covered during the course. Many things came as a surprise. But you seem to be straight forward when addressing the context of your class and give a great understanding of the course. One of the things, in the syllabus, that I find quite interesting is that, “each student will have to attend a literary event of his or her choosing; lecture or author, play or film…” This seems like a very fun assignment that I would not mind doing. I am a hug fan of plays and would not mind a bit if one of my homework assignments was to attend a play and give a review. Sounds more like entertainment than an assignment. I also like the fact that we will be reading various books and writing essays and reports about many different genres. I agree completely of what you expect from us and will comply in every way. I’m excited to be part of your class!
Andrea Carter
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 1B
25 Jan, 2012
What struck me the most about your syllabus was how direct you are to your students about what is to be expected of them such as how we are to be writing 8000 words over the course of this semester and how at the end of the semester there will be a portfolio that we are required to do. If more teachers were as straight to the point as you are there messages would be understood better.
Another thing that was very exciting to me after reading your syllabus was your book selection. the fact that you are not having us read some old russian guys work is a huge relief to me. Don't me wrong old russian authors are cool and all it's just every now and then students would like to look outside the box when it come to reading. The books you have chosen for us to read during your course I feel are a great selection of reading materials. "The Dance Boots", "The Complete Persepolis" and "Indivisible" are not the type of books I planned to be reading when I applied for this course and now that I am here preparing to read these books I have a lot of fear for what's to come next but a ton of excitement as momentum pushing me forward.
All in all I am looking forward to working this semester with you and my new classmates seeing myself taking my writing ability farther then I first assumed I would throughout the course of this class and I am more than happy knowing that you are willing to brake things down to help me reach that goal. Thank You, and I can't wait for your response to my first essay.
Maribel,
such great questions and thoughts. I think I am very available Monday through Thursday, I am still at the college now at 6 PM and I have been here since 8 AM. On MW I am free between 10 and 1 and after 3 PM and on TTh I am available by appointment after 3 PM until 5. You can call me 24/7 (smile). What do you mean about availability. To know how other students responded to assignments, read the blog --the assignments for the past two semesters are the same as this one.
Peer reviews are the time when students share their work. I will give students a rubric, thanks for reminding me, so you will know what an A means.
Sounds like your English 1A class was very creative. Usually in English 1A students read a memoir and in English 1B we explore literature in a variety of genres and learn to write about them.
This is the difference. Did you read five books in your English 1A and talk about character and plot, feminist critique, themes and motifs or poetic structure? Look at the Guide to Literature. These are the kinds of essays we will write.
It's a little different, but writing is writing. An essay is an essay (smile).
Giao:
Why does it worry you that we will be analyzing works of literature? This is what we do in English 1B.
Hi Sherrlyne:
Ask me to share a portfolio with the class when I have the projector. Others are also probably mystified. I am glad you are excited. I hope we can attend a play together as a class. Laney College hosts great productions as well.
Let me know if there is something interesting on stage you think we'd enjoy.
Hi Ashley:
this is what it is. What do I communicate to you when I say this (smile).
I hope I am not appearing inflexible, because I am to a point, but not on standards. They are set in indelible ink.
The lights keep turning off on me. I wonder if this is a hint (smile).
I am happy many of you are looking forward to attending a literary event, the more the merrier. We could even attend an event together and you'd have company. Yes, I will let you know about plays and films of interest, dance or music performances, and please do the same. The San Francisco Bay Area is rich with culture and art, from film festivals to music, art exhibits, galleries strolls on First Fridays. . . .
If a grade is NC this means you have to revise it. Students have an opportunity to revise all essays that do not receive a passing grade the first time. However, there is a penalty for this if every essay comes to me needing revision. I expect, at this level students to be apt at proofreading.
If you are squeaky, come to my writing boot camp offered beginning this Monday at 10:30 AM, D-219, (my office) for six weeks and get some oil for the joints (smile).
I think if I am clear about expectations then students can plan for the semester. You are busy people and surprises are not something busy people appreciate.
I am also glad many students like the technology included in the class. I am working on getting better at using skype.
Is anyone knowledgeable about setting up forums in skype or group sessions? I could expand my reach (smile).
Ng, Pauline
Prof. Sabir
Eng 1B
1/25/2012
The syllabus is very easy to understand and straight forward. After looking over the syllabus I felt that this class will be very interesting and will cover a lot of different type of readings. I am also excited to learn how to analyze the genres we are exploring in this course. I also like the entire short 250 word essay we have to do, because I feel that it will encourage me to do the reading and have a better understanding on them. I am also looking forward to the student portfolio because I never blogged before, but are we supposed to blog about our life or the class?
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