Cyber-Assignment for Girl in Translation

I am not feeling well this evening, so we will not have class tomorrow. Submit your essay today. We will start Girl in Translation Monday, March 5, 2012. For homework, find an article about the book, a scholarly article and summarize it in 1 page or about 250 words.

Post the summary here.

I am looking forward to reading your work. Saturday is the Empowering Women of Color Conference at UC Berkeley in the Pauley Ballroom. There is a conversation with Angela Davis and another activist, Grace Lee Bog, Friday evening, March 2. The lecture is free, the conference nominal. For information visit https://ewocc.wordpress.com/workshops/ and for the Friday lecture https://ewocc.wordpress.com/grace-lee-boggs-and-angela-davis/

Essay 1 taking its theme from The Dance Boots is due by Thursday before class. Bring the essay and all support documents electronically tomorrow so we can assemble the Essay Portfolio together. Pull all your related cyber-assignments from the blog and put them in a folder, along with the essay, the IPS, the outline, peer comments and essay with Microsoft Comment.

The Order:

1. Final Draft of Essay

2. Initial Planning Sheet (IPS)

3. Outline

4. Peer Review Response to Discussion Questions

5. Peer Review using Microsoft Comment

6. Cyber Assignments connected to The Dance Boots.

7. Freewrites if this applies, to The Dance Boots

8. Writing about Literature assignments related to The Dance Boots

9. Reading Logs if this applies. Everyone probably has notes from the Literature Circles

Notes

The Essay

Each of you has minimally three sources: The Dance Boots, the film, We Are Still Here, and a published book review. Students do not have to cite from all of these sources. If you only cite from the book, then put the other two sources in the bibliography.

Assembly Workshop

We will assemble the essay tomorrow in class. Bring all work in on a flash drive or via email or both.

Hopefully we will complete the assembly and send it off as well. If not, the essay is due by class Thursday morning. I will check off each students portfolio before you send it in tomorrow. Even if you haven't completed it, we can do a mock up with what you have completed up to that point, so bring it in electronically. NO PAPER COPIES except with reading logs, which I will accept this one time only.

I will show students an example of a portfolio on-line from another class tomorrow morning.

Submission

Students are emailing their essay portfolio to me: coasabirenglish1B@gmail.com

Freewrite taken from Cristina Peri Rossi's State of Exile, translated by Marilyn Buck (Citylights Books).

Students were instructed to take a line from the poem and reflect on it. Here is the poem:

The Exile II

We speak languages that are not ours
we walk around without passports
or identity papers
we write hopeless letters
that we don't send
we are numerous forlorn intruders
survivors
and at times that
makes us feel guilty (43).

2. The Dance Boots: Write the paper

3. Homework: Complete the paper. Bring to class Monday for feedback

Today we worked on an introductory paragraph together. The topic was Legarde Grover's female characters and how resilient they are.

Students are to bring in completed introductory paragraphs at most, if you finish writing the essay, bring it in. We understand it is a fast draft. The polished draft is due Monday for feedback.

Cyber-Assignment Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2012

Discussion: Essay 1, Short Fiction

What is the question your essay will answer?

In a 3-4 page essay answer the question posed. See previous posts for areas of discussion. If you have trouble articulating the question, let me know. Post 3-4 essay questions here for critique.

The essay needs to include no more than one citation per page. Exceptions are allowed, especially for students who plan to do a close reading of the text and do an analytical treatment of the work.

Find a book review or scholarly article about the book. Include this in your bibliography. Post a summary of the article here.

Homework: Bring in the completed essay to class Monday, Feb. 27, 2012, electronically.

A Few Questions

Today we met in A-232 again. We will meet here for the rest of the semester unless someone reserves the room (smile). I passed out a lot of handouts to help students with "Invention" strategies which is the technical term for developing ideas to write about.

We listed topics or themes on the board after practicing mapping the word: "abuse." We also looked at a sample outline, one a handout, the other one I wrote on the board. Each assigned essay needs to include: a completed Initial Planning Sheet, an outline and a peer review using Microsoft comment and including a response to a set of questions (another handout).

In Writing about Literature we looked at Feminist Criticism as a lens to use when discussing this first book. Step out on a limb and try something new with this first essay. It might not work, but perhaps the experience will prove instructive (smile).

Again, I suggest students find a motif, a theme and follow it across the terrain of a few stories or a symbol and look for deeper meaning as you note the style, tone and imagery the author uses, along with characters to explore a specific theme or an overriding theme or thesis you set out to prove.

Is the author telling the same story over and over again through a variety of lens? How adept is she at portraying male characters? Are there any male characters who are more symbol than flesh and blood? What is the point of this creation?

How many main characters are there in The Dance Boots? How many stories are there? What makes one story or character unique? What character(s) make you want to know more? Does the author deliver?

How is The Dance Boots a hero's story? Who are the heroes or heroines? Is the hero or heroine without flaws? What good is their super power, if they can't protect themselves from the enemy? The hero cannot even save its young?

What do you think about Stan when his back story is revealed? Louis? Other characters who have such promise as children and then life happens and this potential is stifled, interrupted, killed or maimed.

Is there any hope offered in The Dance Boots? What is this hope? Who holds it? Who embodies it? Are there any characters who disappoint the reader with their choices? Are their any who blow their chances at a better life or is this a dream rather than a reality?

Linguistically and perhaps culturally The Dance Boots only allows readers so much access. How does this effect one's reading of the text and its interpretation? Is access difficult? Let's say LeGarde Grover intends to make her audience work, what are the benefits and/or disadvantages of an uneasy or inaccessible work?

Is mystery one of the residual outcomes? Are questions another outcome? What are your questions? Do you raise them when the answers are not evident or do you raise them and then locate the answers? Are unanswered questions okay?

To what end?

As an outsider looking in, what does this distance between the reader and the work allow to happen in the eventual interpretation of the work.

When one writes a book that has a historic context, does the reader feel compelled to do research into the era or time period? What happens when readers resist? Is the reading then shallow?

Homework

Read in Writing about Literature the section on Feminist Critique. Bring in a completed Initial Planning Sheet and an outline. Look at outlines in Hacker under "The Writing Process."

Today in class today we spent some time doing a close reading of the text to see what is revealed thematically about a collection which looks closely at language and culture and how language holds one's values and the unseating of this linguistic anchor can have dyer affect on both community and individual.

We also spoke about the multitude of characters in The Dance Boots. I suggested students approach each story as a new canvas and if a prior character is mentioned then to check notes to see what was going on then or during that portion of the tale that is said character's life. Often we meet them as adults and then get the back story later. Sometimes we meet them as children and then they grow older.

Complete the book. Write a summary of one of the stories we have not discussed. Use a citation in each paragraph: a free paraphrase, a shorter citation and a block quote.

We spent some time with dianahacker.com/rules in the "Research" section. Continue using this ancillary tool to refresh one's memory. Continue working in the Pidd workbook. Return it next week, Thursday, Feb. 24.

The Plan and a Cyber-Assignment

Today in class we practiced writing a summary based on the student comparative essay, "Good Husbands, Bad Marriages," in Writing about Literature.

Homework is to write a summary of one of the stories: "Refugees Living and Dying in the West End of Duluth" (59), "Shonnud's Girl" (77) or "Objibwe Boys."

After writing the summary, just 250 words max, take three different sentences from the story and write for each one: 1 literal paraphrase and 1 free paraphrase.

Post here.

Tomorrow we will talk about introductions and their role in the essay, along with conclusions.

I loaned students a workbook. You have a week to do the exercises. Please return by next Thursday. Continue doing the research exercises at http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/rules6e

Cyber-Assignment

Today we watched a film, A Brush with the Tenderloin. Reflect on how muralist Mona Caron uses her art to paint into view a hidden part of San Francisco's landscape.

Reflect on this film when we get to Marjane Sarapi's art in The Complete Persepolis?

How is one's imagination sometimes inadequate in depicting certain realities? How does the art help one conceptualize unspeakable or unimaginable realities like poverty and war, homelessness and alienation?

In three paragraphs, minimally, reflect on the art and the artist and the way artists tell stories. Is this a different kind of narrative? What do the two genres share?

http://abrushwiththetenderloin.com/

Homework

1. Bring in examples of a block quote, a shorter citation and a free paraphrase.
Also bring in your grammar style book, whether that is Diana Hacker or come other resource. Continue reading in The Dance Boots.

Homework this weekend is to read the next story: "Refugees Living and Dying in the West End of Duluth" (59) for Monday. "Shonnud's Girl" (77) for Tuesday. "Objibwe Boys" (100) for Thursday. Finish the book for Feb. 21-Feb. 22 (Tuesday-Wednesday). No class on Monday, Feb. 20 or Friday, Feb. 17.

Start thinking of essay assignments and questions on can ask for the entire book and for specific stories or characters across the terrain of the collection The Dance Boots.

Freewrite: Bob Marley

Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers (1963–1981). Marley remains the most widely known and revered performer of reggae music, and is credited with helping spread both Jamaican music and the Rastafari movement to a worldwide audience.

Marley's music was heavily influenced by the social issues of his homeland, and he is considered to have given voice to the specific political and cultural nexus of Jamaica. His best-known hits include "I Shot the Sheriff", "No Woman, No Cry", "Could You Be Loved", "Stir It Up", "Jamming", "Redemption Song", "One Love" and, "Three Little Birds", as well as the posthumous releases "Buffalo Soldier" and "Iron Lion Zion". The compilation album Legend (1984), released three years after his death, is reggae's best-selling album, going ten times Platinum which is also one Diamond in the U.S., and selling 25 million copies worldwide (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Marley).

Songs:

Written By Bob Marley, Curtis Mayfield

Lyrics: One love, one heart
Let's get together and feel all right
Hear the children crying (One love)
Hear the children crying (One heart)
Sayin', "Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right."
Sayin', "Let's get together and feel all right."
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa

Let them all pass all their dirty remarks (One love)
There is one question I'd really love to ask (One heart)
Is there a place for the hopeless sinner
Who has hurt all mankind just to save his own?
Believe me

One love, one heart
Let's get together and feel all right
As it was in the beginning (One love)
So shall it be in the end (One heart)
Alright, "Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right."
"Let's get together and feel all right."
One more thing

Let's get together to fight this Holy Armageddon (One love)
So when the Man comes there will be no, no doom (One song)
Have pity on those whose chances grow thinner
There ain't no hiding place from the Father of Creation

Sayin', "One love, one heart
Let's get together and feel all right."
I'm pleading to mankind (One love)
Oh, Lord (One heart) Whoa.

"Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right."
Let's get together and feel all right.
(Repeat)

From http://www.loglar.com/song.php?id=7079

Freewrite courtesy of Brittany and Pauline.

Cyber-Assignment

Today we had a library orientation with Professor Steve Gerstle. Write a brief response to the orientation ( (250 words min.). Note what your learned about libraries and research. What was new information and what reinforced previous knowledge?

Talk about the library databases online and your experience using them.

Talk about how you plan to utilize the COA Library and Library Services. Have you ever used the library databases off campus?

Cyber-Assignment & Recap

Today students discussed in groups Three Seasons. We are finished with this story. Read "Maggie and Louis, 1914" for Thursday, Feb. 9. We meet in A-232 on Feb. 9.

Wednesday, Feb. 8, 8 AM we meet in the COA Library with Professor Steve Gerstle.

Homework is a cyber-assignment. In a 3-4 paragraph essay discuss the following: the themes, central characters with descriptions. Articulate the plot. Talk about the style.

In each paragraph use a citation: free paraphrase, direct quote, 1 block quote. Include a works cited page. This cyber-assignment is due Thursday.

Bob Marley's birthday was Monday. If you'd like to bring in lyrics and the song for Bob Marley.

Cyber-Assignment Recap

Today in class we reviewed the chapter "Writing about Fiction." We read Kate Chopin's "Story of an Hour" and the student essay.

Write a response to the student essay. Discuss whether or not you agree with the thesis and why. Use evidence from the stories to support your response. The response should be minimally 3 paragraphs.

For homework review your notes from "Three Seasons" (20). In class students will respond to the story using the prompts on page 77. Use the list on page 15 to develop your notes.

I am making better time than the last post. At least it is before Monday (smile). This is a recap of the homework. In class Thursday, students responded to the freewrite posted the night before and then we talked for a bit and spent the last part of class talking in groups about "The Dance Boots."

Read the next story in The Dance Boots, "Three Seasons" (20). Write reading logs. Bring logs to class for discussion.

In Writing about Literature, read Chapter 3: Common Writing Assignments (43-45). You can skim the examples and refer back to them when it is time to write essays and you need examples, if you like (45-56).

Also read Chapter 4: Writing about Stories (57-60) and "The Yellow Wallpaper" (63-77.) We will read Kate Chopin's "Story of an Hour" together along with the sample essay.

On page 77 there is a box with "Questions on the Stories." Think about these questions when reflecting on "The Dance Boots" and later on, on "Three Seasons."

Revised Questions

How would you summarize the plot of the story? What makes it difficult or easy to do so?

Who, in your opinion is the most sympathetic character(s)? Which are the most antagonistic? What kinds of information do we learn about the emotional lives of these characters?

What is the point of view of the story? How would you compare the effects of the protagonist's choices? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each choice?

How would you describe the setting of the story?

How would you describe the writing in the story? Is the prose formal? Archaic? Conversational? Melodramatic? Be as specific as possible, and note examples that bolster your claims.

What kinds of symbols recur in the story? Are they fanciful? Ordinary? Conventional? Surprising? How do they move the narrative forward?

Literature Circles Reflection

Today in class we used the time to assign positions and talk. I popped in on the conversations percolating; they were all varied and equally interesting regarding the story: "The Dance Boots." We will continue the conversation tomorrow in A-232. Each Thursday we will meet there.

Write about your experience with the Lit Circle. What were your expectations, if any? Were there any pleasant surprises? How has the dialectic process changed the way you regard texts?

How was the range and depth of the discussion enhanced by the multiple perspectives? Be specific in this response as relates to the story read. Describe the people in your group and what they bring to the circle that is unique and valuable.

What does the term "dynamic discussion" mean now that you have experienced a Literature
Circle?

Langston Hughes

Today two students shared poems written by Hughes. I have posted them here. We will take a moment to respond to one tomorrow morning as a freewrite.

Theme for English B
by Langston Hughes
The instructor said, Go home and write a page tonight. And let that page come out of you-- Then, it will be true. I wonder if it's that simple? I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem. I went to school there, then Durham, then here to this college on the hill above Harlem. I am the only colored student in my class. The steps from the hill lead down into Harlem, through a park, then I cross St. Nicholas, Eighth Avenue, Seventh, and I come to the Y, the Harlem Branch Y, where I take the elevator up to my room, sit down, and write this page: It's not easy to know what is true for you or me at twenty-two, my age. But I guess I'm what I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you: hear you, hear me--we two--you, me, talk on this page. (I hear New York, too.) Me--who? Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love. I like to work, read, learn, and understand life. I like a pipe for a Christmas present, or records--Bessie, bop, or Bach. I guess being colored doesn't make me not like the same things other folks like who are other races. So will my page be colored that I write? Being me, it will not be white. But it will be a part of you, instructor. You are white-- yet a part of me, as I am a part of you. That's American. Sometimes perhaps you don't want to be a part of me. Nor do I often want to be a part of you. But we are, that's true! As I learn from you, I guess you learn from me-- although you're older--and white-- and somewhat more free. This is my page for English B. Night Funeral in Harlem Night Funeral in Harlem: Where did they get Them two fine cars? Insurance man, he did not pay-- His insurance lapsed the other day-- Yet they got a satin box for his head to lay. Night funeral In Harlem: Who was it sent That wreath of flowers? Them flowers came from that poor boy's friends-- They'll want flowers, too, When they meet their ends. Night funeral in Harlem: Who preached that Black boy to his grave? Old preacher man Preached that boy away-- Charged Five Dollars His girl friend had to pay. Night funeral In Harlem: When it was all over And the lid shut on his head and the organ had done played and the last prayers been said and six pallbearers Carried him out for dead And off down Lenox Avenue That long black hearse done sped, The street light At his corner Shined just like a tear-- That boy that they was mournin' Was so dear, so dear To them folks that brought the flowers, To that girl who paid the preacher man-- It was all their tears that made That poor boy's Funeral grand. Night funeral In Harlem.