Thursday, August 21, 2008
What is Hip Hop?
Today in class students presented their ideas and arguments about hip hop culture: what it is, was or hopes to continue to be. The views shared ranged from: hip hop is dead to the honored and anointed position those who claim to be a part of the fraternity possess.
Post comments from your group here. Please include the names of participants.
Post comments from your group here. Please include the names of participants.
Letter to Students
Revised First Drafts
August 20, 2008
Dear Students:
I’ve been writing this letter in my head for a few months now and here we are, the first week of school , the last weeks of summer. I hope you had a chance to enjoy the season now that it’s nearly gone. I had the opportunity to attend a family reunion in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was our first. We all met at Great Aunt Bea’s funeral in January and decided that as a family, we really needed to stop meeting like this…funerals are so depressing.
The weather in Ocean Spring, Mississippi, was 92 degrees daily with 100 percent humidity. My hair still hasn’t lost its natural curl and my skin…it was a facial delight, like being in a sauna…great for getting rid of toxins. We had the usual family drama—I was standed in New Orleans when the one Greyhound bus back to Chicago had no seats, but another cousin rescued me, so I spent the week in New Orleans and was able to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday at Ashe Community Center, attend a great African film festival featuing the work or Kola Maseko, visit relatives, walk the levess in Algiers, interview Malik Rahim, co-founder of Common Ground Relief, an all volunteer organization that was a first responder to Hurricane Katrina victims about his bid for the Louisiana Congress on the Green Party ticket. I was also able to catch up with some ex-pats—just kidding, friends who went to New Orleans to help, who now live there like Sakura Kone and Don Paul. (Sakura and I will be interviewed on KPFA, 94.1 FM, on Chris Welch’s show Friday, 12-1 p.m. I am co-host of a Hurricane Katrina benefit and report back at Rebecca’s Books in Berkeley. Visit www.wandaspicks.com for the details. It starts at 7 p.m. We’re asking for a $5 donation.)
When I walked out into the Oakland evening a week later—July 22, I actually felt cold. It had been about two weeks since I’d flow to Chicago, to ride/drive with my cousin, Wlydflour to Mississippi. She has a new RV that she wanted to take on the road. Cousin Ronald also went. He’s a professional driver—he drives trucks. Between my uninhibited cousin and the more laid back Ronald, who’d never driven the Mississippi from Chicago, it took 16 hours—sixteen long hours. I do not recommend this trip unless you make stops in between, such as in Memphis to see the sites, Alabama and elsewhere.
I was sleepy almost my entire time away, but I never got a chance to sleep well. You see, there were these huge roaches that one finds in the oddest places. I didn’t want to keep the lights on and attract unnecessary attention to myself, and then I didn’t want to step on one or get into the bed next to one either. Oh, need I mention the misquitoes?
It was scary at times, but my cousin Ronald would remove the offending bug whenever I spotted one. And I found some anti-itch cream that worked when I was bitten by a gnat or other predatory bug.
Everything seems to grow bigger where there is wetness, heat and open space.
In New Orleans where the houses were demolished in the Lower Ninth Ward, all that’s left of the hundreds of families displaced by the broken levees, are weeds which grow taller than a man if not contained. There are signs of life…an occupied house here and there. However, miles of abandoned land lie between—the levee still not complete.
Okay, so back to the letter. Yes, everything you heard is true. I am tough— I treat my students like the adults they are or will be soon, which means, I do not take responsibility for those tasks students need to stay on top of themselves, like doing one's homework, having good study habits, getting proper sleep, staying on top of assignments, such as, the reading.
I try to be clear, but if I’m not, please ask questions for clarity—often I have so much on my mind, I speak really fast and native speakers can’t keep up. Also, if you are in an early class, or have my class after lunch, you might be sleepy. Bring water to class, stand up, if necessary and stretch, step to the side by the wall and touch your toes.
You can try your hand at negotiating…I’m fair and reasonable. I realize that life-happens, but you need to be serious about what you have committed yourself to when you enrolled in this course. If you haven’t taken College Success, I highly recommend the course (3 units). If you don’t have time, keep you ears open for the Super Saturday when some of the same information is decimated. Visit counseling and ask for the date(s). At the Back to School Bash, Sept. 2 and 4, pick up a student organizer. It’s free and you can put important assignments in it.
The only things I will not compromise on are the objectives and goals of the course. Whether you remember all the specific language of the discourse we will have this semester or not, is not the point—but I do suggest keeping a vocabulary log, beginning with this letter which I want you to respond to for the next meeting—this is your first blog assignment— the point is that each of the students in this class grow to understand their unique purpose. You’re honoring your gifts. Every one of you has something unique and precious to offer the world. I am the coach. We’re going to identify it and help you polish it.
Language is communication, whether this is written or verbal or nonverbal. We are all sharing a story. Just the clothes you decided to wear this morning or afternoon, indicates something about you.
Human beings are judgmental and because we jump to conclusions often without weighing the evidence, separating bigotry and ignorance, from other biases, we make mistakes, some costly. A critical thinker brackets his or her biases and tries to look at each communicative event or genre as openly and freely as he or she can. It’s hard being unbiased because we all unconsciously bring our entire life, all our experiences, both good and bad to the table whenever we have to make a decision. Advertisers know this, so they complicate the choices with lies called propaganda (logical fallacies, is the technical term). Nothing is clear, everyone is suspect in the market place whether the salesman is the presidential hopeful or the clerk at the dress shop or the photograph in your favorite magazine.
We will try to be as honest as we can in our writing. Don’t confuse honesty with truth. Truth is subjective and as I mention above, if all of us has an agenda, then there really is no such thing as objectivity only shades of gray in a black and white world.
Let’s just say, if we leave this 18 week experience, better listeners, this would be a start toward opening ourselves up to the larger more human dialogue we need to have with each other and by extension the planet because as I said, all communication is not verbal. If we are to survive as a species, we need to learn to speak other languages—fluently, and respect the voices of those creatures whom we have a tendency to disrespect or look down on like children, animals and other species like trees, rocks and toads.
Too philosophical? Well my undergraduate degree is in philosophy, which I call a degree in learning how to articulate those values which determine one’s direction in life and avoid those arguments which are incongruent with one’s soul’s journey. I’m talking about the stalkers or propagandists lurking everywhere trying to sell you false ideas, trip you up and confuse you so that you purchase with your soul their ideas, often to your determent, not always, but most often.
In the academy, or the halls of higher education—translate, college, the goal is to become freer, and to do this one has to notice everything and learn the language of query. We have to enjoy asking questions because only then will we locate the answers—the most important answers inside each of you.
All I can do is guide the process. I know a bit more about writing than you so. I know a bit more about life than most of you because I am a bit older than most of you. I’ve raised two daughters and have tried to live consciously in the world and there are some tools I can share with you to make the journey a little less treacherous.
What does this have to do with the writing process? Everything. Remember when I told you the great writer is honest. Well to be honest, one must first know oneself.
Writing is one of the disciplines that encourages honesty and revelation. Whatever you read or share in the class needs to stay here. You can’t tell anyone unless you get permission from your classmate who wrote the paper first. If I say it, feel free to publish it :-)
By the end of the first month, we will have established a writing community and in the next week or so, we will have to develop ground rules so everyone will feel comfortable sharing their thoughts about the topics we will discuss.
Hip hop culture is the lens we will be using to explore the writing process. We will look at the history of hip hop, how it has developed and most of all the controversy, especially involving women. However, the purpose of the class is not to become experts in hip hop culture. This is just the hook to keep you in the room, on the floor, in the club, buying drinks, staying high.
You will become scholars and learn to talk about a culture many of you participate in unconsciously without really knowing its history…your participation, depending on how old you are is a result of subtle brainwashing or inheritance—if this word sounds better. In any case, you have swallowed these ideas about women or girls, fashion and career goals—the bling bling of life, without a blink or any analysis.
Scholars do not do this. Scholars evaluate the evidence and motives behind the argument before making a decision about its validity or value.
I am rambling and will get to the point now. You need to be awake when you come to class and prepared. Visit me in my office hours at least three times this semester, more if I ask you to. We will have a study hour—attend a few of those, especially if you are weak in certain areas like reading comprehension.
Michael Eric Dyson, Ph.D. is difficult, a lot more difficult than my English 201 students will find, Jasmine Guy or even Tupac. Jeff Chang is not hard, per se, but Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop, is dense. There is a lot of information here, so students need to apply certain reading strategies, so that the material which is most important is identified.
A good writer is a good planner. A good writer is also a good reader. If you don’t like to read, if you are lazy and don’t like to look up words when you can't pronounce them, let alone, don’t know what they mean—you are in the wrong class.
Some of you are here because this is the only time you could fit an English class into your schedule. You’ll just have to make the best of it; however, if you have a choice and find, after this class or subsequent ones, you and I are not a good match, transfer to another section.
A this level its all about personality. I am seemingly laid back, easy going, and kind of scattered—blame that on my Gemini nature, no seriously, we’re peers and then we’re not. I have something you want—information, knowledge, skill. But so do my other colleague teaching this same course—the objectives and goals and students learning outcomes are consistent across the department, so you will not loose anything if you transfer to another class.
I encourage you to shop around and not buy the rhetoric or arguments of this salesperson standing before you without understanding that you have options. You are not stuck; you can make choices.
I try to keep track of your grades, but if you’d like an A, I’d suggest you keep track of all your papers, especially the graded ones. This is a portfolio class and your final grade is cumulative. Do not throw anything away. I am serious. If you are careless, then at the end of the 18 weeks you will not have any evidence of your progress in the class and so I will not be able to substantiate the grade you say you deserve.
Attendance is important, so come to class and come on time. Get a classmate's phone number and email address so if something is unclear when you get home, you can get help. You can always ask me; however, I think we are all thinking beings and your ideas and thoughts are just as valid as mine when it comes to interpretation.
Respect for each other’s ideas is paramount for this class to function optimally. It’s easy to slip into dysfunction when we allow those unexamined values to intrude on authenticity. We need to disclose, if to no one other than ourselves who we are and what baggage or unexamined ideas we have carried for so long that we need to let go.
This cleansing process is on-going. Look at our nation, seven years post-9/11. Look at how our views of Muslims and the Middle East shifted that early morning in September 2001. Look at the world now, and the world, pre-Sept. 11. Look at the policies tied directly to Sept. 11. Look at what you believe and what you know about Arabs and war, and how that effects your consumption, of both ideologies and commodities.
The possibility of a first black president is a reality, as was the possibility of a first woman president. We will look at the presidential election and how the hip hop community is responding. I hope all of you who can vote are registered. If you are not on parole and are an American citizen, you can and should vote, otherwise you can’t complain.
What else? We will be going on fieldtrips, so stay tuned to the blog or on-line diary. If you don’t have access to a computer with Internet at home, do your assignments in the Writing Center, L-234 suite. It is open six days a week, five of them until 7:45 p.m. it opens at 9 a.m. which is not convenient if you have an 8 a.m. class.
Oh, I am a professional writer. Over the summer the San Francisco Bay View, after 20 years of publishing, stopped printing the paper. We have a web presence, but my editor doesn't know how to maintain the website and has no money to pay someone to do so. If you can help her or know someone who can visit www.sfbayview.com and drop her a line at editor@sfbayview.com
Good luck on everything. Writing is a discipline where your life leaks into the process; try to separate the assignment from your narrative. Of course, everything you write is your story, but there are ways to appeal to different audiences. Remember you are a scholar, and the language of the discourse here is not the same as the one in the streets, locker room, or on the dance floor—even if the topic or theme—hip hop culture—it’s poetics if you are in my English 201; it’s politics especially regarding women, if you are in my English 1A or the global movement of this form of discourse, if you are in my English 1B.
Peace and Blessings,
Wanda Sabir
English, Basic Skills Instructor
L-236 office
(510) 748-2131
PS Let me know if there is anything happening which you might recommend we watch or attend that will broaden our knowledge of these themes and the topic we are exploring. Did anyone attend Rock the Bells last weekend? I wish I’d gone, but I couldn’t find anyone in my peer group who wanted to attend :-) Next time though, I’m going anyway. If any of you is a performance artist or visual artist, also let us know so we can support you and attend your exhibitions.
PSS My email address is professorwandasposse@gmail.com
The blog site for English 201 is http://professorsabirsposse.blogspot.com
English 1A is http://professorwandasposse.blogspot.com
English 1B is http://poeticsrapandtothersocialdiscourses.blogspot.com
August 20, 2008
Dear Students:
I’ve been writing this letter in my head for a few months now and here we are, the first week of school , the last weeks of summer. I hope you had a chance to enjoy the season now that it’s nearly gone. I had the opportunity to attend a family reunion in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was our first. We all met at Great Aunt Bea’s funeral in January and decided that as a family, we really needed to stop meeting like this…funerals are so depressing.
The weather in Ocean Spring, Mississippi, was 92 degrees daily with 100 percent humidity. My hair still hasn’t lost its natural curl and my skin…it was a facial delight, like being in a sauna…great for getting rid of toxins. We had the usual family drama—I was standed in New Orleans when the one Greyhound bus back to Chicago had no seats, but another cousin rescued me, so I spent the week in New Orleans and was able to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday at Ashe Community Center, attend a great African film festival featuing the work or Kola Maseko, visit relatives, walk the levess in Algiers, interview Malik Rahim, co-founder of Common Ground Relief, an all volunteer organization that was a first responder to Hurricane Katrina victims about his bid for the Louisiana Congress on the Green Party ticket. I was also able to catch up with some ex-pats—just kidding, friends who went to New Orleans to help, who now live there like Sakura Kone and Don Paul. (Sakura and I will be interviewed on KPFA, 94.1 FM, on Chris Welch’s show Friday, 12-1 p.m. I am co-host of a Hurricane Katrina benefit and report back at Rebecca’s Books in Berkeley. Visit www.wandaspicks.com for the details. It starts at 7 p.m. We’re asking for a $5 donation.)
When I walked out into the Oakland evening a week later—July 22, I actually felt cold. It had been about two weeks since I’d flow to Chicago, to ride/drive with my cousin, Wlydflour to Mississippi. She has a new RV that she wanted to take on the road. Cousin Ronald also went. He’s a professional driver—he drives trucks. Between my uninhibited cousin and the more laid back Ronald, who’d never driven the Mississippi from Chicago, it took 16 hours—sixteen long hours. I do not recommend this trip unless you make stops in between, such as in Memphis to see the sites, Alabama and elsewhere.
I was sleepy almost my entire time away, but I never got a chance to sleep well. You see, there were these huge roaches that one finds in the oddest places. I didn’t want to keep the lights on and attract unnecessary attention to myself, and then I didn’t want to step on one or get into the bed next to one either. Oh, need I mention the misquitoes?
It was scary at times, but my cousin Ronald would remove the offending bug whenever I spotted one. And I found some anti-itch cream that worked when I was bitten by a gnat or other predatory bug.
Everything seems to grow bigger where there is wetness, heat and open space.
In New Orleans where the houses were demolished in the Lower Ninth Ward, all that’s left of the hundreds of families displaced by the broken levees, are weeds which grow taller than a man if not contained. There are signs of life…an occupied house here and there. However, miles of abandoned land lie between—the levee still not complete.
Okay, so back to the letter. Yes, everything you heard is true. I am tough— I treat my students like the adults they are or will be soon, which means, I do not take responsibility for those tasks students need to stay on top of themselves, like doing one's homework, having good study habits, getting proper sleep, staying on top of assignments, such as, the reading.
I try to be clear, but if I’m not, please ask questions for clarity—often I have so much on my mind, I speak really fast and native speakers can’t keep up. Also, if you are in an early class, or have my class after lunch, you might be sleepy. Bring water to class, stand up, if necessary and stretch, step to the side by the wall and touch your toes.
You can try your hand at negotiating…I’m fair and reasonable. I realize that life-happens, but you need to be serious about what you have committed yourself to when you enrolled in this course. If you haven’t taken College Success, I highly recommend the course (3 units). If you don’t have time, keep you ears open for the Super Saturday when some of the same information is decimated. Visit counseling and ask for the date(s). At the Back to School Bash, Sept. 2 and 4, pick up a student organizer. It’s free and you can put important assignments in it.
The only things I will not compromise on are the objectives and goals of the course. Whether you remember all the specific language of the discourse we will have this semester or not, is not the point—but I do suggest keeping a vocabulary log, beginning with this letter which I want you to respond to for the next meeting—this is your first blog assignment— the point is that each of the students in this class grow to understand their unique purpose. You’re honoring your gifts. Every one of you has something unique and precious to offer the world. I am the coach. We’re going to identify it and help you polish it.
Language is communication, whether this is written or verbal or nonverbal. We are all sharing a story. Just the clothes you decided to wear this morning or afternoon, indicates something about you.
Human beings are judgmental and because we jump to conclusions often without weighing the evidence, separating bigotry and ignorance, from other biases, we make mistakes, some costly. A critical thinker brackets his or her biases and tries to look at each communicative event or genre as openly and freely as he or she can. It’s hard being unbiased because we all unconsciously bring our entire life, all our experiences, both good and bad to the table whenever we have to make a decision. Advertisers know this, so they complicate the choices with lies called propaganda (logical fallacies, is the technical term). Nothing is clear, everyone is suspect in the market place whether the salesman is the presidential hopeful or the clerk at the dress shop or the photograph in your favorite magazine.
We will try to be as honest as we can in our writing. Don’t confuse honesty with truth. Truth is subjective and as I mention above, if all of us has an agenda, then there really is no such thing as objectivity only shades of gray in a black and white world.
Let’s just say, if we leave this 18 week experience, better listeners, this would be a start toward opening ourselves up to the larger more human dialogue we need to have with each other and by extension the planet because as I said, all communication is not verbal. If we are to survive as a species, we need to learn to speak other languages—fluently, and respect the voices of those creatures whom we have a tendency to disrespect or look down on like children, animals and other species like trees, rocks and toads.
Too philosophical? Well my undergraduate degree is in philosophy, which I call a degree in learning how to articulate those values which determine one’s direction in life and avoid those arguments which are incongruent with one’s soul’s journey. I’m talking about the stalkers or propagandists lurking everywhere trying to sell you false ideas, trip you up and confuse you so that you purchase with your soul their ideas, often to your determent, not always, but most often.
In the academy, or the halls of higher education—translate, college, the goal is to become freer, and to do this one has to notice everything and learn the language of query. We have to enjoy asking questions because only then will we locate the answers—the most important answers inside each of you.
All I can do is guide the process. I know a bit more about writing than you so. I know a bit more about life than most of you because I am a bit older than most of you. I’ve raised two daughters and have tried to live consciously in the world and there are some tools I can share with you to make the journey a little less treacherous.
What does this have to do with the writing process? Everything. Remember when I told you the great writer is honest. Well to be honest, one must first know oneself.
Writing is one of the disciplines that encourages honesty and revelation. Whatever you read or share in the class needs to stay here. You can’t tell anyone unless you get permission from your classmate who wrote the paper first. If I say it, feel free to publish it :-)
By the end of the first month, we will have established a writing community and in the next week or so, we will have to develop ground rules so everyone will feel comfortable sharing their thoughts about the topics we will discuss.
Hip hop culture is the lens we will be using to explore the writing process. We will look at the history of hip hop, how it has developed and most of all the controversy, especially involving women. However, the purpose of the class is not to become experts in hip hop culture. This is just the hook to keep you in the room, on the floor, in the club, buying drinks, staying high.
You will become scholars and learn to talk about a culture many of you participate in unconsciously without really knowing its history…your participation, depending on how old you are is a result of subtle brainwashing or inheritance—if this word sounds better. In any case, you have swallowed these ideas about women or girls, fashion and career goals—the bling bling of life, without a blink or any analysis.
Scholars do not do this. Scholars evaluate the evidence and motives behind the argument before making a decision about its validity or value.
I am rambling and will get to the point now. You need to be awake when you come to class and prepared. Visit me in my office hours at least three times this semester, more if I ask you to. We will have a study hour—attend a few of those, especially if you are weak in certain areas like reading comprehension.
Michael Eric Dyson, Ph.D. is difficult, a lot more difficult than my English 201 students will find, Jasmine Guy or even Tupac. Jeff Chang is not hard, per se, but Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop, is dense. There is a lot of information here, so students need to apply certain reading strategies, so that the material which is most important is identified.
A good writer is a good planner. A good writer is also a good reader. If you don’t like to read, if you are lazy and don’t like to look up words when you can't pronounce them, let alone, don’t know what they mean—you are in the wrong class.
Some of you are here because this is the only time you could fit an English class into your schedule. You’ll just have to make the best of it; however, if you have a choice and find, after this class or subsequent ones, you and I are not a good match, transfer to another section.
A this level its all about personality. I am seemingly laid back, easy going, and kind of scattered—blame that on my Gemini nature, no seriously, we’re peers and then we’re not. I have something you want—information, knowledge, skill. But so do my other colleague teaching this same course—the objectives and goals and students learning outcomes are consistent across the department, so you will not loose anything if you transfer to another class.
I encourage you to shop around and not buy the rhetoric or arguments of this salesperson standing before you without understanding that you have options. You are not stuck; you can make choices.
I try to keep track of your grades, but if you’d like an A, I’d suggest you keep track of all your papers, especially the graded ones. This is a portfolio class and your final grade is cumulative. Do not throw anything away. I am serious. If you are careless, then at the end of the 18 weeks you will not have any evidence of your progress in the class and so I will not be able to substantiate the grade you say you deserve.
Attendance is important, so come to class and come on time. Get a classmate's phone number and email address so if something is unclear when you get home, you can get help. You can always ask me; however, I think we are all thinking beings and your ideas and thoughts are just as valid as mine when it comes to interpretation.
Respect for each other’s ideas is paramount for this class to function optimally. It’s easy to slip into dysfunction when we allow those unexamined values to intrude on authenticity. We need to disclose, if to no one other than ourselves who we are and what baggage or unexamined ideas we have carried for so long that we need to let go.
This cleansing process is on-going. Look at our nation, seven years post-9/11. Look at how our views of Muslims and the Middle East shifted that early morning in September 2001. Look at the world now, and the world, pre-Sept. 11. Look at the policies tied directly to Sept. 11. Look at what you believe and what you know about Arabs and war, and how that effects your consumption, of both ideologies and commodities.
The possibility of a first black president is a reality, as was the possibility of a first woman president. We will look at the presidential election and how the hip hop community is responding. I hope all of you who can vote are registered. If you are not on parole and are an American citizen, you can and should vote, otherwise you can’t complain.
What else? We will be going on fieldtrips, so stay tuned to the blog or on-line diary. If you don’t have access to a computer with Internet at home, do your assignments in the Writing Center, L-234 suite. It is open six days a week, five of them until 7:45 p.m. it opens at 9 a.m. which is not convenient if you have an 8 a.m. class.
Oh, I am a professional writer. Over the summer the San Francisco Bay View, after 20 years of publishing, stopped printing the paper. We have a web presence, but my editor doesn't know how to maintain the website and has no money to pay someone to do so. If you can help her or know someone who can visit www.sfbayview.com and drop her a line at editor@sfbayview.com
Good luck on everything. Writing is a discipline where your life leaks into the process; try to separate the assignment from your narrative. Of course, everything you write is your story, but there are ways to appeal to different audiences. Remember you are a scholar, and the language of the discourse here is not the same as the one in the streets, locker room, or on the dance floor—even if the topic or theme—hip hop culture—it’s poetics if you are in my English 201; it’s politics especially regarding women, if you are in my English 1A or the global movement of this form of discourse, if you are in my English 1B.
Peace and Blessings,
Wanda Sabir
English, Basic Skills Instructor
L-236 office
(510) 748-2131
PS Let me know if there is anything happening which you might recommend we watch or attend that will broaden our knowledge of these themes and the topic we are exploring. Did anyone attend Rock the Bells last weekend? I wish I’d gone, but I couldn’t find anyone in my peer group who wanted to attend :-) Next time though, I’m going anyway. If any of you is a performance artist or visual artist, also let us know so we can support you and attend your exhibitions.
PSS My email address is professorwandasposse@gmail.com
The blog site for English 201 is http://professorsabirsposse.blogspot.com
English 1A is http://professorwandasposse.blogspot.com
English 1B is http://poeticsrapandtothersocialdiscourses.blogspot.com
Syllabus less drafty
English 1B, Fall 2008
College of Alameda; Professor Wanda Sabir
Course code 42800, Room C-104 9-10:50 TTh
Class Meetings: August 21-Dec. 11; No classes: 9/1; 10/22; 11/11; 11/27-28
Final Exam: 8-10, Tuesday, Dec.16
Drop dates: Sept. 4 (w/refund), Sept. 13 (w/out a W), Nov. 18 (w/W).
Syllabus for English 1B: College Composition and Reading
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 careful reading of selected plays, poems, novels, and short fiction.
Plan to have a challenging, yet intellectually stimulating 18 weeks, which I hope you begin by setting goals for yourself. Make a schedule and join or create a study group. 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. This includes drafts. What this amounts to is time at home writing, time in the library researching, reading documents to increase your facility with the ideas or themes your are contemplating, before you once again sit at your 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.
I thought it might be interesting this semester to look at the global reach of hip hop as we also look at how hip hop has influenced or perpetuated certain views of women. Byron Hurt directs a film, Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes, which looks at mysegeny in hip hop culture. I am still trying to decide on what books we’ll use, so for the moment we will look at essays about genre from scholars and artists, to compare the personal with the theoretical. At each meeting we will listen to an artist or watch a film to analyze the work—is it fair to look at raps literary quality, minus the performance aspect? What happens when we take a song out of context?
As the weeks progress we will develop a list of the key architects of this genre. Why aren’t their names more well known by contemporary fans? Does their absence from popular culture limit or change the nature of hip hop? What is this argument that hip hop is dead? Who is KRS-1 who calls himself “hip hop” and refers to the genre as a nation?
Keep a reading log. Discussion groups will meet each week. Students will also keep a reading log/journal/notes with 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.
Research Project
Your research project will entail finding a social entrepreneur who is an artist, who has been active in his or her community for at least 20 years and have documented resources you can draw from: books, essays, articles, films, music, performances. The paper will be about 10 pages. This will include a works cited page and bibliography. Students will make 5-10 minute presentations of these papers the day of the final. The paper will be due about two-three weeks prior to the presentation. I thought students could look for women in hip hop here in the San Francisco Bay Area. I’m just not certain if there are enough to go around (smile). We’ll discuss this task further later on.
New Heroes
Visit PBS.org “The New Heroes,” to read about social entrepreneurs. (I’ll show you a few episodes from the series.) Too often people feel helpless or hopeless when there is a lot you can do as an individual as soon as you realize the answer lies inside of you.
Other writing
We will write short essays that reflect themes and ideas discussed that week. Some of these essays will be written in class. The research essay will be an argument. There will be a midterm and a final.
Jot down briefly what your goals are this semester. List them in order of importance.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Presentation 1: Due Tuesday, Sept. 2
Bring in an object that represents hip hop culture. Be prepared to share. Write a brief profile on the object justifying its inclusion in the archives (100 words or so). You will post the written response on the blog. I’ll take photos. (If you were in my class Fall 2007, choose another object.)
Presentation 2: Due Tuesday, Sept. 9
Bring in an object that reflects America, American values, its people, landscape, or history. Write a brief profile on the object justifying its inclusion in the archives (100 words or so). Same as above. It is also a cyber-assignment.
Grading
Weekly essays: 15 percent
Daily journals: 15 percent
Midterm: 10 percent
Final: 15 percent
Research Essay/Presentation: 20 percent
Portfolio: 15 percent
Peer Reviews from Lab teachers: 10 percent
Participation: 5 percent
The essays, which take their themes from the class: hip hop as global movement, hip hop and women, the aesthetics of hip hop, are practice essays, and are about a fourth of your grade, your midterm and final are another fourth and your portfolio is the final fourth. (Save all of your work.) You can average the grades to see how to weigh the various components. Participation is included in the daily exercises and homework portion of the grade, so if your attendance is exemplary, yet you say nothing the entire 18 weeks, you loose percentage points.
You will also need to plan to spend time weekly in the Writing Lab (L-234-235, 748-2132). It is a great place to get one-on-on assistance on your essays, from brainstorming and planning the essays, to critique on the essay for clarity, organization, clearly stated thesis, evidence of support, logical conclusions, and grammatical problems for referrals to other ancillary materials to build strong writing muscles such as SkillsBank, the Bedford Handbook on-line, Diana Hacker’s Rules for Writers on-line, Townsend Press, and other such computer and cyber-based resources. Call for hours. There is also an Open Lab for checking e-mail, and a Math Lab. All academic labs are located in the Learning Resource Center (LRC) or library.
Students need a student ID to use the labs and to check out books. The IDs are free and you can take the photo in the F-Building, Student Services.
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. 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 Colleges’ Writing Center, as well as Laney’s.
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; a student can prepare this as a part of the Lab visit, especially if said student is unclear over what steps to take.
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 reading them to you.
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.
Grades, Portfolio
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 summer session in meeting your goal.
Office Hours
I’d like to wish everyone good luck. I am available for consultation on Monday mornings 9:30-10:30 a.m. , Wednesday 9:30-10:30 a.m., Wednesday afternoon 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. by appointment in A-200. Tuesdays and Thursdays, if you want to take me to lunch—just kidding, I am available after 12 for appointments if you notify me in advance. All the office hours take place in my office, L-236, except where noted. (I’m inside the Writing Center Lab L-235). I am not on campus on Fridays. (Jot my cell number down in this section.) My office number is (510) 748-2131, e-mail professorwandasposse@gmail.com.
I don’t check my e-mail on weekends so I’d advise you to exchange phone numbers with classmates (2), so if you have a concern, it can be addressed more expediently. 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.
Students are expected to complete their work on time. If you need more time on an assignment, discuss this with me in advance, if possible to keep full credit. You loose credit each day an assignment is late and certain assignments, such as in-class essays cannot be made up. All assignments prepared outside of class 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.)
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 students essays will be posted on-line at the website. Students will also have the option of submitting assignments on-line.
All assignments completed away from class should be typed. Use blue or black ink when writing responses in class. You can annotate your books in pencil.
Textbooks Recap:
Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip Hop Generation. Jeff Chang. Picador. 2005. ISBN: 0-312-42579-1
Know What I Mean? Reflections on Hip Hop. Michael Eric Dyson. Basic Civitias Books. 2007. ISBN: 0-465-017716-9 (I am making copiesof certain chapters, but I recommend purchasing it.)
Total Chaos: The Art and Aesthetics of Hip Hop. Ed. Jeff Chang. Basic Civitas Books. 2006. ISBN: 10: 0-465-00909-3 (I’m thinking about this book.)
The Coldest Winter Ever. Sister Souljah. Simon & Schuster. 2006.
http://www.simonsays.com/content/book.cfm?tab=1&pid=514298&er=9781416521693
Rules For Writers. Fourth or Fifth edition. Diana Hacker. Bedford/St. Martins. (If you don’t already have such a book.)
Elements of Style (any edition)
I am thinking about:
From Totems to Hip-Hop: A Multicultural Anthology of Poetry Across the Americas, 1900-2002. Ed. Ishmael Reed. Thunder’s Mouth Press. 2003. ISBN 1-56025-458-0 (but you might have enough with the survey of hip hop music)
The Message: 100 Life Lessons from Hip-Hop’s Greatest Songs. Felicia Pride. Thunder’s Mouth Press. 2007. ISBN-13: 978-1-56858-335-8
The Spoken Word Revolution (slam, hip hop & the poetry of a new generation). Ed. Mark Eleveld. Sourcebooks MediaFusion. 2004. ISBN: 1-4022-0246-6.
Students also need a dictionary. I recommend: The American Heritage Dictionary. Fourth Edition.
Along with a 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.
Also 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, DemocracyNow.org, FlashPoints.org, CBS 60Minutes.
Index Cards Week 2 August 26-August 28
Please list your contact information: Name, Address, phone number e-mail address, best time to call.
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?
College of Alameda; Professor Wanda Sabir
Course code 42800, Room C-104 9-10:50 TTh
Class Meetings: August 21-Dec. 11; No classes: 9/1; 10/22; 11/11; 11/27-28
Final Exam: 8-10, Tuesday, Dec.16
Drop dates: Sept. 4 (w/refund), Sept. 13 (w/out a W), Nov. 18 (w/W).
Syllabus for English 1B: College Composition and Reading
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 careful reading of selected plays, poems, novels, and short fiction.
Plan to have a challenging, yet intellectually stimulating 18 weeks, which I hope you begin by setting goals for yourself. Make a schedule and join or create a study group. 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. This includes drafts. What this amounts to is time at home writing, time in the library researching, reading documents to increase your facility with the ideas or themes your are contemplating, before you once again sit at your 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.
I thought it might be interesting this semester to look at the global reach of hip hop as we also look at how hip hop has influenced or perpetuated certain views of women. Byron Hurt directs a film, Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes, which looks at mysegeny in hip hop culture. I am still trying to decide on what books we’ll use, so for the moment we will look at essays about genre from scholars and artists, to compare the personal with the theoretical. At each meeting we will listen to an artist or watch a film to analyze the work—is it fair to look at raps literary quality, minus the performance aspect? What happens when we take a song out of context?
As the weeks progress we will develop a list of the key architects of this genre. Why aren’t their names more well known by contemporary fans? Does their absence from popular culture limit or change the nature of hip hop? What is this argument that hip hop is dead? Who is KRS-1 who calls himself “hip hop” and refers to the genre as a nation?
Keep a reading log. Discussion groups will meet each week. Students will also keep a reading log/journal/notes with 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.
Research Project
Your research project will entail finding a social entrepreneur who is an artist, who has been active in his or her community for at least 20 years and have documented resources you can draw from: books, essays, articles, films, music, performances. The paper will be about 10 pages. This will include a works cited page and bibliography. Students will make 5-10 minute presentations of these papers the day of the final. The paper will be due about two-three weeks prior to the presentation. I thought students could look for women in hip hop here in the San Francisco Bay Area. I’m just not certain if there are enough to go around (smile). We’ll discuss this task further later on.
New Heroes
Visit PBS.org “The New Heroes,” to read about social entrepreneurs. (I’ll show you a few episodes from the series.) Too often people feel helpless or hopeless when there is a lot you can do as an individual as soon as you realize the answer lies inside of you.
Other writing
We will write short essays that reflect themes and ideas discussed that week. Some of these essays will be written in class. The research essay will be an argument. There will be a midterm and a final.
Jot down briefly what your goals are this semester. List them in order of importance.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Presentation 1: Due Tuesday, Sept. 2
Bring in an object that represents hip hop culture. Be prepared to share. Write a brief profile on the object justifying its inclusion in the archives (100 words or so). You will post the written response on the blog. I’ll take photos. (If you were in my class Fall 2007, choose another object.)
Presentation 2: Due Tuesday, Sept. 9
Bring in an object that reflects America, American values, its people, landscape, or history. Write a brief profile on the object justifying its inclusion in the archives (100 words or so). Same as above. It is also a cyber-assignment.
Grading
Weekly essays: 15 percent
Daily journals: 15 percent
Midterm: 10 percent
Final: 15 percent
Research Essay/Presentation: 20 percent
Portfolio: 15 percent
Peer Reviews from Lab teachers: 10 percent
Participation: 5 percent
The essays, which take their themes from the class: hip hop as global movement, hip hop and women, the aesthetics of hip hop, are practice essays, and are about a fourth of your grade, your midterm and final are another fourth and your portfolio is the final fourth. (Save all of your work.) You can average the grades to see how to weigh the various components. Participation is included in the daily exercises and homework portion of the grade, so if your attendance is exemplary, yet you say nothing the entire 18 weeks, you loose percentage points.
You will also need to plan to spend time weekly in the Writing Lab (L-234-235, 748-2132). It is a great place to get one-on-on assistance on your essays, from brainstorming and planning the essays, to critique on the essay for clarity, organization, clearly stated thesis, evidence of support, logical conclusions, and grammatical problems for referrals to other ancillary materials to build strong writing muscles such as SkillsBank, the Bedford Handbook on-line, Diana Hacker’s Rules for Writers on-line, Townsend Press, and other such computer and cyber-based resources. Call for hours. There is also an Open Lab for checking e-mail, and a Math Lab. All academic labs are located in the Learning Resource Center (LRC) or library.
Students need a student ID to use the labs and to check out books. The IDs are free and you can take the photo in the F-Building, Student Services.
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. 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 Colleges’ Writing Center, as well as Laney’s.
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; a student can prepare this as a part of the Lab visit, especially if said student is unclear over what steps to take.
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 reading them to you.
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.
Grades, Portfolio
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 summer session in meeting your goal.
Office Hours
I’d like to wish everyone good luck. I am available for consultation on Monday mornings 9:30-10:30 a.m. , Wednesday 9:30-10:30 a.m., Wednesday afternoon 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. by appointment in A-200. Tuesdays and Thursdays, if you want to take me to lunch—just kidding, I am available after 12 for appointments if you notify me in advance. All the office hours take place in my office, L-236, except where noted. (I’m inside the Writing Center Lab L-235). I am not on campus on Fridays. (Jot my cell number down in this section.) My office number is (510) 748-2131, e-mail professorwandasposse@gmail.com.
I don’t check my e-mail on weekends so I’d advise you to exchange phone numbers with classmates (2), so if you have a concern, it can be addressed more expediently. 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.
Students are expected to complete their work on time. If you need more time on an assignment, discuss this with me in advance, if possible to keep full credit. You loose credit each day an assignment is late and certain assignments, such as in-class essays cannot be made up. All assignments prepared outside of class 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.)
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 students essays will be posted on-line at the website. Students will also have the option of submitting assignments on-line.
All assignments completed away from class should be typed. Use blue or black ink when writing responses in class. You can annotate your books in pencil.
Textbooks Recap:
Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip Hop Generation. Jeff Chang. Picador. 2005. ISBN: 0-312-42579-1
Know What I Mean? Reflections on Hip Hop. Michael Eric Dyson. Basic Civitias Books. 2007. ISBN: 0-465-017716-9 (I am making copiesof certain chapters, but I recommend purchasing it.)
Total Chaos: The Art and Aesthetics of Hip Hop. Ed. Jeff Chang. Basic Civitas Books. 2006. ISBN: 10: 0-465-00909-3 (I’m thinking about this book.)
The Coldest Winter Ever. Sister Souljah. Simon & Schuster. 2006.
http://www.simonsays.com/content/book.cfm?tab=1&pid=514298&er=9781416521693
Rules For Writers. Fourth or Fifth edition. Diana Hacker. Bedford/St. Martins. (If you don’t already have such a book.)
Elements of Style (any edition)
I am thinking about:
From Totems to Hip-Hop: A Multicultural Anthology of Poetry Across the Americas, 1900-2002. Ed. Ishmael Reed. Thunder’s Mouth Press. 2003. ISBN 1-56025-458-0 (but you might have enough with the survey of hip hop music)
The Message: 100 Life Lessons from Hip-Hop’s Greatest Songs. Felicia Pride. Thunder’s Mouth Press. 2007. ISBN-13: 978-1-56858-335-8
The Spoken Word Revolution (slam, hip hop & the poetry of a new generation). Ed. Mark Eleveld. Sourcebooks MediaFusion. 2004. ISBN: 1-4022-0246-6.
Students also need a dictionary. I recommend: The American Heritage Dictionary. Fourth Edition.
Along with a 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.
Also 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, DemocracyNow.org, FlashPoints.org, CBS 60Minutes.
Index Cards Week 2 August 26-August 28
Please list your contact information: Name, Address, phone number e-mail address, best time to call.
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?
Thursday, December 20, 2007
MC Super Natural and Don Cheadle
Super Natural in San Francisco
Thursday, Dec. 20, MC Super Natural will be at Slim's in San Francisco. Remember the field trip I had to cancel two months ago, well Ankh Productions is trying it again. I'm thinking about going, after I call first to make certain it's actually happening. Tickets are $20. All ages are welcome and the doors open at 9 p.m. There will be Def Jam poets warming the house up before the headliner comes on.
Slims is at 333 11th Street, in San Francisco, (415) 255-0333. Visit www.SlimsTickets.com and www.AnkhMarketing.com. Call before heading over just in case.
Don Cheadle and Marcel Diallo
Blackdot Artists, Inc. founder Marcel Diallo celebrates 11 years of cultural arts programming with acclaimed actor Don Cheadle in Oakland at a fundraiser, "An Evening To Celebrate with Don Cheadle," benefiting the nonprofit's development of a cultural district in West Oakland. In his first public appearance in Oakland, Don Cheadle engages in a lively conversation with Black Dot Artists, Inc. Chief Creative Officer Marcel Diallo.
Since the film, Hotel Rwanda, actor, humanitarian, Don Cheadle is leading the call to stop the war in Dafur with a book, “Not On Our Watch: The Mission To End Genocide In Darfur And Beyond.” Co-authored by John Prendergast, this book is a practical guide to ending the bloodshed in Africa’s largest country. Cheadle was in San Francisco earlier this year to promote the book and engage his audience in a discussion on what we are doing individually and as a nation, to stop the genocide, and what we are capable of doing when we form coalitions.
The benefit gala, dinner, conversation, and cocktail party at The Rotunda Building, in Downtown Oakland located at 300 Frank Ogawa Plaza will feature the eclectic sounds of DJ Afrikan Sciences, a live art auction featuring visual art by Eesuu Orundide, Keba Konte, and Githinji Wa Mbire, a raffle and silent art auction, and a live jazz lounge. There will be complimentary wine available all evening.
The festivities begin at 6 p.m., Saturday, December 22nd and continue until 9 p.m. Ticket prices are $200 for individual tickets, $500 for individual Beacon sponsors, $2500 for corporate Stellar sponsor tables seating ten persons, and $5000 for Luminary sponsor tables seating ten persons. Advanced registration is required. Limited seating is available!
For information call Letitia Ntofon at (510) 763-4827. The after party is 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. at The Black New World Social Aid and Pleasure Club, 836 Pine Street, Oakland.
Thursday, Dec. 20, MC Super Natural will be at Slim's in San Francisco. Remember the field trip I had to cancel two months ago, well Ankh Productions is trying it again. I'm thinking about going, after I call first to make certain it's actually happening. Tickets are $20. All ages are welcome and the doors open at 9 p.m. There will be Def Jam poets warming the house up before the headliner comes on.
Slims is at 333 11th Street, in San Francisco, (415) 255-0333. Visit www.SlimsTickets.com and www.AnkhMarketing.com. Call before heading over just in case.
Don Cheadle and Marcel Diallo
Blackdot Artists, Inc. founder Marcel Diallo celebrates 11 years of cultural arts programming with acclaimed actor Don Cheadle in Oakland at a fundraiser, "An Evening To Celebrate with Don Cheadle," benefiting the nonprofit's development of a cultural district in West Oakland. In his first public appearance in Oakland, Don Cheadle engages in a lively conversation with Black Dot Artists, Inc. Chief Creative Officer Marcel Diallo.
Since the film, Hotel Rwanda, actor, humanitarian, Don Cheadle is leading the call to stop the war in Dafur with a book, “Not On Our Watch: The Mission To End Genocide In Darfur And Beyond.” Co-authored by John Prendergast, this book is a practical guide to ending the bloodshed in Africa’s largest country. Cheadle was in San Francisco earlier this year to promote the book and engage his audience in a discussion on what we are doing individually and as a nation, to stop the genocide, and what we are capable of doing when we form coalitions.
The benefit gala, dinner, conversation, and cocktail party at The Rotunda Building, in Downtown Oakland located at 300 Frank Ogawa Plaza will feature the eclectic sounds of DJ Afrikan Sciences, a live art auction featuring visual art by Eesuu Orundide, Keba Konte, and Githinji Wa Mbire, a raffle and silent art auction, and a live jazz lounge. There will be complimentary wine available all evening.
The festivities begin at 6 p.m., Saturday, December 22nd and continue until 9 p.m. Ticket prices are $200 for individual tickets, $500 for individual Beacon sponsors, $2500 for corporate Stellar sponsor tables seating ten persons, and $5000 for Luminary sponsor tables seating ten persons. Advanced registration is required. Limited seating is available!
For information call Letitia Ntofon at (510) 763-4827. The after party is 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. at The Black New World Social Aid and Pleasure Club, 836 Pine Street, Oakland.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Portfolios and Presentations
Today the students who attended class and presented are to be commended for their efforts. I was pleased with the presentations, especially those presented when the class dispersed after 11: Harizon and Ellis. Their research essays were outstanding! Ellis presented his on chemical engineer and entrepreneur, Christine Galitsky, whose work in water conservation in wineries and the creation of a more efficient cooking system in Dafur where the refugees cut down trees for firewood seemed so different, yet are connected philosophically by the scientist's aim to both help humanity while conserving nature. In the Dafur instance, the more efficient pot, keeps the women and girls whose job it is to gather twigs safe from marauding gangs who kidnap and rape the girls when they wonder too far from camp.
He stayed within the scope of the assignment, as did many others like Johnny, whose KIVA, is located in San Francisco (by the way, he made a really nice poster I have hung in L-235) and Jenni's organization, Girls Inc., which is located in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
Ellis' SE studied at UC Berkeley and before she left the country on business, he reached her and the two exchanged emails where she answered pertinent questions related to Ellis' research. (he shared one of them with us.) Jenni and Harizon were two others who actually contacted the entrepreneur or someone connected to the project, organization, or campaign. These are bonus points folks, 'cause a part of the assignment was making the personal connection.
Another aspect of Ellis' presentation I enjoyed was his ease and relaxed manner. He was comfortable with the technology, as was Tristan earlier today when he shared his presentation on Al Gore. Jenni was comfortable, but hers wasn't a PowerPoint presentation, more a visual component of the presentation. The paper in Jenni's hand (the essay) got in the way of the presentation, but the distraction was offset by the leaflets she had from the organization which she passed around. It was also offset by Jenni's command of the subject.
I also liked Ellis' sharing with the class why he chose his topic. He and Galitsky both are concerned about the war in Dafur and its impact on the people. When he was a student at Encinal High School Ellis told us that the students in a club he belonged to hosted a meal of beans and rice in a simulated refugee camp to raise money to send to a camp there to feed the hungry. Jenni also shared how she came to find her topic. I thought this was one of the more interesting aspects of the presentation.
This is always an important part of the presentation: why you care. We know you, so if you care about an issue or a cause, we are apt to consider it becasue you think it is worthy of consideration. So never leave yourself out of the equation. You are a part of the argument whether you insert yourself or not, so why not tell us how you are connected to the topic, espcially in this case where the assignment asked for this type of interpersonal connection.
Harizon also had a connection to his subject. His father was actually a cabinet member in the ousted government--a government that led to the imprisonment and torture of Raila Odinga prior to his coming into government office. He is also a member of teh same ethnic group. However, tribalism is something Odinga is working to eradicate in government.
Harizon's knowledge of the topic which included a history of Kenya post-colonial nation up to now was understandable, just because Harizon, like Ellis, and Jenni, Dale, Mabel, Johnny, showed in earlier presentations today-- knew their topics. One of the more exciting aspects of Harizon's presentation was his link to the Daily Nation, the Kenyan newspaper, where we could see clips of the presidential candidates, especially Odinga and Mr. Kibaki, the current president. He also showed us photos of the largest slum in the world, Kibera, a part of Odinga's province, a place he lives in now despite his wealth and ability to reside elsewhere. Harizon said the elections take place Dec. 27.
I enjoyed Mabel's presentation on Judith Jamison, Alvin Ailey Dance Company. I didn't remember that she was a dancer either. How did I forget this detail?
I also loved seeing how well Dale revised his essay on Jay-Z. It was much clearer than the earlier version. Johnny was great to have in the audience because he explained on the whole Cristol beverage controversy, which sounded similar to the controversy surround Tommie Hilfiger when Hilfiger said something derogatory about the black consumers who buy his product (no you will not see me wearing anything with his logo on it and I don't understand how Russell Simmons can support him, but perhaps green is a stronger bond than....)
I have to say though that Semhar's play was really fun. She had a role for all of us: Harizon, Carroll, and Ellis, plus herself. It was the section of the book where Afeni reluctantly cares for his father, who is recovering from a stab wound.
Jenni gets an A for her playwrighting skills, as does Tristan. Tristan was also a great actor. Johnny was a great cast member, once again. Mabel was also a great actress and writer. She and Jenni should try out for a role.
Dale and Betty were also great. Dale even had props and I think he and Betty rehearsed. All the plays which I have seen so far get an A. This is equal to an essay people.
I will post photos later on when I get home and transfer them from my camera.
I hope everyone has a great holiday and I look forward to seeing you around on campus. Please stay in touch and let me know if I can write recommendation letters for you or help you in any capacity. I'm looking at Hip Hop as a global movement for my theme for the Spring. Does anyone have any ideas about books, films, artists and CDs? I am using the Jeff Chang book: Can't Stop, Won't Stop, but that's all I am certain of. (Oh, Tristan and Ellis, I finished all the Harry Potter books this weekend. I read Book 7 Sunday, finished Book 6 Saturday.)
If you needed an extension, the portfolios are due by 12 noon Friday, Dec. 21 in L-235-6. I have a final from 8-10 a.m. 12/21 in the Writing Center L-235).
I have posted a sample portfolio in the camment section of this post.
He stayed within the scope of the assignment, as did many others like Johnny, whose KIVA, is located in San Francisco (by the way, he made a really nice poster I have hung in L-235) and Jenni's organization, Girls Inc., which is located in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
Ellis' SE studied at UC Berkeley and before she left the country on business, he reached her and the two exchanged emails where she answered pertinent questions related to Ellis' research. (he shared one of them with us.) Jenni and Harizon were two others who actually contacted the entrepreneur or someone connected to the project, organization, or campaign. These are bonus points folks, 'cause a part of the assignment was making the personal connection.
Another aspect of Ellis' presentation I enjoyed was his ease and relaxed manner. He was comfortable with the technology, as was Tristan earlier today when he shared his presentation on Al Gore. Jenni was comfortable, but hers wasn't a PowerPoint presentation, more a visual component of the presentation. The paper in Jenni's hand (the essay) got in the way of the presentation, but the distraction was offset by the leaflets she had from the organization which she passed around. It was also offset by Jenni's command of the subject.
I also liked Ellis' sharing with the class why he chose his topic. He and Galitsky both are concerned about the war in Dafur and its impact on the people. When he was a student at Encinal High School Ellis told us that the students in a club he belonged to hosted a meal of beans and rice in a simulated refugee camp to raise money to send to a camp there to feed the hungry. Jenni also shared how she came to find her topic. I thought this was one of the more interesting aspects of the presentation.
This is always an important part of the presentation: why you care. We know you, so if you care about an issue or a cause, we are apt to consider it becasue you think it is worthy of consideration. So never leave yourself out of the equation. You are a part of the argument whether you insert yourself or not, so why not tell us how you are connected to the topic, espcially in this case where the assignment asked for this type of interpersonal connection.
Harizon also had a connection to his subject. His father was actually a cabinet member in the ousted government--a government that led to the imprisonment and torture of Raila Odinga prior to his coming into government office. He is also a member of teh same ethnic group. However, tribalism is something Odinga is working to eradicate in government.
Harizon's knowledge of the topic which included a history of Kenya post-colonial nation up to now was understandable, just because Harizon, like Ellis, and Jenni, Dale, Mabel, Johnny, showed in earlier presentations today-- knew their topics. One of the more exciting aspects of Harizon's presentation was his link to the Daily Nation, the Kenyan newspaper, where we could see clips of the presidential candidates, especially Odinga and Mr. Kibaki, the current president. He also showed us photos of the largest slum in the world, Kibera, a part of Odinga's province, a place he lives in now despite his wealth and ability to reside elsewhere. Harizon said the elections take place Dec. 27.
I enjoyed Mabel's presentation on Judith Jamison, Alvin Ailey Dance Company. I didn't remember that she was a dancer either. How did I forget this detail?
I also loved seeing how well Dale revised his essay on Jay-Z. It was much clearer than the earlier version. Johnny was great to have in the audience because he explained on the whole Cristol beverage controversy, which sounded similar to the controversy surround Tommie Hilfiger when Hilfiger said something derogatory about the black consumers who buy his product (no you will not see me wearing anything with his logo on it and I don't understand how Russell Simmons can support him, but perhaps green is a stronger bond than....)
I have to say though that Semhar's play was really fun. She had a role for all of us: Harizon, Carroll, and Ellis, plus herself. It was the section of the book where Afeni reluctantly cares for his father, who is recovering from a stab wound.
Jenni gets an A for her playwrighting skills, as does Tristan. Tristan was also a great actor. Johnny was a great cast member, once again. Mabel was also a great actress and writer. She and Jenni should try out for a role.
Dale and Betty were also great. Dale even had props and I think he and Betty rehearsed. All the plays which I have seen so far get an A. This is equal to an essay people.
I will post photos later on when I get home and transfer them from my camera.
I hope everyone has a great holiday and I look forward to seeing you around on campus. Please stay in touch and let me know if I can write recommendation letters for you or help you in any capacity. I'm looking at Hip Hop as a global movement for my theme for the Spring. Does anyone have any ideas about books, films, artists and CDs? I am using the Jeff Chang book: Can't Stop, Won't Stop, but that's all I am certain of. (Oh, Tristan and Ellis, I finished all the Harry Potter books this weekend. I read Book 7 Sunday, finished Book 6 Saturday.)
If you needed an extension, the portfolios are due by 12 noon Friday, Dec. 21 in L-235-6. I have a final from 8-10 a.m. 12/21 in the Writing Center L-235).
I have posted a sample portfolio in the camment section of this post.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
WORKSHOP MONDAY, DEC. 17
Don't forget, I'll be around Monday, Dec. 17 from 10-2 p.m. helping students with their portfolios and other writing projects for the course. Come by with your work and let's tackle it together :-)
Last Day of Instruction
Today we began developing the scripts for the short scenes students will perform next week. The themes are taken from Evolution of a Revolutionary. Students worked alone and in pairs. Students who worked together will receive the same grade for the writing. The scene is equal to an essay. Please type it and include a copy in the portfolio. We used the Elephant Man as a model for writing. Please send me any essays I haven't read yet, such as the review. I'd like to limit the essays I read for the first time Tuesday, December 18. If you need the projector, plan to present your research paper between 8-9. We will retire to L-235 afterwards for the improvazational theatre.
I handed out portfolio checklists. Here is an electronic version. Please fill out with grades where possible and turn in a paper copy to me with the portfolio. If you are behind, look at the comment section of this post for an alternative assigment. Students who choose this option can earn a C grade. OH, PLEASE PLAN TO SHOW UP AT THE FINAL AND PRESENT YOUR PAPER. IT WILL HELP YOUR GRADE.
For everyone else, I have edited the narrative post. Look at it again.
Portfolio Check-list
Major Assignments: All classes
Sabir (510) 748-2131 office; 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 texts we are reading, plus the final essay on a social entrepreneur. If you missed the earlier essays you can still pass the course. You do not have a chance at an A though. Check this against the blog. The more detailed description of the narrative essays is attached.
Assignments
Artifacts
Hip Hop (include a brief narrative explaining your selection)______
American Culture (include a brief narrative explaining your selection)_____
Essays
Jeff Chang __________
Too $hort ___________
Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes_________
A Rose Grew From Concrete writing __________
Tupac Songbook writing ___________
(Some of it is collaborative, some is on the website)__________
Cyber Essays such as: such as Propaganda Techniques, Evolution of a Revolutionary…
List them:
Midterm__________
Reading Logs from Dyson ______________
Dyson thematic outlines ________________
Jena 6 ___________
PLIES/Jena 6 (English 1A)________________
Jason Young and Brenda’s Got a Baby (English 201 8-9) _____________
Reading to Write freewrites (2) ______________
Outlining and Clustering Chapter 7 from Dyson (English 201 1-3) due 10/17 _____________
Research Cyber Assignments: Social Entrepreneurs (3) _____________
Planning sheets, vocabulary and questions ______________
Library Assignments________________
Evaluating a Website____________________
English 1A Library assignments for three-session workshop on information literacy _____________
Research Essay Planning Sheet ______________
Research Essay Outline _____________________
Research Essay Peer comments _________________
Research Essay Grade_______________
Research Essay Abstract for day of presentation ________________
Bring an outline or short summary of your research paper for classmates to have as a guideline to comment on about your paper and give you feedback.
Research Essay presentation grade _____________________
Cyber Essays for Evolution of a Revolutionary (3-5)________________
Play (English 1B)_______________
Elephant Man (English 1B) Cyber assignment _______________
Blood Beats Assignment (English 1B)________________
Portfolio Grade__________
Course Grade____________
Narrative: I will email it to you.
Anything else?
I handed out portfolio checklists. Here is an electronic version. Please fill out with grades where possible and turn in a paper copy to me with the portfolio. If you are behind, look at the comment section of this post for an alternative assigment. Students who choose this option can earn a C grade. OH, PLEASE PLAN TO SHOW UP AT THE FINAL AND PRESENT YOUR PAPER. IT WILL HELP YOUR GRADE.
For everyone else, I have edited the narrative post. Look at it again.
Portfolio Check-list
Major Assignments: All classes
Sabir (510) 748-2131 office; 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 texts we are reading, plus the final essay on a social entrepreneur. If you missed the earlier essays you can still pass the course. You do not have a chance at an A though. Check this against the blog. The more detailed description of the narrative essays is attached.
Assignments
Artifacts
Hip Hop (include a brief narrative explaining your selection)______
American Culture (include a brief narrative explaining your selection)_____
Essays
Jeff Chang __________
Too $hort ___________
Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes_________
A Rose Grew From Concrete writing __________
Tupac Songbook writing ___________
(Some of it is collaborative, some is on the website)__________
Cyber Essays such as: such as Propaganda Techniques, Evolution of a Revolutionary…
List them:
Midterm__________
Reading Logs from Dyson ______________
Dyson thematic outlines ________________
Jena 6 ___________
PLIES/Jena 6 (English 1A)________________
Jason Young and Brenda’s Got a Baby (English 201 8-9) _____________
Reading to Write freewrites (2) ______________
Outlining and Clustering Chapter 7 from Dyson (English 201 1-3) due 10/17 _____________
Research Cyber Assignments: Social Entrepreneurs (3) _____________
Planning sheets, vocabulary and questions ______________
Library Assignments________________
Evaluating a Website____________________
English 1A Library assignments for three-session workshop on information literacy _____________
Research Essay Planning Sheet ______________
Research Essay Outline _____________________
Research Essay Peer comments _________________
Research Essay Grade_______________
Research Essay Abstract for day of presentation ________________
Bring an outline or short summary of your research paper for classmates to have as a guideline to comment on about your paper and give you feedback.
Research Essay presentation grade _____________________
Cyber Essays for Evolution of a Revolutionary (3-5)________________
Play (English 1B)_______________
Elephant Man (English 1B) Cyber assignment _______________
Blood Beats Assignment (English 1B)________________
Portfolio Grade__________
Course Grade____________
Narrative: I will email it to you.
Anything else?
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Portfolio
The portfolio narratives (These are essays)
1. The narrative will look at the 18 weeks, the themes we looked at this semester, the poetics of hip hop and Tupac Shakur. 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 yourself this semester? 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 part of the narrative 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.
Besides the two essays, I also want you to include the midterm essay and research essay. We will work on the narratives together next week, Monday, Dec. 10, in the Writing Lab. We will meet in the smaller lab, L-235.
You have a copy of the assigned essays this semester. The check-list is the same with grades posted next to the assignment. We will look at this the last day of class. Our final for the class is Tuesday, Dec.18, 8-10 a.m. We will meet in the Writing Center, L-235. If you need technology, let me know next week.
Extra credit essay. The extra credit essay assignment will be posted to the blog by next week so you can read the prompt in advance. The essay will be in response to a topic taken from Evolution of a Revolutionary. You will have 50 minutes to write the essay Thursday, Dec. 13. This essay can replace the Hip Hop essay if the grade is higher or just serve as more practice. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TAKE THE EXAM.
We will finish reading The Elephant Man tomorrow and start writing our skits for the later performance. It should be fun.
Your portfolios are due the day of the final, 12/18. They are to be digitized. No exceptions. The only paper copies are the freewrites. Do not give me your originals. I can make copies, if you can’t. Oh, there are no regular class meetings after next week. You come to class only on the date of the final.
I will give you an updated essay assignment check-list. Look for it later this week.
EDITS OR ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE COURSE DEC. 13, 2007
Essay 2 has students look at the writing process and discuss their own writing process: the topics chosen, the information used, revision strategies, writing as a process. This should 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 about audience and how that 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 also 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).
Grade
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 response evaluate the semester: teacher, textbooks, assignments, methodology, etc. Please be frank and feel free to offer suggestions.
1. The narrative will look at the 18 weeks, the themes we looked at this semester, the poetics of hip hop and Tupac Shakur. 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 yourself this semester? 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 part of the narrative 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.
Besides the two essays, I also want you to include the midterm essay and research essay. We will work on the narratives together next week, Monday, Dec. 10, in the Writing Lab. We will meet in the smaller lab, L-235.
You have a copy of the assigned essays this semester. The check-list is the same with grades posted next to the assignment. We will look at this the last day of class. Our final for the class is Tuesday, Dec.18, 8-10 a.m. We will meet in the Writing Center, L-235. If you need technology, let me know next week.
Extra credit essay. The extra credit essay assignment will be posted to the blog by next week so you can read the prompt in advance. The essay will be in response to a topic taken from Evolution of a Revolutionary. You will have 50 minutes to write the essay Thursday, Dec. 13. This essay can replace the Hip Hop essay if the grade is higher or just serve as more practice. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TAKE THE EXAM.
We will finish reading The Elephant Man tomorrow and start writing our skits for the later performance. It should be fun.
Your portfolios are due the day of the final, 12/18. They are to be digitized. No exceptions. The only paper copies are the freewrites. Do not give me your originals. I can make copies, if you can’t. Oh, there are no regular class meetings after next week. You come to class only on the date of the final.
I will give you an updated essay assignment check-list. Look for it later this week.
EDITS OR ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE COURSE DEC. 13, 2007
Essay 2 has students look at the writing process and discuss their own writing process: the topics chosen, the information used, revision strategies, writing as a process. This should 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 about audience and how that 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 also 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).
Grade
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 response evaluate the semester: teacher, textbooks, assignments, methodology, etc. Please be frank and feel free to offer suggestions.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Elephant Man
Today in class we read Bernard Pomerance's Elephant Man. We ended at Scene 15 "Ingratitude." It was quite fun with students doubling up and tripling up as members of the cast. The homework is to write a response to the play so far. John Merrick (Elephant Man) reminds me of Tupac Shakur and societies attempt to cast him in the role of other and almost succeeding. Post your essay response to the play here. If you need a copy of the play I have left one in the bin outside my office for you to review.
We will complete the play Thursday and work on the drafts for the scenes taken from Evolution of a Revolutionary to be performed next Tuesday. At this point all the research essays should be in. If they are not in, I presume we have had a conversation.
Oh, we are going to dinner next week at Delancey Street Restaurant in San Francisco. Students let me know tentatively those who can make it. If you like we can go to breakfast during our scheduled final somewhere in Alameda or Oakland if that would be preferable. Let me know. Some students have not been showing up. Are you okay?
The portfolio requirements will be given out Thursday in class, and I will show students a portfolio from last semester so you can have a sense of what's required.
We will complete the play Thursday and work on the drafts for the scenes taken from Evolution of a Revolutionary to be performed next Tuesday. At this point all the research essays should be in. If they are not in, I presume we have had a conversation.
Oh, we are going to dinner next week at Delancey Street Restaurant in San Francisco. Students let me know tentatively those who can make it. If you like we can go to breakfast during our scheduled final somewhere in Alameda or Oakland if that would be preferable. Let me know. Some students have not been showing up. Are you okay?
The portfolio requirements will be given out Thursday in class, and I will show students a portfolio from last semester so you can have a sense of what's required.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Class today
Today in class we decided to spend the class time working on our essays, so most students left to do so, while others like Betty, Harizon and Carroll and Semhar stayed to talk about their projects.
The essays are due Tuesday, Dec. 4; however, the peer review is this week, so bring in a draft. It doesn't have to be great, just get it out. The first step is to become an expert on your topic, then put the materials up and write. Of course, you have an outline to direct the writing to make certain it's all covered. You could even answer the questions then put the parts together later.
After the essay is written, then go through it and see where it would be good to add a quote to expand, explain or illustrate a point. Where students fail is when there is no exposition and too much citation. The citation or quotes should be used sparingly, like a well placed diamond in the tiara. You want it to stand out.
We'll spend a little time talking about Hardy and Guy, so read a selection from Hardy and be up to I think Chapter 8 -- Redemption, in Guy. Oh, the "Sisters in Law" is on PBS Channel 9 tonight at 10 p.m. You could choose this film for your literary critique essay, the final essay for the course.
The essays are due Tuesday, Dec. 4; however, the peer review is this week, so bring in a draft. It doesn't have to be great, just get it out. The first step is to become an expert on your topic, then put the materials up and write. Of course, you have an outline to direct the writing to make certain it's all covered. You could even answer the questions then put the parts together later.
After the essay is written, then go through it and see where it would be good to add a quote to expand, explain or illustrate a point. Where students fail is when there is no exposition and too much citation. The citation or quotes should be used sparingly, like a well placed diamond in the tiara. You want it to stand out.
We'll spend a little time talking about Hardy and Guy, so read a selection from Hardy and be up to I think Chapter 8 -- Redemption, in Guy. Oh, the "Sisters in Law" is on PBS Channel 9 tonight at 10 p.m. You could choose this film for your literary critique essay, the final essay for the course.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Rubric for the Research Essay
Research Essay English 1B
Peer reviews are Tuesday, Nov. 27. The final draft is due to me, Thursday, Nov. 29 on a disk or CD. I'd like your planning sheet and outline, plus at least one peer review based on the handout I gave you last week (see Hacker pages 26-27. If you do not have all these parts you will loose points on the essay. We will meet in the classroom. Bring a hardcopy of the essay.
The grading will be based on the following:
The essay writing: 65 percent
essay structure and organization: introduction, body and conclusion
clearly stated thesis,
topic sentences,
evidence
Research 15 percent
How well does the student know the topic
How sound is the research
Use of signal phrases
paraphrases
block quotes
Grammar 15 percent
Syntax and mechanics
I am particularly looking at dependent and independent clauses; fused sentences, comma splices, subject verb agreement, pronoun reference agreement in gender and count, spelling and misuse of words
A way to avoid this is to read the paper aloud before you turn it in
Supplementary documents: 5 percent
Essay Planning Sheet
Essay outline
Peer review or review of essay by a teacher/tutor in the Writing Center.
What the tutor/teacher recommends is just that, a recommendation. Take what you agree with and leave the rest.
An A is 95-100 percent; B 85 percent; C 80 percent
There is an automatic revision required for any grades below 80 percent. You have one week to respond. This is a high impact grade which is none negotiable. You need to have a passing grade on this essay to pass the class.
Peer reviews are Tuesday, Nov. 27. The final draft is due to me, Thursday, Nov. 29 on a disk or CD. I'd like your planning sheet and outline, plus at least one peer review based on the handout I gave you last week (see Hacker pages 26-27. If you do not have all these parts you will loose points on the essay. We will meet in the classroom. Bring a hardcopy of the essay.
The grading will be based on the following:
The essay writing: 65 percent
essay structure and organization: introduction, body and conclusion
clearly stated thesis,
topic sentences,
evidence
Research 15 percent
How well does the student know the topic
How sound is the research
Use of signal phrases
paraphrases
block quotes
Grammar 15 percent
Syntax and mechanics
I am particularly looking at dependent and independent clauses; fused sentences, comma splices, subject verb agreement, pronoun reference agreement in gender and count, spelling and misuse of words
A way to avoid this is to read the paper aloud before you turn it in
Supplementary documents: 5 percent
Essay Planning Sheet
Essay outline
Peer review or review of essay by a teacher/tutor in the Writing Center.
What the tutor/teacher recommends is just that, a recommendation. Take what you agree with and leave the rest.
An A is 95-100 percent; B 85 percent; C 80 percent
There is an automatic revision required for any grades below 80 percent. You have one week to respond. This is a high impact grade which is none negotiable. You need to have a passing grade on this essay to pass the class.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Due Dates
Have a great holiday! Your final draft is due for a peer review Tuesday, November 27. We will meet in the smaller lab. Bring your essay in an electronic form so we can comment using the Microsoft Word Tool. We will also continue our discussion of Ernest Hardy selections, maybe Guy. I'd like to complete the book by Tuesday, Dec. 4. Come prepared to write a play dramatizing an aspect of Afeni Shakur's life--a scene from the book.
Be thinking about the show you are going to review for your Ernest Hardy assignment, your last paper. I am hosting a final exam for students who'd like to do a make-up essay. You can use this as extra credit or toss one of the essays with a lower grade (not the midterm or research essay, unless it is 5 pages long.
Be thinking about the show you are going to review for your Ernest Hardy assignment, your last paper. I am hosting a final exam for students who'd like to do a make-up essay. You can use this as extra credit or toss one of the essays with a lower grade (not the midterm or research essay, unless it is 5 pages long.
Monday, November 19, 2007
November 19
Last week, we were looking at deductive arguments, that is, moving from the general to the specific. The topic was the recent oil spill in the SF Bay. We compared America to the SF Bay, Afeni's life to the crabs adversely affected by the pollution in their already polluted environment, and the oil spill to the trauma impacting Afeni's already compromised dysfunctional life.
I drew a Ven diagram on the board. It was a fun discussion. I was surprised at the unexpected depth the analogy allowed us when looking at Afeni's life. As I recall this, I am still baffled at how permission is given tacitly to overlook what is harmful when certain people are impacted or money is involved. Who overrode the governor's order to delay the crab fishing season? Why isn't the health of the public a consideration? The same can be said of Afeni's life. Her parents let her down, and the Black Panther Party let her down, even Lumumba let her down.
We shared our thoughts as we tried to develop a syllogism. Jenni came closest, although Pamela's reasoning was very interesting and insightful.
Essays are due tomorrow for the peer review. Tomorrow is also the last day to drop with a W. Kim is not continuing the class. We'll miss her. If students are concerned and unclear about their grades, let me know. Some of you haven't turned in any work and are behind, but we can make a plan.
Carroll said she was in a car accident last week. She said when I saw her today that she is doing well. See you in the morning in the classroom. I plan to show you another New Heroes video.
I drew a Ven diagram on the board. It was a fun discussion. I was surprised at the unexpected depth the analogy allowed us when looking at Afeni's life. As I recall this, I am still baffled at how permission is given tacitly to overlook what is harmful when certain people are impacted or money is involved. Who overrode the governor's order to delay the crab fishing season? Why isn't the health of the public a consideration? The same can be said of Afeni's life. Her parents let her down, and the Black Panther Party let her down, even Lumumba let her down.
We shared our thoughts as we tried to develop a syllogism. Jenni came closest, although Pamela's reasoning was very interesting and insightful.
Essays are due tomorrow for the peer review. Tomorrow is also the last day to drop with a W. Kim is not continuing the class. We'll miss her. If students are concerned and unclear about their grades, let me know. Some of you haven't turned in any work and are behind, but we can make a plan.
Carroll said she was in a car accident last week. She said when I saw her today that she is doing well. See you in the morning in the classroom. I plan to show you another New Heroes video.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Tomorrow
Bring your essays and questions about your writing and grades etc. to class. We will conduct the class like a workshop session, students can meet with me one-on-one for 10 minutes each minimally to talk about grades.
Homework was to bring in the essay outline, and an introduction and conclusion. Students can always keep reading. We're trying to finish up Guy in the next week and a day. Bring in any questions about Strunk and White as they come up.
There are a few events happening this weekend you might want to check out:
The Hybrid Project at Intersection for the Arts in San Francisco opens for a three week run 11/15 pay what you can night; Stardust and Empty Wagons at Brava Theatre continues through 11/24; tonight Barack Obama is speaking at Bill Graham Auditorium in SF; it's late night at the de Young Museum in San Francisco.
Marc Bamuthi Joseph is performing an excerpt from a larger work opening next year based on Jeff Chang's Can't Stop, Won't Stop: The History of Hip Hop. I'm going tomorrow evening to the show.
Oh, MacBeth opens at the San Francisco Opera. I love MacBeth!
Homework was to bring in the essay outline, and an introduction and conclusion. Students can always keep reading. We're trying to finish up Guy in the next week and a day. Bring in any questions about Strunk and White as they come up.
There are a few events happening this weekend you might want to check out:
The Hybrid Project at Intersection for the Arts in San Francisco opens for a three week run 11/15 pay what you can night; Stardust and Empty Wagons at Brava Theatre continues through 11/24; tonight Barack Obama is speaking at Bill Graham Auditorium in SF; it's late night at the de Young Museum in San Francisco.
Marc Bamuthi Joseph is performing an excerpt from a larger work opening next year based on Jeff Chang's Can't Stop, Won't Stop: The History of Hip Hop. I'm going tomorrow evening to the show.
Oh, MacBeth opens at the San Francisco Opera. I love MacBeth!
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Long weekend ahead
Today in class we reviewed argumentation. I don't know how much was a review and how much was new information, but I hope it was useful. We skimmed the Hacker chapter on Argument. Students who didn't have the book received copies of the chapter. I ran out if copies, but more are available at my office. Let me know if the folder is empty. I ordered the DVD set on New Heroes from PBS. I want to share a few of the social entrepreneur stories with you.
I think we went over the evaluating a website assignment Tuesday. If we haven't, let me know. I'll show you the Argumentation video next week and we'll talk more about logic. Please add the reflection on "What is an essay" (handout) to the assignment check-list (10/17).
I have incorrect dates on the Research Essay schedule. We corrected them: 11/8 Planning Sheet and resource list due; 11/15 Introduction and Conclusion; 11/20 first draft of essay due; 11/29 final draft of essay due
Today the planning sheet and resource list was due. Start reading, contact your agency and set up a date for the interview. Give yourself time to do the background research first.
I will be emailing students their grades sometime before Monday. If your midterm grade is a C-or a D you have to revise your essay. Revisions need to include the original graded paper along with the essay you'd like considered. I also want students to write a separate narrative explaining what you did to improve the essay. This reflective piece doesn't have to be long.
Please turn in revisions a week after you receive it back or by prior arrangement. If you have the corrected essay electronically, you can email the package to me, or you can give it to me as a hardcopy. It's your choice.
Some students have not turned in their midterm essays. To pass the class you have to complete the midterm. The cut off for this essay is next week so those who have not gotten it in, this is your last chance unless we have made other plans. My office hours are MW 9-11. I am sometimes a little tardy getting over to L-236, but I am coming, wait for me. Tuesday and Thursday after 12 noon is a possibility if arranged in advance.
Keep reading the Guy book, "Evolution of a Revolutionary." My book has walked; my name is in it. If anyone knows it's whereabouts I'd appreciate its return. Thanks! You can read up to chapter 7 for the next meeting. Don't forget to keep reading logs. We'll continue the hardy discussions on Thursdays, along with the Elements of Style discussions.
Remember the veteran's over the holiday recess. I returned most if not all of the essays I received as hardcopies. If you missed class or left early, email me and I will send your grade to you. I am not leaving essays for people to pick up for confidentiality reasons.
I think we went over the evaluating a website assignment Tuesday. If we haven't, let me know. I'll show you the Argumentation video next week and we'll talk more about logic. Please add the reflection on "What is an essay" (handout) to the assignment check-list (10/17).
I have incorrect dates on the Research Essay schedule. We corrected them: 11/8 Planning Sheet and resource list due; 11/15 Introduction and Conclusion; 11/20 first draft of essay due; 11/29 final draft of essay due
Today the planning sheet and resource list was due. Start reading, contact your agency and set up a date for the interview. Give yourself time to do the background research first.
I will be emailing students their grades sometime before Monday. If your midterm grade is a C-or a D you have to revise your essay. Revisions need to include the original graded paper along with the essay you'd like considered. I also want students to write a separate narrative explaining what you did to improve the essay. This reflective piece doesn't have to be long.
Please turn in revisions a week after you receive it back or by prior arrangement. If you have the corrected essay electronically, you can email the package to me, or you can give it to me as a hardcopy. It's your choice.
Some students have not turned in their midterm essays. To pass the class you have to complete the midterm. The cut off for this essay is next week so those who have not gotten it in, this is your last chance unless we have made other plans. My office hours are MW 9-11. I am sometimes a little tardy getting over to L-236, but I am coming, wait for me. Tuesday and Thursday after 12 noon is a possibility if arranged in advance.
Keep reading the Guy book, "Evolution of a Revolutionary." My book has walked; my name is in it. If anyone knows it's whereabouts I'd appreciate its return. Thanks! You can read up to chapter 7 for the next meeting. Don't forget to keep reading logs. We'll continue the hardy discussions on Thursdays, along with the Elements of Style discussions.
Remember the veteran's over the holiday recess. I returned most if not all of the essays I received as hardcopies. If you missed class or left early, email me and I will send your grade to you. I am not leaving essays for people to pick up for confidentiality reasons.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
The Color Purple!
Oh tonight is the COLOR PURPLE THEATRE OUTING! WE ARE MEETING AT THE WEST OAKLAND BART AT 7 P.M. THE EXIT IS CIVIC CENTER. THE SHOW STARTS AT 8 P.M.
WE ARE GOING TO THE ORPHEUM THEATER ON MARKET STREET IN SAN FRANCISCO. CALL ME IF WE HAVEN'T SPOKEN AND YOU WANT TO RIDE OVER ON BART WITH US, OTHERWISE I'LL SEE YOU THERE IN YOUR SEATS.
WE ARE GOING TO THE ORPHEUM THEATER ON MARKET STREET IN SAN FRANCISCO. CALL ME IF WE HAVEN'T SPOKEN AND YOU WANT TO RIDE OVER ON BART WITH US, OTHERWISE I'LL SEE YOU THERE IN YOUR SEATS.
An Innovative Idea: Grameen Bank and Microcredit
Today I handed out an article on social entrepreneur, Muhammad Yunnus, "Turning Poverty into Peace," reprinted from Ode Magazine. Muhammad Yunnus is founder of Grameen Bank, an institution which lends money to poor people. This article is a model of the type of essay or article I'd like students to produce for their research essay. Last semester, one student actually turned in a magazine style essay on Alice Walker. I am always open to suggestions on projects so make it fun for yourself.
Keep in mind the following questions:
What did you like most stylistically about the writing? If you had to answer the question: What was the author's purpose and what question did the writers want this article to answer, how would you answer?
How is Yunnus' work used as an extended analogy to talk about the key idea of this article? What is the point here? It is repeated minimally 4 times.
Where does the conclusion start? The key point is repeated here one last time. What is that point?
What references are sited to prove the writers' point? List them.
The authors also give other references to organizations whose development went through similar phases as did Grameen Bank. List them.
(Muhammad Yunnus is on the the SE profiled in Frontline World. Tonight on FW they will be looking at the CIA and its secret interrogations on Channel 9, 10 p.m.)
We'll meet in the classroom Thursday, Nov. 9. We will review the evaluation of a website questionnaires. If you had any trouble, drop by the reference desk. I want all the questions answered.
Keep reading Afeni. We are up to Chapter 4. We had a great discussion today about her life. Don't forget to read your Hardy selection and be prepared to share. Also, your planning sheets and source list is due. You should have made an appointment to talk to your SE, also you should be gathering materials to begin your research.
DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT TO START!
I gave students copies of the Hacker section on Argument. Please read. We will watch a film about argumentation Thursday and answer the questions at the end of the handout together.
Keep in mind the following questions:
What did you like most stylistically about the writing? If you had to answer the question: What was the author's purpose and what question did the writers want this article to answer, how would you answer?
How is Yunnus' work used as an extended analogy to talk about the key idea of this article? What is the point here? It is repeated minimally 4 times.
Where does the conclusion start? The key point is repeated here one last time. What is that point?
What references are sited to prove the writers' point? List them.
The authors also give other references to organizations whose development went through similar phases as did Grameen Bank. List them.
(Muhammad Yunnus is on the the SE profiled in Frontline World. Tonight on FW they will be looking at the CIA and its secret interrogations on Channel 9, 10 p.m.)
We'll meet in the classroom Thursday, Nov. 9. We will review the evaluation of a website questionnaires. If you had any trouble, drop by the reference desk. I want all the questions answered.
Keep reading Afeni. We are up to Chapter 4. We had a great discussion today about her life. Don't forget to read your Hardy selection and be prepared to share. Also, your planning sheets and source list is due. You should have made an appointment to talk to your SE, also you should be gathering materials to begin your research.
DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT TO START!
I gave students copies of the Hacker section on Argument. Please read. We will watch a film about argumentation Thursday and answer the questions at the end of the handout together.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Blood Beats Posts
Don't forget to post your Blood Beats responses. Thanks! I am also requesting today's responses to A Rose Grew in Concrete.
November Thoughts
Today we had a great class. We revisited A Rose that Grew from Concrete. We hadn't read any poetry in a while. It was a nice change. Students shared their freewrites. Jenni asked it there was a right or wrong way to respond. I told her no. Tristan and Dale were analytical in their responses, Tristan brought in references to Dyson which was great. Carroll also had a great response.
We spent a lot of time discussing Ernest Hardy's book which everyone seemed to like. We talked about the introduction and the way the book was arranged, then students shared the article selections they'd read. We looked at the article on TLC (93), Erykah Badu (83), and Track 1 (Intro): Shake Ya Ass (181).
The assignment for this book is to attend a performance or artistic event and write an essay/critique in the style of Hardy. That is, choose a few philosophical lens to filter the perspective. His are sex, gender, and race and the relationship of the three to the power dynamic.
Students have a broad birth to view the research topic. The paper is only five-seven pages minimally. We will also write a play on Afeni Shakur's life. The sources are due Thursday, November 8, with an essay planning sheet.
Think seriously about artists who use their medium for social change. East Side Arts Alliance is a potential place to locate artists to profile; the founders are also a great choice. Another organization is The Center for Art and Public Life and Art Esteem.
We are meeting in the lab Tuesday, November 6. Homework is to figure out who you might want to write about--two potential sources is good. The list of sources. Read Hacker, pp. 371-400. We've already looked at pp. 401-423. There are handouts in the Writing Center on the research process; there are others at the COA website you might find helpful. I put some of these resources in the bin outside my office door.
We spent a lot of time discussing Ernest Hardy's book which everyone seemed to like. We talked about the introduction and the way the book was arranged, then students shared the article selections they'd read. We looked at the article on TLC (93), Erykah Badu (83), and Track 1 (Intro): Shake Ya Ass (181).
The assignment for this book is to attend a performance or artistic event and write an essay/critique in the style of Hardy. That is, choose a few philosophical lens to filter the perspective. His are sex, gender, and race and the relationship of the three to the power dynamic.
Students have a broad birth to view the research topic. The paper is only five-seven pages minimally. We will also write a play on Afeni Shakur's life. The sources are due Thursday, November 8, with an essay planning sheet.
Think seriously about artists who use their medium for social change. East Side Arts Alliance is a potential place to locate artists to profile; the founders are also a great choice. Another organization is The Center for Art and Public Life and Art Esteem.
We are meeting in the lab Tuesday, November 6. Homework is to figure out who you might want to write about--two potential sources is good. The list of sources. Read Hacker, pp. 371-400. We've already looked at pp. 401-423. There are handouts in the Writing Center on the research process; there are others at the COA website you might find helpful. I put some of these resources in the bin outside my office door.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
We're Meeting in the Writing Center
A reminder to meet in the Writing Center in the morning L-221. (The lab closest to the elevator.) What else, bring all your books and your questions about research. We will be talking about composition and style within the context of writers Hardy, Dyson and Guy. We'll look at how audience impacts these rhetorical choices.
Oh, bring your money in for the Hardy book. I think students owe me $14?
I have one too many. I think it's Johnny's. Oh, the essays will be back by Tuesday. We'll have little mini conferences during the class meeting. We are meeting in tbe lab until further notice. Dress warmly.
In Guy try to read ahead. Just keep going. We'll try to wrap up the book mid-month, by November 15, so we can leisurely stroll through The Elephant Man.
For Elements of Style we'll look at a different section each week continuing with "Elementary Principles of Compost ion" for the week of 11/6; A Few Matters of Form and Words and Expressions Commonly Misused the week of 11/13; and "Approach to Style" and "Afterword," 11/19. Develop 5-6 questions and/or comments for each section. We'll converse on line about it each week.
Oh, bring your money in for the Hardy book. I think students owe me $14?
I have one too many. I think it's Johnny's. Oh, the essays will be back by Tuesday. We'll have little mini conferences during the class meeting. We are meeting in tbe lab until further notice. Dress warmly.
In Guy try to read ahead. Just keep going. We'll try to wrap up the book mid-month, by November 15, so we can leisurely stroll through The Elephant Man.
For Elements of Style we'll look at a different section each week continuing with "Elementary Principles of Compost ion" for the week of 11/6; A Few Matters of Form and Words and Expressions Commonly Misused the week of 11/13; and "Approach to Style" and "Afterword," 11/19. Develop 5-6 questions and/or comments for each section. We'll converse on line about it each week.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Due dates for Research Essay
I forgot to include the due dates on the Research Essay Notes. The dates are as follows: The planning sheet and 5-10 sources are due Thursday, November 8. An introduction and conclusion, along with an outline are due Tuesday, November 13. The first draft of the essay is due, Tuesday, November 20. The final draft is due Tuesday, November 27.
There are no exceptions to these dates unless a student wants to turn the final draft in early.
Today in class I handed out hardcopies of the library guide to research and a website evaluation worksheet. Semhar already had something similar in her notes. I don't know if the rest of you have already completed a similar task. The questions are different as are the websites you can choose to evaluate. We will complete this task in pairs on Thursday, November 1.
I gave students a copy to two essays to read on censorship. The essays are arguments. Discussion questions follow the essays. We'll talk about the essays on Thursday. The essay response will be our freewrite on Thursday, so read it in advance.
Homework is to read two chapters in Guy's book. Other reading includes reading the introduction to Blood Beats. Students are also to read a selection of their choice. Post a response to teh selection here. We will talk about this on Thursday, November 1.
We'll talk about arguments a bit on Thursday also: deductive and inductive, logic, claims and support, fallacies, syllogisms, appeals and audience, discourse communities, enthymemes.... (Hacker pp. 344-368). We will do the exercises on pp. 367-368).
There are no exceptions to these dates unless a student wants to turn the final draft in early.
Today in class I handed out hardcopies of the library guide to research and a website evaluation worksheet. Semhar already had something similar in her notes. I don't know if the rest of you have already completed a similar task. The questions are different as are the websites you can choose to evaluate. We will complete this task in pairs on Thursday, November 1.
I gave students a copy to two essays to read on censorship. The essays are arguments. Discussion questions follow the essays. We'll talk about the essays on Thursday. The essay response will be our freewrite on Thursday, so read it in advance.
Homework is to read two chapters in Guy's book. Other reading includes reading the introduction to Blood Beats. Students are also to read a selection of their choice. Post a response to teh selection here. We will talk about this on Thursday, November 1.
We'll talk about arguments a bit on Thursday also: deductive and inductive, logic, claims and support, fallacies, syllogisms, appeals and audience, discourse communities, enthymemes.... (Hacker pp. 344-368). We will do the exercises on pp. 367-368).
Monday, October 29, 2007
Social Entrepreneur con't.
Visit http://alameda.peralta.edu/projects/20013/EnglishSabirpathfinder.doc
http://alameda.peralta.edu/projects/20013/EvalWebWksht.doc for the assignment: Evaluating a web page.
Other resources
http://alameda.peralta.edu/Projects/20013/researchsteps.pdf
http://alameda.peralta.edu/projects/20013/researchquestion.ppt#256,1
http://alameda.peralta.edu/projects/20013/EvalWebWksht.doc for the assignment: Evaluating a web page.
Other resources
http://alameda.peralta.edu/Projects/20013/researchsteps.pdf
http://alameda.peralta.edu/projects/20013/researchquestion.ppt#256,1
Social Entreprenuers
Social Entrepreneurs and other assignments
On "Frontline: World," I saw a program about a micro-lending organization called KIVA where lenders who want to help small businesses in Uganda. Now KIVA is all over the world. All loans have been paid back 100 percent. Visit http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/uganda601/video_index.html to see the video.
Here is a link from this site to other entrepreneurs. Choose one's that interest you: http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/socialentrepreneurs.html
The organization is in San Francisco. There is a link to other Frontline programs about Social Entrepreneurs. Watch this program and over the week, watch two others. Respond to the following questions: What is a social entrepreneur? What problem did the person profiled identify? What is the name of the organization they started? Describe their relationship to the community they serve. Why did they decide to address this issue? What is the local component? How does the community own the process?
You need to define "social," "entrepreneur," and "philanthropy." This should be a part of your introduction. A philanthropist gives money to worthy causes. A entrepreneur is a business person. A social entrepreneur is a business person whose business creates social good and economic development in a community where poverty was a barrier to its financial growth. I will give you a handout to begin your research process tomorrow. If you want to stop by my office the handouts will be in a folder in the bin by Tuesday, October 30.
Visit 3 websites this week -- Monday-Wednesday, October 29-31, and respond to the questions listed above for each social entrepreneur. Post here.
Social Entrepreneur Essay Assignment
For your research project, I want you to find someone, if possible who uses his or her art for social change. This Thursday, November 1, poet, activist, Amiri Baraka is at UC Berkeley at a reading. Friday, November 2, he is at EastSide Arts Cultural Center. He would be a great topic for your research. He doesn't live here,so this is an opportunity to talk to him about art, activism and social change.
Handout: The Social Entrepreneur Essay research worksheet is a way to define what a social entrepreneur is compared to a philanthropist. Jay-Z, Russell Simmons, Lil' Kim, the Waynan's Brothers, Oprah Winfrey are examples of artists and entrepreneurs (businesses people). I don't know if one would call them social entrepreneurs or just philanthropists.
See a librarian at the reference desk to help you define your search and identify the SE you'd like to profile in your 6-10 page essay.
Due dates
The planning sheet and 5-10 sources are due Wednesday, November 7 or Thursday, November 8 to share.
An introduction and conclusion to the essay are due: Monday, November 12.
The first draft of the essay is due: Wednesday, November 19 or Thursday, November 20.
The final draft is due Tuesday, November 27 or Wednesday, November 28. Put the essay, the planning sheet, and all the works cited and bibliography pages on a disk. You can use the same disk the midterm was on.
On "Frontline: World," I saw a program about a micro-lending organization called KIVA where lenders who want to help small businesses in Uganda. Now KIVA is all over the world. All loans have been paid back 100 percent. Visit http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/uganda601/video_index.html to see the video.
Here is a link from this site to other entrepreneurs. Choose one's that interest you: http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/socialentrepreneurs.html
The organization is in San Francisco. There is a link to other Frontline programs about Social Entrepreneurs. Watch this program and over the week, watch two others. Respond to the following questions: What is a social entrepreneur? What problem did the person profiled identify? What is the name of the organization they started? Describe their relationship to the community they serve. Why did they decide to address this issue? What is the local component? How does the community own the process?
You need to define "social," "entrepreneur," and "philanthropy." This should be a part of your introduction. A philanthropist gives money to worthy causes. A entrepreneur is a business person. A social entrepreneur is a business person whose business creates social good and economic development in a community where poverty was a barrier to its financial growth. I will give you a handout to begin your research process tomorrow. If you want to stop by my office the handouts will be in a folder in the bin by Tuesday, October 30.
Visit 3 websites this week -- Monday-Wednesday, October 29-31, and respond to the questions listed above for each social entrepreneur. Post here.
Social Entrepreneur Essay Assignment
For your research project, I want you to find someone, if possible who uses his or her art for social change. This Thursday, November 1, poet, activist, Amiri Baraka is at UC Berkeley at a reading. Friday, November 2, he is at EastSide Arts Cultural Center. He would be a great topic for your research. He doesn't live here,so this is an opportunity to talk to him about art, activism and social change.
Handout: The Social Entrepreneur Essay research worksheet is a way to define what a social entrepreneur is compared to a philanthropist. Jay-Z, Russell Simmons, Lil' Kim, the Waynan's Brothers, Oprah Winfrey are examples of artists and entrepreneurs (businesses people). I don't know if one would call them social entrepreneurs or just philanthropists.
See a librarian at the reference desk to help you define your search and identify the SE you'd like to profile in your 6-10 page essay.
Due dates
The planning sheet and 5-10 sources are due Wednesday, November 7 or Thursday, November 8 to share.
An introduction and conclusion to the essay are due: Monday, November 12.
The first draft of the essay is due: Wednesday, November 19 or Thursday, November 20.
The final draft is due Tuesday, November 27 or Wednesday, November 28. Put the essay, the planning sheet, and all the works cited and bibliography pages on a disk. You can use the same disk the midterm was on.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Homework
The midterm is now homework due Monday, October 29. Students can bring their essays to me on a disk. I will put a folder on the wall over the bin for drop-off. If you are not on campus Monday, you can give me the disk Tuesday. I will bring Blood Beat to school Monday for the six students who needed copies. Read the post below for details about the midterm, homework and the research essay.
We'll read Afeni for Thursday. We'll probably be able to read the book in a few meetings. We might read some of it aloud. Have a great weekend! You can email any questions to me you might have about the assignments.
We'll read Afeni for Thursday. We'll probably be able to read the book in a few meetings. We might read some of it aloud. Have a great weekend! You can email any questions to me you might have about the assignments.
Midterm
Today is the midterm. I think I'll have students post it here with all the attachments. Your grade with narrative will be given to you separately. Post your planning sheet, outline and essay here. You can give me the notes and Tupac related assignments. Please include a works cited page and a bibliography with Dyson, Tupac Shakur, and one other scholarly source.
There was a rumble when I shared this request with students, so for students who finish their essays by 12 noon, and copy them onto my disk. I can post them on the blog.
I forgot Blood Beats at home. Please come my my office Monday, October 29, 9:10-11 a.m. to pick up a copy. Call me if you need to get it later on that day. I am on campus until 3 p.m. Hardy's book is one you can skip around in until you land on an article that appeals to you. I really like the bonus disc (180-215) and the Outro (217-218)and Coming Attractions. I also like the articles: "i, too sing hollywood," "god made them phunky," "les nubians," "too deep."
If anyone has any of the music or films he reviews and wants to bring them in to share excerpts or clips, that would be great.
Homework is to read Hardy up to page 12 and one other article and be prepared to talk about the article: it's topic, style, tone and whether or not you agree with Hardy's argument. Write a response to Hardy. We'll call these responses: Letters to Ernest Hardy. Number them. Students will post them on the blog in a section devoted to theses letters and responses to each other's letters over the course of the book. I think we'll do the same for Evolution of a Revolutionary.
Research Assignment
Tuesday we will talk specifically about the research essay and I will share examples of student projects and also show you a couple of films on Social Entreprenuers. They are not all artists; however, your assignment is to find an artist who is using his or her craft for social change.
A second topic could be to do a literature survey of a contemporary of Tupac. A third topic could be a research essay on the history of hip hop within the context of African musical forms. A fourth could look at hip hop culture as a movement and focus on the work of key figures in this movement. A final topic could be to explore one or more of the four elements of the genre.
Original topics are also welcome, as long as it fits within the themes we've been exploring this semester and it is an analysis of the literature or art produced: hip hop culture, Tupac Shakur, Black Revolutionary Movements....
There was a rumble when I shared this request with students, so for students who finish their essays by 12 noon, and copy them onto my disk. I can post them on the blog.
I forgot Blood Beats at home. Please come my my office Monday, October 29, 9:10-11 a.m. to pick up a copy. Call me if you need to get it later on that day. I am on campus until 3 p.m. Hardy's book is one you can skip around in until you land on an article that appeals to you. I really like the bonus disc (180-215) and the Outro (217-218)and Coming Attractions. I also like the articles: "i, too sing hollywood," "god made them phunky," "les nubians," "too deep."
If anyone has any of the music or films he reviews and wants to bring them in to share excerpts or clips, that would be great.
Homework is to read Hardy up to page 12 and one other article and be prepared to talk about the article: it's topic, style, tone and whether or not you agree with Hardy's argument. Write a response to Hardy. We'll call these responses: Letters to Ernest Hardy. Number them. Students will post them on the blog in a section devoted to theses letters and responses to each other's letters over the course of the book. I think we'll do the same for Evolution of a Revolutionary.
Research Assignment
Tuesday we will talk specifically about the research essay and I will share examples of student projects and also show you a couple of films on Social Entreprenuers. They are not all artists; however, your assignment is to find an artist who is using his or her craft for social change.
A second topic could be to do a literature survey of a contemporary of Tupac. A third topic could be a research essay on the history of hip hop within the context of African musical forms. A fourth could look at hip hop culture as a movement and focus on the work of key figures in this movement. A final topic could be to explore one or more of the four elements of the genre.
Original topics are also welcome, as long as it fits within the themes we've been exploring this semester and it is an analysis of the literature or art produced: hip hop culture, Tupac Shakur, Black Revolutionary Movements....
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Blood Beats
I got the book Blood Beats today, so bring your money tomorrow to class (we meet in the Writing Center, L-234) from 9-11 for our midterm. If you missed class and don't have all the questions I will have copies tomorrow and you can spend a few minutes planning your essay. If you have a classmates phone number, now would be a good time to call. Some of the questions were from my English 1A class and those are posted at the Professor Wanda's Posse site. You can access it here if you go into my profile and scroll all the way to the end.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Today we had a visitor, Professor Sherrone Smith who was evaluating me for the tenure position I am seeking. She came in as students shared their initial plans for the midterm, based on one of the many questions developed over the past week by students in English 1A and English 1B. If you missed class, you want to stop by my office today and pick up a handout in the bin outside my office. Remember, there is no class tomorrow for students in the Peralta College District.
Carroll mentioned that she watched the film Biggie and Tupac on-line, so when she sends me the URL, I'll post it on the blog.
Announcements
Thursday, October 25, at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, 388 9th Street, Oakland, there will be a panel about the Black Panther Party from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Visit http://alpha.dickinson.edu/oha/pdf/2007finalprogram.pdf. There might be other programs your like to attend, such as the workshop on Stanley "Tookie" Williams on Saturday, October 27.
I encourage you to attend. I plan on attending the 10/25 event and perhaps the one on 10/27. The conference is free for the community Dr. Curtis Austin assured me, so if you have any trouble, mention his name.
In class today we also talked about the Elements of Style reading.
The Midterm
Thursday, October 25, 9-11 we will meet in L-234, the Writing Center to write our essays. Bring your Dyson notes, the planning sheet, your books, your outline, etc.
The essay is to be 3-5 pages long. Your primary sources are Michael Eric Dyson's Holler If You Hear Me, Tupac's songs and poetry, and one scholarly reference. This reference could be the full-length article or a book referenced by Dyson in his notes.
For students who want to access the COA databases off campus you need to visit the library and get the access code from the librarian at the reference desk. Bring the hardcopy to class Thursday. Please include this reference in a bibliography.
Late work
I am accepting late assignments for the next three weeks or through November 12. This includes blog assignments.
Carroll mentioned that she watched the film Biggie and Tupac on-line, so when she sends me the URL, I'll post it on the blog.
Announcements
Thursday, October 25, at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, 388 9th Street, Oakland, there will be a panel about the Black Panther Party from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Visit http://alpha.dickinson.edu/oha/pdf/2007finalprogram.pdf. There might be other programs your like to attend, such as the workshop on Stanley "Tookie" Williams on Saturday, October 27.
I encourage you to attend. I plan on attending the 10/25 event and perhaps the one on 10/27. The conference is free for the community Dr. Curtis Austin assured me, so if you have any trouble, mention his name.
In class today we also talked about the Elements of Style reading.
The Midterm
Thursday, October 25, 9-11 we will meet in L-234, the Writing Center to write our essays. Bring your Dyson notes, the planning sheet, your books, your outline, etc.
The essay is to be 3-5 pages long. Your primary sources are Michael Eric Dyson's Holler If You Hear Me, Tupac's songs and poetry, and one scholarly reference. This reference could be the full-length article or a book referenced by Dyson in his notes.
For students who want to access the COA databases off campus you need to visit the library and get the access code from the librarian at the reference desk. Bring the hardcopy to class Thursday. Please include this reference in a bibliography.
Late work
I am accepting late assignments for the next three weeks or through November 12. This includes blog assignments.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Midterm Questions
I haven't had time to type the questions yet for the midterm to post here. I will bring a copy of the questions to class tomorrow. You will meet me in the lab Thursday, October 25, 9-11 a.m.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Homework
Today in class we almost completed the film "Biggie and Tupac." Homework is to reflect on the film through the lens of what we know about Tupac and his date with death. What did the inclusion of Biggie's life into the picture add to what you now know about the artist we are studying. How did seeing Tupac on camera, meeting the people who knew him, his family--add to his portrait? Are there songs or poetry you could reference that reflect the mood of the piece? It doesn't have to be songs or poetry written by Tupac. Wasn't it interesting that both Tupac and Biggie wrote songs for their mothers? What different mothers they were too, yet the same in many ways with regard to their sons.
The response should be minimally three paragraphs.
I returned papers today, one's written so long ago I'm certain you thought they'd calcified :-) Anyway, thanks for your continued patience. Students who received a B or better grade post the essays on the blog where assigned. You can revise them first, if such is indicated. I still have to respond to some of your emailed essays. Look for these responses by 10/22.
I will post the midterm questions on the blog later today or tomorrow. Choose one questions and develop an initial plan: topic, audience, purpose, question you want the essay to answer, main writing strategy. I will give you time Tuesday to go to the library to find another source (on of the new reference books or an article from the database) to support your claim.
We will develop our outlines 10/23 in class. These outlines include a thesis sentence. If you want to start on this in advance, please do so. Students will bring these outlines, with references already plugged in. These outlines, the initial planning sheet, the reading logs from Dyson, are also due with the essays. Please bring your Dyson book with you.
Announcements:
Human Rights Watch Film Festival began last night.
Visit www.unaff.org
The Oakland International Film Festival begins tonight http://www.oiff.org
Reminder: DJ Kool Herc is next week at Bruno's in San Francisco.
Dia de Los Muertos at the Oakland Museum: the Dia de Los Muertos exhibit officially opens Sunday, October 21, 12 noon
The response should be minimally three paragraphs.
I returned papers today, one's written so long ago I'm certain you thought they'd calcified :-) Anyway, thanks for your continued patience. Students who received a B or better grade post the essays on the blog where assigned. You can revise them first, if such is indicated. I still have to respond to some of your emailed essays. Look for these responses by 10/22.
I will post the midterm questions on the blog later today or tomorrow. Choose one questions and develop an initial plan: topic, audience, purpose, question you want the essay to answer, main writing strategy. I will give you time Tuesday to go to the library to find another source (on of the new reference books or an article from the database) to support your claim.
We will develop our outlines 10/23 in class. These outlines include a thesis sentence. If you want to start on this in advance, please do so. Students will bring these outlines, with references already plugged in. These outlines, the initial planning sheet, the reading logs from Dyson, are also due with the essays. Please bring your Dyson book with you.
Announcements:
Human Rights Watch Film Festival began last night.
Visit www.unaff.org
The Oakland International Film Festival begins tonight http://www.oiff.org
Reminder: DJ Kool Herc is next week at Bruno's in San Francisco.
Dia de Los Muertos at the Oakland Museum: the Dia de Los Muertos exhibit officially opens Sunday, October 21, 12 noon
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Books on their way
I ordered 6 books from Redbone Press today. They will be here by Friday, October 19, so I will bring them to the college Monday, October 22. If you want to come by my office and purchase a copy, feel free to do so. I only bought 6, so students who did not tell me they needed a copy are on their own. It was $93.42 total. I got a 30 percent discount for you. The author Ernest Hardy got the Pen Award. The editor said the awards ceremony in New York was really fabulous! I am going to invite him to our campus for a talk about his writing and the aesthetics of hip hop culture.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Tuesday, October 16
Today in class we got into groups to finish Dyson. Students then developed essay questions for consideration for the midterm. The midterm is next Thursday, October 26. We will write it in class. It will be open book, open notes. I also hope it will be fun. I'd like students to post their midterms on the blog. The TA will send you your grade with a narrative to your email address. You will not have the opportunity to revise this essay.
I would like to see all of you before next week to check-in about your writing and goals for this semester. We'll take class time Thursday and Tuesday for this. Print our copies of your papers you've emailed me. Bring in papers I have returned, so we can have a substantive conversation.
The college bookstore does not have Blood Beat Vol.1. I am going to see if the publisher can send us copies by Thursday, October 18. I'll let you know what happens. I am ordering 6 copies.
I printed copies of the Tupac essay he wrote. If you have the book, read his introduction. We watched part of the film: The Murder of Biggie and Tupac. We'll continue Thursday.
Homework is to Watch the video: "I Wonder If Heaven Has a Ghetto" and respond on the blog here. You will probably notice repetition of lines from "Changes." Why is that? Also, when was this song released? Was it edited or was Tupac truly a visionary? (I'm speaking of references to Bush and Rodney as in King.)
I'll have the assignment for the research essay completed Thursday also for students. We can take time to discuss this further Thursday in groups. For homework due, Tuesday, October 23, students will develop a research plan.
I would like to see all of you before next week to check-in about your writing and goals for this semester. We'll take class time Thursday and Tuesday for this. Print our copies of your papers you've emailed me. Bring in papers I have returned, so we can have a substantive conversation.
The college bookstore does not have Blood Beat Vol.1. I am going to see if the publisher can send us copies by Thursday, October 18. I'll let you know what happens. I am ordering 6 copies.
I printed copies of the Tupac essay he wrote. If you have the book, read his introduction. We watched part of the film: The Murder of Biggie and Tupac. We'll continue Thursday.
Homework is to Watch the video: "I Wonder If Heaven Has a Ghetto" and respond on the blog here. You will probably notice repetition of lines from "Changes." Why is that? Also, when was this song released? Was it edited or was Tupac truly a visionary? (I'm speaking of references to Bush and Rodney as in King.)
I'll have the assignment for the research essay completed Thursday also for students. We can take time to discuss this further Thursday in groups. For homework due, Tuesday, October 23, students will develop a research plan.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Today is Pam's birthday. I found out that it is also National Coming Out Day. We listened to Changes in class and wrote a three paragraph essay discussing dominate themes, death, suffering, hopelessness and hesitant optimism. Students were to incorporate evidence from Dyson and the song into their paragraphs. I asked all the students to post their freewrites here.
We then got into Literature Circles and talked about Chapters 6-7,8. We are finishing up the book next week. Tuesday will be an opportunity to talk about any lingering questions. We will continue this discussion Thursday as we look at possible essay questions we could explore about Tupac for our midterm. We didn't get a chance to talk about the research essay but I do have websites you can look at to explore the social entrepreneur concept.
Bring in Blood Beats, Elements of Style, and Evolution of a Revolutionary. The latter is an easy read, really easy. Your brain will have an opportunity to relax after the vigor of Dyson. I'll try to remember to bring in my Tupac collection.
There is an essay on Tupac in Blood Beats we'll read Tuesday. Semhar mentioned a song we should listen to, and I forgot which one it was. If you see this Semhar, put it's name in the comment section. I noticed that there aren't many essays posted here. Scroll down and note the cyber-activities and post the relevant work.
We then got into Literature Circles and talked about Chapters 6-7,8. We are finishing up the book next week. Tuesday will be an opportunity to talk about any lingering questions. We will continue this discussion Thursday as we look at possible essay questions we could explore about Tupac for our midterm. We didn't get a chance to talk about the research essay but I do have websites you can look at to explore the social entrepreneur concept.
Bring in Blood Beats, Elements of Style, and Evolution of a Revolutionary. The latter is an easy read, really easy. Your brain will have an opportunity to relax after the vigor of Dyson. I'll try to remember to bring in my Tupac collection.
There is an essay on Tupac in Blood Beats we'll read Tuesday. Semhar mentioned a song we should listen to, and I forgot which one it was. If you see this Semhar, put it's name in the comment section. I noticed that there aren't many essays posted here. Scroll down and note the cyber-activities and post the relevant work.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
DJ Kool Herc
I told students about The Living Word Festival which began last week and continues through November 3. Visit www.youthspeaks.org. There is an event this Saturday, October 13, 8 p.m., at the Black New World, 836 Pine Street, Oakland. Tickets are $10 general and $5 for youth 18 and under. I wanted students to note Saturday, October 27, 9 p.m. DJ Kool Herc and James Brown's drummer Clyde Stubblefield perform together. DJ Funklor will join them. It's at the Bruno's, 2389 Mission Street, in San Francisco. It's a 21+ event plus ID. Tickets are $15, free with/Scourge Benefit Ticket. There is a lot more. Visit the website. If you want credit for attending anything, you have to write a review (250 words min.)
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Research Essay
Today in the library we looked at research tools: encyclopedias, data bases and other on-line search tools. Students were then released to get started on articulating their research question.
We will devote more time to exploring this in class Thursday. I mentioned that the Living Word Hip Hop Theatre Festival that Youth Speaks hosts each year in San Francisco started last week. There is also a concert series, music and poetry hosted by San Francisco State's Poetry Center, at the Red Vic Movie House on 16th Street in San Francisco. There is a concert featuring Cool Herc coming up I think in November. I have to check. Look for more later.
We are up to chapter 7 or 8. Why don't we just finish Dyson by Monday, October 15, okay? Start thinking about the essay you want to write based on the book. It will be about 5 pages long. I'm thinking we'll do a series of shorter research essays, not a long ten page tome.
Like that idea?
So this will be the first one, we might write it in class as a midterm. The second will look at the genre of literary criticism and will model itself after Blood Beats. I'll have you critique a live performance, a work or art or a film where the director is present. You will write this for a magazine or newspaper.
We are going to dash through Jasmine Guy's book. I'll probably have you do write a play or something on her life. We'll act it out.
Then we'll be heading for the end. Your final research essay will be both a presentation and a paper. You can work collaboratively. I encourage it. Each person writes their own essay; however, you can present as a group.
We will devote more time to exploring this in class Thursday. I mentioned that the Living Word Hip Hop Theatre Festival that Youth Speaks hosts each year in San Francisco started last week. There is also a concert series, music and poetry hosted by San Francisco State's Poetry Center, at the Red Vic Movie House on 16th Street in San Francisco. There is a concert featuring Cool Herc coming up I think in November. I have to check. Look for more later.
We are up to chapter 7 or 8. Why don't we just finish Dyson by Monday, October 15, okay? Start thinking about the essay you want to write based on the book. It will be about 5 pages long. I'm thinking we'll do a series of shorter research essays, not a long ten page tome.
Like that idea?
So this will be the first one, we might write it in class as a midterm. The second will look at the genre of literary criticism and will model itself after Blood Beats. I'll have you critique a live performance, a work or art or a film where the director is present. You will write this for a magazine or newspaper.
We are going to dash through Jasmine Guy's book. I'll probably have you do write a play or something on her life. We'll act it out.
Then we'll be heading for the end. Your final research essay will be both a presentation and a paper. You can work collaboratively. I encourage it. Each person writes their own essay; however, you can present as a group.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Meet in Library with Steve Gerstle
Reminder: We meet Tuesday, October 9, 9-11 a.m. in the Library with Steve Gerstle. He will be giving us a library orientation and an assignment.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
October 4
Today students shared their homework from Tuesday, we then listened to "Me Against the World," then read:"The Shining Star Within," "Starry Night," "If I Fail," and "What Is It That I Search 4." We spent some time in pairs discussing the song. Students were instructed to list themes and then develop and outline of the song's lyrics.
From there we read the poems, then discussed the common themes, as we referred to references cited in Dyson (chapter 4 which is about Tupac's education). We then talked about introductions and conclusions. I referenced Hacker (24) and listed on the board types of conclusions, emphasizing the importance of audience and purpose in determining what kind of conclusion you want to use.
One of the themes we saw repeatedly was isolation in the song. When we looked at the poems, especially "If I Fail" (27), students noted the triumph and optimism hinted at in "Me Against the World." We also noticed that in all Tupac's writing he gives advice, advice he is also extending to himself.
The assignment was to develop an introductory paragraph and a conclusion. The resources are: the song referenced above and one of the poems.
Students were encouraged to use their outlines (developed collaboratively in class) and develop an introductory paragraph(s) and a conclusion.
Students are to bring their outlines to class on Tuesday, October 9 on a disk so we can post them on-line at the blog.
I'd also like students to begin to dialogue here. After each class please give your feedback on the discussions and ask any lingering questions you might have which we could address here. The comments can be anonymous. This will help me when I get behind on the posts.
Reading
Students were also told to read up to Chapter 7 in Dyson's book.
From there we read the poems, then discussed the common themes, as we referred to references cited in Dyson (chapter 4 which is about Tupac's education). We then talked about introductions and conclusions. I referenced Hacker (24) and listed on the board types of conclusions, emphasizing the importance of audience and purpose in determining what kind of conclusion you want to use.
One of the themes we saw repeatedly was isolation in the song. When we looked at the poems, especially "If I Fail" (27), students noted the triumph and optimism hinted at in "Me Against the World." We also noticed that in all Tupac's writing he gives advice, advice he is also extending to himself.
The assignment was to develop an introductory paragraph and a conclusion. The resources are: the song referenced above and one of the poems.
Students were encouraged to use their outlines (developed collaboratively in class) and develop an introductory paragraph(s) and a conclusion.
Students are to bring their outlines to class on Tuesday, October 9 on a disk so we can post them on-line at the blog.
I'd also like students to begin to dialogue here. After each class please give your feedback on the discussions and ask any lingering questions you might have which we could address here. The comments can be anonymous. This will help me when I get behind on the posts.
Reading
Students were also told to read up to Chapter 7 in Dyson's book.
Recap October 2
On October 2, the class began with students breaking into discussion groups where they reviewed Chapters 1-2, 3-4, 4,5,6. We then as a class reviewed together important themes in the various chapters. We also reviewed how to write a log.
We referred to the song Holler if You Hear Me, which we'd listened to last week. We also read "Only for the Righteous" from The Rose that Grew from Concrete .
As a class we practiced developing a thesis using the song and poem as our topic. The homework was to develop your own essay incorporating 2. direct quotes, 1 paraphrase, and 1 block quote. Students were to cite from Dyson, Rose and his song, Holla.
The following are notes:
Only for the Righteous addresses a specific audience --this style of writing is consistence with Tupac's way of thinking. Take for instance in the song: Holla if Ya Hear Me he says:
"Tell my young black men, blaze up
Life's a mess don't stress, test
I'm givin but be thankful that you're livin, blessed
Much love to my brothers in the pen
See ya when I free ya if not when they shove me in" (Verse One).
Notice how he speaks to you black men, ones who share similar experiences, Tupac includes himself.
He is concerned about his community, men and women. He is concerned about the young girls like "Brenda" who think they have no options. A child with an addicted mother too, Tupac inserts himself into the unfolding drama and gives the 12 year old advice:
"Now Brenda never really knew her moms and her dad was a junky
Went inot debt to his arms, it's sad
Cause Brenda I bet Brenda doesn't even know
Just cause your in tha ghetto don't mean ya can't grow
But oh, that's a thought, my own revelation
Do whatever it takes ta resist tha temptation" (1st stanza)
We referred to the song Holler if You Hear Me, which we'd listened to last week. We also read "Only for the Righteous" from The Rose that Grew from Concrete .
As a class we practiced developing a thesis using the song and poem as our topic. The homework was to develop your own essay incorporating 2. direct quotes, 1 paraphrase, and 1 block quote. Students were to cite from Dyson, Rose and his song, Holla.
The following are notes:
Only for the Righteous addresses a specific audience --this style of writing is consistence with Tupac's way of thinking. Take for instance in the song: Holla if Ya Hear Me he says:
"Tell my young black men, blaze up
Life's a mess don't stress, test
I'm givin but be thankful that you're livin, blessed
Much love to my brothers in the pen
See ya when I free ya if not when they shove me in" (Verse One).
Notice how he speaks to you black men, ones who share similar experiences, Tupac includes himself.
He is concerned about his community, men and women. He is concerned about the young girls like "Brenda" who think they have no options. A child with an addicted mother too, Tupac inserts himself into the unfolding drama and gives the 12 year old advice:
"Now Brenda never really knew her moms and her dad was a junky
Went inot debt to his arms, it's sad
Cause Brenda I bet Brenda doesn't even know
Just cause your in tha ghetto don't mean ya can't grow
But oh, that's a thought, my own revelation
Do whatever it takes ta resist tha temptation" (1st stanza)
Monday, October 1, 2007
Field Trip Friday, October 5 at the Oakland Museum
There is a film about the graffitti art movement screening Friday, October 5 at the Oakland Museum. It is described below. While on-line at the OM website, I noticed there was a free film screening tomorrow evening.
Oakland Museum free film Tuesday, 10/2 and Friday 10/5
Free film: Miss Navajo at the Oakland Museum of California, at the James Moore Theatre, 1000 Oak Street, at 6:30, October 2, 2007. There is free parking in the museum garage on Oak Street.
Visit http://www.museumca.org/pdf/missnavajo510.pdf
First Friday Events
Public Japanese Gardens in the USA: Present and PastAuthor Reading and Book Signing, 5:30
For more than 35 years, David Newcomer has been searching out Japanese gardens in the U.S. His new book is a guide to gardens in Northern California. Included with museum admission.
Dude, Where's My Black Studies Department?
Author Reading and Book Signing, 6:30
Dude, Where's My Black Studies Department? The Disappearance of Black Americans from U.S. Universities. African American author Cecil Brown will be signing copies of his new book. Brown writes that Blacks have been vanishing from college campuses in the United States and “reappearing in prisons, videos, and movies.” He tackles this unwitting “disappearing act” head-on, with special attention to the University of California system and UC Berkeley, where Brown received his PhD in African-American Literature, Folklore, and Theory of Narrative. Included with museum admission.
Feria UrbanaFair/Sale 5–9 p.m.
Courtesy Feria Urbana
An urban fair of local artists and designers. One-of-a kind crafts, jewelry, clothing, fashion accessories, baby items, and more. Included with museum admission.
Ric Alexander, 5–9 p.m.
The first Friday of every month takes on a whole new groove at the Oakland Museum of California! Hear live performances by leading Bay Area artists (tonight features the fusion jazz of Ric Alexander), enjoy the full cash bar and light dining in our café. Take a break from the music to hear insider secret stories about our galleries, practice yoga, catch a flick, meet an author, check out new merchandise at the Museum Store, and support local artists and designers at Feria Urbana and Oaklandish. Visit www.museumca.org/ffaf/index.html for additional information. Included with museum admission.
Simmin Joy, 5:30 & 7:15
Simmin Joy practices Anusara-style yoga in a class for adults that is deep and lighthearted, focused and fun. Bring your mat, sit down, relax—and breathe. Included with museum admission.
Sunset Cinema: Piece By PieceFilm. Screens 6:30-8:30 p.m.
KQED's Truly CA film series returns to the museum gardens. Nic Hill's film documents 20 years of San Francisco's controversial and often misunderstood graffiti art movement-a candid look at the story behind the writing on the wall. Bring a picnic basket and blanket and enjoy the film and complimentary beverages, dessert, and one glass of wine (with ID). Q & A after the film. Sunset Cinema is co-sponsored by the museum, the KQED Education Network, and the Oakland Film Office. Download the outdoor screening guide (PDF) Free.
Thursday Club 1967 Riot Photo. The Thursday Club © 2005. 8 p.m.
Filmmaker George Paul Csicsery was beaten at an antiwar demonstration in Oakland in 1967. Thirty years later he set out to find the police officers who were present at that event— and his best clue, a newspaper photograph of himself getting clubbed. The film looks at the now retired officers and reveals their thoughts on the protests of the ’60s. Included with museum admission.
Gallery Secrets RevealedCurator's Tour at 6 p.m.
Inez Brooks-Myers, curator of costumes and textiles, is a great story-teller. Hear some insider secrets in the Art and History Galleries. Included with museum admission.
Oakland Museum free film Tuesday, 10/2 and Friday 10/5
Free film: Miss Navajo at the Oakland Museum of California, at the James Moore Theatre, 1000 Oak Street, at 6:30, October 2, 2007. There is free parking in the museum garage on Oak Street.
Visit http://www.museumca.org/pdf/missnavajo510.pdf
First Friday Events
Public Japanese Gardens in the USA: Present and PastAuthor Reading and Book Signing, 5:30
For more than 35 years, David Newcomer has been searching out Japanese gardens in the U.S. His new book is a guide to gardens in Northern California. Included with museum admission.
Dude, Where's My Black Studies Department?
Author Reading and Book Signing, 6:30
Dude, Where's My Black Studies Department? The Disappearance of Black Americans from U.S. Universities. African American author Cecil Brown will be signing copies of his new book. Brown writes that Blacks have been vanishing from college campuses in the United States and “reappearing in prisons, videos, and movies.” He tackles this unwitting “disappearing act” head-on, with special attention to the University of California system and UC Berkeley, where Brown received his PhD in African-American Literature, Folklore, and Theory of Narrative. Included with museum admission.
Feria UrbanaFair/Sale 5–9 p.m.
Courtesy Feria Urbana
An urban fair of local artists and designers. One-of-a kind crafts, jewelry, clothing, fashion accessories, baby items, and more. Included with museum admission.
Ric Alexander, 5–9 p.m.
The first Friday of every month takes on a whole new groove at the Oakland Museum of California! Hear live performances by leading Bay Area artists (tonight features the fusion jazz of Ric Alexander), enjoy the full cash bar and light dining in our café. Take a break from the music to hear insider secret stories about our galleries, practice yoga, catch a flick, meet an author, check out new merchandise at the Museum Store, and support local artists and designers at Feria Urbana and Oaklandish. Visit www.museumca.org/ffaf/index.html for additional information. Included with museum admission.
Simmin Joy, 5:30 & 7:15
Simmin Joy practices Anusara-style yoga in a class for adults that is deep and lighthearted, focused and fun. Bring your mat, sit down, relax—and breathe. Included with museum admission.
Sunset Cinema: Piece By PieceFilm. Screens 6:30-8:30 p.m.
KQED's Truly CA film series returns to the museum gardens. Nic Hill's film documents 20 years of San Francisco's controversial and often misunderstood graffiti art movement-a candid look at the story behind the writing on the wall. Bring a picnic basket and blanket and enjoy the film and complimentary beverages, dessert, and one glass of wine (with ID). Q & A after the film. Sunset Cinema is co-sponsored by the museum, the KQED Education Network, and the Oakland Film Office. Download the outdoor screening guide (PDF) Free.
Thursday Club 1967 Riot Photo. The Thursday Club © 2005. 8 p.m.
Filmmaker George Paul Csicsery was beaten at an antiwar demonstration in Oakland in 1967. Thirty years later he set out to find the police officers who were present at that event— and his best clue, a newspaper photograph of himself getting clubbed. The film looks at the now retired officers and reveals their thoughts on the protests of the ’60s. Included with museum admission.
Gallery Secrets RevealedCurator's Tour at 6 p.m.
Inez Brooks-Myers, curator of costumes and textiles, is a great story-teller. Hear some insider secrets in the Art and History Galleries. Included with museum admission.
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