Today in class we talked about the themes in Walker's book. In the 9-10 a.m. class we listed themes on the board. Themes are the reoccurring topics one sees in a literary work.

We then broke into groups to outline the introduction through chapter 3. Each group of students had one chapter. We will continue this Wednesday. We didn't have a chance to share our visual arguments or go over the grammar quiz; we'll do this either tomorrow or Thursday.

Students have to bring their books to class: Walker, Hacker, Strunk&White, and a dictionary. We have new students coming into the class still. Several students have been out because of illness.

I hope they are checking the blog. You can always leave a note, message or comment for me here pertaining to the day in question.

Homework is to complete the meditation at the end of chapter 3, pp. 46-47. It's due next week, 2/8. You can recap the experience.

Homework for tomorrow is to read Chapter 4 in Walker and to finish the quiz if you haven't.

Note:
I wanted to mention also that 60 Minutes, Sunday, January 28, Andy Rooney segment was really good. He analyzed Bush's State of the Union. It was hilarious. Go to the www.cbs.com website and do a search for 60 minutes.

Today in class we reviewed the definition of argument in reference to a cover story from the East Bay Express, November 9, 2006: The Making of a Criminal by Kathleen Richards www.eastbayexpress.com. Students looked at the cover of the newspaper and reflected on the visual argument presented. This was the cover of the story students responded to last week on-line.

We came up with the following definition of argument: A discussion of differing points of view; a controversial opinion; a debate over a subject where there are 2 or more sides; a debatable subject or issue; "a course of reasoning demonstrating truth or falsehood; a persuasive reason" (American Heritage Dictionary). "In argumentative writing you take a stand on a debatable issue" (Hacker 344).

After jotting down their reflections, students then responded to each other's responses with a counterargument.

We started a grammar quiz which we will review Tuesday.

We also looked at perceptions and assumptions we make about others we don't know. We brainstormed a list of questions to use in an interview with peers Tuesday:

1. Hobbies/Music/Sports
2. Job
3. Educational goals
4. Where they live
5. Ethnicity or heritage? Languages spoken at home?

Students need their Rules for Writers, dictionary, and Walker text daily.

Homework:
1. Read Walker pp. 15-37 and be prepared to outline her argument.

2. Bring in an example of a visual argument

Forecast for week ending 1/31 through 2/4-2/8
The way the week will proceed is we will read a chapter of the Walker book daily and look at reoccuring themes, organization, and the writer's style.

Theory
The writing process: topic, audience, purpose
Essential and nonessential elements of discourse communities
Difference between summary and analysis
Developing thesis sentences: topical invention and 3-part thesis
Types of claims
Parts of an essay/Essay structure
Invention strategies
Research
Argument
Grammar

The link to the President's State of the Union Address is http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/01/print/20070123-2.html. There you can also watch it.

Homework: Read the Introduction to We Are the Ones Weve Been Waiting For.

Homework for Tuesday, January 23 is to watch President Bush's State of the Union Address. When I checked the website for CBS.com, the time listed is 6 p.m. tomorrow on Channel 5. He'll be on all the channels though. Listen to the analysis afterwards too. I like to listen to KPFA radio, 94.1 FM.

As you're listening to the speech, take notes. Use these notes as evidence to support your responses to the questions.

Now consider the following questions:

What were the salient elements of this speech? What was its purpose? Was the speech organized in such a way that you could easily discern what he was trying to prove? Explain.

Was the evidence sufficient and effective?

Do you agree with his claims?

Was there anything he failed to cover that you were waiting to hear? If so, what was this?

Talk about the delivery. Was the president calm, poised, confident, nervous.... How do you know this?

Be prepared to share your 250 word essay response with classmates on Wednesday.

Today in class we wrote our essays on MLK III. The question is listed in your syllabus as Assignment 2. For homework I handed out an essay called: How to Mark a Book, by Mortimer Adler. You can pick up a copy of the essay at my office (L-236). I will leave assignments in folders, so if you ever miss a class please check the blog and check the door for any missed handouts.

The Adler assignment was to read the essay and answer all the questions, and to respond to one writing question in a paragraph. You don't have to type the homework.

Also, I asked students to email me professorwandasposse@gmail.com and introduce themselves, so I can have all of your addresses. Please tell me which class you are in.

The textbooks are in, so please purchase them and bring your Hacker Rules for Writers to class daily along with a college dictionary. You will also need to bring Alice Walker's We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For. Don't forget Hamlet is at Barnes and Nobles in Jack London Square under my name, Wanda Sabir.

Have a good weekend. There is a forum for African American Students at Laney College Forum on Saturday, 9-12 noon sponsored by the Peralta College Association of African American Affairs.

Cyber Exercise 3
Love

With Valentine's Day almost upon us, what do you know of love? There has been a lot written about it. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about it often, in fact he said their were three kinds of love: eros, philia, and agape, and of the three, agape was the most divine.

What do you think?

As a part of this reflective assignment, go to the library and find a book, a published song, a poem or an article about love, and incorporate it into your response. How did you end up with the resource you chose to share?

Bring it into class on February 14 along with a symbol of love's discontent, exploitation or true meaning. Think creatively. You will have 1-2 minutes to share with the class.

Post your response to the questions here by February 15, 11:50 p.m. Include a reflection on the class Feb. 14. What did you learn? Was your perception shifted in any way, if so, how?

Cyber Dialogue Topic 1
English 1A students:

This is the assignment I mentioned that would be on the website. Visit the East Bay Express website and read the article "The Making of a Criminal."

In a 250 word response due by Monday, Jan. 22, 11:50 a.m., think about the following questions and post your response here. Each student has to respond to a classmate's post in writing agreeing or disagreeing with the analysis by Wednesday, Jan. 24, 11:50 p.m.:

Does the young man profiled have a chance at rehabilitation or is he doomed by circumstances? What is the view of the writer, the newspaper, society? Where is the evidence?

The argument posed here is one called: nature vs. nurture. Are we bound by our heredity and environment, or can we choose a different path even if there is no evidence it exists in our immediate surroundings?

http://www.eastbayexpress.com/Issues/2006-11-08/news/feature.html