We had a nice first class, my keys didn't work for the cabinet that holds the VCR and DVD players, so I had to play Changes on my laptop, but students could hear the song. Afterwards, students responded to the prompt and Matthew shared. (I thanked Caprice again for making the complication CD for me lastg year.)
It was really pleasant seeing so many students again whom I had a year ago in the transformative learning community or Sspire, like Chesi and Ashley and Mike and Kenyatta, plus others from a semester or two ago, like Elesha, Caprice, Matthew, and Ammnah. I'm like, wow, three semesters in a row! I must be getting better at this teaching thing :-)
I expect big things from my former students :-) I had those students who go As and Bs, like Chesi and Elesha, Kenyatta and Mike and Matthew to raise their hands so other students could see them.
Homework
All of the students I didn't know, and those who didn't remember the Adler assignment, have to read the handout. Look at the questions at the end, and then read for the answers. We'll talk about it Thursday, August 21.
We began the class with a freewrite based on the theme: changes. After listening to Tupac's song by the same title students were asked to think about changes they might have experienced recently, or what changed or needs to change in their lives for them to be successful here and elsewhere.
Homework
Students are to continue writing about change. We will write an in class essay next week on this topic. You can use the song as a reference or pull in world events through an article or a person who inspires you to be your best self. You will need two outside resource for the essay. I take it back, I'd like everyone to use the song and one other source, primary or secondary (ask me to explain by posting a comment if you don't understand. Former students answer the question for me, just in case someone is unclear of the meaning.)
Lessons
I know after missing Rock the Bells Saturday, I am not going to put off doing something I want to do simply because I am going to have to do it alone. I really wanted to go, and each year the lineup changes, so I don't know what the lineup will look like next year....
But this fall in October there is the Hip Hop Theatre Festival in San Francisco and that should be good. I think there might be a hip hop dance festival too. Bilal is at Yoshi's in San Francisco this week. I think I might go check him out. Every Thursday at EastSide Arts Cultural Center on International in the San Antonio District in Oakland, there is the Holler Back Poetry Series. The hosts change rotate, one is a former student of mine and the Laney Tower editor, Reginald James. There are a few special events this week at EastSide related to a writing workshop they are hosting for youth. More on this later.
You can post your response to my letter at the site where it is. Click comment and comment. I always recommend students compose in Microsoft Word and then copy and paste.
You textbooks thus far are: Can't Stop, Won't Stop by Jeff Chang, and Diana Hacker's Rules for Writers, 5th or 6th edition, The Elements of Style, any edition, a dictionary. I like American Heritage, a jump drive to save your work, and a notebook for your freewrites and in class writing. We will start reading Elements of Style soon, bring to class, and Chang shortly after. I will be giving you essays to read from Michael Eric Dyson's Know What I Mean. If you want to purchase it, you can. I haven't ordered it from the book store. I will also probably give you essays from another Chang book. Would you like to read a novel? I was thinking about Sistah Soulja's Coldest Winter Ever. It's really gritty. But her life is the reality for so many women, unfortunately. I was also thinking about sharing a play I wanted to take students to last semester, called No Child. It is about a theatre teacher in NY who teaches an enrichment class to children no one expects anything from. There are some great plays being performed this fall regionally, so I'll let you know what's going on we can have a few evening excursions.
We will be spending one class hour a week, Thursdays beginning Sept. 4, in the Writing Center, L-234, L-235. My office is inside L-235. The library opens, I think at 7:30 a.m. Check this. If not, I will meet students at the door to let you inside the building. We meet in class this Thursday, August 21.
Oh, for those students who like to write, the Laney Tower is looking for writers to cover events at the College of Alameda. Journalism is a great way to get scholarships for university transfers.
I'm looking for music by women rappers who also write well. Shoot me an email and a link to the music, if you'd like to share something with the class. I can make copies of the lyrics or project them on the screen while we all listen. If you know of good films that explore hip hop themes, let me know.
It was really pleasant seeing so many students again whom I had a year ago in the transformative learning community or Sspire, like Chesi and Ashley and Mike and Kenyatta, plus others from a semester or two ago, like Elesha, Caprice, Matthew, and Ammnah. I'm like, wow, three semesters in a row! I must be getting better at this teaching thing :-)
I expect big things from my former students :-) I had those students who go As and Bs, like Chesi and Elesha, Kenyatta and Mike and Matthew to raise their hands so other students could see them.
Homework
All of the students I didn't know, and those who didn't remember the Adler assignment, have to read the handout. Look at the questions at the end, and then read for the answers. We'll talk about it Thursday, August 21.
We began the class with a freewrite based on the theme: changes. After listening to Tupac's song by the same title students were asked to think about changes they might have experienced recently, or what changed or needs to change in their lives for them to be successful here and elsewhere.
Homework
Students are to continue writing about change. We will write an in class essay next week on this topic. You can use the song as a reference or pull in world events through an article or a person who inspires you to be your best self. You will need two outside resource for the essay. I take it back, I'd like everyone to use the song and one other source, primary or secondary (ask me to explain by posting a comment if you don't understand. Former students answer the question for me, just in case someone is unclear of the meaning.)
Lessons
I know after missing Rock the Bells Saturday, I am not going to put off doing something I want to do simply because I am going to have to do it alone. I really wanted to go, and each year the lineup changes, so I don't know what the lineup will look like next year....
But this fall in October there is the Hip Hop Theatre Festival in San Francisco and that should be good. I think there might be a hip hop dance festival too. Bilal is at Yoshi's in San Francisco this week. I think I might go check him out. Every Thursday at EastSide Arts Cultural Center on International in the San Antonio District in Oakland, there is the Holler Back Poetry Series. The hosts change rotate, one is a former student of mine and the Laney Tower editor, Reginald James. There are a few special events this week at EastSide related to a writing workshop they are hosting for youth. More on this later.
You can post your response to my letter at the site where it is. Click comment and comment. I always recommend students compose in Microsoft Word and then copy and paste.
You textbooks thus far are: Can't Stop, Won't Stop by Jeff Chang, and Diana Hacker's Rules for Writers, 5th or 6th edition, The Elements of Style, any edition, a dictionary. I like American Heritage, a jump drive to save your work, and a notebook for your freewrites and in class writing. We will start reading Elements of Style soon, bring to class, and Chang shortly after. I will be giving you essays to read from Michael Eric Dyson's Know What I Mean. If you want to purchase it, you can. I haven't ordered it from the book store. I will also probably give you essays from another Chang book. Would you like to read a novel? I was thinking about Sistah Soulja's Coldest Winter Ever. It's really gritty. But her life is the reality for so many women, unfortunately. I was also thinking about sharing a play I wanted to take students to last semester, called No Child. It is about a theatre teacher in NY who teaches an enrichment class to children no one expects anything from. There are some great plays being performed this fall regionally, so I'll let you know what's going on we can have a few evening excursions.
We will be spending one class hour a week, Thursdays beginning Sept. 4, in the Writing Center, L-234, L-235. My office is inside L-235. The library opens, I think at 7:30 a.m. Check this. If not, I will meet students at the door to let you inside the building. We meet in class this Thursday, August 21.
Oh, for those students who like to write, the Laney Tower is looking for writers to cover events at the College of Alameda. Journalism is a great way to get scholarships for university transfers.
I'm looking for music by women rappers who also write well. Shoot me an email and a link to the music, if you'd like to share something with the class. I can make copies of the lyrics or project them on the screen while we all listen. If you know of good films that explore hip hop themes, let me know.
posted by Professor Wanda's Posse at 3:57 PM
3 Comments:
Peaches- Check out some songs by Lauren Hill and also MC Lyte. They were always some of my favorites. I don't know too much about monie love. Those are the only ones that i can think of at the moment.
Response to Dear Students...
To share a piece of your personal life takes courage and strength. It typically creates a sense of safety for whomever the information is being shared with, and I sincerely thank you for that. While others my not choose, or be as comfortable with being as candid as I tend to be, I try to inspire and motivate those by my vulnerability in sharing the story of my life.
Sophomore year...my how far I've come. For some it may seem like just the beginning, but for myself being a parent and recent divorcee, it is quite an accomplishment...all while maintaining a 4.0. That's something to be more than proud of. My recent decision to change my major from Biology to English was based solely on my passion for the writing and reading process, the eagerness to cultivate my existent ability, and let's face it...the just of it is that I simply enjoy learning and gaining knowledge.
Thank you for assisting me in my growth, After our semester together in 201B last fall, I can honestly say that your course has served it's purpose. Not only that, but I gained much more than was expected. You challenge me, and that's my driving force. I look forward to our journey over the next 18 weeks, and am honored to once more be a student in your class.
Also, I'd love to find out more about partnering with Laney in Journalism to cover events here at the College.
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