Use the COA website to find two sources, one print, the other can be broadcast media like TV or radio on Barack Obama.

I want you to include these two sources in a bibliography. You do not have to cite both of them. Tomorrow we will develop outlines for our essays. I will post questions here for students to respond to them and to each other in a freewrite.

You can ask for clarification, test evidence, practice developing a thesis. If you have a question you like which I have not included, you can pose it here and I will let you know what I think.

Today share information about sources you have found in the COA library database, especially if it is good. Use MLA. I passed out two MLA quizzes from SPHE and a two sided quiz on sentence punctuation from SPHE.

Drafty Essay Questions

1. Many state that Dreams From My Father is a classic coming of age story with a twist. Perhaps the twist is the interracial component, the international flavor of Obama’s childhood, or the fact that except for the absentee father, his life was one of relative ease comparatively. Definitely, he wasn’t a descendent of Booker T. Washington (I jest). Talk about the author’s journey, his questions about identity and his quest for his dad so that he could find his place in the world.


2. What role does forgiveness play in the blame game and how does forgiveness help in allowing someone to move on?

3. How does Obama create himself through the presence and influence of his father who were the father figures in his life and what did they teach him?


4. “Dreams from My Father” is a coming-of-age story in which a Obama straddles two cultures as he searches for his identity. How does he succeed? What conclusions does he reach?

5. Talk about his work as a community social worker on Chicago's South Side. What does he learn or come to realize about his role in the African-American community?

6. Write about community in Obama’s book. What communities are there? How do they work (or not)? Explain how Obama evaluates various communities and show what he values in a community, as seen in his book.

7. Women have played a significant role in Barack Obama’s development. Identify 2-3 women. Clearly, his mother is a woman whose influence on Obama is immeasurable, Toot might be another, but what about his friends causal and otherwise who taught him lessons we see incorporated into the moral fabric of his life?

Use examples to show what values are. Do not list them, rather have Obama interpret them into his life as activity or action.

8. Family is a value shared in Dreams. One could say that Dreams is a journey where Obama clarifies what or who his family is. There is of course the family he is given, his biological parents; however, his extended or blended family has perhaps as much to do with the man he becomes as does his genes.


9.How does Obama’s shifting definition of family—family as community, family as one’s nation, family as one’s people— help Obama realize his place in the world is fluid and that the family he was searching for was a part of his life all along?


10. In Dreams, Obama's definition of what family means is fluid. Give examples of how this changing perspective helps Obama come into himself as a man.


11. Race is an obvious theme in a book where the protagonist is the child of an Kenyan and a white American; however, Obama says of himself that he is not the typical “tragic Mulatto.” What does he mean by this and does the fact that he is a man raised in a family where white-skin privilege is an unspoken given for most of his life, reason for this fact?

12. How does Obama create himself through the presence and influence of his father? Who were the father figures in his life, and what did they teach him?

13. What has Obama come to realize as a grass-roots activist about the community he lives in? What does he learn about himself? How is this education used to propel his political career which culminates later in a nomination for presidency?

14. How does Obama’s active and passive use of his paternal and maternal culture to shape his identity? What can other bi-racial adults, and those persons from single parent homes gain from his story?

Today we completed Lysistrata. Chose a section to paraphrase. Identify your audience first and include a setting and the context.

If you haven't already done so, post your questions for Dreams from My Father at the assignment.

We will meet in L-202E for the week.

We continued with Lysistrata in the later class, 9-10 a.m. We discussed the recent events in Oakland in the earlier class, as no one brought a copy of the play. Next week we will prepare for the essay on Dreams. I want to use the electronic classroom L-202E of the other room in the A-portables. I'll let you know where we'll meet Monday, later on today.

In Pidd start Be Verbs, Passive and Active Voice Part 6 (174-192). I am in the Writing Center (L-234) from 12 noon to 6 p.m. today. Come by or call me. I will be grading papers and helping students.

Lysistratra
Post a reflection on the clever proposal to end war. Talk about the characters,language, and the situation that led to such "drastic measures." Who is the writer and what are the modern parallels?

Reflect on the sharing of the play in class. How was it for you?

We continued reading Lysistrata after discussing the recent tragic events in Oakland with Lovelle Mixon and four Oakland Police Officers. There is a vigil this evening at 74th and MacArthur Blvd. at 6 p.m.

Our freewrite today took its topic from this incident. You can post your freewrites on the murders here.

Homework: Complete Dreams from My Father. Think about what social entrepreneur you'd like to to profile in a research essay. See Frontline World (Social Entrepreneur for examples of SE). The argument is each of us can do something to change our community, none of us is a victim. The SE is a person who is working in a community in Northern California and is a key stack holder. There is a difference between a SE and a philanthropist. See kqed.org (New Heroes) for a definition of SE.

I will show you a few films of SE from the series. We will write this paper in April. You will present this paper the day of the final in May. We will continue in Pidd and read The Audacity of Hope next month also.

In May we'll work on polishing our skills and answering questions.

We'll meet in Lit Circles Thursday, March 26, and on Monday, March 30. We'll do some in class writing March 31, and the midterm will be given on April 1, due April 2. Students will propose a grade justification based on an agreed upon rubric tailored from the one I gave you at the beginning of the term.

Make sure you post your three essay questions where assigned by next week, if not already done. You can also add other questions.

Celebrating the Women in Our Lives

Post your reflections on the women you honor here. I will post the photos later this weekend. Much appreciation to the students who brought refreshments for our party in the later class: Mesha, Nely, Andre, Rebecca for the music...and if I left out a name please let me know.

The tribute was as diverse and comprehensive as our academic community this semester English 1A 8-9 and 9-10. Cesi spoke about the Third Wave Feminist Theory, while Jenifer shared a moving tribute to her grandmother. Rebecca spoke about the author of the classic Silent Spring, while Andre read a lovely poem by his sister whom he admires. Other students, like Reina, Maktaur and Bridgett, spoke about their mothers. I shared poetical poetry by Marilyn Buck, who has been incarcerated for over 25 years here in California.

Thursday, March 19, we reflected on 6th Anniversary of the war by reading poetry and Lysistrata, a play about the women of Athens who decided to refuse men sex to stop the war. Now whether or not they succeed we'll have to see when we finish the play next week. It was fun reading the play aloud and discussing the poetry. Students had differing opinions about war and violence and self-defense.

If you were absent and missed class, I can send you a copy of the poetry package. A link to the play is posted in 3/17. Post your reflections on your poem here.

Please respond to another student's post. Many students are behind on the cyber-assignments. In the letter to Felicia Pride, students were to respond to another person's letter in Pride's voice.

I am at Laney college now getting ready to be interviewed on the Black Hour radio show by the host, Reggie James, a former student of mine. I am still planning to attend the satellite conversation with Ernest Gaines at Cal State East Bay, Oakland campus, but I am thinking about trying to also attend the conference on modern African Art at Stanford tomorrow also, and then go to opening night at The SF Playhouse.

Have a good weekend. Remember, Wednesday, March 25, there are no classes: Staff Inservice.


The poetry is posted in the comment section here.

Study Sessions in L-235 Tuesdays, 10:30ish until 1:30ish

Today we had a study hall in L-235 for a couple of productive hours. Students liked hanging out here, so we'll make this a weekly session all students are invited to. You can drop in during this time with questions or just for camaraderie and academic support.

This is also a good time to call me on the office phone, (510) 748-2131 which one student did.

You can eat in this room and talk and not worry about disturbing others.

Note: Sometimes there is a college hour event, which we might want to attend at 12:00 which means we'll end early, but I can definitely commit to a couple of hours on Tuesdays. I didn't do much, I was just here if a question arose and a few did.

Three Questions
Please post your three essay questions here, taken from Barack Obama's Dreams of My Father's House.

Today we reflected on Felicia Pride's Ladies First (The Message 38, 102-104). We also listened to Queen Latifah's song by the same title. In a freewrite students wrote a letter to Pride as Barack Obama's voice. They located an incident in Obama's life which was similar to Pride's Halloween costume moment to share with the author in a letter.

Post the letters here, and respond to another letter as Felicia Pride might to a fan who happens to be the President of the United States.

If you missed class, you need to get a copy of the Pride essay to write the letter.

Notes
We didn't get a chance to discuss the three essay questions you developed. I will put a link here for you to post them. No response is necessary, yet.

Tomorrow is the Women's History Month celebration in our classes. You can bring in something from any woman you admire to share. You don't have to know the woman, nor does the woman have to be alive still. I'll probably have you post a note about your woman later to correspond to the photos I plan to take.

Also, I finally posted the pictures of students who shared their objects that represented love. See February 2009 archives along the side of the blog site.

We were kind of distracted today and I forgot to have students she their posts from the blog this morning. Maybe we will be able to get to it Thursday, March 19. There are students who have questions about Essay 3. You can call me. Today I thought a few students were going to come by L-235 to sit and talk but they haven't arrived yet.

Today we had a peer review for Essay 3. We spoke about the play Lysistrata, and students need to bring in a copy to read on Thursday, March 19, the anniversary of the War in Afghanistan.

Homework is to keep reading Dreams and to bring in three (3) essays questions tomorrow.

Wednesday, March 18, is still International Women's Day in our classes. Bring in something from a woman you admire to share. Nely is baking cookies in the 9-10 a.m. class. Other students can bring in other refreshments. If you bring a beverage bring cups. Someone can bring napkins. Remember Jeremy and Nely brought snacks for Martin King's birthday January 19.

A belated Chinese New Year, just in case I forgot to say it.

We read from Alehouse this morning also in the 9-10 a.m. class (earlier class you are missing some great poetry). Students were to reflect on one of the poems (39-42), plus continue reading Diana Raab's The Poet's Notebook(39-42). Respond to Raab's essay in minimally three (3) paragraphs.

Students can combine both freewrites in one response. This is due in the morning.

Events in the Bay
Patricia Smith is at La Pena Cultural Center in Berkeley, Thursday, March 19, 8 p.m. (I think). Visit www.lapena.org

There is also an event at the Buttercup Restaurant in Oakland near Jack London Square, looking at the first 60 days of Obama's presidency. It is free and begins at 6 p.m. Visit www.wandaspicks.com for the details on both.

I'll bring in poetry with war as a theme to share Thursday also.

Today we reviewed Essay 3 and talked about Greek playwright Aristophanes hilarious "Lysistrata." We'll read it on Thursday, March 19. Bring in a copy.

Lysistrata
http://www.theatredatabase.com/ancient/aristophanes_005.html
http://drama.eserver.org/plays/classical/aristophanes/lysistrata.txt (the play)

LYSISTRATA, the third and concluding play of Aristophanes' War and Peace series, was not produced till ten years later than its predecessor, the Peace, viz. in 411 B.C. It is now the twenty-first year of the War and there seems as little prospect of peace as ever. A desperate state of things demands a desperate remedy, and the Poet proceeds to suggest a burlesque solution of the difficulty.

The women of Athens, led by Lysistrata and supported by female delegates from the other states of Hellas, determine to take matters into their own hands and force the men to stop the War. They meet in solemn conclave, and Lysistrata expounds her scheme, the rigorous application to husbands and lovers of a self-denying ordinance--"we must refrain from the male altogether." Every wife and mistress is to refuse all sexual favours whatsoever, till the men have come to terms of peace. In cases where the women must yield 'par force majeure,' then it is to be with an ill grace and in such a way as to afford the minimum of gratification to their partner; they are to be passive and take no more part in the amorous game than they are absolutely obliged to. By these means Lysistrata assures them they will very soon gain their end. "If we sit indoors prettily dressed out in our best transparent silks and prettiest gewgaws, and all nicely depilated, they will be able to deny us nothing." Such is the burden of her advice.

After no little demure, this plan of campaign is adopted, and the assembled women take a solemn oath to observe the compact faithfully. Meantime as a precautionary measure they seize the Acropolis, where the State treasure is kept; the old men of the city assault the doors, but are repulsed by "the terrible regiment" of women. Before long the device of the bold Lysistrata proves entirely effective, Peace is concluded, and the play ends with the hilarious festivities of the Athenian and Spartan plenipotentiaries in celebration of the event.

The drama has a double Chorus--of women and of old men, and much excellent fooling is got out of the fight for possession of the citadel between the two hostile bands; while the broad jokes and decidedly suggestive situations arising out of the general idea of the plot outlined above may be "better imagined than described."

This article is reprinted from Aristophanes: The Eleven Comedies. Trans. Anonymous. London: The Athenian Society, 1922.


Homework: Read Obama's Dreams. Develop a few (3) essay questions.

Indian Canyon Village

Cyber-Post
We read Ghetto Bastard from Felicia Pride's The Message on Wednesday, March 11. We also listened to the song by Naughty By Nature. Students were to respond to Pride in minimally three paragraphs. Consider the following: How did Obama escape Treach's fate. What is Pride's point? Reference Pride, the song and Obama. One citation per paragraph. Each paragraph needs to be minimally 5 sentences long. Post the Ghetto Bastard response here and bring in a copy.

Essay 3 is due for a peer review. Bring it in typed. Complete the checklist prior to class.

Keep reading Dreams. We want to be finished no later than, Monday, March 23.

We reviewed the exercises for point-of-view pronoun essay 144-152). Homework is to complete page 156. Essay 3 is due Monday, March 16 (153). Tomorrow we will review the homework and focus on Obama.

Next Wednesday is the Women's History Month Celebration. Students will bring in something to share from a woman they admire: poetry, music, art, a story about the woman, etc.

The object for the Americas archive will be due once we finish Dreams from My Father. Let's try to finish it next week or early the week afterwards.

I received messages from quite a few students. No one left their phone number, so I was not able to call the students back.

Women in Obama's Life Cyber Posts

Last week we looked at values and specifically what values Obama learned from women in his life, those he was related to and those he befriended. You can post those queries and conversations here.

Today in class we reviewed the exercises 144-151. We'll continue tomorrow up to Essay 3. On Wednesday you will write an essay in class. Bring paper, a pen and a paperclip to hold papers. Essay 3 will be due Monday, March 16. Be certain to critique it yourself first. We'll start thinking about essays questions for the midterm and start discussing the research essay.

I am thinking that I'd like students to choose a woman as a social entrepreneur this semester. We'll try to get to Essay 4 before Spring Break and the midterm. We'll spend most of April on the research essay and completing Pidd.

We'll also look at "Ellipsis" (324-325) either tomorrow or Wednesday. You can bring in the completed errors on Synthetica on Wednesday, if you haven't already done so.


I don't know if I mentioned it, but press the space bar twice after a sentence.

Freewrite
Today in class our freewrite was listening to Nina Simone's arrangement of Bob Dylan's "Just Like a Woman." In the second class we compared Nina Simone and Dylan's versions. Post your response to the song, juxtaposed (if you like with a poem from Alehouse. I recommended poems on pages: 1, 31, and 36)

One of the questions that came up was what qualifies a person to be a man or a woman. Can you separate out characteristics and say she talks like a man or he has a girl's voice and if the characteristics are interchangeable, if one is the opposite gender is having male of female characteristics a negative quality of a positive one?

The term, just like a woman, doesn't always carry a positive connotation. Bridgette said the narrator in Dylan's version of the song mad about the break-up and this was his farewell song. In Simone's the tone is different and this different tone changes the perspective, or does it, if you think Simone is also man?

Dylan and Simone's instrumentation also differs. How does this change the emotional context of the piece?

Just Like A Woman

Nobody feels any pain
Tonight as I stand inside the rain
Ev'rybody knows
That Baby's got new clothes
But lately I see her ribbons and her bows
Have fallen from her curls.
She takes just like a woman, yes, she does
She makes love just like a woman, yes, she does
And she aches just like a woman
But she breaks just like a little girl.

Queen Mary, she's my friend
Yes, I believe I'll go see her again
Nobody has to guess
That Baby can't be blessed
Till she sees finally that she's like all the rest
With her fog, her amphetamine and her pearls.
She takes just like a woman, yes, she does
She makes love just like a woman, yes, she does
And she aches just like a woman
But she breaks just like a little girl.

It was raining from the first
And I was dying there of thirst
So I came in here
And your long-time curse hurts
But what's worse
Is this pain in here
I can't stay in here
Ain't it clear that--

I just can't fit
Yes, I believe it's time for us to quit
When we meet again
Introduced as friends
Please don't let on that you knew me when
I was hungry and it was your world.
Ah, you fake just like a woman, yes, you do
You make love just like a woman, yes, you do
Then you ache just like a woman
But you break just like a little girl.

Copyright ©1966; renewed 1994 Dwarf Music
http://www.bobdylan.com/#/songs/just-woman (song and Dylan poem)


Nina Simone: http://www.playlist.com/searchbeta/tracks#just%20like%20a%20woman

http://blackgrooves.org/?p=331 for album information

When I came into class this morning students were seated in a circle, Dreams from My Father out, students in the middle of a discussion. Anthony invited me to join them and we shared interpretations of the women in Obama's life and their impact on the man he is becoming in the story, and the man he has become in real life. Students also shared favorite sections and spoke about other topics and themes covered up to chapter 14. We did have a chance to talk about Pidd briefly, and decided we would spend Thursday, March 5, on Pidd pp. 124-141 in the early class.

Monday, March 9, both classes will review the exercises on pages 144-152 and write the error paragraphs from "Ignacio Pistachio" (154).

When I walk around a look at student's books many of you have not completed the exercises. You really must complete the exercises before you can complete the essay. It doesn't help you to have the answers, yet remain clueless on how we got to the solution. If you are having trouble with any of the grammar, come see me, get a tutor...don't get behind.

It is not rocket science and Pidd is really user friendly and not meant to take a lot of time to complete. One of your classmaes told me it was too simple, yet that same student hasn't turned in any essays....we shall see is all I can say to this observation. The books are in the library on reserve and upstairs in L-234: Writing Center. You have no reason to not have your assignments.

There are a lot of exercises in Pidd, you might complain, but doing exercises is the way you build strong composition muscles. You've got to sweat for the A.

Even for the most brilliant among you, and I am serious-- some times the glare makes me speechless or at least blind (mixed metaphors), I have given students who are great writers failing grades because they were careless with the details. Pidd helps you sharpen your skills so that you can shine that much more brightly. Sloppy work might not adequately reflect your capabilities, but sometimes first impressions are hard to erase.

Do your best. We only have 5 more essays left after essay 3.

We decided in the second class to review spend just a hot few minutes on Synthetica so that the bulk of the time can be spent on Dreams. We isolated the seven case errors today and will write the error paragraphs in the morning. If you are absent keep moving forward in the book. Absence is no reason to get behind. I hope Paola and other students who are under the weather feel better and return soon.

9-9:50 AM class, bring in the error chart complete in the morning (126).

Continue reflecting on Obama and the values he gleaned from the women in his life. As we move forward in the book, up to chapter 14, continue, if you like with some of the same women and introduce new characters who share similar values or different ones than the women already highlighted in your exploration.

Over the weekend, post a 4-6 paragraph analysis of these values as reflected in Obama, the Obama in Dreams and the one in the White House.

Women's History Month Reflections Cyber-Post
Post your reflections for the entire month here and don't forget to comment on each other's posts.

1. Freewrite: Celebrate Women's History Month with a reflection on a woman you admire and honor. Post on the blog and continue reflecting on women this entire month on women and posting as you feel so inspired (3 times a week). You can bring in art, literature, poetry, music, etc., to share and copies (if literature or lyrics for your classmates).

2. How have women influenced Barack Obama, and shaped him into the man he is today and the man we meet in Dreams? What values do they share?

3. Stewart Pidd E-2. We reviewed Phrases and completed exercised together on pages 84, 85, 110-111. Keep going, we want to get up to page 124 by tomorrow.

4. Literature Circle: Skit. Think of sections in the book which lend themselves to dramatization. Mark and we'll share.