Portfolio Checklist Spring 2009
English 1A

On the cover page identify yourself by responding to the following:

Name
Mailing Address
Phone Number
E-mail address
Course number and code

This page is followed by the narratives.

The only paper copies are the freewrites, perhaps reading logs, and this checklist completed. Do not give me your originals. Turn this checklist into me filled out to the best of your ability the day of final.

The portfolio narratives (These are essays)

1. The first narrative essay will look at the past 18 weeks of study, and the themes we looked at this semester as we explored the life of the first black president and the idea that we are the ones we've been waiting for, that is, if there is something in our communities or government we do not like or want to improve we can change it. Obama's work as a community organizer proves this, your social entrepreneur’s work proves this, and hopefully, your work presently or in the future will prove this also.

In your research papers you chose a person to highlight who has made it their life’s work to use their skills to better the lives of others in society. 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 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. You can also offer suggestions for future students, instruction and on the instruction.

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 Pidd essays and the research essay, cyber-essays, and all the writing from Dreams from My Father and Alehouse.

Writing Workshop
We began writing the narratives last week. Thursday, May 21, 8-11, I’ll be between L-235 and L-202E.

Our final for the 8-9 AM class is Friday, May 29, at 8-10. For the 9-10 AM class, our final is Wednesday, May 27.

We were thinking about meeting at a restaurant for breakfast. We will decide this Thursday, May 14.

If you need technology, let me know by 5/14. I have a laptop, a TV with VCR, DVD player and CD capabilities. Your portfolio is due by Friday, May 29 at 12 noon for all classes. Note the later due date for students presenting essays Wednesday, May 20.

Additional narrative considerations for the portfolio essay:
The second essay 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 Justification
What grade do you think you earned in the course? If you have a strong argument with proof: graded work. I will consider it.

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.


Assignments:
Just put a grade next to the assignments you have completed. I will put a grade next to the sections and assignments you do not have grades on. To pass the class, students have to have passing grades on all the essays, plus complete the portfolio essays and turn the portfolio in. Come to the study session May 21. If the time conflicts with other finals, let me know, and arrangements might be able to be made.

For all revisions include the narratives each graded draft and the final draft with a passing grade. Put the passing essay on top.

The narrative essays are the introduction to your portfolio which is a collection of all your writing this semester. Please give me a copy of your in-class notes if applicable. Do not give me a hardcopy. I’d like the portfolio emailed to me, on a CD or disk, with a completed checklist filled out. Don’t forget a phone number just in case something is missing.

Stewart Pidd Essays
Sentence Punctuation_______
Pronoun Agreement _______

Grammar Exam part 1 ______ (50 possible)
List errors___________________________________________
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In-class Essay Exam 1:
Pronoun Case: Midterm Essay Synthetica _________

Point of View _______
Be-Verb _________(paraphrase worksheet completed)________

In-Class Essay Exam 2: Possessives _______

Subject Verb Agreement _________ (in-class 5/13-14)

Hootenanny__________ (paraphrase for Bad Granny Essay)_______
Thursday May 14 Group Identification of Bad Granny Errors. Start essay, Monday, May 18, due Wednesday, May 20, typed.

In-Class Essay Exam 3: Parallel Structure_________ (5/20 and 5/21)
Multiple Choice Exam #2________ (50 possible) (5/20 and 5/21)

Research Section
Obama freewrites ________
Notes________
Journals _________

Library orientation worksheet ______ (if applicable)
Evaluation of a website_____ (with librarian signing off on it or teacher)
Frontline World (3 assigned) _____
Planning Sheet ______
Document search (5-10 minimum) _____________
S.E. outline posted ________
S.E. essay draft posted ________
Research essay final draft sent to professor (date) _______
Research essay grade___________ (written essay) _________________ (presentation)
Abstract or outline for classmates_____________


Cyber-Assignments (partial list)
Inauguration Response______
First 100 Days Letter to President Obama_______
Happy Birthday Martin King______
Literature Circle reflections on process________
Letter from Birmingham Jail_________
Wear Clean Drawers (from Felicia Pride’s The Message)_______

Alehouse responses_______
Writing and Reflections on the War:
Lysistrata ________
War Poems package_______

Love Presentations and Journals ______________
Women’s History Month Presentations _________________
Response to syllabus__________
Response to instructor’s letter___________

Freewrites_____ (copies)

Extra Credit ______________________________________________

Anything else? _______________________________________________________
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