Pick up your essays in the envelop outside L-235. I have read all the essays I have been given. Today's essays except for Hassen's revision and Emmy's essay 2, were not self-evaluated. You can have them back tomorrow: Alberto and Dennis. Give me your best work. I am not your editor.

I will return essays tomorrow. Student essays are disappearing from the folders, so I will hand them back to you and we will make copies of them before putting them in the envelops, just in case they disappear.

Today we read in class. We want to be up to chapter 7 by Thursday where you will respond to questions taken from each chapter in A-205. We will write essay 3 in class on Thursday, October 1 from SPHE. Do the templates and bring your books to class.

1. Post your summaries of Chapter 3 here. Also include your analysis of key arguments and points. What do we know about Tupac now? Is he your average adolescent from a dysfunctional home? How is he different? What saves him from a typical fate?

2. Talk about Dyson's language. List names of people referenced you never heard of whom you had to look up. List the names of people referenced you knew like James Baldwin, perhaps Sonia Sanchez, Minister Louis Farakhan, George Orwell, Quincy Jones. How does Dyson's reference to literary, political and other persons of fame, help prove his point or give him credibility? How does it further his thesis?

3. What is his thesis? Reference the second part of the preface.

Brenda's Got a Baby Cyber-post

Homework for the weekend: Keep working in Pidd. next week we will write the Synthetica essay in class and I think we have a quiz on ellipses. Be up to page 141 by Wednesday. We might write the Synthetica essay Wednesday and start Point-of-View on Thursday.

I also wanted to know if students were interested in going to see the movie Push as a class? I don't know when it opens, but the previews are in the theatres now and it won lots of awards at the Toronto Film Festival.

Also, October is Black Panther Heritage Month and there are a lot of activities happening. I will post them later. You can visit www.itsabouttimebpp.net. There is a panel on Women in the Black Panther Party and a Film Festival as well as art exhibits and a Book Fair which look interesting. Most are free events.

Post your essay questions here from Chapters 2 and 3. We will respond in freewrites tomorrow.

Homework is bring in your paragraph re: "Sometimes I Cry" (Holler 7). I will put a separate link for the Brenda essay.

We spoke of the isolation Tupac seems to feel. This could be because he feels he has no support network; it could also be because he doesn't let anyone close enough to see his vulnerabilities.

The three paragraph essay (which no one had time to complete) was to use what we've learned from Dyson, along with what Tupac reveals in the poem to look at the theme: sacrifice. What does he have to give up to be Afeni's son? What is the price of this relationship? How do we measure it?

Give concrete examples from the poem, the book and use you own analysis to discuss the consequences, both good and bad that are directly linked to Afeni's commitment to the Black Panther Party and eventually to crack cocaine.

In class each person will write his or her own essay; however, the in-class freewrite can be a start. You can start thinking about it in advance. The essay will incorporate 1-direct quote, 1-paraphrase, and 1-block quote. The essay will be between 3-4 paragraphs long.

I wanted to mention that when writing formally, spell out the numerals 1-10. The Pidd essays are getting better.

Essay 2--Cyber-Post
After your self-eval, post Essay 2 here. Homework is to bring in 5-10 essay questions re: Holler Chapters 2-3.

We will answer them in our literature circle discussions tomorrow.

Please respond to the syllabus, comment on the goals, objectives, and materials for the course. This is due by Thursday, Sept. 24. If you have any suggestions, I am happy to hear those also.

ENG 1A Fall 2009
43487 Lec 11:00-11:50 MTWTh Sabir B 203
Class Meetings: August 20-Dec. 10; No classes: 9/7; 10/23; 11/11; 11/26-27

Final Exam: 10-12, Wednesday, Dec.16 (Portfolios due via e-mail)
Drop dates: Sept. 5 (w/refund), Sept. 19 (w/out a W), Nov. 25 (w/W).

Syllabus for English 1A: College Composition and Reading

English 1A is the first transferable college writing course. Don’t get nervous, hopefully you took English 201 and passed with a B or better. Perhaps you’re fresh out of high school, did okay on the placement exam and voila wound up here. Maybe you’re returning to college after a significant hiatus and aren’t confident in your writing, yet once again passed that placement exam, which, if you recall, tested grammar not writing.

Hang in there and you’ll do fine in the class if you:

1. Know what an essay is
2. Have written one before
3. Are ready to commit yourself to the task of writing

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.

I believe 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 to look at the life of one of rap’s more well-known artists, Tupac Amaru Shakur (25), who died before we had a chance to know the fullness of his genius. We’ll be reading a memoir about his mother Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary by Jasmine Guy; Holler if You Hear Me by Michael Eric Dyson, Ph.D.; The Rose That Grew from Concrete by Tupac Shakur and a college dictionary (American Heritage recommended)

The questions and analysis will come out of the discussions and listening parties as we look for themes in the work and try to reconstruct the artist’s life through his songs which were quite autobiographical. Tupac loved his mother, but he was angry with her too. We will describe this relationship and how mother and son were able to mend it. Forgiveness is preached, however, it takes a certain kind of personality to actually let by-gones be by-gones. Tupac personified “thug life.” He had old ladies tattooing his TL on their arms. What is a thug and why did Tupac celebrate it?

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, with primary writing strategies employed: description, process analysis, narration, argument, cause and effect, compare and contrast, definition, problem solving.

We will write an essay based on the themes from each book. You will also write a research essay. In the past, I have recommended Diana Hacker’s Rules for Writers as the Grammar Style Book of choice. I still like the text, but Stewart Pidd also has the same information, so for this semester, you will not need to purchase Hacker, Pidd will suffice. You will also need a notebook for in-class writing with a folder for handouts. You also need a couple of ink pens, a pencil with an eraser, a hole puncher, and a stapler.

Stewart Pidd will provide a context for essay writing which will hopefully allow students the opportunity to become conversant about the writing process and use grammar in context, as well as, employ MLA documentation. Keep a reading log for the Dyson book noting key ideas, themes, vocabulary, questions and an analysis of primary writing strategies employed: description, process analysis, narration, argument, cause and effect, compare and contrast, definition, problem solving.

For English 1A SPHE is a review of grammar and essay writing skills students should be familiar with already. I hope we can wiz through the book in six weeks, 1-essay per week. If you are struggling, come by my office for extra assistance. We have a study hour each Thursday 12-1 p.m. in L-235. Students can also get help in the Writing Center and Tutoring Center in the Learning Resources Center(LRC), located on the second level of the L-bldg. where the library is located. To use these services students have to enroll in the free class LRNE 501 (Supervised Tutoring). It takes 24 hours for the class to become effective, so enroll now.

Research Project
Your research project will entail finding a person here in Northern California who is a social entrepreneur. The paper will be about 5 pages. This will include a works cited page and bibliography.

New Heroes
Visit PBS.org “The New Heroes,” to read about social entrepreneurs. There is also a program called Frontline World. We will explore this assignment more, later in the course.

Why socially responsible economics?
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. If possible choose an entrepreneur who lives in Northern California, someone you’d like to interview and perhaps meet. Students can work on the project together, share resources. Each person has to write his or her own paper, but you can make a group presentation if you like.

We will keep a reading log. We’ll develop Literature Circles and see how that works this semester. 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 themes which arise, vocabulary and key arguments, along with primary writing strategies employed: description, process analysis, narration, argument, cause and effect, compare and contrast, definition, problem solving.

At the completion of each text Holler If You Hear Me and Evolution of a Revolutionary we will write a short essay about the work using the books as a primary source plus minimally 2-3 other sources utilizing other mediums. The Rose That Grew from Concrete will give us material for freewrites and discussions.

Jot down briefly what your goals are this semester. List them in order of importance.

1.



2.



3.



4.
5.

Please put your name, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address on the card you’ve been given, then answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper or index card (handed out):

What strengths do you bring to the class? What skills or knowledge would you like to leave with once the class ends? What can I do to help you achieve this? Is there anything I need to know, such as a hidden disability, childcare issues, etc., which might jeopardize this goal?

Grading

Essays: 25 percent (including Stewart Pidd essay assignments)
Daily journals posted on blog: 15 percent (including Stewart Pidd exercises)
Midterm: 15 percent
Final: 15 percent
Research Essay/Presentation: 15 percent
Portfolio: 15 percent

The essays from the textbooks are practice essays; the essays on the literature are analysis. Plan to visit the Writing Center (L-234-231, 748-2132) weekly. Have a teacher evaluate your essays for form and content; the aim is lucid, precise, and clear prose.

This is a portfolio course, so 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 lose percentage points.

Each book will have collected writings or essays. The essays which take their themes from the books 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, (510) 748-2132). It is a great place to get one-on-on assistance on your essays, from brainstorming and planning the essays, to critique in areas like clarity, organization, clearly stated thesis, evidence or support, logical conclusions, and grammatical problems. In the Writing Center there are ancillary materials for student use. These writing programs build strong writing muscles. The Bedford Handbook on-line, Diana Hacker’s Rules for Writers on-line, Townsend Press, and other such computer and cyber-based resources are a few of the many databases available. There is also an Open Lab for checking e-mail, a Math Lab. All academic labs are located in the Learning Resource Center (LRC) or library. The Cyber Café is located in the F-bldg.

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. I will give you a handout which looks at 5 areas of the essay you can use as a guide when shaping your questions for your peer review sessions. Please use these guidelines when planning your discussions with me also.

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 Writing.

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.

More on grades, and portfolio

We will be honest with one another. Grades are not necessarily the best 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 session in meeting your goal.
In past semesters, students have skipped the portfolio and/or the final. Neither is optional.

Office Hours

I’d like to wish everyone good luck. I am available for consultation on Thursdays, 11-2, and on Monday and Wednesdays, 9:30-10:30 and 3:00-4:00 by appointment. I am also available after 12 noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays. My office is located between the academic labs in L-236 (inside L-235). My office number is (510) 748-2131, e-mail professorwandasposse@gmail.com. Let me know the day before, if possible, when you’d like to meet with me on MW. Ask me for my cell phone number. I do not mind sharing it with you.

I don’t check my e-mail frequently 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, 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.

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. There might be an option to take this course C/NC. See Admission and Records.

Textbooks Recap:

Pollitt, Gary. Craig Baker. Stewart Pidd Hates English: Grammar, Punctuation, and Writing Exercises. California: Attack the Text Publishing, 2008. ISBN: 13: 978-0-9755923-4-2

Shakur, Tupac Amaru. The Rose that Grew from Concrete. Pocket Books. 1999. ISBN: 0-671-02844-2

Jasmine Guy. Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary. Atria Books. 2004. ISBN: 0-7434-7054-0

Dyson, Michael Eric. Holler If You Hear Me. Basic Civitas Books. 2001. ISBN: 0-465-01756-8 (or latest edition)

Hacker, Diana. Rules for Writers. Fourth or Fifth edition. Bedford/St. Martins.
(required for those students who have completed Pidd then by Pidd)

Students also need a dictionary. I recommend: The American Heritage Dictionary. Fourth Edition.

The Prepared Student also needs...

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, a jump drive to save work from college computers, 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 (Hard Knock), KQED 88.5, KALW 91.7. Visit news websites: AllAfrica.com, Al Jazeera, CNN.com, AlterNet.org, DemocracyNow.org, FlashPoints.org, CBS 60Minutes.


The syllabus and course schedule is subject to change, at the instructor's discretion, so stay loose and flexible.

Cyber-Homework for Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009

Complete a literal and free paraphrase for 5 sentences--your choice, 5 different pages in Chapter 1. From chapter 2, identify 5 analogies (type out with page numbers). Post both here.

Next week we will write and perform skits based on scenes from chapters 1-3. Students will also practice writing three three paragraph essays using paraphrase, direct citations and block quotes. We will also practice signal phrases.

We will also explore different ways to develop thesis and flush out themes from Holler.

Today in class students reviewed SPHE prepositional phrases and infinitive phrases. They were instructed to identify 10 in Holler chapter 1. After a slow start--we had to go over the exercises (homework) in SPHE, the pace picked up.

Homework is to continue identifying both in Chapter 1 along with 10 dependent or subordinate clauses.

We meet in the library tomorrow at 11 AM at the learning center area--there are desks set up. Several students had their essays returned, bad MLA. Essays are due now, bring them in tomorrow so I can get them back to you.

Continue in Pidd. We will work on Essay 2 on Thursday. It will be due Monday, Sept. 21, I am speaking of in your book--all templates completed.

Keep reading Dyson, we will talk about Literature Circles on Thursday also. Read up to chapter 2for Thursday. Read up to chapter 3 for Monday-Tuesday.

SPHE Essay 1
post here

Homework:
Continue in SPHE pp. 53-85. Do all the exercises. Bring in a paper copy of your essay Monday, Sept. 14, 2009.

Begin reading Chapter 1: Dear Mama. We will break into Literature Circles Monday also for discussion.

Please include your name and assignment with the post. We cannot credit you for the assignment, if we do not know who you are.

For all the assignments posted without names, re-post them with the original date on the assignment and discard the old assignment. Thanks!

We will meet in A-205. Students will have to take turns using the computers. Bring Essay 1 from Pidd and be prepared to discuss the conclusion of the Introduction and we'll begin discussing Chapter 1, Dear Mama. If you see this, bring in The Rose That Grew From Concrete. The anniversary of Tupac's death is Sunday, Sept. 13.

What do you think Tupac's comments would be on the state of the country and world events? The 8th anniversary of Sept. 11, is Friday. The War in Iraq is how old? Elections--the sham of elections just concluded.

What would have been Tupac's role, if any, in the presidential campaign? What might he say about health care for all Americans? If he and President Obama has an opportunity to talk, what would they say to one another?

We spent the class reviewing SPHE--Confused Words and Sentence Punctuation. If you don't have a book, it is on reserve in the library--borrow it and run the exercises. Dominique will host a Study Hour in the L-Building from 12-1 PM upstairs in the Writing Center L-234.

Homework is to complete as much of Essay 1 as you can, up to page 47 would be good. We will not meet Wednesday, Sept. 9. We meet Thursday, Sept. 10, in A-205. Each Thursday in Sept. we meet there.

Cyber-Assignments and Homework for Sept. 3-7
Post work here

Holler If You Hear Me: Introduction

Respond to two essay questions and at least one list question. The essay questions need to be responded to in minimally 3 paragraphs each: introduction, body and conclusion.

Include the question with your answer post. In your essay answer the question with a thesis. Use Dyson for support. In question number four, students are asked to bring in other sources referenced by Dyson, so for this question, you could have three references. Please use MLA. Bring in a paper copy Tuesday. The blog might not accept MLA, if not, include what you can.


1. When one reads the Introduction, Michael Eric Dyson certainly presents a case for Tupac—the scholar. Discuss the author’s use of the subject’s work and public response, his comparisons of Tupac to other great writers and finally his references to others who carry the torch now that Tupac is gone.

2. The case could be made, certainly that art is powerful, that it changes and can be a change agent. Dyson argues Tupac’s legend it what it is precisely because of his foresight and visionary words. In fact, Dyson calls Tupac on a number of occasions a prophet. How does Dyson do this so eloquently? Discuss the author’s craft and skillful use of his material. Discuss his resources and scholarship. How do you know Dyson is an expert?

3. Tupac’s personal/lyrical/artistic duality is one of the themes in the Introduction. How does Dyson able sustain the reference as he integrates and incorporates other ideas and topics? Use examples—also talk about the transitions, the repetition of certain ideas and how the author wraps the discussion.

4. As we read the Introduction, Dyson references many articles as he analyzes the lyrics in Tupac’s many songs. Look up 1-2 of these references and discuss how its inclusion expands and deepens the context of the claim Dyson propounds.

5. List ten analogies.

6. List ten literary figures and who they are and why Dyson referenced them.

7. List 20 vocabulary words with definitions.

8. One of the reasons why Dyson’s book is so popular and well read is his ability to paint a vivid picture of Tupac—he is a wordsmith himself, which is also one of the reasons he is so taken by the deceased thespian. That said, there are many passages which are so lovely and well-written: his use of poetic devices like alliteration—repetition of initial consonants, great examples of parallel structure—and what I think he is a master of—his use of analogies or comparisons especially personification. Share at least 20 examples of Dyson’s mastery of his craft. Talk about your example –its placement in the text or why it was used, and lastly why it appeals to you.

9. Finally, how does Dyson describe Tupac? What words does he use when referring to Tupac, some of these repeated more than once? Do you agree with his assessment? Are you interested? Does his enthusiasm grab you? Is anything included here superfluous or missing? What Tupac characteristics would you add or remove and why?

Homework:
Continue running the exercises in Pidd through the next two chapters—Confused Words and Sentence Punctuation. We will write Essay 1 next week.

Begin reading “I Always Wanted to Make a Book Out of My Life: In Search of Tupac.”
Annotate the text.

For extra credit:
Choose 5-10 sentences from 5 different pages (and compose both a literal and free paraphrase for each.




.

Just for clarification, all responses completed outside of class need to be minimally 250 words or one typed page. I really enjoyed reading the lyrics to the songs posted in response to the homework assignment.

Post free paraphrases from the introduction to Holler (first three pages).I gave students seven (7) choices. Pick five (5). You can do them all, especially if you want the practice. If you need to do a literal paraphrase first to see if you understand the sentence do so and post both by Sept. 2. Bring the paraphrases to class to share.

Secondly, read the posts of two classmates and respond to the language. Hint: remember SPHE exercise on "Concise Language vs. Wordiness" (336).

We'll talk about Literature Circles tomorrow.

Monday, August 31, I passed out a package of Tupac lyrics to augment the music I'll be playing this semester. We listened to: Words of Wisdom (8/31)and So Many Tears (9/1). One of your classmate's brother was shot last Thursday afternoon. He was 21 years old. We want to offer her our condolences. We looked at themes and for the thesis and discussed the evidence which proved it.

Many of you told me financial aide was late, so I passed out copies of the introduction to Holler; however, search for a copy in the public library system. As the librarians to buy a few copies of the book for the reserve shelf at COA. Professor David Sparks is your man, but any librarian at the reference desk can help you.

We worked on the paraphrasing exercises yesterday and today students told me they completed the exercises, so we moved on to Chapter 1 in Pidd: "Confused Words." We did pages 14-15. Homework is to do the exercises from page 2 forward. When you get to Sentence Punctuation, keep going. The goal is to get to Essay 1 next week. We want to finish the book in six weeks, by early October, so that you have most of October to present and do research for your final essay due early November.

Check back Wednesday for the syllabus, which I will post. I want each of you to respond in comments after you read it. This will be a graded assignment. Let me know if there are any questions. I want to be clear.

I will create a separate link for the paraphrases due in the morning. Post them after class.