Welcome to COA Spring 2011
English 1A, Spring 2011
Professor Wanda Sabir
Course codes: 20218, 20219
Class Meetings: Jan. 24—May 18, 8-9 & 9-10, MTWTh
Location: Rooms D-206, D-205
Drop dates: February 5, Full-Term Credit Classes and Receive a Refund. Note: Short-term and open-entry classes must be dropped within three days of the first class meeting to receive a refund, February 24, Full-Term Credit Classes Without “W” Appearing on Transcript; April 25 (w/W) and no refund.
Holidays: Feb. 18-21; April 21-22, May 19, May 30; Spring Break: April 18-21;
Final Exam Week: May 21-27. Last day of semester May 27. Grades due June 3. Class blog: http://professorwandasposse.blogspot.com/
Each One, Pull One (Thinking of Lorraine Hansberry)
. . . We must say it all, as clearly
as we can. For, even before we are dead,
they are busy
trying to bury us.
—Alice Walker
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. Keep your receipt and notice the dates, so you can get a full refund if you cut your losses and drop by Feb. 5/24 (no refund, no W), or Apr. 25 with a W :-) So my joke wasn’t funny? 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. Don’t let the numbers scare you. We’ll probably write more. 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.
This semester we will look at women and girls and the inequities which make their lives more difficult just because of the gender biases present in most of the developed and underdeveloped world.
No, you didn’t accidentally end up in a public policy or cultural anthropology class; however, I found the arguments presented in Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, compelling and thought provoking.
We will write an essay based on the themes from this book. The other book is Stewart Pidd Hates English. Suffice it to say, either you hate the book or love it. I have grown to appreciate the lessons Stewart imparts via his writing, which always needs revising. He is a great case study in post-secondary composition—
All writing is research writing so students will not write one long essay, rather four shorter essays: Half the Sky, the midterm based on a book on friendship: The Pact, Sula, or The Kite Runner, the third an essay based on the book you chose written by a woman or about a woman, and the fourth is on a social entrepreneur. You meet many examples of SE in Half the Sky. I will introduce you to others in the program, The New Heroes and also in on-line programs from Frontline World, and in films shown in class like To Educate a Girl.
If you have a grammar style book, you can carry it once we complete SPHE, until then you don’t need it. I am not going to ask students to purchase one this semester unless you have already completed, SPHE, then my preferred recommendation is: Diana Hacker’s Rules for Writers, (St. Martin’s Press). Students 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, a stapler and a travel drive for saving one’s work.
We’ll read the Lysistrata in March and celebrate love in February. We will also contemplate the cost of war in March as well as celebrate International Women’s Day and Earth Day.
We will keep a reading log for Half the Sky. Discussion groups will meet each week. This reading log or journal will be where students jot down key ideas and outlined responses 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.
Research Project
Each student will locate a social entrepreneur to profile in an essay. The person has to be alive, preferably living in Northern California and has been working in their field for over 5 years and have documented resources you can draw from: books, essays, articles, films.
The paper will be about 4- 5 pages. This will include a works cited page and bibliography. Students will make 5-10 minute presentations of these papers in May. The paper will be due about two-three weeks prior to the presentation. We’ll discuss this task further later on. Start thinking of whom you might want to profile now. Hint: define social entrepreneur first.
As already stated, the midterm will be based on the book on friendship. We will have reading circles based on selections and perhaps have presentations as well as essay responses to the novels/memoir.
I am big on presentations.
New Heroes
Visit PBS.org The New Heroes, to read about social entrepreneurs. (I’ll show you a few episodes from the series.) 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 chose an entrepreneur who lives in Northern California, someone you’d like to interview and perhaps meet. There is also a series on PBS called Frontline World with many SE profiled.
Academic Blog
In this course, students will submit essays and other written work on-line. The academic blog is an opportunity for students to utilize multiple intelligences as they engage one another in a variety modalities.
The site is: http://www.professorwandasposse.blogspot.com
Student Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course students will have an altered or heightened awareness of the world around them, especially discourse: speech and text. Students will see that everything is an argument, whether that is a cartoon, advertisement, or lyrics in a song. Students will be able to analyze and critique each incident or contact to evaluate its author’s purpose, audience, and evidence to determine whether or not such goal was met and if appropriate, act accordingly.
This course is intended to be both a group learning experience as well as an individually rewarding one. Mid-semester we will schedule conferences so students can confer with the instructor to evaluate his or her progress in the course. Classroom instruction will consist of lectures, small group work, and students working in pairs. This is an effective way for students to exchange ideas with classmates, compare reactions to readings and practice giving and receiving constructive feedback on class work.
Preparation for class, regular attendance and active participation is imperative for those students who wish to succeed in this course.
It is a student’s responsibility to contact the instructor if he or she plans to miss class. The student is responsible for all materials and information given during the class time, so please get telephone numbers for three (3) classmates in case you are late or absent. You will not be able to make up in-class assignments when you miss class.
Requirements for homework assignments:
Not late papers are accepted unless arranged in advance. Any papers below a C grade are an automatic revision or rewrite. Essays range between 2-5 pages, 500-1550 words. The cyber-assignments are generally shorter (250 words), as are freewrites.
Choose topics which give you enough to write about. We will use documentation to substantiate all of our claims. With this in mind, I expect all papers to utilize at least two (2) different outside print sources, in addition to the occasional interview, and broadcast news, that is, radio or television, Internet also.
You will learn to document sources; we will practice citing sources in text, using footnotes and end notes, and writing bibliographies and notes pages. Remember save all your work! This is a portfolio course.
All essay assignments you receive comments and 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 Writing Center visit (see below), especially if said student is unclear over what steps to take.
Library Sessions: TBA in February. We will meet in the library instead of the classroom.
Reading great authors and writers helps you develop your style. It’s similar to eating a balanced meal for optimum health. A writer is only as intellectually healthy as the material he or she reads. Models are often a great way to practice a style of writing. I will occasionally make copies of articles from magazines and textbooks I think illustrate a particular style of writing I’d like you to practice, or perhaps an argument which have peaked my interest. If you find an argument, either a visual one or a written one you’d like to share please do so.
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 and send to me. This is the same assignment mentioned in the letter. The due date is January 31, 2011, by 12 noon.
Email it to me at coasabirenglish1A@gmail.com by Do not forget to include the assignment in the subject line along with student name, course and time.
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? This is an expansion of what is in the letter and is due tonight, Monday, January 24 with your response to my letter. If you want to combine everything at one time, that’s fine. The syllabus response is a cyber-assignment due on the blog. Don’t email it to me. I will look for it there: http://professorwandasposse.blogspot.com Click comment and post your response to the syllabus there. Chose anonymous and type your name in the post. Don’t forget to identify what class and what time. Also date the post.
Grading:
Half the Sky: 10 percent
SPHE: 10 percent
Student Book—presentation and essay: 15 percent
Midterm—On Friendship: 15 percent
Research Essay & presentation: 20 percent
Portfolio: 15 percent
Cyber-Assignments: 15 percent
The cyber-essays and comments on student work are practice essays and count as participation. I changed the calculation this semester to force students to participate in our on-line discussions. This portion of your grade is 15 percent. Presentations accompany the major essays, but we have other presentations as well connected to the cyber-assignments. 35 percent is attached to two paper presentations: research and independent study. The portfolio, which is a collection of your major work this semester, is another hefty chunk. Save all your graded assignments for inclusion.
Plan to visit the Writing Center (L-234 (510) 748-2132) weekly. Have a teacher evaluate your essays for form and content; the aim is lucid, precise, and clear prose.
The Writing Center
The Writing Lab is a great place to get one-on-on assistance on your essays, from brainstorming and planning the essays, to critique on the essay for clarity, organization, clearly stated thesis, evidence of support, logical conclusions, and grammatical problems for referrals to other ancillary materials to build strong writing muscles such as SkillsBank, The Bedford Handbook on-line, Diana Hacker’s Rules for Writers on-line, Townsend Press, and other such computer and cyber-based resources. The Lab is open M-Th 8-7, Fridays, 8-2. There is an Open Lab for checking e-mail, a Math Lab, an Accounting Lab and there will be an ESL Lab. All academic labs are located in the Learning Resource Center (LRC) second floor. Check the times.
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. There is also a Cyber Café in the F-Building on the second floor in the cafeteria area. Students need to enroll in a free class to use the academic labs. See the staff in the tutoring center or your counselor.
Revisions
Have a tutor or teacher sign off on your essays before you turn them in; if you have an “R,” which means revision necessary for a grade or “NC” which means “no credit.” Return both the graded original and the revision (with signature) to me. Revise does not mean “rewrite,” it means to “see again.” Also include a short narrative stating what you did to improve the essay.
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 minute session in the Lab. I will give students a handout designating five (5) areas s/he might want to have the tutor or teacher look at. 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. You can also come see me during my office hours. I am here everyday except Friday.
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.
Pedagogy or Waxing Philosophical
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.
Evaluation—Getting that “A”
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 a student 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 summer session in meeting your goals. I like to post essays on the academic blog as examples for other students. I will be asking students from time to time to submit copies for posting. The blog is cumulative, so you can read essays from Spring 2006 to now. I have posted the Spring 2011 welcome letter on the syllabus, a copy you have as well. The address is http://professorwandasposse.blogspot.com/
Office Hours
I’d like to wish everyone good luck. I’d like to wish everyone good luck. I am available on Monday and Wednesday morning 10:30-12 noon, Thursday 1-3 PM and by appointment MW after 3 PM. Let me know the day before, if possible, when you’d like to meet with me. Ask me for my cell phone number. I do not mind sharing it with you. My email address again is: coasabirenglish1A@gmail.com
I don’t check my e-mail 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, if possible, 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 (see Hacker: The Writing Process; Document Design.)
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.
Homework
If you do not identify the assignment, I cannot grade it. If you do not return the original assignment you revised, I cannot compare what changed. If you accidentally toss out or loose the original assignment, you get a zero on the assignment to be revised. I will not look at revisions without the original attached - no exceptions.
All assignments completed away from class should be typed. Use blue or black ink when writing responses in class. You can annotate your books in pencil.
Textbooks Recap:
Kristof, Nicholas D., and Sheryl WuDunn. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009.
Pollitt, Gary. Craig Baker. Stewart Pidd Hates English: Grammar, Punctuation, and Writing Exercises. First or Second Edition. California: Attack the Text Publishing, 2008/9. ISBN: 13: 978-0-9755923-4-2
Students need to choose a book by a woman author or about a woman, who lives here in the San Francisco Bay Area. Biographies and autobiographies are great. If you want to read a novel, let me see it first. Students will have a paper and a presentation based on the book. Choose one now and when we finish Half the Sky you can start reading it. The presentation and paper will be due in April.
Hacker, Diana. Rules for Writers. Fourth or Fifth edition. Bedford/St. Martins.
(required for those students who have completed SPHE)
Students also need a dictionary. I recommend: The American Heritage Dictionary. Fourth Edition.
A Grammar Style Book if you have completed Stewart Pidd Hates English, Rules for Writers. Fifth or Sixth Edition. Diana Hacker, is recommended. You can visit my office and see others you might like better.
Other Texts
I’ll have the bookstore get copies of The Pact by Drs. Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt with Lisa Frazier Page, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, and Sula by Toni Morrison, after we do a count and see who might want to read these selections. All the books are in the public library, perhaps even Peralta sister colleges, if not COA, Laney, Berkeley City or Merritt. If money is an issue, use the public and institutional lending libraries for the books. Do not wait to the last minute to get the books. Several copies of Pidd are on reserve at the College of Alameda library. The book doesn’t circulate but there are about five copies on reserve.
Students need to choose a book by a woman author or about a woman, who lives here in the San Francisco Bay Area. Biographies and autobiographies are great. If you want to read a novel, let me see it first. Students will have a paper and a presentation based on the book. Choose one now and when we finish Half the Sky you can start reading it. The presentation and paper will be due in April.
I will give students more detailed essay assignments for each of the four essays: Half the Sky, Friendship or midterm, student selection, social entrepreneur.
Also stay abreast of the news. Buy a daily paper. Listen to alternative radio: KPFA 94.1 FM, KQED 88.5, KALW 91.7. Visit news websites: AllAfrica.com, Al Jazeera, CNN.com, AlterNet.org, DemocracyNow.org, FlashPoint.org, CBS 60Minutes on-line.
English 1A, Spring 2011
Professor Wanda Sabir
Course codes: 20218, 20219
Class Meetings: Jan. 24—May 18, 8-9 & 9-10, MTWTh
Location: Rooms D-206, D-205
Drop dates: February 5, Full-Term Credit Classes and Receive a Refund. Note: Short-term and open-entry classes must be dropped within three days of the first class meeting to receive a refund, February 24, Full-Term Credit Classes Without “W” Appearing on Transcript; April 25 (w/W) and no refund.
Holidays: Feb. 18-21; April 21-22, May 19, May 30; Spring Break: April 18-21;
Final Exam Week: May 21-27. Last day of semester May 27. Grades due June 3. Class blog: http://professorwandasposse.blogspot.com/
Each One, Pull One (Thinking of Lorraine Hansberry)
. . . We must say it all, as clearly
as we can. For, even before we are dead,
they are busy
trying to bury us.
—Alice Walker
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. Keep your receipt and notice the dates, so you can get a full refund if you cut your losses and drop by Feb. 5/24 (no refund, no W), or Apr. 25 with a W :-) So my joke wasn’t funny? 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. Don’t let the numbers scare you. We’ll probably write more. 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.
This semester we will look at women and girls and the inequities which make their lives more difficult just because of the gender biases present in most of the developed and underdeveloped world.
No, you didn’t accidentally end up in a public policy or cultural anthropology class; however, I found the arguments presented in Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, compelling and thought provoking.
We will write an essay based on the themes from this book. The other book is Stewart Pidd Hates English. Suffice it to say, either you hate the book or love it. I have grown to appreciate the lessons Stewart imparts via his writing, which always needs revising. He is a great case study in post-secondary composition—
All writing is research writing so students will not write one long essay, rather four shorter essays: Half the Sky, the midterm based on a book on friendship: The Pact, Sula, or The Kite Runner, the third an essay based on the book you chose written by a woman or about a woman, and the fourth is on a social entrepreneur. You meet many examples of SE in Half the Sky. I will introduce you to others in the program, The New Heroes and also in on-line programs from Frontline World, and in films shown in class like To Educate a Girl.
If you have a grammar style book, you can carry it once we complete SPHE, until then you don’t need it. I am not going to ask students to purchase one this semester unless you have already completed, SPHE, then my preferred recommendation is: Diana Hacker’s Rules for Writers, (St. Martin’s Press). Students 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, a stapler and a travel drive for saving one’s work.
We’ll read the Lysistrata in March and celebrate love in February. We will also contemplate the cost of war in March as well as celebrate International Women’s Day and Earth Day.
We will keep a reading log for Half the Sky. Discussion groups will meet each week. This reading log or journal will be where students jot down key ideas and outlined responses 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.
Research Project
Each student will locate a social entrepreneur to profile in an essay. The person has to be alive, preferably living in Northern California and has been working in their field for over 5 years and have documented resources you can draw from: books, essays, articles, films.
The paper will be about 4- 5 pages. This will include a works cited page and bibliography. Students will make 5-10 minute presentations of these papers in May. The paper will be due about two-three weeks prior to the presentation. We’ll discuss this task further later on. Start thinking of whom you might want to profile now. Hint: define social entrepreneur first.
As already stated, the midterm will be based on the book on friendship. We will have reading circles based on selections and perhaps have presentations as well as essay responses to the novels/memoir.
I am big on presentations.
New Heroes
Visit PBS.org The New Heroes, to read about social entrepreneurs. (I’ll show you a few episodes from the series.) 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 chose an entrepreneur who lives in Northern California, someone you’d like to interview and perhaps meet. There is also a series on PBS called Frontline World with many SE profiled.
Academic Blog
In this course, students will submit essays and other written work on-line. The academic blog is an opportunity for students to utilize multiple intelligences as they engage one another in a variety modalities.
The site is: http://www.professorwandasposse.blogspot.com
Student Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course students will have an altered or heightened awareness of the world around them, especially discourse: speech and text. Students will see that everything is an argument, whether that is a cartoon, advertisement, or lyrics in a song. Students will be able to analyze and critique each incident or contact to evaluate its author’s purpose, audience, and evidence to determine whether or not such goal was met and if appropriate, act accordingly.
This course is intended to be both a group learning experience as well as an individually rewarding one. Mid-semester we will schedule conferences so students can confer with the instructor to evaluate his or her progress in the course. Classroom instruction will consist of lectures, small group work, and students working in pairs. This is an effective way for students to exchange ideas with classmates, compare reactions to readings and practice giving and receiving constructive feedback on class work.
Preparation for class, regular attendance and active participation is imperative for those students who wish to succeed in this course.
It is a student’s responsibility to contact the instructor if he or she plans to miss class. The student is responsible for all materials and information given during the class time, so please get telephone numbers for three (3) classmates in case you are late or absent. You will not be able to make up in-class assignments when you miss class.
Requirements for homework assignments:
Not late papers are accepted unless arranged in advance. Any papers below a C grade are an automatic revision or rewrite. Essays range between 2-5 pages, 500-1550 words. The cyber-assignments are generally shorter (250 words), as are freewrites.
Choose topics which give you enough to write about. We will use documentation to substantiate all of our claims. With this in mind, I expect all papers to utilize at least two (2) different outside print sources, in addition to the occasional interview, and broadcast news, that is, radio or television, Internet also.
You will learn to document sources; we will practice citing sources in text, using footnotes and end notes, and writing bibliographies and notes pages. Remember save all your work! This is a portfolio course.
All essay assignments you receive comments and 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 Writing Center visit (see below), especially if said student is unclear over what steps to take.
Library Sessions: TBA in February. We will meet in the library instead of the classroom.
Reading great authors and writers helps you develop your style. It’s similar to eating a balanced meal for optimum health. A writer is only as intellectually healthy as the material he or she reads. Models are often a great way to practice a style of writing. I will occasionally make copies of articles from magazines and textbooks I think illustrate a particular style of writing I’d like you to practice, or perhaps an argument which have peaked my interest. If you find an argument, either a visual one or a written one you’d like to share please do so.
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 and send to me. This is the same assignment mentioned in the letter. The due date is January 31, 2011, by 12 noon.
Email it to me at coasabirenglish1A@gmail.com by Do not forget to include the assignment in the subject line along with student name, course and time.
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? This is an expansion of what is in the letter and is due tonight, Monday, January 24 with your response to my letter. If you want to combine everything at one time, that’s fine. The syllabus response is a cyber-assignment due on the blog. Don’t email it to me. I will look for it there: http://professorwandasposse.blogspot.com Click comment and post your response to the syllabus there. Chose anonymous and type your name in the post. Don’t forget to identify what class and what time. Also date the post.
Grading:
Half the Sky: 10 percent
SPHE: 10 percent
Student Book—presentation and essay: 15 percent
Midterm—On Friendship: 15 percent
Research Essay & presentation: 20 percent
Portfolio: 15 percent
Cyber-Assignments: 15 percent
The cyber-essays and comments on student work are practice essays and count as participation. I changed the calculation this semester to force students to participate in our on-line discussions. This portion of your grade is 15 percent. Presentations accompany the major essays, but we have other presentations as well connected to the cyber-assignments. 35 percent is attached to two paper presentations: research and independent study. The portfolio, which is a collection of your major work this semester, is another hefty chunk. Save all your graded assignments for inclusion.
Plan to visit the Writing Center (L-234 (510) 748-2132) weekly. Have a teacher evaluate your essays for form and content; the aim is lucid, precise, and clear prose.
The Writing Center
The Writing Lab is a great place to get one-on-on assistance on your essays, from brainstorming and planning the essays, to critique on the essay for clarity, organization, clearly stated thesis, evidence of support, logical conclusions, and grammatical problems for referrals to other ancillary materials to build strong writing muscles such as SkillsBank, The Bedford Handbook on-line, Diana Hacker’s Rules for Writers on-line, Townsend Press, and other such computer and cyber-based resources. The Lab is open M-Th 8-7, Fridays, 8-2. There is an Open Lab for checking e-mail, a Math Lab, an Accounting Lab and there will be an ESL Lab. All academic labs are located in the Learning Resource Center (LRC) second floor. Check the times.
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. There is also a Cyber Café in the F-Building on the second floor in the cafeteria area. Students need to enroll in a free class to use the academic labs. See the staff in the tutoring center or your counselor.
Revisions
Have a tutor or teacher sign off on your essays before you turn them in; if you have an “R,” which means revision necessary for a grade or “NC” which means “no credit.” Return both the graded original and the revision (with signature) to me. Revise does not mean “rewrite,” it means to “see again.” Also include a short narrative stating what you did to improve the essay.
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 minute session in the Lab. I will give students a handout designating five (5) areas s/he might want to have the tutor or teacher look at. 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. You can also come see me during my office hours. I am here everyday except Friday.
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.
Pedagogy or Waxing Philosophical
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.
Evaluation—Getting that “A”
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 a student 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 summer session in meeting your goals. I like to post essays on the academic blog as examples for other students. I will be asking students from time to time to submit copies for posting. The blog is cumulative, so you can read essays from Spring 2006 to now. I have posted the Spring 2011 welcome letter on the syllabus, a copy you have as well. The address is http://professorwandasposse.blogspot.com/
Office Hours
I’d like to wish everyone good luck. I’d like to wish everyone good luck. I am available on Monday and Wednesday morning 10:30-12 noon, Thursday 1-3 PM and by appointment MW after 3 PM. Let me know the day before, if possible, when you’d like to meet with me. Ask me for my cell phone number. I do not mind sharing it with you. My email address again is: coasabirenglish1A@gmail.com
I don’t check my e-mail 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, if possible, 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 (see Hacker: The Writing Process; Document Design.)
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.
Homework
If you do not identify the assignment, I cannot grade it. If you do not return the original assignment you revised, I cannot compare what changed. If you accidentally toss out or loose the original assignment, you get a zero on the assignment to be revised. I will not look at revisions without the original attached - no exceptions.
All assignments completed away from class should be typed. Use blue or black ink when writing responses in class. You can annotate your books in pencil.
Textbooks Recap:
Kristof, Nicholas D., and Sheryl WuDunn. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009.
Pollitt, Gary. Craig Baker. Stewart Pidd Hates English: Grammar, Punctuation, and Writing Exercises. First or Second Edition. California: Attack the Text Publishing, 2008/9. ISBN: 13: 978-0-9755923-4-2
Students need to choose a book by a woman author or about a woman, who lives here in the San Francisco Bay Area. Biographies and autobiographies are great. If you want to read a novel, let me see it first. Students will have a paper and a presentation based on the book. Choose one now and when we finish Half the Sky you can start reading it. The presentation and paper will be due in April.
Hacker, Diana. Rules for Writers. Fourth or Fifth edition. Bedford/St. Martins.
(required for those students who have completed SPHE)
Students also need a dictionary. I recommend: The American Heritage Dictionary. Fourth Edition.
A Grammar Style Book if you have completed Stewart Pidd Hates English, Rules for Writers. Fifth or Sixth Edition. Diana Hacker, is recommended. You can visit my office and see others you might like better.
Other Texts
I’ll have the bookstore get copies of The Pact by Drs. Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt with Lisa Frazier Page, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, and Sula by Toni Morrison, after we do a count and see who might want to read these selections. All the books are in the public library, perhaps even Peralta sister colleges, if not COA, Laney, Berkeley City or Merritt. If money is an issue, use the public and institutional lending libraries for the books. Do not wait to the last minute to get the books. Several copies of Pidd are on reserve at the College of Alameda library. The book doesn’t circulate but there are about five copies on reserve.
Students need to choose a book by a woman author or about a woman, who lives here in the San Francisco Bay Area. Biographies and autobiographies are great. If you want to read a novel, let me see it first. Students will have a paper and a presentation based on the book. Choose one now and when we finish Half the Sky you can start reading it. The presentation and paper will be due in April.
I will give students more detailed essay assignments for each of the four essays: Half the Sky, Friendship or midterm, student selection, social entrepreneur.
Also stay abreast of the news. Buy a daily paper. Listen to alternative radio: KPFA 94.1 FM, KQED 88.5, KALW 91.7. Visit news websites: AllAfrica.com, Al Jazeera, CNN.com, AlterNet.org, DemocracyNow.org, FlashPoint.org, CBS 60Minutes on-line.
posted by Professor Wanda's Posse at 6:47 PM
51 Comments:
This was posted by: Stacey Kidder, English 1A 9-9:50am
Date: 1/24/11
As for strengths that I'll bring to the class, I have always been fairly good at writing, reading, and critical thinking. I originally majored in Writing/Literature when I first began college at CCA (California College of the Arts), so I definitely feel confident in the subject of English. I love to read and hear other's writing and ideas, so listening is also a skill/strength that I'll bring to the table. I would like to leave this class with a more broadened interpretation of the world's views on women. I think it's especially important to me, being as I am a young woman, myself, to get a better understanding of what other people think of women, how it affects everyone, men and women, alike, etc. Although I'm a bit peeved that, despite having already passed this class, i.e. English 1, at CCA, which "was not transferable" to COA, I'm hoping that the experience will be new and I'll walk away with an even better understanding of myself, my writing style, and some new authors/topics.
Cody Henneman
Wanda Sabir
English 1A 8:00AM-8:50AM
January 24, 2010
I am a fairly competent writer and I have confidence in my writing. In high school, I took AP European, AP US History, and AP English (two of which exams I passed) and received a tedious amount of analytical writing assignments and very repetitive writing exercises. I can write under a timer, I am used to the stress and pressure.
However, one thing that I wish to improve in is the flow of my writing. That is usually my number one goal in taking an English class because of the fact that I think that it is the largest flaw in my writing, according to me.
I think the only thing that you may do to help me with this flaw that I have is, when reading my papers, to pay attention to my flow and comment on when things get choppy. That is the only way that I can think of that may help me in my writing flow. Also, I appreciate comments on my papers, so please, if you are the type of teacher who leaves comments on papers, do not hold back.
As for disabilities, I do not have any physical or mental limiters.
This was posted by: Audrey Topacio, English 1A 8-8:50 am
Date: 1/24/2011
I think one of the strengths that I have that I can bring to the class is my eagerness to learn. Once, I get into that zone of learning I usually don’t quit. When the class will finally come to its end, I would like to take with me a honed skill in writing. I am not a swell writer, believe you me, but I am determined to make better in that area whilst in the class. As for any valid disabilities, there is nothing that I know of, really. I do have siblings that I take care of, but I don’t think it will be much of a problem. The only ‘disability’ that I think I have, and I don’t think it is even a valid one, is that I am sort of a perfectionist in terms of writing. I don’t know if perfectionist is the word to use, but it’s just when I write and there is this word that I want to use and I can’t remember what it is, I get stuck and can’t move forward. My train of thought stops there until I find what it is that is missing. It’s something that I need to work on, that is all.
Vanessa Dilworth
Professor Sabir
English 1A
25 January 2011
Syllabus Response
The syllabus was very informant and easy to understand. The theme of this class is
womens equality andfriendship. I think that readin Half the Sky and The Pact will be very
stimulating and intersting. I’m also glad we are going to be working in Steward Pidd Hates
English, it is a silly book text but very helpful in teerms of learning grammar and punctuation.
This semester I look forward to learning new things and developing my skills as a writer.
Vanessa Dilworth
Professor Sabir
English 1A 9-9:50am
25 January 2011
Syllabus Response
The syllabus was very informant and easy to understand. The theme of this class is
womens equality andfriendship. I think that readin Half the Sky and The Pact will be very
stimulating and intersting. I’m also glad we are going to be working in Steward Pidd Hates
English, it is a silly book text but very helpful in teerms of learning grammar and punctuation.
This semester I look forward to learning new things and developing my skills as a writer.
This was posted by: Summer Hurst, English 1A 9-9:50am
Date: 1/25/11
Sorry for the late reply, i had trouble figuring out what to do.
Syllabus Response:
It was confusing at first, it took me a couple times to understand what this class is really about. I didn't know this course was transferable, thats a useful thing to know. Last semester,I took English 201,which was very helpful,I enjoy writing so i want to do good in this course because i want to improve my writing skills.
Re-submitted by: Audrey Topacio
English 1A 8-8:50am
January 25, 2010
I did the assignment incorrectly and I am back again on your blog to, hopefully, do it right this time.
Syllabus Response:
A Note to the Reader: Please pardon the informality.
You, madame, being my teacher is quite the reason why I am afraid to give all honesty about this syllabus-- not the rules and regulations or how you want to run the class. Just the syllabus.
But complaining to myself would not be the best way to solve something that bothers me. SO here is what I think of the syllabus...
...English professors (or liberal arts major and those who fall into this category) are well-known for being elaborate about certain things, ideas and etc. I don't mind it if getting straight to the point is not crucial. But this syllabus, I feel is a bit missing organization on pointing out what the assignment should be. It's all over the place and it gets confusing. I really hope that in the near future, if you could please, place them in one section just like you did to the rest of the topics on here. I'm sorry if I sound a bit spoon-fed, it's just homework assignments are crucial to pass the class and looking for every single bit of it is just too much. It gets confusing. We get lost (at least I did) and jumble up what You Really Want Us to Do for our Homework.
The most recent post you did for our homework tonight is more clear. Thank You.
Sherri Short
English 1A
9-9:50 am
I was a little confused as to what the homework assignment was after class on Monday, but think I have it figured out now- that is the reason it is late. I also emailed some of the same information to you that was requested on the syllabus.
My strengths that I bring to the class are that I have a love of both reading and writing. I would like to leave this class with better essay writing skills as well as a broader vocabulary. I am open to all suggestions and feel that your course plan will certainly cause this to happen. I don't know what letter you were referencing in the syllabus, so please let me know if I've overlooked something vital to the homework assignment.
Thank you and I look forward to this semester in your class.
Julie Phoukeo
English 1A
8-8:50
January 25, 2011
Syllabus Response
The syllabus was a lot of information to know and easy to understand. There was some confusing even though I read it coupling times but I eventually got it down. We will be doing class discussions, taking notes and peer review on the essay. For this semester, we will focus more on women affecting their lives and the differences one make to changes the society. For example, our first book to read is called Half the sky which I am looking forward to reading it. I’m exciting for the upcoming work and book that the class will be reading and writing about. Second, a book about friendship for example The Pact about three best friends that promises to make a pact to become successful in their life. Third, the book would be your choice by a woman author, who lives around the bay area which there will be an essay and presentation based on the book which is due in April. Fourth, a paper on any social entrepreneur of your choice that makes a huge impact.
Dereje Bizuneh
English 1A
9:00-9:50 AM
As I mentioned it yesterday, I was away from school for a while for personal reasons and I dropped out twice this class due to my work schedule. This time, I decided to finish this class and transfer to the next level if God's will. Since English is my second language, I will work hard to improve my writing and reading skill along with the support of my professor. I saw my improvement from the previous classes while I was taking 201A and 201B three or four years ago. I'm looking forward to gain a better knowledge.
Taye Washington
English1A
9-9:50a
Hmmmmmmmm.....the syllabus was a detailed, resourceful, down-to-earth and extensive writing piece.
The writing style of the syllabus was very comfortable and down-to-earth. It included encouraging and supportive comments outlining the steps to success in this class.
My favorite part of the syllabus was the helpful information and resources given. It is very rare that you find professors that tell you where and how to get help to help ensure success. The fact that you took the time to include such pertinent information showed me that you genuinely care about your students and their success rate opposed to just waiting on a paycheck.
I am excited to see what lies ahead and to dive head first into the learning of friendships, women and faith.
This was posted by: Stacey Kidder, English 1A 9-9:50am
Date: 1/26/11
Response to Syllabus:
As for the syllabus, I feel like I understood most things, however, there were a couple of issues that I had with it. One thing that confused me at first was the mention of the letter. I really didn't know what the letter was at all until I just guessed, and of course I was correct, but at the same time, I feel there should have been a bit more clarity, especially since this was a homework assignment. There were also a couple of times when certain things were repeated in the syllabus that I felt were unnecessary, such as the assignment we will do on a book about or by a woman, preferably nonfiction, etc. I think that the syllabus, overall may have been organized a little better, thus leaving me with a better understanding, but for the most part, I got everything.
Posted by Kaijie Zhang
English 1A 9:00-9:50am
01/26/2011
Syllabus response:
The syllabus gave us a lot of important information and I can imagine that I will get good experience with you. You gave me a lot of suggestions from your syllabus about how to do well on this course. For me, I am international student from China, and I want to improve my English writing and reading skills as a real American. I found that we will be doing writing exercises and read books which we will focus more on women and friendship from the books " Half The Sky" and " The Pact". Those books can show me about other people's ideas of women and I will be doing good understanding about feminism. I am hoping that I can improve my writing style and learn from some good authors' ideas and writing skills.
My goal for this course:
1. I want to improve my writing style/skills.
2. I want to learn from my grammar errors to develop my writing.
3. I want to improve my understanding about feminism.
4. I hope that I can get a good grade.
5. I knew that you are a big on presentation, so I hope I am gonna to do well on my presentation and getting confident about it.
Adalie Villalobos
Professor Sabir
English 1A
27 January 2010
Response to the Syllabus
The syllabus is very informative. I am able to understand what is going to be taught in the class and how many assignments we will have. It helps that I took your class last sememster because I know what assignments to expect and I will be better prepared for your class.
Jacob Wise
English 1A
8am
1) Use punctuation more effectively.
2) Write any style of essay effectively.
3) Develop some creative writing skill.
4) Become more gramatically correct
5) Study Harder
P.S.
I included my response to the questions in your syllabus with the response to the letter.
Berta Garcia
Professor Sabir
English 1A
26 January 2011
8:00-8:50
I think the syllabus was a bit long winded. I would've preferred it to be more direct with the writing assignments and reading assignments. Although I had to read it twice to fully understand everything that would be done in class I eventually read through it and understood it just fine. I think all the cyber things are a bit indirect and we are hidden behind a computer.(Although in a way it is good because I would normally not "talk" this much). I can't wait to start reading! =)
Shameiko Porter
Professor Sabir
English 1A 8:00-8:50
January 27th 2011
Response to the Syllabus
The syllabus gave me very important information about what we will cover this semester and the book we will need, it helped me know ahead of time so that i wouldnt be surprised. The personal stories you told made me feel closer to you & know you as more than just my English teacher. I hope to gain alot out of this class academically & personally.
Theodore Lionberger
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 1A 8-8:50
1/27/11
I am taking English 1A for GE requirements with the intent to study for a BS in cognitive neuroscience at UC Merced.
I have always had a shine with English and writing as well, though my past experiences with English 1A have been rocky; teachers have not approved of my emphasis on ideas over form.
My goals for this semester are as follows:
1. Finish my GE for transfer to UC Merced.
2. Master the format of critical and professional writing.
3. Reduce the bias in my voice and learn to write impartially.
4. Continually adjusting my own lifestyle to maximize my learning potential.
5. To get all A's.
Cody Henneman
Professor Sabir
English 1A 8:00AM-8:50AM
27 January 2011
Syllabus Response
Sorry for the incorrect response before. I've never had a blog homework before so forgive me for posting things in the wrong place.
The part of the syllabus that had the Student Learning Objective, or SLO. I really like how it involves more than just english class but rather has some points that increase out intellect as human beings rather than just an academic.
Also I am delighted to see our reading list. I have heard of the books that were listed and really would have liked to read them only they did not fall very high on my reading list. But now that it is on this syllabus, I can now make some of these books a priority sooner than I would have ever expected.
The only thing that I didn't like about the syllabus was that it was a little difficult to follow because of the fact that things seem jumbled to me in a way. mos Syllabi that I see usually have charts and graphs about thatr class which help me pin point information, rather than just a bunch of writing.
Carolina Ramirez
Professor Sabir
English 1A
27 January 2011
8:00- 8:50
In my opinion the syllabus was repetitive and confusing. A syllabus shouldnt be so hard to digest, I think it would have been better if it just gave a brief description of the class and the assignments. I noticed that the theme for this class is women's rights, Iam all for women's rights but I don't think that a literature class should be all about women's rights unless its's a women's literature class. I really don't enjoy the fact that we have to blog everything, because all conversation is being lost. Why can't we just have class disscusions, isn't open conversation the whole point of English? I do like the fact that we will be reading books by Toni Morrison, one of my favorite authors, i read Song of Solomon and I couldn't stop reading it until I finished it. Iam looking forward to reading more toni Morrison, and making the most out of this class
Mary Watson
English 1A
9:00 A.M.
Response to Syllabus
I was not exactly sure what was required of me in this response to the syllabus, but I would rather be wrong then not turn a response in at all. :D So, I did get a little confused about what all was required, what books I need to purchase, and whether or not I will be able to keep up intellectually with you. :D But I know I love a challenge and will try my hardest. I also had no idea of where to start a search for the book by or about a women and may need your help. The layout of the syllabus was very different from what I have seen, but this is only my second semester so that is not very surprising. It was in paragraph form kind of like a story. I think I place too much pressure on myself and am trying to read to deep at the same time that may be the cause of my confusion. Any who, I am going to give my best in this course. :D Thank you for having me.
Ryan Reyes
Professor Sabir
English 1a
9:00-9:50am
I am taking this class as a requirement but I guess you can say it's a hate/love thing when it comes to writing. This would be my first experience with these type of blog responses and at first I got a little confused but I think I'm starting to get the hang of it.
1. For this semester my number one goal is to get good grades in all my classes of course.
2. I hope to be more organized and reliable when it comes to my work.
3. I hope to find a decent job maybe by the next month or so.
4. I want to maintain a successful routine to keep me productive and healthy mentally and physically.
5. I hope to keep consistent with my performance in these classes as well as homework and upcoming projects.
Eleanore Johnston
English 1A
9:00Am
The syllabus is very long. I found it a bit confusing. I'm not quite sure what books we need. I wish that they were all written in a list. Other than that the syllabus was very informative. My goals for this course are as follows...
1. Get a passing grade
2. Improve my writing skills
3. Improve my reading skills
4. Make new friends
5. Have fun!!
Teepian Yu
English 1A
90-9:50
My name is Teepian Yu and I am 21 years old. I am a Filipino American student that loves to spend time with friends and family more than anything. I love watching food related television shows and listening to different genres of music. From my previous English class history, I can say that I am a good writer. I enjoy writing more so than reading. I find it very easy for me to get my thoughts into writing. I know how to cooperate with people and rarely have problems getting along with different personalities. From this class, I would like to take away a better grasp of the writing process. I hope to further improve my writing skills through the progress of this class. I don’t have any special request of anything to help me achieve my goals. I feel very comfortable doing things the way that you do them. I know how to adapt to different teachers methods and am very flexible. I know that I will be able to succeed as long as I work hard.
Thailea Boykin
Professor Sabir
English 1A 9-9:50am
26 January 2011
As far as the syllabus goes, it is quite long reminds me of Rubin. I liked the personalization to the whole things, i felt as if you were very friendly. When you put (smile) that is something that I do in some of my writings as well. I defiantly don't feel that you are undereducated and arent a good teacher, seams to me that you know your craft. This semester will be a whole lot of learning to come and not only essay/grammar, but more character building will take place. Well at least, thats what I get from being in class for the past 2.5 days.
Thanks&Be Blessed
Professor Sabir
English 1a
9:00-9:50am
The Syllabuas is long. I usually expect to see more numbers and bullet point style notes in syllabus' instead of the paragraphs in this one. Although it is long the length and format of this syllabus is appropriate. An english class should have a syllabus in paragraph form. i have to keep reading it over because of the unusual format but hey that way i get the information stucknin my head more. Thank you.
-Cecilia Lopez
Tony San Nicolas
Professor Sabir
English 1A 9-9:50a
27 January 2011
Syllabus Response
I appreciated the length, detail as well as humor in your syllabus. I was able to understand clearly your expectations for the class. I believe that if you are willing to learn, be taught, you would receive an education, as opposed to simply learning a formula. I am looking forward to enhancing my mind as well as my writing skill, and I feel that I will be able to do that in this class.
I believe that because of the kind of society that we find ourselves in today, the word “challenge” resonates well with me as well as my peers. It gives us an incentive to do well in the class, even if that incentive intangible. I look forward to meeting this challenge head on and doing as well as my abilities will allow. I agree with you that writing is a lonely, yet social process. I used to be associated with the “Slam” community in my days after high school (circa 2000) and I found that the social aspect was the most cathartic. I used slam and poetry in general as a therapy, a sort of naïve way of dealing with breaking up with a girl for instance. It was all pretty contrived when I think about it, but those experiences have helped to shape the kind of writer that I am today.
Another aspect of the class that I am looking forward to is reading the books listed in your syllabus. I have heard of at least two of them as they come recommended from my friends; Half the Sky, and The Kite Runner. I also think that the Kite Runner is on Oprah’s book club? Maybe not.
I am also looking forward to using the resources that we have available at College of Alameda. Not many people use the resources that surround us, resources that we actually pay for in part through our tuition. I am pleased to see that you encourage us to use the staff here at CoA to enhance our writing skill as well as indulge in the community aspect of the writing process. Thank you for all that you will do this semester to help me and my peers become better writers, readers and thus better humans.
Michael Rowe
English 1A 9-950
01/27/11
I appreciate the level of energy expressed in your syllabus. Some strengths that I bring to the class are an analytical mind and well organized writing. I hope to receive constructive feedback from my peers and professor to help me improve the flow of my writing.
I have no disabilities or children, but I am leaned on heavily at work and may need to miss the occasional class meeting. Also, family is very important to me and I rarely deny them help if they need me, regardless of the time.
Goals: 1)Pass this class!
2)Improve my flow.
Cecilia
Professor Sabir
English 1a
9:00-9:50am
1/27/11
The Syllabuas is long. I usually expect to see more numbers and bullet point style notes in syllabus' instead of the paragraphs in this one. Although it is long the length and format of this syllabus is appropriate. An english class should have a syllabus in paragraph form. i have to keep reading it over because of the unusual format but hey that way i get the information stucknin my head more. Thank you.
The strengnths that i bring to the class are my ability to listen attentively, speak comfortably, and actually enjoy reading non-fiction. Something you need to know is that i work 6 days a week, atleast 35 hours a week. I have to pee alot because of previous health problems so i might have to run out the room to pee. Also i have a habit of rubbing ears. it relaxes me and makes me think better.
p.s im a audio learner. and please delete the post from 9:36am, that was a mistake.
Truong Lieu
Professor Sabir
English 1A
09:00-09:50
Syllabus Response:
I'm internationl student and this is my first time register regular class for transfer in College of Alameda, everything is starting hard to me from now on, I very suprise when I received the syllabus 5 pages with 2 side full, but this syllabus very easy to understand. My goal is improve and learn more skill writing and write a perfect essay, it will help me a lot in another class and find a job in the furture. I will try the best to get a good grade and pass this class for transfer.
Adrieanna Williams
English 1A/8-8:50
Professor Sabir
Syllabus Response
I thought your syllabus clearly states what we are going to be lerning and writing about this semester. I like the fact that you provided the books we are going to read in advance so we can get a head start if we want to.
My Goals:
1.Getting a good grade
2.Learning from my writing errors
3.Become a better writer
4.Get better at giving presentations
5.Focus on getting my writing done in a timely fashion
Adrieanna Williams
English 1A/8-8:50
Professor Sabir
1/27/11
My strengths are I'm a good listner. I like learning about new places and ideas. I also love to read. I hope to leave your class with a good grade and the confidence that I can wtite a quality college essay.
About Me
My name is Adrieanna Williams I was born and raised in Oakland California. This will be my third year at Alameda and I'm looking foward to transferring in fall 2011. I hope to continue my education by getting a degree in sociology and using my degree to make a differencce somewhere!
Teneya Turner
1/27/11
English 1A M-Thurs.
9-9:50am
Response to Syllabus and letter
First of all let me say I posted part of this on another section and decided to paste it here just in case.
It is so warming to my heart to hear about such a great experience you seem to have had. Learning about other people and their cultures always has peaked my interest. Since becoming a wife and a mother at such a young age, all of my traveling has been so far limited to the states. I do plan on attempting several life goals such as traveling abroad and taking all three of my girls on a trip to Morocco to explore the people as well as the culture.
What are CFA's? I'm sure it's the currency but how/what are they like? I also wondered why you didn't eat red meat?
I did have several questions floating around to ask you about your personal and professional life however somehow you seemed to have answered many if not most of them in your 7 page writing or syllabus for my English 1A class with you. Hopefully we are able to cover the details of as many of your trips as possible. Reading about them in your blogs or hearing about them from you gives me the opportunity to feel like I went to the same place or even visited the location with you.
I'm a 33 year old alameda mother of 3 girls ages 14, 13 and 8. Currently I've been out of high school over 15 years and counting. Since my graduation, I have attended several post-secondary institutions however only completing a certificate program in medical assisting but with a 4.0GPA raising my then 6 month old daughter pregnant with my second daughter. They are almost exactly 1 year apart. Needless to say I like to learn but have had trouble completing what I start and have been pushing myself to finish more and start less projects. I do plan on getting an A in the course which is why I'm up @ this late hour finishing this assignment.
My goals for this semester is
1. Have an A @ the end of the semester.
2. Complete all assignments on time
3. Get tutoring if necessary
4. Read 1 extra book than required for class
5. Find 1 person in each class to exchange information with.
I believe that I bring maturity and responsibility to the class. I would like to leave with a better understanding and appreciation for writing. I will benefit greatly from honest detailed feedback.
Name: Alex Peña
To: Wanda Sabir
Date: January 27, 2011
Class: English 1A 9am
My name is Alex Peña and I’m 19 years old. I have lived in Oakland my whole life, and I graduated from a LPS College Park in the Castlemont High School campus. I know there are many people that move around a lot and change homes but I have been in the same house from the moment I was brought home from the hospital the day I was born. I’m into many things like playing sports, playing videogames, exercising, working on my car, and just going out and exploring the word.
I believe I’m a very committed person and I like to put all my strength and energy to be able to get what I want. Over all when it comes to putting work I know I will give it all I got, but to tell you the truth when it comes to class discussions I really don’t participate as much as I would like to. Sometimes is because I don’t know what to say, other times I’m not really into the topic, and then other times I fell that my thoughts are redundant, and other times I fell shy about participating in class. By taking this class I would like to gain more confidence when talking in class discussions, and hopefully this will take away my shyness when talking in front of a big audience because I know that you are big on presentations. Overall I will put my best foot forward in this class and hopefully it will be enough to earn an “A” in this class.
Jeffrey TO
English 1A,Sring 2011
8-8:50 M-TH
1/27/2011
Syllabus response:
The English 1A syllabus was informative and organized. I notice the theme for this semester will be on girls and women and the unequal treatment they face in the world base on their gender. I like that you have listed all the materials we need for the class and what do you expect from us. This will give me a better understand of what I am going to be prepared for. Your syllabus gave us ideas of what the 4 short essays will be on and giving us time to think about a female from SF area future essay.
I have never turn any homework in online before so, this is the first for me. I just hope I don’t post the wrong homework in the wrong comment or you did not see the comment/post. I think you got me really confused on where to post my homework. I just hope I post it in the right post.
The end of the syllabus was helpful. You mention a lot of places I can use for future reference if I ever need help on homework or need someone to check my essay. It my first year at College of Alameda so everything is new to me.
Zinaida Dzhilavdaryan
Professor Wanda Sabir
English1A
1/27/11
It’s my first time in your class, Professor Sabir. And it was very interesting to read the syllabus along with the letter. I can see that you like to travel, meet new people that you have a lot of friends around the world, and that writing and arts play a big role in your life. To get to know that my teacher is a writer and a journalist, inspire me to be more creative. And I think that I will gain a lot from this class. The best part is that we will celebrate International Woman’s day, Earth day, and study Shakespeare for the Valentine’s Day. I got all the books listed in the syllabus. Friendship and Woman Discrimination are quite interesting and captivating subjects. I saw a movie “The Kite Runner”, and I am glad that I can read a book now. And I have one question, If I want to start reading one of the books now, which one should I start with. Thank you.
Angela M. Vasquez
Professor Sabir
English 1A 8-8:50
1/27/2011
Syllabus response
I found the syllabus to be long and confusing. I would have preferred if it was short and straight to the point. I had to read it twice to make fully understand it. I also found that the homework assignment was not very clear. You mentioned that you are big on presentation and that makes me nervous. I'm a horrible public speaker and getting up in front of people is one of my biggest fears, so it will be interesting to see how I do in that area.
I enjoy reading and I'm a great listener, so those two things would be my strengths. When the class ends I really just want to feel like my overall writing skills have improved. To help me achieve this goal I would really like your feedback on what I could do to improve.
Daniel Roriz
Professor Sabir
English 1A 8-8:50
1/28/11
Syllabus Response
After reading the syllabus this class looks very challenging. I was not a very good writer back in high school and I'm not a very big fan of it but I will work my butt off in this class so I can get better at it. My goal in this class is to improve my writing skills to prepare to transfer to a university. Other than writing, I feel that I'm a strong reader and I know my grammar. I will bring a lot of dedication to this class because I really want to get the hardest class out of the way and to me English is that class.
Marcella Miles
Professor Sabir
English 1A 8-8:50
28 January 2011
Syllabus Response
At first glance, the syllabus seemed more like homework. After actually going over it, I realized it was a lot easier to read than I expected. I do admire your writing style, because it feels like I'm being spoken to. The syllabus is very informative and detailed. I do appreciate that you were thorough about the class, because I would like to know what to expect.I enjoyed your references to other resources(i.e. writing center, websites, grammar books, etc.) because I would like to do more this semester. I liked the requirements for revisions on papers below a C, because it encourages students to maintain high grades. I'm a bit concerned about the themes of the class, because I do appreciate variety. Like other students mentioned, the homework regarding the syllabus was difficult to understand. Hopefully I did it to your liking.
What strengths do you bring to the class?
The best strength I can bring to this class is my love for writing. That alone will probably help me the most in your class. I enjoy writing in my spare time, so I suppose it will be easy for me to enjoy in class.
What skills or knowledge would you like to leave with once the class ends?
In this class, my main goal is to polish my writing skills. I want to learn to adhere to the major writing rules. I also want to get more experience in the MLA format, because I have little knowledge about it.
My Goals This Semester
1. Learn to write in MLA
2. Extend Vocabulary
3. Read More
4. Improve my Writing
5. Learn to Begin a Paper with Ease
Mulugeta Mahray
Professor Sabir
01/25/2010
English 1A 8:00 – 8:50AM
Syllabus response
The syllabus gave me detail information about this course, how I have to scheduled plane to be able to improve my writing skill. I believe that this course will help me improve my writing skills at the end of the course. I don’t read often a fiction but I will do my research aggressively in this semester for my future academic. On the syllabus most mentioned about women social entrepreneurs. It reminds me that the winner of CNN HEROES 2010 Anuradha Koirala. The world understands how important social entrepreneurs are.
My goals are to this semester
1. Stick with my plane on daily base.
2. To improve my writing skill easy and simple to understand by the third person.
3. I want see my writing consistence improving in all techniques aspect.
4. I want to read fictions to learn more how to write correctly.
5. At the end of the course I will evaluate my writing skill from this course on my performance.
Sherri Short
Eng 1A, 9-9:50
(I forgot to list my five goals in my earlier posting)
My five goals this semester in order of importance:
1) To successfully pass this class with an A+.
2) To be a more proficient essay writer.
3) To get more than just a good grade out of this class.
4) Discovering new insights and growing positively from them.
5) To develop stronger reading habits.
My strengths that I bring to the class are that I have a love of both reading and writing. I would like to leave this class with better essay writing skills as well as a broader vocabulary. I am open to all suggestions and feel that your course plan will certainly cause this to happen.
My name is Abraham Diallo. I am a full time student at college for most one year now. I am not great writer but I always try to do my best in my writing.
My goals for this semester
A. I am really looking forward to master English language like never before.
B. I want to make my writing better so that I can be ready for next level of writing class.
C. I want to prove myself that I have I have potential to be great writer one day.
D. I want to understand femism struggles
E. I want to share my past experiences with other students.
Eman Obad
1/30/2011
English 1a 8-850
professor Wanda posse
Syllabus response:
I think that the syllabus was thoughtfully written out and great. Its been a while since I've been in a classroom but so far I'm enjoying it. I'm sorry for the late response, I'm really trying to figure all of this out.I like how you kept everything very interesting and not dull and boring.I like to read and write but it has been a while so i'm trying to brush up my skills. Hopefully i do good in this class.
Jonathan Abordo
Professor Sabir
English 1A 8-8:50
30 January 2011
Syllabus Response
I really liked how you wrote this syllabus. It's not too serious which is good. It's also very well organized and can answer my questions. This isn't my first time taking English 1A which already tells you it isn't my best subject but I feel confident that your class can help me with that. I know it will be a challenge but I know you're here to help.
My Goals
1. Get an A in the class
2. Become a better writer
3. Expand my vocabulary
4. Learn to enjoy reading
5. Prepare for English 5
Ramsay Jackson
1/31/11
English 1A 8:00-8:50am
Professor Sabir
syllabus response
This is my fourth semester at college of Alameda and my first English class. I do like to write short stories and in high school one of my favorite assignments was writing a science fiction novel. I want to share my look on life and hear about others views as well. My strengths are patience which i had to learn when writing because more often then not you will hit a road block in your mind and have to wait for the ideas to come to you. What I want from this class is to strengthen my writing.
Morgan Laporte-Hilliard
English 1A 9:00-9:50
I Had posted a response to the syllabus but now that im looking for it I dont see it, so I'll repost. I'm really looking forward to our Enlish 1A class this semester. I love to read and I am looking forward to reading Half the Sky. I have already read the Kite Runner and it is a truly wonderful story. The strengths I bring to the class are as follows: a willingness to share what ive laerned with others or offer a different point of view, I am a decent writer and am usaully on top of my grammar, spelling, and punctuation so I have no problem taking the time to help others, and last I am honest.
Drishya Chhetri
English 1A
8:00-8:50
I think it is amazing that you love to travel and have been in so many places. I love to travel and meet people as well. I thought it was funny though how you did not really care about Akon who is really popular here.overall i really enjoyed reading your letter to us because i feel like it is the first thing to let us know about who you are. Lastly i want to say that i am looking forward to read, write and learn in this class.
Ronald Parker
Professor Wanda
English 1A 8- 8:50
2/3/2011
After reading te syllabus i really like how it is broken down into its certain parts. it has a spot for assignments, grading, projects, books to read and many other things. it looks so organized, which is a reflection of the teacher. i feel this will be a very productive class and i will really learn alot through my writing and be willing and ready to display my skills
Reagan Lolo
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 1A 8-8:50 AM
2 February, 2011
Although this is not my first time taking class with Miss Wanda Sabir, I find the syllabus very different from the previous ones.I really enjoyed reading your letter, it really tells a whole lot about you. I was not surprise, but I was laughing reading that you did not find Akon, an international superstar, very entertaining. lol!
This class is more than important for me, not only because it is transferable but also because it is my place to really improve my skills in this language that is not mine. I am looking forward to the writings, although they may be really consuming. By the end of this class I want to be really accurate in English. That's my main goal.
Vanessa Rocha
English 1A- 8Am
Response to syllabus
Even though is a very long syllabus, I read it all and found it very informative and clear, this is my first time taking a class in Alameda college and also, first time with Professor Wanda, I'm looking forward to learn a lot and improve my skills.
My goals for this semester are:
1- Pass this class with a good grade.
2- Overcome the fear to speak in public.
3- Have an abroad vocabulary by the end of the semester.
4- Became a better writer.
5- Keep up with homework and turn everything in time.
Reagan Lolo
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 1A-8-9:00
25 January 2011
Response to Syllabus
As usual the syllabus is very informative. I am able to understand what is going to be taught in the class this summer. I already have an idea of the number of assignments we will have. The fact that I already took your class last semester gives me a better idea of what assignments to expect, and I will be better prepared this time. I already have a sense that this semester is going to really put me in the direction of being a good writer. From only one semester with you I can already feel the progress through my current works in comparison to what my English used to be. I am only looking forward to keep up with the challenges of good writing and becoming a better writer for sure.
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