Portfolio Checklist 2011 DRAFT

This checklist can serve as the table of contents. Put a check next to the items to show inclusion in the portfolio. Use as the second page to the portfolio, after the cover sheet. Where there are questions for the section, students can post the answers to the narrative there. Number the pages with a header.

Name ______________________________
Date ______________________________
Class including class code and semester ____________________
Address _______________________________________
Phone number __________________________________
Email address__________________________________

40008 Lec 11:00-11:50 MTWTh Sabir C 211 Alameda
Class Meetings: August 22-Dec. 7; No classes: 9/5; 11/24

Final Exam: Friday, Dec.16, 12 noon (Portfolios due via e-mail. There is no sitting exam.)

Dec. 7 12 noon to 2 p.m.
Drop-in Portfolio assembly workshop in A-205 _______________

Portfolio Due Date
Portfolios due by Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, 12 Noon electronically. Make sure you receive a receipt for your submission. No paper copies, no exceptions.

Grade Justification
What grade do you think you've earned this semester? What evidence supports this conclusion?

1. Portfolio Essay 1 Reflection on COA Fall 2011, Professor Sabir’s English Class_______

The narrative will look at the 18 weeks, the themes we looked at this semester: the role family and community have in shaping the lives of its inhabitants, also how much control we have over our lives and their outcome. Are people ever stuck in situations they cannot or will not change?

We also read stories of forgiveness and faith, love and guilt. Friendship and parenting were other themes explored in the texts along with the power of art to change one's life and the lives of others both negatively and positively.

What have you learned about yourself this semester? What have you learned about the discipline you are studying here: reading and writing that you plan to carry forth into your lifelong pursuit of learning.

Please also comment on the texts and whether or not they were helpful in this process. You can also talk about the instruction, culture of the class and the teacher. You can also offer suggestions.

2. Portfolio Essay 2 Reflection on revision process__________________

Look at the writing process and what you have been learning about yourself as a writer. Take two essays and talk about the planning, research and revision strategies you used. It helps to choose an early paper and compare to a later paper. Often you can more easily see the differences in your writing and a better example of mastery of certain concepts. Also discuss skills you need to improve and how you plan to address that.

Additional narrative considerations for the portfolio essay:

The second essay has students look at the writing process and discuss their own writing process: the topics chosen, the information used, revision strategies, writing as a process. This should include a definition of the difference between editing and revising and a value statement on the place for both in composition.

I am really interested in discourse about audience and how that shapes or determines how the writer approaches her topic.

I am also interested in discussion of the revision process, and whether or not seeing writing as a work in progress or a draft, liberates or stagnates the creative process. (Students are to use examples from their writing to illustrate these points.)

I'd also like students to think about and give at three specific ways how they have grown as writers and thinkers this semester. Each essay (1 & 2) should be minimally 1-2 pages (250-500 words).

3. Stewart Pidd Hates English Section:

The Stewart Pidd Experience _________
Multiple Choice Exam 1and 2 essay _________

Social Entrepreneur Portfolio

Planning _____________

Library Research sheet _______________(if you did it)
List of sources (5) minimum in MLA format (post here)

Essay: Planning Sheet, Outline, Thesis__________
First Draft (peer review)__________
Final Draft Grade ______________
Revisions (How many?)_____________
Pidd type essay ________________ or narrative ____________

SE Presentation date ___________
Self-reflection __________
Classmate responses __________

Cyber-Assignments:
Frontline World ___________
Muhammad Yunus ___________
Extreme Tour Oct. 7, 2011 (Extra Credit)____________


Nature vs. Nurture Portfolio

Book: Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary by Jasmine Guy
First Graded Draft __________
Revisions (How many?) _________
Correction Essays How Many?____________
Planning ___________
Peer Review _________
Related Cyber-Assignments _________


Hip Hop Portfolio: Dyson, Tupac, Hurt

Michael Erik Dyson: Holler If You Hear Me: Searching for Tupac Shakur
Cyber-Assignments (How many?) ___________
Byron Hurt’s “Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes” Essay__________
Planning _________
Revisions (How many?) ________
Correction Essays (How many?) ___________

Cyber-Assignments connected to Hurt_________

The Rose that Grew from Concrete Assignments

Cyber-Assignments (How many?) _________
Tupac-related cyber-assignments such as freewrites connected to songs (how many?)

Include the McCall assignment and the assignment on Censorship (handout) _______

Semester Cyber-assignments

Any cyber-assignments not connected to the two books or social entrepreneur essay, give another heading and post here. Some of these are connected to the other assignments. Put them there. Do not post twice.

Extra Credit Essay: Students can turn in a graded essay from another course if the other teacher doesn’t mind. It has to use research and MLA style documentation, so certain courses are not applicable.

Anything else? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

Teacher research

Can I use your work in presentations and publications? Would you like to be anonymous? If I plan on using your essays or work in a book, I will let you know and share any proceeds.

Yes, I agree.
No, do not use my work.

Final Grade
Portfolio checklist _____________
Portfolio Essay 1_______________
Portfolio Essay 2_______________
Portfolio Grade_________

Course Grade_________





Cyber-Assignments Recap

Do not post assignments multiple times. If connected to an essay, post it there in that section under: Cyber-Assignments and Freewrites (type your freewrites)

Monday, August 22, 2011
Cyber-Assignment 1

Tuesday, August 23, 2011 assignment: Please respond to the syllabus in a minimally three paragraph essay (250 words). Comment on the goals and objectives, texts, methodology and anything else.


Sunday, August 28, 2011
Recap and Cyber-Assignment

Thursday in class we listened to the Tupac Shakur song: Keep Ya Head Up. Homework is to write a 250 word summary of the key ideas or themes in the song.

1. Talk about the characters or subjects Tupac uses to illustrate his point. What is the song about? Is it about single parenting or more than that?

2. Use citations or examples from the song to prove or support your points. Remember, all ideas are good, but they need to reference the text.

3. Use Standard English. If you use slang, it needs to be from the song and in quotation marks. Put a line or stanza notation in parentheses after the citation or quote, such as: 2:15 (stanza 2, line 15).

4. Respond to at least 1 classmate by name after you have posted your response. It is a separate comment.

Monday, August 29, 2011
Today is the sixth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the worse natural disaster at that time to hit American shores. Presently there are many New Orleanian residents still in the disapora, displaced and then stuck in cities and towns throughout America. A lot of families here at College of Alameda are here as a result of this displacement.

Today is also the birthday of America and the world's most celebrated artists, Michael Jackson, who died about 2-3 years ago.

You have a choice: Find an article that looks at New Orleans or the Gulf Region, six years after Katrina (specifically hip hop's response if possible) or an article on Michael Jackson (something current). He would have been 53 today.

Thursday, September 01, 2011
Cyber-Assignments
Post your literal paraphrases here.

Thursday, September 01, 2011
Homework is to post a summary of your article on Katrina or Michael Jackson and post here.


Wednesday, September 07, 2011
Today in class we read the title poem from The Rose that Grew from Concrete. It was the topic of the freewrite this morning.

Weekend Cyber-Homework
Read the intro, preface and forward in Rose. Homework for Thursday, September 8, 2011, will be to summarize one of the three in a paragraph (5-10 sentences). Include one citation in the summary: a free paraphrase, a short quote or a block quote. Don't forget the works cited page.

In class tomorrow we will spend most of our time in groups discussing Holler, Chapter 1, using the Literature Circles handout as a guide. The freewrite will be Michael Jackson's song: "Heal the World."

Thursday, September 08, 2011
Heal the World Cyber-Freewrite


Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Today was the anniversary of Tupac Shukur's death. He was 25 then; today he would have been 41. The poem we read from Rose looked at solitude. We had an extended conversation about solitude and compared that with loneliness and isolation. We then read the poem, "In the Depths of Solitude, Dedicated to Me" (5). Students reflected on the poem and then were instructed to find supporting evidence for their claim or argument in Holler: Childhood Chains.

Post the freewrite here. Yes, I know it's late, so if you don't get to it until after class that's fine. We spoke about SPHE and most students turned their essays in electronically today. Students gave me the peer review sheets and proofreading sheets as well.

Pidd is review, almost self-paced but not really, since there is a schedule. Nseke and Edwin are available to help students who need it, so don't feel shy ask for help if you need it.

If students want the peer review sheets for the other essays, they will have to request them. Thursdays are a good day to do this, as they are in A-232.

Homework is to continue doing the exercises in Pidd and keep reading Dyson. Tomorrow we'll develop a character profile for Tupac and his mother. In your reading log list references Dyson makes to writers and artists and other people who remind the author of Tupac or people who shaped the young man's life. Test yourself. How many references do you know?

You can ask questions in your log for the class to ponder. We might know the answer, we might not (smile).

Thursday students will write a short essay in class based on a theme taken from Holler. Tomorrow bring in questions, if any from Pidd. We'll go over the answers to some of the exercises. This section is not easy, especially pronoun agreement.

We'll go over the essay on Thursday. I'll give you the quiz Thursday as well. You will have a short cyber-writing assignment this weekend, a three paragraph essay taking its topic from the third chapter in Holler.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
As a class on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2011, we responded to the poem, "In the Depths of Solitude, Dedicated to Me" (5).

Post your response to one of the three poems we read from Rose: Sometimes I Cry (7), Under the Skies Above, After the Miscarriage (9), or Life through My Eyes (11).

Don't forget to respond to at least one classmate's post by name.

Thursday, September 15, 2011
Essay Questions Cyber-Assignment

Post the 3-5 questions developed for a chapter in Dyson.

Homework
In a separate post here, respond in a three (3) paragraph essay to another student's question (just 1), from another chapter than yours.

Give the name of the author of the question in your response. Use three citations in your essay, one citation per paragraph: 1 short citation, 1 free paraphrase, 1 block quote.

Include a works cited page.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Cyber-Assignment

Today is class we spent a few moments correcting the quiz on MLA: titles and essays. We read two poems, well Brianna and Sebastian read the poems: When Ur Heart Turns Cold and Untitled from Rose. Outstanding recitations (smile).

Sebastian's brought chills to my spin (cliche--I know. Smile). We then discussed the style of the two pieces and the themes. The freewrite was to develop a thesis that defined a key element in the work. Many students saw the two pieces as connected the character the same, yet at different points along his or her trajectory on his development or spirit journey.

I wrote a sentence where I compared madness to a state of inhumanity. Human beings are sane, and madness is perhaps the final step to the other side where all we were is lost, all that matters most is gone.

Post your thesis sentence that defines a key element in the poem --your choice, here. Comment on another student's poem.

We meet in the library tomorrow morning for an orientation: 11 AM with Professor Jane. If you can't figure it out, meet at the reference desk (smile).

We will discuss Dyson at length Thursday. That is all we will do. We are in the final stretch of the book. There will be an essay assigned (not due), next week (smile).

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Today we met in the library as planned for a library orientation. Post a reflection on the orientation: what new information did you discover, what was a reminder of information or research strategies you already knew?

Respond to one other student. Don't forget to post the thesis sentence response to the assignment yesterday. Only one student did so far.


Thursday, September 22, 2011
Today in class reflect on the final section of the book: "Bodies and Beliefs." How is this title a play on the words: body of beliefs?

Keep adding to the character profile as you complete the book.

What does this section open up for you regarding Tupac's life. Does Dyson make good on his goals and objectives for the biography now that you have come to the end of the book?

Look back at "I Always Wanted. . ." (13-16)?

In a 3-paragraph essay respond to your assigned chapter (6-7 or 8). If you didn't get an assignment, choose any of the concluding chapters (6, 7 or 8). Also respond to a classmate's post from a chapter different from your own. Use a citation to respond to your comment-on-a-classmate's-post which challenges or expands the claims the writer makes.

I dismissed class early as the students hadn't read the section we were to discuss today. Everyone received attendance credit for being present in the class.

Monday we will watch a video looking at misogyny in American culture and by extension hip hop culture called "Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes". There will be a cyber-essay attached to the film. The film is 56 minutes, so there will not be any time for anything else, not even discussion, but we can talk about it on Tuesday (smile).

Thursday, September 22, 2011
Cyber Assignment
Write a 3-paragraph essay from one chapter in "Bodies and Beliefs"

Outline for the Assignment (read the post below this one for more details). The essay needs to include three (3) citations, one per paragraph: a free paraphrase, a block quote, and a shorter citation, all from Dyson. Writers can decide what type of citation to use and where you want to place it in the paragraph. Don't forget the signal phrase before the citation. "He says" is an example of a signal phrase.

You also need a works cited page. Each paragraph needs to be between 5-10 sentences long.

Introduction
1. Talk about the chapter, your impressions. List Dyson's major claims or arguments. He generally starts each paragraph with an argument, followed by examples and if it is a sophisticated claim, he might use the following paragraph to continue developing and proving his prior argument.

The way you find the evidence for an argument is to say: So and so is true . . . because. The answer to because is the evidence or proof.

But back to the Intro.

2. List themes, that is, topics that are repeated.

3. Cite evidence from Dyson that agrees with what you are saying here.

4. State the thesis.

Body

1. 1 paragraph-discussion of the points stated in the thesis. This is where you answer the because question. This is where you give examples and reasons why what you say is true is true.

2. Include a citation. This is a good place for a block quote (a long citation that is justified on the left (indent 10 spaces from the 1-inch margin) without quotation marks.) See http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/03/

Conclusion

1. Bring up lesser, yet equally important themes. Remember the entire book is about Tupac. How does this final section, which addresses Tupac's morality, the body-politic as it were, wrap up Dyson's discussion?

How does this part of the book support or extend previous sections: "Childhood Chains, Adolescent Aspirations" and "Portraits of an Artist?" What does Dyson mean about the black body as canvas, as sacrificial offering, as blight, as stigma and Tupac's artistic response to this blessing and curse?

Do his ecclesiastic inclinations show here, especially in the "Epilogue"?


2. Citation

Monday, September 26, 2011
Assignment

1. Initial response

Think about Hurt's argument(s). In a short response (250 words), discuss the evidence Hurt presents in the film and whether or not you agree with his premise that commercial rap is misogynistic, violent, and promotes a negative stereotype of black manhood. Here is a link to Part 1 of 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8YpcN7oKIM&feature=related

At this link there is further information about the issues Hurt raises divided into categories: masculinity, misogyny, homophobia, or media literacy. http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/hiphop/issues.htm.

Also visit http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/hiphop/ for background information on the film and director. In your essay cite a song which supports Hurt's claim(s) or refutes it. You can include the URL in your essay as the reference.


2. After reading the Dyson interview with Hurt. Due Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011

Bring in an expanded freewrite or entirely different essay discussing Hurt's claims made in his film and to Dyson in the interview. In a 3 page essay (750 words min.), using citations from Dyson's interview, Holler and Hurt's film talk about Tupac's work in light of Hurt's critique. How would Tupac hold up?

Use lyrics from at least two songs to support your argument re: Tupac Shakur's contributions to the genre and the industry both positive and negative.

Bring the essay to class electronically on Thursday for a peer review. I will give you a Initial Planning Sheet tomorrow and we will talk about thesis statements, signal phrases and block quotes on Tuesday. I am going to be looking at introductions in this essay and conclusions, the two bookends of an essay.

The next essay will look at signal phrases and how well students integrate sources into their work.

Students will have up to five citations: 1 film (B. Hurt), two rap songs, one article (from Michael Eric Dyson's Know What I Mean? Reflections on Hip Hop, one book (Holler)

The citations need to be: 1 block quote, paraphrases, and shorter citations.

Students will turn in an Initial Planning Sheet with the essay and an outline. We'll practice on Tuesday-Wednesday.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
My Testimony Cyber-Freewrite

Post here. It's your choice to post anonymously if you like. Use initials.

Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Post your reflection on one of Tupac's poems read in class today. Chose a line that reflects the author's point or argument and expound.

Wednesday, October 05, 2011
Social Entrepreneur Research Essay Extra Credit
Register for http://extremetouralameda.eventbrite.com/

College of Alameda
Student Center (Building F)
555 Ralph Appezzato Memorial Pkwy
Alameda, CA 94501

If you go to the event, and post something here, a 250 word reflection on the program and its usefulness, you can have extra credit. You might meet an entrepreneur to profile for our final essay.

Wednesday, October 05, 2011
Today in class we read, well Edwin read the Preface in Evolution. We then spoke about the writing and the content. Students then critiqued each other's essays. Turn in the essay with the peer reviews. Include the IPS and an outline. Students can email me the cyber-assignments. Pull them together for tomorrow and we can talk about how I want this to look.

We spoke about parallel structure (x), alliteration, assonance, and connotation vs. denotation when looking at words like "intimacy" and the multiple meanings of the word: "spit."

We also spoke about the relationship between Jasmine, the author and her subject, Afeni and how that compared or contrasted with that of Dyson's relationship to his subject, Tupac in Holler.

Recap

1. Essay 1 is due along with peer reviews and associate essays read.

2. Include IPS and outlines

3. Assemble all the cyber-assignments electronically in advance. All assignments connected to Dyson or Shakur or Hip Hop Culture.

4. Bring reading logs to class as well. I will take hard copies. Don't give me your originals.

Evolution of a Revolutionary Book Notes Format

Keep notes along the theme: Nature vs. Nurture or Destiny vs. Choice. Make a column with Tupac at the top. For all the instances where something connected to his mother impacts his life label it Nature vs. Nurture or Destiny vs. Choice.

Have another sheet with Afeni's name at the top with similar columns. Bring to class for discussions. Look in your atlas to find where Afeni was born and where the family lives now.

Make another list of key characters in her life and key and events where fate or choice were involved.

Homework is to read up to page 68. Students need to be thinking about what book they'd like to read for their book report essay. The author should be 30 or younger and live in the SF Bay Area. I will consider fiction, although I suggest finding a book written about or by your social entrepreneur.

Wednesday, October 05, 2011
Cyber-Field Trip Sign-up for next Thursday, October 13, 2011

Let me know if you are interested and bring your $5 to class Monday-Tuesday, October 10-11, 2011. I want to buy the tickets in advance. The venue will not hold tickets for us, but I doubt that they sell out. However, one never knows, Marc is famous here and well-loved.

We can meet at West Oakland BART at 6:30 PM and travel together. YBCA is on Third and Mission Street, 701 Mission Street in San Francisco.

YBCA is pleased to present the world premiere of Joseph’s newest project, Red, Black & GREEN: Marc Bamuthi Joseph/ The Living Word Project October 13 - 22 7:30 p.m. Admission $5 You can buy as many tickets as you like. Invite friends and family.

Thursday, October 13, 2011
Topical Invention Cyber-Assignment and 3-Part Essay

Today in class we are going to take the sentences developed in the exercise yesterday and write a 3-4 paragraph essay looking at: Introduction, Thesis (pro argument), Antithesis (con argument), and Synthesis (conclusion).

Homework:
Post the essay here for the group. As individuals, comment on the process, that is, looking at the argument form like this where one considers all sides of the issue.

Yesterday we looked at Topical Invention, a questioning strategy to develop: analogies, definition, consequence, testimony.

When using this strategy, students are to reference the topic in each sentence.

The questions are:

Definition: What is it/What was it?
Consequence: What caused it/Did it cause?
Analogy: What is it like or unlike?
Testimony: What does an authority say about it?

Students were to post their thesis sentences developed using the invention strategy: Topical Invention.

Reading and Research Homework:

We are on chapter six. Finish the book. Bring in a profile on Afeni Shakur. Look at her evolution over time from childhood, adolescence, as a young adult and as a mature woman who has suffered. Note her accomplishments, her tragedies, things she is proud of and what she still weeps over.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011, bring in an article from the library database on Afeni tied into a theme you are exploring like Nature vs. Nurture.

Thursday, October 13, 2011
Today a lot of students were absent, however, those who made it to class did a great job on the three-part essay exercise. The question: Is Afeni Shakur a revolutionary? was explored from the context of her role as a parent, as a mother and whether she did a good job.

What I came away with from listening to the essay was that parenting is also a revolutionary act, perhaps even more difficult than that of saving a world or a community.

Monday, October 17, 2011
Today we wrote a collaborative essay again. The topic was "inheritance." This time we had four paragraphs: Introduction, Thesis or Pro-argument, Antithesis or Con-argument, and Synthesis or Conclusion.

Students can post the paragraphs in the same location as last week's essay: topical invention.

Students were asked to use: analogies, definitions, consequences and testimony in each paragraph. I assigned different sentence types to each group. Considering the fact that many of the students were new to the concept, the overall essay to come from the exercise was great.

Students have not reflected on the process yet. Make sure you do so.

Homework is to finish the book and bring in a topic we could possibly explore in an essay taking its theme from Evolution of a Revolutionary.

Homework Reminder from Thursday, October 13. I gave students a copy of the assignment:


Reading and Research Homework:

We are on chapter six. Finish the book. Bring in a profile on Afeni Shakur. Look at her evolution over time from childhood, adolescence, as a young adult and as a mature woman who has suffered. Note her accomplishments, her tragedies, things she is proud of and what she still weeps over.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011, bring in a an article from the library database on Afeni tied into a theme you are exploring like Nature vs. Nurture.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011
I returned many of the "Hip Hop Hurt/Dyson" essays yesterday and the remainder today. Use Monday to revise the essay and return to me Tuesday, October 25, 2011. With that revision, include a narrative as to what you had to do to make the paper better. Look at it like you did Pidd's essays in SPHE this semester.

We will also begin the next essay next week. Bring in Initial Planning Sheet and outlines per the schedule. Your evidence is Guy, Dyson, and 1 article on the topic. You don't have to cite from all three, just two. The last document can be a part of the bibliography.

I expect these essays to get passing grades the first time around.

Homework
Homework for Thursday, tomorrow, bring in a completed profile on Afeni Shakur to share. You will include this profile with your essay.

Post your summaries of the scholarly article here. Don't fotget the works cited at the end.

Weekend Homework
Now that you have completed the book, write a letter to Afeni Shakur reflecting on her life and what you learned about her that you didn't know, which perhaps changes how you look at her as a revolutionary, a woman and a mother. Choose minimally three specific aspects of her life to reflect on.

This cyber-assignment is homework for the weekend, due, Thursday-Friday, October 20-21, 2011. Comment on one student's reflection with a citation expanding the comment.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Frontline World: Engaged Citizenry Cyber-Assignment

Visit http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/socialentrepreneurs.html

Respond to 3 stories by 11/10 (start 10/27). Post your Frontline World Responses (3) here.

Monday, October 31, 2011
Censorship Cyber Assignment(s)

Today, instead of reviewing the SPHE essays (all of them, beginning with Essay 1: Sentence Punctuation), we read one of two essays (handout) on the topic: Censorship. First we talked about what censorship is, defined it and then read an article by Michael Gartner.

Post you response to one of the two: Questions to Write About. The essay response should be 250 words. Include a works cited page. Read the Nathan McCall essay.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Post your abstract for the Social Entrepreneur here. Also post your self-reflection and comments for each student presentation.