MWF 9-9:50
Instructor Michelle Johnson
Office Hours: Petty 01D, MW 10-11:30
michelletjohnson@hotmail.com
334-3294 (office phone)
Science-218
English 101: Blacks in America
Course Description:
English 101 is not only a writing class, but it is also a thinking, reading,
and speaking course. This semester we will read texts by and about African
Americans. We will read and examine nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and media
in an effort
to understand how rhetoric and language functioned and function in the lives
and writings of African Americans.
Student Learning Goals: By the completion of this course, you should be able
to write better, revise better, speak better, and read writing better. From
our readings, conversations, group work, and writing, you should be able to
interpret
and evaluate texts, construct and communicate effective expositions, locate
and synthesize relevant information, and demonstrate an understanding of the
aims
and methods of various discourses.
Texts
UNCG Composition Dept., Writing Matters
Richard Wright, Black Boy
Zora Neale Hurston, There Eyes Were Watching God
Ann Raines, Pocket Keys for Writers
Additional Readings on Ereserve
Materials
Portfolio Folder (3 prong)
2-pocket folder
Computer Access, Email & Internet
Grading
Final Portfolio 50% ; Includes twenty pages of polished writing
Participation 50%
Participation in class is crucial to your development as a writer. Your voice,
your actions, and your engagement with the texts and with each other count
for 40% of your grade. You will lose participation points for each activity
or assignment
you do not complete. Major participation assignments include:
1. Read-Around – Each student will read at least one long paper to the
class, and each class member will give a written and oral response to the student
concerning the paper. Twenty-four hours before your Read-Around, you need to
make arrangements to give Mrs. Johnson a copy of your paper so she can duplicate
it. If you do not have it ready 24 hours before your Read-Around day, you will
be responsible for making enough copies for each student and the teacher. Read-Around
days cannot be rescheduled.
2. Writing Leader— Each class member will take a turn being the in-class
writing leader. This person will bring in a topic for the class to write about
for the first 10 minutes of class. The leader’s responsibilities for the
day include: 1) bringing in a topic 2) sharing it with the class 3) keeping time,
and finally, 4) leading a brief discussion of what the class wrote. Bring in
topics that are closely or loosely related to what we are reading and writing.
Examples include: poems, news items, photographs, songs, brief video clips…whatever,
as long as we can make a correlation with the readings. (If you will need special
audio-visual equipment, let me know ahead of time so we can be ready). Just find
something that catches your attention and you think others might be interested
in, too. I will lead the class once, so you will have some idea of what to do.
**Important** You should bring in something—like newspaper article, website
to look at, song to listen to, video to watch, story to read, etc. Do not come
empty-handed. Whatever text you use should be accessible to the students at
a later date in case they want to use it in their portfolio. If it is an article,
bring copies for everyone, unless it is on a webpage.
3. Short/Informal Writings – Keep all of your in-class and out-of-class
writings together because you will need them come portfolio time. Normally, in-class
writings are five to ten minutes and are free-form. You do not need to worry
about spelling or grammar. Just write as much as you can without stopping. Out-of-class
writings may be hand-written or typed, depending on the instructions, but they
need to be more focused and “tidy” than in-class free-writes. Basically,
they should read and look like you spent at least 20 – 30 minutes thinking
about and responding to the prompt. Don’t try to scribble something down
immediately before class. Your haste will show! I will randomly collect informal
writings.
4. Individual/Group Reports– Occasionally you will work in groups to
complete assignments. You will also report back to the class what you found.
Each person
is expected to contribute equally to the group. If you do not, you will not
receive full participation credit. You cannot count on others to give you a
good grade.
I look at individuals and at groups.
5. Weekly Responses – You will type ten weekly responses during the
semester. I will give you a prompt, and you should spend about 20 -30 minutes
typing a response. These short papers will help you write longer essays for
your portfolio. And, although I will not respond to them as closely as I respond
to “formal” essays, you still need to put a lot of effort into
them. They give you a chance to explore your ideas about a topic. You might
read your response to the class or a small group the next day, or you might
turn it in to me. In each case, you will get feedback from a classmate or from
me about what you wrote. The feedback should help you expand and revise your
paper if you choose to include it in your portfolio. Response # 9 (Read-Around
Reflection) and #10 (Writing Leader Reflection) will be turned in the class
period after your Read-Around or Writing Leader Presentation.
All weekly responses must be typed. Shoot for at least one-full page; however,
you may type as many as you like. Follow the MLA format for typing all papers,
unless otherwise noted.
Remember, weekly responses are not essays. They are short writing assignments
that require you to focus on one idea and explain or describe what you mean
clearly. Make them SHORT, VIVID, & INTERSTING.
6. Conferences – You will meet with me at least two times during the
semester. Each time we meet you should bring your work thus far and questions
or concerns to discuss.
Formal Essays: You will write three formal essays during the semester. Each
paper will be between three to five pages. You will choose a topic, write a
prospectus, get me to approve your prospectus, and begin drafting your paper.
All of our readings, weekly responses, class discussions, and informal writings
will aid you in writing your essays. I encourage you to use anything that we
have done in and out of class to help you write your paper. Formal essays are
required. If you do not turn the required draft in to me, you cannot include
it in your portfolio (which is required). Your final grade will most likely
drop by one full letter grade. In short, turn in your formal essays on time.
If you have any concerns about any work that is due, talk to me before the
due date.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the crime of pretending that someone else's ideas
and words are your own. This is a serious offense that could result in failing
the course or expulsion from the college. Visit http://studentconduct.uncg.edu/policy/academicintegrity/
for the University’s Academic Integrity Policy.
Attendance: You are granted five absences. On your sixth absence, you will
receive an F in the course, unless you withdraw yourself before the deadline.
You cannot get participation points for the days you are absent. Turn your
work in early if you plan to be absent.
General Courtesy:
1. Tardiness – Tardiness not only affects your learning but the learning
of others as well. Because our course is only fifty minutes long, we must use
all of our time wisely. I will begin each class promptly. Three tardies constitute
an absence. More than 10 minutes late (or leaving 10 minutes early) constitutes
an absence.
2. Phones and Beepers – Turn off all electronic devices.
3. Honesty, Trust, Fairness, Respect, and Responsibility – These are
the five values listed in your Student Code of Conduct. (http://studentconduct.uncg.edu/)
A failure to display these in class could result in disciplinary actions.
The Writing Center: This resource is available for all students who want to
get feedback on drafts in progress. It is not designed as a proofreading service;
however, tutors will teach you to develop ideas, organize, edit, compose and
proofread your own paper. The Writing Center is located in 101 McIver and is
open six days a week, including Sunday. Call 334-3125 for an appt. or just
drop in!
Disability Services: Students with any sort of disability who need accommodations
for any of their courses should contact 334-5440.
The Final Portfolio: Collect, Select, and Reflect
“
The two most engaging powers of an author are to make new things familiar,
and familiar things new.”
--Samuel Johnson
The end of the semester will be here before we know it, and it is time to seriously think about your final portfolio. As you begin to put your portfolio together, pick those pieces you feel best represent you as a writer and your progress this semester.
Here are the requirements:
1) An annotated table of contents: Briefly describe each piece
2) A reflection on your portfolio, your writing, and the semester as a whole. This letter should be about 2 pages. Address it to your readers.
3) All three of your formal essays, heavily revised: For one of these essays, also include all your process pieces – brainstorming lists, free-writes, drafts, revisions, etc.
4) At least two pieces of your informal writings. Again, these should be heavily revised and be at least 1.5 pages long. For all of these pieces, include the original piece of writing (the homework assignment or in class writing).
5) Read-Around Reflection (1-2 pages). This should accompany the piece you workshop with the class. Of course, you need to revise and polish the piece. I will give more info about the read-around reflection later.
Feel free to include other items in your portfolio, but be sure to meet the requirements first. You may, for instance, want to include a paper for another class (written this semester) which shows skills you have learned in 101. You may include writing you do on your own time, or even photographs and artwork. Be sure that you explain in your reflection why you include everything you do.
The Technical Stuff:
•
Everything should be neat and typed (except, of course, those process pieces
that you include).
•
There should not be any spelling or grammar mistakes in these pieces.
In the end, you must have 20 pages of polished writing
If you have 19/20 pages, your grade begins at a 95%
If you have 18/20 pages, 90%, and so forth
I will start grading based on the number of pages you have.
If you have 20 pages, I will start grading at 100%.
If you fail to proofread and edit your papers, your grade will drop considerably.
If you fail to revise for clarity, significance, organization, development, and other aspects that make your paper interesting and well-written, your grade will drop considerably.
All portfolios are due on in my office on Monday, December 6 by 9:00 a.m. NO EXCEPTIONS! If you do not hand in a portfolio on time, you will fail the class.
If you have any questions, please contact me ASAP.