Composition teachers and students are facing major challenges today. There is a general reluctance toward reading and writing of any kind that seems to grow stronger as technology advances.
I think about spelling as a specific example. My mom was one of the best spellers in school. She is still a great speller, much better than me even though she did not finish college, and I am in my fifth year at a university. Because the spell checker was already available when I was in school, teachers just didn't seem to emphasize spelling as much as they did in my mother's generation.
We can examine composition in the same light. When a student is able to go online and immediately access thousands of written papers on any given topic, what is the point of learning to write themselves?
I don't think there is any way we, as teachers, can directly counteract this type of technological challenge even though we would like to shut down all those term paper generators. (Where are the plagiarism police?) What we can do is try to motivate the students, and show them the power of language. I try to tell my students how great they are, that anything they write will be a thousand times better than that generic term paper they could access online, and the best part is, their own writing is free!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
syllabus
English 1301:
Composition and Rhetoric
Spring 2009
Instructor: Landon Moore
Office: English building, Room 454
Office hours: Tuesday 9 a.m. to noon and by appointment
Email: landon.moore@ttu.edu
Textbooks:
Texas Tech‘s English 1301/1302 Textbook (Custom Edition 2008-2009)
The St. Martin’s Handbook (TTU Custom Edition)
Course Objectives:
*Introduction to fundamentals of basic writing across the curriculum
*Basic understanding of expressive writing and application in regards to academic and creative writing
This course is designed to introduce freshman-level students to the basic fundamentals of writing for all disciplines in preparation for college and professional careers. You will be expected to complete all assignments (including briefs, a daily journal, and a final draft) as well as participate in class activities, individual and collaborative.
Brief Assignments:
These tasks will be assigned weekly and will focus on one particular writing skill such as summary, paraphrase, evaluation of source material, etc.
Drafts:
You will complete a first draft, which will consist of an analysis based on a topic of your choice that has been approved by the instructor. A second draft, including the revisions suggested by the graded first draft, will be required.
Daily Journal:
At the beginning of each class period, I will give the class a topic. You will write to this topic for ten minutes. While the grammatical structure of these entries will not be graded, I expect you to devote thought and creativity to each journal topic.
Grade Weights:
30% Brief Assignments
20% Daily Journal
20 % First Draft
30% Second Draft
Assessment:
This course will be assessed using a scale of one hundred percent:
A=90-100
B=80-89
C=70-79
D=60-69
F=59 and below
Due to departmental policy, I am prohibited from rounded grades or assigning extra credit.
Due Dates:
If you turn in an assignment late, expect to encounter grade penalties of ten points for each day the assignment is late.
Attendance:
As this is a course that meets once a week, you are expected to attend all class periods. If you must miss class for a university activity, I must be notified prior to the event with written documentation. Likewise, you must provide a doctor’s note if you miss class due to illness. After two absences, each missed class period will result in a 5% deduction from your final grade.
When you are absent, it is your responsibility to make up the work you have missed by contacting another student from the class.
Technology:
Cell phones and other devices must be turned off when you enter the classroom. If you wish to record lectures, I must be informed before the class period begins. Laptops will be permitted for note-taking purposes. If the laptop becomes a distraction to you or other students, you will be asked to put it away.
Communication with Instructor:
Learning does not stop once you leave the classroom. Therefore, I encourage you to speak with me outside of class. The best way to contact me will be to visit my office during assigned office hours. If you are unable to visit me during the time allotted, look at the syllabus. Look at the assignment. Read the textbook. If you still have questions, you may set up an appointment outside of office hours, or send me an email. I check messages and respond fairly quickly during the weekdays. However, I will not necessarily reply to your concerns after 6 p.m. or Friday through Sunday.
Composition and Rhetoric
Spring 2009
Instructor: Landon Moore
Office: English building, Room 454
Office hours: Tuesday 9 a.m. to noon and by appointment
Email: landon.moore@ttu.edu
Textbooks:
Texas Tech‘s English 1301/1302 Textbook (Custom Edition 2008-2009)
The St. Martin’s Handbook (TTU Custom Edition)
Course Objectives:
*Introduction to fundamentals of basic writing across the curriculum
*Basic understanding of expressive writing and application in regards to academic and creative writing
This course is designed to introduce freshman-level students to the basic fundamentals of writing for all disciplines in preparation for college and professional careers. You will be expected to complete all assignments (including briefs, a daily journal, and a final draft) as well as participate in class activities, individual and collaborative.
Brief Assignments:
These tasks will be assigned weekly and will focus on one particular writing skill such as summary, paraphrase, evaluation of source material, etc.
Drafts:
You will complete a first draft, which will consist of an analysis based on a topic of your choice that has been approved by the instructor. A second draft, including the revisions suggested by the graded first draft, will be required.
Daily Journal:
At the beginning of each class period, I will give the class a topic. You will write to this topic for ten minutes. While the grammatical structure of these entries will not be graded, I expect you to devote thought and creativity to each journal topic.
Grade Weights:
30% Brief Assignments
20% Daily Journal
20 % First Draft
30% Second Draft
Assessment:
This course will be assessed using a scale of one hundred percent:
A=90-100
B=80-89
C=70-79
D=60-69
F=59 and below
Due to departmental policy, I am prohibited from rounded grades or assigning extra credit.
Due Dates:
If you turn in an assignment late, expect to encounter grade penalties of ten points for each day the assignment is late.
Attendance:
As this is a course that meets once a week, you are expected to attend all class periods. If you must miss class for a university activity, I must be notified prior to the event with written documentation. Likewise, you must provide a doctor’s note if you miss class due to illness. After two absences, each missed class period will result in a 5% deduction from your final grade.
When you are absent, it is your responsibility to make up the work you have missed by contacting another student from the class.
Technology:
Cell phones and other devices must be turned off when you enter the classroom. If you wish to record lectures, I must be informed before the class period begins. Laptops will be permitted for note-taking purposes. If the laptop becomes a distraction to you or other students, you will be asked to put it away.
Communication with Instructor:
Learning does not stop once you leave the classroom. Therefore, I encourage you to speak with me outside of class. The best way to contact me will be to visit my office during assigned office hours. If you are unable to visit me during the time allotted, look at the syllabus. Look at the assignment. Read the textbook. If you still have questions, you may set up an appointment outside of office hours, or send me an email. I check messages and respond fairly quickly during the weekdays. However, I will not necessarily reply to your concerns after 6 p.m. or Friday through Sunday.
Group Activity
Individual and Group Activity
There seems to be a great deal of malaise regarding the drafts in 1301. A large part of this results from students who did not take the time to select a topic of self-investment. I believe if the students are interested in the topic, they will learn more about writing as well as their topic, and the experience will become more enjoyable. In other cases, the students just seem to be at a loss when given the freedom of choosing their own topic.
In an effort to counteract this in my 1301 class, an entire class period will be dedicated to topic selection. The topics of the drafts will also not be limited to a discussion of language. Since this course is geared towards writing across the curriculum, students will be allowed to select a topic in their discipline if they so choose.
I have developed a highly sequenced activity that involves both individual work as well as collaboration to assist students in selecting a draft topic. The qualities of expressive writing are emphasized in this activity as this is one of the primary characteristics of my teaching philosophy.
First Objective (15 minutes)
Following a class discussion of possible topics, students will individually form a written list of 10 possible draft topics.
Goal: This objective aims to initialize thought process and allow students to consider their personal interests. The first three objectives emphasize the self-reflection aspect of expressive writing or what James Berlin calls “the cultivation of the self” (73). This may be a foreign concept to the students who have largely been topically restricted in high school writing assignments.
Second Objective (5 minutes)
Individually, students will narrow the list down to the top five favorites.
Goal: I want to engage students in the process of eliminating those ideas that may not work in a draft. Also, this requires individuals to give considerable thought to their personal interests.
Third Objective (10 minutes)
By each possible topic, students are to write ideas about the subtopics they would like to cover under each general theme.
Goal: I want to engage students in the process of elimination. This also requires some critical thinking as students begin thinking about the ways in which they would execute a discussion of each topic. In addition, they must reflect on the prior knowledge they have acquired concerning a given subject.
Fourth Objective (20 minutes)
In small groups of about three individuals, students will discuss their ideas with peers.
Goal: Students should engage in collaborative learning, in effect teaching one another as first recommended by Aristotle. This will probably cause students to think of their topics in different terms outside of self. As suggested by Stephen Fishman, this form of expressivism will provide the students with “new ways to identify with one another and, thereby, new grounds for social communion” (654). As this course is designed to emphasize writing across the curriculum, students will also learn about other disciplines through one another. Each student is to suggest his or her favorite topic for the drafts of group members in a written statement.
Fifth Objective (10 minutes)
Following the peer discussion, students will again work individually to narrow down the list of five possible topics to two topical ideas.
Goal: Again, I want to engage students in the process of elimination and critical thinking. Now the students will have the benefit of collaboration and social connection to narrow their lists even further.
Sixth Objective (15 minutes)
As the instructor, I will call on random students to recite the two possible topics under consideration for the draft. I will engage in a discussion with each student about why they would like to write to a certain topic and the ideas they would like to discuss within this theme. This will be my opportunity to guide the student in a certain direction if I feel a certain topic would be more profitable than another.
Goal: I want the students to be able to articulate their thoughts as I believe this is an important part of the writing process. Also, while they have made the social connection with peers, it may be important for them, personally, to also develop that relationship with the instructor.
Accountability:
At the end of the class period, students are to turn in the top two possible topics with possibilities of discussion within the draft. During the next class period, they will be required to declare their choice for the draft topic in a thesis statement.
Works Cited:
Berlin, James A. 1991. “Some Thoughts on Expressive Discourse: A Review Essay.” Journal of Advanced Composition 11: 83-93.
Fishman, Stephen M., and Lucille Parkinson McCarthy. 1992. “Is Expressivism Dead? Reconsidering Its Romantic Roots and Its Relation to Social Constructionism.” College English 48: 647-661.
There seems to be a great deal of malaise regarding the drafts in 1301. A large part of this results from students who did not take the time to select a topic of self-investment. I believe if the students are interested in the topic, they will learn more about writing as well as their topic, and the experience will become more enjoyable. In other cases, the students just seem to be at a loss when given the freedom of choosing their own topic.
In an effort to counteract this in my 1301 class, an entire class period will be dedicated to topic selection. The topics of the drafts will also not be limited to a discussion of language. Since this course is geared towards writing across the curriculum, students will be allowed to select a topic in their discipline if they so choose.
I have developed a highly sequenced activity that involves both individual work as well as collaboration to assist students in selecting a draft topic. The qualities of expressive writing are emphasized in this activity as this is one of the primary characteristics of my teaching philosophy.
First Objective (15 minutes)
Following a class discussion of possible topics, students will individually form a written list of 10 possible draft topics.
Goal: This objective aims to initialize thought process and allow students to consider their personal interests. The first three objectives emphasize the self-reflection aspect of expressive writing or what James Berlin calls “the cultivation of the self” (73). This may be a foreign concept to the students who have largely been topically restricted in high school writing assignments.
Second Objective (5 minutes)
Individually, students will narrow the list down to the top five favorites.
Goal: I want to engage students in the process of eliminating those ideas that may not work in a draft. Also, this requires individuals to give considerable thought to their personal interests.
Third Objective (10 minutes)
By each possible topic, students are to write ideas about the subtopics they would like to cover under each general theme.
Goal: I want to engage students in the process of elimination. This also requires some critical thinking as students begin thinking about the ways in which they would execute a discussion of each topic. In addition, they must reflect on the prior knowledge they have acquired concerning a given subject.
Fourth Objective (20 minutes)
In small groups of about three individuals, students will discuss their ideas with peers.
Goal: Students should engage in collaborative learning, in effect teaching one another as first recommended by Aristotle. This will probably cause students to think of their topics in different terms outside of self. As suggested by Stephen Fishman, this form of expressivism will provide the students with “new ways to identify with one another and, thereby, new grounds for social communion” (654). As this course is designed to emphasize writing across the curriculum, students will also learn about other disciplines through one another. Each student is to suggest his or her favorite topic for the drafts of group members in a written statement.
Fifth Objective (10 minutes)
Following the peer discussion, students will again work individually to narrow down the list of five possible topics to two topical ideas.
Goal: Again, I want to engage students in the process of elimination and critical thinking. Now the students will have the benefit of collaboration and social connection to narrow their lists even further.
Sixth Objective (15 minutes)
As the instructor, I will call on random students to recite the two possible topics under consideration for the draft. I will engage in a discussion with each student about why they would like to write to a certain topic and the ideas they would like to discuss within this theme. This will be my opportunity to guide the student in a certain direction if I feel a certain topic would be more profitable than another.
Goal: I want the students to be able to articulate their thoughts as I believe this is an important part of the writing process. Also, while they have made the social connection with peers, it may be important for them, personally, to also develop that relationship with the instructor.
Accountability:
At the end of the class period, students are to turn in the top two possible topics with possibilities of discussion within the draft. During the next class period, they will be required to declare their choice for the draft topic in a thesis statement.
Works Cited:
Berlin, James A. 1991. “Some Thoughts on Expressive Discourse: A Review Essay.” Journal of Advanced Composition 11: 83-93.
Fishman, Stephen M., and Lucille Parkinson McCarthy. 1992. “Is Expressivism Dead? Reconsidering Its Romantic Roots and Its Relation to Social Constructionism.” College English 48: 647-661.
New and Improved Teaching Philosophy
Teaching Philosophy as Directed to 1301 Students
“Learning is finding out what you already know. Doing is demonstrating that you know it. Teaching is reminding other that they know it as well as you do. We are all learners, doers, and teachers.” ---Richard David Bach
Gone are the days when students come to class, sit down at a desk with pen and notebook in hand, and render themselves silent vessels to be filled by the omniscient fluid knowledge of the instructor, at least in my class. I expect to learn as much from you, my student, as you expect to learn from me throughout this course. You will be expected to contribute to the learning environment and be engaged in the discussion or activity at hand. In turn, as your teacher, I intend to listen and observe as well as guide you on the path to becoming better writers.
My goal is to inspire your quest for knowledge, specifically that which pertains to writing. English 1301 is a freshman-level required course. By the end of the semester, you should have the skills to perform basic writing endeavors such as summarizing, paraphrasing, drafting, and proofreading. You will be able to conduct thorough research and analyze that material for incorporation into an explanatory synthesis, the final paper of the term. (see syllabus attachment)
And then what?
It seems the failure of many students and instructors, perhaps especially instructors, is the inability to see beyond the course. It is my goal that this class does not end with the last class meeting or even with the final draft. This class should continue to foster inspiration, encouragement, and knowledge throughout your life as a writer, which is who you have become since the moment you entered the classroom and committed yourself to this transformational process.
Regardless of whether you are writing an academic paper or a creative piece, writing is about expressing the self. This obviously requires introspection, and some (dare I say “all?”) of you will further develop your identity through writing as a transforming process. Less obviously, expressivity allows individuals to discover the ways in which they can relate to one another. (see PowerPoint presentation of “Expressive Writing” in attachment)
This two-fold concept of expressive writing is reflected in the teaching strategies that will be employed in this course. I will require you to keep a daily journal. This is the time for self-reflection. I will not be grading the grammatical construction of these journal entries. I want your mind to be free and the pen to follow. Also, I will occasionally divide you into groups to discuss various assignments. This is your opportunity for collaboration and identification with your peers. These group activities will be highly sequenced to increase quality and productivity. (see group activity attachment)
In addition to expressivism, dialogue is an important part of this course and all learning. As such, I encourage you to contact me during office hours or via email with any questions, concerns, or comments about the course or writing in general.
Just as I have established the course objectives and some of the strategies used to achieve those objectives, I want you to think about your aspirations for the class and the ways in which you plan to accomplish those goals. Let the reciprocal relationship begin.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Learning from what we teach
Like many of the 1301 instructors, I never actually took the course I am now teaching. Consequently, I have learned so much through my teaching. I have always had a natural sense about grammar. Somehow, I know where the commas go and how to make the sentence sound right, but I never knew the actual rules of grammar. Now I find myself having to learn those rules, mostly so I can explain to the students what they are doing wrong when I am grading. It doesn't help them for me to say, "It just doesn't sound right." I will resort to "awkward" when I just don't know what's wrong. However, I am making an effort to find the rule to support the revisions I am suggesting. For me, this is important. I feel like I need to base my suggestions on some sort of foundation. As a result, I am learning so much about grammar.
I am also learning that the skills we possess as "English people" truly are special and remarkable. Because we're around each other all the time and because we are all great writers, sometimes I tend to forget or take for granted the power of writing. Seeing my students struggle for hours just to write a thesis statement makes me recognize my own talent and the ways in which I can share that talent with others.
We can become reflective practitioners simply by thinking about the ways we teach. I think about my perspective before I began teaching (highly idealistic) and my perspective now, which is much more realistic because I actually have some experience. By reflecting on how I have developed (or not developed) as a teacher, I can plan on improving next semester. Specifically, one of my goals is improve the way I conduct group activities. I want to try to develop more sequencing in these activities than I have done this year, so hopefully, the students will gain more from the experience.
I am also learning that the skills we possess as "English people" truly are special and remarkable. Because we're around each other all the time and because we are all great writers, sometimes I tend to forget or take for granted the power of writing. Seeing my students struggle for hours just to write a thesis statement makes me recognize my own talent and the ways in which I can share that talent with others.
We can become reflective practitioners simply by thinking about the ways we teach. I think about my perspective before I began teaching (highly idealistic) and my perspective now, which is much more realistic because I actually have some experience. By reflecting on how I have developed (or not developed) as a teacher, I can plan on improving next semester. Specifically, one of my goals is improve the way I conduct group activities. I want to try to develop more sequencing in these activities than I have done this year, so hopefully, the students will gain more from the experience.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
writing as art
I have always thought of myself as part of that school that says, "Writing cannot be taught." I think we can teach basic grammar and the fundamentals of writing a sound sentence, but when it comes to the writing, this is between the individual and the paper.
I think of writing as an art. You can teach someone how to shade, to outline, to watercolor, or use oils. But can you mold that student into a Monet or a Van Gogh? Probably not, unless he or she has the gift. I believe it is the same way with writing. We can teach the student a system of codes, but we cannot make the individual write beautiful prose if the talent is not present.
Until I read the article on Post-Process theory, I don't think I had the vocabulary to articulate this point of view. Now I believe I have always thought of writing as what Kastman Breuch calls an "indeterminate activity." This is part of what makes writing and teaching writing so difficult. We have no way of predicting how the students will write or learn.
I agree with Breuch that we, as teachers, should encourage writing as an act of interpretation and emphasize the presence of the reader. We can arm our students with the tools they need to recognize their individual talents, but it is ultimately up to them to harness their gift.
I think of writing as an art. You can teach someone how to shade, to outline, to watercolor, or use oils. But can you mold that student into a Monet or a Van Gogh? Probably not, unless he or she has the gift. I believe it is the same way with writing. We can teach the student a system of codes, but we cannot make the individual write beautiful prose if the talent is not present.
Until I read the article on Post-Process theory, I don't think I had the vocabulary to articulate this point of view. Now I believe I have always thought of writing as what Kastman Breuch calls an "indeterminate activity." This is part of what makes writing and teaching writing so difficult. We have no way of predicting how the students will write or learn.
I agree with Breuch that we, as teachers, should encourage writing as an act of interpretation and emphasize the presence of the reader. We can arm our students with the tools they need to recognize their individual talents, but it is ultimately up to them to harness their gift.
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