We need your help!
The University is undergoing revisions to the current Miami plan, and beginning next year they are changing the way the writing requirements will work. English 112 will no longer be "English 112." Instead, a new advanced writing requirement will take its place and we are hoping to get feedback from 112 students in order to begin our process of designing this new incarnation of a writing course.
I know this is a busy time of the semester, but please take 5-10 minutes to fill out this survey. It will REALLY help set us in a productive path for deciding on how to teach the new course, and helping out will probably give you some good karma too :)
All responses are anonymous (you aren't asked to sign in or provide any contact information). You can find the survey here.
I know this is a busy time of the semester, but please take 5-10 minutes to fill out this survey. It will REALLY help set us in a productive path for deciding on how to teach the new course, and helping out will probably give you some good karma too :)
All responses are anonymous (you aren't asked to sign in or provide any contact information). You can find the survey here.
Final Conference Availability
With the end of the semester rapidly approaching, it's time to think about meeting with me for a conference if you still need a non-inquiry 2 conference requirement fulfilled. In addition to my regular office hours, I've extended my availability to accommodate you all the best I can. If you still need to fulfill a requirement or just want to chat about inquiry 4, please email me with your requested time. Meetings usually last around 15 minutes.
Wednesday April 23rd: 8:30-9:30
Thursday April 24th: 11:30-1:00
Monday April 28th: 8:30-9:30, 11:45-12:45
Tuesday April 29th (no in-class meeting): 8:30-12:30
Wednesday April 30th: 8:30-10:00
Thursday May 1st (no in-class meeting): 8:30-12:30
Monday May 5th: 10:00-11:15
Wednesday May 7th: 8:30-10:00
Thursday May 8th: 11:30-1:00
Please note I will not be on campus during finals week. Thursday May 8th is your last chance to meet with me before inquiry 4 is due on Tuesday May 13th.
Wednesday April 23rd: 8:30-9:30
Thursday April 24th: 11:30-1:00
Monday April 28th: 8:30-9:30, 11:45-12:45
Tuesday April 29th (no in-class meeting): 8:30-12:30
Wednesday April 30th: 8:30-10:00
Thursday May 1st (no in-class meeting): 8:30-12:30
Monday May 5th: 10:00-11:15
Wednesday May 7th: 8:30-10:00
Thursday May 8th: 11:30-1:00
Please note I will not be on campus during finals week. Thursday May 8th is your last chance to meet with me before inquiry 4 is due on Tuesday May 13th.
Bridget's "Canon" From 2011
As I mentioned in class today, I like to revisit my “favorite” lists every few years or so to see how my preferences, values, or line of thinking have changed over time. The following list is something I put together in 2011 in response to an article my dad was working on (he writes a book column for a local magazine back home) that involved him interviewing his friends and family under the topic of: “books that changed your life.” The following is the list I gave to him, and while I might alter it in my current day, it doesn’t change the fact that these are all books that I just simply enjoyed reading or affected me in some way-- just like your inquiry 3 projects! While this topic is slightly different from what we’re thinking of in terms of canon, I thought it might be fun to share this with you all. I hope it exposes you to something you have yet to encounter :)
The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall: E-readers beware. You must read a physical copy of this book for effect. It’s genius.
Back Roads by Tawni O’Dell: A modern day Catcher in the Rye, but more fucked up. One of the best fiction pieces I’ve ever read.
House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski: Imaginative and challenging. I still think of this book anytime I open a closet.
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee: For obvious reasons.
The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Conner: No one can compete with O’Conner’s humor and intelligence when it comes to constructing a story that makes you look at the horrible parts of your own personality.
The Passage by Justin Cronin: One of the best page-turners I’ve ever read. I used to wake up in the middle of the night, thinking about this book, and proceed to read until 5 in the morning just to see what happened next! It’s also a great example of style.
The Giver by Lois Lowry: This is one of the few I’ve read multiple times, and revisiting it as an adult was an interesting experience.
Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: WHY IS THIS NOT A MOVIE YET?! Sooo cinematic in it’s telling.
Dangerous Laughter by Steven Millhauser: Hauntingly beautiful and caused some legitimate laughs out loud.
The Boys of My Youth by JoAnn Beard: Primarily for her essay title “The Fourth State of Matter.” If anything, read that essay.
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel: Innovative in that the complex and deeply personal narrative is told in graphic novel form in a way where neither the words nor the pictures are really truly complete without each other.
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffery Eugenides: I can’t say enough good things about this book. The disconnection that the voice offers is a unique point of view of the strange events that take place.
Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi: Much like what House of Leaves did to closets, I think of this book almost every time I wake up in the middle of the night—I now have to look at the floor to make sure none of the Manson clan is crawling around down there. Intensely researched.
The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall: E-readers beware. You must read a physical copy of this book for effect. It’s genius.
Back Roads by Tawni O’Dell: A modern day Catcher in the Rye, but more fucked up. One of the best fiction pieces I’ve ever read.
House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski: Imaginative and challenging. I still think of this book anytime I open a closet.
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee: For obvious reasons.
The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Conner: No one can compete with O’Conner’s humor and intelligence when it comes to constructing a story that makes you look at the horrible parts of your own personality.
The Passage by Justin Cronin: One of the best page-turners I’ve ever read. I used to wake up in the middle of the night, thinking about this book, and proceed to read until 5 in the morning just to see what happened next! It’s also a great example of style.
The Giver by Lois Lowry: This is one of the few I’ve read multiple times, and revisiting it as an adult was an interesting experience.
Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: WHY IS THIS NOT A MOVIE YET?! Sooo cinematic in it’s telling.
Dangerous Laughter by Steven Millhauser: Hauntingly beautiful and caused some legitimate laughs out loud.
The Boys of My Youth by JoAnn Beard: Primarily for her essay title “The Fourth State of Matter.” If anything, read that essay.
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel: Innovative in that the complex and deeply personal narrative is told in graphic novel form in a way where neither the words nor the pictures are really truly complete without each other.
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffery Eugenides: I can’t say enough good things about this book. The disconnection that the voice offers is a unique point of view of the strange events that take place.
Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi: Much like what House of Leaves did to closets, I think of this book almost every time I wake up in the middle of the night—I now have to look at the floor to make sure none of the Manson clan is crawling around down there. Intensely researched.
Extra Credit Opportunity
If you’re looking for an extra credit opportunity, I have one for you. In light of our AMAZING discussions on what a canon should do/represent, and the questioned I posed to you at the end of class about reflecting on what sorts of texts/experiences might not make it to your canon because you haven’t yet been exposed to them, I wanted to share some interviews with you that I find HIGHLY valuable despite my difference in experience/upbringing/culture from these people.
As I’ve mentioned in class before, I’m a podcast junkie. One of my favorites is called Bullseye with Jesse Thorn. It’s sort of a popular culture podcast that has interviews with artists of all types, but what I really like about it is that is often provides snapshots of certain cultures or subcultures that aren’t often heard about in the mainstream. Plus, the host is a really good interviewer. His preparedness is something to marvel at. I encourage you to look at their back catalogue and listen to the episodes that you find intriguing, but I want to draw your attention to four interviews in particular, linked below:
Some are longer than others (the interview with Prodigy is almost an hour). If you don't want to listen to them through SoundCloud, which is how they're linked above, Bullseye is available to download through iTunes as well. I use the podcast app Podkicker, and recommend it if you have an Android phone. I'm hesitant to provide descriptions of who each person is and why they’re being interviewed, because I think the host does a really nice job of that and I’m curious about your genuine reactions. If you’re interested in writing up a response piece to one or all of these interviews, I will consider awarding 10 points of extra credit per response for a total of 40 potential points. Responses can be published to your blog (afterwards, please send me an email alerting me to their existence). I will accept these up until April 18th.
Responses that will receive the maximum amount of points should be at least 200 words and consider one or all of the following guiding questions:
What has impressed me the most about my students this semester (that's you!) has been your willingness to remain open to new ideas and perspectives. This is a really important part of learning and life, and I can’t stress enough how exciting it has been for me to hear your perspectives during inquiry 3. Let me know if you have any questions about this opportunity, or want to talk about any of the interviews face to face before you write your response.
As I’ve mentioned in class before, I’m a podcast junkie. One of my favorites is called Bullseye with Jesse Thorn. It’s sort of a popular culture podcast that has interviews with artists of all types, but what I really like about it is that is often provides snapshots of certain cultures or subcultures that aren’t often heard about in the mainstream. Plus, the host is a really good interviewer. His preparedness is something to marvel at. I encourage you to look at their back catalogue and listen to the episodes that you find intriguing, but I want to draw your attention to four interviews in particular, linked below:
Some are longer than others (the interview with Prodigy is almost an hour). If you don't want to listen to them through SoundCloud, which is how they're linked above, Bullseye is available to download through iTunes as well. I use the podcast app Podkicker, and recommend it if you have an Android phone. I'm hesitant to provide descriptions of who each person is and why they’re being interviewed, because I think the host does a really nice job of that and I’m curious about your genuine reactions. If you’re interested in writing up a response piece to one or all of these interviews, I will consider awarding 10 points of extra credit per response for a total of 40 potential points. Responses can be published to your blog (afterwards, please send me an email alerting me to their existence). I will accept these up until April 18th.
Responses that will receive the maximum amount of points should be at least 200 words and consider one or all of the following guiding questions:
- What did you find special, interesting, or unique about the interviewee’s personal story or point of view on the world?
- What sort of insight or perspective did they provide that can be applicable to people outside of the immediate “fan base” of this person?
- How can you relate to this person, concretely or abstractly?
- Did this interview reveal anything to you that can be related back to the concepts surrounding inquiry 3?
- Perhaps most importantly, how did this interview change your perspective? What did it teach you?
What has impressed me the most about my students this semester (that's you!) has been your willingness to remain open to new ideas and perspectives. This is a really important part of learning and life, and I can’t stress enough how exciting it has been for me to hear your perspectives during inquiry 3. Let me know if you have any questions about this opportunity, or want to talk about any of the interviews face to face before you write your response.
Revising Inquiry 2
Thanks, you all, for such successful conferences. I really believe the writing you’re doing for this project is important, relevant work that can help us better understand the world in all of its craziness! As you revise, it might be helpful to keep some things in mind (these are things I will be weighing when grading these papers).
1.) Be careful that you’re not writing another, longer version of inquiry 1. While we are definitely putting some close reading skills to use with this project, make sure the contextual aspects you’re dealing with in relation to how people received the film is the focal point of your discussion. Interpretations of the film can be relevant, if positioned correctly, but it’s important you don’t veer too far off track from a research paper that is meeting the goals.
2.) Make your research work hard for you. I know from reading your outstanding bibliographies that you all have fantastic source material to draw from. USE IT (a good research paper of this length should probably have at least 6 sources)! Review the handout on integrating source material into your writing found on the resources page, and watch out for dead armadillos.
3.) Your thesis or main point for the paper should be clear from the start and carried throughout the piece. It might be helpful to write down your main point or goal on a piece of paper and keep it next to your computer as you write—this way you can be reminded to consistently tie your discussion back to what it is you want your reader to walk away with about the context in relation to the reception.
4.) I saw a lot of drafts that made claims about how the film was well-liked or what was liked about it without referencing any reviews. If it makes sense for your project, consider where you might position something like this in order to orient your reader to how the film was received.
5.) While I’m not a huge formatting stickler, points will be deducted for incorrect citations, both in-text as well as on your works cited/reference page. Please double check this and make your paper look as clean as possible (this includes spelling and mechanics too!).
6.) Please review the assignment prompt in full before turning in your project to ensure you don’t forget an essential component like the writer's reflection, etc.
Good luck with revisions, and remember that I’m here for you guys! Shoot me an email if you need any help or just want to talk things out. Final drafts are due before 11:59pm on Sunday March 23rd. These folders are timestamped, so please plan accordingly to avoid receiving a zero.
1.) Be careful that you’re not writing another, longer version of inquiry 1. While we are definitely putting some close reading skills to use with this project, make sure the contextual aspects you’re dealing with in relation to how people received the film is the focal point of your discussion. Interpretations of the film can be relevant, if positioned correctly, but it’s important you don’t veer too far off track from a research paper that is meeting the goals.
2.) Make your research work hard for you. I know from reading your outstanding bibliographies that you all have fantastic source material to draw from. USE IT (a good research paper of this length should probably have at least 6 sources)! Review the handout on integrating source material into your writing found on the resources page, and watch out for dead armadillos.
3.) Your thesis or main point for the paper should be clear from the start and carried throughout the piece. It might be helpful to write down your main point or goal on a piece of paper and keep it next to your computer as you write—this way you can be reminded to consistently tie your discussion back to what it is you want your reader to walk away with about the context in relation to the reception.
4.) I saw a lot of drafts that made claims about how the film was well-liked or what was liked about it without referencing any reviews. If it makes sense for your project, consider where you might position something like this in order to orient your reader to how the film was received.
5.) While I’m not a huge formatting stickler, points will be deducted for incorrect citations, both in-text as well as on your works cited/reference page. Please double check this and make your paper look as clean as possible (this includes spelling and mechanics too!).
6.) Please review the assignment prompt in full before turning in your project to ensure you don’t forget an essential component like the writer's reflection, etc.
Good luck with revisions, and remember that I’m here for you guys! Shoot me an email if you need any help or just want to talk things out. Final drafts are due before 11:59pm on Sunday March 23rd. These folders are timestamped, so please plan accordingly to avoid receiving a zero.
From Cornell's Library Website:
WHAT IS AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY?
An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.
An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.
Research Blog/Annotations Due Date Change
Please check the schedule for some changes to the annotations due date (now due on Sunday March 9th by 3pm). I will address the changes in detail in class on Tuesday March 4th, but do note that this affects some of the other assignments and readings as well..
Revising Inquiry 1
A reminder: you're welcome to revise inquiry 1 for a higher grade as I'm a firm believer that students are responsible for, and should accountable for, their own grades. If you're hoping to improve the writing or analysis in inquiry 1, shoot me an email within the next two weeks (before March 13) to let me know that you plan to revise. The opportunity to revise inquiry 1 will cease to exist after March 13. Papers that are "revised" to only correct grammatical/mechanical errors don't usually receive a higher score. Revision means a complex engagement with how, conceptually, the paper might improve on a more global scale. I'm happy to meet with you to discuss your work and help point you in productive directions! Let me know how I can help.
Howe Writing Center Workshop on Annotated Bibliographies
The Howe Writing Center's Writer's Workshop series marches on with this week's workshop on annotated bibliographies. It would be really beneficial for you to attend in order to unpack the purpose of annotated bibliographies and to strategize for how you might approach yours for inquiry 2.
Information follows:
Howe Writing Center Writer's Workshop:
Show Me the Sources: Annotated Bibliographies
Sunday, Feb 23, 5pm-6pm, King Library 314
Wednesday, Feb 26, 6pm-7pm. King Library 314
Please let me know if you have any questions, and don't forget that the Howe Writing Center's website is linked on our resources page.
Information follows:
Howe Writing Center Writer's Workshop:
Show Me the Sources: Annotated Bibliographies
Sunday, Feb 23, 5pm-6pm, King Library 314
Wednesday, Feb 26, 6pm-7pm. King Library 314
Please let me know if you have any questions, and don't forget that the Howe Writing Center's website is linked on our resources page.
Library Handout
Here is the handout from our library session today (also linked on the resources page)-- please do utilize these databases and keep in mind that research is about DEEP digging. Don't give up if your first attempt doesn't offer you what you're looking for. Try varying your search terms, or trying an alternative database. Keep in mind that the resources page also links to the request form to meet with a research librarian. This service allows you to meet one on one with a librarian who will help you find the information you need for your project.
Art Museum Movie Series
Below is information about the art museum's spring semester film series. Movies are free to enjoy!
Revising Inquiry 1: Some Tips... (Feb. 15)
A couple of tips about interpreting feedback and revising:
First of all, just know that even the President revises, as evident by this picture :) It's all part of the process. If you're not revising, you're doing it wrong. Don’t be afraid of a lot of comments (look how many Obama got!). Feedback is a good thing, and a lot of comments can indicate that you sparked something in your readers!
To that end, you are allowed to be choosy with that comments you decide to roll with, and which you don’t. Writing is all about taking ownership for your own ideas, and therefore you are the ultimate decision maker about where to take your writing. As a teacher, it’s my job to point you in some productive directions. You don’t have to listen to everything I have to say—even though I’m the one grading the final drafts, I’m more concerned with whether or not you are thinking rhetorically about how to improve your paper, not whether or not you changed everything I marked.
Keep in mind that the four main components I’ll be looking for in your final drafts are analysis/summary use, close-reading concepts, use of textual evidence, and organization. It’s also a really good idea to re-read the assignment guidelines sheet before submitting your final draft to make sure all of the technical specifications are in order.
If you received comments that indicated you might need some more analysis, it would be a good idea to review the close-reading PDF we went over in class (find it under Inquiry 1 Links/Resources) as well as the list of questions we worked with during the Children of Men activity (scroll down for a bulleted list).
Final drafts with your writer’s reflections are due by 11:59pm on Tuesday to your private GoogleDrive folder. Technology often fails us, so plan ahead—refer to the syllabus for information about my zero tolerance policy on late work. If you get through my comments and think you need extra time, I encourage you to review the schedule and then reach out to me to make reasonable arrangements for an extension, keeping in mind there are other things due this week and beyond.
Email me with questions-- I'm happy to help :) And just a final note, I'm really impressed with the level of effort and thought you all put into this first paper. Kudos.
First of all, just know that even the President revises, as evident by this picture :) It's all part of the process. If you're not revising, you're doing it wrong. Don’t be afraid of a lot of comments (look how many Obama got!). Feedback is a good thing, and a lot of comments can indicate that you sparked something in your readers!
To that end, you are allowed to be choosy with that comments you decide to roll with, and which you don’t. Writing is all about taking ownership for your own ideas, and therefore you are the ultimate decision maker about where to take your writing. As a teacher, it’s my job to point you in some productive directions. You don’t have to listen to everything I have to say—even though I’m the one grading the final drafts, I’m more concerned with whether or not you are thinking rhetorically about how to improve your paper, not whether or not you changed everything I marked.
Keep in mind that the four main components I’ll be looking for in your final drafts are analysis/summary use, close-reading concepts, use of textual evidence, and organization. It’s also a really good idea to re-read the assignment guidelines sheet before submitting your final draft to make sure all of the technical specifications are in order.
If you received comments that indicated you might need some more analysis, it would be a good idea to review the close-reading PDF we went over in class (find it under Inquiry 1 Links/Resources) as well as the list of questions we worked with during the Children of Men activity (scroll down for a bulleted list).
Final drafts with your writer’s reflections are due by 11:59pm on Tuesday to your private GoogleDrive folder. Technology often fails us, so plan ahead—refer to the syllabus for information about my zero tolerance policy on late work. If you get through my comments and think you need extra time, I encourage you to review the schedule and then reach out to me to make reasonable arrangements for an extension, keeping in mind there are other things due this week and beyond.
Email me with questions-- I'm happy to help :) And just a final note, I'm really impressed with the level of effort and thought you all put into this first paper. Kudos.
Some Announcements (Feb. 10th)
First of all, I wanted to let you all know that I'm really pleased with the level of interaction happening on Twitter. I've had a lot of you favorite tweets about class and use the class hashtag! Awesome. It's important to note something wonky about twitter. If your account is set to private, only your approved followers can see your tweets. Therefore, if you have a private account and have been tweeting about class, neither myself nor your classmates have seen your tweets. I've had a lot of students in the past opt to create a public account solely for use related to this class. That's a good option, because the account can be deleted when the semester is over, and you don't have to make your personal account public in the process. Food for though.
Also, this semester the writing program is offering 3 sections of English 105: Writing Studio. This is a small one credit hour that meets once a week where you can get extra support on ANY writing you do this semester, in my class or others. Extra writing support could never hurt, and you get credit for the studio as well. Please consider signing up. It would benefit you tremendously!
There are sections at:
Mondays 11:30-12:50
Tuesdays 10-11:20
Thursdays 10-11:20
If you're interested, you can visit the composition office in Bachelor 356A to be force added. Email Jason Palmeri ([email protected]) with questions.
Also, this semester the writing program is offering 3 sections of English 105: Writing Studio. This is a small one credit hour that meets once a week where you can get extra support on ANY writing you do this semester, in my class or others. Extra writing support could never hurt, and you get credit for the studio as well. Please consider signing up. It would benefit you tremendously!
There are sections at:
Mondays 11:30-12:50
Tuesdays 10-11:20
Thursdays 10-11:20
If you're interested, you can visit the composition office in Bachelor 356A to be force added. Email Jason Palmeri ([email protected]) with questions.
Rough Drafts due Tuesday!
Don't forget that your rough drafts are due on Tuesday (just the close reading; we'll worry about the writer's reflection parts for the final draft). While they don't have to be good by any means, please make sure you come with a completed rough draft-- it's part of your grade for this inquiry. Check your email for directions on how to go about uploading them to GoogleDrive. As you work on your drafts, don't forget to think about what we've talked about in class, reference examples (both from the CCM and those linked on this site), and consult the PDF on close reading on the resources page. Also, below are the questions from our Thursday activity, in case those helped you formulate what to look for as you watch your selected film:
- Write down any questions you have about this scene.
- Look for patterns.
- How would you describe the “rhythm” of the scene, or how the events are paced?
- How would you describe the visual aesthetic of the scene? What about the tone?
- Begin to draw some conclusions about possible themes. While you may not have seen this movie as a whole, consider how this is the opening sequence, meaning it’s introducing certain plot elements while also setting the tone.
- Look for imagery.
- What sort of sensory details do you notice in what’s seen and heard?
- Consider the organization and how this is the first scene of the film. Why might the director have chosen to include this scene as the first thing the viewer sees?
- Consider the dialogue and language used.
- Consider what is perhaps not shown in this scene, or what is happening off-screen. What effect does this create?
- What about the music or sound-effects strike you as important?
- Where does the director want your attention to be, and why is that?
- Who is our protagonist? What is your impression of her or him?
- What’s your response to this scene? How did it make you feel, what did it make you think, and/or what questions did it leave you with?
Writing Center Spring Workshops
Each semester, the writing center holds workshops open to the public that coincide with what many students are working on in their writing courses like 112. This semester, Howe is holding workshops on close reading (the focus of inquiry 1), writer's letters, annotated bibliographies, revision, integrating sources, and more. You can find a list of topics, dates, and times on this page of their website. The staff at the Howe Writing Center is friendly and nonjudgemental. The writing center is something that is partially funded through your student fees-- you're already paying for it, so you might as well take advantage of this amazing service! Please let me know if you have any questions.
Welcome to English 112: Text and their Contexts. This semester, we'll define "texts" broadly in encompass film. From here, we will use film to investigate a.) how to close-read a text, b.) how close-readings change in various contexts, and c.) how various contexts shape how a text is received and interpreted. Mainly, we will work towards reflecting on the question, what makes a text "good" or "bad"? Who decides?
A few things you should know before we begin:
1. My name is Bridget, so you should call me that :) While technically I'm your instructor this semester, I'd like for you to think of me as a co-learner, here to facilitate our discussions and activities, while providing you with feedback and instruction that can help you meet your individual goals as a unique learner. Don't hesitate to reach out to me throughout the semester. I'm here to help.
2. A good attitude goes a long way. Seriously. It's my job to help you step outside your normal realm of comfort in order to open your mind to new and varying perspectives that might help you see the world in a way you hadn't previously considered. This is where learning happens! It will be hard work, but also really fun. As long as you keep an open mind and maintain a positive attitude, you'll go far this semester.
3. Announcements and reminders can be found right here, on this main page. In order to keep up with what's going on in English 112, it's really important to attend class (duh), check your email, and check our class schedule and/or syllabus. If these places don't provide you with the answers you need, feel free to email ([email protected]) or tweet me (@BridgetGelms).
4. I value effort... a lot. This means that students who show me they're committed to maximizing their learning through participation, engagement, asking questions, and remaining open to the idea of revising their writing generally do much better than those who, well, don't. Because this class focuses on writing and reading, we will be discussing texts (both outside and each others') frequently. Come to class prepared to engage-- we will all get much more out of class if everyone is involved, and I care to hear whatever it is you have to say.
5. This website is common across two different sections of 112. Once you set up your individual blog for this class (more on that during the first class meeting), it will be linked from this site so your peers can access it. Note that not only people in your section, but in another as well, will have access to your blog.
This is not the extent of our course policies/information, but just a little to get us started. I'm really looking forward to getting to know you all this semester!
A few things you should know before we begin:
1. My name is Bridget, so you should call me that :) While technically I'm your instructor this semester, I'd like for you to think of me as a co-learner, here to facilitate our discussions and activities, while providing you with feedback and instruction that can help you meet your individual goals as a unique learner. Don't hesitate to reach out to me throughout the semester. I'm here to help.
2. A good attitude goes a long way. Seriously. It's my job to help you step outside your normal realm of comfort in order to open your mind to new and varying perspectives that might help you see the world in a way you hadn't previously considered. This is where learning happens! It will be hard work, but also really fun. As long as you keep an open mind and maintain a positive attitude, you'll go far this semester.
3. Announcements and reminders can be found right here, on this main page. In order to keep up with what's going on in English 112, it's really important to attend class (duh), check your email, and check our class schedule and/or syllabus. If these places don't provide you with the answers you need, feel free to email ([email protected]) or tweet me (@BridgetGelms).
4. I value effort... a lot. This means that students who show me they're committed to maximizing their learning through participation, engagement, asking questions, and remaining open to the idea of revising their writing generally do much better than those who, well, don't. Because this class focuses on writing and reading, we will be discussing texts (both outside and each others') frequently. Come to class prepared to engage-- we will all get much more out of class if everyone is involved, and I care to hear whatever it is you have to say.
5. This website is common across two different sections of 112. Once you set up your individual blog for this class (more on that during the first class meeting), it will be linked from this site so your peers can access it. Note that not only people in your section, but in another as well, will have access to your blog.
This is not the extent of our course policies/information, but just a little to get us started. I'm really looking forward to getting to know you all this semester!