Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Presentations today Cyber-Rsponse



Presentations today were great! Don't forget to post the your arguments with your comments. Reflect on the process: what went well, what you learned and if anything what you might do differently next time.

Lastly, comment on a classmate's argument: what did you like about it? What did you learn?

Please bring your cartoons and ads tomorrow. I'd like to take a picture of the images to post at the assignment link. thanks!

WLTC Homework June 30-July 7

Assignments:

Exercise 4A (81-82) due July 1, 2010. Write in the book whenever possible.

Exercise 4C (92-93) Due July 1, 2010


Writing Assignment 7 (98-100). Due July 6. Print out and bring to class.

Exercise 4D due July 7, 2010. Writing Assignment 8 (102) Due July 7, 2010. Bring scissors to class.

Books

Go to the bookstore and purchase From the Bottom of the Heap. There are 12 copies of the book in the bookstore. The Known World will be in Thursday, July 8, in the college bookstore.

Black Like Me is in as well already. Get the books, we will continue with From the Bottom of the Heap tomorrow.

Read the first few chapters, up to chapter 8 (66). How does King's life verify Wise's argument on privilege?

Note any passages that are disturbing or shocking. Does the author make any assumptions you agree or disagree with?

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Cyber-Assigment due June 29, 2010

Begin the three-four paragraph response with an introduction which brings in Wise and then responds to same question as reflected in your life.

What trigger (3-4) moments predisposed Tim Wise to interrogate his life? Cite the text. Now connect his investigation to one of your own. If this treasure hunt is a new one for you, use Wise's self-reflective journey as a model. It form can be a short story or an essay response to the question about travel, choice and destinations. You can even write a poem.

The assignment
Find three (3) instances in you life which when reflected upon predisposed you to think, act, be a certain way today. What choices have you made (possibly brave or courageous choices Wise would say) to be where you are right now?

To exercise critical thinking means to take measured steps until one's eyes are adjusted to the darkness. Critical thinkers reflect and tread lightly just in case he or she needs to back track and find those bent leaves and footprints still visible he or she passed along the way.

Living consciously or being awake as opposed to sleep walking through life means one takes nothing for granted, yet keeps notes, makes plans and then tears up the paper just in case. One doesn't want to make a trail, the fun or lesson is in the journey--what one finds along the way not in the destination.

This response should be about 250 words. If you write a response that doesn't fit in one post, break it up into two or more. 250 is a benchmark, you can always write more.

Day 5 & 6

Monday we reviewed exercises from chapters 1-3 in WLTC. We began with a lengthy discussion following a freewrite on the qualities of good writing.

Students then shared essays plans and/or essays. Only two students had drafts for review. Today, we had a small class, most students came in, dropped off their essays and left. It was strange. Other about half the class didn't show.

I wonder what that means (smile). I have to check my roster, maybe students have dropped the class.

Monday's homework was to start reading Edward P. Jones's book, but the bookstore didn't order it, so we will start with The Autobiography Black Panther: Robert H. King, followed by The Known World. This will give students a chance to purchase it. I called the college books store to see if the manager can order it. Check public libraries, independent booksellers like Books Inc. on Park Street in Alameda, Marcus Books in Oakland, or one of the many corporate sellers and yes, on-line.

We will conclude the class with Black Like Me.

I'll return the essays tomorrow with comments. You have a couple of days to get it back to me with corrections and an essay where you instruct the writer how to correct and/or revise the essay per comments.

Bring Wise's book to class. We are not finished with it. The handout I gave students on paraphrasing was to be completed by Thursday. If you have any questions, bring them up in class.

Today we looked at standard form, arguments with missing claims or hidden assumptions (Occam's razor 61, 62-63). We completed Exercise 3D, 3B and 3C. Homework for Thursday, July 1 is Exercise 3E).

Wednesday students will make their first presentations (reference Exercise 21 page 42-43). Students are to bring in one ad and one cartoon to share. Strudent will identify the argument and present it in standard form on the white board. Please note any implicit messages or hidden assumptions.

There will be a cyber-assignment attached to this presentation.

Finally, students are to respond to the following prompt at the link above. Begin the three paragraph response with an introduction which brings in Wise and then responds to same question as reflected in your life.

What trigger (3-4) moments predisposed Tim Wise to interrogate his life? Find three (3) instances in you life which when reflected upon predisposed you to think, act, be a certain way today? What choices have you made (possibly brave or courageous choices Wise would say) to be where you are right now?

To exercise critical thinking means to take measured steps until one's eyes are adjusted to the darkness. Critical thinkers reflect and tread lightly just in case he or she needs to back track and find those bent leaves and footprints still visible he or she passed along the way.

Living consciously or being awake as opposed to sleep walking through life means one takes nothing for granted, yet keeps notes, makes plans and then tears up the paper just in case. One doesn't want to make a trail, the fun or lesson is in the journey--what one finds along the way not in the destination.

This response should be about 250 words.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Argument in Standard Form Cyber-Assignment

Homework due today was to identify ten (10) arguments and pull out premises or evidence for five (5). Post 2-3 arguments in standard form here. Indicate the page number from Wise's book.

Day 4 Recap and Cyber-post

Today in class we watched a video on Argumentation (The Write Course). We reviewed Chapter 2 and looked ahead to Chapter 4 and practiced identifying arguments and then structuring them in standard form. Students worked in groups.

Many students never purchased or checked the Wise book out of the library (public library). Everyone has to write the Wise essay. Of the other essays, I am going to make one of them optional. Keep track of the types of essays written. There are three types--one per essay.

Post your summary of the video here. The summary should be about 5-10 sentences long. Don't forget to include a works cited page or section.

The Wise Essay

First of all, my suggestion regarding meeting in L-202E is not possible as there is a class meeting there at 10 AM, Monday, June 28, so we will meet in our regular classroom, D-205. (We will meeting in A-202E on Thursdays beginning July 1. I am also scheduling a library orientation ASAP, so stay tuned.)

Bring your completed Wise essays and/or drafts to class. The final essay will be due the following day, so.... It would probably be a good idea if when you completed the book, each of you at least wrote a fast draft on one of the questions posted here in the next day or two.

Many students are stuck on the requirement/suggestion regarding spending time in the writing center, 4-6 hours for the summer. If you feel you don't need the extra assistance, don't worry about it. I did notice errors in SV Agr., spelling, and missing words in the comparative news story assignment. Read your papers aloud to yourself before you turn them in. I do not know if you can do better when you give me work with errors I would think writers of your status could catch in the editing process.

Questions I offer here speak to the thoughtful task Wise has set for himself, that is to use his privilege to disturb the rest of others like himself. He mentions that to tell his story, he of course has to tell that of his family, a story they might not want to share or appreciate Wise's airing of the family's collective laundry. However Wise says, he writes "from a place of pure love, which is neither unreflective nor uncritical nor blind, but which is above all else, honest" (xi).

Essay Assignment
In each essay response include three citations from Wise: 1 block quote, 1 in-text citation, and 1 free paraphrase. (3 for the entire essay which should be between 3-4 pages long, not including the works cited page.)

The essays are to be typed. Please include an outline with the essay. Read 1 scholarly article on the theme: "privilege." You do not have to cite it, include it in the bibliography section of your essay.

Use the 3-part thesis to develop the thesis for this essay. Staple the pages together and bring a copy to class Monday, June 28. Again, we will meet in D-205.
You can access the COA library database off campus. Before you come to class stop at the library and find an article to augment your research on "privilege." Ask the librarian for the password for the library database.

Questions
1. The word "privilege" is used multiple times in Tim Wise's book White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son. How does the author define the word and what examples does he use to support his claim that privilege is not earned, it is inherited, that privilege by its very nature, like capitalism means there is a clear divide between those that have and those who have not?

2. Choose 3-5 salient arguments which illustrate the point that one's "privilege" affects all aspects of one's life. If one is among the "anointed" then life is good, if not, what then according to Wise?


3. Look at Wise's writing: style, tone, language used or diction. Analyze his examples--describe their variety. Identify the themes. Who is his audience? What are the strengths of his argument(s), what if any are its weaknesses?

4. Wise uses his life to illustrate "privilege." Describe how he does this and its effectiveness.

5. According to Tim Wise, are you privileged? Are you disappointed with his assessment? Had you thought yourself privileged prior to Wise's scholarly treatment on the topic? Do you agree with his assessment? Write a letter to Wise sharing your personal story with him in light of what you know about his experiences. Use historic analysis, description, examples and statistics where necessary to convince Wise that you have given the question serious consideration.

Students can post essay questions here at the link. I will evaluate them and add the better questions to this list. Post your suggestions by Friday.

Day 3

Well Day Three was full. I covered a lot in the two hours. We had an extended and quite provocative conversation about Tim Wise's argument about race and privilege as we looked at the invention process: asking questions, listing, and connecting ideas.

As the white board became covered in writing, students shared passages from Wise's book that supported claims noted. We agreed and disagreed, defined words and then redefined them for clarity.

We looked at a process called Topical Invention to develop thesis sentences which are: definitions, analogies, consequences and testimony. We talked about the two types of arguments: inductive and deductive and the three major types of argumentative claims: fact,value and policy and what kind of claim Wise makes in his book.

Inductive argument is a movement from the specific data to the general claim, while the deductive argument moves from the general statement which is presumed true to the specific examples that prove it. Inductive arguments are said to lead to probability rather than certainty. Whereas, the deductive argument leads to certainty if the major points outlined in a syllogism are true.

This discussion led to a brief conversation about flawed thinking or fallacies. There are two types of fallacies: formal and material. Formal has to do with deductive reasoning and inductive, has to do with the material or evidence.

We talked about the form of the essay and where the thesis usually appears in the written discourse. We didn't talk about the parts of an essay or paragraph for that matter. We will later and the textbook, Writing Logically Thinking Critically discusses thesis development, structuring the argument and evidence--what is evidence and why is it important.

Homework
We reviewed the homework from WLTC in class. Homework for the evening was to keep reading Wise. We will finish the book on Monday, June 28, and start the essay then. Homework was to go through the book, up to page 61 and identify 10 arguments and of the ten choose 5 and find evidence that supports it from the text. Students could write in the book.

We will continue in WLTC this morning and watch a video on Argumentation (The Write Course).

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Letter to Students, Summer 2010

June 22, 2010

Dear Students:

Well summer is here and with it English 5/211. I normally do not teach in the summer, it makes the fall semester too long and I feel like toast by December, but I needed the money so here I am (smile).

I love rhetoric or the art of argumentation. I think the mastery of critical thinking and argumentation is an invaluable skill which translates into every aspect of one’s life. I used to teach argument in my developmental courses. We analyzed arguments, practiced drawing Venn diagrams, and became quite adept at identifying deductive and inductive arguments and noting whether they were claims of fact, policy, or value.

Audience is key when preparing a brief and we learned how to both identify our audiences and figure out how to address them, that is, identify concepts we both agree on. Agreement is a good place to start when dealing with controversy—which is another name for argument.

We learned that there were no absolutes and to think so was alienating to one’s audience who might be that exception one excludes.

I guess this is the attorney/lawyer wannabe talking. I actually took LSAT and applied to Stanford and to New School many years ago. I even got letters back from both, but decided to go to the University of San Francisco and get my masters in writing instead, a choice I do not regret.

Funny it was in a Teaching Writing course that I learned about thesis sentences and how to structure an argument. This was back in 1995-’97. Another reason why I wanted to go to USF was sentimental. My dad used to work there when I was a child. He’d tell me stories about drunken priests—too much communion wine and how much he liked working there. I think the Jesuits liked my dad too.

I grew up in San Francisco at a time when BART was an idea whose tracks were laid when I was admitted into UC Berkeley under Affirmative Action, and MUNI was on strike. I used to walk past San Francisco City College to the Geneva Station. We lived on Holloway at Granada Avenue (a street we lived on as well).

Prior to this, my family lived in Visitation Valley –we're from New Orleans. When my father was released from Angola State Prison, he sent a bus ticket to the welfare office which kicked my mother off aide and so my young mother, baby brother and I caught the Greyhound bus to Northern California where we lived first in San Francisco's Fillmore District in a rooming house—the bathroom and kitchen were shared.

Then we moved to the projects on Brookdale. I attended John McLaren Elementary School. My mother would comb my hair while I slept, breakfast set on the table before she left. My job was to get my bad brother up—he was five, feed him and get the two of us to class each morning. After school I’d go to the lower yard and grab his hand and we’d walk home. Our deaf neighbor Kathy would watch us for Mama. I remember her dog and her bright red hair. On paydays, my mother would treat us to warm cashews from Sears or Woolsworths. She also bring home fruit candy slices and around Thanksgiving and Christmas, fruit cake which she’d soak in rum. I have really delicious memories of that time. On New Year's Eve she'd let us smell the bubbles in her champagne. They tasted like tickles.

My mother worked at the Naval Shipyard in Hunter’s Point. She was a keypunch operator. Later she was transferred to Mare Island and to Treasure Island. (Treasure Island was beautiful.) My dad was unemployed a lot and absent the rest of the time. But when he was employed he worked as counselor at Bayview Mental Health Agency and as a house painter and a custodian for the San Francisco public school system.

My mom and dad had an on again, off again relationship—more off than on, and then more on than off.

Yes, it was kind of dysfunctional, but I have had therapy around co-dependence and trust issues developed in my formative years and I think I am getting better, even if not completely well yet (smile), let’s just say, I’m functional (smile).

No seriously, I had a great childhood as childhoods go. I had art classes at the deYoung Museum. I went to symphonies, the opera and dance performances at the Opera House.

My mother took us to see Michael Jackson and James Brown. I sculpted and drew and dreamed of being an artist or an architect or a medical illustrator. What I really wanted to do was paint signs over the freeway, but my mentor told me girls couldn’t paint those kinds of signs. I didn't know the word sexist then.

I came of age during at the height and demise of the Nation of Islam and at the same time, the Black Panther Party. Black Power was swirling overhead and I think the magic dust settled within me, because those movements have shaped a world view, which for a few tweaks and tucks I still hold today.

I have always loved to write. I remember having a poem: Life is Nature, Nature is Life, published in the sixth grade journal. Writing was my entree into the gifted and talented courses in junior high where I wrote original plays which my classmates performed for the school. I attended Visitation Valley Jr. High until I transferred to Muhammad University of Islam where I graduated at fifteen and a half class valedictorian.

I was a young mother, 20, though not as young as my mother, 15. I have two daughters and an ex-husband (smile). I also have a lovely granddaughter who is now seven. This weekend we celebrated my birthday at the first concert in the free Stern Grove Festival series. Angelique Kidjo was the headliner, along with Lamine Fellah and his band. Lamine is Algerian and the Algerians are competing tomorrow in the World Cup—exciting!

The concerts and the artists were superb. A lot of my friends showed up to wish me well—even my mother and brother, nieces and nephew. My mother came up on the train from LA.

Before I went to the concert, I got up at 4:30 AM to go to the protest at the Port of Oakland against the Israeli freight ship scheduled to dock that morning. I was kind of nervous—Port of Oakland police don’t mess around. They have been known to shoot protestors. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be a martyred.

Turn the other cheek is a concept I had never practiced. One does have to rehearse these things—yes?

I had to be at work the next day—what might you have thought if I hadn’t showed (smile).

The police were out, but they must have expected us, ‘cause they were cool. No guns drawn, just a gentle reminder to stay in the prescribed places. So were chanted carried signs support Turkey and Palestine. Then a brass band showed up. I think they were the same group that played at a big Oscar Grant rally in downtown Oakland last year. They were good.

We are so civilized. At times I wonder what civility accomplishes. In this case a lot. Our objective was met.

There were hundreds of us there that morning and the ILWU sent the workers home, as the picket lines posed a threat to their health. I don’t know if the ship has since docked, the delay was costly to the shippers, the message—Israel cannot kill and threaten volunteers who just want to deliver humanitarian aide to the Palestinians. The Israeli government has lifted the embargo since the worldwide outcry. It reminds me of the antiapartheid movement, which I was a part of for ten years up to Mandela’s release. I sang with an antiapartheid choir, Vukani Mawethu. I was on stage when Nelson Mandela and his wife, Winnie Mandela came to Oakland to the then, Oakland Coliseum. I remember getting up at 5 AM to watch the two of them walk hand in hand when Mandela was released from Robben Island.

The reason why I need money this summer is to fund my return trip to Haiti between semesters. I went over during Spring Break for six days and I want to go back for two weeks and take money to the organizations I visited there then: schools, after school programs, orphanages, as well as survey areas I wasn’t able to get to during my first trip and visit friends there. I started a French class last week and my car was towed that afternoon. I misread the sign—Thursday, June 17, 2010 is a day I do not want to relive ever again. Have you ever gone to the corner where you left your car and it’s gone? And the number of the pole where the “Tow-a-way” sign you missed is now lit in neon, is wrong—as in, WRONG number. I was like huh? Then when I called one operator told me I have one hour to get my car before the price went from $330 to $500 and when I called back another attendant told me three hours.

This was helpful, since I left my license at home in Oakland. I was lucky to have four dollars for BART fare. My brother met me when I got back to San Francisco with ten minutes to spare and gave me a ride to the San Francisco County Courthouse where the tow away yard it located.

I enjoy what I do, teach people to write. I am very good at what I do. All students need to do is invest the time and good results are guaranteed. Seriously, writing is magical, but the skill is not magic—anyone can learn to be a good writer.

I have had a few careers: property management for HUD subsidized properties, family daycare owner, preschool teacher, elementary school teacher, high school teacher, site director for YMCA after school program, AIDS prevention educator and volunteer recruiter, housewife (smile), mother, and now college professor. I currently serve on just one board: California Coalition for Women Prisoners. My hobbies are: writing and poetry, dancing, camping, cycling and travel.

What else? I have an Internet Radio show and an on-line journal www.wandaspicks.com, www.blogtalkradio.com/wandas-picks I am also a contributor to the Women’s Magazine program on KPFA 94.1 FM I write for a community newspaper, the San Francisco Bay View, where I am arts editor. I have been a journalist for about 20 years now. Publications I have written for are: the Oakland Tribune (Good News), the San Francisco Chronicle (Pink section), the Examiner (Arts), the Montclarion, The Berkeley Voice, Black Issues in Higher Education, the Berkeley Daily Planet.

If students aren't too busy this summer, perhaps we can attend a play together. I highly recommend Don Reed's E-14th Street at the Marsh in Berkeley.


Peace and Blessings,

Professor Wanda Sabir


PS I noticed some dates students might want to take notice of, the last day to get a refund July 6, last day to drop without a W July 1, and the last day to withdraw from the course July 21.

Day 2

We began with what I thought a simple task, review of paraphrasing. Students didn't understand how to complete a literal paraphase and then shift to a free paraphrase, so we practiced paraphrasing a sentence together--all the text was from the Tim Wise book. We'll work on more paraphasing tomorrow. I have workbooks we can use to practice the skill, that and summarizing.

Homework is to read up to page 61 in the Wise book and to read the first chapter in Writing Logically Thinking Critically. I handed out photocopies of the first three chapters. Homework is to complete two exercises. One is to email me and introduce yourself (1C). The second is to "Scrutinize the Media" (1B). Bring the second assignent in tomorrow to share with classmates. Please annotate the text and jot down any questions.

I usually write students a letter of introduction, so I will do that presently and post it separately since you will be sending me an email by tomorrow. I usually have students respond to my letter, so I know it was read (smile). We'll make that optional this time.

Students needed clarifying re: responding to student posts. No, your response does not need to be 250 words. Just respond to something specific in the student post you are commenting on.

Regarding your personal blogs, this is a place to keep your work. Post your assignment here and then post it with the assignment on your own blog.

We got a few new students today, and lost others, unless they were absent. I hope not. The summer session is so short, students should not miss any class. I appreciate everyone's promptness. Students who missed the first day and the film, can make arrangements to see it during my office hours which are not going to be in the afternoon, rather Wednesday morning, 9-10 and Mondays, 9-10. Let me know if you plan to come by. We can also try to make arrangements for other times, but that might be difficult.

Use my mobile number. I really don't mind.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Class Notes

Today in class I reviewed the syllabus. We took an Aptitude Test(smile) and corrected it. Students also did a freewrite: Define Critical Thinking. We concluded the class with the film: Mirrors of Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible.

I gave students my mobile number, we talked about homework, which is to start reading and doing the exercises in Writing Logically, Thinking Critically (page 1-17). Also students are to begin reading the Tim Wise book, up to page 40 top of page is good. Remember keep notes, along with a vocabulary log. Notes help you remember key ideas or points. Also, annotate the text.

We'll map out the rest of the week Tuesday. Again, if you have any questions, call me.

"Mirror's of Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible" Cyber-Assignment

What is Shakti Butler's film about? Give a brief synopsis in about 50 words. How did watching the film make you feel? What is it about this shared testimony that makes many Americans and non-Americans feel uncomfortable?

What issues are raised in Shakti’s film? What arguments does she raise? Talk about her subjects and the range of their experiences. How does this prove or support her argument?

What is privilege based on the film?

What words used in the film were new to you? What definitions did you agree or disagree with, such as the definition of racism, bigotry, etc.? Were you familiar with most or all of the terms used in the film: the words connotations and denotations?

A definition with strong emotional meaning is called a connotation, the dictionary meaning is called denotation.

Visit http://world-trust.org/films/

This weekend Dr. Butler is hosting a seminar and fundraiser for her next project. If you go and write about the experience, you can have extra credit.

World Trust: Dr. Shakti Butler

Join Us June 27th for “A 21st Century Conversation about Race”
http://world-trust.org/2010/05/event/


On Sunday, June 27th, World Trust will hold the benefit event Cracking the Codes: A 21st Century Conversation about Race in Oakland, CA. Using preview clips of the World Trust’s latest film in production as a catalyst, Shakti Butler, PhD will facilitate a conversation about the internal and external components of racism. Confused or frustrated by racial divide? Come find out how Oakland nonprofit World Trust is working to re-frame the national conversation — and participate in it yourself. It will be an afternoon of dialogue, community building, and insight for positive change.

Cracking the Codes: A 21st Century Conversation about Race

Sunday, June 27th
3:00-5:00 pm
Fontaine Auditorium
Samuel Merritt University
400 Hawthorne Avenue
Oakland, California 94609

Tickets: $10 in advance, $12 at the door

Cyber-Assignment 1

Respond to syllabus. Post at syllabus link, not here. Let me know what you think. Due by June 22, 2010 8 AM. Your response let's me know you read it. Each evening expect about two-three hours of homework, this includes reading and writing.

Class Syllabus for Summer 2010

Professor Wanda Sabir Course Code 30008/30013
Class Meetings: June 21-July 29, MTWTh Room D-205, 10 AM-12:15 PM Independence Day Holiday Observance: July 5


Syllabus for English 5/211: Critical Thinking in Reading and Writing

English 5/211 develops the ability to analyze, criticize, and advocate ideas. Critical thinking looks at the relationship between language and logic, introduces rhetoric or persuasive writing and tools students can use to evaluate information based on facts, perceptions, assumptions, evidence, reasons, inferences, judgments, induction, deduction and conclusions. Vocabulary is introduced so that students have the proper tools to discuss faulty thinking or flaws in the reasoning process and name the more common fallacies.

This level composition assumes competency in prose writing and reading ability so that more attention can be devoted to ideas rather than to grammar and mechanics. Because this is an accelerated course, the student who will most likely succeed in this course passed English 1A with a “B” or better.

We will look at the role of language and semantics in critical thinking, social communications and propaganda. Students will also look at the fundamentals of problem solving, including considering and evaluating alternative solutions and perspectives. We will write a series of four (4) – 3-4 page essays which are 1. analytical, 2. argumentative and 3. comparative evaluative essays on pertinent topics around the theme: privilege.

Topics will come from our texts, films, and discussions, current event topics, or historical issues with current relevance. Each essay will utilize one of the text books: White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son by Tim Wise; Black Like Me by John Howard; The Known World by Edward P. Jones; and From the Bottom of the Heap: The Autobiography of Black Panther Robert Hillary King. Required in these essays will be inclusion of at least one scholarly article on the topic and a works cited page which is not counted as part of the 3-4 pages.

While there are no women writers selected for this semester's reading, the female voice is included here and for student essays, certainly students are encouraged to address the women's participation or absence of participation in the discourse on privilege.

Essays
We will start all the essays in class and have peer reviews; however, I expect the first draft to receive a passing grade. If this is not the case, I suggest said student in list the support and assistance of a competent tutor.

If any paper does not receive a passing grade, said student will have to write an essay wherein he or she discusses in third person how the writer can correct the errors, and revise or rewrite the essay. These essays are due the following day.

Readings
We will read a book every week or two, beginning with White Like Me: June 21-24. Essay started June 24. Final draft due: June 28 for peer review. Turn in June 29.

The Known World: June 28-July 6. In-class essay writing assignment: July 7.
The Known World debate: Monday, July 8. Summary arguments and self-reflective essay on the process due: July 8-9 (cyber-assignment).

An important question here is: How do we know what we know given the flawed process in coming up with the answer to this question? How do Jones’s characters illustrate this reasoning process? What do you think about the idea of a world view given the events of the novel? How do people think outside their narrow windows; why do several characters prefer the familiar to the challenging and shifting terrain around foregone conclusions? Use the novel to support all answers.

July 12-15: From the Bottom of the Heap. Question: Is predestination or fate a socially prescribed outcome? Compare Wilkerson’s life to Wise’s.
In class essay: July 15, 2010

July 19-22: Black Like Me. How is this dress rehearsal useful? To whom? How is it not? In class essay or a series of short skits: July 22

Revisions: July 26-28
Students will take 1 of the 4 essays and expand it for the final presentation: July 26-28. The group presentations are also due this week.

Finals: Portfolio Due: July 29 via Internet
We will work on this 7/29/2010 in class.

I like to use films as teaching aides. If there are any films, we will watch them on Mondays. The film assignment will be a cyber-assignment we will most likely start in class. Cyber-assignments are turned in on-line and are about a 250 word fast draft. Each student needs to respond to two other posts. Be respectful in your comments.

We’ll write in-class essays (2-3 pages) on Thursdays; class presentations will be on Wednesday. Students will present each week. There will be one group project and presentation on logical fallacies (both inductive and deductive reasoning - one each) inspired by the texts (indicate the passages) or taken from the field of commercial art or politics.

The Plan
We will use the textbook: Writing Logically Thinking Critically, Sixth Edition, by Sheila Cooper and Rosemary Patton. It will give students theoretical basis to talk about the argument process. The book has exercises which we will complete in and outside of class meetings. Students are encouraged to develop study groups.

We will run the book chronologically:
Week 1: A Quick Guide to Integrating Research into Your Own Writing 210-214. Practice pp: 210-214
Week 1: Chapters 1-2
Week 2: Chapters 2-3-4
Week 3: Chapters 4
Week 4: Chapters 5-6
Week 5: Chapters 7-8

I will add the Elements of Style readings later and give to students as a separate handout.

Grading
The essay based on readings are a fourth of your grade, the daily essays and/or homework are another fourth, your midterm and final are another fourth and your portfolio is the final fourth. (Save all of your work.) You can average the grades to see how to weigh the various components. Participation is included in the daily exercises and homework portion of the grade, so if your attendance is exemplary, yet you say nothing the entire six weeks, you lose percentage points.

You will also need to spend four-six hours in the Writing Lab (L-234), or as needed this summer, and have a teacher or tutor sign off on your assignments. If you are having trouble with grammar, then work on that. If you trouble is the essay writing process itself, work on that.

Have a tutor of teacher sign off on your essays before you turn them in; if you have a “R,” which means revision necessary for a grade or “NC-” which means “no credit,” you have to go to the lab and revise the essay with a tutor or teacher before you return both the graded original and the revision (with signature) to me. Also due is the essay about the essay which identifies the errors and how to correct them. Use a grammar/style book such as Diana Hacker Rules for Writers. Revise does not mean “rewrite,” it means to “see again.”

The summer intensive composition courses offer invigorating discourse or dialogue for those students who love a challenge, and approach the task eager, prepared and ready for what the course requires: English language fluency in writing and reading; a certain comfort and ease with the language; confidence and skillful application of literary skills associated with academic writing. Familiarity if not mastery of the rhetorical styles used in argumentation, exposition and narration.

We will be evaluating what we know and how we came to know what we know, a field called epistemology or the study of knowledge. Granted, the perspective is western culture which eliminates the values of the majority populations, so-called underdeveloped or undeveloped countries or cultures. Let us not fall into typical superiority traps. Try to maintain a mental elasticity and a willingness to let go of concepts which not only limit your growth as an intelligent being, but put you at a distinct disadvantage as a species.

This is a highly charged and potentially revolutionary process - critical thinking. The process of evaluating all that you swallowed without chewing up to now is possibly even dangerous. This is one of the problems with bigotry; it is easier to go with tradition than toss it, and create a new, more just, alternative protocol.

Audience
This is not the class for the student who is not comfortable with writing essays, or whose handle on grammar is shaky or loose, and whose reading skills - interpretation, critical analysis, comprehension and vocabulary, are limited. Obviously, in six weeks you cannot become an expert on anything, however, the hope is that when you leave the course, you will be a stronger writer than when you arrived, and understand clearly what you need to do next.

We will be honest with one another. Grades are not necessarily an honest response to work; grades do not take into consideration the effort or time spent, only whether or not students can demonstrate mastery of a skill - in this case: essay writing. Grades are an approximation, arbitrary at best, no matter how many safeguards one tries to put in place to avoid such ambiguity. Suffice it to say, your portfolio will illustrate your competence. It will represent your progress, your success or failure this summer session in meeting your goal.

I’d like to wish everyone good luck. I am available for consultation on Wednesday afternoons, 12-2 p.m. by appointment in L-236. Let me know the day before, if possible, when you’d like to meet with me. My office number is (510) 748-2131, e-mail coasabirenglish5@gmail.com. The class blog is: I do not keep regular office hours in the summer.

I also don’t check my e-mail on weekends so I’d advise you to exchange phone numbers with classmates (2), so if you have a concern, it can be addressed more expediently. Study groups are also suggested, especially for those students finding the readings difficult; don’t forget, you can also discuss the readings as a group in the Lab with a teacher or tutor acting as facilitator. Keep a vocabulary log for the term per book and for the textbook. Also keep a reading log for each book. List the words you need to look up in the dictionary, also list where you first encountered them: page, book and definition, also use the word in a sentence. You will turn these logs in with your portfolio.

Students are expected to complete their work on time. If any work comes in late after week one, the assignment is marked down one grade each day it’s late. All assignments prepared outside of class are to be typed, 12-pt. font, double-spaced lines, indentations on paragraphs, 1-inch margins around the written work (see Hacker: The Writing Process; Document Design.)

Cheating
Plagiarism is ethically abhorrent, and if any student tries to take credit for work authored by another person the result will be a failed grade on the assignment and possibly a failed grade in the course if this is attempted again. This is a graded course.

Homework
If you do not identify the assignment, I cannot grade it. If you do not return the original assignment you revised, with an analysis essay, I cannot compare what changed. If you accidentally toss out or lose the original assignment, you get a zero on the assignment to be revised. I will not look at revisions without the original attached- no exceptions.

Textbooks
We will travel through our five textbooks concurrently: Cooper, Sheila and Rosemary Patton. Writing Logically, Thinking Critically. Sixth Edition. New York: Longman, 2010; Wise, Tim. White Like Me. New York: Skull Press, 2005; Hacker, Diana. Rules for Writers. Sixth Edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2008; The Elements of Style. Any edition. Strunk, William Jr. and E.B. White.

Students also need a dictionary. I recommend: The American Heritage Dictionary. Fourth Edition.

Along with a dictionary, the prepared student needs pens with blue or black ink, along with a pencil for annotating texts, paper, a stapler or paper clips, a travel drive to save writing, a notebook, three hole punch, a folder for work-in-progress, and a divided binder to keep materials together.

Week 1: Warm-ups and stretches
Writing Logically, Thinking Critically: Introduction, Chapter 1: Thinking and Writing

Day 1: In-class assignment: Aptitude Test; freewrite: Define Critical Thinking; film: Mirrors of Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible, director: Shakti Butler

Homework: Begin reading chapter 1. Complete exercises. You can write in the book. Note questions. Post freewrite on class blog.

Chapter 2: Inference—Critical ThoughtAssignments: p.17 due Wednesday, June 22, 2010

The writing assignments from the text (some) will be cyber-assignments (turned in or posted on-line at the class blog). Keep a copy for yourself. Exercises: 2J, 3, 4, or 2K. Extra Credit: 2L due June 25.

Week 1: A Quick Guide to Integrating Research into Your Own Writing 210-214. Practice pp: 210-214

Readings
White Like Me: June 21-24. Essay started June 24. Final draft due: June 28 for peer review. Turn in June 29.

Review: Rules for Writers (Hacker):
The Writing Process (2)
Document Design (60)
The Basics (530)

Week 2: Establish routine
Chapter 3: The Structure of Argument (53)
In class exercises: 3B (58-59), 3C. Homework Exercise 3E (cyber-assignment).

Chapter 4: Written Argument (77)
Cyber-assignment: Writing Assignment 7 (98-99), Writing Assignment 8 (102). Posted by July 2.

Hacker
Argument (358)
Conducting Research (381)
Clarity (79)

The Known World: June 28-July 6. In-class essay writing assignment: July 7.
The Known World debate: Monday, July 8. Summary arguments and self-reflective essay on the process due: July 8-9 (cyber-assignment).

An important question here is: How do we know what we know given the flawed process in coming up with the answer to this question? How do Jones’s characters illustrate this reasoning process? What do you think about the idea of a world view given the events of the novel? How do people think outside their narrow windows; why do several characters prefer the familiar to the challenging and shifting terrain around foregone conclusions? Use the novel to support all answers.

Week 3: Fitness testing

Chapter 4 con’t. Review
Chapter 5: The Language of Argument—Definition (104)
Cyber-Assignments: Exercise 5A (110-111), Writing Assignment 10 (124)

Hacker:
Grammar (148)
Punctuation (269)
Mechanics (317)

Readings and Midterm
July 12-15: From the Bottom of the Heap. Question: Is predestination or fate a socially prescribed outcome? Compare Wilkerson’s life to Wise’s.
In class essay: July 15, 2010 (midterm)


Week 4: The race
Chapter 5 review
Chapter 6: Fallacious Arguments (131)
Cyber-assignments based on in-class assignment (145); Exercise 6B
Test

Readings
July 19-22: Black Like Me. How is this dress rehearsal useful? To whom? How is it not?

In class essay or a series of short skits: July 22


Week 5: Learning curves
Chapter 7: Deductive and Inductive Argument (157)
Cyber-assignments Exercises 7G (180) or 7H (181)
Cyber-assignment (Writing Assignment 13 (196)

Students will take 1 of the 4 essays and expand it for the final presentation: July 28-29

Week 6: Finish Line
Review and quiz

Essays presentations given (M-W)

Last date of class: Wednesday, July 28.
Portfolios due: Thursday, July 29, via Internet


Jot down briefly what your goals are this semester. List them in order of importance.

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This syllabus is subject to change based on instructor assessment of class progress.