English
225 Writing on a Theme: Issues in Education
University
of Northern Colorado
Ann
E. Rasmussen
Spring 2013
|
Office: Ross 1187
phone: 970
Email: ann.rasmussen@unco.edu
Website:<http://www.unco.edu/english/aerasmu>
Textbook: James M. Banner, Jr. and Harold C.
Cannon The Elements of Teaching &
Hacker and Sommers A WriterÕs Reference
|
Office Hours:Tuesday and Thursday 11:00-12:00 and Wednesday and Friday 11:00-1:00 And by appointment
Schedule appointments in class
on
my conference schedule.
|
Course Description: Prerequisite English 122. Topics for writing chosen from
ideas of historical influence and/or contemporary problems. Repeatable, may be
taken two times, under different subtitles. (LAC, gtP)
Students with disabilities who
believe they may need accommodations in this class/program are encouraged to
contact the Disability Access Center (970-351-2289) as soon as possible to
better ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.
Classroom Policies and Etiquette:
Cell Phones:
¥ Not
allowed
¥ Please
turn off cell phones during class.
¥ Please
refrain from texting during class; if texting persists students will be warned.
After multiple warning, studentsÕ final grades may be lowered by a full letter
grade.
¥ Do not
answer your cell phone during class.
¥ Do not
leave class to answer your cell phone; if you do so, do not return to class.
Leaving class to answer
your cell phone will count as an
absence.
Laptops: Not allowed. Exception: Peer Review Days in
Michener Library
MP3s: Not allowed.
Drinks in class are okay, but,
please, no food.
Attendance is required. Students
will be allowed 3 absences without consequences. Please call the instructor or
email her when you do miss class. After the 3 free absences, 3 points will be
deducted from the studentsÕ grades for each absence. If students have lengthy
absences from class (serious illness, injury, family emergency, or other
unforeseen situation), they should notify the Dean of Students and their course
faculty. Dean of Students:
University Center 3030 351-2796
Participation in class
discussion: In academia students must feel free to express their opinions
openly and honestly without fear of unfair, harsh, or cruel criticism. While
healthy class discussion and disagreement can stimulate good discussion,
students are expected to respond and to listen politely without fear of
unhealthy criticism from classmates. All opinions deserve respect.
Final Note: Keep in mind that the
classroom environment is an academic environment where eating sleeping, using
cell phones, visiting, and other unacademic activities must be avoided.
Plagiarism: All work
for this class must be the studentsÕ original work created specifically for
this class. Work suspected of plagiarism will be challenged. Students whose
wore is suspected of being original will face the strictest of consequences to
include failing the assignment, failing the course, or expulsion from the
university. One simple way to avoid plagiarism: document all borrowed ideas and
material using MLA documentation. (See your A WriterÕs Reference
handbook.)
UNCÕs Student Code of Conduct
defines cheating as Òthe act of using or attempting to use, in examination or
other academic work, material, information, or study aids which are not
permitted by the instructor (pg. 8). Cheating comprises a number of different
activities, including, Òsubmitting large portions of the same work as part of
the academic work for more than one course (unless such submission is permitted
by the instructor)Ó (pg. 9).
If you intend to use in this
course written material that you produced for another class, you must consult
with your instructor before doing so for each individual assignment. Otherwise,
you may be guilty of cheating and can be penalized with a failing grade for the
assignment and/or for the semester.
All final drafts will be
submitted to Safe Assignment by the deadline, and hard copies will be turned in
on the due date. Late papers not accepted. Five points will be deducted
for not submitting to Safe Assignment on time.
InstructorÕs Course Objective:
Students will
¥ Improve
their written and oral communication skills
¥ Write
clean, well-organized, well-supported essays using good grammar, spelling, and
punctuation
¥ Develop
editing and revision skills
¥ Work well
with peers
¥ Learn to
express their opinions about the world around them and be able to write about
their opinions clearly and logically
¥ Develop
critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, arguing techniques, and write
good essays using these skills
¥ Learn
necessary library skills and how to use and navigate Michener Library
Assignments: All
assignments and handouts will posted on the course website:
http://www.unco.edu/english/aerasmu.
Be sure to check the 225 homepage each day so that you know what we will
be doing in class. Announcements
and changes will be posted on the 225 home page.
Weekly Schedule English
|
Week
|
Date
|
Assignment
|
Due Date
|
|
1
|
Jan. 15-17 |
á
Introduction to Class & Syllabus
á
Close Reading Techniques (How to read and
essay/article)
á
Explain Group Presentations and form groups. Sign
up sheet for Elements of Teaching
á
Reading: ÒEducation as a Necessity of LiveÓ from Democracy and Education (1916) by John
Dewey available on the web. Link
on Eng. 225 home page.
á
Quiz and Discussion
|
|
|
2
|
Jan. 22-24 |
á
How to summarize and paraphrase; paraphrase
exercise
á
Reading and Quiz: ÒThe Banking Model of EducationÓ
by Paulo Freire. Link on Eng. 225 homepage
á
Assignment: Group Summary of Essay of weekÕs
reading
|
|
|
3
|
Jan. 29-31 |
á
Group workshop: Write a 1 page summary of
Freire reading
á
Discuss Research Project
o
Define Scholarship and Evaluating Sources
o
Primary and Secondary Sources
á
Reading: ÒIntroductionÓ and Chapter 4:ÒEthicsÓ Elements of Teaching
á
Quiz and Discussion
|
Group Summary Paper due Jan. 31. Begin summary in class on Tuesday. Meet outside of class to finish. |
|
4
|
Feb. 5-7 |
á
Group Workshop to plan presentations
á
Defining the Characteristics of Teaching:
students brainstorm in class
á
Assignment: Responsive Narrative
|
|
|
5
|
Feb. 12-14 |
á
Group Presentations: Groups Elements of Eduction:
o
Tues. Group 1
o
Tues.: Group 2
á
Please read these chapters before students present
for healthy class discussion
á Choosing a Research topic for Final Essay:
Problems Solving Proposal and Outline
|
Responsive Narrative Due Feb. 14 |
|
6
|
Feb. 19-21 |
á
Library Week: Scavenger Hunt
á
Meet in Michener Library
|
Scavenger
hunt
|
|
7
|
Feb. 26-28 |
á Developing A Problem Solving Essay
o
Outline and Proposal (2 days)
á
á
Group Presentation
o
Group 3
á
Please read these chapters before students present
for healthy class discussion
|
Outline and Proposal Due Mar. 15 |
|
8
|
Mar. 5-7 |
á
Understanding MLA; MLA quiz
á
Interview Assignment
á
Groups: Groups 4 & 5
|
|
|
9
|
Mar. 12-15 |
á
Meet in Ross 1240 Computer lab
á
Annotated Bibliography and outline 10 sources
á
Reading & Quiz: Excerpts for Teacher Man (2005) Frank McCourt
Chapters 1 and 5
á
|
Meet in Ross |
| Spring Break | Mar. 18-22 | Spring Break | |
|
10
|
Mar. 26-28 |
á
Working with the outline to assemble a draft, incorporating
Research
o
Quoting and Paraphrasing
á
Reading and Quiz: ÒOn the Uses of Liberal
EducationÓ (1977) Mark Edmundson Link on 225 Home Page
|
Bib due Arp. 9 |
|
11
|
Apr. 2-4 |
á
Writing the Rough Draft
|
Interview Due Apr. 4 |
|
12
|
Apr. 9-11 |
Rough Draft due Peer Review
|
Rough Draft Due
|
|
13
|
Apr.16-18 |
Final Draft Upload Apr. 18 to Safe Assignment for 5 points |
|
|
14
|
Apr. 23-35 |
Presentation
|
Final Draft Due |
|
15
|
Apr. 30-May 2 |
Presentations
|
|
|
Finals
|
May 6-10 |
Presentations
|
|
Course
Requirements:
All grades will be based on the criteria of enthusiasm for
topic, originality and significance of topic, clarity, coherence, mechanical
and grammatical accuracy, use of source material, and completeness. At this
level of your writing education, basic writing errors will not be understood or
tolerated.
1. All work turned in will
be word-processed and follow MLA format. All pages must be stapled together, no
ears or paper clips
2. Attendance is required.
3. Late assignments
will not be accepted; but because there truly is bad karma in the world,
students are granted two favors during the semester, but the request for a
favor must be submitted before the assignment is due.
4 . Do not summit
assignments through email, unless they are email assignments.
Grading Scale: 100-90 = A; 89-80
= B; 79-70 = C; 69-60 = D
Course Description:
ENG 225 'Writing on a Theme . . . . "is, as the title
suggests, a writing course unified by a central theme. Here, the focus of our
reading and writing is what it means to teach and to learn in our contemporary
society. Enrollment in this section has been restricted to students who plan to
pursue a career in secondary education. Like all other ENG 225 sections, you
will have the opportunity to develop your critical and creative thinking skills
as you produce writing that serves varying purposes, audiences, and content.
What will unite all your writing and reading assignments is their focus on
topics in education.
Students who successfully complete ENG 225
can expect to improve their writing skills overall as they invent, draft,
revise, and edit essays in narration, exposition, and argumentation. Ample time
will be spent evaluating oral/written arguments by scrutinizing them from many
vantage points. In sum, this semester you will explore the topic of teaching
and learning through the written word and improve skills necessary for
conducting research, critically examining rhetorical arguments, and discussing
controversies in writing.
Course
Goals and Objectives:
UNC's Liberal Arts core requirements have
specific Composition Area Learning Outcomes maintaining that students who
successfully complete this course will demonstrate:
á critical and
creative thinking skills (including cognition, comprehension, application,
analysis, synthesis, and evaluation) in producing unified, coherent
papers.
á the ability to vary rhetorical strategies in conjunction with
varying purposes, audiences, and content.
á the ability to incorporate
source material into writing.
á the ability to structure essays
coherently.
á the knowledge and understanding of standard English usage
with respect to grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
Assignments
|
Assignment
|
Value
|
Points
|
|
Reading Quizzes
|
8 (10pts each) 8%
|
80
|
|
MLA Quiz
|
5%
|
50
|
|
Group Presentation (Elements of Education)
|
5%
|
50
|
|
1 page Group Summary Paper
|
5%
|
25
|
|
3-4 page Response Narrative Paper
|
10%
|
100
|
|
2 page Research Proposal for Research Paper
|
5%
|
50
|
|
2-3 page Annotated Bibliography (10 sources) for
Research Paper
|
10%
|
100
|
|
Outline for Research Paper
|
5%
|
25
|
|
Interview for Research Paper
|
5%
|
50
|
|
5-7 Page Research Paper Problem
Solving/Argumentative
|
20%
|
200
|
|
2 Conferences
|
5%
|
50@ 25 each
|
| MLA Take Home Quiz | no points |
Quizzes: Reading quizzes will given over various readings. Quizzes will cover
each week's assigned readings. Students are expected to read the assigned
readings before the first day of the week. Students will also be given a quiz
over MLA format.
Group Presentation (Elements of Teaching:
Small groups will present a discussion on a chapter in Reason to Teach.
Group Summary Paper: Groups will write a summary for one assigned article (1 page each).
Response/Narrative Paper: (3-4 pages) Two part essay: Part I: Based on the readings in this unit,
craft a Position Statement that indicates what you think it means to
"teach" (1-2 pages). Part II: Using your experiences as a student,
compare what you think teaching should be with what you have experienced as a
student (1-2 pages).
Research Proposal: This assignment is a short 2 page paper that proposes a possible topic
that you wish to research for your final P/S Research paper.
Annotated Bibliography: This assignment includes a brief bibliography and summary of the
possible sources for your final paper.
Interview and Response: You will develop and pose questions regarding current issues in the
teaching and learning of your content area to a faculty member in that
discipline. Ideally, you will interview the education faculty in the content
area department. You will include a short response with the typed transcript of
the interview.
Outline: Students will create a full-sentence working outline for their P/S
paper. (2-3 pages)
Problem/Solution Argumentative Paper (5-7 pages):
Based on your research and your interview with a faculty member in your content
area, you will identify an issue in your content area that interests you,
provide background/context, discuss opposing perspectives, and discuss the
viability of a solution.
Research Essay: 5-7 pages Problem solving essay. Students will explore a problem in education grades K-12 or post secondary and then provide a workable solution to the problem. See assignment description of the English 225 home page.
Conferences: Students are required to hold one (2) conference during the semester to
discuss their writing skills and/or progress on a paper or assignment and to
receive personal writing assistance. At any time in the semester, no
conferences after the 14th week, students may make an appointment with the
instructor. Each conference is worth 25 points. If students cannot make their
scheduled conference, they must cancel 24 hours in advance, or they lose their
25 points. A student many cancel by leaving a phone message or emailing me.
Final Presentations: Students will present a visual representation of their Research Essay.
Instructions will be provided in class.