EWRT1A section 30: final

So now the final. We'll meet in our regular classroom, S49, from 4-6 on Friday. Remember the following things:

• Reading Responses 8-10 (the ones you already did)
• your copy of Fun Home
• paper, for the in-class essay
• something to write with, preferably a pen

For those of you who handed in your essay 3 on time, I'll have that to hand back to you. As for when you can know your grade, final grades are due by December 18th, but I should have them done before then.

If you have any questions, just ask.

Down to the wire

I am at the library and there are fifteen minutes left. I am missing papers from seven of you. If the papers are not handed in before five, they will be graded as late.

Essay 3 reminder

3 o'clock. Library. Today.

• Works cited list
• Two complete drafts
• No sentence fragments

"beliefs [about studying] that make you stupid"

A fellow teacher just shared the following videos with me. This is from a series put together by Professor Stephen Chew, a cognitive psychologist at Samford University. In this series, Chew shows why many incoming college students do poorly and proposes ways to fix the problem. Some of his ideas are similar to things I mentioned the first two days of class, but he takes a psychological approach.

This second video covers "deep processing," which is a cognitive psychologist's way of talking about active reading.

Think about what Chew says as you prepare for your finals for this quarter.

EWRT1A30: essay 3 due date

The original due date for essay 3 was Thursday, December 5th. You may still turn in the essay then. Yet because of the holiday, you haven't had a weekend to review the comments on your drafts. So you have the option to turn essay 3 in next Tuesday, December 10th. I will be in the library on the first floor sitting at one of the tables next to the reference computers (if you've come to my office hours, you've seen me there). I will be there during our normal class hours, 3-5. But I would appreciate it if you dropped off your paper closer to 3.

If this doesn't work for you, you may leave your paper in the faculty drop box (it's outside ADM 111). Make sure you label your paper clearly so that it gets put in my box. Also, e-mail me that you've done this so I can be sure to make sure I get it. But this also needs to be done on or before Tuesday, December 10th.

In either case, do not neglect:

• two complete drafts of your essay
• an MLA works cited list

Fun Home process of creation

We'll watch these in class. They are videos about how Alison Bechdel went about creating Fun Home. Consider what these help contribute to your understanding of her character, especially her OCD in chapter 5. Also consider what insight this gives you about why Bechdel created her book and what she may have gotten out of doing it. Lastly, be sure you fully take in just how much work she did to create this book.

EWRT1A-30: Reading Response 9

Reading Response 9
Keeping in mind what you have read of Fun Home so far, respond to one of the prompts below. Please use specific evidence from the book to support your response.

1. Compare and contrast how Alison Bechdel’s father uses books in his life to how Bechdel as a young college student does. How do books relate to their identities? To their sexual identities?
2. What assets does Alison Bechdel have that help support her coming out as a lesbian? What are her obstacles?
3. On page 85, Bechdel claims that her father prefers “fiction to reality.” How does this relate to the fact that Bechdel uses so many other stories– Daedalus and Icarus, Camus, The Great Gatsby, etc.– to understand her father?
4. On page 104, Bechdel mentions the Stonewall Riots. Do some research about this. Why is it significant that Bechdel and her father are in New York just weeks after the Stonewall Riots?
5. Respond to one of the prompts from Reading Response 8, but incorporate evidence from chapters 3-4.
6. Choose your own focus for analysis.

EWRT1A-30: essay 3

Here are the prompts for the final out-of-class essay, essay 3. Even though Fun Home is a book, the aspects of essay writing we've been discussing all quarter still apply. Analyze, don't just summarize. In other words, don't say what the book says, say what the book means. Be sure to check out the suggestions on page 30 of our reader.

Fun Home reading questions

Here are some questions to help guide your reading of Fun Home. Many of these you won't be able to answer until we get to the end, but keep them in mind.

1. In what ways are Bechdel and her father different? In what ways are they alike?
2. Bechdel believes that her father committed suicide. Why? What does she think the motivation for him was? Why is this significant for her?
3. What role do books play in Bechdel’s relationship with her father? What role do they play in her own self discovery?
4. Can you find an image in the text that sums up Bechdel’s relationship with her father? Is its placement in the story significant?
5. In what ways is Bechdel’s father able to support her? How does he do so?
6. Why does Bechdel allude to so many literary texts? How do they relate to her parents? To herself?
7. TV shows, magazines, newspapers– various images of media appear in the panels of Fun Home. How do these images of media relate to the characters in the book?
8. What do you think the purpose of creating Fun Home was for Bechdel? What passages demonstrate this purpose?
9. In what ways are the telling (the narration) different from what is in the showing (the monstration)? Think of McCloud’s categories. Also consider that the narration is an adult Bechdel looking back and the monstration is often a young Alison experiencing things for the first time.
10. Is Alison Bechdel a reliable narrator? What does she believe that others in the book may not believe? When does she judge and when does she resist judging? What biases might she have?

EWRT1A-30: Reading Response 8

Reading Response 8

Alison Bechdel, Fun Home chapters 1-2

Choose one. Please use specific evidence in your response.

1. On page 15, Bechdel illustrates some of the ways she and her father are different. Despite the differences, how are she and her father similar? Consider characteristics of behavior and/or appearance.
2. What elements contribute to Bechdel believing that her father’s death was a suicide? Do you agree that these elements warrant her conclusion?
3. Where does Bechdel admit to the limits of her memory and understanding? Do these admissions weaken the narrative or do they serve some purpose? Explain.
4. Choose a scene from the book and compare the narration with the monstration. What relationship do these share? In other words, what do the images show in comparison to what the words explain and how do the two work together in the scene to create meaning? Consider using McCloud.
5. Choose your own focus for analysis

Owl at Purdue

The best on-line writing tutorials I have seen are through the Owl at Purdue University. Here is the Owl page on conciseness. Next class, I am going to discuss active verbs. Here's the Owl page on that topic. When you have time, explore the site. There is a lot of good information there.

EWRT1A-30: reading presentation groups

Here are the groups:

You''ll have a chance in class on Thursday to exchange information with the other members of your group. You can also post comments here. Keep in mind that I cannot give out students' e-mail addresses or phone numbers. This is a violation of privacy.

EWRT1A-30: essay 2 comments

Here are some general comments about the drafts of essay 2 for you to consider. Remember that the final draft is due Thursday.

• I saw some really insightful peer comments. Nice job giving each other feedback.
• Keep in mind that the reader only knows what the essay is about because you state it. So look at what your thesis statement actually says, not what you think it says. What are the actual words on the page stating? 
• On the topic of thesis statements, most of them have to do with cause and effect. They explore the obstacles people face when trying to express themselves. A lot of papers do a good job stating the obstacles, the causes, but never show the effects of these obstacles. The reader can only understand that something acts as an obstacle if you show that effect. For instance, the preponderance of skinny models in ads does not prove by itself that women are restricted by unattainable standards of beauty. It’s how women react to these models, the effect, that shows the problem. In other words, an obstacle is something that prevents a person from doing something, so you need to show what that person is unable to do. 
• Show, don't just tell. "Women feel trapped by the beauty myth." So you say, what is your proof that this is true? By itself, this is just a point, a belief. In academia, all beliefs need to be demonstrable. That means they need to be capable of being proven. Without proof, all you have is a list of your assumptions. And that's not an essay; that's a rant.
• Synthesis is basically an analysis of two texts (or more) that demonstrates a connection between those texts. So make it clear what the two texts have in common with one another; state it explicitly. I think for a lot of you, one thing that would help would be to have clearer points in your body paragraphs. Many papers have two texts in a single paragraph, but I can’t see how the two texts relate. State a clear point of comparison and then explain that point in both texts. Consider using transitions that link the texts.
• Don’t forget MLA citation and a works cited list.

EWRT1A-30: midterm

For the midterm you need paper and pens, as well as your reader and a print dictionary (if you want). You may also bring a printout of the Anyon essay (I'll try to remember to bring one, as well). You do not need an exam booklet or a scantron sheet. Also, besides your reader and a dictionary, you cannot use any other books, notes, or devices.

Consider connections between our texts to prepare yourself. Look over your notes and reading responses. And get a good night's sleep before the test. And eat your vegetables.

EWRT1A-30: essay 2 ideas chart

This is a bit small and difficult to read, but it is just intended as a starting place to help you generate ideas for essay 2. Comment here or e-mail me with any questions.

Anna Giordano's Venus project

Naomi Wolf discusses the concept of beauty in the U.S. and claims that it is culturally created and has very specific effects on society, women in particular. The Italian artist Anna Utopia Giordano has found a way to make a similar argument visually. She has taken several famous European paintings, each depicting the artist's ideal of feminine beauty, and Photoshopped them to match a more contemporary ideal. You can read an article about the project here. You can view all the images on the artist's website here.

EWRT1A-30: Reading Response 5

The prompts for Reading Response 5 are below. If you want to know more about Devor's theories and see more specific examples of them, this is a comprehensive article. Some of the pictures on the page may not be suitable for work.

Reading Response 5

Aaron Devor, “Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meanings of Gender”

I want you to explain an idea from Devor’s essay using another text (or texts) in the class as an example for that explanation. To do this, choose one of the prompts below.

1. Explain Devor’s distinction between I and me (121, paragraphs 7 and 8). How may this separation contribute to problems with finding one’s own voice? Use another text from the class to illustrate this.

2. Explain the difference between Devor’s concepts of  the “generalized other” (121) and the “significant others” (122). How do these two concepts play a role in the formation of identity? Please use another text in our class to demonstrate this.

3. Devor refers to the process of gendering that he describes as a “patriarchal gender schema,” an ideology that believes “the cultural superiority of males is a natural outgrowth of the innate predisposition of males toward aggression and dominance” (123). According to Devor, how does this lead to inequality? Use another text from our class to show an example of this inequality.

4. Come up with your own focus, but try to show how another text from the class relates to Devor’s essay.

EWRT1A30: Essay 2

Here are the prompts for essay 2. The focus of this paper is synthesis. We will discuss this more in class, but check out pages 477-479 in Rules for Writers.

EWRT1A-30: Tough Guise

Tough Guise. Please watch the following video for Tuesday. It is a seven minute version of a one hour video. As you watch it, keep certain questions in mind.

• According to Jackson Katz, what are the obstacles young men face to being true to their own identities? Where do these obstacles come from?
• Katz says that concepts of masculinity and violence are connected. Is he convincing in this claim? Do you think that this is culturally reinforced, as Katz argues, or do you think this is a result of nature? Both?
• What are the effects on young men who "take on the tough guise," according to Katz? Do you agree with him?
• How does Katz think young men are going to be able to be "better men"?
• Does Katz offer enough evidence to support his claims?
• Do your own experiences confirm or contradict Katz's claims?

Here is a direct url for those who cannot view it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3exzMPT4nGI

EWRT1A-30: final draft of essay 1 due Tuesday

A few reminders about essay 1…

• Two drafts are required. This isn't a problem for most of you, but don't forget to bring your first draft as well as your final draft.
• MLA citation is required. This means both in-text citation and a works cited list. The works cited list does not have to be on a separate page for this essay. The official MLA rules state that it should be on a separate page, but since only one source is required it would be a waste of paper here.
• Remember that the grading rubric for EWRT1A is in the syllabus. This is what I use to grade the essays, so be sure to check it out if you haven't already.
• What I mentioned about revision and editing can be found in both our books. For the checklists, look in our reader on pages 21 and 23, and in Rules for Writers on pages 36-37.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to e-mail me. But please don't just send me a whole new draft to read. Have specific questions.

EWRT1A-30: Reading Response 3

Reading Response 3

Alice Walker “In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens”

Choose one or come up with your own focus.

 1. According to what Walker shows in this essay, what are some of the forces that hinder people from being true to their own identities? Use specific examples to demonstrate a larger theme.

2. What does Walker’s essay show us about how people are able to find their own identities? What do people need? Use specific examples to demonstrate a larger theme.

3. This essay is full of artists. Using some of these artists as examples, what does Walker’s essay show you about the possible function(s) of art? In other words, what does this essay teach us about the purpose of art?

De Anza EWRT 1A survey

De Anza occasionally does tests to make sure things are working properly. This quarter, De Anza is trying to assess that its placement essay for EWRT1A is effective. So if you took a placement essay in order to get into EWRT1A, please complete the survey. But the survey is open to all students, no matter how you got into 1A.

The survey contains eight short questions. You can complete it here.

EWRT1A30: MLA and Malcolm X

The first draft of essay 1 is due Thursday. The more complete your draft, the more you will get out of the comments on it.

Remember that MLA citation is covered in the Rules for Writers book. The rules for MLA style start on page 479. Section 16 on page 486 shows how to do in-text citation for a work in an anthology. Section 22 on page 488 shows in-text citation for a web site. Advice for integrating quotations, including how to use signal phases, starts on page 469. The rules for how to do a works cited entry for an anthology are on page 500. And the rules for a short work on a web site are on page 506. So use the book. If you get confused though, just ask me.

Likewise, both our books talk about thesis statements. Rules for Writers even covers common problems on pages 28-29. The EWRT1A Reader has a lot of good advice about thesis statements on pages 13-15.

And we will discuss Malcolm X's "Learning to Read" in the beginning of class Thursday. In order to understand the significance of "Leaning to Read" by Malcolm X, you should listen to the man speak (if you haven't before). Here is one of his famous speeches, given at Oxford, England 1964. As you listen, remember that he attended pubic school only through eighth grade.

EWRT1A30: essay basics and Anyon reading

Here is a pdf of the slideshow I presented Tuesday about basic essay terms.

And I e-mailed everyone with a link to the Jean Anyon essay for Thursday. If you didn't get the url, then e-mail me. Remember to pay special attention to how Language Arts is taught in the four different types of schools.

EWRT1A-30: essay 1

This is the pdf of the prompts for essay 1. Remember that the first draft is due October 10th.

EWRT1A30: Reading Response 1

Here is the handout about reading responses. Remember that the prompt for the first reading response is on the handout. Future prompts will be posted on this blog. If you have any questions or problems, post a comment here or e-mail me.

EWRT1A30: syllabus and reading for Thursday

Here is a pdf version of the  syllabus.

And here is the reading we will discuss in class on Thursday.

EWRT1A section 30 - the texts

Welcome to EWRT1A section 30!

I just wanted to give you a quick heads-up on the texts. There are three required books for the class, all of which should be available at the bookstore.

• EWRT1A Reader. This is the main reader for the class. It is a print-on-demand reader, so there are only enough for 30 students (the class limit) and the book cannot be purchased anywhere else. The cover is red and it has my name, Nick Mullins, on it. It also has the dates 2012-2013 on the cover. Don't worry. This is the correct book. I am using the same reader that I used last year.
• Rules for Writers, seventh edition. This is the writing handbook for the class. If you already have another handbook, you can probably use that one. You just need to make sure it has the current MLA guidelines.
• Fun Home, Alison Bechdel. This is the book-length work we will read the last few weeks of class.

See you Tuesday, September 24th.

objection to using Fun Home in college

A group in South Carolina claims that Fun Home is pornographic and should not be shown to 18-year-olds.

the future?

MIT has invented an essay grading computer program. Maybe 1A teachers are becoming obsolete.

Winter 2013 grades have been submitted

I've submitted the grades for EWRT 1A sections 31 and 64 (this is not an April Fool's joke). Hopefully they'll be available through MyPortal soon.

Thanks for a good quarter and good luck.

EWRT1A sections 31 and 64: final

The final will be in our normal classroom at the times listed below. Bring paper, pens, and your copy of Fun Home. A print dictionary is also acceptable. No other books, notes, or electronic devices are allowed.

Section 31: MLC 108, 4-6

Section 64: L 36, 6:15-8:15

EWRT1A sections 31 and 64: Essay 3 due

Essay 3 is due Thursday.

• Two drafts are required.
• MLA citation is required.

EWRT1A sections 31 and 64: Grammar Review 5

Here it is, the final grammar review. There are only five sentences this time.

EWRT sections 31 and 64: Reading Response 9

Here are the prompts for the final out-of-class reading response.

Reading Response 9- after chapter 6 of Fun Home

Keeping in mind what you have read of Fun Home so far, respond to one of the prompts below. Please use specific evidence from the book to support your response.

1. Look at how the media depicts images of gender and/or family in Fun Home. How do these images compare/contrast with Bechdel and her family? Consider images from magazines, cartoons, and/or television shows depicted in the book. As always, choose a specific focus in your response.
2. Do you think that Bechdel's father is an asset for Alison Bechdel as she tries to understand her gender and sexual orientation, or do you see him more as an obstacle? Please use specific scenes from the text in your response.
3. This book is partly about Bechdel’s discovery and exploration of her gender and sexual orientation. What helps Bechdel with this process? In other words, what aids her in her self discovery? Show some of her assets.
4. How do Aaron Devor's notions of "I" and "me" help to explain the inner conflict in either Alison Bechdel or her father? Use Devor's terms to explain the struggles of the characters.
5. Fun Home deals with appearance versus reality, what is shown and what is hidden. How does the monstration in Fun Home relate to this theme? What truths does it help to reveal that the narration can’t alone?
6. Choose your own focus for analysis.

Fun Home videos

Here are the videos I showed in class, in case you wanted to see them again.

EWRT1A sections 31 and 64: Grammar Review 4

Here it is. Keep in mind that while this is called a grammar review, what we are practicing are specific style concepts. The sentences on the worksheet are all grammatically correct as they are. Your goal is to apply the concepts of conciseness and active verbs to them. Remember that the Rules for Writers book covers both concepts.

The Myth of Sisyphus

Belinda Santiago from section 31 pointed out this video. If you go to 7:35, Dr. Hicks explains the main theme of Albert Camus's "The Myth of Sisyphus."

EWRT1A sections 31 and 64: Reading Response 8

Reading Response 8

Alison Bechdel, Fun Home chapters 1-2

Choose one. Please use specific evidence in your response.

1. On page 15, Bechdel illustrates some of the ways she and her father are different. Despite the differences, how are she and her father similar? Consider characteristics of behavior and/or appearance.
2. What elements contribute to Bechdel believing that her father’s death was a suicide? Do you agree that these elements warrant her conclusion?
3. Where does Bechdel admit to the limits of her memory and understanding? Do these admissions weaken the narrative or do they serve some purpose? Explain.
4. Choose a scene from the book and compare the narration with the monstration. What relationship do these share? In other words, what do the images show in comparison to what the words explain and how do the two work together in the scene to create meaning? Consider using McCloud.
5. Choose your own focus for analysis

Also, I put this up in section 64. It's a nice page about using active verbs, including a list of descriptive verbs. The page is geared towards science and engineering students, but the advice works for all areas of study. And for future reference, some universities have really nice on-line writing tutorials. One I know a lot of teachers like to refer to is the Owl at Purdue.

EWRT1A sections 31 and 64: Essay 3 prompts

Here is a pdf of the prompts for the final out-of-class essay. Keep these in mind as you continue reading Fun Home.

Fun Home reading questions

Below are questions to keep in mind as you read Fun Home. Here is a pdf version of the same questions, if you'd like to print them out.

1. In what ways are Bechdel and her father different? In what ways are they alike?

2. Bechdel believes that her father committed suicide. Why? What does she think the motivation for him was? Why is this significant for her?

3. What role do books play in Bechdel’s relationship with her father? What role do they play in her own self discovery?

4. Can you find an image in the text that sums up Bechdel’s relationship with her father? Is its placement in the story significant?

5. In what ways is Bechdel’s father able to support her? How does he do so?

6. Why does Bechdel allude to so many literary texts? How do they relate to her parents? To herself?

7. At times Bechdel seems to judge her father, but at other times she seems to resist judging him. Find instances of both in the text. Does this show a limitation in her understanding?

8. What do you think the purpose of creating Fun Home was for Bechdel?

9. In what ways are the telling (the narration) different from what is in the showing (the monstration)? Think of McCloud’s categories. Also consider that the narration is an adult Bechdel looking back and the monstration is often a young Alison experiencing things for the first time.

10. Is Alison Bechdel a reliable narrator? What does she believe that others in the book may not believe? What biases might she have?

office hours location change reminder

Just to reiterate, my office hours from 2:24 to 3:45 on Tuesdays and Thursdays are now being held on the first floor of the library. Just look around. I will be sitting somewhere there.

synthesis and the influence of media

I wanted to point out that the Rules for Writers book has a short section on synthesis on pages 477-479. The focus is on research papers, but the advice still applies. Here's a good on-line source for ideas about synthesis. In terms of structure, you could organize your essay subject-by-subject, meaning you analyze one text at a time, each in its own paragraph. However, I think you will probably be more successful organizing your essay point-by-point, meaning you focus on the criteria of comparison (society's views of gender being oppressive, say) and show how each text relates to that idea. This way the focus is on your argument and the connections between the texts. This may help you from falling into summary. Here's a graphic of what I mean:


Also, we will talk about transitions on Tuesday, but Rules for Writers has a partial list of transitional expressions on page 65.

And just in case you missed it, here again are the prompts for essay 2.

And lastly, Craig Ferguson has a slightly different take than Jackson Katz or Naomi Wolf about the effects of media on U.S. society. This might help you with your paper.

office hours location change

I need to change the location of my office hours; the student lounge in the MLC is often too crowded. So I am going to be in the library, on the first floor. The hours will remain the same: 2:45-3:45 TuTh. I'll be there today.

teachers' assumptions about their students

A lot of you wrote about the attitudes of the teachers in the working class schools described in Anyon's essay. Well, here's a little blog post that demonstrates the same kind of attitude but from a community college teacher.

the beauty myth in the age of Photoshop

This video is called "Evolution." Consider how it relates to Naomi Wolf's "The Beauty Myth." Also, does your understanding of this video change knowing that is was paid for by Dove, the maker of beauty products?

EWRT1A sections 31 and 64: Grammar Review 3

Here it is. It isn't due until Thursday, but I know at least one student wanted it early.

A warning to college profs from a high school teacher

A friend of mine called my attention to this Washington Post article. It's by a retiring high school teacher about the changes that have happened in public school education and why. It's mostly focused on why so many incoming college students don't have the skills to be successful.

EWRT1A sections 31 and 64: Reading Response 5

Reading Response 5

Aaron Devor "Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meanings of Gender"

In all the prompts below, I want you to explain and evaluate an idea from Devor’s essay using another text (or texts) in the class as evidence for that evaluation. As always choose one prompt to respond to.

1. Explain Devor's distinction between I and me (121, paragraphs 7 and 8). How may this separation contribute to problems with finding one's own voice? Use another text from the class to illustrate this.
   
2. Devor claims that most people believe that gender roles are natural (123, para. 13) and so we believe that women are naturally better parents and men are naturally dominant (para. 14). Devor then states that this leads to inequality and oppression. How? Please use one of our other texts as an example to demonstrate how.
   
3. Devor states that masculine values become the ideological structure of the society as a whole (125). What does he mean by this? Do you agree? If so, provide examples from another class text. If not, what examples from our texts contradict Devor's conclusions?
   
4. Devor refers to the process of gendering that he describes as a patriarchal gender schema and ends the essay by stating that gender roles are the result of systematic power imbalances based on gender discrimination (126). Do you see examples of this imbalance in our texts? If so, show the examples. If not, what examples contradict Devor's conclusions? Please use another text in the class as evidence for your response.
   
5. Come up with your own focus, but try to show how another text from the class relates to Devor's essay.

EWRT1A sections 31 and 64: Essay 2

Here are the prompts for essay 2. Be sure to read the requirements carefully. If you have any questions about them, please ask.

Tough Guise

Tough Guise. Please watch the following video for Tuesday. It is a seven minute version of a one hour video. As you watch it, keep certain questions in mind.

• According to Jackson Katz, what are the obstacles young men face to being true to their own identities? Where do these obstacles come from?
• Katz says that concepts of masculinity and violence are connected. Is he convincing in this claim? Do you think that this is culturally reinforced, as Katz argues, or do you think this is a result of nature? Both?
• What are the effects on young men who "take on the tough guise," according to Katz? Do you agree with him?
• How does Katz think young men are going to be able to be "better men"?
• Does Katz offer enough evidence to support his claims?
• Do your own experiences confirm or contradict Katz's claims?

EWRT1A sections 31 and 64: Grammar Review 2

Here is the link to Grammar Review 2. Keep in mind that each sentence may have more than one problem.

EWRT1A sections 31 and 64: Reading Response 3

Reading Response 3

Alice Walker “In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens”

Choose one or come up with your own focus.

1. According to what Walker shows in this essay, what are some of the forces that hinder people from being true to their own identities? Use specific examples to demonstrate a larger theme.

2. What does Walker's essay show us about how people are able to find their own identities? What do people need? Use specific examples to demonstrate a larger theme.

3. This essay is full of artists. Using some of these artists as examples, what does Walker's essay show you about the possible function(s) of art? In other words, what does this essay teach us about the purpose of art?

Malcolm X

In order to understand the significance of "Leaning to Read" by Malcolm X, you should listen to the man speak (if you haven't before). Here is one of his famous speeches, given at Oxford, England 1964. As you listen, remember that he attended pubic school only through eighth grade.

use Rules for Writers

I went over MLA citation in class, now it's up to you to try to use it. That's one reason I assigned the Rules for Writers book. The rules for MLA style start on page 479. Section 16 on page 486 shows how to do in-text citation for a work in an anthology. Section 22 on page 488 shows in-text citation for a web site. Advice for integrating quotations, including how to use signal phases, starts on page 469. The rules for how to do a works cited entry for an anthology are on page 500. And the rules for a short work on a web site are on page 506. So use the book. If you get confused though, just ask me.

Likewise, both our books talk about thesis statements. The Rules for Writers even covers common problems on pages 28-29. The EWRT1A Reader has a lot of good advice about thesis statements on pages 13-15.

Remember, one of the expectations of college is that you will be a self-directed learner. So use your resources.

EWRT1A sections 31 and 64: Grammar Review 1

Here is Grammar Review 1. Either print it out or write your corrected sentences on another sheet of paper. It is due Tuesday, January 22nd.

De Anza Skills Workshop schedule posted

The Winter 2013 Skills Workshop calendar is now available. Workshops begin Week 4 (Monday 1/28). Skills workshops cover things like how to avoid procrastination, how to read actively, and how to take notes. There are also a few grammar workshops on things like subject/verb agreement and vocabulary. I highly recommend taking a workshop if you know you'd like more help. Use your resources!

Here is the page: http://deanza.edu/studentsuccess/academicskills/skillsworkshopschedule.html

Here is a direct link to the schedule (it's a pdf):
http://deanza.edu/studentsuccess/academicskills/Skills%20Workshop%20Schedule%20W13.pdf

EWRT1A section 31: Reading Response 2

This is the reading response for the Anyon essay. It is due on Tuesday.

Reading Response 2

Jean Anyon "Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work"

Choose one of the prompts below.

1. What attitudes towards knowledge and work are the students being taught in at least two of the four different types of schools? Provide specific examples. Do you see any evidence that schools you went to taught similar attitudes?

2. Given that all the schools Anyon looks at are public schools, what conclusion(s) can you draw from the very different ways they teach students? In other words, why are the differences significant? In your response, please show examples of the differences and explain how these relate to your conclusion.

3. Connect Anyon with Freire. Show how the schools Anyon describes fit into Freire's categories of education. Be sure to explain why each school fits into each category. What conclusion(s) can you draw from this?

EWRT1A sections 31 and 64: Jean Anyon

Remember the Anyon article is on-line. The url is both listed in the syllabus and included in an e-mail I sent out. If you did not receive that e-mail, then e-mail me.

The article is about research Anyon and her graduate students conducted on fifth grade classrooms. She splits the schools they looked at into four different categories based on the income of the parents. As you read, pay special attention to how language arts is taught in the four different types of schools. Given the fact that these are all public schools, what is significant about the differences? Also, consider how Anyon's research relates to Freire's theories.

EWRT1A sections 31 and 64: essay 1 prompts

Here is a pdf of the prompts for essay 1. Be sure to read them carefully. If you have any questions, please ask me.

Here is what the pdf says:

EWRT1A-31 and 64 Essay 1- Education

Write an essay on one of the prompts below. The essay should be 3-4 pages, typed, double-spaced, and in accordance with the MLA guidelines (see Rules for Writers). Cite the essay(s) you refer to and be sure to provide a works cited list.

1. As a few of our essays point out, sometimes what we say education is for doesn’t match what it actually does. So do you think that education actually does what it should? In order to answer this you’ll first need to state what you think the purpose of education is, and then state whether or not the current educational system manages to do this. Provide specific evidence to support your opinion with at least one example from our readings and one from your own experience/observation.

2. As the readings show, sometimes education works well, but sometimes it doesn’t. So what is necessary for education to operate as it should? What element or elements need to be in place for it to work properly?  Use at least one example from an essay that we have read and at least one example from your own experience/observation. 

The goal of this essay is to engage with the ideas brought up in the class. Both prompts ask you to connect at least one of the readings with your own experience and/or observation. In order to get started, you could begin with your own beliefs about education and see which reading best supports your opinion. Or you could take an insight about education articulated in one of the readings and then think of a personal experience that could act as an example. In any case, the best way to get ideas is to read the texts for the class actively and to participate in class discussion.

Also, keep in mind that you could develop your essay using both positive and negative examples, such as when education succeeds and when it fails. Just make sure that your examples serve to demonstrate a point named in your thesis. Lastly, your personal example does not have to be limited to the U.S. Just make sure it connects to an essay we’ve read and to your thesis.

Remember that a first draft and a final draft are both required.

first draft due January 24

final draft due February 5

EWRT1A sections 31 and 64: e-mail

I just sent out an e-mail about Thursday's reading. If you did not receive the e-mail, then you may not be registered in the class. If you received an add code, please use it if you want to be in the class.

EWRT1A sections 31 and 64: Reading Response 1

Here is the handout on reading responses, in case you lost it. Remember that Reading Response 1 is due next Tuesday. The text you need to read is in our reader.

If you want a little more information about Paulo Freire and his theories, this is a good overview and this page lays out his theories with a series of questions.

syllabi for EWRT1A sections 31 and 64

Here are pdfs of the syllabi:

• EWRT 1A section 31 - CRN: 31237-01
• EWRT 1A section 64 - CRN: 00771-01