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