English Two Syllabus/Course Description

English Two: Human Thought and Action [Lit. Analysis]
Miriam Ben-Shalom Friday 9 -11:55
Contact: ben-shalom@sbcglobal.net
15 weeks for 3 credits
Prerequisite: English One or its equivalent in transfer credit [completeing 801-152/154 does not meet this prerequisit]

Course Description
English Two introduces multiple ideas, disciplines, and forms of making meaning. It serves as an introduction to humanist inquiry, focusing on critical thinking, the analysis of ideas, formulating questions, and the interconnectedness of knowledge and the various disciplines.

The philosophical, historical, theological, psychological, and sociological narratives created by humans form the structure of our lives. Human Thought and Action investigates the human meaning-making impulse and the articulation of human ideas and experiences through various disciplines.

Extended Course description:
English Two is an interdisciplinary inquiry into human thought, action and reaction. In this course, teachers and students will examine the way that humanist knowledge and processes have influenced humankind’s perception of self through millennia as shown through literature. As a prerequisite for the upper-level humanities courses, English Two focuses on significant forms of knowledge and ontological questions using literature as the object/motivator for questioning. Students will be challenged to reflect upon and discuss definitions of literary analysis, group problem-solving activities, “community,” cultural literacy, and the importance of human action and witness to a culture in literature and personal experience.

Through study of specific texts, students will explore the way that humans have borne witness to their experiences and sought to find meaning in them in various ways. Students will explore different views on the human experience through familiar activities – close reading of primary and secondary texts, class discussions, inquiry journals and take-home essays and transactional writing, participation in public events in the MATC community. Critical inquiry is at the heart of all activities in English Two

Ongoing Activities in English Two
Inquiry activities practiced in English Two include:
Writing practices – both formal and informal
Oral presentations: both individually and in groups
Research Practices: Use of primary and secondary source material, presented formally and informally
Reading: increased capacity for reading complicated or challenging texts
Community Literacy: An increased capacity for discussion and for knowledge about, community

Learning and Performance Objectives
Students who successfully complete English Two should be able to do the following work, both orally and in writing:

Recognize and analyze the interconnectedness of the humanities
Recognize and analyze the interconnectedness of different forms of knowledge
Read and discuss works representing different “frames” or disciplines in the humanities
Demonstrate a cultural literacy that features understanding and appreciation for a variety of cultures and ways of knowing
Demonstrate an ability to analyze and interpret course readings based on the context of each work
Demonstrate a growing ability to formulate thoughtful questions as a way of shaping and conducting inquiry
Demonstrate an ability to use a variety of forms to conduct and manifest primary and secondary research
Continue development of college-level critical thinking, reading and writing skills introduced in English One.

Verbal Skill Development
Students are challenged to use writing, reading, discussion and presentations as interdependent inquiry activities. Students will be expected to prepare formal and informal projects and to contribute regularly to class discussions and/or oral, collaborative efforts – such as focused discussions, panel discussions that relate to course material.

Criteria for Evaluation:
% 40 Written work
% 20 Orality – Public presentations, participation
% 20 Group Work/class participation/attendance [25 pts per class]
% 20 Final Project
__________________________________
% 100 Final Grade

Required Materials for Course

Gaines, Ernest. A Lesson Before Dying.
Sophocles, Three Theban Plays (Antigone, Oedipus the King)
Spiegelman, Art. Maus.
Wiesel, Elie. Night
Handouts assigned by instructor—see calendar
Notebook [at least a 2 subject--for notes and journals], computer disk or CD-R

Final Project/ Assessment
Please see attachment to this syllabus for the two ooptions for the final project.

Academic Honesty – MATC's Policy
Academic work that is submitted to an instructor is assumed to be the result of one’s own work, thought, research, or self-examination. Further, when wording, organization, images, music, lyrics, audio sources, or ideas are borrowed from another source, that source is to be adequately acknowledged, according to proper academic conventions; at MATC, MLA formatting guidelines are used throughout the Liberal Studies curriculum.

Academic dishonesty can exist in visual work as well as in written work. In the interest of avoiding the perception of academic dishonesty, images copied, scanned, collaged, or otherwise appropriated from existing sources must be cited according to proper academic conventions, specifically, according to MLA guidelines. This will be the case even when appropriated images are re-configured to make a different organization and/or meaning than the original piece.

Projects completed for an assignment in one course cannot be turned in for another course unless the two courses have been assigned a joint project. Collaborative works should acknowledge the contribution of each of the collaborators.

Plagiarism is the failure to acknowledge the use of words, ideas, images, music, and/or organization of another. Plagiarism can be grounds for failing a class. Anyone engaged in plagiarism may face a disciplinary hearing, possibly leading to dismissal from MATC.

Learning Resource Center
MATC has a rich resource in the Academic Support Center staffed by learning specialists and trained student tutors. All students should be encouraged to make use of it – for developing writing and reading strategies, study skill building, and time-management. ASC staff provide excellent feedback and enrichment for students at all levels of study in all parts of their coursework. Students are strongly encouraged to attend the Support Center and I will make referrals when students are struggling. Copies of all syllabi, writing prompts, and so on, will be placed in my folder in the Support Center for your convenience.

*******Learning/Physical Disabilities
The ADA of 1993 stipulates that any student who has a physical or learning disability that requires special circumstances in order to successfully attend school has that right. If any student has a diagnosed physical or learning disability that requires accommodations to provide the most optimum learning experience, students should contact the MATC Special Needs Office at the West Campus immediately to develop those accommodations.*****

ESL
If English is not your first language, you should let your instructor know immediately to determine what learning strategies will work best for successful completion of this course.

Grading Policy: Paper will be awarded 100 points:
A. Documentation: is 1/3 of the grade of the paper [33 points out of 100]
1 Be sure to document references to specific lines or passages in the plays. If you quote or refer to a specific passage, identify that passage through in-text citation. Do this by writing the name of the play and the line number(s) you’re referring to in parentheses immediately after your reference. For example, if I were to generally refer to the “ship of state” speech by Creon in Antigone, I would need to write (Antigone 179-235) at the end of the sentence or passage in which I am discussing the speech.
Follow the same procedure for direct quotations. If I were to write Creon states: “[n]ever at my hands will the traitor be honored above the patriot” then I would need to add (Antigone 232-233) at the end of that sentence. If it’s obvious which play I’m quoting or paraphrasing, I can omit the title from the parentheses (232-233). If you have questions about in-text citation, or how to work with direct quotations, summaries, or paraphrases, see me or a tutor at the Learning Resource Center.
You will use MLA Format for paper setup and citations and Works Cited page and Bibliography if one is necessarry.
1/2 point will be taken for each error--so be rigorous about Format!

You will receive a rubric for grading which will show you how the remaining 2/3 of your grade is achieved, which includes grammar, spelling, punctuation, and the following 4 areas. 1/3 point will be taken for each error in spelling, grammar, punctuation.

Essays which identify a truly thoughtful and challenging question, which respond to those questions in truly well-developed and insightful manner, which open up the complications in these ideas or themes discussed AND which incorporate solid specific evidence from the plays will likely receive an “A”. Your thinking must be quite clear. You must refer to both plays in your essay. [100-96 "A", 95-93 "A-"]
Essays which identify an important question and discuss it in a refined and fully-developed manner and make good use of specific supporting passages/evidence will receive no higher than a “B”. You thinking must be clear. You must refer to both plays in your essay. [92-90 "B+". 89-87 "B" 86-84 "B-"]
Essays which identify a questions and discuss it in a fairly obvious and general way will receive no higher than a “C”. Your thinking must be clear. You must refer to both plays in your essay. [83-81 "C+" 80-79 "C" 78-76 "C-" 75-73 "D+" 72-70 "D" Below 70 "F"]
Essays with no in-text documentation, which are not completed on time or by the extension date, or do not respond thoughtfully to the prompt, will not receive a passing grade.
For take home exams, just substitute 'exam' for 'essay' in the above 4 grading points.

With regards late work: unless by PRIOR AGREEMENT AND COMMUNICATION WITH INSTRUCTOR, late work will be dealt with as follows: for EVERY DAY THE PIECE IS LATE YOUR GRADE WILL DROP BY ONE I.E.: An "A" paper a day late will get a 'B'; two days late a 'C'; three days late a 'D'; 4 days late an 'F'. If you are sick, have a family emergency, or have another emergency:
it is your responsibility to contact me!
Not your mother, father, significant other, or Naomi Green. You have my e-mail address or you may call the school and have a note placed in my mail box. Contacting me does NOT mean you walk into class on the day the paper or project is due and expect me to give you an extension. Under those circumstances, you will not get one. Period. [For your information, an extension is usually 3 days.] Do not come to me with a "sob story" if you did not do what you were supposed to do. This is an extremely intense class; if you are not prepared to do the required work, please drop. MATC students are notorious for not being rigorous about time lines and deadlines; such will not be very well tolerated in this class. Deadlines are deadlines and I expect them to be honored, just as you would on the job, in the real world. Having firm deadlines is training and discipline applicable to the real world.
*******If you are a special needs student who requires extra time, it will certainly be granted with no loss of points. However, it is of unmost importance to notify me and your special needs advisor as soon as you see you will need extra time. You may not walk into class the day an assignment is due, however, and request an extension. You must communicate with me before the due date.*********

Course Calendar
Is attached to this syllabus. "Course planning Calendar"
Writing Prompts
Are attached to this syllabus with due dates. Unless you get the idea of the century, you may not substitute your own assignment idea for a prompt.
Other Info
Absolutely NO cell phones or other electronics allowed in class. If you must have a cell phone because of an emergency, do the following : notify me before class; turn the phone to vibrate ONLY, no ringers; if you must take a call, leave class quietly, walk down from our room and take the call. DO NOT stand in the doorway and gab. There will be a one class grace period for this; thereafter, you will loose all you participation points for the class if your phone goes off. No excuses.
Read again later work policy!
No abusive language will be tolertated: treat others as you would like to be treated. If you disrupt class, you will get one warning after which, you will be asked to leave should you continue to disrupt.