Summer 801-201
College Parallel English/English One
Six Week Road map
WEEK ONE
1. First class: go over syllabus, diagnostic text
2. Second class: Read Troyka Section on MLA Format; class discussion on MLA Format.
3. Listen to tape of Ray Bradbury in class; class discussion about speech.
4. Fourth class: Begin writing first essay/prompt will be given in class. The essay will be a minimum of 5 paragraph, with at least 12 sentence per paragraph. You will have an Introduction, which tells the reader who /what you are going to write about, a little bit about Mr. Bradbury. Next, a body of three paragraph. Finally a conclusion.
ºOnly essays in MLA Format will be accepted.. This is standard in all English language universities. Learn this format NOW. Do NOT rely on what you may have learned elsewhere»
WEEK TWO
1. Bradbury essay due at beginning of class. Quiz on MLA. Next essay to read will be distributed in class.
2. Using the "For Your Journal" item at the beginning of the essay, you will write a paper using this item as your prompt. You will find two sources to cite in your paper to support your ideas. You MAY NOT use Wikipedia as a source. Sources must be approved for academic content by the instructor. Rough draft, word processed, due tomorrow.
3. Proof reading and editing: Writer’s Workshop.
4. The Works Cited page: how it works, why you need it
WEEK THREE
1. Paper on grades due at beginning of class. Next essay distributed..
2. What is description? A perfect moment? Do people need perfect moments in their lives? Your next essay will be about a "perfect moment in your life"–what it was, why it was a perfect moment, why this memory has been important to you, and what you intend to do with this moment in the future. You might want to do a little research on your own–ask a friend, parent, loved one about an important moment in their life. Please do not write a chronology about the birth of a child or getting married. These are OBVIOUSLY special moments; what I am looking for is something else–that little conversation you had with your spouse, a child, or with a parent, that day you saw something that changed your life; the one day you remember when everything just went the way it should; the one day the sky was just a perfect blue and you still remember it. DO NOT tell me you have never had a perfect moment. You have, but you may need to INQUIRE to find it!!
3. Writer’s workshop–I will work with you individually on your essays.
4. Final essay due at end of class–MLA Format, of course!
WEEK FOUR
1. Synthesis essay. Handouts provided. Essay prompt provided. The first two days of this week, we will read the handouts and inquire.
2. Days three and four, we will do research and begin to write the synthesis essay about art.
WEEK FIVE
1. The first two days, you will work on your essay.
2. WEDS you will hand in you finished essay with Works Cited page, rigorous MLA Format will be maintained.
WEEK SIX
1. Your final exam will be a portfolio. In the portfolio will be the following:
A. A self-assessment letter describing what you have learned throughout this summer semester. You will want to discuss how you have seen your weaknesses in writing strengthened, how you have seen your strengths grow. You will want to address how you see your writing skills have changed. You may also offer a suggestion about a topic or a piece of writing you might like to see included in this course.
B. You will include two essays with the following:
1. Your rough draft
2. Your final draft with my revisions/grading rubric
3. You revision of these essays
2. The complete portfolio will be due AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LAST DAY OF CLASS. It will be presented in a folder, with your self assessment letter in the left pocket and the revised essays and the rough drafts/graded versions in the right pocket. You may make copies of rough drafts and graded essays to put in the portfolio; you do not have to put in the originals.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Diagnostic Essay: 801-151
Diagnostic Essay
This is an essay to see how well you write and to see what I should first focus on as a teacher. Please do your best on this essay; you may word process it.
REMEMBER: Your essay should have:
1. An introductory paragraph which states your thesis and generally, your main points.
2. A body paragraph—or several paragraphs, each of which is about ONE of your main points. Remember to use description, details, illustrations to make your points clear and to “back up” the point you are trying to make.
3. A concluding paragraph—the “so what” of the essay. Having told me what your points are, describing them and offering proof-or back up information-here is where you tell me why you wrote about this and summarize your ideas. You can add a littler personal information here.
SET-UP OF PAPER
1. Please put your name and other information like this on your paper:
Ben-Shalom, Miriam
801-151-605 Comm. Sk. One
Professor Ben-Shalom
January 31, 2008
Notice that this is on the left margin and is double
spaced. The text of your essay, if you word
process it, shouldalso be double spaced
(As this is.) If you are hand writing your
essay, please skiplines as you write so I
have a place to put comments.
ESSAY TOPIC:
The idea of global warming is being spoken about at great length today. People are talking about how to stop it; how decrease greenhouse gasses; how to eliminate pollution; and how to prevent permanent damage to the whole earth, not to mention northern eco-systems, including the extinction of animals like the Polar Bear.
What do you know about global warming? Do you think there is anything you can do to help stop it, like using special light bulbs, recycling, or whatever? Do you think it can be stopped? Or do you think it is just a bunch of silliness and that there is no threat to our earth?
Again, make sure you use examples to illustrate your points; you can use personal experiences, etc. You can refer to things you might have heard on the news. (Just remember to say you heard it on the news!!)
This is an essay to see how well you write and to see what I should first focus on as a teacher. Please do your best on this essay; you may word process it.
REMEMBER: Your essay should have:
1. An introductory paragraph which states your thesis and generally, your main points.
2. A body paragraph—or several paragraphs, each of which is about ONE of your main points. Remember to use description, details, illustrations to make your points clear and to “back up” the point you are trying to make.
3. A concluding paragraph—the “so what” of the essay. Having told me what your points are, describing them and offering proof-or back up information-here is where you tell me why you wrote about this and summarize your ideas. You can add a littler personal information here.
SET-UP OF PAPER
1. Please put your name and other information like this on your paper:
Ben-Shalom, Miriam
801-151-605 Comm. Sk. One
Professor Ben-Shalom
January 31, 2008
Notice that this is on the left margin and is double
spaced. The text of your essay, if you word
process it, shouldalso be double spaced
(As this is.) If you are hand writing your
essay, please skiplines as you write so I
have a place to put comments.
ESSAY TOPIC:
The idea of global warming is being spoken about at great length today. People are talking about how to stop it; how decrease greenhouse gasses; how to eliminate pollution; and how to prevent permanent damage to the whole earth, not to mention northern eco-systems, including the extinction of animals like the Polar Bear.
What do you know about global warming? Do you think there is anything you can do to help stop it, like using special light bulbs, recycling, or whatever? Do you think it can be stopped? Or do you think it is just a bunch of silliness and that there is no threat to our earth?
Again, make sure you use examples to illustrate your points; you can use personal experiences, etc. You can refer to things you might have heard on the news. (Just remember to say you heard it on the news!!)
Monday, January 28, 2008
First Eight Weeks: Road Map for Comm. Skills One Students
Communication Skills One: 801-151
First Eight Weeks: Our Road Map
Week One:
1. Read Chapter One and Chapter 31 for next week.
A. In Chapter One, please do the following exercises: 1.1, 1.4
B. In Chapter 31, please do the following exercises: 31.1, 31.2, 31.5, 31.6, and 31.7
2. In class diagnostic exercise: How well do you write?
3. Overview of syllabus and course requirements.
4. Time requirements: discussion for this class.
5. Essay assignment: "When We Look Inside Ourselves, We Sometimes See the Stars".
This is an annotated essay; this means that I put questions and terms you should know in the margins of the essay. I will discuss some of these terms in class. Your task is to answer the questions in your journal AND find 5 words you do not understand. You will write each word in your journal; first, write what you think the word means; next, write the part of speech it is and the dictionary definition; finally, you must use the word correctly in a sentence that shows you KNOW what the word means. These journals will be collected every three weeks. That means you will have 15 words for me to check every three weeks, answers to questions about essay assignments, class notes, and any other assignments I may give you to place in your journal.
Week Two:
1. 15 minute exercise: In your journal, please reflect on what you learned from Ch. 1 and 31. You may wish to discuss what areas you will need help with and what items you understood well. You may also wish to list several question you might have for our class discussion. Please date this entry.
2. Class discussion of Chapters 1 and 31 and essay.
3. In class work on sentence types (handouts).
4. For next week, please read Chapter 2 and Chapter 30.
A. Please register (if you have not done so already) for the online resources section. Print up any three of the exercises you find about sentences, do them and bring them to class.
B. Do exercises 30.1; 30.2; 30.3; 30.4 and 30.5
C. Do exercises 2.2; 2.3; 2.4
5. Essay assignment: "Simplicity". Answer the questions at the end of the essay in COMPLETE sentences! Find and highlight words you do not understand and follow the instructions from Week One for your journal (See above, Week One).
Week Three:
1. 15 minute exercise: In your journal, please write about the "For Your Journal" assignment on the first page of the essay "Simplicity". This will become the basis of our first essay.
2. Class discussion of Chapters 2 and 30. If we are in a computer lab, we will go to the online resources section and do some exercises on sentences and grammar. If not, I will provide handouts for you.
3. How to write and essay: Logic, coherence, unity. Begin rough draft for our first essay. Topic: "A Time When I Needed to Simplify My Life."
4. How to set up a paper: where to put items when word processing a paper, spacing, fonts, margins, etc. YOU WILL WANT TO TAKE NOTES ON THIS!!!!! This is the format you will use for all your papers; no deviations from this format will be acceptable because this is the first step in learning something called MLA Format.
5. Read Chapter 3 for next week.
A. Do exercise 3.2 for the essay you are working on. Do the exercise (also called 3.2) on page 48. 3.4; 3.5 for the essay you are working on now.
6. Find words you do not understand and enter them in your journal as you have been doing. Please remember that you must 1) put your definition of the word; 2) write the part of speech and the dictionary definition; 3) write a sentence using the word correctly and which shows you know what the word means.
Week Four:
1. Your journals ARE due at the beginning of class! No excuses. (Min 15 words with class notes and reflection writings).
2. Class discussion of Chapter Three.
3. Using the work you did last week, you will begin to write a rough draft of your essay about simplifying your life. This will be an in-class writer’s workshop where I will work with you individually when you ask about your essay. I will offer suggestions about grammar, language, tone, etc. If we are in a computer lab, you will begin word processing your rough draft of your essay using the format I have explained to you for set-up of text on a page. You may do this before hand if you wish and I will offer suggestions about grammar, etc. If you do it beforehand, then you may begin working on your final draft of the essay. The essay will have at least 5 paragraphs: An introduction, 3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph will have a minimum of 5-8 sentences.
Week Five:
1. Journals are returned to you.
2. If you have completed your FINAL draft of your essay, hand it in NOW. If you have NOT completed the final draft, you will give me your rough draft; I will go over it with you and you will begin to work on your final draft, which must be completed by the end of class.
3. Read Chapter 5 for next week.
A. Handouts on editing to be completed for next week.
B. Do exercises 5.2; 5.3; 5.4
4. Essay reading: "How I Got Smart". Answer the questions at the end of the essay in COMPLETE sentences. Be sure to answer all parts of the questions!
5. Find and highlight words you do not understand. Enter them in your journal as you have been doing. And with the same information asked for as in Week One.
6. Begin your next writing assignment using number one of the suggested writing assignments at the end of this essay. You will have a word processed rough draft for next week, minimum of 5 paragraphs, with 5-8 sentences (if not more) for each paragraph.
7. READ pages 93 and 223: Peer Review. We will review each other’s essays in class, looking for transitions, details, illustrations, unity, coherence, and logic in our papers. I will circulate around to help you. Using suggestions given you by your peers, you will revise and edit your rough drafts and write a final draft due next week.
Week Six:
1. In your journal: reflect on the essay you read. What ideas did you get from this essay? 15 minute writing exercise.
2. Class discussion of essay "How I Got Smart".
3. Final draft due this class period.
5. Read Chapter Seven for next week.
6. Using the summarizing skills you will learn in this chapter, we will begin to learn how to summarize and annotate an essay. We will use the essay on pages 147-149 and follow the directions in exercise 7.1 on page 147 and write an annotation of "How I Got Smart" for next week.
7. Remember to find words you do not understand and enter them into your journal (you must have at least 5 words–you can find them anywhere. Remember to include your definition, the part of speech and dictionary definition, and a sentence using the word properly and which shows you know what the word means.
Week seven:
1. Journals are due at the beginning of class. No excuses. (Min 15 words with class notes and reflection writings).
2. In class work on annotation; revision and editing, format, parts of an annotation. Rough draft completed in class. Final draft will be done in class as the Midterm exam.
Week eight: MIDterm exam: in-class writing
1. Journals are returned to you.
2. Using your textbook:, pages 143-144/7b; page 147/7c; and your rough draft, you will write a FINAL DRAFT in class of a thoughtful summary of "How I Got Smart". Your essay will include the following: the name of the author, the title of the essay, a summary of the essay, and your personal response to the essay (3 paragraphs minimum–more is better.) Remember that each paragraph will have more than 5 sentences. All drafts will be spell checked and grammar checked. You may ask me for help with this if needed. Also, final drafts will be in proper format! Any paper not in the correct format will be returned to you to do that correctly.
First Eight Weeks: Our Road Map
Week One:
1. Read Chapter One and Chapter 31 for next week.
A. In Chapter One, please do the following exercises: 1.1, 1.4
B. In Chapter 31, please do the following exercises: 31.1, 31.2, 31.5, 31.6, and 31.7
2. In class diagnostic exercise: How well do you write?
3. Overview of syllabus and course requirements.
4. Time requirements: discussion for this class.
5. Essay assignment: "When We Look Inside Ourselves, We Sometimes See the Stars".
This is an annotated essay; this means that I put questions and terms you should know in the margins of the essay. I will discuss some of these terms in class. Your task is to answer the questions in your journal AND find 5 words you do not understand. You will write each word in your journal; first, write what you think the word means; next, write the part of speech it is and the dictionary definition; finally, you must use the word correctly in a sentence that shows you KNOW what the word means. These journals will be collected every three weeks. That means you will have 15 words for me to check every three weeks, answers to questions about essay assignments, class notes, and any other assignments I may give you to place in your journal.
Week Two:
1. 15 minute exercise: In your journal, please reflect on what you learned from Ch. 1 and 31. You may wish to discuss what areas you will need help with and what items you understood well. You may also wish to list several question you might have for our class discussion. Please date this entry.
2. Class discussion of Chapters 1 and 31 and essay.
3. In class work on sentence types (handouts).
4. For next week, please read Chapter 2 and Chapter 30.
A. Please register (if you have not done so already) for the online resources section. Print up any three of the exercises you find about sentences, do them and bring them to class.
B. Do exercises 30.1; 30.2; 30.3; 30.4 and 30.5
C. Do exercises 2.2; 2.3; 2.4
5. Essay assignment: "Simplicity". Answer the questions at the end of the essay in COMPLETE sentences! Find and highlight words you do not understand and follow the instructions from Week One for your journal (See above, Week One).
Week Three:
1. 15 minute exercise: In your journal, please write about the "For Your Journal" assignment on the first page of the essay "Simplicity". This will become the basis of our first essay.
2. Class discussion of Chapters 2 and 30. If we are in a computer lab, we will go to the online resources section and do some exercises on sentences and grammar. If not, I will provide handouts for you.
3. How to write and essay: Logic, coherence, unity. Begin rough draft for our first essay. Topic: "A Time When I Needed to Simplify My Life."
4. How to set up a paper: where to put items when word processing a paper, spacing, fonts, margins, etc. YOU WILL WANT TO TAKE NOTES ON THIS!!!!! This is the format you will use for all your papers; no deviations from this format will be acceptable because this is the first step in learning something called MLA Format.
5. Read Chapter 3 for next week.
A. Do exercise 3.2 for the essay you are working on. Do the exercise (also called 3.2) on page 48. 3.4; 3.5 for the essay you are working on now.
6. Find words you do not understand and enter them in your journal as you have been doing. Please remember that you must 1) put your definition of the word; 2) write the part of speech and the dictionary definition; 3) write a sentence using the word correctly and which shows you know what the word means.
Week Four:
1. Your journals ARE due at the beginning of class! No excuses. (Min 15 words with class notes and reflection writings).
2. Class discussion of Chapter Three.
3. Using the work you did last week, you will begin to write a rough draft of your essay about simplifying your life. This will be an in-class writer’s workshop where I will work with you individually when you ask about your essay. I will offer suggestions about grammar, language, tone, etc. If we are in a computer lab, you will begin word processing your rough draft of your essay using the format I have explained to you for set-up of text on a page. You may do this before hand if you wish and I will offer suggestions about grammar, etc. If you do it beforehand, then you may begin working on your final draft of the essay. The essay will have at least 5 paragraphs: An introduction, 3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph will have a minimum of 5-8 sentences.
Week Five:
1. Journals are returned to you.
2. If you have completed your FINAL draft of your essay, hand it in NOW. If you have NOT completed the final draft, you will give me your rough draft; I will go over it with you and you will begin to work on your final draft, which must be completed by the end of class.
3. Read Chapter 5 for next week.
A. Handouts on editing to be completed for next week.
B. Do exercises 5.2; 5.3; 5.4
4. Essay reading: "How I Got Smart". Answer the questions at the end of the essay in COMPLETE sentences. Be sure to answer all parts of the questions!
5. Find and highlight words you do not understand. Enter them in your journal as you have been doing. And with the same information asked for as in Week One.
6. Begin your next writing assignment using number one of the suggested writing assignments at the end of this essay. You will have a word processed rough draft for next week, minimum of 5 paragraphs, with 5-8 sentences (if not more) for each paragraph.
7. READ pages 93 and 223: Peer Review. We will review each other’s essays in class, looking for transitions, details, illustrations, unity, coherence, and logic in our papers. I will circulate around to help you. Using suggestions given you by your peers, you will revise and edit your rough drafts and write a final draft due next week.
Week Six:
1. In your journal: reflect on the essay you read. What ideas did you get from this essay? 15 minute writing exercise.
2. Class discussion of essay "How I Got Smart".
3. Final draft due this class period.
5. Read Chapter Seven for next week.
6. Using the summarizing skills you will learn in this chapter, we will begin to learn how to summarize and annotate an essay. We will use the essay on pages 147-149 and follow the directions in exercise 7.1 on page 147 and write an annotation of "How I Got Smart" for next week.
7. Remember to find words you do not understand and enter them into your journal (you must have at least 5 words–you can find them anywhere. Remember to include your definition, the part of speech and dictionary definition, and a sentence using the word properly and which shows you know what the word means.
Week seven:
1. Journals are due at the beginning of class. No excuses. (Min 15 words with class notes and reflection writings).
2. In class work on annotation; revision and editing, format, parts of an annotation. Rough draft completed in class. Final draft will be done in class as the Midterm exam.
Week eight: MIDterm exam: in-class writing
1. Journals are returned to you.
2. Using your textbook:, pages 143-144/7b; page 147/7c; and your rough draft, you will write a FINAL DRAFT in class of a thoughtful summary of "How I Got Smart". Your essay will include the following: the name of the author, the title of the essay, a summary of the essay, and your personal response to the essay (3 paragraphs minimum–more is better.) Remember that each paragraph will have more than 5 sentences. All drafts will be spell checked and grammar checked. You may ask me for help with this if needed. Also, final drafts will be in proper format! Any paper not in the correct format will be returned to you to do that correctly.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Web Evaluation sites for GENREA and 801-151/152 students (print up for class!)
Below, you will find two sites on the Internet to help you learn how to evaluate web sites. Both of these sites are very easy to navigate and are very user friendly. The English is very clear and easy to understand.
*************************************************************************************
This is a great web site to help you learn how to evaulate web sites! This site clearly explains how to evaluate a site and gives very clear guidelines. There are many examples of web sites given, with questions about each web site. Print up any 4 sites and answer the questions about the site. Bring your work to class and we will discuss. Note that you must answer all questions in COMPLETE SENTENCES AND IN A COMPLETE THOUGHT; A 'YES' OR 'NO' ANSWER WILL NOT BE ENOUGH.
http://www.nova.edu/library/dils/lessons/webresourcesevaluation/
If you are a student who is in a medical specialty program like nursing or medical technology and are in my class, here is a very good site for you to go to if you want help evaluating Science WWW resources:
http://www.ncsu.edu/imse/3/evalweb.htm
You may want to print this up for reference when you are required to do a paper for a class, including mine! These evaluation tips work for other sites as well.
*************************************************************************************
This is a great web site to help you learn how to evaulate web sites! This site clearly explains how to evaluate a site and gives very clear guidelines. There are many examples of web sites given, with questions about each web site. Print up any 4 sites and answer the questions about the site. Bring your work to class and we will discuss. Note that you must answer all questions in COMPLETE SENTENCES AND IN A COMPLETE THOUGHT; A 'YES' OR 'NO' ANSWER WILL NOT BE ENOUGH.
http://www.nova.edu/library/dils/lessons/webresourcesevaluation/
If you are a student who is in a medical specialty program like nursing or medical technology and are in my class, here is a very good site for you to go to if you want help evaluating Science WWW resources:
http://www.ncsu.edu/imse/3/evalweb.htm
You may want to print this up for reference when you are required to do a paper for a class, including mine! These evaluation tips work for other sites as well.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Course Overview 801-151 Comm. Skills One
COMM SKILLS 801-151
Ben-Shalom , Miriam Contacts: ben-sham@matc.edu //Tele: 414-933-6233 Office Hours: TBA
web page: http://ben-shalom.blogspot.com
Objectives:
The goal of this course is to prepare you for 801-152, 801-201 and 801-202 Additionally, this course will help you to successfully complete writing assignments for your other courses.
By the end of this semester, you will be able to:
Compose a five paragraph essay with a clear thesis, a sound introductory paragraph, three supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Utilize the MATC Online Writing Lab and other work for skill enhancement.
Understand and apply the conventions of Standard American English.
Perform well on writing assignments for other classes.
Compose well-organized timed essays in response to a question or an article.
Be aware of library resources and basic documentation formats.
Produce a 5 to 7 page research paper in MLA Format with a works cited page and parenthetical citations.
Books:
The New McGraw-Hill Handbook
You should also have the following:
A college level dictionary
A notebook
A folder
A second folder for your final portfolio
A computer disk/CD-RW for keep your journals
Prerequisites:
Concurrent completion of GEN ENG with a grade of C or better or by testing; if you are ESL, have problems with writing, or have been out of school for a 'million years' it might be wise to take GEN ENG or GEN REA before this class. People who have obtained their GED more than 5 years ago are also encouraged to take these two classes to enhance their skill levels in reading/writing. Please note that 801-151 is NOT a Basic Skills class and it is assumed that you can read/write English at about the 6th or 7th grade level.
Course Requirements:
You will have to expect to spend about 3 hours a week doing the work for this course outside of the classroom. There is simply not enough time for getting all writing done while we are in class.
5 Paragraph Papers:
You will receive details about these assignments later in the course, including specific grading criteria and due dates. All essays will have a rough and a final draft. The final draft and the rough draft must be typed, double spaced, in a 12 point font: Times New Roman or Palatino. Late papers will loose 10% of the grade for each day late; as an example: you get a 90 [B] on a paper. It is 3 days late. 10% of 90 is nine, so you would loose 27 points for a final grade of 67 [F]. If you do not complete these assignments, you will fail the course. If a problem arises, see me BEFORE the assignment is due. I do not accept "same day" excuses, unless a problem in printing arises in the classroom.
Quizzes:
Quizzes will be given often to review material from the text-book or class discussion. Quizzes will often focus on grammar. Quizzes cannot be made up. Performance on quizzes will effect your participation grade.
Examinations: Must be made up during the next office hour after your absence.
In-class Writing:
We will be writing in class almost every day, and many of these in-class writings will be collected and graded. After I return an in-class essay with a grade, you will have the opportunity to revise the essay out of class, and resubmit it to me within one week (late revisions will not be accepted). When doing so, please submit the original along with the revision. Your grade for the essay will be the average of the two grades. Grading of in-class essays and revisions will depend heavily on the material currently covered in the course. In-class essays should be legible. Revisions should be typed. Missed in-class writings can only be made up in my office hour before the next class period. Your grade will be dropped 5 points for each class period that passes until you make up the essay.
The class period after any in-class writing (including the midterm), we may have individual meetings concerning the essay. This is the most important part of this course!!! If you miss a meeting about an essay, you must make it up in my office hour before the next class meeting. Again, your grade will be dropped 5 points for each class period until you have your meeting with me. If you do not meet with me about an in-class writing, the grade for the essay will be changed to 0.
You are strongly encouraged to bring writing assignments from other courses, such as Human Relations, Psychology, and so on, to class. Often, you will be able to work on a draft of a paper for another course and submit it to me as an in-class writing. This will allow you to enhance your performance in the other course, and work directly on your writing skills.
Midterm and Final Essay:
You will write an in-class midterm essay and an in-class final project; if you do not complete these essays and projects, you will fail the course.
Additional Assignments:
It may be necessary at times for me to assign additional work from the textbook. These will be counted toward your participation grade. There may be assignments where you simply get an A if you complete the assignment and an F if you don’t. I will make it clear how each assignment will be graded.
Participation:
-Your are expected to do the following during class: pay attention, participate in group work, contribute to class discussions, complete quizzes and in-class assignments, and actively participate in one-on-one meetings.
- Your participation grade will be the average of your quizzes and in-class assignments. You will get no participation points [100 per class] if you are absent (you can’t participate if you aren’t here!), and a reduction of 30 points if you arrive late or leave early [unless there is inclement weather].
- You can get bonus participation points for doing SkillsBank work above what may be required.. You will also lose participation points for any disruptive activity as described below in the classroom conduct section.
Attendance:
Attendance at all classes is expected. If you do miss a class, you are required to see me during office hours before the next class meeting. You are responsible for all material covered in class on the day you were absent. If you miss a class where there is an exam, you will still have to take the examination before the next class (this is why you should see me before the next class). [NOTE: examinations may be made up, quizzes cannot.] A word to the wise: This class meets one day a week. If you miss three classes, it is like you have missed 1/5 of the semester. I will speak with you on the event of a third absence. If you have a fourth absence, I will drop you, unless by prior agreement and due to an emergency of some sort. You are responsible for adjusting work schedules and child care. I will deal with this on a case by case basis, but you are responsible for contacting me and going to the web site/weekly road map to make up work. At 5 absences, I will drop you because you will have missed 1/3 of the semester if not more and you will NOT be able to make up work.
Please see my web site for further information:http:// ben-shalom.blogsopt.com
It contains further information about attendance.
Skills assistance:
-Feel free to meet with me on an individual basis during my office hour times (listed on the top of this syllabus and my supplemental schedule) to discuss any concerns, particularly if you are falling behind or having difficulty. Before and after each class, generally, I will be in our classroom or the Academic Support Center. I strongly suggest that you make appointments for skills assistance, as you will then be assured of having my time.
-In some cases, I may require you to see me about getting extra help. You will also be required to meet with me if you wish to revise your final paper. Bonus points may be added to your participation grade if you ask for skills assistance.
Grading:
I will grade papers using a numeric (0-100) scale. Numeric grades will convert to letters as follows, for the purpose of midterm and final grades:
A 100-93
B 92-86
C 85-79
D 78-70
F 69 and below
Your grade will be calculated as follows:
Class Participation 10%
In-class Writing: 20% [includesvocabulary/reading work, where warranted]
Midterm Exam: 10%
Final Exam/project*: 25%
Rough Draft of Essay: 10%
Final Draft of Essay*: 25%
*If you do not do the final essay or final exam, you cannot pass this course!
Plagiarism/Cheating:
Submitting work that is not your own will not be tolerated. Acts of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to: handing in someone else’s work; copying someone else’s work; and copying sentences, phrases, or even ideas without giving proper citations. The academic honesty policy of the college is stated in the Student Handbook, which you should review. Be advised that in any case of academic dishonesty, I will recommend the most severe allowable punishment
You may NOT use any sort of research that involves Wikipedia, or sites such as Cliff’s Notes, etc. If you are not sure that a site is OK to use, ask me! Basically, you should only use the MATC search sites like INFOTRAC, PROQUEST, etc., all of which are available for you from home. Do not use search engines like Yahoo or Google.
Classroom Conduct:
In any English class, or, indeed, any college-level course, the classroom environment should be conducive to learning, the free-exchange of ideas, and questions. Please feel free to express your own ideas or ask questions in class, and please respect the rights of others to do the same. Disruptive or disrespectful behavior undermines the goals of this class, this college, and your fellow students; it therefore will not be tolerated.
Here are a few specific regulations. Violation of these regulations will result in a drop in your participation grade.
1. Keep personal drama at home.
It does not belong in the classroom.
2. Turn OFF telephones before you come to class. This includes vibrating phones (they are just as disruptive). If a phone call is so important that you can’t wait until after class, leave the room quietly to answer the phone and accept a drop in your participation grade. If there is an emergency, notify me before class.
3. Respect yourself: respect others: others will respect you. Abusive/sexist/vulgar language will not be tolerated.
4. If you have a problem: ask to speak with me. I will accommodate you. It does not matter what the problem is. I will listen and pay attention to you.
5. Do not interrupt other students or me while we are talking. Interruption includes starting a conversation not related to class-work
6. Do not communicate with students outside of the classroom through the windows
7. Do not leave class excessively. If you need to use the restroom or take care of anything else urgent, leave quietly and return as soon as possible.
8. Eating is not allowed in class by school policy. If you like to have something to drink while in-class, just make sure you take any garbage with you and clean up any spills.
9. Show up to class on time. If you are late, entry quietly and go to your seat without disturbing the class. If you walk into class after a quiz starts, you will not be able to take that quiz. If there is severe weather, lateness will not be counted adversely and you may take the quiz.
10. School policy does not allow children to be in class. If you have no option but to care for your child during class time, you must miss class and see me for make up as soon as possible.
11. Do not do anything that purposely or accidentally disrupts the flow of class or group work. [THINK BEFORE YOU ACT] [See also number one.]
Final Thoughts:
Based upon your individual needs, this course may take many different shapes. I strongly encourage you to tell me your individual needs so they can be address during class time or skills assistance.
You should begin now thinking about the fact that you have a paper due at the end of this class. All work in this course builds up to that paper. We will systematically go through stages of writing paper, covering grammar, paragraph organization, and essay organization. If you follow along with this course and my suggestions, you will not have great difficulty. If you do not keep up, however, you will face serious problems as the due date approaches. Working hard all through the semester, and seeing me for help along the way, will ensure your success in this course.
My goal is to pass everyone in this course, but I cannot do so unless you are able to produce a 5-paragraph essay and a longer paper indicating you are prepared for advanced college-level work. If you think I can do anything to help meet that goal, please let me know. Particularly, if my assignments or instructions are ever unclear, ask questions so that we can come to understanding. Your active participation in the learning process is not only appreciated, but necessary for your success.
*******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 Accomodations Office immediately to develop those accommodations.*****
If you have special needs, such as a learning disability, you must arrange for test taking, etc. through the Special Needs Office. I am NOT averse to this, so do not worry if you must have more time for an exam due to a Special Need. You can arrange for notetakers as well as a plethora of other services. Please be aware that if you use Special Needs for tutoring, I will need to know so that I can forward assignments, etc. to your tutor so that we are all "on the same page." It is your responsibility to set up what you require through Special Needs.
Ben-Shalom , Miriam Contacts: ben-sham@matc.edu //Tele: 414-933-6233 Office Hours: TBA
web page: http://ben-shalom.blogspot.com
Objectives:
The goal of this course is to prepare you for 801-152, 801-201 and 801-202 Additionally, this course will help you to successfully complete writing assignments for your other courses.
By the end of this semester, you will be able to:
Compose a five paragraph essay with a clear thesis, a sound introductory paragraph, three supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Utilize the MATC Online Writing Lab and other work for skill enhancement.
Understand and apply the conventions of Standard American English.
Perform well on writing assignments for other classes.
Compose well-organized timed essays in response to a question or an article.
Be aware of library resources and basic documentation formats.
Produce a 5 to 7 page research paper in MLA Format with a works cited page and parenthetical citations.
Books:
The New McGraw-Hill Handbook
You should also have the following:
A college level dictionary
A notebook
A folder
A second folder for your final portfolio
A computer disk/CD-RW for keep your journals
Prerequisites:
Concurrent completion of GEN ENG with a grade of C or better or by testing; if you are ESL, have problems with writing, or have been out of school for a 'million years' it might be wise to take GEN ENG or GEN REA before this class. People who have obtained their GED more than 5 years ago are also encouraged to take these two classes to enhance their skill levels in reading/writing. Please note that 801-151 is NOT a Basic Skills class and it is assumed that you can read/write English at about the 6th or 7th grade level.
Course Requirements:
You will have to expect to spend about 3 hours a week doing the work for this course outside of the classroom. There is simply not enough time for getting all writing done while we are in class.
5 Paragraph Papers:
You will receive details about these assignments later in the course, including specific grading criteria and due dates. All essays will have a rough and a final draft. The final draft and the rough draft must be typed, double spaced, in a 12 point font: Times New Roman or Palatino. Late papers will loose 10% of the grade for each day late; as an example: you get a 90 [B] on a paper. It is 3 days late. 10% of 90 is nine, so you would loose 27 points for a final grade of 67 [F]. If you do not complete these assignments, you will fail the course. If a problem arises, see me BEFORE the assignment is due. I do not accept "same day" excuses, unless a problem in printing arises in the classroom.
Quizzes:
Quizzes will be given often to review material from the text-book or class discussion. Quizzes will often focus on grammar. Quizzes cannot be made up. Performance on quizzes will effect your participation grade.
Examinations: Must be made up during the next office hour after your absence.
In-class Writing:
We will be writing in class almost every day, and many of these in-class writings will be collected and graded. After I return an in-class essay with a grade, you will have the opportunity to revise the essay out of class, and resubmit it to me within one week (late revisions will not be accepted). When doing so, please submit the original along with the revision. Your grade for the essay will be the average of the two grades. Grading of in-class essays and revisions will depend heavily on the material currently covered in the course. In-class essays should be legible. Revisions should be typed. Missed in-class writings can only be made up in my office hour before the next class period. Your grade will be dropped 5 points for each class period that passes until you make up the essay.
The class period after any in-class writing (including the midterm), we may have individual meetings concerning the essay. This is the most important part of this course!!! If you miss a meeting about an essay, you must make it up in my office hour before the next class meeting. Again, your grade will be dropped 5 points for each class period until you have your meeting with me. If you do not meet with me about an in-class writing, the grade for the essay will be changed to 0.
You are strongly encouraged to bring writing assignments from other courses, such as Human Relations, Psychology, and so on, to class. Often, you will be able to work on a draft of a paper for another course and submit it to me as an in-class writing. This will allow you to enhance your performance in the other course, and work directly on your writing skills.
Midterm and Final Essay:
You will write an in-class midterm essay and an in-class final project; if you do not complete these essays and projects, you will fail the course.
Additional Assignments:
It may be necessary at times for me to assign additional work from the textbook. These will be counted toward your participation grade. There may be assignments where you simply get an A if you complete the assignment and an F if you don’t. I will make it clear how each assignment will be graded.
Participation:
-Your are expected to do the following during class: pay attention, participate in group work, contribute to class discussions, complete quizzes and in-class assignments, and actively participate in one-on-one meetings.
- Your participation grade will be the average of your quizzes and in-class assignments. You will get no participation points [100 per class] if you are absent (you can’t participate if you aren’t here!), and a reduction of 30 points if you arrive late or leave early [unless there is inclement weather].
- You can get bonus participation points for doing SkillsBank work above what may be required.. You will also lose participation points for any disruptive activity as described below in the classroom conduct section.
Attendance:
Attendance at all classes is expected. If you do miss a class, you are required to see me during office hours before the next class meeting. You are responsible for all material covered in class on the day you were absent. If you miss a class where there is an exam, you will still have to take the examination before the next class (this is why you should see me before the next class). [NOTE: examinations may be made up, quizzes cannot.] A word to the wise: This class meets one day a week. If you miss three classes, it is like you have missed 1/5 of the semester. I will speak with you on the event of a third absence. If you have a fourth absence, I will drop you, unless by prior agreement and due to an emergency of some sort. You are responsible for adjusting work schedules and child care. I will deal with this on a case by case basis, but you are responsible for contacting me and going to the web site/weekly road map to make up work. At 5 absences, I will drop you because you will have missed 1/3 of the semester if not more and you will NOT be able to make up work.
Please see my web site for further information:http:// ben-shalom.blogsopt.com
It contains further information about attendance.
Skills assistance:
-Feel free to meet with me on an individual basis during my office hour times (listed on the top of this syllabus and my supplemental schedule) to discuss any concerns, particularly if you are falling behind or having difficulty. Before and after each class, generally, I will be in our classroom or the Academic Support Center. I strongly suggest that you make appointments for skills assistance, as you will then be assured of having my time.
-In some cases, I may require you to see me about getting extra help. You will also be required to meet with me if you wish to revise your final paper. Bonus points may be added to your participation grade if you ask for skills assistance.
Grading:
I will grade papers using a numeric (0-100) scale. Numeric grades will convert to letters as follows, for the purpose of midterm and final grades:
A 100-93
B 92-86
C 85-79
D 78-70
F 69 and below
Your grade will be calculated as follows:
Class Participation 10%
In-class Writing: 20% [includesvocabulary/reading work, where warranted]
Midterm Exam: 10%
Final Exam/project*: 25%
Rough Draft of Essay: 10%
Final Draft of Essay*: 25%
*If you do not do the final essay or final exam, you cannot pass this course!
Plagiarism/Cheating:
Submitting work that is not your own will not be tolerated. Acts of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to: handing in someone else’s work; copying someone else’s work; and copying sentences, phrases, or even ideas without giving proper citations. The academic honesty policy of the college is stated in the Student Handbook, which you should review. Be advised that in any case of academic dishonesty, I will recommend the most severe allowable punishment
You may NOT use any sort of research that involves Wikipedia, or sites such as Cliff’s Notes, etc. If you are not sure that a site is OK to use, ask me! Basically, you should only use the MATC search sites like INFOTRAC, PROQUEST, etc., all of which are available for you from home. Do not use search engines like Yahoo or Google.
Classroom Conduct:
In any English class, or, indeed, any college-level course, the classroom environment should be conducive to learning, the free-exchange of ideas, and questions. Please feel free to express your own ideas or ask questions in class, and please respect the rights of others to do the same. Disruptive or disrespectful behavior undermines the goals of this class, this college, and your fellow students; it therefore will not be tolerated.
Here are a few specific regulations. Violation of these regulations will result in a drop in your participation grade.
1. Keep personal drama at home.
It does not belong in the classroom.
2. Turn OFF telephones before you come to class. This includes vibrating phones (they are just as disruptive). If a phone call is so important that you can’t wait until after class, leave the room quietly to answer the phone and accept a drop in your participation grade. If there is an emergency, notify me before class.
3. Respect yourself: respect others: others will respect you. Abusive/sexist/vulgar language will not be tolerated.
4. If you have a problem: ask to speak with me. I will accommodate you. It does not matter what the problem is. I will listen and pay attention to you.
5. Do not interrupt other students or me while we are talking. Interruption includes starting a conversation not related to class-work
6. Do not communicate with students outside of the classroom through the windows
7. Do not leave class excessively. If you need to use the restroom or take care of anything else urgent, leave quietly and return as soon as possible.
8. Eating is not allowed in class by school policy. If you like to have something to drink while in-class, just make sure you take any garbage with you and clean up any spills.
9. Show up to class on time. If you are late, entry quietly and go to your seat without disturbing the class. If you walk into class after a quiz starts, you will not be able to take that quiz. If there is severe weather, lateness will not be counted adversely and you may take the quiz.
10. School policy does not allow children to be in class. If you have no option but to care for your child during class time, you must miss class and see me for make up as soon as possible.
11. Do not do anything that purposely or accidentally disrupts the flow of class or group work. [THINK BEFORE YOU ACT] [See also number one.]
Final Thoughts:
Based upon your individual needs, this course may take many different shapes. I strongly encourage you to tell me your individual needs so they can be address during class time or skills assistance.
You should begin now thinking about the fact that you have a paper due at the end of this class. All work in this course builds up to that paper. We will systematically go through stages of writing paper, covering grammar, paragraph organization, and essay organization. If you follow along with this course and my suggestions, you will not have great difficulty. If you do not keep up, however, you will face serious problems as the due date approaches. Working hard all through the semester, and seeing me for help along the way, will ensure your success in this course.
My goal is to pass everyone in this course, but I cannot do so unless you are able to produce a 5-paragraph essay and a longer paper indicating you are prepared for advanced college-level work. If you think I can do anything to help meet that goal, please let me know. Particularly, if my assignments or instructions are ever unclear, ask questions so that we can come to understanding. Your active participation in the learning process is not only appreciated, but necessary for your success.
*******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 Accomodations Office immediately to develop those accommodations.*****
If you have special needs, such as a learning disability, you must arrange for test taking, etc. through the Special Needs Office. I am NOT averse to this, so do not worry if you must have more time for an exam due to a Special Need. You can arrange for notetakers as well as a plethora of other services. Please be aware that if you use Special Needs for tutoring, I will need to know so that I can forward assignments, etc. to your tutor so that we are all "on the same page." It is your responsibility to set up what you require through Special Needs.
More Information About Drops
Face-to-Face Courses
Instructors are required to document class attendance as specified in the course syllabus. It is the responsibility of each student to discuss his/her absences with his/her instructor. When an absence occurs, the responsibility for the makeup of the work lies with the student.
On-line Courses
Instructors are required to document class participation as specified in the course syllabus. When non-participation occurs, the responsibility for makeup of the work lies with the student.
See Also: MATC Administrative Regulation and Procedures DD0710, Instructor Initiated Withdrawals; and BB0202, Fee Refunds and Repayments
Office of Responsibility: Student Services
Instructors are required to document class attendance as specified in the course syllabus. It is the responsibility of each student to discuss his/her absences with his/her instructor. When an absence occurs, the responsibility for the makeup of the work lies with the student.
On-line Courses
Instructors are required to document class participation as specified in the course syllabus. When non-participation occurs, the responsibility for makeup of the work lies with the student.
See Also: MATC Administrative Regulation and Procedures DD0710, Instructor Initiated Withdrawals; and BB0202, Fee Refunds and Repayments
Office of Responsibility: Student Services
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
