schedule | requirements | participants

English 5060.001: History and Theory of College Composition (Fall, 2006)

English 5060 is a 1-3 variable credit course which provides an introduction to the history and contemporary theories of composition and rhetoric studies. The course is required for all new teaching assistants and graduate part-time instructors in composition at Texas Tech University.
          We begin from the premise that good teachers are reflective teachers, and good teachers of writing are reflective teachers of writing. We will examine and reflect on the development of the field of composition over the last 40 years, focusing on seminal articles that represent the discipline. That is, we'll study readings about teaching basic writing, service-learning, online writing, revision, research writing, proofreading and editing, portfolios, and assessment rubrics within the context of composition in general and our composition program specifically. And just as the field of composition integrates new media tools in its construction, presentation, and assessment, so too will we.
          English 5060 is a workshop-style course. The class meets Tuesday and Thursdays 11:00-12:20 pm in English/Philosophy 353. We will work online with Dr. Rich Rice's section, as well.

Learning Objectives
The objective of the humanities in general is to expand knowledge of the human condition and human cultures, especially in relation to behaviors, ideas, and values expressed in works of human imagination and thought. Through study in disciplines and subjects such as composition and rhetoric, students will engage in critical analysis and develop an appreciation of the humanities as fundamental to the health and survival of any society. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate thinking and skills related to:

• Audience awareness. Students will analyze audience and purpose in rhetorical situations and make appropriate choices. Measurement: observation and analysis of artifacts produced.
• Critical thinking. Students will become more conscious of their processes for planning, drafting, revising, and editing of writing. Students will take an active role in summarizing, synthesizing, and presenting course content. Measurement: completion of informal and formal writing assignments at a quality level. Completion of class editing and revising.
• Diversity and multiculturalism. Students will generate the type and amount of information required by a given rhetorical situation. Measurement: active participation in classroom discussion and blogs.
• Grammatical information presentation. Students will arrange material to elicit the intended audience's response achieve an effective tone and voice for a given rhetorical situation. Measurement: successful completion of an individual presentation.
• Stylistic information presentation. Make stylistic choices appropriate for a given rhetorical situation. Measurement: successfully create and report on applications of core composition concepts through collaboration.
• Communication skills. Understand how to present a proposal orally, using appropriate visuals. Measurement: successfully create, manage, produce, and report on artifacts through collaboration.

Participants
I can be reached through rebecca.rickly@ttu.edu,  rebecca.rickly@gmail.com (for files over 2 megs), kairoshorses (YahooIM), or 806.742.2500 x287. Office hours are T/TH 12:30-3:00pm or by appointment.

NEW:  Video Archive for all 5060 students!

Rick Pierce  *	Joe, we'll miss ye	Chad Fincher Feminism	Quan Ha  *	Spencer Ingram Literature	Javier Ramirez Invention
Shelby Armstrong Freshman English	Stacey Conley Teacher	David Edgell Student	Victor Grafe Expressive Writing	Maria O'Connell Power	Mark Ranario Voice
Julie Saffel Audience	Lesley Shelton Error	Betsey Strosser Paradigm	Lauren Whiteaker Composing/Writing	Rich Rice	Becky Rickly   * (taking course for one credit)

Requirements
I accept revisions on all work, but my time to offer substantial feedback gets limited as the semester draws on. Revised work may not increase in grade, but it will never decrease in grade. I reserve the right not to accept late work.

• Participate in class discussion and in blogs over readings and ongoing work. Each blog post is worth 1%, and class participation throughout the semester is worth 5%. (15%)
• Lead a short class discussion over one required reading. Your selection is to be scheduled the first day of class. Email me the reading you'd like to present. (10%)
• Video yourself teaching. Compress the video, and submit it on CD or DVD. Students from 5367 can help with the videotaping if needed (due 11/6). (5%)
• Demonstrate the value of one core composition teaching concept from Keywords in Composition Studies in a 3-minute video presentation (due 10/4). (10%)
• Complete a 20-page term paper/project with instructor and peer support (due 11/20). Draft schedule to be negotiated by the class. Use source material. (30%)
• Create a multimediated teaching philosophy which includes three main points with links to three artifacts that support each point. We will brainstorm types of artifacts that can be included, such as your core writing concept video or a section of your own teaching video. At least one of the three artifacts needs to be a videoclip. The philosophy is worth 10%, each artifact is worth 5%, and the entire philosophy as a unit is worth 5% (due 12/6). It will be presented as your final. (30%)

Readings
In addition to readings that will be provided when needed, we will work extensively out of these three texts:

A Teaching Subject: Composition Since 1966 (Harris) - review -

Practice in Context: Situating the work of Writing Teachers (Moore & O'Neill)

Keywords in Comp Studies (Heilker& Vandenberg)

Also, the following are "top listed" books for TA Training from Susan McLeod on the WPA Listserv (4/17/2006). I have read each of these and would be happy to share information from them if you're interested:

1. Duane Roen, Strategies for Teaching First-Year Composition, NCTE
2. Irene Clark, Concepts in Composition, Erlbaum
3. Cheryl Glenn et al., The St. Martin's Guide to Teaching Writing, Bedford/St. Martin's
4. Ed Corbett et al., The Writing Teacher's Sourcebook, Oxford
5. Erika Lindemann, A Rhetoric for Writing Teachers, Oxford
6. Steven Wilhoit, The Allyn & Bacon Teaching Assistant's Handbook
7. Victor Villanueva, Cross Talk in Comp Theory, NCTE
8. Tina Good and Leanne Warshauer, In Our Own Voice: Graduate Students Teach Writing, Longman
9. Richard Haswell and Min-Shan Lu, Comp Tales, Longman
10. Shirley Morahan and T.R. Johnson, Teaching Composition: Background Readings, Bedford/St. Martin's
11. Ira Shor, Empowering Education, U of Chicago P
12. Richard Straub, A Sourcebook for Responding to Student Writing, Hampton

Other related texts worth exploring for your research paper (also coallated from McLeod):

• David Bartholomae, Writing On the Margins, Bedford/St Martin's
• Timothy Barnett, Teaching Argument in the Composition Course: Background Readings, Bedford/St. Martin's
• John Bean, Engaging Ideas, Jossey-Bass
• Wendy Bishop, Teaching Lives: Essays and Stories, Utah State UP
• Wendy Bishop and Deborah Teague, Finding Our Way, Houghton Mifflin
• Lee Ann Carroll, Rehearsing New Roles, Southern Illinois UP
• Russell Durst, Collision Course, NCTE
• Lisa Ede, On Writing Research: The Braddock Essays, Bedford/St. Martin's
• Peter Elbow, Writing With Power, Oxford
• Joan Graham et al., Scenarios for Teaching Writing, Boynton/Cook
• Richard Graves, Writing, Teaching, Learning, Boynton/Cook
• Gail Hawisher and Cynthia Selfe, Passions, Pedagogies, and 21st Century Technologies, Utah State UP
• Robert Leamnson, Thinking about Teaching and Learning, Stylus
• Amy Lee, Composing Critical Pedagogies, NCTE
• Ilona Leki, Understanding ESL Writing, Boynton/Cook
• Cindy Moore and Peggy O'Neill, Practice in Context, NCTE
• Nedra Reynolds and Rich Rice, Portfolio Teaching: A Guide for Instructors, Bedford/St. Martin's
• David Rosenwasser and Jill Stephen, Writing Analytically, Heinle
• Frank Smith, Joining the Literacy Club, Heinemann
• Josephine Tarvers, Teaching in Progress, Longman
• Gary Tate et al., A Guide to Composition Pedagogies, Oxford
• Lad Tobin, Reading Student Writing, Boynton/Cook
• Ed White, Assigning, Responding, Evaluating, Bedford/St. Martin's
• Anne Wysocki et al., Writing New Media, Utah State UP

Schedule If reading selections are not available in your texts, they're in PDF through the schedule. Day   topic (1)8/29 “Foreward(s): Research and Teaching” (Harris) "How to Get Power through Voice" (Elbow) ICON Manual (Kemp) Research and Teaching. Today we will examine the syllabus, the books, and answer any questions you may have. Readings to the right should be read before class. Once a week for the first ten weeks you'll have a blog post due. Respond to at least two other students' blog posts each week as well. By the end of the day email me the name of the reading you'd like to present to the class. Glenn Blalock, a composition scholar, posted this email to the WPA listserv on August 23rd. You might be interested in subscribing to this listserv as part of this course in order to listen in on the ongoing conversations of WPAs across the United States. If you don't have an electronic copy of the graduate student handbook, here it is. Know, however, that this course should be considered separate from your obligations for the composition program (if you're working as a CI or a DI), even though work in this class will inform your work there; that is, your performance in this class does not affect your evaluation by the composition program, nor does your performance for composition impact your assessment in this class. Consider joining in the public discussion of the department's August book recommendation, Proof, today at 3:30pm in the student lounge (room 200) with Susan Lang moderating.   (2)8/31 “Distributed Teaching, Distributed Learning: Integrating Technology and Criteria-Driven Assessment into the Delivery of First-Year Composition” (Rickly) “Reexperiencing the Ordinary: Mapping Technology's Impact on Everyday Life” (Latterell)   Distributed assessment and validity and reliability. Again, please read the bulleted readings to the right before class. If you have any trouble reading any PDF, please let me know. What is the difference between validity and reliability? You might look these up in Keywords. At the core of Interactive Composition ONline (ICON) is distributed assessment that increases validity and reliability while working as professional development for instructors. Who are our students? What did they grow up with? Don't forget to check out the "Success in Graduate Seminars" professional development workshop tomorrow. Labor Day is September 4th.   (3)9/5 “Distant Voices: Teaching and Writing in a Culture of Technology” (Anson) “The Other WWW: Using Intranets to Reconfigure the Who, When and Where of Network-Supported Writing Instruction” (Kearcher) Systems approaches to composition instruction. How is ICON a system's approach to teaching composition? What are the benefits of this system? What are the limitations? What happens when the system gets behind? For articles from Innovate to be read next week, you will need to create a free account. You might also check out the WPA Network for Media Action (NMA), which is an initiative to concentrate efforts in communities to promote technological literacy. Links are to the right. The film, Proof, will be shown in 01 at 5pm  9/7. David Edgell  and Maria O'Connell to lead class discussion       (4)9/7 “The Distancing Question in Online Education” (Russel) “Breaking the Barriers of Time and Space: More Effective Teaching Using e-Pedagogy” (Kuriloff) Distance and “just-in-time” teach-nologies. By the end of the day email me the core writing concept from Keywords that you would like to create a video of. You might use Camtasia, iMovie, MovieMaker, PowerPoint mouseover, or some combination. We'll look at some examples during class.   (5)9/12 “Four Philosophies of Composition” (Fulkerson) “Contemporary Composition: The Major Pedagogical Theories” (Berlin) “The Composition Practicum as Professional Development” (Kay Miller, Rodrigo, Pantoja, Roen) Philosophies of composition. TBA. The TLTC offers numerous workshops through the TEACH program that we'd like to take advantage of. Let's plan to meet this Friday morning at 9am in the TLTC. Last day for student-initiated drop on the Web. Last day to drop a course and receive a refund. Don't forget to check out the "thesis/dissertation proposal and assembling a committee" professional development workshop tomorrow. Read about the 7 deadly sins of writing.   (6)9/14 Workshop on responding to students writing. Amber Lancaster to lead a workshop on what makes a good coment. Based on suggestions from both 5060 sections and 5367, we've contacted Allison Boye (TEACH Program Consultant and Faculty Development Specialist) and we'll attend a workshop on active learning. We'll meet in the library in a room behind the large TV screen on the first floor (Library 151) on Friday at 9am (7)9/19 “Error” (Harris) “The Focused Reading Response” (McLaughlin) “Moving beyond 'This is good' in Peer Response” (Woods) “Critical Reading and Response: Experimenting with Anonymity in Draft Workshops” (Johnson) Error. There is statistical information about what jobs are available, etc. They can be found through http://www.ade.org. And, while this is more the role of your professional development work with Dr. Grass and others, it is important to think about the type of job you want and to review the job information list to see what qualifications are listed. Knowing where you want to go helps you think about what you need to do now, which might include, for instance, specific topics on papers you'd like to write in your graduate courses. Papers can turn into conference presentations which might turn into articles which might turn into books which might help you get tenure some day, etc., etc., etc. Lesley Shelton to lead discussion   (8)9/21 “Getting Textual: Teaching Students to Proofread and Edit” (Huot) “Taking Out the Guesswork: Using Checklists in the Composition Classroom” (Nickoson-Massey) Proofreading vs. editing. On Friday, 9/22, Dr. Rickly and I are leading a workshop on how to edit video in iMovie. 9am-12pm in room 303. You might be interested in joining. Shelby Armstrong to lead class discussion     (9)9/26 “A Comprehensive Plan to Respond to Student Writing” (Sommers) “Criteria for Measuring Authentic Intellectual Achievement in Writing” (Sisserson, Manning, Knepler, Jolliffe) "The Concept of Control in Teacher Response: Defining the Varieties of 'Directive' and 'Facilitative' Commentary" (Straub) Responding to student work Here are some examples of Teaching Portfolio Philosophy Statements. Also--take a look at a sample Keyword Presentation by Katherine Garrison.         (10)9/28 "Audience Addressed/Audience Invoked: The Role of Audience in Composition Theory and Pedagogy" (Ede & Lunsford) “Transfer” (Smit) "WPA Plagiarism Statement" What transfers? What is it that we're teaching that makes a difference? What transfers beyond the classroom? This is a question that many are wanting to know. See this article in the Washington Post recently, for instance. As you begin to think about what your research project/paper will be for this class, you might spend some time with the Bedford Bibliography. No doubt you're busy now! Would you like to know some strategies for getting everything done? Don't miss this Friday's professional development workshop on "juggling responsibilities." Julie Saffel to lead class discussion     (11)10/3 “Growth” (Harris) "Copy This" (Chronicle) “Liberal Arts in a Cultural Studies Composition Course” (Mulder) Growth. We'll be meeting in the MOO. http://moo.engl.ttu.edu:7000 Login with the login/pword sent to you already. This is different than your eRaider login/pword. If you haven’t been sent a login/pword to the MOO, email r.rice@ttu.edu. Keep it clicked on “Normal” once you’re logged in. Type @go Rice in the white box at the bottom left to join the location where we’ll be for our class. The MOO is a set of rooms/directories. To chat, type a quotation mark and then what you want to say. “Hi. It will then say something like Chris says, “Hi.” to everyone in the room. To emote (like to show emotion), type a colon and then what you want to feel. :smiles. It will then say Chris smiles. to everyone in the room. That will get you started. Other directions will be provided once we’re in class. If you have trouble logging in, then it’s likely you have a pop-up blocker that needs turned off. Please test your login before class, and if you have trouble, email r.rice@ttu.edu. If you want to change your password, login first with the password given, then type @password old new where old is your old password, and new is your new one. Your login needs to be your first name. The MOO is case sensitive. During our MOOting, I will login and work from room 358. So, if you think you might need technical help, feel free to login from there. Otherwise, feel free to login from a more convenient location.     (12)10/5 “Why Use Portfolios? One Teacher's Response” (Smith) “Writing to Save the World” (Ahlschwede) “Locating Students in Academic Dialogue: The Research Journal” (Haswell) Holistic and other growth pedagogy. Have you see Online Communication Studies Resources for Rhetorical Studies? Your 3-minute core composition keyword video is due. Please email it me by the end of the day.       (13)10/10 “Awakening the Writer's Identity through Conferences” (Freeland) “Building Relationships through Written Dialogue” (Gerriets with Lowe) Avoiding power relationships. Ken Bratcher, sales manager for Thomson/Wadsworth, will be visiting our class. We'll be talking some about the value of CVs in your work. Stacey Conley to lead discussion     (14)10/12 "A Brief History of Rhetoric and Composition" (Bedford/St.Martin's) Curriculum Vitas/Vitae. It's important to think about where you've been, where you're at, and where you're going as a reflective teacher. To do so, please read this history of composition and rhetoric and as you do so think about the influences of rhetoric on your teaching today and in the future. You might read Kristen Jones' video on "feminism". We'll be talking some about the value of a CV. Don't miss today's professional development workshop on "the CV: building your career," as well.     (15)10/17 “Voice" (Harris) Voice. Suggestions? When is room 303 available for digital video editing? You might read Chris Gage's video on "voice".   Mark Ranario will lead discussion     (16)10/19 “Conflicting Voices in the Classroom: Developing Critical Consciousness” (Harris Powell) “Being Honest about Writing and Individual Freedom--Or, Children, There Ain't No Rules” (Thomas) “Models for Voices: A Narrative Essay Assignment” (Stremlau) Conflicting voices. Mid-semester grades are due 10/23.  You might read Betsy Strosser's video on "paradigm".   Javier Ramirez to lead discussion     (17)10/24 “Writing with/in Identities: A Synthesis Assignment” (Bruce) “Book Review” (Bleich), Embracing Contraries: Explorations in Teaching and Learning (Elbow) Voice and assessment.  You might read Kate Farrar's video on "expressivism", as well as Victor Grafe's video on "expressivism". And you might read JoEllen Kuszmaul's video on "intertextuality". Lauren Whiteaker to lead discussion       (18)10/26 Teaching Portfolio Resources Teaching portfolios. We'll continue to talk about teaching portfolios today, and don't miss today's professional development workshop on "the teaching portfolio."  You might read Emily Johnson's video on "portfolios".     (19)10/31   “Process” (Harris) “Writing beyond the Academy: Using Service-Learning for Professional Preparation” (Miller) Process. First draft of 20-page paper due in blog. Peer response required. You might read Trish Stineman's video on "process".         (20)11/2 “Teach Writing as a Process Not Product” (Murray) “Post-Process ‘Pedagogy’: A Philosophical Exercise” (Kastman-Breuch) Inkshedding Re-envisioning product and process. Dr. Rice talks about I-Search papers frequently. See Site-1 or Site-2 for more information. It’s often used in secondary education, but it’s also used in FYC. BRING AN ELECTRONIC COPY OF YOUR PAPER TO CLASS.   (21)11/7   “A Review of Digital Video Production in Post-Secondary English Classrooms at Three Universities” (Meeks & Ilyasova) “Steal This Assignment: The Radical Revision” (Bishop) Digital video in composition.  Submit DVD of one class you're teaching (or teaching in).  If you need to take until 11/14, you may.  You might read Esther Guenat's video on "revision".       (22)11/9 Suggestions? Workday. Suggestions?  You might read Sara Schroeder's video on "form".  On Friday the 10th, from 9am-12pm, we're hosting an optional video importing/burning/uploading and document instructing gathering. Food provided.       (23)11/14 Sick Day:  assignments have been rescheduled and ARE CORRECT Community. Teaching Video due.       (24)11/16 “Community” (Harris) “Rhetoric in Action: An Ethnographic View” (Seitz) Community. Spencer Ingram to lead discussion       (25)11/21 “Conflict, Context, Conversation: Rethinking Argument in the Classroom” (Strain) “Alternative Forms of Research Writing” (Gerken) Argument/Research and Community and Conflict. Formal paper/project due by midnight. Thanksgiving holiday is November 22-26. Victor Grafe to lead "Alternative" Chad Fincher to lead "Conflict"   (26)11/28 "Collaborative Learning and the 'Conversation of Mankind'" (Bruffee) “The Year of the Blog: Weblogs in the Writing Classroom” (Barrios)   Collaborative Learning. Suggestions?         (27)11/30   Making a Web Page using Frontpage (Also a TLTC workshop today from 1-4 in room 153) Topic. Suggestions?   You might also want to join Dr. Rice's class, M/W in 303.   (28)12/5 Topic. Last day of class.   (29)12/13 Topic. Final examination in room 358 from 7:30am to 10am. Switched to noon-3:00--bring food that mirrors your personality!   12/13:  Final Exam in room 353 7:30-10 am Academic Honesty and Appropriate Behavior We are committed to academic integrity in all its practices. The faculty value intellectual integrity and a high standard of academic conduct. Activities that violate academic integrity undermine the quality and diminish the value of educational achievement. Cheating on papers tests or other academic works is a violation of College rules. No student shall engage in behavior that, in the judgment of the instructor of the class, may be construed as cheating. This may include, but is not limited to, plagiarism or other forms of academic dishonesty such as the acquisition without permission of tests or other academic materials and/or distribution of these materials and other academic work. This includes students who aid and abet as well as those who attempt such behavior. Further, you are expected to follow "netiquette." See, also, the WPA's statement about plagiarism. Assignment Expectations Grade Range A: 92.5-100% A-: 89.5-92.4 B+: 86.5-89.4 B: 83.5-86.4 B-: 79.5-82.4 C+: 76.5-79.4 C: 73.5-76.4 C-: 69.5-72.4 D+: 66.5-69.4 D: 63.5-66.4 D-: 59.5-62.4 F: 59.4-0.0 The following is a general description of expectations for assignments: A. Your project is of impeccable (or almost impeccable) quality in both content and format design, with no major weaknesses in any area. It provides adequate information that users need and effectively fulfills the intended purposes. Presentation is of professional quality. There are few if any mechanical errors.   B. Your project is of high quality in most of the major areas. It fulfills the user's needs and your intended purposes quite effectively. Presentation is quite professional. There are only a few mechanical errors.   C. Your project is of reasonable quality in most areas. It fulfills the user's needs and your intended purposes to a large extent, although major deficiencies are observable. Presentation is of semi-professional quality. There are some mechanical errors, but not to the extent of seriously affecting readers' comprehension.   D. Your project is of acceptable quality in most areas. It fulfills the user's needs and your intended purposes to some extent, but major deficiencies exist in several areas. Presentation quality is acceptable but low. There are a significant number of mechanical errors.   F. Your project is unacceptable in quality. It does not fulfill the user's needs or your intended purposes. Major deficiencies are observed in most areas. Presentation quality is poor, and there are too many mechanical errors. Advice Be reflective in peer response and the revising process (be wholehearted, sincere, and responsible), and think in terms of process as opposed to product. That is, instead of dictating an authoritative "answer" or "solution" to a peer's particular point (or lack thereof), suggest a useful question that will allow for an opportunity to think beyond the immediate example or problem or issue. Tutors are available in the writing center, and I am often available to work with you on anything course-related. Some Policy Clarifications Special needs. We seek to provide effective services and accommodations for qualified individuals with documented disabilities. If you need an accommodation because of a documented disability, you are required to register with Disability Support Services at the beginning of the semester. If you will require assistance during an emergency evacuation, notify your instructor immediately. Late work. Late work may be penalized one letter grade per day. Know that assignments are subject to change. Attendance. If you are absent, do not check your email regularly, or do not participate online you obviously cannot meet certain opportunities to learn. Also, peers' learning is disrupted. If it is clear that you are not committed to participating to this key element of the course, your grade may be reduced, or you may be asked to drop the course. Instructors may administratively withdraw a student from class enrollment for attendance and disciplinary issues with the approval of academic affairs. For attendance issues, the enrollment withdrawal may be initiated within the 60 to 75% time-period of the course. The registrar's office will notify the student if this action occurs. Regarding the observance of a religious holy day: a student will be excused from attending classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the observance of a religious holy day and the time necessary to travel for this observance. The student will not be penalized for the absence and will be permitted to take an exam or complete an assignment missed during the excused absence. No prior notification is required.