 English 5060 is a 1-3 variable credit workshop-style course which
provides an introduction to the history and contemporary theories of
composition and rhetoric studies. 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.
The goals of this course are twofold: 1) to examine key issues in
rhetorical theory and composition pedagogy and 2) to introduce you to the
complexity of teaching writing in the university, provide a solid basis for
practice, and create a scaffold for future development as a writing teacher.
Instructors
Rebecca Rickly can be
reached at
rebecca.rickly@ttu.edu,
kairoshorses, or 806.742.2500 x268. Office hours are T/TH 11-12:30,
2-3:00, TH 2-4:00 or by appointment, in room 489 or online. Office is 489.
Fred Kemp can be reached at
fred.kemp@ttu.edu,
fredokemp,
or
210.592.6402. Office hours are
Mon-Thur, 11-1. Office is 484.
Ken Baake can be reached at Ken.baake@ttu.edu, or
806.742.2500 x250. Office hours
are T/TH 3:30 p.m. 4:30
p.m., Weds 2 p.m. - 4. p.m. or any time you find him
in, which is often in the afternoons.
Office is 363 B.
Class Meetings
Class
will be held T/TH from 12:30 to 1:50 in 105, though we will sometimes separate into
353 and 357. Classes will meet
jointly in 105 unless otherwise scheduled. We will separate
when individual work is called for.Student Blogs:
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.
Specifically, this course will introduce students to the issues and challenges
of teaching composition and understanding its role in the university.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate
thinking and skills related to:
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Audience awareness.
Students will analyze audience and purpose in rhetorical and pedagogical
situations as related to composition and make appropriate choices. Measurement: observation and analysis of artifacts produced.
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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, drafting, editing and revising
assignments.
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Diversity and
multiculturalism. Students will become cognizant of challenges facing
non-traditional, underprepared, and those who have been “othered”. Measurement:
active participation in classroom discussion and blogs.
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Grammatical and
syntactical appropriateness.. 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.
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Stylistic awareness.
Students will make stylistic choices appropriate for a given rhetorical
situation. Measurement: successfully create and report on
applications of core composition concepts through collaboration.
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Communication skills.
Students will understand how to present a proposal orally, using
appropriate visuals. Measurement: successfully create, manage,
produce, and report on artifacts through collaboration.
Requirements/Evaluation
Ken, Fred,
and Becky will collaboratively evaluate most assignments. In some cases, one
or the other of the instructors will evaluate your work, but for the large
assignments (e.g., teaching philosophy and final exam) they will evaluate
collaboratively.
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Participate in class
discussion and blog interactions over readings and ongoing work.
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. Blog
prompts are bolded and underlined. (15%)
Note: Set up your blog through
WordPress.
You can establish a "members only access" blog if you want to restrict
readership to those in our class and others you choose. Or you can make
it open to the public. Follow the set-up instructions or ask us for
help.
Collaborate with a fellow class
member to lead a short class
discussion and or activity over one required reading. Your selection is to be
scheduled by the end of the first week of class. You will sign up during
the first class period with the date and title of
the reading you'd like to lead discussion over, and try to have at least
one in-class activity. The best
student led classes will do the following: help class members summarize
and synthesize the readings and connect them to other readings and their
teaching experience, actively engage the class in the reading through
some kind of focused discussion and/or activity, and encourage extensive
class participation . (10%).
Create a Literacy
Autobiography. (10%). In
this paper you will offer a history
of how you learned to read and write from pre-school until today. The
assumption is that we are always learning new ways to read and write,
continually fine tuning our skills. Thus, literacy is an ongoing
learning process. Our intent in assignment is to have you uncover old
memories of that process, and, through reflection, gain a better understanding the joys and
challenges your students are experiencing in their continuing journey as
writers. This assignment will be one of your required 10 blog posts; we
will offer more guidance in the prompt for this post. Then you
will revise the literacy autobiography--perhaps expanding it--after
receiving comments from your colleagues. You will submit the revision as
one of your four teaching philosophy artifacts (see assignment below).
Demonstrate the value
of one core composition teaching concept from Keywords in
Composition Studies in a 3-minute multi-media presentation.
We have copies of this book for
you to review, from which you can make copies of the two-or three-page
entry for your choice word. You also can borrow the book from last
year's 5060 students. You should sign up for your keyword by the
third class; we'll be reviewing many examples. Here's one: "iProcess" (Ronn)
(Due 10/22)
(15%)
Observe or videotape
two 1301 class periods, write up a review (1-3 pages), and share it with
instructor. You can review the
same instructor's class for both periods, or change instructors. Either
option will yield interesting observations
(Observations
finished by 10/15; report due by 11/10).
(15%)
Create a
hypermediated teaching philosophy which includes four main points about
the beliefs the underlie your teaching. The philosophy statement will
include
links to four artifacts that support each point (One of the four will be
your revised literacy autobiography
and a second should be your keyword presentation.)
You must include at least two
other artifacts: For instance, you could include the
following: a link to an edited teaching
video excerpt, or some other evidence of
teaching excellence; a
syllabus; a successful writing assignment; a summary of teaching
evaluation comments, etc. By "a hypermediated teaching
philosophy" we mean that the teaching statement should be available
online as a Web page or blog page entry and the artifacts will be
accessible electronically from that online teaching statement. The
teaching statement and artifacts can be password protected if you want
to restrict access. The goal is for you to create a teaching philosophy
that you could--probably after revision in later years--direct potential
hiring institutions to when you are on the job market.
(Due 11/24)
(15%)
Final Exam. The
final exam will be take home, and will require that you synthesize the
readings, create academic assignments/syllabi, and reflect on the work
you've created. (20%)
If
taking 5060 for one credit, your requirements are attendance and
readings and blog posts for the first 5 weeks, and a
teaching philosophy essay.
It need not be hypermediated,
but could simply be a Word document you submit.
Readings
We will work extensively
out of the following texts and QuickList (the Bedford St. Martin’s materials
will be provided free of charge and
the Keywords text you will borrow from one of the instructors or last
year's 5060 students, unless you would like to buy your own copy at an
online book supplier for future reference):
Taylor's DVD and Glenn & Goldthwaite's text were generously provided by Bedford/St.Martin's.
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Schedule
Make
SURE you come to class having read the material listed that day. If
reading selections are not available in your texts, they're in PDF
throughout the schedule. Make sure to read the material in each box prior to that
week’s class. [Note: Some links may
not be available on the first day of class, but will be up in plenty of time
for you to read for the assigned 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. During the
first week of classes, you will sign up for the reading/date you'd like to
lead class discussion, and by the third class, you'll sign up for your
keyword. Know 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.
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Day
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topic
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(1)8/27
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Composition as a
discipline Today we will examine the syllabus and the books, and we
will answer questions.
TO DO:
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Find a 1301 instructor to observe
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Select day/readings to lead class discussion
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Set up blog space
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Think about a "Core Concept" from the
Keywords in Composition book
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(2)9/1
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Composition:
History and Tradition. Today we begin our look at the rhetorical roots of current
composition pedagogy.
Blog prompt for this week: What are the 3 most important concepts in composition would you say? These concepts might play a role in your teaching philosophy, so you might think of this question as what are the three most important beliefs about your own teaching do you have?
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(3)9/3
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Composition Paradigms.
Today we'll examine several paradigms for composition. Which one
are you most comfortable with? Why do you think so? How
important are the labels we use?
Make sure you have chosen your core
concept/keyword by today.
You might use Camtasia, iMovie, MovieMaker, PowerPoint voiceover, or some combination.
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(4)9/8
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What is Composition?
Here
we begin with some core
questions: What is the purpose of FYC? Why do we bother
teaching it at the college level? And who are our students?
Blog Prompt: Why do we teach
First Year Writing? What should we be teaching in this course?
Why?
Last T hursday
photos
Fred's
remote lecture
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(5)9/10
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Examining Boundaries.
What
are some contact zones in your field? How about between/among
fields?
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(6)9/15
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Expressivists and Voice.
Today we'll look at some
influential "romantic/expressivist" authors.
Blog Prompt: Does
"voice" that resonates compete with or enhance "academic voice"?
How can we write successfully as "academics" and still have voice? Or,
you can talk about how important you think voice is in teaching/grading:
how do you teach "voice"? How do you assess it?
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(7)9/17
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Voice and Assessment.
If we value voice, then how should we assess it?
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(8)9/22
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Re-envisioning
Product and Process. Today we'll look at the composing processes of unskilled
writers. One frequent assignment used with underprepared writers is the I-Search paper. See
Site-1 or
Site-2 for more information. It's often used in secondary education, but it's also used in FYC.
Blog Prompt: Describe YOUR process: How do you write?
Can you think of things that might make the process more successful? How
do you think we should value "process" in our classes?
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(9)9/24
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Cognitive Process and Writing.
Today
we'll be talking about the theories of writing that evolved from cognitive
science.
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(10)9/29
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Social-Construction Theory. The idea that knowledge is socially constructed is the basis
for a lot of pedagogy, including that which is process based and emphasizes peer
review. We'll discuss key texts in this movement today.
Blog Prompt: Respond to the Take 20 video. What was most surprising?
What were some "themes" you saw emerging? What was most inspiring?
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(11)10/1
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Community and Writing.
Today we'll be talking about the importance of community in writing
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(12)10/6
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New Directions: Distributed Assessment, Hybrid Models, Validity, Reliability, and Transfer.
Some questions for you to consider: What are the
"7-Deadly Sins"
when it comes to grammar? How should it be incorporated (or not) into
teaching revision? How can we help foster deep revision? How might rubrics
foster revision? How can technology enhance our existing pedagogies rather
than us changing our pedagogy to fit the available/accessible
technologies? Take control over the technology in order to wield it
usefully and seamlessly. Networked learning spaces require us to inhabit
those spaces in order to really make meaningful connections through them.
The hardware, ultimately, is relatively inconsequential. Do with what
tools we have. Interaction using computers can work well for some, but
might not work well for others; important not to make assumptions. But,
also important to challenge students (and teachers) to try new forms of
communication, as such new forms are becoming more the norm outside of
academe. Technological literacy is here to stay, and some aspects SHOULD
be taught in composition. Other aspects are not necessarily part of
composition. We can transform and extend and develop community and voice
in productive ways. The cost of technology can be daunting, but the value
in savings over the long run can be staggering.
The CCCC Position Statement on teaching, learning, and assessing writing in digital environments might be of interest.
It's located here.
Blog Prompt: Given what you've read for this week
(or even from previous weeks), what puzzles you? What are you
wrestling with? What questions do you have that others might be
able to answer/help you wrestle with?
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(13)10/8
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Grammar and "Error." What are "errors" in FYC? What
counts? Who should decide? And how important is
"correctness"?
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(14)10/15
(Note no class 10/13, fall break)
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Error Continued. Today we'll continue to talk about error and how important
it is (or should be) in students' writing. How should "error" figure
into grading?
Blog Prompt:
Why do you grade the way you do? How does that focus/practice
help you understand your "philosophy" of composition?
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(15)10/20
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"Grammar, Grammars, and
the Teaching of Grammar" (Hartwell) [Glenn/Goldthwaite]
Discussion leaders Khouloud Khammassi &
Somshukla Bandyopadhyay
"iGrammar" (Saffel)
"iGrammar"
(Gore)
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Proofreading, Editing, Grammar. Today we'll talk about "grammars" and discuss which types
we, as FYC instructors, should be concerned with.
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(16)10/22
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Commentary and Power. What are some of the best strategies you've seen used in commenting as a document instructor?
Read and reflect on the following comments:
Reader
1 comments
Reader 2 comments
Blog Prompt: What should a
FYC teacher come to class knowing? What should a FYC student come
to class knowing? How can we prepare for "Plan B" when they don't?
Keyword Project DUE
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(17)10/27
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Control. It's important to think about where you've been, where you're at, and where you're going as a reflective teacher.
(Have you seen this
tutorial video on videoing?
The MuLL has others available
if you're interested.)
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(18)10/29
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Discussion Leaders Alex Fyffe and Jessi Barr
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Assessment Matters. Today we'll rethink Validity and Reliability. Emily
Donnerberg will lead the discussion on assessment today. 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.
If you'd like to learn more about Composition, you might spend some time with the
Bedford Bibliography.
Blog Prompt:
How can we learn from what we do/teach? How can we continue to
better ourselves as teachers? What are some ways we can become
"reflective practitioners"?
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(19)11/3
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Post-Process Theory. What do you think is next AFTER "Post-process"?
What is the next big theory in Composition?
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(20)11/5
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Action Research and Ethnography.
Blog Prompt:
Your
literacy autobiography. Take
a look at the following
assignment--and try your hand at some of
the questions, etc.
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(21)11/10
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Audience and Discourse Communities.
How can we "reinvent" the university?
Observation Report DUE
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(22)11/12
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Transfer.
How do we
ensure that students actually learn something in FYC? What can we do
to help them transfer the knowledge we teach to other courses/scenarios?
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(23)11/17
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Challenges to 21st Century Composition. What are the major problems, issues, and challenges
facing Composition teachers (and students)?
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(24)11/19
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Plagiarism. What IS plagiarism? How do we recognize it? What should the
punishment be?
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(25)11/24
No class 11/26
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Panel of last year's 5060
students to discuss their teaching experiences and reflection on what
elements of composition theory helped (or did not help) prepare them for
the class room.
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(26) 12/1 |
TBA
Hypermediated Teaching Philosophy Due |
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(27)12/3
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TBA
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(28)12/8
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Exam Preparation.
Final Exam 1:30-4:00, 12/12
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Required Final: Final
examination must be submitted via email attachment to your instructor of
record by the university set exam time of Dec. 12, 1:30-4:00.
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." Please review
Department of English "Ethics in English: A Guide for Students." Further, you are expected to follow "netiquette." See, also, the
WPA's statement about plagiarism.
Assignment Expectations
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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
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The following is a general description of expectations for assignments:
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A. Your work 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.
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B. Your work 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.
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C. Your work 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.
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D. Your work 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.
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F. Your work 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
the instructors am often available to work with you on anything course-related. Know 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 effect your evaluation by the composition program, nor does your performance for composition impact your assessment in this class.
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.
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For Further Reading
The
following are "top listed" books for TA Training from Susan McLeod
on the WPA Listserv (4/17/06).
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Duane Roen, Strategies for Teaching First-Year Composition, NCTE
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Irene Clark, Concepts in Composition, Erlbaum
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Cheryl Glenn et al., The St. Martin's Guide to Teaching Writing,
Bedford/St. Martin's
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Ed Corbett et al., The Writing Teacher's Sourcebook, Oxford
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Erika Lindemann, A Rhetoric for Writing Teachers, Oxford
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Steven Wilhoit, The Allyn & Bacon Teaching Assistant's Handbook
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Victor Villanueva, Cross Talk in Comp Theory, NCTE
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Tina Good and Leanne Warshauer, In Our Own Voice: Graduate Students
Teach Writing, Longman
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Richard Haswell and Min-Shan Lu, Comp Tales, Longman
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Shirley Morahan and T.R. Johnson, Teaching Composition: Background
Readings, Bedford/St. Martin's
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Ira Shor, Empowering Education, U of Chicago P
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Richard Straub, A Sourcebook for Responding to Student Writing, Hampton
Other related texts worth exploring (also coallated from McLeod):
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David Bartholomae, Writing On the Margins, Bedford/St Martin's
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Timothy Barnett, Teaching Argument in the Composition Course: Background
Readings, Bedford/St. Martin's
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John Bean, Engaging Ideas, Jossey-Bass
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Wendy Bishop, Teaching Lives: Essays and Stories, Utah State UP
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Wendy Bishop and Deborah Teague, Finding Our Way, Houghton Mifflin
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Lee Ann Carroll, Rehearsing New Roles, Southern Illinois UP
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Russell Durst, Collision Course, NCTE
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Lisa Ede, On Writing Research: The Braddock Essays, Bedford/St. Martin's
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Peter Elbow, Writing With Power, Oxford
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Joan Graham et al., Scenarios for Teaching Writing, Boynton/Cook
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Richard Graves, Writing, Teaching, Learning, Boynton/Cook
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Gail Hawisher and Cynthia Selfe, Passions, Pedagogies, and 21st Century
Technologies, Utah State UP
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Robert Leamnson, Thinking about Teaching and Learning, Stylus
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Amy Lee, Composing Critical Pedagogies, NCTE
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Ilona Leki, Understanding ESL Writing, Boynton/Cook
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Cindy Moore and Peggy O'Neill, Practice in Context, NCTE
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Nedra Reynolds and Rich rickly, Portfolio Teaching: A Guide for Instructors,
Bedford/St. Martin's
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David Rosenwasser and Jill Stephen, Writing Analytically, Heinle
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Frank Smith, Joining the Literacy Club, Heinemann
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Josephine Tarvers, Teaching in Progress, Longman
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Gary Tate et al., A Guide to Composition Pedagogies, Oxford
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Lad Tobin, Reading Student Writing, Boynton/Cook
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Ed White, Assigning, Responding, Evaluating, Bedford/St. Martin's
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Anne Wysocki et al., Writing New Media, Utah State UP
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