Elizabeth Kleinfeld's Class Blog

ENG 227 - extra credit opportunity

2008-04-24T21:24:00.001-06:00

Go to twitter and create an account.
Once you’ve created your account, email me your twitter name and I will “follow” you (don’t worry, I won’t stalk you—“following” is twitterese for “I will read your twitter posts”).
After I start following you (you will be notified by email by twitter), you can post poems of up to 140 characters, and I will automatically get them.

You will earn 5 extra credit points for each twitter poem you post, up to 25 points total.

ENG 121 - Imitation Exercise

2008-04-23T12:42:00.000-06:00

The Imitation Exercise is due at the beginning of class on Monday, April 21. Here’s what you need to do:

After you read chapter 7 in Acts of Revision, find a paragraph of about 150-300 words by any writer that you like. The paragraph can be fiction or non-fiction, from the Internet or a book or a newspaper or a magazine, whatever.
Then write an imitation of it. Your imitation should have the same general sentence structure, percentage of Latinate words, and tone.
Bring the original paragraph to class on Monday and post your imitation to your blog.

ENG 121 - handouts for last third

2008-04-23T11:43:00.002-06:00

ENG 121 - Germanic and Latinate Diction

2008-04-21T21:59:00.001-06:00

Here's the Germanic/Latinate diction slideshow from today's class.

ENG 121 - Audio Essays, Spring 2008

2008-04-18T10:48:00.005-06:00

ENG 121 - Editing & Packaging Worksheet

2008-04-14T12:00:00.000-06:00

Here it is.

ENG 121 - grammar videos to view by April 23

2008-04-11T12:37:00.003-06:00

Please view the videos on MyCompLab between now and April 23. There are quite a few and you will get the most out of them if you watch a few at a time rather than trying to do one long marathon session.

Go to the MyCompLab Beta site.
Click on the Resources tab at the top.
Click on the Grammar tab in the middle.
You’ll see a list that looks like this:
- Sentence Grammar
- Punctuation and Mechanics
- Usage and Style
Each list item can be clicked to reveal another list. Each of the items on these new lists can be clicked to reveal three tabs, one of which is Multimedia.

View the multimedia elements for each item on the lists.

ENG 227 - local poetry readings

2008-03-31T09:38:00.001-06:00

Here's a listing of local poetry readings during the first part of April. Remember, you need to attend and write a response to THREE poetry readings or events during the semester.

ENG 121 - to join MyCompLab Beta Testing

2008-03-14T12:18:00.002-06:00

Go to the MyCompLab Beta site.
Log in using the username and password that were emailed to you.
Click on the “Join a Course” button.
Search for our course by looking for my last name.

ENG 227 - Sestina formulas

2008-03-13T12:46:00.002-06:00

Here's the "sestina creator."
Here's Daniel Ari's brilliant sestina on using Excel to create a sestina.

ENG 122 - audio essays and slide shows

2008-03-13T08:53:00.003-06:00

If you are interested in creating an audio essay from your own perspective or the perspective of someone else, listen to some audio essays on the This American Life Website and/or the This I Believe Website first to get ideas. Be sure that your endnote explains why you decided to speak from your own or someone else's perspective.

If you decide to record on your own, you may find Audacity, a free sound editing software product, helpful.

The story I played in class about the Woolworth's lunch counter sit in is here.

Here's the link to the free download of Photo Story 3.

ENG 122 - Writing Group Report

2008-03-06T09:03:00.000-07:00

Here is the Writing Group Report. Be sure to begin the form when the group first gathers and finish it at the end of class. Then, email it to Liz.

ENG 122 - comics for Thu.

2008-02-28T09:19:00.001-07:00

ENG 121 - handouts for second third

2008-02-26T19:09:00.002-07:00

Here are handouts you'll need for the second third of the semester:

ENG 121 - Audio Essay assignment

2008-02-26T15:27:00.000-07:00

To prepare for class on March 3, go to http://thisibelieve.org/aboutus.html and read “About This I Believe.”

Then go to http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4566554 and read Edward R. Murrow’s 1951 introduction to the This I Believe series.

Finally, go to http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4538138, scroll down to “Essays New and Old” and listen to five of the audio essays. To listen to one, you’ll need to click on its title and then click the Listen icon.

REQUIRED BLOG ENTRY to do before class on March 3: Write 150+ words in response to at least one of the audio essays you listened to. Be sure to include the name of the audio essay(s) you are responding to. Consider how listening to an essay is different from reading an essay. Consider how the essay authors used their voices to create intimacy and immediacy.

Optional: I recorded my own audio essay in Fall 2006 when I first gave this assignment to my students. You can listen to it here, if you are curious.

ENG 122 - for 2/26 blogs

2008-02-25T15:08:00.000-07:00

These questions are from page 320-321 in cda:

What are the piece’s purpose, audience, and context?
List everything about the piece that seems to you to be a choice. If something stands out, it probably is an important choice the author made. Ask why the author chose the thing that catches your attention.
How are the choices used strategically?

ENG 122 - what to do with primary research tool drafts

2008-02-21T11:56:00.001-07:00

To do with the primary research tool drafts:

Send an email to the author of the draft (and cc me) that answers the questions on the handout I gave. If the answer to a question is “no,” elaborate. Send your emails between now and Tuesday’s class.

ENG 122 - citing primary and visual sources

2008-02-21T11:50:00.002-07:00

**Note that the bibliographic entries should use hanging indentation but the gosh darn blog won't let me do that.**

Interviews

Bibliographic entry:

Last name of interviewee, First name. Personal interview. Date of interview.

That’s it. Don’t include the title of the interviewee or any other information. If you conduct the interview by phone, use “Telephone interview” in place of “Personal interview.”

In text citation:

If you use the interviewee’s name in an attribution phrase, you need no parenthetical citation. If you don’t use the interviewee’s name in an attribution phrase, put her or his last name in parentheses, like this:

Concern was expressed about confidentiality (Jones).

Observations

Bibliographic entry:

Your last name, first name. Observation. Place of observation. Date of observation.

Be specific about the place of the observation. For example, if you observe at Cherry Creek Mall in Denver, write “Cherry Creek Mall, Denver, CO.” If the observation takes place over a range of dates, indicate that like this: “10-24 Feb. 2008.”

In text citation:

Use an attribution phrase to indicate that the information you are presenting is from an observation, like this:

I observed that stores at the mall were busier after 6 p.m.

Surveys

Bibliographic entry:

Your last name, first name. “Topic of the Survey or Questionnaire.” Survey (or questionnaire), Place of survey or questionnaire. Date of survey or questionnaire.

For example, here’s I would cite a questionnaire I administered to my RRCC students about how much time they spend on their homework:

Kleinfeld, Liz. “Time Spent on Homework.” Questionnaire. Red Rocks Community College, Lakewood, CO. 15 Oct. 2006.

In text citation:

Use an attribution phrase to indicate that the information you are presenting is from a survey or questionnaire, as in the observation example above.

Also, remember that visual sources, including images you find online, must be cited. You will find information about citing visual sources in Writing @ RRCC.

ENG 122 - for 2/14 - research methodologies

2008-02-12T16:57:00.000-07:00

Here is a definition and explanation of quantitative research methods:
Quantitative research is the systematic scientific investigation of quantitative properties and phenomena and their relationships. The objective of quantitative research is to develop and employ mathematical models, theories and hypotheses pertaining to natural phenomena. The process of measurement is central to quantitative research because it provides the fundamental connection between empirical observation and mathematical expression of quantitative relationships.

Here is a definition and explanation of qualitative research methods.
Research involving detailed, verbal descriptions of characteristics, cases, and settings. Qualitative research typically uses observation, interviewing, and document review to collect data. Simply put, it investigates the why and how of decision making, as compared to what, where, and when of quantitative research. Hence, the need is for smaller but focused samples rather than large random samples, which qualitative research categorizes data into patterns as the primary basis for organizing and reporting results.

Now think about the peer reviewed journal articles you've read. Do they seem to be using qualitative or quantitative methods? How can you tell? What about your book?

ENG 227 - Women's Poetry Contest

2008-02-12T15:42:00.000-07:00

Here is information about a local poetry contest for women.

ENG 227 - responses to workshopped drafts

2008-02-07T14:10:00.000-07:00

Responses may be emailed or recorded using gabcast. If you use gabcast, be sure to "send this episode to a friend" and include both Liz's email address and the author's email address. Likewise, emailed responses should be sent to Liz and the author.

Responses need not be formal, but do need to

go beyond the class discussion
be specific and detailed
be helpful to the author

ENG 122 - today's blog entry

2008-02-07T10:37:00.000-07:00

You may begin a new blog entry or edit the one you began on January 29.

Answer fact/definition questions by doing some general research.

Generate more interpretation/consequence/value/policy questions (these will help guide your research now - as you begin using peer-reviewed journal articles - and later when you do primary research).

ENG 121 - completed revision plan worksheet

2008-02-06T12:02:00.001-07:00

Folks, here is the revision plan worksheet we did in class today.

Also, here's the link to the "what time of day are you" quiz.

122 - An Inconvenient Truth

2008-01-30T21:29:00.001-07:00

Watch the trailer for the film here.
You'll find the links to "fact check" websites on An Inconvenient Truth here.

ENG 121 - blog entry due Monday, 2/4

2008-01-30T12:09:00.000-07:00

500 words of details about something commonplace. Use some metaphors and similes. Notice what no one else noticed. Use all your senses (hearing, sight, taste, touch, smell).

ENG 122 - link to article for 1/31

2008-01-28T21:48:00.001-07:00

Here's the link to "All the News That's Fit to Print Out."

ENG 121 - Portfolio I handouts

2008-01-24T12:04:00.001-07:00

Here is the Portfolio 1 assignment sheet.
Here is the Revision Plan worksheet.

ENG 122 - questions about potential topics

2008-01-24T10:33:00.001-07:00

Narrow your list of 10 topics down to 3 by asking the following questions of each topic:

are you interested enough in this topic to work with it for the whole semester?
are there at least 3 possible viewpoints on this topic?
is this topic researchable in the time you have (one semester)?
are the conditions listed in the gold column on page 21 of cda for "anyone making an argument" present?

sample

2008-01-24T10:28:00.001-07:00

This is a blog entry.

ENG 121 - blogs and email addresses

2008-01-23T17:36:00.001-07:00

Folks, the syllabus says that you should have given me your email address and blog address in class today (Wednesday). We will actually start blogs on Monday and you’ll give me your blog address and email address then. Sorry about the confusion – I had to switch around the plan for today’s class at the last minute when I found out that the laptops I had ordered for the class wouldn’t be available.

ENG 227 - our "found poem"

2008-01-22T14:16:00.000-07:00

Poetry opens new doors to
infinite subjects:
love, death,
friendship.
Poetry is a spiritual, deep connection to words, expressing the innermost feelings of a particular time.
It lays out a welcome mat for those we visit frequently, allowing readers to see what the writer is seeing.
Poetry has visible function, taking in observations, portraying senses, evoking emotion and creating wonder.

ENG 121 - Course Outcomes and Grading Criteria

2008-01-21T22:08:00.000-07:00

STUDENT OUTCOMES
At the end of this course, students will be able to

plan, write, and revise essays for a variety of audiences and purposes

take risks in writing

feel more comfortable with writing processes

have a better understanding of what revision is and how to do it

think critically about their own writing processes, strengths, and weaknesses

know the rules and understand when and how to break them effectively

understand the consequences of their writing decisions

GRADING CRITERIA
To become a better writer, you must write. A lot. Accordingly, I have designed a set of assignments that will keep you writing.

1000 points are available. A= 900+ / B= 800-899 / C= 700-799 / D= 600-699 / F= 0-599

Note: I do not “give out” grades—students earn grades. An A is awarded for superior work—nothing less!

Blog, 125 points
You will keep a blog in which you record and reflect on your research and writing processes. Most class meetings will include about ten minutes to blog. In addition, you should post comments to at least three classmates’ blogs each week, responding to their specific concerns, offering supportive criticism, and urging them to challenge and stretch themselves as writers. To receive credit for comments, be sure to sign your full name. You can find classmates’ blogs on the class blog roll at http://lizkleinfeldclass.blogspot.com/.

To receive a passing grade on your blog, it must be complete and entries must have been made in a timely fashion; in addition, comments on class members’ blogs must have been made in a timely fashion. To receive better than a passing grade on your blog, it must do everything required for a passing grade and I should be able to tell that you have used your blog entries to challenge and stretch yourself as a researcher and writer (for example, your blog entries may be exceptionally detailed, specific, thoughtful, and probing).

Response Log, 125 points
You will keep a log of all the responses you receive to your drafts. You will respond to each response. I will give you the response log assignment in class on February 4.

Class Participation, 150 points
Class participation means more than simply showing up, although showing up is a good start. Class participation means attending all classes and appointments, arriving to class/appointments on time and staying the entire time, arriving prepared, having read the assigned material and completed in advance any written assignments, engaging with class activities, and collaborating generously and productively with classmates in discussions and small group activities.

Three Portfolios, each worth 200 points
You will turn in three portfolios of writing. Portfolio I, due February 18, will focus on revising away from unity. Portfolio II, due April 2, will focus on revising toward unity. Portfolio III, due May 7, will focus on editing and packaging. We will talk as a class about how each portfolio will be evaluated. I will give you a detailed assignment sheet for each portfolio well ahead of its due date.

ENG 122 - course outcomes and grading criteria

2008-01-19T23:36:00.000-07:00

Student Outcomes
At the end of this course, students will be able to

Plan, write, and revise assignments that demonstrate an ability to use research as support.

Use primary and secondary sources.

Develop a statement of purpose and focus for a large research project.

Synthesize different types of sources.

Document research according to standard formats.

Organize large amounts of material into a coherent project.

Take risks in writing.

Explore a topic from multiple perspectives.

Grading Criteria
A= 900-1000 points / B=800-899 points / C=700-799 points / D=600-699 points / F=0-599 points

Short Research & Analysis Assignments, 200 points
You will complete four short 50-point assignments that involve research and/or analysis: a group project, an annotated bibliography, a primary research tool, and a source critique. I will give you more specific information about these assignments and how they will be graded in separate handouts. Due dates for these assignments are in the schedule.

MLA Documentation Quiz, 50 points

Statements of Purpose & Design Plans, 200 points
You will plan in detail four genre pieces related to your research topic. Statements of purpose and design plans are discussed in detail in chapters 2 and 3 of cda. Due dates are in the schedule.

Blog, 150 points
You will keep a blog in which you record and reflect on your research and writing processes. Most class meetings will include about ten minutes to blog. In addition, you should post comments to at least three classmates’ blogs each week, responding to their specific concerns, offering supportive criticism, and urging them to challenge and stretch themselves as writers. To receive credit for comments, be sure to sign your full name. You can find classmates’ blogs on the class blog roll at http://lizkleinfeldclass.blogspot.com/.

To receive a passing grade on your blog, it must be complete and entries must have been made in a timely fashion; in addition, comments on class members’ blogs must have been made in a timely fashion. To receive better than a passing grade on your blog, it must do everything required for a passing grade and I should be able to tell that you have used your blog entries to challenge and stretch yourself as a researcher and writer (for example, your blog entries may be exceptionally detailed, specific, thoughtful, and probing).

Class Participation and Preparation, 150 points
Class participation means more than simply showing up, although showing up is a good start. Class participation means attending all classes and appointments, arriving to class/appointments on time and staying the entire time, arriving prepared, having read the material and completed in advance any written assignments, engaging with class activities, and collaborating generously and productively with classmates in discussions and small group activities.

Final Multi-Genre Project and Presentation, 250 points
You will create at least four and revise at least three genre pieces on your research topic supported by research. You will present the revised pieces in a portfolio and in a presentation to the class. The final project is due May 6, and presentations will take place during the last two class meetings. The detailed assignment and grading criteria are attached to the syllabus.

Spring 2008 syllabus information

2008-01-19T10:25:00.000-07:00

Here are links to

ENG 121 - more on Germanic & Latinate diction

2007-11-27T21:59:00.000-07:00

If you want to know more about Germanic and Latinate diction, check out this article.

ENG 121 - reading from The Sun for week of 11/12

2007-11-07T11:06:00.000-07:00

Find an article from The Sun (hard copy or online—doesn’t matter). Before you read it, look at it carefully and notice the design elements, such as

How the title looks (consider font, type size, arrangement)
How the text of the article looks (consider font, type size, columns, headings or subheadings, arrangement)
Other visual elements (consider photos or artwork, graphics such as lines or circles that may appear in the margins, etc.)

Then read the article, noting how the design elements affect your understanding of what you’re reading. For example, certain design elements can cause you to read more quickly or slowly. Blog about your findings before our next class meeting (Nov. 19).

Audio Essays from ENG 121 (fall 2007)

2007-11-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

Listen to Candice's, Harv's, Christy's, Kathy's, Chealse's, Adam's, Michelle's, Alicia's, and Nadia's. View Ana's caption essay.

ENG 121 - link for 10/31 class

2007-10-29T13:31:00.001-06:00

Here is the link to the essay from The Sun. Read it before class and come ready to talk about what assumptions the author makes and who the audience is and how you can tell.

ENG 121 - links for 10/22 class

2007-10-22T10:58:00.001-06:00

Go to the slideshow here and view the slides.

ENG 121 - read for 10/24

2007-10-22T10:10:00.000-06:00

Read this article from The Sun.

ENG 121 - Links for 10/8 class

2007-10-08T10:08:00.000-06:00

Trent Reznor’s lyrics
Nine Inch Nails video
Johnny Cash’s lyrics (only slightly different from Reznor's)
Johnny Cash video

This I Believe Audio Essay Assignment

2007-10-04T18:35:00.000-06:00

To prepare for class on October 10, go to http://thisibelieve.org/aboutus.html and read “About This I Believe.”

Then go to http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4566554 and read Edward R. Murrow’s 1951 introduction to the This I Believe series.

Finally, go to http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4538138, scroll down to “Essays New and Old” and listen to five of the audio essays. To listen to one, you’ll need to click on its title and then click the Listen icon.

REQUIRED BLOG ENTRY to do before class on October 10: Write 150+ words in response to at least one of the audio essays you listened to. Be sure to include the name of the audio essay(s) you are responding to. Consider how listening to an essay is different from reading an essay. Consider how the essay authors used their voices to create intimacy and immediacy.

Optional: I recorded my own audio essay in Fall 2006 when I first gave this assignment to my students. You can listen to it here, if you are curious.

ENG 122 - link to multigenre project

2007-09-25T10:06:00.000-06:00

You can find the multigenre project on hospice care here.

ENG 121 - The Sun assignment for the week of Oct. 1

2007-09-24T11:43:00.000-06:00

Look through any issue of The Sun and find an article/essay to read that does in some way what Taylor Mali does in “What Do Teachers Make”: makes a strong statement with elements of tirade but avoids being simply a tirade. Write a response on your blog to the article/essay from The Sun.

You can find a text version of Mali's "tirade" here.

ENG 122 – for 9/18

2007-09-14T14:04:00.000-06:00

Here is a definition and explanation of quantitative research methods:
Quantitative research is the systematic scientific investigation of quantitative properties and phenomena and their relationships. The objective of quantitative research is to develop and employ mathematical models, theories and hypotheses pertaining to natural phenomena. The process of measurement is central to quantitative research because it provides the fundamental connection between empirical observation and mathematical expression of quantitative relationships.

Here is a definition and explanation of qualitative research methods.
Research involving detailed, verbal descriptions of characteristics, cases, and settings. Qualitative research typically uses observation, interviewing, and document review to collect data. Simply put, it investigates the why and how of decision making, as compared to what, where, and when of quantitative research. Hence, the need is for smaller but focused samples rather than large random samples, which qualitative research categorizes data into patterns as the primary basis for organizing and reporting results.

Now think about the peer reviewed journal articles you're read. Do they seem to be using qualitative or quantitative methods? How can you tell? ? How can you tell?

LIT 145 - reading for 10/18

2007-09-06T15:52:00.000-06:00

For each poet, the biographical info is optional; the poems are not.

Info on Audre Lorde. Poems: “Inheritance—His” and “A Woman Speaks”

Info on Maxine Kumin. Poems: “Woodchucks” and “Morning Swim”

Info on Denise Levertov. Poems: “The Mutes” and “People at Night”

Info on Carolyn Forche. Poems: “The Colonel” and “The Visitor”

Info on Rita Dove. Poems: “Adolescence II” and “Dusting”

Rita Dove reading her poems

LIT 145 - reading for 10/9

2007-09-06T14:59:00.001-06:00

For each author listed, the poems are required reading; the biographical information is optional.

Info on Lucille Clifton . Poems: “Homage to My Hips” and “The Lost Baby Poem”

Info on Adrienne Rich. Poems: “Cartographies of Silence” and “For the Dead”

Info on Anne Bradstreet. Poem: “The Author to Her Book”

Info on Emily Dickinson. Poems: Read as many of these as you like.

Info on Anne Sexton. Poems: “The Truth the Dead Know” and “Unknown Girl in a Maternity Ward”

Info on Sylvia Plath. Poems: “Childless Woman” and “Poppies in October”

LIT 145 - reading for 9/25

2007-09-06T14:28:00.001-06:00

Here's the information on Magical Realism.
Here's the offical Isabel Allende Website.

LIT 145 - link for reading for 9/18

2007-09-05T16:47:00.001-06:00

Here's the info on the lives of Ancient Greek women.

ENG 122 - links to YouTube videos from 9/4 class

2007-09-04T21:41:00.000-06:00

Evolution (shows the model being made up, airbrushed, etc.)
The Machine is Us/ing Us (about how Web 2.0 is changing everything)
Shift Happens (about how size really does matter)

scholarship for bloggers

2007-09-04T20:45:00.001-06:00

Look! There's a scholarship for bloggers!

ENG 121 – reading for 9/5 from The Sun

2007-08-29T13:50:00.000-06:00

Find the August 2007 issue of The Sun. The RRCC Library has it with its recent periodicals (if you have trouble finding it, ask a librarian for help).

Skim through the entire issue, noticing how it is organized and the different types of writing published (essays, letters, poems, etc.).

Read “Correspondence” and note what the letters reveal about readers of The Sun and about The Sun itself.

Then, photocopy and read any of the pieces under “Essays, Memoirs, and True Stories.” Bring the photocopy to class.

LIT 145 - links for readings due 9/4

2007-08-27T08:59:00.000-06:00

“No Name Woman” by Maxine Hong Kingston
“Scent of a Woman’s Ink” by Francine Prose

ENG 122 - link to article about Wikipedia

2007-08-26T17:02:00.000-06:00

Here's “All the News That’s Fit to Print Out” by Jonathan Dee

LIT 145 - links for readings due on 9/11

2007-08-25T17:24:00.000-06:00

Perkins Gilman’s “Yellow Wallpaper”
excerpt from Virginia Woolf’s “A Room of One’s Own”

What is the difference between a summary and a response?

2007-08-12T11:50:00.000-06:00

A summary expresses the main points of something without personal opinion or critique. It is a very “just the facts, ma’am” type of document. For example, I might summarize my summer by saying, “I was very busy this summer. I traveled to Illinois and Texas, worked on several writing projects, and did some work around my house.” Notice that the summary doesn’t indicate whether I enjoyed my summer or what my favorite part of the summer was.

You can find more information about summaries here.

A response expresses personal opinion, such as agreement or disagreement, or critiques something. For example, I might respond to my summer by saying, “I was hoping my summer would be very relaxing, but an unexpected trip to Texas threw me off. After I got back from Texas, I was stressed out and didn’t get as much done around the house as I wanted to. I’m really disappointed that I didn’t finish painting the basement.” Notice that the response indicates several emotions: surprise (about the trip to Texas), feeling stressed out, and disappointment.

You can find more information about responses here.

Writing a College Admission Essay

2007-07-31T09:50:00.000-06:00

If you are planning to transfer to a 4-year college, the advice in this article should be very helpful as you plan and write your application essay. Also, remember that the tutors in the Writing Center can help you as well.

To Find Out What Your Final Grade in the Class Is

2007-07-05T13:02:00.000-06:00

To find out what your final grade in the class is, go to the RRCC Website and click on MyCommunity Education in the upper right hand corner of the page. You will be prompted for your S number and password. Once you enter that information, you will be able to view your final grades in your classes.

If you are confused about why your final grade is what it is, review all your returned work from me to refresh your memory of your assignment grades. Then reflect honestly on your class participation and blogging. If you are still not sure why your final grade is what it is, email me.

Three Habits of Highly Successful Students

2007-06-08T11:56:00.000-06:00

Make a commitment: This means being organized, setting aside time dedicated to studying for this class, identifying College resources that may be helpful to you, taking responsibility for your choices, and developing a work ethic. If you are having trouble in this class (you don’t understand what it seems you should), don’t just sit there, do something; you can come see me during my office hours, go to the Writing Center, ask a librarian for help, etc. You can’t expect your boss or friends or loved ones to accommodate your school work; you may need to make sacrifices, such as cutting back on TV or drinking or even work. You may find yourself having to make difficult choices, such as choosing between doing homework for this class and spending an important day with a loved one; you may decide to prioritize your loved one and not do your homework for this class. Fine, but be an adult and take responsibility for your choice.

Another important aspect of making a commitment is viewing this course not as preparation for the rest of your education/career/life, but rather, as an experience on its own. This course isn’t simply preparation for the rest of your life, it is your life. For the next fifteen weeks for ten hours a week, this is your life. Commit to that. Engage.

Accept the challenge: Accepting the challenge means being an active, rather than passive, learner. Passive learners wait receptively for information and knowledge to find its way into their brains, dutifully following directions and meekly accepting everything the textbook and I say. Active learners come to class prepared, having thought critically about what they read or what they did, and ask questions and consider possibilities other than what have been presented to them. Active learners are engaged and critical, focusing on making connections between ideas, whereas passive learners focus more on memorization of concepts.

Accept that you will be asked to do things in this class that you don’t already know how to do. (Duh—if you already knew how to do everything this class covers, you wouldn’t need to take this class.) If you refuse to accept the possibility that you will not succeed, you will not ever grow. Not in this class, not in a job, not in a relationship. I often have students drop a class after receiving their first graded assignment back and receiving a grade less than A. When they come to tell me they are dropping, they often say, “I have very high standards for myself and I cannot accept a grade lower than A.” Think about this: is dropping a course because you receive less than an A on a paper evidence of high standards or low standards?

Quit whining: Being in school is hard work. You’ll need to do lots of reading, lots of writing, and lots of thinking. You’ve made the choice to be in school. Take responsibility for your choice and don’t whine about the reading, writing, and thinking. Put your energy into the work rather than the whining.

For more tips, check out this and this.

Requesting a Letter of Recommendation

2007-05-23T16:41:00.000-06:00

I am happy to write letters of recommendation for students and former students who have impressed me with their intellect, creativity, motivation, leadership, or ability to surmount challenges.

Writing a good letter of recommendation takes some time—time for reflection on the student being recommended, time for a bit of research to refresh my memory of grades earned and/or assignments submitted, time for drafting and revising—so I require at least two weeks notice for writing letters of recommendation.

In addition to at least two weeks notice, I will need the following from you:

Any official form the organization I am recommending you to wants recommenders to complete.
The deadline by which the letter is due.
The address the letter should be sent to.
A copy of your personal essay (if you are applying to a college or for a scholarship). I like to be able to emphasize something you’ve said in your essay in my letter.
Your resume, if you have one. I like to be able to refer to items in your resume if I can.
Information, in writing, about what you plan to major in, what your career goals are, and why you are applying to the college or job or whatever that you want me to recommend you for.

Please give me all of these items at once, if possible, paperclipped together or in a manila folder or attached to the same email.

I will put your letter on RRCC letterhead in a RRCC envelope and will send it via RRCC mail (unless the college/scholarship organization wants the letter in another format), so you do not need to provide envelopes or stamps.

And finally, do let me know if you were accepted to the college or were awarded the scholarship or got the job!

Fall 2007 Classes

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ENG 121: Composition I (section 010—M/W 11-12:15 and section H01 (Honors)—M/W 2:30-3:45)
This class will focus on seeing the multiple possibilities within a piece of writing. The course emphasizes planning, writing, and revising compositions and shaping them for different audiences. We will explore writing topics from different perspectives or angles (what if you wrote about your spring break from your parents’ point of view, for example? Or from the perspective of the stranger on the beach who looked at you funny that one day?) Our classroom will function as a kind of laboratory or studio where class members will engage in writing and learn not only by doing but also by watching others and critiquing their progress.

ENG 122: Composition II (section 005—T/R 9:30-10:45 and section 007—T/R 11-12:15)
This course focuses on how to find, evaluate, and use sources from the Internet, the library, and beyond. Students will not write a conventional research paper; instead, they will write in a variety of different genres, from a variety of different perspectives, using a variety of different techniques. Students will learn how to manage a large research project, how to take risks in their writing, and how to defend their research and writing choices.

LIT 145: Literature, Women, & Society (section 001—T/R 1-2:15)
This class will explore how women and their unique concerns are represented in fiction, poetry, drama, and film; whether there is a female literary tradition; and whether or how gender makes a difference in literature production and consumption.

Fall classes begin August 27.
Register early and often. Tell your friends. Questions? Contact Liz Kleinfeld at liz.kleinfeld@rrcc.edu.