Class 5: 1/30/08 Read 100

Journal 5: What do you think are the best parts of your paper? Describe them and give justification what you did well.

 

Agenda:

1. Journal
   
2. Review
   
3. Listen to me
   
4. Peer Review Assignment
   

   
    

Syllabus for Spring 2008

 

    

 

 

 

Reading 100

Brock Dubbels

Office K2506

612.747.0346

Office hours by request

Dubbe003@umn.edu

 

Required materials: are notebook, writing utensils, and a three-ring binder.

 

Your objectives

Students in this course will learn the academic and life-long reading strategies needed for success in technical programs and many associate of arts majors. They will learn how to master technical and academic vocabulary. They will learn how to understand and remember more of what they read. They will learn how to follow complex directions and use reference manuals. This class includes a computer lab component. 

1. Vocabulary Improvement
   
2. Understanding and Following Complex Directions
   
3. Previewing and Questioning
   
4. Identifying topics and main ideas
   
5. Organizational Patterns
   
6. Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions
   
7. Study Reading
   
8. Understanding and Answering Objective Test Questions
   
9. Life-Long Reading
   

Learner Outcomes/Objectives

In order to pass this course, you must pass the final reading test. This test will be taken during finals week. You will receive a copy of the grading scale.

In order to take this exit exam, you must have a minimum score of a 75% in the course.

You may resubmit work that you wish to improve to qualify to take the test.

Resubmitted work must be turned in within a week of when the assignment is corrected and returned to you. If an assignment is collected, and then corrected, you have one week to make corrections and resubmit.

You must create a portfolio of classroom work that links your work to the objectives and outcomes of the course that are listed here in the syllabus. The portfolio will be graded with a rubric, and range in scores from 1 to 5. A 5 is worth 5%, a 1 is worth 1%. You must turn in the portfolio as an assignment; it counts towards the total grade points.

Classroom work:

1. Practice Quizzes: 11 questions each, sentence-length responses or fill-ins. Most are take-homes (but some occur unscheduled, closed book).
   
2. Performance Assessments: You will be creating a reading autobiography, peer editing, outlines, multiple drafts, poetry interpretation, group work, and giving public presentations of your work.
   
3. Required Exams: One final exam.
   
4. Journals:
   you will do in-class writing, so you will need to keep a journal to hand in for grading. All assignments need to be present in the journal, and in the correct order. If you have difficulty with the notebook, I would like to suggest that you use a three–ring binder to order your entries.
   

 

Late work is accepted for a grade only with an official excuse.

 

Attendance is important. Homework is due (as hard copy) at the start of class, and isn't accepted for a grade after class. Missed exams and quizzes may be made up only with an official excuse, and within four class days of the test's date. Please have these scheduled reading assignments done before class every day.

 

Your questions and comments are welcome any time.

Readings will be distributed from class; take-home quizzes, extra-credit projects and optional homework topics will be arranged day by day.

Success

• Strive to know yourself and others.
  
• Don't strive for perfection—do your best.
  
• Try to keep a regular schedule; slow and steady wins the race.
  
• Make time for yourself to unwind in the evenings.
  
• Eat healthy foods in moderate amounts.
  
• Exercise regularly.
  
• Get appropriate amounts of sleep. Don't deprive yourself of sleep or play catch-up on the weekends.
  
• Live within your means and budget your income.
  
• Practice relaxation techniques.
  
• Ask questions and look for personal interests in assignments and readings.
  
• Think of learning is warming-up cold spots with warm spots in your brain. What you already know can help with what you don't. In many instances, we are learning new names for things we are familiar with, but from a new perspective.
  

 

If you have struggled with English and Language Arts in the past, with a change in perception, opportunity exists in what seems a difficult situation, and potential crises can lie in wait for you cloaked as opportunity. Please relax and take a second to breathe when you feel that things are overwhelming and difficult. Reflect on what is causing you discomfort. In many cases it is only fear of the unknown, or the prospect of looking foolish. This too will pass. Be confident and reflect on your qualities. With reflection, and action--not reaction-- you will not only come to understanding, but you will come to know yourself.

 

Take the story of the man who was good at interpreting events:

One day, for no reason, his horse ran away to the nomads across the border. Everyone tried to console him, but his father said, "What makes you so sure this isn't a blessing?" Some months later his horse returned, bringing a splendid nomad stallion. Everyone congratulated him, but his father said, "What makes you so sure this isn't a disaster?" Their household was richer by a fine horse, which his son loved to ride. One day he fell and broke his hip. Everyone tried to console him, but his father said, "What makes you so sure this isn't a blessing?"

A year later the nomads came in force across the border, and every able-bodied man took his bow and went into battle. The frontiersmen lost nine of ten men. Only because the son was lame did the father and son survive to take care of each other.

 

Truly, blessing turns to disaster, and disaster to blessing: The changes have no end, nor can the mystery be fathomed.

                    The Lost Horse Chinese Folk Tale

 

 

 

Accommodation and alternative formats:

 

Reasonable accommodations shall be provided for students with physical, sensory, learning and psychiatric disabilities. Contact the instructor to work out the details of accommodations.

This material and other class materials prepared by the instructor are available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact your instructor to arrange for Braille, large print, taped, or machine-readable formats.

 

                 Student conduct in classes:

 

Students who engage in behavior that disrupts the learning environment for others may be subject to disciplinary action under the code. In addition, we may require students responsible for such behavior to discontinue course activities and may cancel their registration.

Peer Review Process

Peer Review Process

 

For your own paper

 

Name and section:

Arguments and Perspective: Writing a Narrative

Essay Title:

 

Title, description and rationale for the paper:

 

Profile of audience (identify readers and assumed views)

Thesis:

 My claim is

 
 

I intend this primarily as a claim of fact                        value                               proposal

 
 

 
 

If I were to revise this essay, I would

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peer Review Process

Now you have drafts to work through. Give yourself enough time to really focus on this—figure 30 minutes per draft. Remember to make your comments legible—you might want to use a pencil—and to focus on the BIG PICTURE issues rather than grammar and style.

1. Begin by writing your name and email address on the top right-hand corner of each peer draft. That way, if there's any confusion later, your peer can contact you to clear it up.
   
2. Read through the paper once quickly. Resist the temptation to jump in with specific comments until after you've read through the whole paper once. Mark passages you think you might like to return to later - either because they interest you or confuse you. Put a wavy line under phrases or lines that are difficult to follow, and then move on.
   

Now go back, and draw out your comments further (write directly on the drafts):

1. Scan the paper and underline what you take to be the thesis.
   

Begin by reading through the entire essay again, on your own. Make notes in the margins or on a separate sheet of paper as you read. If you like, you may point out (but do not correct) any mechanical or grammatical errors you find in the draft. The focus in revision is NOT on grammar or spelling - that is editing. But definitely tell your partner if the grammar, spelling, or punctuation were flawed enough to interfere with your understanding of the argument.

As you read, ask yourself:

• Where was the draft confusing? At what points did you have questions in your mind while reading?
  
• Does the writer's first paragraph effectively introduce the topic?
  
• Is the writer's thesis clear? Underline what you feel is the thesis statement.
  
• Are there places where the draft becomes less interesting? How could the writer change those sections to help hold the interest of her audience?
  
• Do any sections or paragraphs lack key information or adequate development? Are all sources cited correctly? Are quotations worked smoothly into the writer's prose?
  
• What does the writer do especially well in the draft?
  
• What one or two things would most improve the draft in a revision?
  
• You can write your essay like a letter, if you wish. First tell your partner what you think is the draft's greatest strength, and its greatest weakness. What should she work on first? What changes will help the most? Remember, you should always be as specific as possible: indicate which paragraph(s) you're commenting on, quote your partner's essay whenever necessary, and offer explicit advice on rewording and reorganization. But do not make changes for your partner. That's her job!
  

1. Now get into the main body of the paper.
   

• Place a star (*) by points that interest you in this section and comment on what you're interested in.
  
• Place a question mark (?) beside large passages that you have difficulty understanding, and a wavy line under shorter phrases/sentences that you aren't following.
  
• Consider the extent to which the discussion fulfills the promise made by the thesis. What, if anything strays? What, if anything, would you like to have heard more about?
  
• Note places that might have been strengthened with quotes from the original.
  
• Does this section of the paper seem focused and grow organically or does it jump from point to point, like a list of different discussion points? If the latter is true, which one or two points seem like the best candidates for focus?
  
• Note any places where your peer gets back into summarizing rather than developing discussion. Do you feel that you are getting an organized analysis or a guided tour back through the entire essay?
  
• Does the essay seem complete, or would you like to see it develop into a larger discussion of the thesis topic?
  

1. Finally, comment on the lead (first paragraph) and wrap-up (final paragraph):
   

• On a scale of 1-5 (5=high), how engaging and useful did you find the lead? Suggestions?
  
• If the lead doesn't mention the author or essay title, does the paper get to this information soon enough?
  
• Does the wrap up (final paragraph) "revisit" the thesis and synthesize the other elements of discussion, or does it primarily repeat the thesis or lead? What do you walk away from the lead understanding about the essay?
  

6.    On the back of the paper, note answers to the following:

• What do you take as the focus or main point of this draft?
  
• What, specifically, interested you about the draft and/or target essay?
  

What do you suggest as the single most important revision your peer could make?

 

 

Superior 5 – 4	Acceptable 3.5 – 3	Needs Work 2.5 – 0
Your thesis statement clearly restates the question.	You have an adequate thesis statement.	You did not respond to the question.
You clearly and convincingly supported your response with relevant evidence from the text and specific details.	You supported your response with some evidence from the text and adequate specific details.	You did not support your response with evidence from the text or you chose irrelevant evidence and lacks details.
Your response is logical and well organized.	Your response is mostly logical and well organized.	Your response is not logical or lacks organization.
You paraphrased most of the time and did it accurately.	You paraphrased most of the time.	You did not put your work into your own words.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In your peer groups…

 
 

Take no more than three minutes to address these two questions:

 
 

 
 

1. What, with regard to written or discussed comments, was effective in helping you to put your final draft together?
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. What got in the way?
   

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

Revision memo:

 
 

Attach a revision memo to your second draft (Note: I won't read the drafts until I get one). Include:

 
 

1. a)   A summary of the comments and suggestions your peers made about your first draft.
   

 
 

1. b)   A description of what you changed in moving from the first draft to the second draft
   

 
 

1. c)   A list of changes you know that you need to make in your final draft, but haven't made yet.
   

 
 

1. d)   A brief list of points you would like me to be looking at and specific questions and concerns you have regarding this draft.
   

   
    

   
    

   Evaluate your classmate using the rubric:
   

Superior 5 – 4	Acceptable 3.5 – 3	Needs Work 2.5 – 0
Your thesis statement clearly restates the question.	You have an adequate thesis statement.	You did not respond to the question.
You clearly and convincingly supported your response with relevant evidence from the text and specific details.	You supported your response with some evidence from the text and adequate specific details.	You did not support your response with evidence from the text or you chose irrelevant evidence and lacks details.
Your response is logical and well organized.	Your response is mostly logical and well organized.	Your response is not logical or lacks organization.
You paraphrased most of the time and did it accurately.	You paraphrased most of the time.	You did not put your work into your own words.

Please also comment on the effectiveness of the feedback (oral and written) given your 1^st draft by the peers in your group.  Please also comment on your own contribution to the process. NOTE: Make sure that peer names are on the drafts they marked up.

+ = attempted to read the draft from the point of view of my designated reader and provided constructive and thoughtful commentary.

 = gave somewhat useful feedback, but…

- = provided comments that weren't particularly useful and/or didn't reflect much thought on

the part of the reader. It would have been helpful if s/he had done the following:

Names and ratings (including YOURS):

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

Comments on instructor feedback?

 
 

Comments on the process used to write this essay?

 

Class 4: 1/28/08 Read 100

Agenda: journal, Review of last class, Draft 1 Activities: talk to me & Collins Writing; Packet for peer review, Blog,

I trust myself

 

Vocab:
process, draft, editing, peer review, read aloud, self-monitoring

 

Narrate, Genre, Description, Read, Compose, Literacy, Rubric, Peer Editing, Autobiography

 

Next due assignments:

 

Draft 2 Wednesday

Power Point the following Monday

Peer Reviews Wednesday

Final draft with review comments and response due with all drafts, packet, and annotations.

Class 3: 1/23/07 Read 100

Agenda:

Journal

Brief stretch

Syllabus

Memory

Going to the jungle

Reading Autobiography

 

Journal:

What events have made you who you are?

Narrate the most important events using description.

Try to involve the senses in the way you describe.

Vocab:

Narrate, Genre, Description, Read, Compose, Literacy, Rubric, Peer Editing, Autobiography

 

Class 1

Agenda:

Learning to stand/ learning to breath – the yoga of ordinary assumptions and no longer taking life for granted.

An unexamined life is just boring.

Journal 1: What are you working toward and where do you come from?

--explain, give details. . . what’s your story?

Blogger

www.blogger.com

Surveys of reading

Links:

1. http://s.education.umn.edu/COST/TakeSurvey.asp?SurveyID=4119l3LJ5l6ML2

2. http://s.education.umn.edu/COST/TakeSurvey.asp?SurveyID=64L6o3LJ4om622

Assignment 1—reading autobiography.