ENGL002 -- PORTFOLIOS!

Portfolios are due November 24th. Before you know it, it will be November 24th. What worries you the most about your portfolio? Explore a little what makes you anxious about it. Then,  write about what you can do to minimize your fears so that you don't become overly worried but instead feel confident about the portfolio you submit on the 24th. Write about what are you can do to ensure that your portfolio reflects your very best writing.

ENGL002 -- Deadlines!

In the "real" world, missed deadlines have very real consequences.

Some of you may have experienced this by not paying a bill on time and having to pay a large fee; some of you may have experience with this in other ways. In this class, missed deadlines mean missed opportunities--I don't accept late assignments.

What is it that makes meeting deadlines so difficult? For this blog, write about yourself and your experience and attitude towards deadlines. Do you meet them? Miss them? Ask for extensions? Why? If you do miss them, what can you do to change because you already know, that not getting your work done on time for this class isn't going to get you the grade you hope to earn.

Please remember to read carefully and follow the blogging guidelines I've post in the files on our MyMC course page. And remember the deadline!

ENGL101A Resolutions Redux

The first assignment you wrote this semester was about academic resolutions -- New Year's resolutions so to speak. Reread your essay. Then reflect on what you wrote. How are you doing? Are you keeping your resolutions? Some? All? None? How's it going? If you are keeping them, how's that working for you? If you aren't, why aren't you? What are you going to continue doing for the rest of the semester? What are you going to change up? What will you do the rest of the semester to be successful at the end of the semester? Write at least one well-structured and developed paragraph. Remember to review the blogging guidelines on our MyMC course page.

ENGL101A -- Due Oct 9

Your next blog assignment -- due Tuesday, Oct 9th -- is to select a song and punctuate it following the punctuation rules we have been working on this semester. Think not only about the four comma rules, but also about compound sentences, complex sentences, and correcting run ons, comma splices, and fragments. Remember to use the tools that you have -- handouts, class notes, class notes posted on MyMC, your textbook, and anything else we have relied on for using correct punctuation. Have fun with it.

Accelerated ENGL002 -- Last Blog?

Here we are at the end of the semester -- it came so quickly. For your last blog of the semester (you can continue to blog after this class ends), reflect about the past 6+ weeks. Think about what you would tell a friend who is considering taking this accelerated course and isn't sure whether to sign up for it or not. What advice would you give? Suggestions? Potential pitfalls? Warnings? Write this blog as if you were talking to a friend who is considering taking this class next semester. What would you say?

ENGL002 (20945) Thoughts on Reading a Graphic Novel

By now, you should have finished reading the graphic novel Persepolis, which is not only a graphic novel but also a memoir. What are your thoughts on reading a graphic novel. Do you like it? How is it the same as a regular novel? How is it different? What did you enjoy about the novel? Is there anything you find frustrating about it? For this post, write your impression of reading Persepolis for a writing class. Please write at least one well-formed paragraph with a topic sentence, major and minor details. Make sure you proofread it carefully (from hard copy) before posting it.

Cool! What does it mean? (Accel ENGL002)

For this post, write your own definition of cool? State what the word cool means. Then give examples of who and what you think are cool. Explain how these people and things fit your definition of cool. Write a well developed paragraph defining cool. Your topic sentence should state your definition and your details should be examples that support your definition.

Accelerated ENGL002 -- Persepolis (cont)

Now that you have an idea of the complexities present in the graphic novel -- frame, gutter, foreground, background, color, panel, etc -- write about the challenges this genre represents. What do you now see or understand about the story that maybe you didn't see before we talked about all these elements. Write about any discomfort or confusion you've had. Think about how reading a graphic novel is different and/or the same as reading a regular novel. (What have you had to do differently to understand the story and all its elements?)What have you learned about graphic novels in general and specifically about Persepolis that you hadn't thought about before we started talking about this novel?  Are graphic novels "just" comic books? Easy, quick reads?

ENGL101A & Regular ENGL002 (20945) -- What do you want?

For your second blog post, think about what you most want in life. Money? Marriage? Fame? Adventure? A cool job? Spiritual fulfillment? Write about the one thing you want most in life and why that is most important. Please explain in detail why. Write at least one well-developed paragraph (topic sentence and major and minor details).

Accelerated ENGL002 -- Thoughts on Reading a Graphic Novel

By now, you should have finished reading the graphic novel Persepolis, which is not only a graphic novel but also a memoir. What are your thoughts on reading a graphic novel. Do you like it? How is it the same as a regular novel? How is it different? What do you enjoy about the novel? Is there anything you find frustrating about it? For this post, write your impression of reading Persepolis for a writing class. Please write at least one well-formed paragraph with a topic sentence, major and minor details. Make sure you proofread it carefully (from hard copy) before posting it.

ENGL 101A -- Deadlines!

In the "real" world, missed deadlines have very real consequences.

Some of you may have experienced this by not paying a bill on time and having to pay a large fee; some of you may have experience with this in other ways. In this class, missed deadlines mean missed opportunities--I don't accept late assignments.

What is it that makes meeting deadlines so difficult? For this blog, write about yourself and your experience and attitude towards deadlines. Do you meet them? Miss them? Ask for extensions? Why? If you do miss them, what can you do to change because you already know, that not getting your work done on time for this class isn't going to get you the grade you hope to earn (or get you into 102).

Please remember to read carefully and follow the blogging guidelines I've post in the files on our MyMC course page. And remember the deadline!

ENGL 002 Blog Assignment

After watching Eric Thomas' video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqj3XEhBOPU), what's your reaction? Like? Dislike? A little of both? For this first post, write your reactions to the video and what he says. Tell us why you reacted the way you did and think what you think about this. Remember to read the "Blogging Guidelines" on our MyMC course page.

Resolutions Revisited

The first day of class, the first assignment for the semester was about resolutions. Your resolutions for EN101A. So, how's it going? Reread your first essay and write about each of the resolutions you made. Have you been keeping them? Have you worked towards some of them? Had success? Dropped the ball? We are halfway through the semester, so now is a good time to reflect on how you are doing. Make sure you read your essay carefully and respond specifically to what you wrote. Be honest. Then, write about any changes you plan to make for the rest of the semester. What needs tweaking or complete reworking? Before posting your blog, be sure to reread the blog post guidelines in the files of our MyMC course page.

Names. What is in a name?

We have read Naylor's "The Meaning of a Word" and Leong's "On Being a Chink." In both of these essays, the author's talk about their personal experiences with racist words and their definition of the word they are writing about. As you know, there is an ongoing controversy concerning the name of Washington's major league football team. While many people, including local residents, native Americans, and elected officials (President Obama said that if he were the owner of a team and people thought the team name was offensive, he would consider changing it), have stated the term is offensive, Dan Synder, owner of the team, refuses to change the name. His definition of the term is quite different from the protestors' definition. He thinks it mean heroic, brave, strong, and it is the name of the team he grew up with and has loved all his life. Think about these two definitions of the name: Synder's and the protestors. Write a definition for the protesters, Dan Synder, and your own definition. What is your opinion -- is it racist? Please remember to follow the blogging guidelines on our MyMC course
page.

The Dreaded Deadline

I hope I have made it very clear from the first class and in the syllabus that my resolution for EN101A is not to accept any late assignments. I'm done being an enabler and "teaching" students that deadlines aren't really deadlines, and it's acceptable to miss them. Because in the "real" world, missed deadlines have very real consequences.

Some of you may have experienced this by not paying a bill on time and having to pay a large fee, some of you may have experience with this in other ways. I know some of you experienced this in class Thursday when you didn't turn in the homework, asked for an extension, and I said I wouldn't accept it late.

So what is it that makes it hard to meet deadlines? For this blog, write about yourself and your experience with  attitude towards deadlines. Do you meet them? Miss them? Ask for extensions? Why? If you do miss them, what can you do to change because you already know, that not getting your work done on time for this class isn't going to get you the grade you hope to earn (or get you into 102).

Please remember to read carefully and follow the blogging guidelines I've post in the files on our MyMC course page. And remember the deadline!