Final In-Class -- Strategy

The time is quickly approaching when you will all have to write a final in-class essay that goes directly into your EN 002 portfolio. Most students find in-class writing to be extremely challenging and stressful -- 85 minutes to plan, write, revise/proofread an entire essay that is then evaluated as part of your portfolio. This is a good time to think, and write, about how you are going to approach this task and manage it -- manage the time and manage the stress. For this blog post, make a plan. Think about what is most challenging for you, think about the pressure, think about the 85 minutes, and then write a plan. What is your strategy to handle this and produce your best possible writing under the circumstances. You can approach this as a process description.

Malala

We all watched Malala Yousafzai on Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show” and were impressed by how well-spoken she is and by her passion for education and for doing the right thing. Watch the interview again and select one idea or thought that she expresses to reflect on (I touched on a few in class after the interview – education is power, we don’t appreciate what we have until we lose it, not being cruel, not waiting for someone else to stand up for her, but standing up for herself and her beliefs, education teaches more than just individual subjects/courses, etc.). Write two to three well-structured and well-developed paragraphs in response to what she said—the one thing you chose after rewatching the interview. Please remember to keep in mind the EN 002 grading rubric and all the work we have been doing on developing paragraphs. Link to Jon Stewart

Education: Shackles or Freedom

Carolyn Hax, an advice columnist for the Washington Post, wrote in a response to a letter about the value of school.

She said, "Doing the work (note emphasis on work, not grades) feels like being shackled but it’s actually a path to freedom; blowing it off feels like freedom but it’s really a path to shackles. Real shackles, poverty shackles, shackles of ignorance, take your pick"

First write about what you think she is saying and means by this. Second, write about how this quote relates to you and fits into the context of your education and attitude to your education.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/carolyn-hax-helping-a-younger-daughter-get-past-a-high-achieving-sisters-shadow/2013/10/27/21037e02-35dc-11e3-be86-6aeaa439845b_story.html

Song Assignment

Your next blog assignment -- due Tuesday, Oct 8th -- 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 and comma splices. 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.

If I Could Be Anywhere in the World Doing Anything I Wanted, I Would Be...

Gili Trawangan, Indonesia with a snorkel, mask, flippers in the water feeding sticky rice from breakfast to all the fish. Oh course the little island would have to be exactly the same as it was when I first went there. And the same people would have to be there too. Though I was as sick as could be with amoebas, it was one of the best times of my life.

What do you bring to the table (community of learners)? Fall 13

Welcome to EN 002. We are a community of learners, which means that each of you contributes to this class and its success in some way. Everything you do impacts on everyone else. And what you do can mean success or failure to everyone in the group.

For your first blog, write reasons why we (the other students and I) are happy that you are in this class. What will you contribute to EN 002? What positive assets do you bring to us? If it helps, think about Dr. Stewart's "A Guaranteed Path to Academic Success." Are you particularly good at any of those steps?

Write about reasons we are pleased to see you come into class every day. Be sure to explain each reason clearly and completely. Also, make sure you follow the blogging guidelines I posted in the files of our MyMC course page.

All I Want Is....

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 the why.

What Do You Bring to EN 002?

Welcome to EN 002. We are a community of learners, which means that each of you contributes to this class and its success in some way. That is why it's important for everyone to attend class, arrive on time, stay focused, come prepared, meet deadlines, and so on. Everything you do impacts on everyone else. And what you do can mean success or failure to everyone in the group.

For your first blog, write reasons why we (the other students and I) are happy that you are in this class. What will you contribute to EN 002? What positive assets do you bring to us? If it helps, think about Dr. Stewart's "A Guaranteed Path to Academic Success." Are you particularly good at any of those steps?

Write about reasons we are pleased to see you come into class every day. Be sure to explain each reason clearly and completely