Summer 2020: Reading Journals ENGL301 Writing & The Teaching of Writing
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LEE TORDA 310 Tillinghast Hall Bridgewater State University 508.531.2436 [email protected] www.leetorda.com |
Summer 2020
All Summer Session I classes have been moved online due to the Covid-19 emergency. Online Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday evening, 7:00-8:00 PM and by appointment (email me at [email protected] to set up an a time). |
For most of the reading we do in this class, you need to produce a reading journal. These journals are informal in that I will not be looking at them for punctuation, style, or grammar. I am looking for an articulation of ideas—of yours and the authors.
In a face-to-face class, besides me, at least some of your classmates would read most if not all of your reading journals. They would be active documents in our class—getting written on by you and by others. In our online setting, that will translate into posts to the All Class Discussion Board, a roughly 300 word initial post and a roughly 100 word response to your classmates that provides a brief summary of the significant points of our reading and a brief analysis of the main argument.
A little more meta stuff about Reading Journals. . .
Reading journals are actually great ways to accomplish a lot in any class: 1) it's a way to value reading in a way that students respect--I've seen too many classes where teachers bitch about students not doing the reading, but students don't do the reading because unless there is an immediate and extrinsic reason to, they don't do it. They just don't. 2) it's a great way to see if students really understand what is going on in the reading and gives you, the teacher, a chance to fill in what is not going over and, also, course correct. 3) It's a good way to bulk up a student's grade if you treat them as low-stakes writing--if you value the labor rather than the product of producing the journals (as I do for this class). 4) Finally, and most importantly, students learn by writing about what they are reading. That's sort of one of the major points of this semester. So you doing reading journals is one way to prove that to you.
This class is supposed to help you learn how to include writing into your ELA classroom. It has, prior to this summer, largely assumed a face-to-face classrooms. It's not that I never thought about how to use technology in the writing classroom--this website predates Covid, as do discussion boards, online workshops, etc. But it was never the central delivery. It was always a supporting player. But, as we have quickly learned, there is always the moment when everything goes haywire and the primary method of delivery is in writing and in writing online. So let's learn from this this summer. On my end, I'm going to try to think about how we can make this medium, this way of teaching, as powerful online as it is face-to-face. On your end, I need you to be willing to try some of the whacky (low-stakes) things I want to try out with reading journals in an online setting. OK. Now. . .
Initial 300 word posts, Reading journals have three parts to them:
Your 100 word response to your classmates have two parts to them:
One last bit of advice about this: The thing that annoys me about online discussion boards are the perfunctory answers that people post the "Oh, I totally agree" statements. Try to take this work as seriously as I do. Enjoy it. Be fully present and authentic.
How you will be evaluated for Reading Journal posts
Reading Journal discussion board posts are worth 15% of your final grade.
In order to earn a "B" grade for that 15% you must:
An Acceptable Reading Journal will
Unacceptable Reading Journals
If you produce a reading journal that does not meet the requirements for an "Acceptable" grade, I will let you know in a personal email. I will tell you why it does not meet the "Acceptable" requirements, and you always have the opportunity to revise any "Unacceptable" grade into an "Acceptable" grade at any point in the semester as long as you've posted your original reading journal by the original due date.
In order to earn an "A" grade for that 15% you must:
In order to earn a "C" grade for that 15% you must:
Complete all but four reading journals at an acceptable level.
If you do not meet the requirements for a "C" grade, you will fail the 15% of your final grade that is earned in the Reading Journal assignment.
In a face-to-face class, besides me, at least some of your classmates would read most if not all of your reading journals. They would be active documents in our class—getting written on by you and by others. In our online setting, that will translate into posts to the All Class Discussion Board, a roughly 300 word initial post and a roughly 100 word response to your classmates that provides a brief summary of the significant points of our reading and a brief analysis of the main argument.
A little more meta stuff about Reading Journals. . .
Reading journals are actually great ways to accomplish a lot in any class: 1) it's a way to value reading in a way that students respect--I've seen too many classes where teachers bitch about students not doing the reading, but students don't do the reading because unless there is an immediate and extrinsic reason to, they don't do it. They just don't. 2) it's a great way to see if students really understand what is going on in the reading and gives you, the teacher, a chance to fill in what is not going over and, also, course correct. 3) It's a good way to bulk up a student's grade if you treat them as low-stakes writing--if you value the labor rather than the product of producing the journals (as I do for this class). 4) Finally, and most importantly, students learn by writing about what they are reading. That's sort of one of the major points of this semester. So you doing reading journals is one way to prove that to you.
This class is supposed to help you learn how to include writing into your ELA classroom. It has, prior to this summer, largely assumed a face-to-face classrooms. It's not that I never thought about how to use technology in the writing classroom--this website predates Covid, as do discussion boards, online workshops, etc. But it was never the central delivery. It was always a supporting player. But, as we have quickly learned, there is always the moment when everything goes haywire and the primary method of delivery is in writing and in writing online. So let's learn from this this summer. On my end, I'm going to try to think about how we can make this medium, this way of teaching, as powerful online as it is face-to-face. On your end, I need you to be willing to try some of the whacky (low-stakes) things I want to try out with reading journals in an online setting. OK. Now. . .
Initial 300 word posts, Reading journals have three parts to them:
- Write a brief but comprehensive summary of the key points discussed in each reading. Think of this work as archival: for the rest of your career you’ll be able to look back at this summary and quickly determine if it offers you something you need at that moment. I did this kind of work in graduate school and to this day I find myself going back to these notes—for this class in fact.
- Write a brief reaction to the piece. Be careful here. I'm asking you not to say you hate it or love it. I'm asking you to think about the merits of the argument the author is making. Are the ideas here compelling to you as a reader/writer/teacher/student? Why or why not?
Your 100 word response to your classmates have two parts to them:
- Read what your classmates have to say, identify places you agree with them, identify ideas you think they've gotten wrong, identify places you think they've missed out on an important idea. Comment on that. Ask questions. Be thoughtful. Be kind.
- Finally, write briefly on what implications for teaching practice you take . Take a personal position on this last one: think about what the reading is saying ad what your classmates have to say to you as a future teacher. What practices or activities, assignments or philosophies does this essay suggest you might try in your classroom—or might not try?
One last bit of advice about this: The thing that annoys me about online discussion boards are the perfunctory answers that people post the "Oh, I totally agree" statements. Try to take this work as seriously as I do. Enjoy it. Be fully present and authentic.
How you will be evaluated for Reading Journal posts
Reading Journal discussion board posts are worth 15% of your final grade.
In order to earn a "B" grade for that 15% you must:
- Complete all but two Reading journal posts at an "Acceptable" level.
An Acceptable Reading Journal will
- Be no less than 300 words.
- Include a brief but comprehensive summary.
- Include a brief reaction to the validity of the argument (not if you like it or not)
- Include a thoughtful response to your classmates (roughly 100 words).
Unacceptable Reading Journals
If you produce a reading journal that does not meet the requirements for an "Acceptable" grade, I will let you know in a personal email. I will tell you why it does not meet the "Acceptable" requirements, and you always have the opportunity to revise any "Unacceptable" grade into an "Acceptable" grade at any point in the semester as long as you've posted your original reading journal by the original due date.
In order to earn an "A" grade for that 15% you must:
- Complete all but one Reading Journal at an Acceptable level.
- Post and apply authentically and with care for the reading and what your classmates have to say.
In order to earn a "C" grade for that 15% you must:
Complete all but four reading journals at an acceptable level.
If you do not meet the requirements for a "C" grade, you will fail the 15% of your final grade that is earned in the Reading Journal assignment.