tentative syllabus ENGL301 Writing & The Teaching of Writing
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Need to be in touch with me?
LEE TORDA 310 Tillinghast Hall Bridgewater State University 508.531.2436 ltorda@bridgew.edu www.leetorda.com On Zoom: https://bridgew.zoom.us/j/3806648927 |
Fall 2021 Open Hours for students (office hours):
MW (in-person or Zoom) 1:30 to 2:30 T (Zoom only) 10:00 to 11:00 R 1:45 to 2:45 (in-person or Zoom) And by appointment Make an appointment, either face to face or on zoom, during office hours or at another time: Let me know you want to meet by adding yourself to my google.doc appointment calendar here: https://goo.gl/3CqLf. If you are meeting me on zoom, I will send you a zoom link for the time you sign up for. |
WEEK ONE
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WHEN IT'S DUE
Wednesday 9.1.2021 |
WHAT YOU HAVE TO READ, WATCH, OR LISTEN TO
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO WRITE
IN-CLASS: Who you are/goals/concerns/what you want to learn in this class. IN-CLASS: Start in on partner interview for posting to class website--getting facts, stories, etc for your 250 word partner interview (to be posted to our class website). |
WHAT WE'LL DO IN CLASS
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WEEK TWO
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WHEN IT'S DUE
Wednesday 9.8.2021 NOTE: WEDNESDAY OF THIS WEEK IS THE LAST DAY TO DROP OR ADD A CLASS. |
WHAT YOU HAVE TO READ, WATCH, OR LISTEN TO
Locate, read, and be ready to discuss 2 articles from a newspaper or magazine (does not have to be scholarly) 1) one should be any article written in the past year (2020) written about education/the US classroom. 2) one should be any article written BEFORE MARCH 2020 about education/the US classroom. |
WHAT YOU HAVE TO WRITE
No Writing is due today. Bring notes to class on your two articles. |
WHAT WE'LL DO IN CLASS
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WEEK THREE
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WHEN IT'S DUE
Monday 9.13.2021 Wednesday 9.15.2021
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO READ, WATCH, OR LISTEN TO
READ: “Why Johnny Can’t Write” available here: 
Also, locate, read, and bring to class any version of “Why Johnny Can’t” (Why Jane Can’t, Why the American College student Can’t). Be ready to share and discuss. READ: Chapters 1-3 in Constance Weaver’s Grammar to Enrich & Enhance Writing. Available here:
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DUE: Reading Journal on Constance Weaver chapters.
Also, draft of partner interview for workshopping. |
WHAT WE'LL DO IN CLASS
Sharing Reading Journals on "Why Johnny Can't". In groups, comparing and contrasting the "Why fill-in-the-blank" articles. What does this tell us about how the ELA classroom has evolved over time? Also, in class work on partner interview: getting paired up; getting needed information. IN-CLASS: work on grammar lust & loathing. Overview of Book Club assignment.
Also, workshopping your partner interview. | ||||||||
Due by the end of next week (24 September 2021):
ONCE YOU’VE ACTUALLY READ the policies and syllabus for this course. You have the opportunity to earn one "A" for Acceptable for a reader's notes grade simply by completing the following assignment by 24 September 2021.
1. Send me an email at ltorda@bridgew.edu , CC me at lee.torda@gmail.com
2. In the subject line, write "Syllabus Check-in Email". Write it exactly as I've written it here.
3. In the body of the email, include a greeting: "Hello LT," "Hi Professor Torda," "Hey Dr. Torda." Whatever. But have a greeting.
4. Cut and paste this sentence into the email: "I've read through the policies and syllabus for the course, and I understand how to use the website to find out information about assignments, course policies, due dates, and classroom expectations, and to post my own writing to the class website in fulfillment of written assignments."
5. Sign off on your email, "best, so & so" "see you in class, your name here" "sincerely, John Doe." Again, whatever. But sign off on your email.
NOTE: Keep in mind, that when you send me this email, I’m going to assume you’ve actually done your due diligence about reading the syllabus and policies for the course, and I will hold you to those policies going forward during the semester.
Make sure I get this email by 24 September 2021. If you don't send it to me, you lose the freebie “A” for acceptable for a reading journal post.
ONCE YOU’VE ACTUALLY READ the policies and syllabus for this course. You have the opportunity to earn one "A" for Acceptable for a reader's notes grade simply by completing the following assignment by 24 September 2021.
1. Send me an email at ltorda@bridgew.edu , CC me at lee.torda@gmail.com
2. In the subject line, write "Syllabus Check-in Email". Write it exactly as I've written it here.
3. In the body of the email, include a greeting: "Hello LT," "Hi Professor Torda," "Hey Dr. Torda." Whatever. But have a greeting.
4. Cut and paste this sentence into the email: "I've read through the policies and syllabus for the course, and I understand how to use the website to find out information about assignments, course policies, due dates, and classroom expectations, and to post my own writing to the class website in fulfillment of written assignments."
5. Sign off on your email, "best, so & so" "see you in class, your name here" "sincerely, John Doe." Again, whatever. But sign off on your email.
NOTE: Keep in mind, that when you send me this email, I’m going to assume you’ve actually done your due diligence about reading the syllabus and policies for the course, and I will hold you to those policies going forward during the semester.
Make sure I get this email by 24 September 2021. If you don't send it to me, you lose the freebie “A” for acceptable for a reading journal post.
WEEK FOUR
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WHEN IT'S DUE
Monday 9.20.2021 Wednesday 9.22.2021
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO READ, WATCH, OR LISTEN TO
READ: Chapters 1-3 of Lives on the Boundary. Check out this follow up Class Update on the "Why Johnny Can't" article and subsequently named versions of it. READ: Chapters 4, 5, & 6 of Lives on the Boundary.
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO WRITE
DUE: Reading Journal on Chapters 1-3 of LOTB. DUE TO ME: Email me your 200 word partner bio and a picture of you (or meme or other image) for inclusion on our class profile page. Both the blurb and the image will be publicly visible so make sure you and your interview partner are comfortable with what you send me. DUE: Reading Journal on Chapters 4-6 in LOTB
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WHAT WE'LL DO IN CLASS
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WEEK FIVE
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WHEN IT'S DUE
Monday 9.27.2021 Wednesday 9.29.2021
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO READ, WATCH, OR LISTEN TO
READ: Chapters 7 & 8 of Lives on the Boundary. READ: the Prologue and the chapter "Spic in English" from Victor Villanueva's Bootstraps. The entire book is available as a .pdf here, you will need to scroll and print to get only the prologue and "Spic in English".
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WHAT YOU NEED TO WRITE
DUE: Reading Journal on last chapters of LOTB. Also, have made initial contact with your alumni teacher via email; come to class ready to talk about the kinds of questions you think we should be asking our alums who teach. DUE TO ME: Class profile scavenger hunt. Remember, completing this scavenger hunt buys you one free reading journal for any week you need it. When you respond to the email, remember to send it ONLY TO ME. LISTEN: To the "Wonder Woman" segment of the This American Life Episode #508 Super Powers (click on the title to go directly to the podcast)
DUE: Reading Journal on selections from Villanueva's Bootstraps. |
WHAT WE'LL DO IN CLASS
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WEEK SIX
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WHEN IT'S DUE
Monday 10.4.2021 Wednesday 10.6.2021
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO READ, WATCH, OR LISTEN TO
LISTEN: To this Podcast on a Chicago area High School "Harper High School Part I" on the radio program This American Life. WATCH: This TED talk, this TED talk, and this TED talk.
READ: Click here to read this essay, "Mixed Blood Stew", so that we can respond to Reading Journal Sample student writingStudent Writing. |
WHAT YOU HAVE TO WRITE
DUE: Reading Journal on Harper High School Part I Also, be sure to have emailed your questions/set up an interview time with your teacher by class time. Keep in mind that a week from today, you'll need to have some information from your alum. UPDATE as of 4 October 2021: An edited version of the questions I received from the groups is available on the Class Update page. They have also been emailed to you DUE: Reading Journal on the TED talks only. You don't need to do a separate journal for each talk, just one journal that touches on all three.
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WHAT WE'LL DO IN CLASS
In-Class: Discussion of Harper High podcast. Connecting to previous readings.
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WEEK SEVEN
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WHEN IT'S DUE
Monday 10.11.2021 Wednesday 10.13.2021
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO READ, WATCH, OR LISTEN TO
No Reading Due Today.
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO WRITE
DUE IN CLASS: notes from your alumni interview.
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WHAT WE'LL DO IN CLASS
All Classes Canceled in honor of Indigenous People's Day. IN-CLASS: Working with the notes from your alum. Moving from a bunch of notes to an actual paper.
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WEEK EIGHT
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WHEN IT'S DUE
Monday 10. 18.2021 Wednesday 10. 20.2021
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO READ, WATCH, OR LISTEN TO
No Reading Due Today. No Reading Due Today.
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO WRITE
DUE IN CLASS: Rough draft of your Alumni Interview paper for workshopping. Bring two hard copies to class. No Writing Due Today.
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WHAT WE'LL DO IN CLASS
IN-CLASS: Workshopping your Alumni Interview paper.
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WEEK NINE
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WHEN IT'S DUE
Monday 10.25.2021 Wednesday 10.27.2021
Class Canceled Due to Wind (!) |
WHAT YOU HAVE TO READ, WATCH, OR LISTEN TO
READ: These excerpts from Louise Rosenblatt's Literature as Exploration and Frank Smith's
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO WRITE
DUE: Reading Journal on Smith and Rosenblatt--one journal that covers both readings. |
WHAT WE'LL DO IN CLASS
IN-CLASS: how would Rosenblatt and Smith explain what happened in last week's book club experience? Also, first book club. To be read in class: "Number Theory." | ||||||
WEEK TEN
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WHEN IT'S DUE
Monday 11.01.2021 CLASS WILL BE ON ZOOM TODAY CLICK HERE TO ATTEND: https://bridgew.zoom.us/j/3806648927 Wednesday 11.03. 2021
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO READ, WATCH, OR LISTEN TO
READ: This excerpt from Wolfgang Iser's Prospecting
Read Also, for the purposes of book club, "She Said it Like She meant it" by Jennifer Blackman in American Short Fiction (link is live).
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO WRITE
DUE: Reading Journal on Iser. Also, your DRAFT of your Mentor Text Memoir DUE TO ME: your completed midterm portfolio, including your Mentor Text Memoir .
No Reading Journal Due Today. Come to Class with your notes/questions/ideas about Freire for use during book club. |
WHAT WE'LL DO IN CLASS
IN-CLASS: Making an argument for challenging reading. Also, Second book club on "She Said it Like She Meant It" IN-CLASS: Last book club. We will use the Paulo Freire homework reading as our book club material.
Also, in-class work on book club Final Reflection. | ||||
WEEK ELEVEN
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WHEN IT'S DUE
Monday 11.08.2021 Wednesday 11.10.2021
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO READ, WATCH, OR LISTEN TO
READ: Introduction to Asao Inoue's Antiracist Writing Assessment Ecologies available here. READ: Your assigned chapter and Chapter 5 of Antiracist Writing Assessment Ecologies available here.
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DUE: Reading Journal on your chapter of Inoue and Chapter five. As you write: keep in mind the questions your classmates had and see what answers you can find for them in your chapter.
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WHAT WE'LL DO IN CLASS
IN-CLASS: After reading the introduction, what would you like more information about? What questions do you have? Division of labor among the groups to read and report out on the rest of Antiracist Writing. Also, in-class work on book club Final Reflection. Also, sign up for one-on-one grade conferences. Sign up using this link here. (note: link might not be live until 8 November 2021). IN-CLASS: Answering our questions from previous class.
Also, in-class, over view of Research in Teaching Diverse Populations. In your small groups, picking your topics. |
Week Twelve
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WHEN IT'S DUE
Monday 11.15.2021 Wednesday 11.17.2021
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO READ, WATCH, OR LISTEN TO
No Reading Due Today READ: Sections I (introduction), II (Collecting Thinking), and III (The Opportunities in the Writer's Workshop) in Penny Kittle's Write Beside Them. One journal on all three sections.
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO WRITE
DUE: Your Book Club Final Reflection. See the Book Club assignment for complete details for what you are turning in. DUE: Reading Journal on Sections I, II, & III in Kittle's Write Beside Them.
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WHAT WE'LL DO IN CLASS
IN-CLASS: Research Day. You'll have the chance to locate articles and work with your group to make sure you don't have duplicates, etc. Also, in-class work on what a good annotation looks like. |
Week Thirteen
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WHEN IT'S DUE
Monday 11.22.2021 Wednesday 11.24.2021
NOTE: Class will be held in the zoomscape today. Click Here or on the zoom link located at the top of every page in our class website. |
WHAT YOU HAVE TO READ, WATCH, OR LISTEN TO
READ: Section 5 (mechanics) in Kittle's Write Beside Them and this selection from Charity-Hudley & Malinson's We Do Language (see below). One journal on both readings.
No Reading Due Today
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO WRITE
DUE: Reading Journal on Section 5 in Kittle and the Charity-Hudley & Malinson. (This is your last Reading Journal.) DUE ALSO: At least one annotation for your bibliography on Research in Teaching Diverse Populations. Click here to read the guidelines for developing your annotations and a color-coded sample annotations you can download. No Writing Due Today
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WHAT WE'LL DO IN CLASS
IN-CLASS: Circling back to Weaver discussing Kittle, Charity Hudley & Malinson. Also, annotated bibliography workshop (on one of your annotations). IN-CLASS: You'll have the entire class to work with your group members on your Research in Teaching Diverse Populations.
Also, Overview of Final Portfolio. Time for questions about Annotated bibliographies & Reflection, Research in Teaching Diverse Populations Presentation. | ||
Week Fourteen
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WHEN IT'S DUE
Monday 29 November 2021 Wednesday 1 December 2021
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO READ, WATCH, OR LISTEN TO
No Reading Due Today. READ: Section IV (Assessment) in Penny Kittle's Write Beside Them. Also, read the Introduction to Lisa Delpit's Other People's Children (pdf below).
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO WRITE
No Reading Due Today. DUE: Reading Journal on Chapters in Kittle and Lisa Delpit. LAST READING JOURNAL
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WHAT WE'LL DO IN CLASS
IN-CLASS: Check in with group mates on Research in Teaching Diverse Populations presentation. Also, reading student writing. IN-CLASS: Check in with group mates on Research in Teaching Diverse Populations presentation.
ALSO, in-class work on your Assignment Design. Sign up for Assignment Design small group conferences. Click here to access the google.doc sign up. | ||
Week Fifteen
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WHEN IT'S DUE
Monday 6 December 2021 Wednesday 8 December 2021
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WHAT YOU HAVE TO READ, WATCH, OR LISTEN TO
No Reading Due Today. No Reading Due Today.
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DUE: Be ready to talk, for literally three minutes, about your Assignment Design project. Get immediate and real feedback.
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WHAT WE'LL DO IN CLASS
IN-CLASS: Annotation for Research in Teaching Diverse Populations workshop. Also, in-class free-write in preparation for annotated bib cover letter.Check in with group mates on Research in Teaching Diverse Populations presentation. IN-CLASS: Last chance to work on Research in Teaching Diverse Populations presentation. Questions about Final Portfolio.
Also, quick three minute conferences on Assignment Design. |