Tuesday evening, May 10

Greetings,

a special thank you to all of the students who attended class on Monday to listen to oral presentations, even when they were not presenting until tomorrow. I hope to see the same respect shown by those who presented on Monday...and that you will attend class tomorrow to support the Wednesday presenters.

A note about Friday's class. On Friday, please bring your Grade Sheet and all the graded work I have returned to you. You will be checking my Grade Sheet with yours to be sure they reflect the same scores. It is possible that I have recorded an incorrect score for an assignment, or I may have not recorded it at all. As long as you have the graded work to "show" your accuracy, I will adjust accordingly.

I have mentioned this in class several times, but again, as far as Group Work goes, if you were present, you received 50 points. I have saved the sign in sheets from those group get-togethers, in case we need to refer to any of them.

If you choose not to attend class on Friday, please know that the grade you earned will be the one based on the scores I recorded for you.

Friday evening, May 6th

A reminder about revisions...(why am I STILL awake after staying up so late last night grading essay 3 papers...she wonders...)

For Section 1, if you choose to revise essay 3, it is due no later than Wednesday, May 11th.

For Sections 4, 7, and 11, if you choose to revise essay 3, it is due no later than Friday, May 13th.

If you are unaware of what section you are in....uhm....I cannot help you at this point...:-)

Have a great weekend...be safe...and I will see you on Monday.

Monday evening, May 2

Hello, for your convenience I will post here the schedule for the oral presentations next week.

SECTION 1
Monday, May 9
Mattie, Micaela, Austin, Ryan, Sam Key, Cody, Inna, Cristina, Vanessa, Jay, Rajdeep AND Kaela.
Wednesday, May 11
Megan, Samantha, Kimberly, Mylinh, Phuong Jasmine, Alexander, Camille, Jordyn, Sarah, Chelsea, Roxy AND Chiem

SECTION 4
Monday, May 9
Rudy, Leo, John, Thomas, Lauren, Rachel, Kanyee, Jordan Z., Sherri, Luis AND Martin
Wednesday, May 11
Brianna, Alesana, Jacob, Eric A., Erik, Eric J., Robert, Raquel, Craig, Zack, Ana Maria, Arti AND Jaclyn

SECTION 7
Monday, May 9
Jamison, Prashant, Ashley, Lauren, Scott, Danitta, Joycelynn, Hanna, Jessica, Sydney, Katilin, Jazmin, Xiaoting, AND Kristi
Wednesday, May 11
Stephanie, Zachary Davis, Ranya, Julian, Jordan, Jimmy, Binh, Victoria, James, Jake, Vincent AND Kaileigh

SECTION 11
Monday, May 9
William, Sandeep, Ana, Frank, Alejandra, Elana, Sergio, Tawnya, Kenna, Tushaun, Emily, Cristina AND Raymond
Wednesday, May 11
David, Paige, CJ, Thomas, Ashley, Eric, Maegan, Aneece, Allan, Alisha, Alison, Kelly AND Sean

Sunday evening, May 1

Hello, just a quick reminder...

I am assuming you will have your handout on How to Read an Essay with you in class tomorrow, but just in case, please remember to bring it along. Among other things, we will be finishing up that handout and discussing the last two steps.

Also, be sure to attach your Character Journal to Essay 3 when you submit it tomorrow.

Wednesday afternoon, April 27th

Just something silly...since I am a "friend" of Breaking Bad on Facebook, I was sent this link...a quiz on Season One...I scored 100%...you?


http://blogs.amctv.com/breaking-bad/2011/04/season-1-whats-the-story-quiz.php

Tuesday evening, April 26th

Greetings.

A few things:

1. Sign ups for oral presentations was Monday during class. If you did not attend class, it is your responsibility to ask me for the sign up sheet.
2. I have looked over a few students' rough drafts for Essay 3.

I feel inclined to remind you about what this essay is asking you to do. If you re-visit the blog entry for Friday, January 28th, you will find copies of two handouts I distributed and discussed in class. One is the actual Character Journal assignment and the other is the brief list of some character vocabulary/adjectives.

We have also discussed quite a bit in class about analysis, and specifically, character analysis.

The purpose of the essay, again, is for you to demonstrate your ability to make independent, careful, in-depth observations of one character from the Breaking Bad series. From these observations, you are to make an assertion about that person, based on how they act, what they say, etc.

What I am seeing in some of the rough drafts are descriptions of scenes and behavior of a character, but not really any explanation or analysis about how and why this demonstrates a particular character quality.

You have been building up to this essay all semester, practicing analysis. As I have mentioned before, it SHOULD be the most challenging of the three out of class essays. This essay requires, more than even the other two, a lot of THINKING and time commitment.

Friday January 28th

Friday evening, April 22, 2011

Greetings...wishing all of you a wonderful and safe weekend.

As you already know, this coming week will be a short one as we will not hold class on Friday, the 29th. Essay 3 is now due on Monday, May 2nd.

We will be following the course outline for Monday and Wednesday.

Monday will be a discussion/lecture on film vs. television, which I believe is appropriate since the semester is initially based on a television series. We will also begin a discussion of tips and guidelines for taking the GWAR requirement--the WPJ. I know there are a few of you who have already taken the exam--either the WPE or the newly revised version, the WPJ--but you may still find some of the information about taking a timed writing exam useful.

Even though quizzes are usually unannounced, I will be so bold as to tell you that Wednesday will be the day of our last quiz of the semester. It will be on information discussed on Monday and Wednesday. Also, Wednesday will be the day of student evaluations.

See you Monday!

Tuesday afternoon, April 19, 2011...430 pm

Greetings,

A slight change of plans for this week.
I am going to have to cancel classes on Friday this week.There is a dept. workshop being held that I really would rather not miss. It is rare that these take place on Fridays.
(Next Friday, the 29th, is still cancelled as well).
The change for this week means that the Journal assignment will take place in class TOMORROW.
Also, a few other things that will occur tomorrow in class:
1. we will continue discussion of How to Read an Essay
2. there will be signups for oral presentations

See you then.

Friday afternoon, April 15, 2011

Greetings!
Below is Packet 8. We will be discussing this packet on Monday and I will provide notes for you to fill in for the five listed steps to reading an essay towards the end of the packet. Please print out this packet, read through it, and bring it to class.
Have a wonderful weekend and be safe.

English 20, College Composition II
C. Fraga

How to Critically Read an Essay

Educated adults exist in a delusional state, thinking we can read.

In a most basic sense, we can.

However, odds are, some of us cannot read, at least not as well as we would like.

Too many college students are capable of only some types of reading and that becomes painfully clear when they read a difficult text and must respond critically about it.

Intelligence and a keen memory are excellent traits and most students have learned to read in a certain way that is only useful for extracting information. Thus, students are often fairly well skilled in providing summary.

However, the act of reading to extract information and to read critically are vastly different!

The current educational system in American primary schools (and many colleges) heavily emphasizes the first type of reading and de-emphasizes the latter.

In many ways, THIS MAKES SENSE.

Reading to extract information allows a student to absorb the raw materials of factual information as quickly as possible. It is a type of reading we all must engage in frequently. However, each type of reading calls for different mental habits. If we do not learn to adjust from one type of reading to another when necessary, we cripple our intellectual abilities to read critically.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN READING TO EXTRACT INFORMATION AND READING CRITICALLY.

1. They have different goals. When students read to extract information, usually they seek facts and presume the source is accurate. No argument is required. On the other hand, when students read critically, they try to determine the quality of the argument. The reader must be open-minded and skeptical all at once, constantly adjusting the degree of personal belief in relation to the quality of the essay’s argument.
2. They require different types of discipline. If students read to learn raw data, the most efficient way to learn is repetition. If students read critically, the most effective technique may be to break the essay up into logical subdivisions and analyze each section’s argument, to restate the argument in other words, and then to expand upon or question the findings.
3. They require different mental activity. If a student reads to gain information, a certain degree of absorption, memorization and passivity is necessary. If a student is engaged in reading critically, that student must be active!!! He or she must be prepared to pre-read the essay, then read it closely for content, and re-read it if it isn’t clear how the author is reaching the conclusion in the argument.
4. They create different results. Passive reading to absorb information can create a student who (if not precisely well read) has read a great many books. It creates what many call “book-smarts.” However, critical reading involves original, innovative thinking.
5. They differ in the degree of understanding they require. Reading for information is more basic, and reading critically is the more advanced of the two because only critical reading equates with full understanding.

ULTIMATELY, WHAT WE WANT IS THE CONSCIOUS CONTROL OF OUR READING SKILLS, SO WE CAN MOVE BACK AND FORTH AMIDST THE VARIOUS TYPES OF READING.

FIVE GENERAL STAGES OF READING

1. Pre-Reading—examining the text and preparing to read it effectively (5 minutes)




2. Interpretive Reading—understanding what the author argues, what the author concludes, and exactly how he or she reached that conclusion.




3. Critical Reading—questioning, examining and expanding upon what the author says with your own arguments. Skeptical reading does not mean doubting everything your read.



4. Synoptic Reading—putting the author’s argument in a larger context by considering a synopsis of that reading or argument in conjunction with synopses of other readings or arguments.



5. Post-Reading—ensuring that you won’t forget your new insights.

Thursday afternoon, April 14, 2011

Greetings...
in case anyone noticed, I mistakenly indicated that our last group exercise was GROUP EX 4...however, it was only #3....so we do have one more on the course outline. Also, we have one more journal to complete AND two more quizzes. Just a reminder that quizzes are not formally announced...so it is wise to attend class...tomorrow included. :-)
See you then.

Monday, April 11, 2011--5 pm

PACKET 7 (TWO READINGS)
"Immigration--Linked Prostitution Cases Pose Challenge


"Immigrants tell of forced prostitution and slavery as trafficking gang is jailed"


ALSO....a few reminders....for sections 4, 7 and 11...if you decide to revise out of class essay 2 which was returned to you today, the first revision is due no later than a week from today, Monday, April 18th.

See you Wednesday.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Good morning...just a quick note to ONLY my students in the 11 o'clock section, section 11.
Since your out of class essay was returned to you on Friday, the first revision for that essay...if you choose to revise...is due next Friday, April 18th.

Second Posting for Friday, April 8th, 2011

Greetings,
so far this semester, we have read about and discussed various "off shoot" topics from the first season of Breaking Bad.
These have included immigration, health care, the war on drugs and family dynamics. We also touched on the issue of honesty in relationships, particularly a marriage. This becomes an increasingly alarming issue in Breaking Bad between Walter and Skylar and between Marie and Hank.

A few weeks ago, I asked all four sections of my 20 classes to complete a sentence:
Being honest is less about ...and more about....

As I looked through them, there were several that were very similar, but many others that differed quite a bit. I selected a well rounded sampling of the responses and have listed them below. Please print this list out and bring to class on Monday.



Honesty is less about truthfulness and more about vulnerability.

Being honest is less about being hurtful and more about being a trustworthy person.

Being honest is less about keeping a secret, and more about telling the truth.

Being honest is less about truth and more about character.

Being honest is less about justice and more about karma.

Being honest is less about being truthful and more about being respectful.

Being honest is less about yourself and more about others.

Being honest is less about telling the truth and more about integrity, backing up your belief.

Being honest is less about what you said and more about what you do.

Being honest is less about hurting someone’s feelings and more about doing what’s right.

Being honest is less about telling the truth and more about doing the right and caring thing.

Being honest is less about sugarcoating and more about keeping it real.

Being honest is less about how you are going to feel and more about how the other person is going to feel.

Being honest is less about protecting other people’s feelings and more about telling the truth even if the truth hurts another.

Being honest is less about the outcome and more about the motivation.

Being honest is less about “showing all your cards” and more about being respectful to the people you hold close to your heart.

Being honest is less about telling the truth and more about holding yourself to a standard.

Being honest is less about being straightforward and saying everything that comes to mind…and more about telling the truth about the right things at the right time.

Being honest is less about personal gain and more about personal growth.

Being honest is less about being a completely open book and more about sharing what is absolutely necessary.

Being honest is less about feelings and more about morals.

Being honest is less about being one hundred percent truthful and more about being truthful in moral situations and protecting people.

Being honest is less about what you say and more about what others hear.

Being honest is less about revealing your entire personal history and more about communicating honestly and effectively the desires of your heart.

Being honest is less about pain and more about courage.

Being honest is less about being “true” to yourself, and more about being truthful to those around you—giving them the power to see you as you are.

Being honest is less about promoting your own position or self worth and more about promoting the general improvement of society.

Being honest is less about saying every little blunt, crude and minor thing that may come to mind and more about just communicating your feelings to others when appropriate.

Being honest is less about telling the absolute truth and more about having good intentions.

Being honest is less about the problem at hand and more about how you solve it.

Being honest is less about kinship and more about fact.

Being honest is less about telling every single detail and more about showing others you value them enough to tell them the truth.

Being honest is less about what you say and more about when you say it.

Being honest is less about deceiving an individual and more about not getting in trouble.

Being honest is less about what’s true and more about what you can get away with.

Being honest is less about telling the truth and more about accepting the truth.

Friday evening, April 8, 2011

Greetings. Below you will find a copy of the handout distributed today in class regarding out of class essay 3. If you were absent today, you will want to check with another student regarding additional information that was given in class concerning this assignment. It is difficult to relate to you all the information one misses during lectures, discussions, etc.
Enjoy the weekend, be safe, and be sure to check the blog again. I will be posting something you will need to print out and bring to class on Monday in preparation for the group work.


English 20, Sections 1, 4, 7 and 11
Spring 2011
Prof. Fraga

Out of Class Essay Assignment #3 (200 points)
Assigned: Friday, April 8
Optional Rough Draft Due: no later than Monday, April 25
Due: Monday, May 2
(you have over three weeks to complete this essay)
Requirements:
• MLA format
• If you utilize any outside sources (not required) you must follow MLA format for in- text citations, Works Cited page, etc.
• Attach Character Study Journal (all 7 entries) to essay when submitting

Before we began viewing the first season of Breaking Bad, I assigned a Character Study Journal. You were to select a character to focus on more carefully than others and to record observations of him or her as the episodes unfolded.
This Character Study Journal will now be a valuable source as you write your last out of class essay for this course.

Assignment:
Write an in-depth character analysis of one of the characters in the first season of Breaking Bad. Write your essay for an audience that has viewed these episodes. In other words, be specific but you need not relate the entire story line.

Your essay must include the following:
• An introduction/description/background of your character
• Assertions about your character
• Supportive evidence from the episodes that support your assertions (how did you come to the conclusions you did regarding your character?)

Your supportive evidence might include but is not limited to:
• what others observe/say (or don’t observe/say) about your character—either directly or in private
• the actions of your character in particular situations
• the reactions/responses of your character in particular situations
• what drives this character
• what terrifies this character
• what pleases this character
• what does this character long for
• what does this character need

Your thesis must be assertive…it is YOUR opinion as a viewer of these episodes.
Whether or not you LIKE or DISLIKE this character is not an issue in this essay.
Whether you LIKE or DISLIKE the series is also not an issue in this essay. Proving to the reader that this character has the attributes (good, bad, layered, shallow) that you assert he or she has is your goal.

Your thesis might read something like this:
Once Walter learns of his terminal cancer, he seems very unstable and irresponsible; however, his behavior truly represents a very determined, focused and highly intelligent, highly moral father and husband.
or…
Marie is a very insecure and lonely woman who is unhappy and uncomfortable living in the shadow of her power-driven DEA husband and her happily married and very bright sister, Skylar.

Reminder: Keep in mind that you will be presenting the highlights of this essay to the class on either May 9 or 11. This is not a speech class, so I do not expect you to be elaborate. Just share a brief summary of your character analysis. You are not required to do this in front of the class; you can simply sit at your desk and speak. Sign ups for this presentation will be next week.

Thursday April 7, 2011

Greetings,
I read the article below (link provided) today in the San Francisco Chronicle. Very interesting piece about immigration court and is yet another example of how we need to streamline the process. I think you will find it very topical to what we have been discussing in class.
See you tomorrow.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/04/07/state/n072209D68.DTL

Tuesday, April 5th, 2011

I have to be out of town on Friday, April 29th for a very special family event.
That is the day your out of class essay 3 is scheduled to be due.
Consequently, the new due date for out of class essay 3 is Monday, May 2nd.
See you tomorrow!

Saturday evening around 930 pm

Just a quick correction...
on a few of the rough drafts I looked over I indicated to those students that essay two required five outside sources. I was gently reminded by a student on Friday that really, only three are required...I was thinking of my English 1A essay two assignment. I apologize! :-)

Friday evening, April 1, 2011

Greetings...

Assignment below:

PACKET 6 (ONE READING)
"Top 10 Pros and Cons--What are the Solutions to Illegal Immigration?"
http://immigration.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000842

(if you need to know when this reading is due to be read...I suggest you check the course outline...:-)...can you tell that I am directing this at those who still do NOT READ THE BLOG...?)

Enjoy this most lovely spring weather and have a good, safe weekend!

Wednesday evening, March 30th

Greetings!

A few things I want to remind you of...

First, be sure to read the PREVIOUS blog entry about the immigration assignment. No one mentioned it in class today, so I will assume there are no questions. But if there are, please feel free to e-mail me or post the question here on the blog. The assignment is due on Friday.

Second, there have been a few students (more than usual, actually) that have asked about making up in class work. Some have been concerned about meeting the required word count for the class. I have cut and pasted the two items that cover that from the syllabus and put them below for a quick reminder....:-)


4. In all fairness to other students, I do not accept late work. If you are ill, please arrange for another student to turn it in for you. Period.


5. After the due date, a late essay loses 10 points for every day it’s late, including weekends. NOT submitting an out of class essay is NOT an option. The English dept. requires that you write an approximate number of words in this course. The out of class essays provide a large part of the word count requirement.

Tuesday, March 29th, 11 am

Greetings...

In preparation for a group exercise next week, I am assigning a homework task due on Friday, April 1st.

For this assignment, I would like you to consider the word "immigration" and do some brainstorming.

Type out ideas that come to mind when you "hear" this word.

The manner in which you do this (listing; short paragraphs; bulleted points, etc.) is entirely up to you. These reactions/responses need not necessarily be what YOU feel or believe...perhaps they are just things you have heard or read.

Please DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME on this assignment. When you submit it, there will be a sign-in sheet so you receive credit for completing the assignment. It counts as 25 points towards the 50 points for the group discussion.

I will discuss this briefly in class tomorrow in case you have questions or concerns.

See you in class tomorrow. Enjoy the sunshine!

Sunday evening, March 27th around 6 pm

Greetings...

I hope all of you had a most restful and enjoyable spring break...
we are now halfway through the semester...
tomorrow we will watch the final episode/Season 1 of Breaking Bad.

For those of you in Section 1 that had to leave to get to another class and could not stay to watch the final few moments of episode 6, here is the link that gives a synopsis of that episode and will fill you in on what happened in the last few moments.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4e9tda2nCc


The following two links will take you to Packet #5, due to be read, and in the case of the first of the two assigned, listened to as well, by Friday, April 1st.

The first required reading is a 4 minute and 50 second interview that was recorded on National Public Radio in June of 2010.

1.) "Tackling America's Drug Addiction"
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127937271

Reminder: After you listen to the interview, please print out the transcript of the interview and bring to class on Friday.

2.) "Confessions of a Mom (and a Former Teen Pothead)
http://www.npr.org/blogs/tellmemore/2010/10/19/130677774/confessions-from-a-mom-and-former-teen-pot-head

Reminder: After reading this blog posting, please print and bring to class on Friday.

Monday, March 21st around 530 pm

Greetings...
I do not expect you will be checking in much during this break from classes...
but when you do, I found the article below quite interesting and thought I would share.
I will post later in the week....
enjoy the week and be safe.



How Dumb Are We?

Andrew Romano – Sun Mar 20, 11:45 pm ET

NEW YORK – Newsweek gave 1,000 Americans the U.S. Citizenship Test—38 percent failed. The country's future is imperiled by our ignorance. In this week’s issue, Andrew Romano looks at the risks involved in America’s ignorance.
They’re the sort of scores that drive high-school history teachers to drink. When Newsweek recently asked 1,000 U.S. citizens to take America’s official citizenship test, 29 percent couldn’t name the vice president. Seventy-three percent couldn’t correctly say why we fought the Cold War. Forty-four percent were unable to define the Bill of Rights. And 6 percent couldn’t even circle Independence Day on a calendar.
Don’t get us wrong: civic ignorance is nothing new. For as long as they’ve existed, Americans have been misunderstanding checks and balances and misidentifying their senators. And they’ve been lamenting the philistinism of their peers ever since pollsters started publishing these dispiriting surveys back in Harry Truman’s day. (He was a president, by the way.) According to a study by Michael X. Delli Carpini, dean of the Annenberg School for Communication, the yearly shifts in civic knowledge since World War II have averaged out to “slightly under 1 percent.”
But the world has changed. And unfortunately, it’s becoming more and more inhospitable to incurious know-nothings—like us.
To appreciate the risks involved, it’s important to understand where American ignorance comes from. In March 2009, the European Journal of Communication asked citizens of Britain, Denmark, Finland, and the U.S. to answer questions on international affairs. The Europeans clobbered us. Sixty-eight percent of Danes, 75 percent of Brits, and 76 percent of Finns could, for example, identify the Taliban, but only 58 percent of Americans managed to do the same—even though we’ve led the charge in Afghanistan. It was only the latest in a series of polls that have shown us lagging behind our First World peers.
Most experts agree that the relative complexity of the U.S. political system makes it hard for Americans to keep up. In many European countries, parliaments have proportional representation, and the majority party rules without having to “share power with a lot of subnational governments,” notes Yale political scientist Jacob Hacker, coauthor of Winner-Take-All Politics. In contrast, we’re saddled with a nonproportional Senate; a tangle of state, local, and federal bureaucracies; and near-constant elections for every imaginable office (judge, sheriff, school-board member, and so on). “Nobody is competent to understand it all, which you realize every time you vote,” says Michael Schudson, author of The Good Citizen. “You know you’re going to come up short, and that discourages you from learning more.”
For more than two centuries, Americans have gotten away with not knowing much about the world around them. But times have changed—and they’ve changed in ways that make civic ignorance a big problem going forward.
It doesn’t help that the United States has one of the highest levels of income inequality in the developed world, with the top 400 households raking in more money than the bottom 60 percent combined. As Dalton Conley, an NYU sociologist, explains, “it’s like comparing apples and oranges. Unlike Denmark, we have a lot of very poor people without access to good education, and a huge immigrant population that doesn’t even speak English.” When surveys focus on well-off, native-born respondents, the U.S. actually holds its own against Europe.
Other factors exacerbate the situation. A big one, Hacker argues, is the decentralized U.S. education system, which is run mostly by individual states: “When you have more centrally managed curricula, you have more common knowledge and a stronger civic culture.” Another hitch is our reliance on market-driven programming rather than public broadcasting, which, according to the EJC study, “devotes more attention to public affairs and international news, and fosters greater knowledge in these areas.”
For more than two centuries, Americans have gotten away with not knowing much about the world around them. But times have changed—and they’ve changed in ways that make civic ignorance a big problem going forward. While isolationism is fine in an isolated society, we can no longer afford to mind our own business. What happens in China and India (or at a Japanese nuclear plant) affects the autoworker in Detroit; what happens in the statehouse and the White House affects the competition in China and India. Before the Internet, brawn was enough; now the information economy demands brains instead. And where we once relied on political institutions (like organized labor) to school the middle classes and give them leverage, we now have nothing. “The issue isn’t that people in the past knew a lot more and know less now,” says Hacker. “It’s that their ignorance was counterbalanced by denser political organizations.” The result is a society in which wired activists at either end of the spectrum dominate the debate—and lead politicians astray at precisely the wrong moment.
The current conflict over government spending illustrates the new dangers of ignorance. Every economist knows how to deal with the debt: cost-saving reforms to big-ticket entitlement programs; cuts to our bloated defense budget; and (if growth remains slow) tax reforms designed to refill our depleted revenue coffers. But poll after poll shows that voters have no clue what the budget actually looks like. A 2010 World Public Opinion survey found that Americans want to tackle deficits by cutting foreign aid from what they believe is the current level (27 percent of the budget) to a more prudent 13 percent. The real number is under 1 percent. A Jan. 25 CNN poll, meanwhile, discovered that even though 71 percent of voters want smaller government, vast majorities oppose cuts to Medicare (81 percent), Social Security (78 percent), and Medicaid (70 percent). Instead, they prefer to slash waste—a category that, in their fantasy world, seems to include 50 percent of spending, according to a 2009 Gallup poll.
Needless to say, it’s impossible to balance the budget by listening to these people. But politicians pander to them anyway, and even encourage their misapprehensions. As a result, we’re now arguing over short-term spending cuts that would cost up to 700,000 government jobs, imperiling the shaky recovery and impairing our ability to compete globally, while doing nothing to tackle the long-term fiscal challenges that threaten … our ability to compete globally.
Given our history, it’s hard to imagine this changing any time soon. But that isn’t to say a change wouldn’t help. For years, Stanford communications professor James Fishkin has been conducting experiments in deliberative democracy. The premise is simple: poll citizens on a major issue, blind; then see how their opinions evolve when they’re forced to confront the facts. What Fishkin has found is that while people start out with deep value disagreements over, say, government spending, they tend to agree on rational policy responses once they learn the ins and outs of the budget. “The problem is ignorance, not stupidity,” Hacker says. “We suffer from a lack of information rather than a lack of ability.” Whether that’s a treatable affliction or a terminal illness remains to be seen. But now’s the time to start searching for a cure.

Andrew Romano is a Senior Writer for Newsweek. He reports on politics, culture, and food for the print and web editions of the magazine and appears frequently on CNN and MSNBC. His 2008 campaign blog, Stumper, won MINOnline's Best Consumer Blog award and was cited as one of the cycle's best news blogs by both Editor & Publisher and the Deadline Club of New York.

Tuesday late afternoon, March 15, 2011

Greetings...
For the first ten minutes or so of class tomorrow (for the 8 am, 10 am and 11 am classes) and on Friday for the 9 am class, there will be a presentation on the WPJ and all the details regarding this requirement. Please make an extra effort to be on time.
Thank you so much! :-)

Saturday evening, 10 pm, March 12th

Hello,

The following TWO readings about U.S. health care are due to be read by Friday and are considered READING PACKET #4. The issue of health care certainly rears its head in the Breaking Bad episodes. It seems fitting that the series features an ordinary high school chemistry teacher whose health care benefits do not cover his treatments for lung cancer. He is desperate to get money for his treatments and to leave money for his family in the event of his death.

(Walter's former business partner, Elliott, was willing to pay for Walter's entire treatment. This "private sector" option was rejected out of jealousy and spite toward his friend's success. White, who quit the company before it went big, believes his friends ripped him off. One of his friends is the current wife of the company's CEO and also White's ex-fiance, whom he left. His resentment toward their success drives him to reject their offer.)

"Middle Class Struggling with Health Care Costs, Report Finds"
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10077/1043764-84.stm

"Why Does Health Care Cost so Much?"
http://www.newamerica.net/node/8920

Just a quick note...

When you are accessing the two required readings for Friday, please make a note that the article titled
"Middle class struggling with health care costs, report finds" is the one I want you to read. It is an article by David Templeton from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. It is the link I gave you, but just in case you notice another listing when you google this title, it may be the entire PDF of the report. I do not want you to read the entire report, just the article ABOUT the report.

See you Monday in class. We will be viewing episode six of Breaking Bad.

Wednesday, March 8, Second Posting, 915 pm

Hello again,
Since I had a sample student essay for essay 2 on my desktop, I decided I would post it here for you to peruse instead of having 109 copies printed. Obviously, there are some MLA issues that do not transfer when I cut and paste. It is single spaced instead of double spaced; title is not centered, etc. However, it is a very good essay and perhaps will give you an idea of the quality I expect.

Lindsay Olson
Professor Catherine Fraga
English 20, 17
4 October 2010

Impact of a Deaf Child on Families

A bird calls and the phone rings. Yet the girl makes no move to listen to one or to answer the other. A baby’s cry goes ignored and the tea kettle on the stove continues to whistle. Most, but not all cases of childhood deafness and hearing-impairment are diagnosed between the ages of 18 months and 3-years-old (Mapp 50). Sometimes called the invisible handicap, hearing loss explains why sign language is the third most used language in the United States (Jones 54). While recognition of sight problems or physical impairments may be triggered by spotting eye glasses or a wheelchair, deafness must be discovered through acts of direct communication. The girl walks down the hall and does not acknowledge her friend calling her name. The term disabled has been much debated in recent years. It is both a classification of a functional limitation and a branding stereotype that scars a certain type of person. More than 90 percent of deaf children are born into hearing families. Before the 1970s, the impact this group of unique children had on their families and how the family structure adjusted was little studied (Mapp 7). Though raising a deaf child is challenging at times for parents and influential on how siblings are treated, it can also be a rewarding experience and an adhesive to hold together a family.

When a child is diagnosed with deafness, it is the flag marking the beginning of a series of potentially draining events for his or her parents. Though many parents say that raising a deaf child differs in subtle yet slight ways from the already challenging aspects of raising any child, they also agree that their child’s disability tends to amplify emotions, especially in the early stages of diagnoses. There are feelings of disbelief, confusion, and disappointment that lead to anger while guilt mingles with a sense of mourning. Through all of these overwhelming responses, parents learn to deal with the seclusion, to recognize the drawbacks of their situation, and to effectively develop strategies for their families. Though it is too generalizing to say that all parents react the same way to their child’s hearing loss, many parents do react in similar manners. It is the hearing parents that are affected the most by the arrival of the news of hearing loss in their child. Deaf parents, on the other hand generally embrace the handicap of their child because they realize they have the resources and language knowledge to help the child. In studies done comparing deaf children from hearing parents with those from deaf parents, the children from deaf parents significantly outscored their counterparts in areas such as vocabulary, reading, social skills, and mathematics. An explanation for this may be that the children of hearing parents experience something called “language deprivation” by which they are stripped of the knowledge commonly passed down through the direct exposure to a language natural to their parents (Mapp 190). For this reason, the stresses of raising a deaf child fall heavier on hearing parents. Many hearing parents feel this diagnosis shatters the illusion that their child is and will be perfect. This loss of innocence is a sentiment that many parents mourn.

Many parents of deaf children have had little or no contact with the deaf community and are forced to comprehend a subject entirely foreign to them. Shock is a common response and works well as a defense mechanism that enables parents to begin the stages of mourning the illusionary loss of their normal child (Luterman 6). This shock gradually fades to disbelief as parents grasp at the permanent and incurable meanings of the word “deaf.” Many ask how such a thing could happen in their family and occasionally the hearing problem is kept a secret. Though she was diagnosed in kindergarten, the girl begged her parents to keep her secret for years, senselessly believing that if no one knew about it then the problem did not exist despite the molds she wore in her ears. On top of denial, many families feel overwhelmed and that they have been given too much information in too short of a time period and may feel either ill-equipped to face the challenges of the diagnosis. With this fear often times comes anger and most parents of hearing impaired children feel a fundamental anger without an outlet through which to vent. There is anger at themselves, at the world, and even at the deaf child themselves. Sometimes this anger turns itself inwards and manifests itself as depression; other times it is capable of either strengthening or creating rifts within family systems and relationships.

Perhaps one of the most prominent emotions felt by parents of deaf children is guilt. The future they had envisioned for their child has been violated in ways they never expected. Many parents would agree that having a hurting child and being helpless to assist them is one of the most distressing feelings they will ever experience (Luterman 9). Although having a deaf child can be rewarding in many ways it is very hard to see this in the beginning and the diagnosis affects parents in some very unique ways. Since the 1970s, studies have been done directly assessing the impact a deaf child has on families, especially on parents. It became clear from these studies that mothers and fathers deal with the stresses of their ill child in very different ways. Since mothers are typically invested in the daily stresses of raising a deaf child, studies have shown that they are more likely to be very involved in health and safety issues. Fathers on the other hand are typically found to engage in more distant roles of parenting due to occupational time consumption and are more successful at developing relationships with their child that does not revolve around the child’s disability (Luterman et al. 34-35). Studies have also shown that the time following a child’s diagnosis can be particularly trying on husbands as they are trying to reassure their wives that everything will be fine while privately attempting to deal with their own deep and emotional grief (Luterman et al. 7). The separate roles each parent takes on complement each other by providing unique skills for their child.

One of the most emotional taxing yet gratifying parts of raising a deaf child is that the mother is typically the one member of the family most capable of communicating with the deaf child. She becomes not only a mother, but an educator, social guidance counselor, communication specialist, interpreter, and audiologist consultant (Mapp 15). The girl’s mother went to the school district when the girl entered high school hoping sign language classes were available as a precaution in case her half deaf child continued to lose her hearing. They refused to even consider letting sign language qualify for her foreign language requirement. Another recurring theme in the challenges faced by parents is the abundance of ignorance in the faculty of school systems themselves. One frustrated parent wrote said about mainstreaming her deaf child into a hearing school, “…the teacher sometimes forgets…her limits and limitations…and does something incredibly dumb, such as the time in fifth grade when the teacher gave my daughter an oral spelling test of single words” (Luterman 175). Though most studies have focused extensively on the impact of a deaf child on parents, it is equally important to understand how it affects siblings. Family dynamics as well as parental reactions shape whether the hearing problem will strengthen the family structure or create tenuous situations.

The definition of a family is a system of which all parts are inextricably interconnected (Luterman et al. 41). The sibling of a deaf child is typically forced to grow up faster than other children their age and assume greater responsibilities. One of the greatest favors a parent can do for the sibling of a deaf child is to realize that an entire family unit cannot be healthy when revolving around the limitations of one of its members. In 70% of the cases of deaf children, there is one or more sibling involved in the family’s makeup (Mapp 65). These children can suffer from having a disabled sibling because their parents may feel both physically and emotionally exhausted after caring for the child that seems to need more attention. The sibling may feel neglected and guilty that they somehow evaded deafness themselves while their brother or sister is suffering. There may be feelings of shame and embarrassment when an adolescent child draws attention by signing with their sibling in public. Older children may feel a deep rooted anxiety that their own children will suffer from hearing loss. As with the relationships between parents, it is important that siblings be given a venue of open communication to vent their anxieties and frustrations. Clear communication is the key to a successful family structure. It has been found that some siblings may react with attention-seeking strategies like poor academic performance, illnesses, and recurrent tantrums. Other children may internalize their issues and end up with innate resentment issues when they are older (Luterman 143). While having a deaf sibling undoubtedly has drawbacks many siblings reported positive attributes as well. The recurring theme was that compassionate individuals with greater sensitivities to prejudices came from families with disabled children. These siblings also attributed the bond their family shared to their ability to form a cohesive unit during times of crisis (Luterman et al. 50).
In order to thrive, it is vital that the family copes properly with the stressors associated with a deaf child.

One of the most damaging, yet well intentioned acts a parent of a deaf child can commit is overprotection. Parents of handicapped children regularly underestimate their child’s abilities, thus not allowing the child to make mistakes and learn. Overprotection leads to feelings of incapability and will hinder the child later in life. It must be acknowledged and accepted that even with interpreters, communication in a mainstream school will only be at about 75 percent for a deaf child (Jones 53). Instead of shielding a child from this barrier of communication, a parent must learn to embrace it as a time of growth and a test of patience. Many parents see having a deaf child as a gift, as an opportunity to tap into strengths they never before realized they had. Though mothers of deaf children are likely to name healthcare providers as sources of support whereas hearing mothers named friends, it seems as though the levels of happiness of both women are consistent (Mapp 118). A parent’s attitude toward having a deaf child molds not only interfamily relationships, but the success of the child themselves. The original confusion of their child’s diagnosis can morph into knowledge; the anger becomes a steady energy and focused drive, while the guilt turns into a lifelong commitment. The most important part of having a deaf child is that it forces ever member of a family to reevaluate life and realize just how precious of a gift it is.

A disability only becomes a handicap when an individual allows it to skew their perception and hinder their accomplishments in life (Duckworth et al. 2). The girl smiled at her parents as she boarded the plane for college. It was through the hard work of her parents that she had made it so far. Never had they allowed her to see herself as tainted. They dealt with their issues quietly and ensured that the girl’s sister was never left behind. Through a sense of humor, teacher meetings, hard work, and patience they had shown her that her limitations led to endless accomplishments. The diagnosis was a hearing impairment and the girl is me.





Works Cited

Duckworth, Derek and Mark Philp. Children with Disabilites and their Families. Humanities
Press Company, Ltd.: New Jersey, 1982. Print.

Jones, Reginald L., ed. Reflections on Growing up Disabled. The Council for Exceptional
Children: Virginia, 1983. Print.

Luterman, David M. and Mark Ross. When your Child is Deaf: A Guide for Parents. York
Press, Inc.: Michigan, 1991. Print.

Luterman, David. Counseling Parents of Hearing-Impaired Children. Little, Brown, and
Company, Inc.: Boston, 1979. Print.

Mapp, Idalia, ed. Essential Readings on Stress and Coping among Parents of Deaf and Hearing-
Impaired Children. University of Nebraska Press: Nebraska, 2004. Print.

Wednesday evening, March 8, 9 pm

Greetings!

Below you will find a copy of the Proofreading Handout I distributed and chatted about today in class.

A note to section 7 students...unfortunately you ended up having five minutes LESS than the other three classes to complete the In Class Writing Response this morning. I will definitely take that into consideration when I score your responses.

As you know, we will be watching episode 5 in class on Friday. Just so there is no misunderstanding, those who miss the viewing are still responsible for making it up before the next class session. :-)

See you Friday!

English 20

DOES PROOFREADING MATTER???
(yes!!!)

See below:

Therefore, this was a huge contribution towards the world of science, and it helped increase are knowledge of our world even further, because it might be just the key factor to knowing how our universe came to evolve and how living each day was not meaningless, but was for a certain purpose for human beings to solve.

Michael also was the first to start the real importance in making good music videos, and not just any music video a movie based music video.

Although this logical movement is well known to take place during the 1800’s, its roots go back to the time of when Galileo became to rise to become a nonconformist.

Under Queen Elizabeth’s thrown, and under the church, non tolerance took place and anyone disobeying or thinking of anything besides the Church’s teachings.

As through his findings and experiments he found many facts and details that have shaped what science, philosophy, history and art is today, but even so, he will always be remembered as going against authority and becoming and nonconformist as he believed differently then what the Church of England told its society to do.

Lastly, in today’s society it is as much accepted, as is rejected, to be a homosexual.

The way she presents herself and the things she supports in make her that way.

Martin Luther grew up in a nice home in Germany.

Before coming to California he first found himself in Baltimore where he was accepted into a high school for his art and thats where he was really able to interact with and understand everyone as they are humans.

Monday evening, March 7, 2011

Greetings!
Below is a copy of the out of class 2 assignment, distributed and discussed in class today.
See you Wednesday!


English 20, Spring 2011---Sections 1, 4, 7, 11---C. Fraga

Date assigned: Monday, March 7
Rough draft (optional): due no later than Wed. March 30
Final draft due: Monday, April 4
(you have four weeks to research and write this essay)

Details:
1. MLA format
2. At least 3 outside sources on your Works Cited page
3. Please, no Wikipedia

OUT OF CLASS ESSAY ASSIGNMENT #2
Among many things, the series Breaking Bad focuses on the family entity and what happens when something quite extraordinary occurs—how do members of the family cope, adjust, and/or “deal” with the event/situation? (In the case of this series, obviously it is Walter’s cancer that is the main ‘event’).

I am not referring to the everyday bumps in the road that occur for all families. Instead, I am asking you to consider the family unit when faced with an especially challenging situation. These situations could include but are not limited to:
• death
• birth
• infidelity
• serious injury
• dementia
• serious illness
• divorce
• unemployment
• new employment
• moving to a new home/state/area/country
• the return of a war veteran
• moving BACK home after initially moving OUT
• alcoholism
• drug abuse

Select ONE situation that you are most interested in exploring. You will conduct research (and possibly personal interviews, if possible) in order to write an essay that offers the reader background on the topic and makes an assertion about what elements of the situation impact a family in the most challenging of ways and supports it logically and interestingly.

Your thesis might read something like this:

When a family member develops dementia, the challenges are often devastating, yet the disease definitely impacts family members more than the dementia patient.

Or…

When a couple divorces, it most certainly impacts the children still living at home; however, it is the older children who have already moved away that are most affected by the split.

Sunday, 2nd posting, March 6th

...one more thing...:-)
while I am thinking about it...a quick reminder...if you could remember to indicate what section of English 20 you are in on your work, it would be so helpful!
Thank you!

Sunday afternoon, Feb. 6th

Hello,
there was not an opportunity last week to let you know what the turn over time is for essays once you submit them.
I make a real effort to return work to students in a very timely manner.
(I remember well how frustrating it is to wait weeks for work to be returned.)
To that end, I try to return out of class essays within a week of submission.
So, hopefully, you will have your out of class essay 1 by Wednesday of this week.
See you tomorrow!

Saturday afternoon, March 5th

Just a head's up...
when you access the reading packet assignment online,
be sure you select the full text once you are at the site.
Any questions or problems, let me know!

Thursday morning, March 3, 2011

GREETINGS,
below you will find the information you need to complete Reading Packet #3 for next week.

I also wanted to address an issue that I have felt very uncomfortable about since yesterday's class. Likewise, a few students have also discussed their uncomfortableness with me. The issue surrounds the topic of fairness and responsibility. I clearly stated in my course outline, and again in class during the first week, that in class work could not be made up. However, for reasons I am not completely sure of, I relented yesterday and allowed those who had come unprepared to complete Journal 1 and submit it late.

After much anxiety, I have decided to adhere to my original policies regarding student responsibility and preparedness for class. Those students who were unable to complete the journal will not be able to turn the journal in late. I am sure that those who found themselves in this situation will agree that it is the right thing to do. And I apologize to the majority of students who came prepared for my momentary weakness--because it really IS, bottom line, a fairness issue.

READING ASSIGNMENT FOR WEDNESDAY

The following link will lead you to...Reading Packet #3, due to be read by Wednesday.

"Assessing and Managing Depression in the Terminally Ill Patient"
http://focus.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/3/2/310

It is an article published in the spring of 2005 in The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry.

It APPEARS at first glance to be very "academic"--however--do not fret. It is actually very readable and quite interesting. It offers case studies to consider which always aids in a rather academic topic such as this one.

Walter is obviously affected by his knowledge that he is terminally ill and so it is rather interesting to follow this idea further from television "land" to reality.

Tuesday morning, March 1st, 2011

Good morning!
(see how optimistic I am that you start every morning by
checking the blog? :-)....)
As you may have noticed, there is nothing noted for Friday this week.
This was a day I was going to give you "off" from class...as I mentioned at the beginning of the semester...that I would give you a day off at some point.
Of course, I had not anticipated being ill last week and canceling two classes!!!
However...
the day off is still yours.
Do something wonderful for yourself...and one small favor for someone else that day!
See you tomorrow...and NOT Friday.

Monday evening, February 28th, around 11 pm

Greetings...below are copies of the two handouts I distributed in class today--Final Editing of Essay 1 AND a list of transitional words and phrases. Remember, if you are absent, you are responsible for the information you missed. You may want to ask a fellow student for information I discussed NOT on these handouts.
See you Wednesday.


English 20--C. Fraga
Thinking about the Final Editing of Out of Class Essay #1
Reminders:
• No ‘you’ and ‘your’ in formal essay writing.
• No contractions in formal essay writing.
• More than a few mechanical and sentence level errors seriously affects the success and readability of your essay. How to avoid careless errors? PROOFREAD.
• Use interesting and vivid verbs.
• Learn the difference between then & than, effect & affect, past & passed.
• Proofread v. carefully for unacceptable errors.
• SPELLCHECK IS NOT ALWAYS YOUR FRIEND.
• Avoid commonly used words such as nice, good, bad, great, wonderful, etc.
• Proofread to catch errors in tense (tense shifts).
• Read your essay aloud, slowly, to hear errors often not detected when reading silently. (in particular, errors in repetitiveness become distracting and irritating quite quickly)
• Vary sentence beginnings and sentence lengths.
• Write in present tense as much as possible. (In this movie, Ariel, the youngest princess under the sea, was unhappy with her life. Should be IS unhappy with her life.)
• Do not write in the manner that you speak.

COMMA SPLICE
Home does not always have to be a place, it can be the memories that a person experiences that define their childhood.

Home for these men all signifies something different, for the father it’s a place of stability where he has control.

WORDINESS
On the other hand, we have songwriters who through their song lyrics showcase battery, fear and strength within the home.

Better:
On the other hand, some songwriters showcase battery, fear and strength within the home.

I feel that families have a great impact on our experiences of home.

Better:
Families have a monumental impact on our experiences of home.

These country-western songs about home reveal many of the various aspects of home. These songs reveal that home is somewhere we feel a sense of belonging, familiarity, and ownership.

Better:
These country-western songs define home as a place where we feel a sense of belonging, familiarity and ownership.

About Conclusions:
Do NOT simply re-word and/or re-phrase what you wrote in your introduction paragraph. It is an insult to the reader. In a short essay, the reader will not forget the overall premise of your essay.

You do, of course, want to refer to your thesis but your remarks should be more complex and qualified than the version in your introduction. In the end, readers may not agree with you, but they should know why the issue and your argument matter.

You are addressing the question, “so what?” What was the purpose for writing the essay? Why is it significant?

******************************************************************

English 20, C. Fraga-------------------Examples of Transitions:
Illustration
Thus, for example, for instance, namely, to illustrate, in other words, in particular, specifically, such as.

Contrast
On the contrary, contrarily, notwithstanding, but, however, nevertheless, in spite of, in contrast, yet, on one hand, on the other hand, rather, or, nor, conversely, at the same time, while this may be true.

Addition
And, in addition to, furthermore, moreover, besides, than, too, also, both-and, another, equally important, first, second, etc., again, further, last, finally, not only-but also, as well as, in the second place, next, likewise, similarly, in fact, as a result, consequently, in the same way, for example, for instance, however, thus, therefore, otherwise.

Time
After, afterward, before, then, once, next, last, at last, at length, first, second, etc., at first, formerly, rarely, usually, another, finally, soon, meanwhile, at the same time, for a minute, hour, day, etc., during the morning, day, week, etc., most important, later, ordinarily, to begin with, afterwards, generally, in order to, subsequently, previously, in the meantime, immediately, eventually, concurrently, simultaneously.

Space
At the left, at the right, in the center, on the side, along the edge, on top, below, beneath, under, around, above, over, straight ahead, at the top, at the bottom, surrounding, opposite, at the rear, at the front, in front of, beside, behind, next to, nearby, in the distance, beyond, in the forefront, in the foreground, within sight, out of sight, across, under, nearer, adjacent, in the background.

Concession
Although, at any rate, at least, still, though, even though, granted that, while it may be true, in spite of, of course.

Similarity or Comparison
Similarly, likewise, in like fashion, in like manner, analogous to.

Emphasis
Above all, indeed, truly, of course, certainly, surely, in fact, really, in truth, again, besides, also, furthermore, in addition.

Details
Specifically, especially, in particular, to explain, to list, to enumerate, in detail, namely, including.

Examples
For example, for instance, to illustrate, thus, in other words, as an illustration, in particular.

Consequence or Result
So that, with the result that, thus, consequently, hence, accordingly, for this reason, therefore, so, because, since, due to, as a result, in other words, then.

Summary
Therefore, finally, consequently, thus, in short, in conclusion, in brief, as a result, accordingly.

Suggestion
For this purpose, to this end, with this in mind, with this purpose in mind, therefore.

Sunday evening, Feb. 28th

Hello,

(I SO wanted Black Swan to win Best Picture...sigh....)

Here are a few very reputable sites online to locate MLA documentation guidelines:

Purdue Online Writing Lab
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

EasyBib
http://www.easybib.com/

Hope this is helpful!
See you tomorrow.

Saturday early evening, February 26

Hi there,
just a quick note to ask all of you who submitted rough drafts to me...
if you could remember, please attach it to the back of your final draft when you submit on Wednesday.
Thanks!

Friday evening, February 25th

Greetings!

A special thank you to everyone who braved the rain and hail and wind to attend class this morning!

As you will note on the course outline, Monday is labeled a "lecture" day...

I will be providing a checklist of sorts as you complete your final editing and proofreading for Out of Class Essay #1, due on Wednesday.

I have read several rough drafts and I want to share my observations and comments with all students.

See you Monday! Enjoy the weekend. Be safe.

Monday, February 12, early evening

Greetings!

It has come to my attention that there are a few students--not many, but enough to have me a little concerned--that for various reasons, are not checking the blog frequently.

I do not really think that your computer crashing is a decent excuse. The blog address is on the course outline--all of you should have a hard copy of it which I distributed the first day of classes. If you have lost your hard copy, then please print out another copy from the blog as soon as possible, in case you need to refer to it.

I also do not feel that the blog address is a difficult one to memorize! :-)

And...there is that handy class contact list you have in such a case like this.

All this to say, there really are very few students who fall into this category, but enough that I felt that a friendly reminder was in order!

Enjoy your evening and I will see you on Wednesday.

Sunday, Feb. 20, late afternoon

Hello,

As you follow the course outline, you will note that Reading Packet #2 is due to be completed by Wednesday, Feb. 23.
The material you are to read for Packet #2 can be found at the following link:

http://www.drugpolicy.org/drugwar/

Please read "What's Wrong with the Drug War?"

At the end of the article, there is an invitation that reads:
"Visit these pages to see how the drug war affects all aspects of our lives."

There is a list of choices. Please click on and read the following three:

--Drug War Funding
--Economics
--Alternatives to Prohibition

Be sure to bring copies of the reading to class.

Friday evening, February 18th

Hello everyone,
thanks for the get well wishes...I am finally feeling a whole lot better this evening.
And just to re-cap...
1. In class Writing Response #2 is due in class on Monday.
2. If you wish to email me your rough draft of out of class essay 1 this weekend, please do.
3. We will be watching episode 3 of Breaking Bad in class on Monday.
See you then!

1017 pm on Thursday, Feb. 17th

Hello, after much anxiety, I have decided that we can cancel class tomorrow, Friday, without a huge problem occurring in the class schedule. I kept thinking I would feel BETTER by now...but I think that giving myself tomorrow and through the weekend is the wisest. Again, I am so sorry for such a late notice. I can honestly say I have not cancelled classes for YEARS due to illness...so I suppose I was overdue...:-)
Have a very wonderful and safe weekend.

almost 10 pm on Tuesday evening, Feb. 15

Hello,
I truly apologize for such late notice and realize that some of you may not read this in time. I have hoped I would feel a lot better with resting most of the day, but I actually feel worse. I am going to cancel class tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 16th. I am attaching below the In Class Writing Response 2. Please complete and bring to class on Friday. Please take no longer than about 35 to 40 minutes to write the response. And again, I really do not like to cancel class, and if I have to, I never like to give you such late notice. See you Friday.

A. J. Jacobs’ Year of Living Biblically (video on TED Talks)

At the very beginning of his talk, Mr. Jacobs tells his viewers that he sees his life as a series of experiments. He continues by explaining why he chose to live his life as best he could (for a year) by taking everything written in the Bible literally. He offers many examples to clearly indicate how the task of living by the Bible, literally, proved extremely challenging and in many cases, impossible. He concludes his talk by relating some of the valuable lessons he learned from this experiment. One of these lessons is “thou shalt pick and choose” – put another way, live life in “cafeteria style.”

Briefly, but specifically, address the following three questions:

1. What does Jacobs mean when he recommends living life in “cafeteria style?”
2. Do you believe Jacobs’ year-long commitment to living biblically gives value to his recommendation to live life in a “cafeteria style”? Why or why not?
3. Do you believe Jacobs’ experiment was a well balanced and valuable one? Why or why not?

Saturday, February 12

Hello!

as promised in class on Friday, here is Reading Packet #1, due to be completed by Wednesday, February 16th..

The actual "packet'' is really not something to read but something to watch--an approximately 17 minute video presentation on TED talks. The link is below, as well as a short "blurb" about the speaker.

A. J. Jacobs, I believe, can be considered in the category of nonconformist. He certainly has a unique and interesting way of going about living and asking questions in order to live the best, most genuine life possible. Please arrive to class on
Wednesday having viewed this presentation. I recommend that you take notes while viewing so you can recall key points for class discussion and for an in class writing response.

http://www.ted.com/talks/a_j_jacobs_year_of_living_biblically.html

A.J. Jacobs' writings stand at the intersection of philosophy, Gonzo journalism and performance art. Stubbornly curious and slyly perceptive, he takes immersive learning to its irrational and profoundly amusing extreme -- extracting wisdom and meaning after long stints as a self-styled guinea pig. For his widely circulated Esquire article, My Outsourced Life, he explored the phenomenon of outsourcing by hiring a team in Bangalore, India to take care of every part of his life -- from reading his emails to arguing with his wife to reading bedtime stories to his own son. A previous article, I Think You're Fat, chronicled a brief, cringe-inducing attempt to live his life in Radical Honesty, telling all the truth, all the time.


Jacobs is author of The Know-It-All, which documents the year he spent reading the Encyclopedia Britannica from A to Z, uncovering both funny and surprising factoids but also poignant insight into history and human nature. In 2007 he released The Year of Living Biblically, he attempted to follow every single rule in the Bible as literally as possible for an entire year. His latest book, My Life as an Experiment, is a collection of numerous personal experiments including living according to George Washington's rules of conduct, outsourcing every single task to India, and posing as a woman on an online dating site.


"A. J. Jacobs has written about the Bible in a manner that is brilliantly funny but unerringly respectful, learned but goofy, deeply personal yet highly relevant. I am covetous and wish him smited."
Mary Roach, author, Bonk

Wednesday evening, February 9th, 9 pm

Greetings--

Below you will find a copy of Out of Class Essay Assignment #1, distributed in class today.

Please note the date change on the due date for the optional rough draft.

It is actually Wednesday the 23rd, not the 16th, as I originally corrected in class today.

In other words, you have up until the 23rd to submit a rough draft to me. It will be returned to you on the following class session.

See you Friday.



English 20, Sections 1, 4, 7, and 11
Spring 2011
Catherine Fraga, Instructor

Out of Class Essay Assignment #1—200 points possible

Assigned: Wednesday February 9
OPTIONAL Rough Draft due (typed): no later than Wednesday, February 23
Final Draft Due: Wednesday March 2

(You have a total of three weeks to work on this essay. The quality of your final effort should reflect the time you were given.)

Let’s take a closer look at the issue of conformity/non-conformity.

The most interesting, focused and articulate essays I receive from students are ones where the students select their own specific topic and are genuinely intrigued by the topic.

The following prompts allow for a wealth of flexibility and choice. Your focus will be on art, literature or film. (or perhaps a different area than these three…see below) You will select one prompt only.

Voices against Conformity

Focus: the 1950s (or a time period of your choice)—

Premise: Many in the 1950s worked diligently for the comfort and conformity displayed on such TV shows as Father Knows Best and Leave it to Beaver. But regardless of the affluence of the new American middle class, there was still poverty, racism and alienation in America rarely depicted on TV.

Dozens of people rejected societal norms through their artwork, creativity and lifestyle. They used words, art, film and music to rebel against the cookie-cutter mentality of the established power structure and mass-marketed culture.

Prompt One:
Many writers during this time period (referred to as the Beat Generation) adamantly refused to submit to the conformity of the 1950s. (these writers included Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Diane Di Prima, Sloan Wilson, J.D. Salinger, William Burroughs, and others) Select at least one writer from this era and write an essay in which you provide the following:

• a brief history of the country’s mood;
• background and details about the writer and his/her work;
• the impact of this writer’s work on readers and critics at that time;
• how the work challenged the status quo; and
• the repercussions/influences of the writing today.

Your essay will be both informative and analytical: your thesis will prove the value and influence of the writing, or not, on people’s lives, then and now.


Prompt Two:
Many artists during this time period adamantly refused to submit to the conformity of the 1950s. (these artists included Willem De Kooning, Hans Hoffman, Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Clement Greenberg, and others) Select an artist from this era and write an essay in which you provide:

• a brief history of the country’s mood;
• background and details about the artist and his/her work;
• the impact of these artist’s work on viewers and critics at that time;
• how the work challenged the status quo; and
• the repercussions/influences of the artist’s work today.

Your essay will be both informative and analytical: your thesis will prove the art’s value and influence, or not, on people’s lives, then and now.

Prompt Three:
According to an Internet article on Conformity in U.S. History: “While the 1950s silver screen lit up mostly with the typical Hollywood fare of Westerns and romances, a handful of films shocked audiences by uncovering the dark side of America’s youth.”

Many filmmakers of this time period adamantly refused to submit to the conformity of the 1950s. (these films include The Wild One; Blackboard Jungle; Rebel without a Cause, etc) Select at least one filmmaker from this era and write an essay in which you provide:

• a brief history of the country’s mood;
• background and details about the filmmaker, his/her films, and their themes;
• the impact of this work on viewers and critics at that time;
• how the work challenged the status quo;
• and the repercussions and influence of the filmmaker’s work today.

Your essay will be both informative and analytical: your thesis will prove the filmmaker’s value and influence, or not, on people’s lives, then and now.

OTHER WAYS “INTO” AN ESSAY ON CONFORMITY/NONCORMITY:

1. you may want to focus on non conformity in a different era; for example, the 1960s (hippie movement, free love, etc.) might garner some interest in a particular area of fashion, photography, film, literature, music, art, or?

2. you may want to focus on non conformity in a different AREA not mentioned above…such as politics, sex, professional sports, or?


Things to Consider:

This is NOT an essay in which you write an in depth analysis of the literature, film, music or art of the time period you are focused on. To do that, you would need to carefully read, view, listen or view the works at great length.

Instead, you are conducting research to discover the mood of the country and the status quo during a particular time period—background about a non conforming artist/writer/filmmaker/musician—why and how his/her work was considered non conformist—and how his/her work influenced those living then…and now.

Your thesis might read something like this:

Although 1950s America appeared to be almost unrealistically content, many artists—specifically Jackson Pollock-- successfully combated the blissful charade by successfully using innovative methods and themes in his work.

Tuesday afternoon, February 8, 2011

Greetings,
as the course outline indicates, you will attend class on Friday having skimmed and read the pages noted.

As a previous blog informed you, the Sac State Student Handbook is now available on line.

If you chose NOT to purchase the book and instead, access it on line, you may do the same in class on Friday. So feel free to bring your laptop if possible. If you have the book, you will want to bring it to class.

The quiz (that you will most likely have) will be based on the contents of the pages assigned to read.
See you tomorrow.

Friday afternoon, February 4th

Hello,
As you probably figured, the first episode of Breaking Bad is a bit longer than the other episodes. It is 58 minutes in length.
(Unfortunately, due to technical difficulties, the 8 am class missed more than just 8 minutes...!!!)

Monday's episode is 49 minutes, which is perfect, if we did not have a bit of episode one left to view. If possible, it would be best to view the rest of episode 1 on your own. You can do this for free if you go to Amazon.com and search for Breaking Bad, Season 1, Episode 1. If you have any trouble, let me know. It should work fine.

As promised last week, here is a sample Character Study Journal.

Below is a sample Character Study Journal entry for Episode One. Last semester, a few students asked for a sample. It is in no way the ONLY approach one can take. Each of your entries will be different than another's. Likewise, as you continue to watch episodes, your observations about one character will take over your observations of others. These are just my observations and the details that I chose to record.

CHARACTER STUDY JOURNAL--BREAKING BAD--SEASON 1, EPISODE 1

Opening scene: desert--sirens in distance. Almost naked man driving a motor home crazily. He wears a protective mask. Stops, exits vehicle. Very distraught. Records a video message to family, some kind of suicide note.

Flashback: 3 weeks earlier. Same man (Walter?) wakes up. 50th birthday. Wife (Skyler, pregnant) makes healthy breakfast (veggie bacon) in shape of the number 50. Does not seem really crazy about bacon but is quiet, does not complain. Son, however, enters and complains right away ("it smells like bandaids"). Son is physically challenged, has crutches and a speech issue.

Walter and son drive to high school. Son is a student. Walter is a chemistry teacher. He is very "into" his class/subject. Very animated and clearly excited about subject. "It's fascinating...really!" tells students.
Walter is shown working through his lunch hour.
Works at a car wash after school.
Scene with students discovering their chem. teacher washing student's car. Walter is devastated.

Arrives home to a surprise birthday party.
People at party:
Marie: Skyler's sister (she seems envious of Skyler's pregnancy because she comments about how "big" Skyler is...says it in a very understated but snooty way.)
Hank: married to Marie. Cop. Very boisterous, very assertive, very extroverted. Brags about his job and the sting operation he just completed. Party stops momentarily as Hank "makes" guests watch him being interviewed on TV about the meth bust...camera scans over all the money they nabbed...700 grand...Walter is shocked and asks if this is normal...Hank says it's a "pretty good haul." Says it is "easy money." Hank also shows off his gun to Walter Jr, Makes Walter Sr hold it. "It's not going to bite you." Walter Sr. is visibly uncomfortable around the gun. Hank invites him to go on a ride along sometime. Marie seems very embarrassed and pissed off with Hank's behavior.

Skyler and Walter in bed after party. Skyler has her computer, focused on her eBay auctions. At the same time, she works on Walter to please him sexually.

Next scene: Saturday morning, Walter at car wash job. Has a coughing fit and collapses. On way to hospital in ambulance, W. is very embarrassed and tells the attendant he does not have "the greatest insurance" and wants to be dropped off at the corner and not taken to hospital. Does not want anyone contacted. Says it is "just a chest cold."
At hospital, Walter goes thru tests. Dr. tells him he has no more than two years to live--lung cancer--inoperable.
Walter is stone faced, in shock.
Returns home to Skylar, on phone to bill collectors.
Says his day was "fine." Grabs a beer from frig.
Next day at car wash job, just loses all control. Yells at manager, profanity, knocks stuff off wall, quits.
Next scene, he is sitting in dark in backyard...flipping burnt matches into the drained pool. Clearly depressed, distracted.
Finally picks up phone and calls Hank, asks to go on a ride along.

On ride along, quietly sits in back of squad car, but very interested in the whole set up of the meth lab. Asks to go in and see it.

Hank loves to be in charge and is showing off in front of Walter. He is the big bad DEA guy.

Walter sees former student get away from Hank. Follows him home and suggests that they "partner up"...threatens to expose Pinkman if he refuses.

Pinkman is cocky, almost mocks Walter. "No speeches....high school was a long time ago."
An assertive Walter, determined.

Scene with Skylar and Marie. Skyler is excited about her eBay business. Marie is sarcastic and negative about it. Says it will take forever to really make any money with it. She is nosy and acts like the expert on everything--Skyler's writing...Walter...their sex life, etc.

Walter steals chemistry equipment from high school...while he is doing this he seems pumped up and excited...and serious.
Tells Pinkman they will have an eye wash station and use protective gear.
Pinkman mocks him and says no way. Says "this is art...cooking is art." Walter tells him "you and I will not make garbage."
Walter takes all the money he has in the world...7 grand...for Pinkman to buy the motor home to cook the meth.
Pinkman asks why Walter is doing this. "I am awake."

Scene in clothing store... buying jeans for Walter Jr. Some guys make fun of him and Walter attacks them physically while Skylar and Walter Jr look in surprise...this is not the Walter they know....Walter seems almost smug.

Out in the desert. Ready to cook. Walter is very focused and serious and Pinkman is amused, makes fun of Walter stripping down to his underwear. Walter makes glass grade meth and Pinkman is blown away...maybe a new respect for Walter?
Walter seems pleased that Pinkman is impressed and thinks it will definitely sell for a lot of $. He asks, "How do we proceed?"

Pinkman and two drug buddies ready to purchase come out to dessert. One remembers W. from the drug bust and thinks they are being busted. Threatens to kill both Walt and Pinkman. Walter quickly thinks on his feet and offers to teach these two guys how to cook this great meth quality. Walter tricks them and poisons them and escapes out of the trailer.

Walter and Pinkman get the $ from the dealers. Dealers are dead in motorhome?

Last scene: Walter is home, in bed with Skylar. She is very worried about the recent lack of communication between them. "I don't like it when you don't talk to me." Walter's reply is to make love with Skylar.

Thursday, February 3, around 10 am

Hi, as you know, we will be viewing the first episode of Breaking Bad tomorrow in class. Please make an extra effort to be on time because I will be starting the episode right when the class begins. Thanks!

Also, a reminder to the 11 o'clock section...we will be now meeting in Room 110, right next door to the previous room assignment.

See all of you on Friday!

Monday, January 31, 2011--around noon

Hello,

here is the link to the TED talk by Philip Zimbardo that we listened to in class today--in case you may want to re-visit it. All notes taken during the talk in class or outside of class can be utilized during the In Class Writing Response #1 on Wednesday.

http://www.ted.com/talks/philip_zimbardo_on_the_psychology_of_evil.html

Also, if you wish to read the article in its entirety, here is the link to the study I spoke about in class today.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/nonconformity-linked-to-peer-pressure,783/

Enjoy the rest of the day--be safe--and I will see you on Wednesday.

Friday, January 28, 2011--around 730 pm

Good evening! Below you will find copies of the two handouts from today's class:
1. Character Study Journal for "Breaking Bad"
2. Vocabulary List for Character Descriptions
Enjoy your weekend, be safe, and I will see you on Monday!



English 20
Spring 2011/Prof. Fraga
Sections 1-4-7-11

CHARACTER STUDY JOURNAL FOR “BREAKING BAD”

We will view all seven episodes of the first season of “Breaking Bad.”

Once you view the first few episodes, you must decide on one character you will pay “closer” attention to than the others. After each episode (and/or during your viewing of the episode) you will write your very specific observations about this character in a Character Study Journal. You may handwrite these entries or type them, your choice. Remember, though, you will be utilizing these entries when composing Essay 3, so be certain they are legible and readable for you.

Characters (select one only)
1. Walter White
2. Skyler White
3. Walter White Jr.
4. Jesse Pinkman
5. Hank Schrader
6. Marie Schrader

Some of the things you may want to record are:

• What does this character do (and not do) and why?
• What do others think about your character? And how do you know?
• What motivates your character to do what he/she does?
• What influences this character to do what he/she does?
• What was your first impression of this character and does it change as you view new episodes? Why or why not? In which ways?
• What are this character’s goals, dreams, desires, needs? How do you know?
• Do you like this character? Why or why not?
• Is this character a believable one, a genuine one? Why or why not?

This list of ideas is not meant to be complete. They are just to get you started. The crucial thing is that you are as specific and articulate as possible as you fill your journal with observations from each episode. This will eventually be submitted along with Essay 3.

Be sure to label each of the seven entries: Episode 1, Episode 2, etc.

****************************************************************************************************************************

English 20-----Suggested Vocabulary for Discussing Character
adaptable daring industrious sensitive

aggressive deceitful insensitive serious

aimless dependent intelligent shallow

alert determined intolerant shrewd

ambitious dishonest jealous sincere

antagonistic disloyal kind sly

boastful disobedient lazy spiritual

bragging energetic loyal sportsmanlike

brave enthusiastic mean stubborn

capable envious mercenary studious

careful extravagant modest sympathetic

careless faultfinding observant sullen

cheerful fearless original tactful

clever frank patient temperate

commanding generous persistent thorough

conceited greedy petty thoughtless

confident helpful practical thrifty

conscientious honest presumptuous tolerant

considerate hopeful proud truthful

cooperative imaginative punctual unfriendly

courageous impatient purposeful ungracious

courteous impulsive reckless unjust

cowardly independent reliable unselfish

credulous indifferent rude vain

cruel indomitable sensible wicked

Thursday, January 27, around 430 pm

Good afternoon!

I JUST now received an email informing me that the CSUS Student Writing Handbook is now online!!!

If you have already purchased it, I apologize. I am sure you can return it if you wish.

I just wanted to let all of you know that it is available at the link below. Once you get to the site,
click on "Resources for Students" on the left side of the screen.
The Handbook is the first link.
Of course, it is your decision.
You might just want to have a hard copy as well.


http://www.csus.edu/writingcenter/


See you tomorrow!

Wednesday, January 26th around 9pm

Good evening,
below I have posted the two handouts from today:
1. Unacceptable Errors
2. Oral Presentation

See you Friday!


UNACCEPTABLE ERRORS

In English 20, students should already be very proficient in word usage. We do not have time for grammar lessons. (I will, however, provide short ‘mini’ lessons when I feel they are warranted.) The following errors that are commonly made on student papers are considered unacceptable.

For out of class essays, each unacceptable error takes ten points off your final earned grade. You may correct unacceptable errors and receive the points back if you choose to revise. Remember, you may ONLY revise ONE of the three out of class essays.
1. there – place Put it over there.
2. their – possessive pronoun That is their car.
3. they’re – contraction of they are They’re going with us.
4. your – possessive pronoun Your dinner is ready.
5. you’re – contraction of you are You’re not ready.
6. it’s – contraction of it is It’s a sunny day.
7. its – possessive pronoun The dog wagged its tail.
8. a lot – always two words I liked it a lot.
9. to – a preposition or part of an
infinitive I like to proofread my essays carefully.
10. too – an intensifier, or also That is too much. I will go too.
11. two – a number Give me two folders.
12. In today’s society Instead use “Today” or “In America” or “Now” etc
13. right(s)/write(s)/rite(s) rights are a set of beliefs or values in which a person feels entitled: His rights were read to him before he was arrested for stalking Dave Matthews. Writes is a verb indicating action taken with a pen, pencil or computers to convey a message: Michelle writes love letters to Dave Matthews in her sleep. Rites are a series of steps or events which lead an individual from one phase in life to the next, or a series of traditions that should be followed: The initiate began his rite of passage ceremony at the age of thirteen.
14. definitely/defiantly This error USUALLY occurs when a writer relies solely on spell-check. You really must learn to become the final editor of your work. Definitely is an adverb and it means without a doubt. Mary will definitely miss the Dave Matthews Band concert. Defiantly means to show defiance. She was in a defiant mood. It is an adjective. Or it could be used as an adverb. She was defiantly rude and sullen towards the professor.
***********************************************************************
An accumulation of the following errors can affect your grade, but not one error, ten points down. The number depends on how serious the error is, and how often you make it. Some do not slow up the reader as much as others.

• Misuse of the word “you”. You must actually mean the reader when you use the word “you”.

• Avoid use of contractions in formal expository writing. (can’t, shouldn’t, didn’t, etc.)

• Agreement of subject and verb. Both must be either singular or plural.

• Fragmented sentences, comma splices and run-ons. Be sure to proofread your papers carefully before turning them in.

You will not pass English 20 if you cannot write an intelligent sentence in correct English.
*****************************************************************************************************************

Oral Presentation Information
for English 20, Sections 1, 4, 7 and 11
Spring 2010
Instructor: Catherine Fraga

When? During class on May 9 and 11

(Sign ups will take place later in the semester.)

Out of class essay #3 will be assigned later in the semester and the details will be given later as well. However, the topic is no secret: it will be based on the Character Journal you will keep for each episode we view of “Breaking Bad.”

As a way to bring the semester to a close, each of you will give a short presentation concerning the topic and the content of your essay #3 to the class. You will briefly summarize your character analysis and highlight the main assertions and supportive evidence found in your essay.

This is not a speech class so it is not required that you give your synopsis of essay #3 while standing in front of the classroom. You certainly can if you wish, but just sitting at your desk is perfectly acceptable as well.

You are welcomed to use any visual or auditory aid if you wish.

The presentation should not exceed approximately three minutes.

Monday, January 24th, around 5 pm

Greetings, below is a copy of the course outline and grade worksheet I distributed in class today.
See you Wednesday!

English 20, College Composition II
Sacramento State University, Spring 2011

Sections 1, MWF, 8-850 am, LIBRARY 128
Section 4, MWF, 9-950 am, LIBRARY 128
Section 7, MWF, 1-1050 am, LIBRARY 128
Section 11, MWF, 11-1150 am, DH 111

Instructor: Catherine Fraga
Office Phone: 278-5743 (please do NOT leave a voice mail message)
Email: sacto1954@gmail.com (BEST way to reach me)
Office Hours: in CLV 149 -- MWF, noon– 1:15 PM, or by appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION (FROM CSUS CATALOG): ADVANCED WRITING THAT BUILDS UPON THE CRITICAL THINKING, READING, AND WRITING PROCESSES INTRODUCED IN ENGL 1A AND ENGL 2. EMPHASIZES RHETORICAL AWARENESS BY EXPLORING READING AND WRITING WITHIN DIVERSE ACADEMIC CONTEXTS WITH A FOCUS ON THE SITUATIONAL NATURE OF THE STANDARDS, VALUES, HABITS, CONVENTIONS, AND PRODUCTS OF COMPOSITION. STUDENTS WILL RESEARCH AND ANALYZE DIFFERENT DISCIPLINARY GENRES, PURPOSES, AND AUDIENCES WITH THE GOALS OF UNDERSTANDING HOW TO APPROPRIATELY SHAPE THEIR WRITING FOR DIFFERENT READERS AND DEMONSTRATING THIS UNDERSTANDING THROUGH VARIOUS WRITTEN PRODUCTS. NOTE: WRITING REQUIREMENT: A MINIMUM OF 5,000 WORDS. PREREQUISITE: COMPLETION OF ENGL 1A AND ENGL 2 OR EQUIVALENT WITH A C- OR BETTER; SOPHOMORE STANDING (MUST HAVE COMPLETED 30 UNITS PRIOR TO REGISTRATION). UNITS: 3.0.

Required Texts:
• Sacramento State Student Writing Handbook, 1st edition
(NOT available in the bookstore; please purchase it at FedEx, 5600 J Street)

Required Materials:
• stapler
• lined notebook paper, standard size 8 ½” x 11”, clean edge (not torn from notebook)

Classroom Policies:

1. Attendance is very important in this class. Classroom discussions prepare students for all writing assignments, and your fellow students and I need your input in order to make this class more complete and enjoyable. I do not take attendance, and absences don’t “technically” count towards the grade you earn. However, ultimately, if you miss class, you may miss a quiz, group work, in class writing, a journal, etc. which really does end up impacting your earned grade because this work CAN NOT BE MADE UP.

2. About being tardy for class: It seems that over the last few years, tardiness has REALLY escalated and become problematic in my classes. I am not sure why, but I do know that most of my colleagues deduct a percentage of the earned grade for tardiness. It is really annoying and disruptive, both to me and the rest of the class, when students enter the class late—we only meet for 50 minutes three times a week, and I begin class immediately. In the “real world”, there is even less tolerance for lateness. Plan ahead. I realize things can happen beyond your control, but looking for parking is not a good excuse. If I see that tardiness is becoming excessive, I may have to ask you to drop the class.


3. YOU MUST TYPE AND DOUBLE SPACE ALL OUT OF CLASS WORK. Work must be in 12 pt. font, Times New Roman, black ink, MLA format.

4. In all fairness to other students, I do not accept late work. If you are ill, please arrange for another student to turn it in for you. Period.


5. After the due date, a late essay loses 10 points for every day it’s late, including weekends. NOT submitting an out of class essay is NOT an option. The English dept. requires that you write an approximate number of words in this course. The out of class essays provide a large part of the word count requirement.

6. You’re responsible for finding out what you missed if you are absent. I will provide you with a class roster for your convenience.

7. My policy on EXTRA CREDIT is…I do not believe in extra credit. In short, “real” life outside the university does not operate on the extra credit option. You earn the grade you receive. It really is a fairness issue.

8. ABOUT REVISIONS: you have the option to revise ONE of your three out of class essays. If you choose to revise, you must submit the revision with the original within one week of receiving the graded essay back. No exceptions. An essay with unacceptable errors might be an essay you choose to revise.

A note on classroom etiquette:
If you feel you cannot survive each class session without the use of your cell phone, iPod, or laptop computer, please do not enroll in this class. (I own all three of these devices, and value each of them, but I do not plan on using them during my classroom time with you. Simply, it is the highest degree of rudeness and disrespect.) If I see you busy texting, etc. I will not hesitate to ask you to leave until you finish your crucial business. I plan to give you my full attention and I expect the same from all my students.

HOW YOUR GRADE IS EARNED:
Attached to this course outline is your Grade Worksheet. At no time in the semester should you be puzzled about your grade. Please keep ALL returned & graded work until the very end of the semester. NOTE: quizzes are NOT always scheduled. Come to class prepared with the assigned reading assignments completed on the day they are due to be read.

Refer to pages 3 and 4 in the Handbook to fully understand how your writing will be evaluated.

ABOUT THIS COURSE…
I have designed a very different and I hope interesting and provocative set of themes for discussion and critical thinking/writing for the semester. The core of the course from which these themes/ideas will spring is the first season of the television series, “Breaking Bad.” It was recently announced a week ago that it won the TCA (Television Critics Association) Award for Outstanding Drama on Television. It has also been honored with a few Emmys as well. The series is heading into its fourth season.

As a class we will view all seven episodes as well as read a wealth of material connected either directly or indirectly to some of its themes. This series poses so many intriguing questions about morals, family values/responsibilities, the line between good and evil, the war on drugs, greed, health care and so much more, including a comparison between current television vs. film viewing. In short, we will examine and expand on several issues connected with the overall term of “breaking bad”—straying from the path of morality, of legality, of conformity towards something deemed unacceptable by the majority of society. In fact, the origin of the term is American Southwest, a slang phrase meaning to challenge conventions, to defy authority, to skirt the edges of the law.

Here is an excerpt from a review of the series:
“It’s difficult to fathom a more dangerous and enthralling piece of television than “Breaking Bad,” the AMC drama that is quietly redefining the creative and content limits of primetime.”
--Ray Richmond, The Hollywood Reporter, March 4, 2009

This class has a blog and it is vital that you check it daily, even on weekends, for important information, including reading assignments and other information pertinent to the course. Please bookmark it on your computer for easy, quick access.

www.English20Spring11.blogspot.com

Class Schedule:
(Please note: This schedule is subject to change at a moment’s notice. Please bring this schedule, your textbook and appropriate handouts to every class session. ALSO…not every quiz, group discussion, lecture, activity is listed on this class schedule. Simply, that would be impossible. The pace of the class is not always predictable…if you attend class, follow the course outline and read the blog, you will stay current.)


Week One (1/24-1/28)
Introduction to the Course (course theme explained)
Course Outline Distributed (handout)
Oral Presentations (handout)
Unacceptable Errors (handout)
Assign: Character Study Journal (Friday)

Week Two (1/31-2/4)
Follow up from last week; discussion on non-conformity (Monday)
View video in class on non-conformity (Wednesday)
In class writing response #1 (Wednesday)
Watch first episode of Breaking Bad in class (Friday)

Week Three (2/7-2/11)
Watch second episode of Breaking Bad in class (Monday)
Assign: Out of class essay #1 (Wednesday)
Skim first 27 pages and read pages 28 thru 46 in Handbook (Friday)

Week Four (2/14-2/18)
Lecture (Monday)
Read Packet #1 (Wednesday)
In class writing response #2 (Wednesday)
Watch 3rd episode of Breaking Bad in class (Fri.)

Week Five (2/20-2/25)
Lecture (Monday)
Read Packet #2 (Wednesday)
Group Work #1 (Wednesday)
Watch 4th episode of Breaking Bad in class (Friday)

Week Six (2/28-3/4)
Lecture (Mon)
Out of class essay #1 due today (Wednesday)
In class journal #1 (Wednesday)

Week Seven (3/7-3/11)
Assign: Out of class essay #2 (Monday)
Read Packet #3 (Wed.)
In class writing response #3 (Wed.)
Watch 5th episode of Breaking Bad in class (Fri.)

Week Eight (3/14-3/18)
Watch 6th episode of Breaking Bad in class (Monday)
In class journal #2 (Wednesday)
Read Packet #4 (Friday)

Week Nine (3/21-3/25)
SPRING RECESS—NO CLASSES
Enjoy the week off and be safe.


Week Ten (3/28-4/1)
Watch 7th (and final) episode of Breaking Bad in class (Monday)
In class journal #3 (Wednesday)
Read Packet #5 (Friday)

Week Eleven (4/4-4/8)
Essay #2 out of class due today (Monday)
Read packet # 6 (Mon.)
Group Work #2 (Wednesday)
Assign Essay #3 out of class today (Friday)

Week Twelve (4/11-4/15)
Group Work #3 (Monday)
Read Packet #7 (Wed.)
In class writing response #4 (Wed.)
Lecture (Fri.)

Week Thirteen (4/18-4/22)
Read Packet #8 (Monday)
Lecture (Wednesday)
In class journal #4 (Friday)

Week Fourteen (4/25-4/29)
Television vs. Film Viewing—in class discussion (Monday)
Lecture (Wed.)
Out of class essay #3 due today (Friday)

Week Fifteen (5/2-5/6)
Lecture (Monday)
Group Work #4 (Wednesday)
Class Evaluations (Friday)

Week Sixteen (5/9-5/13)
Oral presentations of Essay 3 (Monday and Wednesday)
Grade Roster Check (Fri.)

Week Seventeen (5/16-5/20)
Finals Week
There is no final given for this class.

****************************************************************************************************************************

Name:______________________________English 20, Spring 2011, Section _______

POINTS EARNED Your Worksheet--------1600 points possible

OUT OF CLASS ESSAYS—600 pts.
Essay 1 (200 points)_____ Essay 2 (200 points)_____Essay 3(200 points) _____


IN-CLASS JOURNALS—200 pts.
Journal 1 (50 points)_____
Journal 2 (50 points)_____
Journal 3 (50) points)_____
Journal 4 (50) points)_____

ORAL PRESENTATION—150 pts.
Presentation (150 points)_____

IN CLASS WRITING RESPONSES–200 pts.
(worth 50 points each)
1_____ 2_____
3_____ 4_____


IN-CLASS GROUP WORK (200 pts.)
Each session is worth 50 pts.
Group Work 1 _____ Group Work 2 _____ Group Work 3 _____ Group Work 4_____


QUIZZES (these quizzes may not always be “announced” and they cannot be made up. 50 pts ea.) (250 pts. total) Please record each quiz and your score below.
Quiz 1_____ Quiz 2_____ Quiz 3_____ Quiz 4_____ Quiz 5_____


How to assess your grade earned: Divide the points you earn by 1600 to find the percentage.
Then see chart below.

100-94=A Example: 940 pts. earned=60.6%=C-
93-90=A- Example: 1100 pts. earned=70.9%=C+
89-84=B+ Example: 1359 pts. earned=87.6%=B+
83-80=B Example: 1458 pts. earned=94%=A
79-74=B-
73-70=C+
69-64=C
63-60=C-
59-54=D
53-0=F