8/22 (S): Introductions
8/23 (L):
Peruse course website. Make sure you read "Syllabus" (especially "Policies"), "Discussion," “Reading Responses,” and "Writing Tips and Handouts." Bring in any questions you have.
Take careful note of the section on the syllabus about plagiarism. Make sure to bring to class any questions you have regarding this.
Write a 350-400 word double-spaced typed informal letter (can be longer if you wish) to me that addresses the following questions (not necessarily in this order):
1. Please tell me about yourself as a student. What kind of learning environment works best for you? Are you, for example, a visual learner, the kind of person who works better if you see graphs and charts and writing on the board? Another example: are you the kind of student who prefers small group work or pair work?
2. What are your strengths as an English student?
3. In what areas would you like to improve as a student? The more specific you are, the more I can address these areas during the semester. For example, instead of saying you'd like to improve your writing, say, "teachers have told me I have good ideas but don't always support them well with quotations from the reading."
4. Would you call yourself more of a talker or a listener in class? If a talker, suggest what you could do—and how I can help you—to improve your listening skills. If a listener, suggest would you could do—and how I can help you—to improve your talking skills.
5. Finally, introduce yourself to me as a person--what is something something quirky or strange about you? This does not have to be something dazzling, like a big achievement--perhaps it's an unusual favorite food or an interesting pastime. Alternatively, you might describe a time in life when you failed and what that meant to you.
Please give me a paper copy of this assignment. In general, you can hand work in electronically, but I like to have this particular assignment printed out. Thanks!
8/25 (S): Please do the following:
Print out the pdf below: "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience"
Read pages 1-7 (stop at very top of 7: "Moreover . . . majority of one already")
Please do the following brief assignment:
Look at the Nervous Conditions Close Reading Exercise posted below
Following this model, post FIVE comments on the passage from Walden I sent to your Google docs
You can comment on either:
A word or short phrase from the passage
Another person's comment (hit "reply" to respond to their comment)
As you read through the passage and comment on it, think about what freedom means to Thoreau.
Google doc is called "Walden--Block B" or "Walden--Block E" and should be on your Google Drive under "shared" docs