Week One: Intro to the Course, Fables and Fairytales

Monday 8/25: Intro to class and to one another.

Tuesday 8/26:

• • Peruse course website. Make sure you read "Syllabus" (especially "Policies"), "Discussion," "Extra Credit," "Journal writing," “Responses,” and "Writing Tips and Handouts." Bring in any questions you have.

  • 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 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!

Thursday 8/28:

• Peruse the following list of fables (don't try to read all of them--just ten or so is fine!): http://mythfolklore.net/aesopica/oxford/index.htm

• Pick one you find interesting to write about on the response site. Name the fable and provide the link, then discuss why you find this particular fable interesting, strange, thought-provoking, typical, atypical, etc. Remember to respond to the two people ahead of you on the chain. 300 words min.

Friday 8/29:

• • • Read "Little Red Riding Hood," "Mother Trudy," "Hand With the Knife" and accompanying commentary in PDF handout of Grimm's Fairytales here. If you don't choose to print out the PDF, be sure to annotate it on your computer.

      • If you do print out the PDF, please remember to do so double-sided (the printer seems to default to single-sided).

    • Writing assignment: write a brief fable (no more than 200 words) that teaches a value you feel is important to our time. Post on the response site.