English 100:Freshman Composition
Fall 2022 Syllabus
TTR 11:00 - 12:50
Fall 2022 Syllabus
TTR 11:00 - 12:50
Welcome to our English 100 course syllabus! I am your instructor Christen McGaughey. You can call me Professor McGaughey or Christen, and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I am so excited to get to know all of you over the coming semester, and I ask that you take a few minutes to watch my welcome video, so you can get to know me a little as we head into the semester.
Check Out the Official Cerritos Course Details
This is a face to face course, which means we will be meeting on campus twice a week. I'm so excited to meet all of you in person.
While this is an on-campus course, we will be using technology to support our community inside and outside of the classroom. Therefore, Canvas will still be an important part of our course. There will be two ways that we are using canvas and other resources:
All of your out of class homework assignments will be provided and completed in Canvas.
While we will be completing non-tech activities in class, we will also be using phones, padlets, and laptops to engage in some of the course content. If you do not have access to these tools, we can certainly discuss alternatives.
This is also a space where you can find resources from our in person sessions.
Canvas is broken down into weekly modules with homework due dates and class activity resources. New Material will be posted on Thursdays.
As you enter this course, you are embarking on a new educational journey. As with anything new, you may be entering this course with a variety of expectations, excitement, and even fears.
As you start this journey, know that you are not alone. We are here to work through the semester together. Think of me as your ally and guide. Additionally, as the semester progresses, we will form a learning community in which, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with and support your peers. Success in this course depends on our ability to work as a team and support one another. This is particularly important in our current remote learning environment.
You all have the potential to be successful if you are prepared to fully participate in our developing learning community
I believe that each student is a writer, and I want to support each student through the process of developing their voice through writing. Additionally, I work to move beyond the 5-paragraph "school" essay, which does not reflect real world writing. Instead, writing consists of many genres and forms, which are used for varying purposes. As such, the best writers are adaptable as they observe genre conventions and then work to apply these conventions in their own writing. I hope that I can support you all in developing this adaptability, as we work to use writing as a tool for important social change.
I am here to be your guide, partner, and support, as you actively work through our class material. I am committed to engaging with all of you, and I am available and happy to support you through email, office hours, and appointments. Additionally, I understand that there are many pressures, anxieties, and commitments outside of the classroom. We are all dealing with quite a bit. Therefore, I am committed to providing flexibility and grace throughout the course through make-ups, extensions, and revisions. I encourage you to carefully review our grading policies for this information.
We're here to support one another, and I am absolutely available to support and guide you through the course. At the same time, Family, friends, and self-care are important for everyone's success in the classroom, as such we want to be respectful of these important aspects of our lives. While I encourage you to reach out to me (your instructor) and your peers, it's important that we all respect each other's time outside of class. Here are a few tips to help you with communication:
Allow 24 hours response for emails for all members of our community on weekdays.
Be conscious of weekends! While some weekends may be spent working/studying others are spent on non-school obligations. You will likely not receive a response until Monday.
I am here to help with your papers! Take advantage of Zoom conference days for immediate feedback and discussion on drafts. When emailing drafts, make sure to indicate what you would like feedback on and concerns that you have. Avoid emailing just for a "look over."
I also encourage you to take advantage of the peer feedback and response activities and peer communication. We are all here to help one another.
You can use the canvas messenger to reach out to peers
Because our course is rooted in community, active and meaningful engagement, and growth, our grading system will work differently than what you will be used to. We will be reviewing the grading system in detail over our first week, and it's crucial that you carefully review and fully understand our system. This will help ensure that you reach your goals for the course. Never hesitate to ask me questions!
You can find a tentative outline of our assignment due dates here.
Our Canvas course has been designed with your success in mind, and there are a few important tips in ensuring you get the most out of our Canvas course.
Avoid following the Canvas "To Do"
Follow assignment due dates and tasks in modules or on our homepage. Assignments are listed in an intentional order for your success and their are many important pages and resources available to support you.
The homepage will be updated prior to each week with an overview of our content and a clear outline of assignments
Each week's activities will be posted at the end of the prior week (Thursday)
Make sure to visit Canvas on Thursday's to review the coming week's assignments, so you can gauge the required time commitment and get started early.
I encourage you to break down tasks. You do not need to complete every single item or read an entire article in one sitting. If you plan ahead, you can complete the tasks in pieces.
This is particularly true for your writing assignments.
The small activities are important, as they help you break down the larger writing tasks and provide you opportunities for feedback to help you be more successful in the major assignments. Get these in on time to ensure timely and effective feedback.
The first week can always feel a bit overwhelming but know that I'm here to support you, as we all find our footing. Below are a few key steps in getting started.
Make sure to review our video on navigating the course as well as the tips above
Get logged into and familiar with Canvas as soon as possible
Set up your Canvas notifications, so you are receiving all messages and announcements where you will see them immediately
Read through our homepage and get familiar with the set up. Using our homepage will be the key to your success in the class.
Thoroughly read our grading policies and watch the video. It's crucial that you understand our grading approach, so you can succeed in the class!
Ask questions. I am here to help.
Reach out for support for the online tools. There can be a bit of a learning curve on some of our online tools. Don't spend hours trying to figure something out. If it's not making sense reach out to me or online support to help you. Don't freak out if this means something might be a little late. We'll get it figured out and you can get your work in!
Make sure to review our course policies on attendance, late work, and academic integrity.
Cerritos College offers a number of resources to help you succeed in the classroom. Make sure to check them out.
Getting Support
A central part of my commitment to you as an instructor is to support you through our course. Feedback, collaboration, and support are an essential part of the writing process, and I love to meet with students one-on-one as they develop their ideas and work through revisions. Do not hesitate to reach out and attend office hours.
Email: cmcgaughey@cerritos.edu
Office Hours:
In Person: MW 1:30-2:30 pm
Zoom: T 9:00 - 10:00 am
Link: Join Zoom
Appointment: If you can not attend the above times, feel free to reach out for an appointment. Just make sure to make arrangements in advance to ensure availability.
Remember that we are working to build a class community, so I encourage you to reach out to your peers. There will be lots of opportunities to support one another in our class activities. However, I also encourage you to reach out using the canvas message feature if you have questions.
The Student Success Center offers a number of tutoring opportunities, and meeting with a reading and writing tutor can be particularly helpful in building your writing. Note that their job is not to edit your paper but to meet with you to help you brainstorm, organize, and revise your papers. You can meet with them even if you haven't started your paper and at any point in the writing process. They provide a number of in-person and virtual opportunities for support.
Getting to Our Canvas Course