College Reading

RD 115 Online - Portland Community College

Greg Kaminski

Welcome!

I'm Greg Kaminski, and I will be your online instructor for RD 115. I look forward to working with you this term! This is the first part of our syllabus. You'll see the complete syllabus when class begins. I invite you to view the information below.

My Teaching Philosophy

I teach at Portland Community College because I enjoy supporting all students pursuing a college education. I would like to prepare you for becoming global citizens in whatever career path you choose, regardless of your profession or worldwide location. I would like to contribute to building a foundation for you to articulate your ideas clearly and to engage with others in communication appropriate to the situation.

As your course instructor, I am your first contact for help you need in this course. If something doesn't make sense, sounds confusing, or you'd just like more information, let me know. Post your question in the "Help: Q & A" discussion, or email me through the class list. My philosophy of teaching an online course is that I'm a facilitator. I won't be standing before you every day lecturing. The responsibility for improving your reading skills through this course is yours, though I will create and facilitate engaging learning activities that will help you achieve your goals. When you have questions or run into problems, remember I am only an email or discussion post away!

Equity Statement

I am committed to treating you with dignity and respect, and I expect the same of everyone in this class. I am passionate about interacting with students of various cultural backgrounds, and I ask you to join me in enriching our knowledge of the rich diversity in our society, showing respect for this diversity and differences in opinion as we pursue this journey together. Everyone should have equal opportunities to learn and further develop reading and communication skills in this class. All are welcome and expected to interact in a safe environment as we participate in the engaging opportunities we’ll have in this class together. In our class, we all have a responsibility to ensure each person feels included.

I invite you to listen to my brief welcome video.

Week 1 Success Kit

Online courses move quickly and getting off to a good start is the best way to prepare yourself for success. Read this section carefully and you'll have all you need to start this course on the right foot.

To Do this Week

Read through the Intro to Online Learning module.
Read through the Course Information module. Ask any questions in "Student Q & A."
Complete the readings and activities in Week 1: Welcome to College Reading.
Get the book for the class, There There, by Tommy Orange, ISBN 9780525436140 (Available in the PCC bookstore or online)
Sign up for a time for a brief 1-1 meeting with your instructor.

Due Dates for Week 1

Friday, Sept 29 by 11:00pm

Intro Quiz
Reading Survey
Discussion 1: Introductions

Sunday, Oct 1 by 11:00pm

Assignment 1: Annotate the Syllabus

Tips for Success

Following these strategies will give you more opportunities for success in this class.

Read the weekly announcements.
Read the announcements on the class homepage and view the instructional videos. Announcements frequently include feedback and information you'll need to be successful.
Be proactive.
Use the Course Schedule to locate due dates for coursework. Read the module introduction for each new week to see the learning activities and assignments so you can plan your time. (New modules are released every Saturday morning for the coming week.) Block out specific time a few days a week to work on the class.
Complete all learning activities.
This includes reading the materials, viewing videos, participating in discussions, completing quizzes and assignments.
Seek help.
Reach out for help when you need it, through your instructor, our Q & A discussion, a librarian, or the tutoring center.
Aim for thoughtful sharing.
Aspire to share well-developed thoughts and ideas in discussions and on assignments.
Treat other students with mutual respect and civility.
Disagreements will arise as they are part of the learning process, though we all have a responsibility to ensure each person feels included and is treated with dignity and respect.
Plan to complete assignments early.
You'll do more thorough work on assignments if you are not rushed by a looming deadline. Set a goal to complete your work a day early, and you'll be relieved to have a little extra time when challenges arise.
Communicate with me.
Ask questions! I love hearing from you. I realize these are busy times, and I am here to support you. Keep me informed if you run into a challenge for meeting a due date. Let me know when you need help.

Email: Go to Classlist and click on my name.

Alternatively, you may email me directly at gkaminsk@pcc.edu

If you contact me Monday-Friday, I will respond within 24 hours.

Phone: 971-722-4570

ASK in the Q&A

The Q&A forum in our class is a great place for course-related questions. Your classmates might even answer you there! If your question is personal in nature, please send it directly to me through email.

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