Gleaning Correspondences - Fall 2009

42.101 Sections 232 & 238
Participants
Thomas_Hersey@uml.edu
Office Hours: TR 9:30 - 10:30 - O'Leary 411

Texts and Contexts

Course Goals and Overview
College Writing I examines the writing process, thoroughly reviews the fundamentals of grammar and sound thinking, and provides students with an opportunity to express themselves through various modes and genres of writing explored throughout the semester. Students carefully learn to properly experience, interpret, and evaluate a variety of texts, and through daily journal keeping, weekly writing exercises, and class discussion, address the critical issues raised therein. Throughout this semester, our reading of the common text Class Matters will be supplemented and strengthened by film, music, poetry, and assignments from Picturing Texts.

The primary purpose of this course is to provide you with a solid foundation for your upcoming college careers, and to do so in as comprehensive a manner as possible during our time together. Therefore, over the next fourteen weeks, we will chart a course of inquiry into the intriguing relationship between critical thinking, personal growth, communication, and writing. With this in mind, this semester I have settled on the title "Gleaning Correspondences," as together these two terms will allow us to focus on several aspects and themes of this relationship quite effectively.

For reasons of cohesion, comprehension, and emphasis, I have deliberately designed the course according to several "groupings of three" that I believe will help to reinforce and consolidate all that we do. Each "triad" will be explored conceptually, progressively, and personally. Our coverage of the various modes and genres of writing will also closely follow this format.

All of the work that we do together will be fully explored through daily journal entries. By engaging in this important activity, you will be able to learn about relevant themes, become familiar with important modes and genres of writing, and examine your personal impressions of the course materials. In this regard, I will post messages on the wiki to initiate discussion, and to provide you with a forum to explore new ideas. Here I will include some thoughts about each of the assigned readings, class discussions, and about the films that we will view together. I will also include daily guidelines for your journal entries in keeping with our progress in class. Please feel free to initiate your own discussion threads. Just be sure that your subject headings are clear, that your ideas are not redundant, and that all entries are course related. Also, please initiate new discussion threads from the appropriate wiki pages, as to do otherwise would become very confusing. For example, if you want to address a theme from Agnes Varda's film The Gleaners and I, do so by navigating directly from the page titled "Part I," as this is where the film will be encountered and addressed. I would recommend that you explore concepts and themes as they arise in class, as this should help your writing, both within your journals and ultimately in your various class assignments. New themes, modes, and genres will be introduced each week, so your opportunities for discussion will be many!

Lecture Notes
Each day certain students will be assigned to take notes for the class, and asked to post these on the collaborative lecture notes page of this wiki site. All students are asked to visit these class notes often, and to edit and review the work of their classmates. Please remember that these lecture notes pages should be an objective repository of information derived from my lectures. Wikis proper are not meant for discussion. The discussion threads are the place to express individual opinions and beliefs, and the proper outlet for voicing questions and concerns. This distinction is important to keep in mind, as this will prepare you for our work on rhetoric and argument during the final weeks of the course.

Grading, Class Etiquette, and Attendance Policy:
Student’s grades will be determined by the quality of their written work (60%), and their participation in class discussions and projects (40%). Not attending class regularly will result in a failing grade. Students are expected to come to class prepared to discuss all of the assigned readings and films, and to act in a respectful manner to others. Please do not leave phones on, or leave class without first asking for permission, as acting otherwise is extremely disruptive.

IMPORTANT: All papers must be double spaced and stapled.

 Writing Sample for Fall 2009 Gleaning Correspondences.doc

Texts for Reading
1. Class Matters
2. Picturing Texts
3. Writing: A College Handbook
4. A good dictionary

Texts for Viewing
1. The Gleaners and I, Agnes Varda
(The Gleaners and I Two Years Later)
2. El Sol del Membrillo, Victor Erice
3. Moonwalk One , Theo Kamecke

Part I

Part II

Part III