important links for this class:
my english 120 syllabus,
the ndsu's homepage as well as
the ndsu library homepage,
the best site ever (not super important but cool), and
my xanga teaching blog.
archive
a class blog for freshmen students to discuss controversial issues online...
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Posted
2:18 PM
by Sybil
F.Y.I.: On Tuesday (Feb. 4), we will be doing the following (most are shown in syllabus): Group Chapter Presentations/Summaries (I'll give a few minutes at beginning of class for all of you to get together and talk about what you want to talk about), Scavenger Hunt items and discussion, A small "lecture" on Assumptions/Respect to have in dealing with the Student Class Presentations, Student Class Presentation handout and information, Student Class Presentation Sign-Up sheet as well as time for all of you to get together and figure out WHO you want to work with & WHAT your issue will be. Some announcements will be made at beginning of class before all these items are covered, and at the end of class, I'll hand back W.A.s. Paper #1 will not be handed back for a week or two (how ever long I give you to write it = how long I get to assess all 46 of 'em).
Posted
1:58 PM
by Sybil
I get rid of my hiccups by putting a gulp of water, or any liquid, in my mouth and then BEFORE swallowing the water or whatever, I close off all my senses: plug my nose, ears, and close my eyes. While those senses are 'shut off' I swallow the liquid and WHAM they are gone. It happens for me everytime. Whether I have convinced my brain that it works, or whether it's a biological thing- it always gets rid of my hiccups.
P.S. Brady- when you blog, you could write a little bit MORE. Goofball.
P.P.S. Jon, that's a great myth. I have heard a lot of reasons why we probably didn't land, etc and they are interesting.
Posted
6:28 PM
by Sybil
Scavenger Hunt: (p.s. COME TO CLASS PEOPLE!) found on page 45 of our book. Respond #1.
For those of you needing conference times, I have openings only tomorrow now anywhere between 4 and 5 pm. If you can't make those, I don't know what to say... e-mail me I guess.
Posted
10:18 AM
by Sybil
Wow.. assignments for me ALREADY? Tomi wants to know what love is.. ugh.. well, that is a GOOD question. Maybe someone could do that word for their definition paper later on in the semester.. and thanks, Mark, for reading my teaching blog... didn't think anyone read that anymore. JOE- so glad to see you are FINALLY on this! sheesh.
Something I do know: True Love is when you need someone (in your life) because you love them not because you just need them to feel love (rrr something like that). I heard that somewhere once, and I believe that you really CAN'T love someone else until you are a stable individual all by yourself. I learned that while teaching in BL.
Are there any things YOU ALL know FOR SURE??
Posted
11:28 AM
by Sybil
Just a few reminders:
=Placing your writings on this class blog is great, but I want paper copies brought to class (like the syllabus specifies). For W.A. #4 and other little activities, you will NEED to be IN CLASS to get credit. No more handing in things to my mailbox and skipping class. It doesn't seem fair to me or the students that do attend class.
=Remember the Scavenger Hunt for next week! Those of you missing class today- find someone to tell you about that!
=Conferences next week too! Not attending a conference, like my little green grade sheets specify, only allows you to receive the highest grade of a B on the paper.
Posted
5:20 PM
by Sybil
Something to talk about on Thursday (agenda for class: go over Chapt. 3, assign groups to chapters for Feb 4's class, and peer revision time.. as well as signing up for conferences next week-- no class next week!): How can I get all of you to figure out who you want to do your big student class presentations with? I don't want to assign groups- YUCK! But I want you to be with people that want to do the same issues as you... hmph. I am stumped. Last time I taught 120, I just brought in the sign-up sheet for those presentations and had people talk to each other in class for a while to figure out who to work with- should I just do that again? Any ideas are much appreciated!!
Posted
9:46 PM
by Sybil
According to the syllabus, W.A.#3 is due on Thursday.
Posted
10:10 AM
by Sybil
P.S. Start thinking of what you'd like to cover in your student class presentations.. and also who in the class you'd like to have in your group as well. We'll do more of that planning later, but start thinking about it... Have a good weekend all! Check out W.A. #2 before you start watching T.V.
Posted
10:05 AM
by Sybil
I hope this class and myself add up to the expectations you have all heard of or have of me/the class. I, too, want it to be funfunfun, but at the same time helpful intellectually and personally. My favorite classes have been ones where I got to laugh the whole time, and still walked out of there with my head full of STUFF. Or a notebook full of ideas at least. What can a person possibly learn in a boring class? How many ceiling tiles the room has or how many times the prof says 'um'? Give me a break. Who said this: "Life is long, college is short."? I think it was Geoffrey Sirc (a cool teacher dude I read about once). Essentially, let's make this short experience for you fun and, yet, prepare you for the long life ahead. Wow, was that philosophical or what? Whew!
Posted
8:30 AM
by Sybil
You all have great entries thus far. I am impressed. Heck, I was impressed when people started blogging on Tuesday! For those of you that can't seem to get into Blogger yet, be patient. Also, maybe give me another e-mail address to try. Sorry if the internet is being slow! Ugh.
Thanks to all of you for your ideas for Paper #1.. I am thinking that it will be graded on a mixture of content (how well researched), mechanics (that grammar and spelling stuff), as well as how interesting it is/ how engaged you make the reader.
Please remember that a few copies of a rough draft for these papers are due a week from today for Peer Review/ Response.
The stereotypes I get are "yuppie", "dork" (which I accept the most), and "nerdy teacher"... many people think teachers have no lives and love to go home and correct by a fireplace while sipping wine or something. How did that stereotype start? Some of the craziest people I know teach.
Posted
10:19 PM
by Sybil
Yay! People are ON here already! Holy.. cow. :-) So, some of you heard or think I am a cool teacher? Whoa- such horrible lies! And, yes Eric keep telling your bro that UND stinks. Good job. Oooh, and I thought of another issue I argue about.. Techno music.. I like it. Yea, I have heard all the possible reasons why that is dumb (from my sister- a Static X and System of a Down lover- I like that music too, don't get me wrong...)
Anyhow, I am researching now into more myths that you all could think of doing Paper #1 on.. I was just thinking of things my parents use to say (or still say)... "Don't read without a light on near you." "Don't sit so close to the T.V." "Don't do that with your face or it will stay that way!"
Posted
11:09 AM
by Sybil
“To Do” List for January 16, 2003. This list can also be found on the class blog and on my teaching blog.
Class weblog: Hopefully, you’ve gotten my e-mail invitation by now so just click on the link that they want you to. From there, you’ll have to fill out a username/password-like thing. Don’t forget your username or password! Once you are registered with Blogger.com, you can press on the class weblog and start “blogging” which is basically writing entries onto the blog. Class blogs are similar to online discussion boards. Everyone in both of my classes, as well as anyone who visits our class blog, can read your entries, and those entries will be listed chronologically backwards (newest stuff on top). After typing in your entry in the white area, press the button with “post & publish” on it.
For your first blog entry, answer some of the following questions: What is a strereotype people sometimes place you in (from W.A. #1)? Why are you here at NDSU? Why did you pick this class? What is the issue you hope to discuss for your student class presentation? What do you hope to gain from this class? Also, in regards to Paper #1- We need to create a rubric (list of items I will ‘grade’ on), so what items should I look for in Paper #1?? [Some possibilities: Mechanics, like spelling and grammar? Whether it is interesting? Humorous? Well-focused? Well-researched? Organized?]
Revision Activity: As 1/2 of our first in-class activity, you will read pgs. 3- top of 5 in our book. Then, in a word-processing document (Microsoft Word?), pick a phrase or word or quote and tell me why it is an argument or why it is controversial. Then, as a revision technique, take those few sentences that you just wrote and make them into a thesis statement someone might use in a paper. This activity may only take up half of a page.
The second 1/2 of this first in-class activity will be brainstorming for Paper #1- search on Google or Yahoo! (or any other search engine) for the word “myth”(or other words associated with that word). Try to find research that may help you with your Paper #1. On the bottom half of your revision page from the activity above, tell me what you found. You can just list webpages or articles you found. Hand this page of the two activities into me by the end of class time.
For next Tuesday, W.A. #2 is due. Read about it in the syllabus. Also, you’ll need to read Chapters 1 and 2 in the book for Tuesday as well.
Posted
3:16 PM
by Sybil
I am more excited to teach this semester than any other semester. For one, it helps to have a book that I adore... Secondly, I feel like the syllabus is jam-packed with awesome activities, AND the paper topics will not bore me (or the students, I hope) to death. Got to make it fun and interesting otherwise... ugh. Hopefully, each class session will be full of helpful hints for them to write better as well as great discussion on controversy, etc in our daily lives.
Although I am excited, I don't want to have extremely high hopes. High hopes always seem to get crushed, don't they?