Syllabus for ENG 466: Practicum in the Teaching of Writing
and ENG 316: Internship in English
Department
of English, Foreign Languages and Journalism, Division of Liberal Arts and
Sciences
ENG
316/466
Instructor: Dawn Terrick
Spring
2008
TH
3:30-4:20 Murphy 104
Office: Eder Hall 222F
Office
Phone: 816-271-4313
Office
Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 1-3, Monday
11-12 and by appointment
Email: terrick@missouriwestern.edu
Required
Texts:
·ENG 100 Writer’s Workshop
Fall Edition
·Answer Key/Manual (booklet
will be distributed)
·Packet of required
essays/readings (in bookstore)
Course
Description:
“Academic
writing, reading and inquiry are inseparably linked; and all three are learned
not by doing any one alone, but by doing them all at the same time. To “teach writing” is thus necessarily to
ground writing in reading and inquiry.” -James
A. Reither
This
course is designed to help you both navigate your way through the ENG 100
workshops and provide you with a solid foundation for your future teaching and
writing endeavors. As a result, I would
like this course to function mainly as a “seminar” in which we will all read
and discuss essays regarding composition theory and pedagogy, while making
connections between these essays and our “real life” teaching experiences. I want you all to develop and refine your own
critical perspectives on teaching writing and the most effective way to
accomplish this is to truly discuss, debate and question the issues we read
about and then to discover your own place within and against others’ theories
and approaches to teaching writing.
Please remember that class discussion is the key component to your
success in this course and in the workshop, so feel free to ask questions of
your instructor and your classmates, both inside and outside of the
classroom.
Most class sessions will follow a similar format: In class we will discuss workshop questions and problems and review upcoming workshop lessons and exercises. In addition, we may also discuss the assigned readings and issues and concerns related to the readings.
**All
Student Assistants must attend every weekly meeting for training
sessions and discussions. You will also
spend a minimum of two additional hours per week as a Student Assistant,
leading your assigned ENG 100 students in a Writer’s Workshop. All student assistants must attend all
workshop sessions, be on time for each session and conduct each session for the
full 50 minutes. If you cannot make a
workshop session, it is your responsibility to contact Dawn Terrick and, if
possible, find coverage for your workshop.
All students enrolled in ENG 316/466 are also required to attend every
weekly meeting and successfully complete all reading and writing
assignments.
Course
Objectives:
You
should aim:
·to become knowledgeable about
writing processes, particularly heuristics and prewriting
·to deepen your understanding
of writing and of designing writing assignments
·to become a more skilled and
experienced teacher, particularly of composition
·to comprehend the rationale
for the MWSC ENG 100 course design
·to develop your own critical
perspective on teaching writing
Methods of
Instruction:
Methods of
instruction include assigned readings, lectures, class discussions, group
work/in-class workshops, informal writing assignments and formal writing
assignments.
Policies:
Attendance
and Class Preparation/Participation: All
students are expected to attend every scheduled class meeting and every
workshop session. If you miss class
three times during the semester for any reason other than a legitimate,
documented emergency, you will fail the course and you may be removed as an
SA. However, please feel free to talk
with me about any extenuating circumstances.
If for any other reason any SA should simply fail to meet the minimal
requirements and standards for a responsible student tutor,
that SA may be replaced and will earn an F in any related class. If you are going to miss class due to a
school-sponsored event you must notify me in advance. Also, arriving to class late is
disruptive. As a result, chronic
lateness will likely affect your final grade.
Students are also expected to come prepared to every class meeting and
participate in class discussion for this is the only way we can all share
ideas, ask questions and learn.
Late
Work: All writing assignments are due on
the due date stated on the assignment sheet and course schedule. Each student is allowed one late paper (and
only one late paper) and this must be discussed with the instructor. I will not
accept/grade any other late papers. This
is important because you must complete, turn in and receive a grade for all
papers in order to pass this class.
Consequently, if you submit more than one late paper, you will fail the
course.
Grading: Your employment status and final grade for
the internship/practicum will be based upon your workshop performance as well
as your classroom observation/report, reaction paper, writer’s workshop
activity/materials, teaching log and final self-evaluation. Please remember that you must complete all
assignments in order to pass the course.
Also note that class preparation and participation are very important
and do affect your overall grade.
· Classroom
observation/report: 100 points each all tutors/316 and 466 students
· Reaction paper: 100 points 316/466 students
· Writer’s workshop model activity:100 points 316/466
students
· Teaching log: 100 points all tutors
· Self-evaluation: 100 points 316 and 466 students
· Class
preparation/participation: 100 points all tutors
(Note: 316 students who are assigned a separate
project and/or who are repeating this class do not have to complete the above
assignments except the assignments for “all tutors”).
Due
Dates: Please be aware of due dates for
all assignments which also appear on your assignment schedule:
Observation: Due Feb. 21
Reaction
paper: Due March 6
Workshop
activity, self-evaluation essay and logs:
Due last day of class,
April 24
All
papers for this course must be word-processed.
Please note that you must complete all major assignments in order to
pass this course. It is also important
to save all work on disks, keeping back-ups if necessary.
Academic
Honesty Policy: Academic honesty is
required in all academic endeavors.
Violations of academic honesty include any instance of plagiarism,
cheating, seeking credit for another’s work, falsifying documents or academic
records or any other fraudulent classroom activity. Cheating and plagiarism are not acceptable. You must also honestly fulfill all
responsibilities for your workshop sessions.
You will receive a grade of F (0 points) for any paper/assignment/exam
that shows evidence of cheating and/or plagiarism. You have the burden of proving that a paper/assignment
showing evidence of cheating and/or plagiarism has been in fact written by
you. You should keep thorough evidence
of your writing processes for all papers so that you can meet this burden of
proof. Please make sure to correctly
document all borrowed information and ideas, using MLA guidelines, on all of
your writing assignments. Violations of
academic honesty will be reported to the Provost or the designated
representative on the Academic Honesty Violation Report forms. Please note carefully the statement on
plagiarism on the departmental website, found at
http://www.missouriwestern.edu/EFLJ/plagiarism.asp,
and please see the 2006-07 Student Handbook and Calendar on page 21 for
specific activities identified as violations of this policy and the student due
process procedure. This handbook is also
available online at http://www.missouriwestern.edu/handbook/index.pdf.
Students with Disabilities: Anyone who has a disability that prevents the fullest expression of his or her potential to succeed in this course must notify me as soon as possible so that we can discuss class requirements and accommodations. You must also contact Michael Ritter, Special Needs Coordinator, and be sure that all necessary documents are on file in his office.
Please
feel free to come see me if you have any
problems or questions and feel free to discuss workshop situations (both successes
and failures) both in class and in my office.
I believe communication is very important between an instructor and her
students and, as a result, I will make myself available to you for any reason.
ENG 316/466 – ENG 100
Classroom Observations and Descriptive Summaries
Purposes of this
assignment: To learn more about your workshop students
and about the instructor/professor who is teaching your ENG 100 section(s); To
observe and reflect upon a composition classroom setting; to provide an impetus
for you to think about your own teaching methods and assignments.
Overview of activities:
· Schedule a time to
observe the class (contact your instructor/professor through email, phone or
personal contact)
· Observe and take careful notes (ask for any handouts that the
instructor/professor may be using; if possible, participate in any activities
during the class session)
· Write a descriptive
report
Assignment: Students
enrolled in ENG 316/466 are required to observe an ENG 100 class, normally in a
class conducted by the ENG 100 instructor/professor whose workshops you are
leading. This observation must take
place within the first 3-4 weeks of classes.
After the observation, you will write a descriptive report, detailing
what happened throughout the entire class session. Include:
method(s) of teaching employed, in-class exercises, handouts and/or
overheads utilized, role of both teacher and students. Students not enrolled in ENG 316/466 must
conduct an observation but do not have to write the follow-up report.
Requirements: Your report
must be at least one page in length (using Times New Roman, 11 point font with
1 and 1.25 inch margins), spell-checked, edited and word-processed. I must have this report by February 21.
Grading
Criteria: Your report will be graded upon content,
organization/structure and style.
Your
report must follow the assigned format and provide a detailed summary of the
entire class session. In addition, your
report must also be presented in a coherent, organized and logical manner with
appropriate sentence structure, punctuation, grammar, spelling and word
choice.
ENG
466 – Reaction Paper: Summary of and
Response to a Selected Journal Essay/Article
Purposes of this
assignment: To increase your exposure to scholarly writing
and critical theoretical and pedagogical issues in composition and rhetoric; To
read, discuss and write about these issues; To make connections between the
readings and your own experiences in the classroom and workshop; To improve
upon your critical and analytical reading, thinking and writing skills.
*If you are not enrolled in
ENG 316/466, you must still read the assigned essays/articles and participate
in class discussions.
Assignment: Students
enrolled in ENG316/466 will choose one of the readings from the course (in
packet) and write a response to that essay/article. Your essay will be both a summary of and
commentary/response to the essay/article.
Use this assignment as a true learning experience in which you
critically think about and respond to specific ideas and passages that catch
your attention and that connect to your past, present and future learning and
teaching experiences. Your essay should
contain the following:
· Introduction with thesis
statement: Identify the author and title;
identify the author’s main point/argument and your opinion of/response
to/relation to this point/argument
· Body: Assume your reader has
not read the essay/article so include summary information. You can use quotes/passages from the
text. In addition, you must also include
your reaction to and analysis of this essay/article. Be sure to include your opinions and stance
as well as examples from the both essay/article and your own experiences (if
relevant). Some questions you may want
to address in your paper are: What
issues and ideas underlie the essay/article?
Do you agree or disagree with the author? Why?
Can you use your own experiences in the classroom, both as student and
teacher, to help you to understand the author and find your place in regard to
the author? If the author is proposing
an assignment, a specific method of teaching or a specific argument, is it
effective? Could you apply it to one of
your classes/workshops or to your own writing and learning process? How can this essay help to inform your
writing and teaching?
· Conclusion: Create a conclusion
that coheres to the rest of the essay as well as stimulates thought; be sure
conclusion is clear and definitive.
Requirements: Your essay
must be (at least) two full pages in length (using Times New Roman, 11 point
font with 1 and 1.25 inch margins), spell-checked, edited and
word-processed. **Your paper must be
submitted prior to or on March 6.
Grading
Criteria: Your essay will be graded upon content,
organization/structure and style.
· Content: Your
essay must follow the assigned guidelines and provide both a summary of the
article as well as a detailed response and reaction from you. When summarizing, you must be precise and
clear, being sure to outline the author’s main points and being sure not to
misrepresent the author’s points, arguments and intentions. You can utilize quotes/passages from the text
but do not rely too heavily on these and be sure to explain all borrowed material
in your own words. When responding, be
sure to respond to specific examples or passages from the essay/article, being
sure to use your own opinions and experiences as support. Your response must show that you have
seriously thought about and grappled with the ideas and issues the author has
raised.
· Organization/structure: Your essay must have a clear introduction,
body and conclusion.
· Style: Your
essay must be presented in a coherent and logical manner with appropriate
sentence structure, punctuation, grammar, spelling and word choice. Be sure to carefully proofread and edit.
ENG 466 – Writer’s
Workshop Model Activities
Purposes of this
assignment: To reflect upon your experiences in workshop as well
as to reflect upon and critique the current workshop activities; To make
connections between theory and practice, between class readings/discussions and
the classroom; To devise your own lessons; To develop your own critical
perspective on teaching writing.
Overview of activities:
· Review workshop
materials and exercises
· Reflect upon your
workshop experiences
· Create your own teaching
activities
· Respond to others’
teaching activities through peer response groups
Assignment: Students
enrolled in ENG 316 and 466 will prepare and present model activities for a
potential new Writer’s Workshop session.
This assignment has two parts:
·Part One: Create a workshop assignment(s) and present
it as you would present it to your students.
·Part Two: Write a brief justification for this
assignment. How did you come up with this
assignment? What do you hope students
will learn or gain from this assignment?
How does it fit with the entire ENG 100 course? What theory informs this lesson? Was there something in the readings or class
discussions that helped to spark this idea/assignment? Can you see any drawbacks to this assignment?
Requirements: Your
assignment/essay must be approximately two full pages in length, using Times
New Roman, 11-point font with 1 and 1.25 inch margins, with (approximately)
one-two pages devoted to the assignment/activity and (approximately) one page
to the explanation/justification. In
addition, be sure your assignment is spell-checked, edited and
word-processed. This activity must be
submitted to me on or prior to April 24.
Grading
Criteria: Your assignment/essay will be graded upon
content, organization and style:
· Content: Your
assignment must follow the assigned guidelines and provide both Parts One and
Two. When writing the workshop
assignment, be sure the assignment is written for your audience, your ENG 100
students. Also be sure the writing
activity as well as any necessary requirements or guidelines are
explained. When writing your
justification, be sure to address the questions listed above. Your justification must show that you have
seriously thought about and grappled with the rationale behind the assignment
as well the possible positive and negative outcomes of the assignment. Feel free to incorporate workshop
experiences, if relevant.
· Organization:
Your justification essay must be presented in a coherent and logical
manner.
· Style: Your
essay must contain appropriate sentence structure, punctuation, grammar,
spelling and word choice. Be sure to
carefully proofread and edit.
I
look forward to reading your activities and hope to use some of them in the
“new” workshop book for next semester!
*ENG 316/ENG 466 --
Self-Evaluation Essay
Purposes of this
assignment: To reflect upon your experiences as a leader in
workshops; To make connections between theory and practice, between class
readings/discussions and the classroom; To develop your own critical
perspective on teaching writing; To refine your teaching methods and practices.
Assignment: For this
assignment, you will reflect upon and write about your own teaching practices
and experiences within the context of Writer’s Workshop. Some questions that you may want to think
about and address in your essay: What do
you think is the role of the workshop leader/teacher? What are your main strengths and weaknesses
as a workshop leader/teacher? Throughout
the semester, what were your main concerns and obstacles? Can you recall a workshop activity that went
particularly well? Why? Do you think that this experience will help
you in your future career as a teacher?
Look upon this assignment as a way for you to reflect upon and learn
from your experiences this semester – use this assignment as a tool for
evaluating and refining your own teaching theory/theories and practices.
Requirements: All ENG 316 and
ENG 466 students must complete this essay and submit it with the teaching log
on the last day of class. Your essay
must be (at least) two full pages in length, using Times New Roman, 11-point font with 1 and 1.25 inch margins. In addition, be sure your essay is
spell-checked, edited and word-processed.
This essay is due no later than the last day of class, April 24.
Grading
Criteria: Your assignment/essay will be graded upon
content, organization and style:
· Content: Your
essay must show that you have reflected upon and evaluated your performance and
the performance of your students over the course of the semester. Incorporate workshop experiences and
information from the assigned essays if relevant.
· Organization:
Your essay must be well organized and presented in a coherent and
logical manner.
· Style: Your
essay must contain appropriate sentence structure, punctuation, grammar,
spelling and word choice. Be sure to
carefully proofread and edit.
I
look forward to reading and learning from your essays!