ENG/EDU 501: Professional Writing
Retreat Syllabus
Summer 2008
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Department of English, Foreign Languages, and
Journalism
Department of Education
Prairie Lands Writing Project Web Site: http://www.missouriwestern.edu/plwp/
How to
Contact Your Teacher
Instructor:
Miss Rebecca Dierking
Cell
Phone: 573.881.5130
E-Mail: rebeccadierking@yahoo.com
Office:
211O Townsend,
Mailing Address: 303 Townsend,
Prairie Lands Writing
Project Site Director: Dr. Jane Frick, frick@missouriwestern.edu
Office:
Phone: 816-271-4315 or 816
294-4410 (Cell)
Graduate Catalog Description: ENG/EDU 501 Topics in Teaching Writing (1-2
credits each; may be repeated for a total of four credits; offered on demand).
Writing seminar for teachers or pre-service teachers with senior standing at
MWSU which addresses a particular issue related to literacy teaching. Prerequisite:
Senior standing at MWSU with successful completion of EDU Junior Experience or
BS or BA degree.
About
This Course
This
weekend-long course (Friday through Sunday), designed for professional
development, is also intended as a means
of self-reflection on the participant’s teaching experience and as a way of
enriching each participant’s teaching—and writing—life. This course in particular encourages students
to apply their teaching knowledge to various forms of written expression, both
prose and poetic.
Methods
of Learning
Primarily,
each student will learn through writing. However, exposure to peer revision and
one-on-one consultation with an editor will also enrich each person’s knowledge
base.
Textbook
Information
This
class requires no textbook. However,
readings and other materials will be made available for review. All materials for the course can be found in
the retreat folder/booklet, supplied at the beginning of the weekend.
Content
Throughout
the weekend, participants will construct article(s) discussing and/or relating
to their teaching experience. These
articles may include but are not limited to:
newspaper articles, magazine articles, newsletter pieces, lesson plans,
etc. The course will focus heavily on
writing time as peer evaluation groups and an editor are available for
consultation. Participants may also use
this class as a “testing” vehicle for writing pieces assigned within their own
classrooms, such as poems, essays, letters, etc.
Official
Policy Statements
This
course adheres to all MWSU policies and regulations as set forth in the policy
statements and catalogs of this institution.
Grading
Students will be evaluated primarily on the basis of
their written work and contribution within both the peer writing groups and the
class as a whole. A beneficial member of
any writing group contributes positive yet critical feedback. Peer reviewers
should follow the tenets of National Writing Project within the time of the
retreat—everyone is a writer, conveying both positive feedback and ways in
which the author’s piece can be improved, focusing on process as well as
product. No individual grades will be
assigned for any activity, writing or peer group work; however, you will
receive critical responses from the retreat editor, director and many retreat
participants.
We plan, therefore, to assign only the grade of A. An
“A” represents the following characteristics have been achieved:
·
Community: You
have participated fully in the activities of the retreat
·
Expectations: You
have met all expectations published in this syllabus.
·
Writing: You email a draft of your writing completed from the weekend no
later than Wednesday, June 18, to your instructor. NOTE: The
deadline for withdrawing without penalty is Thursday, June 19, should you
decide not to submit your writings.
Plagiarism is a form of cheating. That all students do their
own work is basic to their learning experience. To submit a paper that is in
part or in whole the work of another unaccredited person is plagiarism.
Students found guilty of plagiarism may fail the assignment and/or the course
and be reported to the MWSU administration for inclusion in the student’s permanent
file under the guidelines of academic honesty.
Course Outline
Friday, June 13
6.30 p.m. Introduction to course and participants
7.30 p.m. Workshop on how to respond to writing critically.
This is also the time when everyone should tell his/her article topic so that
response groups can be formed.
9.30 p.m. Retire
Saturday, June 14
8.00
a.m. Group check-in and
assignment of response groups
8.30
a.m. Individual writing time
12.00
p.m. Lunch
1.00
p.m. Individual writing time
(response groups should meet)
5.00
p.m. Group check in (how’s
everyone doing?)
5.30
p.m. Dinner
6.30
p.m. Individual writing time
9.00
p.m. A time to be social….or keep
writing…or retire
Sunday,
June 15
8.00
a.m. Individual writing time (response
groups should meet again)
11.00
a.m. Cover letters for
publications workshop AND
Read around (each person reads for about 3 minutes)
12.00
p.m. Go home, refreshed, renewed,
and with a publishable piece of writing mostly finished—if not completed.
Total: 18
Clock Hours of Writing and Instruction
Assignment:
Please email me a copy of your completed writing from the weekend no
later than Wednesday, June 18, or you could receive an “F” grade in the course.
The deadline for withdrawing from the class without penalty is Thursday, June
19.