Many of the listed readings in the table below refer to the following course texts:
Comley, Nancy R., et. al., eds. Fields of Reading: Motives for Writing. 7th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, 2004. ISBN: 0312404719.
Bailey, Tom, ed. On Writing Short Stories. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. ISBN: 0195122720.
Lunsford, Andrea A. Easy Writer: A Pocket Guide. Second Edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, 2002. ISBN: 0312243480.
| SES # | TOPICS | READINGS / VIEWINGS | ASSIGNMENTS DUE | IN CLASS ACTIVITY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to the Course: Why Write from Experience? |
Distribute syllabus, course information forms, and the following assignments: Exercise 1.1, Essay #1, Writer’s Letter, Reader/Writer Notebook assignment Sample student writing |
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| 2 | Crafting the Self: Experience and the Shaping of Identity |
In Fields of Reading: Walker, Alice. “Beauty: When the Other Dancer Is the Self.” pp. 42-49. Cofer, Julia Ortiz. “The Story of My Body.” pp. 93-102. |
Writer’s Letter, Exercise 1.1 (bring 6 copies), Notebook assignment on Alice Walker |
Small Groups: Exercise 1.1 Sample student writing Discuss Assigned Readings |
| 3 |
Crafting the Self: Experience and the Shaping Of Identity Writing as Process: Prewriting, Drafting, and Revising |
In Fields of Reading: “Reflecting.” pp. 25-30. Orwell, George. “Shooting an Elephant.” (p. 114-120) ———. 1984. (Excerpt) |
Notebook assignment: Comment on the connections between “Shooting an Elephant” and the 1984 excerpt | Discuss Assigned Readings |
| 4 | Crafting the Self: Experience and the Shaping of Identity Diary/Journal as a Narrative form |
In Fields of Reading: Douglass, Frederick. “Learning to Read And Write.” pp. 62-67. Frank, Anne. “At Home, In School, In Hiding.” pp. 171-180. Hampl, Patricia. “The Whole Anne Frank.” pp. 22-24. |
Notebook assignment on Frank reading First Version, Essay #1 - Two copies with cover letter, Workshop Students: email essays as Word documents to class |
Discuss Assigned Readings Distribute/Review Workshop |
| 5 |
The Craft Of Revision Workshop: First Version, Essay #1 |
Response Letters to Classmates |
Workshop: First Version, Essay #1 Discussion of Student Essays |
|
| 6-7 | Self in Society: Language, Legitimacy and the Writer’s Craft |
In Fields of Reading: Baldwin, James. “If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?” pp. 532-535. Tan, Amy. “Mother Tongue.” pp. 68-73. |
Notebook assignment on Baldwin and Tan Service Learning Proposals Revision, Essay #1 - Two copies with cover letter and marked-up first version (and Exercise 1.1, if applicable) |
Distribute Essay #2 Assignment Sheet Discuss Assigned Readings |
| 8 | Self in Society: Learning, Schooling and Identity |
In Fields of Reading: Angelou, Maya. “Graduation.” pp. 31-41. Sizer, Theodore R. “What High School Is.” pp. 345-355. Boufis, Christine. “Teaching Literature at the County Jail.” pp. 198-205. |
Notebook assignment comparing styles of Angelou and Sizer | Discuss Assigned Readings |
| 9 |
Self in Society: Educational Experience and Privilege Ethics of the Writer Working With Secondary Sources |
Mead, Rebecca. “Sophie’s World.” New Yorker 75, no. 31 (October 18/25, 1999): 184-93. Witherspoon, Abigail. “This Pen for Hire: On Grinding Out Papers for College Students” Harpers 290 (June 1995): 49-57. (Handout) |
Notebook assignment on Witherspoon | Discuss Assigned Readings |
| 10 | The Self and the World of Work: Writing About Work and Work-Related Issues |
In Fields of Reading: Ehrenreich, Barbara. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America. pp. 760-774. Gornick, Vivian. “Working in the Catskills.” pp. 753-759. |
Notebook assignment on Ehrenreich | Discuss Assigned Readings |
| 11 |
The Self and the World of Work Working with Primary Sources Interviewing |
In Fields of Reading: Kamber, Michael. “Toil and Temptation.” pp. 205-216. Mills, C. Wright. “White Collar Work.” pp. 731-752. Schlosser, Eric, and Jon Lowenstein. “Making it Work.” pp. 775-783. |
Notebook assignment comparing Schlosser and Lowenstein and Kamber First Version, Essay #2 - Two copies with cover letter, email essays to workshop group members |
Discuss Assigned Readings Distribute/Review Workshop Review Writer’s Methods: Interviewing |
| 12 | Workshop, First Version, Essay #2 | Response Letters to Classmates | Workshop, First Version, Essay #2 | |
| 13 |
Writing about the Meaning of Work Writing as Work The Role of the Writer |
“Writers on Writing” series, New York Times . (Distributed in class) Quindlen, Anna. “The Eye of the Reporter, the Heart of The Novelist.” New York Times, Sept. 2, 2002. Orwell, George. “Politics and the English Language.” pp. 536-547. Sample Selections from WRITERS ON WRITING series |
Oral Presentations | |
| 14 | Writing About the Ethics of Work |
Mead, Rebecca. “Eggs for sale.” New Yorker 75, no. 22 (August 9, 1999): 56-65. In Fields of Reading: Schlosser, Eric. “Why McDonald’s Fries Taste So Good.” pp. 308-318. |
Notebook assignment on Mead | Discuss Assigned Readings |
| 15 | The Self and the Community: Experience and “Catalyst Writing” |
Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. 40th anniversary ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2002. (Originally published in 1962.) (Excerpt) Friedan, Betty. The Feminine Mystique. New York: W.W. Norton, 2001. (Excerpt - originally published in 1963) Klein, Naomi. No Logo. New York: Picador: Distributed by Holtzbrinck Publishers, 2002. (Excerpt) Documentary Film Clip: No Logo. |
Notebook Exercise on Carson, Friedan and Klein Revision, Essay #2 - Include cover letter + marked-up first version |
Discuss Assigned Readings |
| 16 | Catalyst Writing #2: Drawing upon Experience to Write about Social Change |
In Fields of Reading: King, Martin Luther Jr. “Letter From A Birmingham Jail.” pp. 617-631. Documentary Film Clip: Eyes On the Prize. |
Notebook assignment on King | Discuss Assigned Readings |
| 17 | Drawing Upon Experience to Create Fiction |
In On Writing Short Stories: Baldwin, James. “Sonny’s Blues.” |
Notebook assignment on Baldwin First Version, Essay #3, email essays for workshop |
Discuss Assigned Readings |
| 18 | Drawing Upon Experience to Create Fiction (cont.) |
In On Writing Short Stories: Dubus, Andre. “A Father’s Story.” pp. 288-303. ———. “The Habit of Writing.” pp. 90-96. |
Notebook assignment on Dubus |
Discuss Assigned Readings Distribute/Review Workshop |
| 19 | Workshop, First Version, Essay #3 | Response Letters to Classmates | Workshop, First Version, Essay #3 | |
| 20 | Drawing Upon Experience to Create Fiction (cont.) |
In On Writing Short Stories: Olsen, Tillie. “I Stand Here Ironing.” pp. 149-154. |
Notebook assignment: One-page character sketch (for potential short story): Include a demographic profile of your character (age, race, gender, occupation, etc.) and a short sketch of your character in action Revision, Essay #3 |
Discuss Assigned Readings |
| 21 | Drawing Upon Experience to Create Fiction (cont.) |
In On Writing Short Stories: O’Connor, Flannery. “Everything That Rises Must Converge.” pp. 171-182. Steinbeck, John. “The Chrysanthemums.” pp. 163-170. |
Notebook assignment on either story Draw a “character web” of a fictional character in relationship to other characters. Write a short scene involving your character and at least two other characters in the web |
Discuss Assigned Readings |
| 22 | Drawing Upon Experience to Create Fiction (cont.) |
In On Writing Short Stories: Wolff, Tobias. “Bullet in the Brain.” pp. 311-314. Short Film. “Bullet in the Brain.” |
Notebook assignment on Wolff First Version Essay #4 |
Discuss Assigned Readings |
| 23 | Drawing Upon Experience to Create Fiction (cont.) |
In On Writing Short Stories: O’Brien, Tim. “The Things They Carried.” |
Notebook assignment on O’Brien |
Distribute/Review Workshop Instructions |
| 24 | Workshop, First Version, Essay #4 | Response Letters to Classmates | Workshop, First Version, Essay #4 | |
| 25 |
Publication Workshop Course Evaluations Student Readings |
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| 26 | Last Class - Student Readings, Celebration | Final Portfolios with Revision Essay #4 |
