Texts
Atwell In the Middle (2nd ed.)
Kirby, Kirby, Liner Inside Out (3rd ed.)
Graves Writing, Teaching, Learning

Additional Text for 410G
Corbett, Myers, Tate The Writing Teacher's Sourcebook (4th ed.)
 

This course requires prospective teachers to broaden their experiences as writers and respondents to the writing of others.  We will be connecting theory and practice, and emphasis will be on practical application.  Specific course requirements will engage students in critically examining scholarly writings (class texts, professional journal articles, and respected books in the field) and developing, critiquing, and evaluating original pieces of writing.
 

Course Requirements

Reflective Notes
For each set of reading assignments, you are to produce a written response in which you critically reflect upon the readings and identify significant issues from the texts.  Each of these assignments should be 350-500 words in length (although, ultimately, quality will be more significant than quantity).  Handwritten work will be accepted, though typed work is preferred.  The purposes of these notes are to encourage you to read the texts carefully and thoughtfully and to provide you with notes on ideas and practices that will help you as you launch your teaching career.  These notes should not be summaries of the readings; they should be your responses to the readings.  Interpret, question, react, think--but don't simply summarize.  Notes are due (and will be collected) at the beginning of the class for which the readings are assigned.  A schedule of reading assignments is included in this document.

Reviews—one journal article, one book
In addition to textbook readings, you will select, read, and review one article about writing and/or writing instruction from a professional journal.  The specific topics of articles for review are open.  However, you should note that they should be articles (rather than, say, lesson plans or book reviews).  Reviews should be limited to one typed, single-spaced page and should begin with full bibliographic information for the article (using MLA style).  The review itself should consist of a summary of the article and a critical response to it.  (The summary should account for no less than 50% of the length; your response should be no less than 25%.  Different articles will suggest varying proportions.)  Reviews will be due at the beginning of class on February 26.  These reviews will be made available to all students in the class.  To accommodate this, you are required either to submit sufficient photocopies for all class members and the instructor (two copies for the instructor, please) or to submit to the instructor one hard copy and one computer disk (which will be returned) containing the review.  The file must be in (or have been converted to) IBM-compatible MS Word or WordPerfect, ASCII, or HTML.  (See me if you need assistance with this.)  Reviews submitted via software will be posted on the internet for access by the class.
The book review will follow the same format and submission guidelines as the article review--with two exceptions.  In order to produce the review, you will need to familiarize yourself extensively with the text, but this may not require that you read every page.  Use your best judgment.  Also, the books to be reviewed must be selected from among those included in the Resources chapter (chapter 16) of Inside Out.  A simple listing of books appears on pages 272-74; all of those listed are described briefly in the text of the chapter.  You will need to select a book fairly early in the semester to accommodate any necessary interlibrary loan activity, and note that we will use a "first come, first served" policy for staking claims.  The book reviews will be due on April 9.
This semester, I am requiring that at least one of the two reviews be submitted via computer disk.

Portfolio
Each student will compile a portfolio of his or her writing.  The specific contents of this portfolio will be made explicit shortly, but note that we will be using the Kentucky Writing Portfolio guidelines as a foundation of sorts.  Two typed copies of your portfolio will be due on April 30.  (Note also the draft due date under "Additional Assignment Dates.")

Final
The final examination (Monday, May 7, 6:00-8:00 p.m.) will consist primarily of a critical response to a number of student works and to what you have gleaned from the course.  More on this later.
 

Grading Weights
 

Reflective Notes	38
Reviews	14
Portfolio	38
Final	10

Attendance and Late Work
Attendance does not simply affect daily assignments--it also affects continuity of activities and discussions, as well as awareness of work and deadlines.  (When you begin teaching, this will become more obvious to you than it is, perhaps, now.)  At any rate, because of the schedule of this class, anyone missing more than 2 ½ classes will be ineligible to continue the course.  Fractions count.
Credit will not be given for late work unless a written medical excuse is turned in with the work.  (Such materials should be submitted as soon as possible—not simply at the next class meeting.)  If you know you will be absent, submit your work in advance.
If the university closes for any reason, we will adhere to the established due dates.

Quality of Writing
As this is an upper-division course--and as you are nearing the time when you will be held up as a model of scholarship for our youth--I expect all assignments to reflect your writing ability.  While I have no intention of reading your Notes and Reviews specifically to seek out errors or problems (with the exception of the Review citations), I may point out those I notice.  Furthermore, if such errors cause problems in reading and/or comprehending your paper, your grade will suffer.

Caveat
Alas, I am but human.  While I have attempted to cover as many eventualities as I could in designing these guidelines, I must acknowledge that situations may arise which would suggest or dictate slight alterations in this grand scheme.  I must, therefore, reserve the right to make alterations when necessary or appropriate.  Any such alterations will be announced in class.
 
 

Reading Assignments				(410G only)
Notes DUE on	KKL	A	G	CMT
Jan. 29	1	1	3-15	243-50
Feb. 5	2	--	45-48, 49-54	94-99
Feb. 12	10	3	113-17	374-83
Feb. 26*	--	4, 5	131-44	258-72, 279-85
Mar. 5	--	TBA	197-217	--
Mar. 19	5, 15	--	258-64, 328-35	320-34
Mar. 26	11	6	91-103	--
Apr. 2	14	7	321-27	139-51

*Note additional assignment for this date, below.

Additional Assignment Dates

Article review due on February 26
Book review due on April 9
Portfolio drafts due on April 16
Portfolios due on April 30
Final on May 7
 

University Notices

The last day to withdraw with a “W” is March 9.

Anyone on roll at the end of the semester who has either exceeded the absence limit as presented earlier or stops attending after April 2 will receive an "FN" grade.

ADA notice: Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course must contact the Office for Student Disability Services, Room A201, Downing University Center.  The OFSDS telephone number is (270) 745-5004 V/TDD.  Please do not request accommodations directly from the instructor without a letter of accommodation from the Office for Student Disability Services.

LINK TO REVIEWS