After you’ve had a chance to review the Course Calendar and pick up contact with your group members, I recommend that you design your own personal/group schedule that includes minute details about group postings, “meetings,” chats, etc. You could work ahead of time and also around group members’ (work, etc.) schedules and still make the deadline posted in the Course Calendar. I know that several of you will leave town or be on the move during the course, so please make every effort to accommodate everybody. We need to make this course work for all.

 As you will see, most of this class involves you directly in writing, responding, and reporting in small and large groups. Missing deadlines might have a negative effect on your peers’ performance, especially during workshop cycles. Therefore, missing workshop deadlines and not allowing your peers enough time to give or receive feedback will have serious consequences, including a low participation grade. If you are forced to miss an assignment due to illness or an emergency, I’d rather that you post your reading response late than your workshop draft. I expect you to notify your workshop group and me if “life happens” and you need an adjustment. Three late postings for reading responses are allowed without penalty as long as you keep all involved parties informed. Remember that keeping the communication channels open is crucial in this course.