2009 Summer Success Seminar

UPDATED English Syllabus

 

 

Instructor:  Mitzi Ramos, ABD

E-mail: mramos8@uic.edu

Class Location: BSB 215

Office: LARES, SSB 2640A

Office Phone: (312) 996-3356

Office Hours: Monday-Thursday, 12-1

SSS Website: http://tigger.uic.edu/~mramos8/SSS.html

 

 

COURSE OVERVIEW

 

Welcome to the LARES Summer Success Seminar at UIC.  Designed to give you some experience and instruction in how to succeed in college level reading and writing, the goals of this program are:

 

·         To help you improve your abilities to read difficult texts and to practice strategies for understanding difficult material;

·         To improve your writing abilities so that you can succeed at college level writing;

·         To acclimate you to the expectations and challenges of college.

 

No matter what your major is, all of your courses in college will ask you to read and write at an analytical level. Being able to do this will be critical to your success.  As you probably already know, there are many differences between college and high school.  You will have more freedom.  You will have classes less often, and you will be asked to do a lot more reading and writing for homework.  Another difference between high school and college is the level of the work.  Your professors will ask you to read books that are more challenging and to write well organized, grammatically correct, and intellectually sophisticated analytical papers.  This course will help you build the skills you need to meet these new challenges.  We have no doubt that you are all capable of doing extremely well in college.  However, it does take work, discipline, planning and organization.  No matter how much you struggle if you continue to work on your reading and writing, and if you are willing to take responsibility for your learning, you will succeed.

 

WRITING IS A PROCESS, and this class is designed to aid you in that process.  You will be expected to attend regularly and participate.  Therefore, you are expected to:

 

·         Attend ALL classes;

·         Be on time for classes;

·         Work to improve your skills in reading and writing;

·         Complete all assigned papers by the given due date;

·         Participate actively in class discussions & writing workshops.

 

This course is a non-credit course and does not contribute to your final UIC GPA.  This offers all of us a rare opportunity to focus on conversation about and meaningful feedback on your writing and class performance rather than only on a final letter grade.  We will give you extensive comments on all of your written work, in addition to which you will have ample opportunity to become adept at giving and receiving feedback from your peers. These experiences will allow you to become a more careful and critical reader of your own writing, so that the writing you eventually do for your UIC classes will be the result of your own skilled editing & revision.

 

 

GRADE DISTRIBUTION

 

Daily Writing Prompts (10%)

Writing Project #1, Immigration Narrative (20%)

Writing Project #2, Argument (20%)

Writing Project #3, Critical Film Analysis (20%)

Writing Project #4, Portfolio Cover Letter (10%)

 

Group Presentation (10%)

Class Participation (10%)

 

Final Portfolio (Mandatory)

 

 

WRITING PROJECTS

 

Papers: During the course of this program, you will be required to write four papers: an immigration narrative, an argumentative essay, a critical film analysis, and a portfolio cover letter. These papers will be worth 70% of your final grade.

 

As with all college papers, the writing projects you will complete in this class must be neatly typed, double-spaced, and clearly printed using 12-point Times New Roman font and 1” margins on all sides. Each page of your paper should include your last name and the page number.  Do not skip lines between paragraphs, or attempt other essay-lengthening techniques.  If there are format problems in your papers, I will ask you to correct them.

 

Your work should be meticulously proofread and free of careless spelling and grammar errors.  When reading them, I will be looking for depth of thought and analysis, clarity and development of ideas and your attention given to elements of structure, content, and style.  You will have the opportunity to revise each paper with a peer, and meet with me to answer any questions or concerns you may have.

 

Papers are to be handed in at the beginning of class on the day that they are due.

No late work will be accepted. 

 

Writing Portfolios: No matter what your major is, each of you will be required by UIC to take a full year of English composition courses.  These courses will require you to display proficiency in reading, writing, and thinking skills.  The culminating project of these courses is the completion of a writing portfolio.  The portfolio will contain final copies of the papers completed in the course.  UIC will evaluate this portfolio according to their standards for reading, writing and thinking.  No matter what your grade in the course is, you must pass this final portfolio evaluation to receive credit for the course. 

 

In light of the fact that you will be expected to complete a writing portfolio for the English Department, the LARES Summer Success Seminar will help you prepare for this endeavor by also requiring that you to produce a portfolio of your final papers in preparation for performing this task in the future.  Please note that STUDENTS WHO DO NOT SUBMIT A FINAL PORTFOLIO WILL NOT PASS THIS COURSE.

 

 

GROUP PRESENTATION

 

During the course of the program you will be required to lead class discussion (see Tentative Schedule for presentation information). The day of your presentations, you must come to class with notes on the readings, any background information you may want to share, and at least five open-ended questions per leader / per reading.

 

Please Note: Open-ended questions require more than YES / NO responses… challenge your classmates…

 

 

CLASS DISCUSSION

 

You will be required to participate in class discussions. In order to make this class a success, you MUST willing to open up and share your experiences, thoughts, and opinions on the topics begin discussed.

 

You will also be exposed to different cultures, opinions and views throughout your years in academia.  Though you may agree or disagree with what you hear, you must respect different points of view.  You are free to challenge or critique what others say, but there must be respect. 

 

 

ACADEMIC RESOURCES

 

There are many resources to help you succeed in this summer program and at UIC as a whole.  LARES is an excellent resource for students in that it offers advising, tutoring, career counseling and more. This summer, additional tutors will be available to help you with your writing. Please contact your instructor for more information.  

 

We will also work with the UIC Writing Center (Douglas Hall – 1st Floor) which offers one-on-one consultation with student writers who need help developing ideas, need advice or additional instruction on any aspect of writing. The Writing Center serves all student writers, not just “beginners.” Tutors are prepared to spend 50 minutes per appointment, and there is no limit to the number of tutoring sessions you can receive each semester. Make an appointment and be on time! Bring the paper you are working on, any related drafts or notes, and information about the assignment.  For an appointment, call the Writing Center, (312) 413-2206 or stop by.  For hours see the Writing Center’s website at http://www.uic.edu/depts/engl/writing.  We highly recommend using the Writing Center regularly to continue to develop your writing skills.

 

The Academic Center for Excellence can help if you feel you need more instruction in reading or writing; visit http://www.uic.edu/depts/ace/ or call (312) 413-0032.

 

 

PLAGIARISM

 

Using, borrowing, or stealing someone else’s ideas and claiming them as your own is against the law.  It is also punishable by expulsion from the university.  For more information about violating academic integrity and its consequences, consult the UIC Dept. of Student Judicial Affairs website.

 

 

CELL PHONE POLICY

 

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR CELL PHONES ARE TURNED OFF DURING CLASS! 

Not only is it rude and disruptive, but it is a personal pet peeve. Be forewarned!

 

 

TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE

 

Subject to change with prior notice.

Please note that all readings should be done in advance of the day on which they appear!

 

 

WEEK ONE

 

6/15     M         Introduction to the LARES Summer Success Seminar

6/16     T          Introduction / Syllabus / Entrance Diagnostic

6/17     W        Poems: Sandra Cisneros (Cisneros Definitions), Ana Castillo, Julia Alvarez & Lorna Dee Cervantes  

6/18    Th         Presenter: Instructor

 

 

WEEK TWO

 

 

6/22     M         Observing Civic Activism: The Protest

6/23      T         Poems: Jimmy Santiago Baca, Luis Alberto Urrea, Pedro Pietri & Miguel Piñero

                        Presenters:  (9:00) Ashley, Mariela & Adriana

                        Presenters: (10:30) Bianca, Yessenia & Miriam

6/24     W        Readings: Jimmy Santiago Baca: excerpts from A Place to Stand

Presenters: (9:00) Paul, Rosie & Magdalena

Presenters: (10:30) Nate, Daisy & Bianca

                        Readings: Luis J. Rodriguez: “La Vida Loca” from Always Running &

Reymundo Sanchez: “Down Brother” from My Bloody Life

Presenters: (9:00) Juan, Daniela, Liliana, Isabel & Joel

Presenters: (10:30) Maria, Carla, Nancy & Dayra

6/25     Th        Writing Workshop: Constructing Argumentative Papers: Group Exercise

 

 

WEEK THREE

Assignment #1:  Argumentative Paper (Class Draft: 7/1; My Draft: 7/2; Final Paper: 7/7)

 

6/29     M         Film: Piñero / Discussion

6/30     T          Writing Workshop: Argumentative Paper: Thesis Statement, Outline & Draft

7/1       W        Peer Review: Bring three copies of your Argumentative Paper.

7/2       Th        Draft Due: Paper #1: Argumentative Paper

                        Readings: Debbie Nathan: “Irma’s Story: The Life of An Illegal Alien” from Women and Other Aliens

                        Presenters: (9:00) Yessenia, Procopio, Angelina, Alma & Veronica

                        Presenters: (10:30) Monserrat, Guadalupe, Elena & Arandia

                        Readings: Sandra Cisneros: Introduction & “No Speak English” from House on Mango Street

                        Presenters: (9:00) Arial, Jewel, Yanila & Marcela

                        Presenters: (10:30) Paulina, Vanessa, Eliveth & Pamela

 

 

WEEK FOUR

Assignment #2:  Film Critique (Class Draft: 7/8; My Draft: 7/9; Final Paper: 7/14)

 

7/6       M         Film Presentation: Bread & Roses

                        Bread & Roses: Film Reviews

                        Presenters:  (9:00) Eva, Abigail, Cesar & Carmen

                        Presenters:  (10:30) Claudia, Lucia, Magdalena & Hela

7/7       T          Final Draft Due: Paper #1: Argumentative Paper

                        Writing Workshop: Film Critique: Thesis Statement, Outline & Draft

7/8       W        Peer Review: Bring three copies of your Film Critique.

7/9       Th        Draft Due: Paper #2: Film Critique

Readings: Gloria Anzaldua: “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” from Borderlands / La Frontera &

Gary Soto: “Being Mean” from Living in the Street

                        Presenters: (9:00) Erica, Marisol, Baltazar & Diana

Presenters: (10:30) Juvenal, Ricardo, Nancy & Yessie

Weekend Assignment: Interview Immigrant

 

 

WEEK FIVE

Assignment #3: Immigration Narrative (Class Draft: 7/15; My Draft: 7/16; Final Paper: 7/23)

 

7/13     M         Discuss Interviews / Musicians

7/14     T          Final Draft Due: Paper #2: Film Critique

Writing Workshop: Immigration Narrative: Thesis Statement, Outline & Draft

7/15     W        Peer Review: Bring three copies of your Immigration Narrative.

7/16     Th        Draft Due: Paper #3: Immigration Narrative

                        Counter-narratives: Assessing the Summer Reading

 

 

WEEK SIX

Assignment #4:  Portfolio Cover Letter (Class Draft: 7/21, Final: 7/23)

 

7/20     M         Vignettes

7/21     T          Writing Workshop: Assignment #4: Portfolio Cover Letter / Write Drafts

7/22     W        Exit Diagnostic

7/23     Th        Portfolios Due: Daily Writing Prompts, Portfolio Cover Letter, Argumentative Paper, Immigration Narrative, and Film Critique.

 

 

 

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