HW due 3/2

Dear Class,
I forgot to clarify this yesterday. Here is the HW that is due next Tue:
--Write down 4 potential research questions related to our first three units of Rereading America (families, education, success & class). Prewrite (brainstorm, come up with follow-up questions, list ideas,...whatever it takes to help you think further about your questions) on each of your questions. Have this written work ready at our next class.
--Read Ch. 6 of Researching and Writing. Be prepared for a quiz...just in case.
--Don't worry about Class & Success articles that I referred to on your pink calendar.

Announcements & Post #8: Pi's search

First off, a couple of reminders for your in-class essay:
1) Here is the list of problems you'll be choosing from
1. The fact that a student’s race/class is a contributing factor in determining the type of education a student receives.
2. Overcrowding and/or teacher shortages
3. Success rate dropping in regular public schools
Sub-point: Regular public schools having to compete for students with charter schools
Sub-point: Compared to schools in other countries
4. Unmotivated students (Lack of parental involvement)
5. Unmotivated/underqualified teachers
6. School resources not allocated well
7. Too much emphasis on standardized testing
8. Diverse populations face different barriers to learning (like language)

2) I forgot to mention this in class, but the back of your Writing Effective Counterarguments and Rebuttals handout from last week has a short excerpt from a sample in-class essay. The things I wanted to highlight about the excerpt are the clear statement of a specific problem, clear thesis, topic sentence that explains how that paragraph will support the thesis, the overall flow of information from general to specific within the body paragraph, the set-up of the quote, the commentary after the quote, and the counterargument+rebuttal pair in the bottom paragraph.
3) Once again, bring your database articles, Rereading America (if you're going to use it), a pen, and plenty of blank paper. You will not be using anything else.

HW Change:
As announced in class, you do not have to read "Horatio Alger" or "The Black Avenger" (although I highly recommend reading them if you have time--they will help you think through some of the issues in this unit). Instead, read pp. 7-11 in Researching and Writing and jot down several potential research questions for Paper #3.


Rewrite Opportunity for Paper #1:
http://www.sartuno.com/classdocs/Paper1RewriteOpportunity.doc


Finally, here is your blog topic:
After reading Ch. 19-26 of LOP, search for a specific passagethat intrigues you from that section (anything from a short phrase to several sentences). Then, analyze the passage. What exactly is it saying and how did you arrive at your interpretation? Why do you think that passage is important? We'll be unpacking some important passages together next week.

Due: before our next class meeting

Post #7: Pi & Faith

Read LOP 14-18. Then, take some time to think carefully about the following two questions. When you are ready, write your responses here:

1) What type of person does Pi seem to be so far? How would you describe him?
2) Pi seems equally drawn to three major religions: Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. His explanations of WHY he is drawn to each religion go against many of our preconceptions and biases regarding these three faiths. Choose one of his explanations that interests/appeals to you and explain what you find striking in it and why. (Note: I am not asking you which religion you're interested in. I'm asking you which of his explanations of his *own, personal attraction* to a particular faith interest you and why.)

Due: Before our next class meeting

Post #6: Still Separate, Still Unequal

For your new blog response, read Jonathan Kozol's excerpt and then answer the following question:
"What specific things in the article might help you to address the question of causes of/solutions to specific problems in modern education?" (this is the same question we've been exploring for the past few class meetings) Keep in mind that we've already read Jean Anyon's excerpt and we've raised a lot of interesting points in class discussion so far (the lists from class discussions are posted below). So try to think of specific things that this article ADDS to that conversation.

Due: Before our next class meeting
Length: 1-2 well-developed paragraphs

Class Ideas about Specific Problems in Education--Prep for In-Class Essay

Specific Problems in Education
· The fact that race is a contributing factor in determining the type of education a student receives.
· Overcrowding and/or teacher shortages
· Success rate dropping in regular public schools (Regular public schools having to compete for students with charter schools)
· Lack of motivation for teachers and students (Lack of parental involvement)
· Underqualified teachers not receiving enough pressure to raise standards
· Quality of education inferior to education in other countries
· School resources being spent on extra support for immigrant students
· Too much emphasis on standardized testing
· Language barriers for non-native speakers

Post #5: Reactions to Readings

For your new blog response, complete the assigned reading. Then choose either the Malcolm X excerpt or LOP reading and write a one-paragraph response to it. You can discuss your personal reactions, things the readings made you think of, questions you had, etc.

Due: Before our next class

Today's class discussion ideas...

Why is there such disparity amongst schools in America today? (Why do the different types of schools Anyon describes even exist?):

· We need all types of jobs. Someone has to do the jobs we don’t want.
· Lack of fundingà à low pay for teachersà à lack of motivation for teachersà à poor teaching methods
· Low expectations on part of administrators who make major decisions about the schools and curricula
· Lack of parental involvement
· Fundingè overcrowdingà difficulty controlling studentsè difficulty teaching students
· Parents wanting children to stay in same field or take over family corporations
· Parents wanting students to associate with students from similar backgrounds

Post #4: Paper #1 Feedback

Dear Class,
We're doing something a little different for your latest blog response. You can either 1) post a section of your paper here and ask for specific feedback (e.g. paste your thesis and a body paragraph and ask how clearly that paragraph supports the thesis) or 2) provide feedback on someone's section (once people start posting sections).

I'm pretty booked with meetings this week, but if I get a chance, I'll try to provide some feedback to what you post as well.

Due: By Thursday morning (since your papers are due at noon that day)

Announcements:
1 ) I have extra OH 2-3PM tomorrow (in addition to my 9-11 hours in the morning) if you need to see me
2) Be prepared to discuss not only LOP and the Visual Portfolio, but Jean Anyon's excerpt as well (since we didn't have time for it today). If there's time, we'll have a quiz.
3) Here is the Group Project Assignment: http://www.sartuno.com/classdocs/GroupProjectAssignment.doc

Change in OH this week

Dear Class,
I have a meeting this Thursday afternoon, so I'm cancelling office hours that day. If you want to get extra feedback from me on your paper, you can drop by my office Wednesday afternoon instead (2-3PM). Or, you can always stop by and see me at the Writing Center Thursday night, 5-8PM (your best bet is to call them to make an appointment with me in advance).

Post #3: "Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work"

Dear Class,
For your new blog response, read Rereading America's excerpt from Jean Anyon's Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work. (It should look very familiar since you already started reading it on the very first day of class.) Then, write a well-developed response to one of the following two questions:
1) Why do you think the problem that Anyon describes is occuring? During class today, you did a wonderful job of going beyond the surface and looking at different factors that contribute to what we see in modern education. Likewise, do your best to think of as many things as possible and to explore how different causes might interact with one another.
2) Should all schools be run like professional/elite schools? What would be the advantages of attempting to do this? What would be possible disadvantages?

Due: Before our next class meeting
Reminder: The conferences you signed up for are no longer mandatory, but you are more than welcome to stop by any of my office hours to run a thesis statement by me.

P.S. REMINDER: We're starting Life of Pi tomorrow, so please bring it to class.

Post #2: Idiot Nation

For your next blog response, finish reading Michael Moore's "Idiot Nation." Then answer either #1, #3, or #4 on p. 149.

Due: Before our next class meeting
Length: One to two well-developed paragraphs