Jennifer Rose Forsthoefel · Jennifer Rose Forsthoefel ... Having been influenced by feminist theory, ... Harding states in “The Instability of the Analytical Categories of Feminist

Jennifer Rose Forsthoefel 1327 S Ponce de Leon Ave NE

Atlanta, GA 30306

(850) 545-5913

[email protected]

Education

Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, PhD, expected Spring 2013

Rhetoric and Composition

Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, Certificate, expected Spring 2013

Women’s Studies

Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, M.A., August 2009

English with an emphasis in Literary Studies

Thesis: Naming Experience and Revealing Sentiment: The Archetypal Journey in Edna

St Vincent Millay’s “Renascence”

Chair: Dr Marti Singer; Committee Members: Dr Paul Schmidt and Dr Mary Hocks

University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, M.Ed., August 2006

Secondary English Education with an endorsement in ESL instruction

University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, B.A., May 2005

Major in English with a Minor in Education

Research Interests

Topics: Writing Center Studies, Feminist Theory, Composition Theory, Feminist Pedagogy,

Feminist Rhetoric, Digital Rhetoric

Publications

“Express Yourself” First Essays: A Peer Approach to Freshman Composition, 4th

edition.

“ReView” First Arguments: A Peer Approach to Persuasion, 2nd

edition

Teaching Experience

Student Teacher, Gainesville High School, Gainesville, Florida , January 2006-May 2006

11th

Grade American Literature

11th

Grade Honors American Literature

Graduate Teaching Assistant, Georgia State University Aug 2007- present.

English 1101 (Freshman Composition I) Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Fall 2008.

RGTE0199 (Regents Exam Preparation) Summer 2008. English 1102 (Freshman Composition II) Fall 2009, Spring 2010

Conference Proceedings

Writing Studio: “Talking to Students About Writing: The Student Conference” Presenter

Spring 2008 GTA Pedagogy Conference, 2008. Atlanta, Georgia, Georgia State

University, January 26, 2008.

“Writing Center Pedagogy in the Classroom: Secondary and Post-Secondary Perspectives on

Student Success.” Panel Presenter Spring 2009 Southeastern Writing Center Association

Conference. Greensboro, North Carolina A&T University, February 27, 2009.

“Lowering the Drawbridge: Connecting Teaching and Tutoring in Pictures and Words”

Workshop Presenter Spring 2009 Conference on College Composition and

Communication. San Francisco, California, March 11, 2009.

"’From now on, we're gonna have a little less ritual... and a little more fun around here’:The

Scooby Squad as Heuristic” Saving the World with the Talking from Their Mouths:

Rhetoric, Pedagogy, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Presenter Spring 2009 National

Popular Culture Association and American Culture Association. New Orleans,

Louisiana, April 9, 2009.

“Popular Culture and Cultural Studies in the Composition Classroom” Presenter Fall 2009 GTA

Pedagogy Conference. Atlanta, Georgia, Georgia State University August 14, 2009.

“Releasing the OWL: The Burkean Pentad as Generative Method for Inquiry.” Explorations in

Theory Presenter Fall 2009 University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Sigma Tau Delta Xi

Alpha Chapter Graduate Student Conference, Chattanooga, Tennessee, October 17,

2009.

Academic Appointments

Graduate Teaching Assistant, English Department

Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia. August 2007 –present.

Graduate Language Assistant and Writing Tutor, The Writing Studio

Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia. January 2008 – present.

Academic Workshops

“The Conversational Model: Education, Collaboration, Improvisation.” Georgia State University

Writing Studio Staff Training. January 8, 2010.

Academic Service

Tutoring Mentor, The Writing Studio, Georgia State University, August 2009-Present.

Teaching Mentor, Lower Division Studies, Georgia State University, August 2009-Present.

Sponsorships Coordinator, Southern Writing Center Association State-by State Mini-Regional

Conference-Georgia, Back to the Tutor/Back to the Future, February 12-13, 2010.

Event Chair, Graduate English Association Executive Board elected member; January 2009-

2010

Professional Development Conference Coordinator

Coordinator, Graduate English Association; Conference for Professional Development, Georgia

State University, April 3rd

, 2009.

Co-Chair, Graduate English Association Executive Board elected member; New Voices

Graduate Student Conference Transitioning( Through) Tradition, Georgia State

University, September 25-27, 2008.

Sherpa, Spring Graduate Teaching Assistants’ Conference; Georgia State University; January

2008

Fundraising Coordinator (Book Sale), Graduate English Association; New Voices Graduate

Student Conference: Maps and Boundaries, Georgia State University, September 2007.

Foreign Languages

Spanish: reading and translation knowledge.

Academic Affiliations

Graduate English Association, Georgia State University (GEA)

Golden Key International Honor Society, Alpha Chapter

National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)

Popular Culture Association (PCA)

Computers Composition and Communication (CCC)

The Southeastern Writing Center Association (SWCA)

Teaching/Tutoring Philosophy

I firmly believe that there is a “good writer” in everyone. While we will not all

necessarily become the great classic authors of our time, it is possible to encourage students to

write in a way that speaks to a variety of audiences under various contexts. I believe that it is my

role as a teacher and tutor to facilitate students in discovering tools and resources that may assist

in their journey towards confidence in their abilities as writers. For example, while the process in

place for moving from brainstorming to a final draft can be explained in a step-by-step process, I

feel that helping students to become more confident within themselves, and thus their writing,

brings a more individualized development in their abilities than sticking to a rigid procedure.

Therefore, I explain the writing process in detail when teaching and when necessary as a tutor,

but invite students to expand upon this explanation with insights into their own writing processes

drawn for their experiences as writers.

As students provide insights into their processes in class and tutorial discussions by

drawing from their own experiences, I hope to cultivate a writing community in the classroom

and in the Writing Studio that fosters individual graduate and undergraduate student growth, both

in terms of the students’ writing and as well as critical thinking abilities. I hope to nurture a

collaborative environment that invites collective encouragement in the classroom and in the

Writing Studio. Thus, I frequently incorporate group work into my classroom activities that

facilitate the feeling of a community of writers, rather than focusing on individual instruction.

However, having been a tutor in the Writing Studio, I can recognize individual concerns within

these group activities and call upon my experience assisting in a student’s understanding of a

similar problem in the tutorial space, practice that I can also draw from in individual

conferencing sessions that I hold throughout the semester. Inversely, I can use experience from

collaborative discussions that I have had in the classroom setting when I have conversations with

students that I tutor, employing what is applicable from the more generalized experience from

the classroom to the individual student’s writing needs addressed in a tutorial.

My preparation for each class period usually includes a short lecture, collaborative work

in groups of three or four, and a final discussion with the class as a whole. Having been

influenced by tutoring in the Writing Studio, this format supports a teaching style that fosters a

conversation as a class, with students taking a portion of the responsibility for comprehending

their learning processes and achieving the intended outcomes of the course. I believe that this

collaboration not only increases the depth of ideas expressed within the time limitations of the

class period and tutorial session, but also provides the affirmation that students often need when

tackling unfamiliar material in their specific essays as well as in a writing course overall. While

students may be initially unsure of themselves and their abilities as writers, listening to the ideas

of their peers in both small groups and larger class discussions can encourage students to bring

their own perspective to the writing community. Similarly, engaging with a tutor in a

conversation, asking questions and receiving support, can foster the student’s voice within the

tutorial space, rather the encouraging the student to view the tutorial as extended class instruction

by implementing directive approaches primarily.

Having been influenced by feminist theory, I am drawn to the idea of having a greater

understanding of the individual tutors that are working in the Writing Studio space. As Sandra

Harding states in “The Instability of the Analytical Categories of Feminist Theory,”“once we

understand the destructively mythical character of the essential and universal “man” which was

the subject and paradigmatic object of nonfeminist theories, so too do we begin to doubt the

usefulness of analysis that is essential, universal woman as its subject and or object-as its thinker

or the object of its thought” (646). Similarly, training manuals and workshops often essentialize

the tutor, simplifying appropriate tutoring practice to a single method. I, however, would like to

become increasingly familiar with each tutor on an individual level, learning and understanding

what each of our strengths and interests are so that we can consider these when working with

students. For example, some tutors may be particularly comfortable discussing titles,

introductions, conclusions, or even specific points of grammar. With this knowledge, I am better

able to refer certain students, who plan to return to our service in the future, to tutors that I know

have these particular strengths, thus adding to my efficiency as a tutor and assisting in making

the students tutorial experience more helpful. This knowledge of the individuals that make up

our community can also be advantageous in terms of teaching; I hope to learn from the practices

of individual instructors in the Department and thus apply what I think would be successful to

my own classroom, considering the particular conditions that each new group of students bring.

Geller et al’s discussion of the “Trickster--an icon of spontaneity, shape-shifting, and the creative

potential of chaos” in The Everyday Writing Center captures the role of my own, as well as my

community’s, ever-changing practice in these various spaces, with the “ordinary disruptions”

evolving into learning moments. These “Trickster” moments call for an acknowledgement of the

fluid identity embodied in my role a teacher within the larger classroom community and English

Department as a whole, as well as a tutor within the Writing Studio community and, again, the

Department as a whole.

Having taught Composition and worked in the Writing Studio since 2007, it is the

formation of relationships with the individual tutors and fellow teachers in the Department that

have strengthened by pedagogical abilities, both in the classroom as well as the in the Studio

space. Although teachers and tutors should have a general understanding of the expectations of

the discipline, it is the individual’s molding of these ideas into a workable practice that actually

influences the service we provide as instructors and tutors. Therefore, with this knowledge of

what each of us focus on and feel is our strength, we can tap into the recourses of our collogues,

recommending to students particular tutors that might be helpful in terms of engaging with

specific skills that each student might need, and engaging in particular teaching practices that we

have learned from one another. As Geller, et.al discuss Etienne Wenger’s concept of

"community of practice" in The Everyday Writing Center, we as teachers, students, tutors, and

administrators are co-learners in a dynamic practice that evolves through our influences on one

another and as a result of our ever-changing audiences.

Georgia State University English 1102 Fall 2009

English 1102 80447

T/Th 2:30-3:45

Urban Life 302C

Instructor: Jennifer Forsthoefel

Office: General Classroom Building 952

Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday 4:15-5:15 and by appointment

Phone: TBA

Email: [email protected]

Course Description

Prerequisite: grade of C or higher in English 1101. This course is designed to develop writing

skills beyond the levels of proficiency required by English 1101. It focuses on critical thinking

and critical reading, as well as the production of short argumentative essays. The readings for the

course readings will be drawn from a wide variety of texts, focusing on social and cultural

concerns. A passing grade is C.

Learning Outcomes

In addition to the skills acquired in 1101, by the end of the course, the student will be able to

analyze, evaluate, document, and draw inferences from various sources

identify, select, and analyze appropriate research methods, research questions, and

evidence for a specific rhetorical situation

use argumentative strategies and genres in order to engage various audiences

integrate others’ ideas with his/her own

use grammatical, stylistic, and mechanical formats and conventions appropriate to

rhetorical situations and audience constraints

produce well-reasoned, argumentative essays demonstrating rhetorical engagement

reflect on what contributed to his/her writing process and evaluate his/her own work

Course Policies

Attendance – This class relies heavily on student participation, so your attendance is expected.

After three absences your final grade may be penalized. Missing six or more classes may result

in a failing grade in the course. You may not make-up any in-class assignments, including essays

and group work. Present or not, you are responsible for all materials covered in class.

Tardiness – Please do not be late to class. It is distracting and takes away from the learning

environment. I define “late” as more than ten minutes after the course is scheduled to begin. If

you arrive after this grace period, you will not be permitted into the classroom and you will be

counted as absent.

Late work – Final drafts and rough drafts are due at the beginning of class. If you anticipate a

problem with a particular deadline, confer with me at least one class period before the

assignment due date to discuss the issue. Otherwise, I will not accept late work.

Essay Submission –You are required to bring three copies (typed) of your COMPLETE rough

draft to the classes designated for “Peer Editing” (see schedule). All drafts must be typed, meet

designated length requirement, and formatted according to MLA in order to be accepted by the

instructor. Please staple all final drafts (no binders or paperclips) BEFORE coming to class. Your

rough draft and peer responses must be bound with a binder clip and submitted along with the

final draft on the designated due date for each essay (see schedule).

Conferences –You will be required to meet with me for one conference on your final paper either

the week before Thanksgiving or the week after (see schedule). Failure to attend one conference

with me will affect your final paper grade.

Comp Class – We will be using CompClass only for course materials (readings and videos that

we be assigned for homework and/or shown in class), not to turn in assignments, to conduct

discussion, or to receive grades. You are expected to register for CompClass within the first

week of class. Please see me immediately if you have a concern.

Technology –Please turn off cell phones and keep them out of sight throughout the duration of

the class period. Please do not listen to your iPod (or any variation thereof) in class. I also

request that you keep laptops off and closed unless you discuss it with me prior to class and have

a valid reason for its use. If any of this becomes a problem, you will be asked to leave the class

and your participation grade will be affected. I am sure that I am leaving something out, so for

that reason I will close by stating: If it beeps, blinks, buzzes or generally risks disrupting the

riveting class that I am sure we will be having, please be sure to turn it off, keep it closed, shut it

down, or leave it at home.

Academic Misconduct and Plagiarism

The Department of English expects its students to adhere to the university’s code of student

conduct, especially as it pertains to academic conduct, including plagiarism, cheating, and

multiple submissions. See http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwdos/codeofconduct.html for the policy.

Plagiarizing means you thwart your own education and forego your responsibilities as a writer.

Furthermore, you violate the ethical, academic standards of the academic community. These

standards include the value of research and informed argument, open and honest debate and

sharing of ideas, critical thinking about evidence, the careful presentation of research, and

acknowledgement of sources and ideas. We will devote class time to learning how to incorporate

others’ ideas honestly and effectively. Students who violate these policies in this course will

receive a range of academic and disciplinary penalties; see the handout provided for definitions

and consequences.

Accommodations for Students with Special Needs

Georgia State University complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans

with Disabilities Act. Students with disabilities who seek academic accommodations must first

take appropriate documentation to the Office of Disability Services

(http://www.gsu.edu/~wwwods/) located in Suite 230 of the New Student Center. Students with

special needs should then make an appointment with me during the first week of class to discuss

any accommodations that need to be made.

Writing Studio

The Writing Studio, located in room 976 in the General Classroom Building, provides personal,

one-on-one service for students in order to help them at all levels of the writing process. You can

schedule an appointment or just drop by and wait. The service is free. This is a valuable resource

for writers, and I highly recommend that you use it.

http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwdos/codeofconduct.html

http://www.gsu.edu/~wwwods/

English Major Senior Portfolios

The English Department at GSU requires an exit portfolio of all students graduating with a

degree in English. Ideally, students should work on this every semester, selecting 1-2 papers

from each course and revising them, with direction from faculty members. The portfolio includes

revised work and a reflective essay on what you have learned. Each concentration (literature,

creative writing, rhetoric/composition, and secondary education) within the major may have

specific items to place in the portfolio, so be sure to check the booklet located at the front office

of the English Department. Senior Portfolios due dates are published in the booklets or you may

contact an advisor or Dr Goodman, Director of Undergraduate Studies. See the main office for

additional information.

Required Texts

Lunsford, Andrea. The Everyday Writer Georgia State University Edition. 4th

ed. Boston:

Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, 2009.

Silverman, Jonathan and Dean Rader. The World Is a Text. 3rd

ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ:

Pearson-Prentice Hall, 2009.

Singer, Marti and Cara Minardi, eds. First Arguments: A Peer Approach to Persuasion.

Plymouth, Michigan, Hayden-McNeil Publishing, 2008.

Grading Scale-Point Value

A 950-1000

A- 900-949

B+ 870-899

B 830-869

B- 800-829

C+ 760-799

C 700-759 (GPA = 2.0)

C- 650-699

D 600-649

F below 599

The Board of Regents requires a grade point of 2.0 in a freshman composition course to be

considered as “passing.”

A rubric which describes in greater detail how essays will be graded will be distributed at a later

date, prior to the due date of the first essay.

Course Requirements

Reading, Class Participation, In-Class Writing 10% (100 points)

In addition to some lecture on the elements of argument-based writing and research

techniques, this class involves an extensive amount discussion based on course readings.

The more you have to contribute to these discussions, the more everyone will be able to

get out of them.

Precis 10% (100 points)

The rhetorical precis is a way into writing summaries but should not be seen as the only

way. We will practice the precis in class and you will write five on your own. Each

precis will address one reading that has been assigned (so, you may choose to write a

precis on any of the assigned readings).While we will discuss the format of the precis in

more detail as we reach this assignment, keep in mind that this assignment should be

typed and formatted according to MLA guidelines. Each precis will have a citation for

the article that precedes it on the page.

Essays and Presentation 80% (800 points)

These will be discussed in more detail in class and assignment sheet with explicit

instructions will be provided

1. Argument Analysis (3-5 pages) 15% (150 points)

Part of preparing to argue is fully understanding and researching what has already been

written about the issue. We consider what others have written, think about what further

ideas need to be written, and then develop these in an argument. The scholarly essay

encourages you to do just that.

2. Topic Proposal (1-2 pages) 5% (50 points)

For this assignment you will select a topic related to the issues addressed in the course

about which you wish to do further research. Because all of your major writing projects

this semester will revolve around some form of the topic you choose here, be sure that

you will be able to maintain interest in it. We will not be peer editing this assignment, but

any grade lower than a B may be revised. Revisions are due one week from the day I

return this assignment to the class.

3. Annotated Bibliography (10 sources) 15% (150 points)

For this assignment, you will do more in-depth research into the topic you have chosen to

write about in order to get a more clear understanding of what has been said about it and

therefore what can be said about it. We will not be peer editing this assignment, but any

grade lower than a B may be revised. Revisions are due one week from the day I return

this assignment to the class.

4. Exploratory Essay (3-5 pages) 10% (100 points)

In this essay, you will use the further research you have done on your topic to present an

overview of what everyone is saying about it. You will explain in detail the different

perspectives on your issue that you have come across in your research, which will give

you a good foundation on which to build your final formal argument.

5. Final Paper (6-8 pages) 35% (350 points)

In this essay, you will present a fully developed argument regarding the issue you have

chosen to address earlier in the semester, and it will incorporate the research and writing

you have done.

Course Schedule

Note: You are required to bring to every class the book(s) which contain(s) the reading(s)

assigned for that particular meeting. The reading is due on the day it is listed. You must be

prepared to discuss the reading before you come to class that day.

Week 1: August 17-21

T: Introduction. Discuss Syllabus

Th: FA Ch 1; EW p12-40


T: WIT Introduction p1-22; Discuss Rubric

Th: Discuss Argument Analysis Assignment; EW pgs149-167

Week 3: August 31-September 4

T: EW pgs 105-146

Th: Article for Argument Analysis due; WIT Section One pgs 23-53

Week 4: September 7-11

T: WIT Section One pgs 53-71

Th: FA Ch 2


T: Discuss the Rhetorical Precis; Handout

Th: Argument Analysis Draft Due; Peer Editing


Th: Discuss Précis, Topic Proposal assignment, and Annotated Bibliography assignment;

CompClass resources

Week 7: September 28-October 2

T: Argument Analysis Due; WIT pgs41-57 AND pgs119-124

Th: Library Instruction Session- Will not meet in classroom

Week 8: October 5-9

T: FA Ch 3 pgs 63-93

Th: Paper Proposal Due; FA Ch 3 Part 1 pgs 29-61

Week 9: October 12-16

10/15 Mid-Semester: Final date to withdraw and possibly receive a W

T: WIT pgs75-106

Th: WIT pgs 341-371


T: Annotated Bibliography Due; Discuss Exploratory Essay (handout)

Th: WIT pgs 636-651

Week 11: October 26- 30

T: Draft of Exploratory Essay Due: Peer Editing

Th: WIT pgs 653-679

Week 12: November 2-6

T: Exploratory Essay Due; WIT pgs 538-560

Th: WIT pgs 448-475


T: Research Day

Th: Draft of Final Paper Due: Peer Editing


T: Conferences

Th: Conferences


NO CLASS Thanksgiving Holiday

Week 16: November 30-December 4

T: Conferences

Th: Final Paper Due

Disclaimer: This Syllabus represents a plan for the semester. Deviations from this plan may

become necessary as the semester progresses. Students are responsible for taking note of

any changes that may occur.

Assignment 1: Scholarly Essay Analysis

Purpose and Topic:

Part of preparing to argue is fully understanding and researching what has already been written about the issue. We

consider what others have written, think about what further ideas need to be written, and then develop these in an

analysis. This scholarly essay encourages you to do just that.

Outcomes:


identify, select, and analyze appropriate research methods, research questions, and evidence for a specific

rhetorical situation

use grammatical, stylistic, and mechanical formats and conventions appropriate to rhetorical situations and

audience constraints

Assignment:

1. Choose a scholarly article/essay from a scholarly publication/journal (approximately 10-20 pages long)

from one of the following online databases: MLA International Bibliography, Proquest Databases, or

EbscoHost Databases.

2. Write a 4-5 page essay that analyzes the structure, rhetorical situation (and all the elements included in that

rhetorical situation), use of ethos, pathos, and/or logos, language, tone, and thesis of the article.

3. Provide your critical analysis (opinion) of the article and how it successfully argues its thesis or

unsuccessfully argues its thesis.

4. With all academic essays in the English Department, use MLA format. Also, your essay should be double-

spaced, use 12-point font, and 1” margins. Since you will cite only one essay, your final page will read

“work cited” and will be formatted according to MLA style.

Evidence:

In an analysis of this nature, you will use ample borrowed material from the essay that is paraphrased, summarized,

and quoted. However, your essay should do more than summarize. Instead, you should point out rhetorical moves

and explain how they create meaning and understanding.

Arrangement (Organization):

Part One

This part of the essay includes the introduction (which should provide the argument and support being made in the

article), background information about the author, the journal, and a discussion of the structure of the article.

Include a discussion of the author’s thesis, evidence, transition sentences, and rebuttal/refutation sections.

Part Two

Use the second part of your essay to discuss the rhetorical situation, ethos, logos, and/or pathos, language, tone,

audience and fallacies.

This is the conclusion of your paper . Here you should reflect upon the effectiveness of the article. Does the article

make its claim effectively? Are there issues/concerns that made the article difficult to read? What would you

change?

Requirements

4-5 pages in length

A copy of the scholarly article you are analyzing (10-20pgs and adhering to the guidelines for that I deem

“scholarly”)

MLA format

o 1” margins on top, bottom, left and right; left justified

o Name block includes your name, instructor’s name, the class (Engl 1102), and the date

o Header should be ½” from the top right margin and include your last name and page number

o Double-spaced and in 12-point Times New Roman font

o A correctly formatted Work Cites page in MLA style

English 1102 Topic Proposal

Purpose

Crafting an argument step by step often helps you assess an issue of interest. While crafting your

proposal, you should determine whether or not your topic is arguable and how you want to focus

your issue.

Objectives







Assignment

For this assignment, write a 1-2 page paper highlighting the issue you are interested in exploring

for your annotated bibliography and ultimately your final research paper. You should begin by

setting up the issue, providing your current understanding of the topic in order to establish the

context. This portion of your paper should end with the focus or thesis of your future argument

paper.

Following this section, provide an explanation of what you need to research further in order

construct an argument on this topic. Include a general plan of the way(s) you anticipate obtaining

this information and any constraints or concerns you anticipate encountering when constructing

the final research paper on this topic.

THINK VERY CAREFULLY WHEN CHOOSING YOUR TOPIC. ONCE YOUR TOPIC IS APPROVED, YOU

MAY NOT CHANGE IT.

Requirements

1-2 pages in length

A title

MLA format


o Name block includes your name, instructor’s name, the class (Engl 1102), and the

date. This should be single spaced.

o Header should be ½” from the top right margin and include your last name and

page number


Proposal is due SEPTEMBER 28th

We will not be peer editing this assignment, but any grade lower than a B may be revised

once.

Revisions are due one week from the day I return this assignment to the whole class (this

will not necessarily be the day that you receive the assignment if you are absent the day

that proposals are returned).

English 1102 Annotated Bibliography

Purpose

An annotated bibliography is the next step in writing your research paper. In your annotated bibliography,

you will demonstrate what research you have done for your final research paper. This assignment should

help you to organize this material and encourage you to consider the value of your sources before you

attempt to use them.

Objectives





Assignment

For this assignment, you will provide a list of TEN sources listed in MLA format that you have

considered using in your final paper (meaning they must relate to the topic you turned in for the proposal

assignment).

Of these TEN sources, FIVE must support the stance you plan to argue in your final research paper.

TWO of these five sources may be popular texts. The other three must be scholarly.

Of these TEN sources, FIVE must refute the stance you plan to argue in your final research paper.


After providing the MLA citation for the source, you will write a summary/annotation of the work. Each

annotation should be about 100 words in length and should include:

the major assertion/claim of the text

how the author supports his claim

how you would use this source in your final paper

Requirements

10 sources each with an annotation of about 100 words in length

5 support sources should be grouped together and placed in alphabetical order. This should also

be done for the refutation sources.

MLA format


o Name block includes your name, instructor’s name, the class (Engl 1102), and the date.

This should be single spaced.

o Header should be ½” from the top right margin and include your last name and page

number


Annotated Bibliography is due October 20th

We will not be peer editing this assignment, but any grade lower than a B may be revised.



that bibliographies are returned).

English 1102: The Exploratory Essay

As its name suggests, the exploratory paper asks you to explore and examine a particular

topic or issue. Unlike a classic argumentative essay, which seeks to develop a particular claim

and, through support, finally persuade an audience, the exploratory paper seeks to examine the

complexity of an issue from an OBJECTIVE point of view. For this paper, you will not be

making an argument, but rather presenting a variety of perspectives on an issue.

Objectives







Assignment

Before composing an argument, it is crucial to understand the various positions that exist

and their strengths and weaknesses. Further, it is important to begin finding the common ground

between the “sides.” We often write exploratory papers to help us recognize the different

positions’ views, their agreements (what is resolved, generally) and their disagreements

(arguably, why an issue is under debate). Because we are not writing an argument, we are careful

to present each side with equal validity and respect.

Drawing from the sources you gathered for your annotated bibliography, as well as any

outside research necessary to fill in “gaps” of information on the topic or issue you have chosen,

write an essay examining the multiple perspectives on your issue. At least 5 sources should be

cited both in-text and on your works cited page. You should include a minimum of three

perspectives on the issue that you researched for your annotated bibliography and plan to

construct an argument around for your final research paper. Basically you are putting in

conversation the information that you learned from your annotated bibliography and any

additional sources you have acquired since the bibliography was turned in. How are your varying

sources speaking to one another on the same issue? What are the different perspectives? How do

they relate to one another?

Requirements

3-5 pages in length

Works Cited page

MLA format



date


page number



Two copies of your rough draft are due on October 27th

for peer review.

I will not be collecting your rough draft of this essay. You may see me in office hours or make

an appointment if you have any questions or concerns.

The final draft of your essay along with the two peer edited copies is due on November 3rd

English 1102: Final Paper

Purpose

The purpose of writing an argument essay is to learn how to persuade your readers and offer a

possible solution to conflicts. You will draw on the research and writing you conducted in your

earlier essays and bibliography to build a focused, sustained, and developed argument.

Objectives









reflect on what contributed to his/her writing process and evaluate his/her own work\

Assignment

To get started, you will need to:

Identify the argument you wish to pursue

Identify the rhetorical situation

Identify at least three points of view surrounding the issue

Identify your own position

In your final argument, you will develop and support a particular point of view in order to

persuade an audience. As a responsible and ethical writer of an argumentative essay, you must

also present the complexity of the issue and distinguish the main arguments surrounding it. Draw

on your research, and be sure to incorporate at least three perspectives surrounding the argument.

Provide background information on the issue followed by a clearly constructed thesis statement.

Include evidence and support for your claim, identifying and addressing the rebuttals and

refutation arguments on your stance. Consider the rhetorical situation, demonstrate your

recognition of these elements, and appropriately include appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos to

support your stance while also maintaining an appropriate tone for this academic essay.

Requirements

6-8 pages

A Works Cited pages with at least 6 sources (not a part of the page count). At least four of these

sources must be scholarly sources.

MLA format



date


page number


o A correctly formatted Work Cited page in MLA style

Georgia State University English 1102 Fall 2009

English 1102 80452

T/Th 4:00-5:15

Urban Life 302C

Instructor: Jennifer Forsthoefel

Office: General Classroom Building 952

Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday 4:15-5:15 and by appointment

Phone: TBA

Email: [email protected]

Course Description

Prerequisite: grade of C or higher in English 1101. This course is designed to develop writing

skills beyond the levels of proficiency required by English 1101. It focuses on critical thinking

and critical reading, as well as the production of short argumentative essays. The readings for the

course readings will be drawn from a wide variety of texts, focusing on social and cultural

concerns. A passing grade is C.

Learning Outcomes

In addition to the skills acquired in 1101, by the end of the course, the student will be able to










Course Policies

Attendance – This class relies heavily on student participation, so your attendance is expected.

After three absences your final grade may be penalized. Missing six or more classes may result

in a failing grade in the course. You may not make-up any in-class assignments, including essays

and group work. Present or not, you are responsible for all materials covered in class.

Tardiness – Please do not be late to class. It is distracting and takes away from the learning

environment. I define “late” as more than ten minutes after the course is scheduled to begin. If

you arrive after this grace period, you will not be permitted into the classroom and you will be

counted as absent.

Late work – Final drafts and rough drafts are due at the beginning of class. If you anticipate a

problem with a particular deadline, confer with me at least one class period before the

assignment due date to discuss the issue. Otherwise, I will not accept late work.

Essay Submission –You are required to bring three copies (typed) of your COMPLETE rough

draft to the classes designated for “Peer Editing” (see schedule). All drafts must be typed, meet

designated length requirement, and formatted according to MLA in order to be accepted by the

instructor. Please staple all final drafts (no binders or paperclips) BEFORE coming to class. Your

rough draft and peer responses must be bound with a binder clip and submitted along with the

final draft on the designated due date for each essay (see schedule).

Conferences –You will be required to meet with me for one conference on your final paper either

the week before Thanksgiving or the week after (see schedule). Failure to attend one conference

with me will affect your final paper grade.

Comp Class – We will be using CompClass only for course materials (readings and videos that

we be assigned for homework and/or shown in class), not to turn in assignments, to conduct

discussion, or to receive grades. You are expected to register for CompClass within the first

week of class. Please see me immediately if you have a concern.

Technology –Please turn off cell phones and keep them out of sight throughout the duration of

the class period. Please do not listen to your iPod (or any variation thereof) in class. I also

request that you keep laptops off and closed unless you discuss it with me prior to class and have

a valid reason for its use. If any of this becomes a problem, you will be asked to leave the class

and your participation grade will be affected. I am sure that I am leaving something out, so for

that reason I will close by stating: If it beeps, blinks, buzzes or generally risks disrupting the

riveting class that I am sure we will be having, please be sure to turn it off, keep it closed, shut it

down, or leave it at home.

Academic Misconduct and Plagiarism

The Department of English expects its students to adhere to the university’s code of student

conduct, especially as it pertains to academic conduct, including plagiarism, cheating, and

multiple submissions. See http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwdos/codeofconduct.html for the policy.

Plagiarizing means you thwart your own education and forego your responsibilities as a writer.

Furthermore, you violate the ethical, academic standards of the academic community. These

standards include the value of research and informed argument, open and honest debate and

sharing of ideas, critical thinking about evidence, the careful presentation of research, and

acknowledgement of sources and ideas. We will devote class time to learning how to incorporate

others’ ideas honestly and effectively. Students who violate these policies in this course will

receive a range of academic and disciplinary penalties; see the handout provided for definitions

and consequences.

Accommodations for Students with Special Needs

Georgia State University complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans

with Disabilities Act. Students with disabilities who seek academic accommodations must first

take appropriate documentation to the Office of Disability Services

(http://www.gsu.edu/~wwwods/) located in Suite 230 of the New Student Center. Students with

special needs should then make an appointment with me during the first week of class to discuss

any accommodations that need to be made.

Writing Studio

The Writing Studio, located in room 976 in the General Classroom Building, provides personal,

one-on-one service for students in order to help them at all levels of the writing process. You can

schedule an appointment or just drop by and wait. The service is free. This is a valuable resource

for writers, and I highly recommend that you use it.

http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwdos/codeofconduct.html

http://www.gsu.edu/~wwwods/

English Major Senior Portfolios

The English Department at GSU requires an exit portfolio of all students graduating with a

degree in English. Ideally, students should work on this every semester, selecting 1-2 papers

from each course and revising them, with direction from faculty members. The portfolio includes

revised work and a reflective essay on what you have learned. Each concentration (literature,

creative writing, rhetoric/composition, and secondary education) within the major may have

specific items to place in the portfolio, so be sure to check the booklet located at the front office

of the English Department. Senior Portfolios due dates are published in the booklets or you may

contact an advisor or Dr Goodman, Director of Undergraduate Studies. See the main office for

additional information.

Required Texts

Lunsford, Andrea. The Everyday Writer Georgia State University Edition. 4th

ed. Boston:

Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, 2009. (EW)

Silverman, Jonathan and Dean Rader. The World Is a Text. 3rd

ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ:

Pearson-Prentice Hall, 2009. (WIT)

Singer, Marti and Cara Minardi, eds. First Arguments: A Peer Approach to Persuasion.

Plymouth, Michigan, Hayden-McNeil Publishing, 2008. (FA)

Grading Scale-Point Value

A 950-1000

A- 900-949

B+ 870-899

B 830-869

B- 800-829

C+ 760-799

C 700-759 (GPA = 2.0)

C- 650-699

D 600-649

F below 599

The Board of Regents requires a grade point of 2.0 in a freshman composition course to be

considered as “passing.”

A rubric which describes in greater detail how essays will be graded will be distributed at a later

date, prior to the due date of the first essay.

Course Requirements

Reading, Class Participation, In-Class Writing 10% (100 points)

In addition to some lecture on the elements of argument-based writing and research

techniques, this class involves an extensive amount discussion based on course readings.

The more you have to contribute to these discussions, the more everyone will be able to

get out of them.

Precis 10% (100 points)

The rhetorical precis is a way into writing summaries but should not be seen as the only

way. We will practice the precis in class and you will write five on your own. Each

precis will address oner eading that has been assigned (so, you may choose to write a

precis on any of the assigned readings).While we will discuss the format of the precis in

more detail as we reach this assignment, keep in mind that this assignment should be

typed and formatted according to MLA guidelines. Each precis will have a citation for

the article that precedes it on the page.

.

Essays and Presentation 80% (800 points)

These will be discussed in more detail in class and assignment sheet with explicit

instructions will be provided

6. Argument Analysis (3-5 pages) 15% (150 points)

Part of preparing to argue is fully understanding and researching what has already been

written about the issue. We consider what others have written, think about what further

ideas need to be written, and then develop these in an argument. The scholarly essay

encourages you to do just that.

7. Topic Proposal (1-2 pages) 5% (50 points)

For this assignment you will select a topic related to the issues addressed in the course

about which you wish to do further research. Because all of your major writing projects

this semester will revolve around some form of the topic you choose here, be sure that

you will be able to maintain interest in it. We will not be peer editing this assignment, but

any grade lower than a B may be revised. Revisions are due one week from the day I

return this assignment to the class.

8. Annotated Bibliography (10 sources) 15% (150 points)

For this assignment, you will do more in-depth research into the topic you have chosen to

write about in order to get a more clear understanding of what has been said about it and

therefore what can be said about it. We will not be peer editing this assignment, but any

grade lower than a B may be revised. Revisions are due one week from the day I return

this assignment to the class.

9. Exploratory Essay (3-5 pages) 10% (100 points)

In this essay, you will use the further research you have done on your topic to present an

overview of what everyone is saying about it. You will explain in detail the different

perspectives on your issue that you have come across in your research, which will give

you a good foundation on which to build your final formal argument.

10. Final Paper (6-8 pages) 35% (350 points)

In this essay, you will present a fully developed argument regarding the issue you have

chosen to address earlier in the semester, and it will incorporate the research and writing

you have done.

Course Schedule

Note: You are required to bring to every class the book(s) which contain(s) the reading(s)

assigned for that particular meeting. The reading is due on the day it is listed. You must be

prepared to discuss the reading before you come to class that day.


T: Introduction. Discuss Syllabus

Th: FA Ch 1; EW p12-40


T: WIT Introduction p1-22; Discuss Rubric

Th: Discuss Argument Analysis Assignment; EW pgs149-167

Week 3: August 31-September 4

T: EW pgs 105-146

Th: Article for Argument Analysis due; WIT Section One pgs 23-53


T: WIT Section One pgs 53-71

Th: FA Ch 2


T: Discuss the Rhetorical Precis; Handout

Th: Argument Analysis Draft Due; Peer Editing


Th: Discuss Précis, Topic Proposal assignment, and Annotated Bibliography assignment;

CompClass resources

Week 7: September 28-October 2

T: Argument Analysis Due; WIT pgs41-57 AND pgs119-124

Th: Library Instruction Session- Will not meet in classroom

Week 8: October 5-9

T: FA Ch 3 pgs 63-93

Th: Paper Proposal Due; FA Ch 3 Part 1 pgs 29-61


10/15 Mid-Semester: Final date to withdraw and possibly receive a W

T: WIT pgs75-106

Th: WIT pgs 341-371


T: Annotated Bibliography Due; Discuss Exploratory Essay (handout)

Th: WIT pgs 636-651

Week 11: October 26- 30

T: Draft of Exploratory Essay Due: Peer Editing

Th: WIT pgs 653-679


T: Exploratory Essay Due; WIT pgs 538-560

Th: WIT pgs 448-475


T: Research Day

Th: Draft of Final Paper Due: Peer Editing


T: Conferences

Th: Conferences


NO CLASS Thanksgiving Holiday

Week 16: November 30-December 4

T: Conferences

Th: Final Paper Due

Disclaimer: This Syllabus represents a plan for the semester. Deviations from this plan may

become necessary as the semester progresses. Students are responsible for taking note of

any changes that may occur.

Assignment 1: Scholarly Essay Analysis

Purpose and Topic:

Part of preparing to argue is fully understanding and researching what has already been written about the issue. We

consider what others have written, think about what further ideas need to be written, and then develop these in an

analysis. This scholarly essay encourages you to do just that.

Outcomes:


identify, select, and analyze appropriate research methods, research questions, and evidence for a specific

rhetorical situation

use grammatical, stylistic, and mechanical formats and conventions appropriate to rhetorical situations and

audience constraints

Assignment:

5. Choose a scholarly article/essay from a scholarly publication/journal (approximately 10-20 pages long)

from one of the following online databases: MLA International Bibliography, Proquest Databases, or

EbscoHost Databases.

6. Write a 4-5 page essay that analyzes the structure, rhetorical situation (and all the elements included in that

rhetorical situation), use of ethos, pathos, and/or logos, language, tone, and thesis of the article.

7. Provide your critical analysis (opinion) of the article and how it successfully argues its thesis or

unsuccessfully argues its thesis.

8. With all academic essays in the English Department, use MLA format. Also, your essay should be double-

spaced, use 12-point font, and 1” margins. Since you will cite only one essay, your final page will read

“work cited” and will be formatted according to MLA style.

Evidence:

In an analysis of this nature, you will use ample borrowed material from the essay that is paraphrased, summarized,

and quoted. However, your essay should do more than summarize. Instead, you should point out rhetorical moves

and explain how they create meaning and understanding.

Arrangement (Organization):

Part One

This part of the essay includes the introduction (which should provide the argument and support being made in the

article), background information about the author, the journal, and a discussion of the structure of the article.

Include a discussion of the author’s thesis, evidence, transition sentences, and rebuttal/refutation sections.

Part Two

Use the second part of your essay to discuss the rhetorical situation, ethos, logos, and/or pathos, language, tone,

audience and fallacies.

This is the conclusion of your paper . Here you should reflect upon the effectiveness of the article. Does the article

make its claim effectively? Are there issues/concerns that made the article difficult to read? What would you

change?

Requirements

4-5 pages in length

A copy of the scholarly article you are analyzing (10-20pgs and adhering to the guidelines for that I deem

“scholarly”)

MLA format


o Name block includes your name, instructor’s name, the class (Engl 1102), and the date

o Header should be ½” from the top right margin and include your last name and page number



English 1102 Topic Proposal

Purpose

Crafting an argument step by step often helps you assess an issue of interest. While crafting your

proposal, you should determine whether or not your topic is arguable and how you want to focus

your issue.

Objectives







Assignment

For this assignment, write a 1-2 page paper highlighting the issue you are interested in exploring

for your annotated bibliography and ultimately your final research paper. You should begin by

setting up the issue, providing your current understanding of the topic in order to establish the

context. This portion of your paper should end with the focus or thesis of your future argument

paper.

Following this section, provide an explanation of what you need to research further in order

construct an argument on this topic. Include a general plan of the way(s) you anticipate obtaining

this information and any constraints or concerns you anticipate encountering when constructing

the final research paper on this topic.

THINK VERY CAREFULLY WHEN CHOOSING YOUR TOPIC. ONCE YOUR TOPIC IS APPROVED, YOU

MAY NOT CHANGE IT.

Requirements

1-2 pages in length

A title

MLA format



date. This should be single spaced.


page number


Proposal is due SEPTEMBER 28th

We will not be peer editing this assignment, but any grade lower than a B may be revised

once.



that proposals are returned).

English 1102 Annotated Bibliography

Purpose

An annotated bibliography is the next step in writing your research paper. In your annotated bibliography,

you will demonstrate what research you have done for your final research paper. This assignment should

help you to organize this material and encourage you to consider the value of your sources before you

attempt to use them.

Objectives





Assignment

For this assignment, you will provide a list of TEN sources listed in MLA format that you have

considered using in your final paper (meaning they must relate to the topic you turned in for the proposal

assignment).

Of these TEN sources, FIVE must support the stance you plan to argue in your final research paper.


Of these TEN sources, FIVE must refute the stance you plan to argue in your final research paper.


After providing the MLA citation for the source, you will write a summary/annotation of the work. Each

annotation should be about 100 words in length and should include:

the major assertion/claim of the text

how the author supports his claim

how you would use this source in your final paper

Requirements

10 sources each with an annotation of about 100 words in length

5 support sources should be grouped together and placed in alphabetical order. This should also

be done for the refutation sources.

MLA format


o Name block includes your name, instructor’s name, the class (Engl 1102), and the date.

This should be single spaced.

o Header should be ½” from the top right margin and include your last name and page

number


Annotated Bibliography is due October 20th

We will not be peer editing this assignment, but any grade lower than a B may be revised.



that bibliographies are returned).

English 1102: The Exploratory Essay

As its name suggests, the exploratory paper asks you to explore and examine a particular

topic or issue. Unlike a classic argumentative essay, which seeks to develop a particular claim

and, through support, finally persuade an audience, the exploratory paper seeks to examine the

complexity of an issue from an OBJECTIVE point of view. For this paper, you will not be

making an argument, but rather presenting a variety of perspectives on an issue.

Objectives







Assignment

Before composing an argument, it is crucial to understand the various positions that exist

and their strengths and weaknesses. Further, it is important to begin finding the common ground

between the “sides.” We often write exploratory papers to help us recognize the different

positions’ views, their agreements (what is resolved, generally) and their disagreements

(arguably, why an issue is under debate). Because we are not writing an argument, we are careful

to present each side with equal validity and respect.

Drawing from the sources you gathered for your annotated bibliography, as well as any

outside research necessary to fill in “gaps” of information on the topic or issue you have chosen,

write an essay examining the multiple perspectives on your issue. At least 5 sources should be

cited both in-text and on your works cited page. You should include a minimum of three

perspectives on the issue that you researched for your annotated bibliography and plan to

construct an argument around for your final research paper. Basically you are putting in

conversation the information that you learned from your annotated bibliography and any

additional sources you have acquired since the bibliography was turned in. How are your varying

sources speaking to one another on the same issue? What are the different perspectives? How do

they relate to one another?

Requirements

3-5 pages in length

Works Cited page

MLA format



date


page number



Two copies of your rough draft are due on October 27th

for peer review.

I will not be collecting your rough draft of this essay. You may see me in office hours or make

an appointment if you have any questions or concerns.

The final draft of your essay along with the two peer edited copies is due on November 3rd

English 1102: Final Paper

Purpose

The purpose of writing an argument essay is to learn how to persuade your readers and offer a

possible solution to conflicts. You will draw on the research and writing you conducted in your

earlier essays and bibliography to build a focused, sustained, and developed argument.

Objectives









reflect on what contributed to his/her writing process and evaluate his/her own work\

Assignment

To get started, you will need to:

Identify the argument you wish to pursue

Identify the rhetorical situation

Identify at least three points of view surrounding the issue

Identify your own position

In your final argument, you will develop and support a particular point of view in order to

persuade an audience. As a responsible and ethical writer of an argumentative essay, you must

also present the complexity of the issue and distinguish the main arguments surrounding it. Draw

on your research, and be sure to incorporate at least three perspectives surrounding the argument.

Provide background information on the issue followed by a clearly constructed thesis statement.

Include evidence and support for your claim, identifying and addressing the rebuttals and

refutation arguments on your stance. Consider the rhetorical situation, demonstrate your

recognition of these elements, and appropriately include appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos to

support your stance while also maintaining an appropriate tone for this academic essay.

Requirements

6-8 pages

A Works Cited pages with at least 6 sources (not a part of the page count). At least four of these

sources must be scholarly sources.

MLA format



date


page number


o A correctly formatted Work Cited page in MLA style

Teaching Reflection

As you can tell from the materials I have uploaded for this portfolio, I taught this course

after taking a break from teaching for two semesters to write my thesis. In addition, this was my

first semester as a PhD student , my first semester teaching two courses at once, as well as my

first time teaching 1102. I think this lack of experience, as well as stress and rustiness,

contributed a great deal to the difficulties I experienced teaching 1102 in the Fall of 2009,

difficulties I admit are reflected in some of the commentary on my evaluations. While there are a

few elements discussed in the evaluations that I think are unjust (particularly in the single

lengthy student evaluation), I have certainly learned from this experience as well as my own

reflections and have changed several of my tools and methods to accommodate my new

awareness of my students’ needs.

This lack of experience caused me to choose a textbook that didn’t necessarily include

enough of the rhetorical content necessary to teach 1102. Yet I had assigned a great deal of

reading for each class period in the syllabus, reading that was often not directly discussed

because I recognized that more argumentation strategies and concepts not covered in the reading

needed to be addressed in class time in order to ensure that students were getting the information

necessary to write the required papers. In future course, like for example the one I am teaching

now, I have chosen a more appropriate textbook and lessened the required reading so that we can

actually engage with the material instead of skimming over it because of time limitations.

In addition, several of my policies have changed, particularly in terms of paper

submission requirements. When teaching 1102 in the Fall of 2009, I was very focused on

keeping the class “fair,” as I wanted to ensure I was sticking rigidly to the contract I set for

students in the syllabus, that every student was receiving the exact same treatment. While I

believe that this perspective has some merit, I experienced the distance this can create between

teacher and student, as these human beings are seen as a singular homogenized group, rather than

individual adults with varying experiences and lifestyles. Therefore, I have now become much

more open to allowing my students to talk to be about making exceptions in extraordinary

circumstances, encouraging them to open up to me, providing me with the opportunity to

demonstrate that I truly want for them all to succeed and am willing to make concessions,

concessions that I then open up to the class as a whole, if necessary. Overall, I found this class

exceptionally challenging, but learned a great deal about myself and my teaching practices, what

works and what does not, knowledge that I apply to the courses I am teaching now.

Observation: Jennifer Forsthoefel English 1102: T/R 2:30-3:45 Faculty Observer: Angela Hall-Godsey I didn’t have a copy of the syllabus for the course, so I was not able to see how the day’s lecture fits into the goals of the course. Class Format: The class started on time. Some students walked in a little late, but this was not distracting to other students (and Jennifer did not miss a step as a result of their tardiness). Students waited (briefly) for Jennifer to set up the video clip. Before the movie clip, Jennifer posed questions related to the previous class. Jennifer asked students to relate what they discussed in Tuesday’s class -- Rhetorical Analysis. This exercise worked well to connect the previous class to the work the students would do in today’s class. Jennifer did an excellent job contextualizing the work for today with previous discussions and with future course assignments. As a way to set up the movie clip, Jennifer discussed the “homework assignment” – students were to have read up on Time to Kill. Jennifer hands out an assignment sheet that asked questions relating to Purpose, Audience, Rhetorical Appeals, and Style. She also gave the class a transcript of the scenes she will show in class. The amount of preparation aided in the wealth of class discussion after the movie. The students were prompted to think of specific questions while watching the movie clips. The transcript worked well as a way for students to refer directly to specific parts of the clips. In general, Jennifer does a good job going over the questions and the types of answers she is looking for from the assignment. Good set up of the clip and to what sections the students should pay attention. The movie clips were shown by scenes and students were alerted to which questions related to which scenes. The class watched three scenes from the movie. The students were attentive – some of them were quite moved by the scenes. In fact, after the movie clips, a student was upset by the material. Jennifer did not hesitate to sit next to the student and quietly discuss her reaction. A very compassionate response, which is nice to see and tells me Jennifer feels connected to and responsible for her students. After watching the three scenes: The Doctor’s testimony, Carl Lee’s testimony, and Jake and Carl Lee’s jail-house conversation followed by the final court scene, students were put into small groups (2 or 3 people in each) and asked to go over the questions. Since there were a lot of questions, Jennifer informs them to write on separate paper so they can continue their work on the questions during the next class period. Students got to work. Jennifer sat with each individual group and discussed the questions with the group. She also fielded questions about the movie, upcoming assignments, and the clarity of the questions. The groups were diligent, but a bit quiet. In addition to visiting the groups, a class reminder might keep them moving. I assume this work leads up to the next paper assignment (scholarly article paper). As part of, or as a lead-in to a larger assignment, I would construct a part of the questionnaire that explains how the goals of this assignment relate to the larger one. The group work lasts about a ½ hour.

Answers to group questions were detailed and motivated the groups to antagonize and investigate their answers and the answers of their peers. Once the class finished their group work, Jennifer opened class discussion. She sat on the desk in front of the class, which helped facilitate the “conversation feel.” The class went over each question…they seemed, for the most part, interested in their answers and the answers of the other students. Jennifer closed class by giving the students’ papers back. Told the students she did not want to talk about the papers today. She wanted the students to take them home, read the comments, and make appointments with her for next week. Generally, I like this “don’t talk to me now” kind of thing. If this is a policy, you would not have to announce it to the class. As a policy, it works great. If, however, this is a rule for this paper, it seems a bit harsh. Rapport with Students: Jennifer has a lot of energy and the students benefit from her teaching approach. The students were quite comfortable with her and she worked the room with enthusiasm and purpose. The students clearly see her as an authority figure. They were diligent, respectful, and interested in the class topic. While the topic was interesting, I attribute much of their attitude in the class to their relationship with Jennifer. Great work. Overall Assessment: I was impressed by Jennifer’s attention to detail and her preparedness. Jennifer has a great presence in the classroom and her compassion for her students, the topics discussed in this class, and for teaching in general make her an effective instructor. Suggestions: One of the hard parts of group work (especially one so prescriptive) is that you (as the teacher) know the answers you will receive from students – so, when you hear them from the students, you tend to move on. A couple of times, you asked students to “explain” what they meant, which worked to progress the class discussion. Thinking of group work as a process to answer larger and more complex questions may help. In addition to the questions the sheet asks the students to respond to, the issues that the movie brings up (race, justice, truth, common ground, social class, etc.) are all issues these students like to discuss. Instead of going through the questions one by one, create discussion questions that require the students pull from their answers in order to discuss the larger issues. For example: (Under the discussion of purpose): Is it possible for an attorney (a writer) to present a side of an argument when his purpose involves the “matters of the heart?” The answers the students generated during group discussion will help them answer this more complex question. That way, the class is not focusing on reciting their answers, but rather using critical thinking to progress the discussion topics.

Something I do too, the aimless “walk around” during group work. This is a part of teaching I especially hate. I am not quite sure what I should be doing after I visit each group. What I find to be most helpful is to have groups work on two or three questions, break and talk about them, then return to group work. I can visit groups, then facilitate class discussion, then visit groups again. Furthermore, I prepare a larger, more “complex” question that is not on the group sheet. I use this question when I visit each group, making my time with each group lengthier.

Classroom Observation Form

Observer: Megan Motlagh

Teacher: Jennifer Forsthoefel

Course: ENGL 1102

Date: February 9, 2010

1. Describe the professional conduct of the teacher, i.e. uses of authority, language, appearance,

attitude towards students, attitude towards subject matter, etc.

Jennifer is wonderful with her students. I arrived in class as most of the students were first

rolling in, where Jennifer greeted each of her students very cordially and exchanged some lighthearted

comments. When class officially began, students were tasked to take a quiz in relation to the reading

material they had been assigned for homework. While Jennifer has clearly formed a friendly rapport with

her students, her professionalism and knowledge of the subject matter cemented her in the role of

authority figure in the room in the eyes of the students.

Quizzes at the beginning of class, according to Jennifer’s syllabus, are a means to take class

attendance. If the students are late, they have only the allotted time left in which to take the quiz if they

arrive while the quiz is still taking place, but if they miss the quiz entirely it cannot be made up. When

one student arrived late to class, Jennifer kindly informed the student that she had only so much time left

to complete the quiz, just as is stated in the syllabus. The juxtaposition of authoritativeness and

amicability was very well balanced. Beyond the quiz, if the students had any questions regarding the

course material, Jennifer walked up to each individual as they asked the question, lending to the

welcoming, informal atmosphere in the classroom. I believe this made the students more at ease with

both Jennifer as a professor and with the course material itself.

2. Describe the teacher’s relationship with students in the class, i.e. stance, comments, tone,

responses directed to individual students, attitude towards collaborative work, etc.

Jennifer has a very calm attitude toward the students. One student in particular was very

outspoken and spoke “out of turn” numerous times, but Jennifer fielded his questions and comments

expertly without skipping a beat in her general discussion. Some students were much less inclined to

volunteer questions or comments during the discussion portion of the class. To balance the amount of

students volunteering answers with those who were more timid, Jennifer chose a row of students sitting in

the middle, asking them to sequentially respond to specific questions in the text and to justify their

responses. The more introverted students took very well to this exercise and each student provided

valuable input into the class conversation. She also infused humor into many aspects of the class

discussion, which bolstered her personable appeal to the class.

3. What are the methods of instruction—lecture, collaborative work, writing workshop, etc? How

well does the teacher use class time, i.e. ratio of instructional methods, pacing, etc?

Jennifer’s classroom instruction ran the gamut of learning methods, each one crafted without

focusing too much on one or the other, and with smooth transitions from quiz, to discussion, to

collaborative work without one aspect of the instruction treated as less significant or effective than

another. The quiz at the beginning of class had the students working as individuals, testing their own

knowledge of the material they read independently, while the discussion portion of the class and the

collaborative in-class assignment bolstered the students’ abilities to springboard off of Jennifer’s prompts

during the discussion or each others ideas during the group session. Jennifer also encouraged

participation by asking for volunteers to read portions of the text aloud. After the initial discussion

portion of class, Jennifer had the students split up into groups of their own choosing, wherein they were

asked to read a portion of text from Everything’s an Argument and subsequently discuss the ramifications

and pros and cons of that argument with their group mates. Jennifer walked around the classroom and

visited each group individually, spending ample time with each one to ensure the members of each group

understood the assignment and also to answer any questions they may have had otherwise.

4. How does the teacher accommodate a variety of student learning styles in the classroom?

Jennifer provided a very balanced mixture of styles in the class, such as highlighting important

words and ideas on the board for the visual learners, providing spoken discussion and “read aloud”

participation for the auditory learners, and a collaborative analysis of an argument for the more

kinesthetic learners. Each style was integrated seamlessly into the different activities in the class and

given equal care and attention. Jennifer also stopped intermittently throughout class time to ask the

students what she could do to be clearer with her instruction, and was very willing to mold her discussion

to suit each students’ input to the best of her ability. She also urged the students to take advantage of

office hours or appointments if they required elaboration on any aspect of the discussion beyond class.

5. How does the teacher’s classroom practice correlate with the course objectives stated on the

syllabus?

By utilizing the class text and engaging peripheral texts and movies, such as David Sedaris’ novel

Me Talk Pretty One Day and the movie A Time to Kill, Jennifer uses contemporary material to appeal to

the students while at the same time ensuring the skills gleaned from these assignments coordinate with the

course objectives. The students form and deconstruct arguments visually, textually, and verbally, using

each method to understand how to incorporate what they’ve learned in many different ways. Working

collaboratively enables the students to understand their classmates’ stances beyond their own individual

viewpoints, and Jennifer has crafted a classroom structure that incorporates each aspect of the course

objectives in relevant, invigorating ways.

6. How does the teacher integrate today’s discussion with prior and subsequent topics listed on the

syllabus?

The movie A Time to Kill was listed in the syllabus for the following class meeting, as it tied in

directly to the material the students had been going over in their course readings. Jennifer also handed

out an assignment sheet that coordinated with the syllabus and incorporated knowledge of research

methods, research questions, and evidence that the students had discussed in previous class sessions.

7. Does the teacher demonstrate familiarity with course material?

Jennifer is extremely well versed in the subject matter of the course, and utilized many instances

of anecdotal information to supplement the class discussion. If certain aspects of the material needed

further elaboration or the students were unclear with regard to any of the information presented or tasks

asked of them, Jennifer was able to draw from her own expertise in the field as well as swiftly cite

references in the course textbooks in order to respond to them.

Writing Center Reflections

Tutoring is a common action that is visible in the academic space. Be it when a student

leans to her neighbor in class to ask her to clarify a point, when a student meets with her

instructor to gain better understanding of an idea, or when a struggling student brainstorms with

a friend who has previously taken the difficult class, tutoring happens in a variety of spaces

across the University. However, in the Writing Studio space, the assortment of personalities,

levels of study, and specialties allow the core of tutoring to flourish.

This semester I have felt more of a leadership role in the Studio. I have had the

opportunity to work with several tutors in a mentor capacity, and am ultimately feeling overall

that fellow tutors are looking to me for advice, support, and information. While I certainly do not

claim to be the best source for this information at the moment, I appreciate this new position and

am looking forward to continuing to foster it in my years to come in the Studio. I have gained

many new friendships, and have been impressed with the staff as a whole, as the “family”

element for the writing community is very visible and tangible with the tutors currently working

in the staff. I hope to continue this feeling any way I can, both with the current and future tutors

that I will be working with.

I very much have enjoyed the classroom visits I have done this semester. I ultimately

believe that this is the best way for the space to gets its message and purpose across to its

audience. After visiting two sections of a Business course, I saw several of the students come

into the student for assistance and was pleased when talking to them afterwards at how their

expectations were surpassed, not just fulfilled. I think I am going to make more of an attempt to

encourage my peers to have a tutor come to their classrooms in order for the message to continue

to be spread and for the space to continue to be used at its full potential.

In addition, I have felt more engagement with the students that I have been working with

this semester. In particular, this semester has brought a more consistent stream of repeated

students for me than ever before. It has been wonderful watching a project begin at the

brainstorming stage and bloom in to the final product. I am so appreciative that I have been able

to witness this movement and I hope to foster more consistent relationships with students in the

semesters to come.

Drawing from my knowledge of this variety that exists in the Studio, my goal is to create

engage in a tutoring practice that nurtures my knowledge of individual tutors as well as students,

fostering critical thinking abilities and individual strengths and styles in a collaborative

environment that invites collective encouragement. Thus, having been influenced by my work in

feminist theory, I would like to move to a greater familiarization with the individual tutors who

are working in the space.I believe that when tutors are familiar with each other’s strengths then,

as a group, we are ultimately better able to meet the individual needs of students.

Having worked in the Writing Studio since 2007, I count the opportunity to form these

kinds of relationships with the individual tutors as a strength to my pedagogical abilities, both in

terms of the classroom as well as the in the studio space. Additionally, having participated in the

mentoring program through the Writing Studio, as well as though Lower Division Studies, I have

become familiar with the concerns that Graduate students face when entering into these

pedagogical spaces for the first time. And while I promote a reclaiming of the individual within

the Writing Studio, this foundational knowledge continues to influence my interaction with

fellow tutors as well as students/

As a PhD student in Rhetoric and Composition, it is my hope to specialize primarily in

writing center studies. While my experience as a mentor, scholar, student, and administrator will

help me achieve this goal, I believe the practical experience afforded to me as a tutor Georgia

State University Writing Studio is imperative and necessary career preparation.

Jennifer Rose Forsthoefel · Jennifer Rose Forsthoefel ... Having been influenced by feminist theory, ... Harding states in “The Instability of the Analytical Categories of Feminist

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