Literacy Narrative Unit and Schedule

LITERACY NARRATIVE UNIT

DATES

Weeks 1-4

August 25-September 18

LEARNING GOALS

1. Write your own texts critically

4. Compose as a process

5. Use conventions appropriate to audience, genre and purpose

SUMMARY

In Bad Ideas About Writing (BIAW), editors Cheryl Ball and Drew Loewe set out to dispel “unhelpful or backward ideas” about writing (1). In the collection, writing experts tackle common misconceptions about writing, including those that students frequently encounter even in writing courses like this one.

We’ll use their goal as inspiration for our first major writing project this semester: the Literacy Narrative. In this project, you will describe how a particular literacy or experience with literacy has impacted your life. In the project you will explore the complexities of the experience and consider how it is unique as well as what audiences might find it relatable. When you approach this writing task, consider the many identities and roles you have.

Remember that a narrative is inherently personal which means you’ll need to include your perspective and reflections throughout your writing even if you’ve been told before that you shouldn’t or should avoid the use of “I” in academic writing. McKinney Maddalena explains, “In college, you should start using first-person pronouns in your formal academic writing, where appropriate. First person has an important place—an irreplaceable place—in texts that report research and engage scholarship. Your choices about where you place yourself as subject are largely determined by context and the conventions of the field in which you’re writing” (180-181). Since you’re writing about your lives in the Literacy Narrative you can and should use “I” and your reflections.

As you write, you’ll read about college-level writing and incorporating yourself into that writing.

TEXTS

WEEK­­ 1: AUGUST 25-AUGUST 28

Reading

Turn In

Writer’s Journal Prompt [Blogs@Baruch]

Create a Blog in Blogs@Baruch. Then submit a link to your blog in Blackboard. Read the guidelines for Writer’s Journal posts here. In this first post, introduce yourself to your readers and provide an introduction to your blog. Consider this the “Welcome” post:

  1. Tell us who you are (the name and pronouns you’d like us all to use and anything else you want us to know)
    • Blackboard doesn’t currently have a pronouns setting but I have added mine as a “suffix” under personal information if you’d like to do the same.
    • Consider setting your avatar with a photo of your face in Blackboard[7] and Blogs@Baruch[8] so we can “see” each other when we interact.
  2. Name at least one goal you have for this course. (Do you want to improve a specific aspect of your writing? Learn more about researching? Earn an A? Something else?
  3. Ask at least one question you have about this course after viewing syllabus and course overview (ex: Grading, Assignments, etc.)

Next, write about your experience with writing rules and writing instruction:

  • What’s a “rule” about writing you’ve been taught? How did you learn about this rule? How does that rule impact your writing? Do you believe the rule to be true? Why or why not?
  • What is your relationship to writing? What kind of writing do you do in your academic or personal life (grocery lists, captions, poems, journaling, etc.)? Do you enjoy writing? Do you find it frustrating?

Beginning of Class Survey [Blackboard]

This is a survey. We’ll use a similar format to do Quarterly Check-Ins during the semester to check our progress and provide self-assessment about your participation in the course so far. This survey is a bit different and asks you some details about your circumstances as we start the course.

If you are comfortable sharing, please respond to the following questions in a text, audio, or video response. All questions are optional and your responses will remain private. If you don’t want to respond just type “opt out” and submit.

  1. As of the start of this course, what is your current access to technology (ex: personal laptop, shared desktop, mobile phone, tablet, headphones, etc.)? How will you be accessing our course site and materials? Do you have any technological limitations (i.e. spotty internet or no home Wi-Fi) or accessibility needs you would like to make me aware of?
  2. What additional needs or challenges do you face as we start this course that you want me to know about? In what ways can I as your instructor support your success with these challenges in mind?
  3. If you feel comfortable, consider sharing other challenges you’re facing as a result of COVID-19 and/or our current context.
  4. Is there anything else you would like me to be aware of as the instructor of this course?

I recognize these circumstances may change as the course goes on. Please reach out to me if at any time you need to update me on your circumstances or challenges you’re facing so I can support you in the best way possible.

Reflective Note: I ask these questions at the beginning of a course to learn more about your individual needs and context and so I can continue to design and adapt the course to fit those needs. I value your involvement in this course and want to acknowledge your unique circumstances as well as work with you to give you the best opportunities to succeed.

Making a Schedule [Blackboard]

When I start a new semester, it helps me to make a plan and schedule for when and how I’m going to get all my work done, otherwise I become overwhelmed very quickly. Sometimes these plans change and it’s important to be flexible, however, making a schedule can help us get an idea of the kinds of tasks we have in our lives and how to balance it all.

It’s usually good to create schedules like this in a weekly format since most tasks run from week to week, but be aware of any items you have that might not work with this format.

Your task is to make a schedule and share it here. On that schedule you should consider and include:

  1. If your schedule is static (going to stay the same every week), flexible, or some combination of the two.
  2. Include personal and professional responsibilities so you know when you can’t work (I usually start with this so it becomes clear quickly when I have open time)
    • caretaking
    • practices/exercise
    • jobs
    • volunteer work
    • errands/chores (ex: laundry day)
    • sleep/rest
  3. Format/Location
    • Digital or print?
    • On your phone, laptop, or day planner?
    • Google Calendar or Outlook?
  4. Which events are static?
    • Class meeting times
    • Recurring appointments
  5. What events are flexible or changing?
  6. When will you work on your courses? Schedule a time to devote to each course OR kind of task
    • ex: ENG 2100: Mondays from 5-7PM
    • ex: ENG 2100: Wednesdays from 8-10AM
    • ex: reading texts: Thursdays 10-12PM
    • ex: writing drafts: Tuesdays 9AM-11AM
  7. What colors, symbols, or other notations will help you group and differentiate events/tasks?
  8. Be realistic about when (morning v. evening) and how (at home alone) you work best. Think about what you need (coffee? quiet? a nap?) to do this work.

When you feel like you have a good working draft of a schedule/calendar take a screenshot, photo, or otherwise share a week of that schedule.

Include a very brief (2-3 sentence) reflection on some of the choices you made and how it feels to have this schedule as we start the semester.

This process might be eye opening or it might stress you out. Please know this is just one of many ways to balance your schedule. If it doesn’t work for your life—no need to stick with it! Try it just to see how it feels.

WEEK 2: AUGUST 29-SEPTEMBER 4

Reading

Turn In

Writer’s Journal Prompt [Blogs@Baruch]

Choose one of the discussion questions from Ramsdell to respond to.

  • Maxwell and Dickman believe that “a story is a fact, wrapped in an emotion that compels us to take an action that transforms our world.” How would you define the term story? What do you think are the most important elements of a good story? What examples help support your thoughts?
  • How could stories and storytelling fit into your major field of study? What types of stories do you think professionals in your field might find useful?

Literacy Narrative Rough Draft [Blackboard]

Assignment Sheet available on Blogs@Baruch.

WEEK 3: SEPTEMBER 5-SEPTEMBER 11

Reading

Turn In

Writer’s Journal Prompt [Blogs@Baruch]

Choose either this discussion question from Hinton to respond to:

  • Write about a previous writing assignment that was a challenge for you. What strategies did you use at the time? After reading the chapter, what other strategies do you think might have been useful?

OR

  • Write about what seems challenging in the Literacy Narrative assignment. What strategies can you employ to tackle these challenges? What questions remain or things are still unknown about this assignment?

Quarterly Check-In [Blackboard]

This is a short survey to check-in on our progress and provide self-assessment about your participation in the course so far.

I want to know what’s going well, what I can improve on, and what questions you have. I’ll use this feedback to make any adjustments to the course I can and will try to address questions as they arise.

You can also reach out via email at any time if you have questions that require an immediate, direct response from me.

  1. What’s going well? What readings or writing prompts have been especially productive or interesting to you so far? What is working well in the organization, delivery, or interactivity in the course?
  2. What’s challenging? What readings or writing prompts have not been interesting or engaging to you? What suggestions do you have to improve the organization, delivery, or interactivity in the course?
  3. What questions do you have about the materials/course/etc. or aspects of the course do you think need clarifying?

WEEK 4: SEPTEMBER 12-18

Reading

Turn In

Writer’s Journal Prompt [Blogs@Baruch]

The “Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing” outlines several habits of mind and experiences with writing that the developers believe are “foundations for writing in college-level, credit-bearing courses” (1) and essential for success. Consider this document and respond to any or all of following:

  • What you notice about the document? What do you wonder?
  • Do you agree that these habits and experiences are essential? Why?
  • Have you ever been guided toward these habits and experiences before? Have you developed/experienced them in other ways?
  • Do you practice any of these habits of mind?
  • How do you see these experiences manifesting in your education so far?

Literacy Narrative Polished Draft [Blackboard]

Revise your rough draft based on feedback.

Assignment Sheet available on Blogs@Baruch.

Go back to Literacy Narrative.

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