SCHEDULE OF READINGS & ASSIGNMENTS
(all readings are from the Writing New York Anthology unless otherwise noted)
Week One
Tuesday, January 31
- Introduction, Review of Syllabus
- Readings to Discuss: “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus; “Hymn of Not Much Praise for NYC” by Thomas James Merton (handout)
- Writing Diagnostic
Thursday, February 2
- Readings to Discuss: “Introduction” (pages xvii to xxii); Jacobs, “from The Death and Life of Great American Cities” (pages 811 to 815)
Week Two
Tuesday, February 7
- Readings to Discuss: Dickens, “from American Notes for General Circulation” (pages 51-64)
- Writing Due: Response Paper 1 (1-2 pages typed, to be handed in)
Thursday, February 9
- Readings to Discuss: Poe, “from Doings of Gotham” (pages 91-106)
Week Three
Tuesday, February 14
- Readings to Discuss: Fuller, “Our City Charities” (pages 111-118); Riis, “The Down-Town Back-Alleys” (pages 294-307); maps from How the Other Half Lives (course site)
- Writing Due: Blog (Free Choice/Reading Log)
Thursday, February 16
- Readings to Discuss: Twain, “Personals” (pages 257-259); Foo, “Experience of a Chinese Journalist” (pages 268-270)
- Writing Due: Response Paper 2 (1-2 pages typed, to be handed in)
Week Four
Tuesday, February 21
NO CLASS (classes follow a Monday Schedule)
Thursday, February 23
- Readings to Discuss: James, “from The American Scene” (pages 369-381)
- Writing Due: Blog (Free Choice/Reading Log)
Week Five
Tuesday, February 28
- Readings to Discuss: Catch Up day!
- Writing Due: ROUGH DRAFT, Paper #1 Due (3-5 pages typed, bring 3 COPIES to class)
- Peer Review/In-class Writing Workshop
Thursday, March 1 INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCES—NO REGULAR CLASS PERIOD—Please come to my “Office”—VC7-290K at your assigned time**
Bring a copy of your most recent draft of Paper #1!
Week Six
Tuesday, March 6
- Readings to Discuss:
- Writing Due: FINAL DRAFT, Paper #1 Due (3-5 pages typed)
Thursday, March 8
- Readings to Discuss: Johnson, “from The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man” (pages 387-395); Melville, “Bartleby, the Scrivener” (pages 153-190)
Week Seven
Tuesday, March 13
- Readings to Discuss: Kazin, “from A Walker in the City” (pages 731-737); Delany, “from Times Square Red Times Square Blue” (course site)
- Writing Due: Blog (Free Choice/Reading Log)
Thursday, March 15
- Readings to Discuss: Singer, “The Cafeteria” (pages 896-912); Didion, “Goodbye to All That” (pages 886-895)
- Writing Due: ROUGH DRAFT, Paper #2 Due (3-5 pages typed, bring 3 COPIES to class)
- Peer Review/In-class Writing Workshop
Week Eight
Tuesday, March 20
- Readings to Discuss: Baldwin, “from The Fire Next Time” (pages 831-838)
- Writing Due: Revision Plan/Map for Paper #2
Thursday, March 22 NO CLASS
Week Nine
Tuesday, March 27
- Film: “Basquiat” (1996)
- Readings to Discuss: Hughes, “When the Negro was in Vogue” (pages 632-639)
- Writing Due: Blog (Reflective Writing Log)—Use this blog entry as your opportunity to post your questions, concerns, status, etc. with regards to Paper #2. How is your revising going? What are you struggling with? What are you excited about? This post should be at least two well-developed paragraphs. Please also try to comment on your classmates’ posts—the blog is here to help us with our writing processes!
Thursday, March 29
- Writing Due: Radical Revision ROUGH DRAFT, Paper #2 Due (3-5 pages typed, bring 2 COPIES to class)
- Peer Review/In-class Writing Workshop
Week Ten
Tuesday, April 3
- Readings to Discuss: Pick one text from your book that is NOT on the syllabus & prepare a brief presentation on it!
- Writing Due:
- PART ONE: Be prepared to “present” the work you chose. These presentations will be short (no more than 5 minutes). Please be sure that your presentations are interactive—do not just show and tell—try to help your audience become enthused by the work you’ve chosen to present on.
- PART TWO: Post your “presentation notes” to the class blog.
Thursday, April 5
- Readings to Discuss: “Catch Up” Day!
- Writing Due: FINAL DRAFT, Paper #2 Due (3-5 pages typed)
Week Eleven
Tuesday, April 10 NO CLASS—Spring Break!
Thursday, April 12 NO CLASS—Spring Break!
Week Twelve
Tuesday, April 17
- Readings to Discuss: Whitman, “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” (pages 138-144); Mayakovsky, “Brooklyn Bridge” (pages 479-484); Hart Crane, “To Brooklyn Bridge” (pages 485-486)
- Writing Due:Blog (Free Choice)
Wednesday, April 18
A Reading in Celebration for
The Collected Poems of Joe Brainard
8PM @ The Poetry Project at St. Mark’s Church
(2nd Avenue & 10th Street), $5
Thursday, April 19
- Readings to Discuss: Reznikoff, “from Autobiography: New York” (page 621); O’Hara (all selections, pages 785-789); Baraka, “Minton’s” (pages 825-827)
- Writing Due: Response Paper 3 (Paper #3, Preparation 1)
Week Thirteen
Tuesday, April 24
- Readings to Discuss: Schuyler (all selections, pages 916-925); Ginsberg (all selections, pages 926-930); Lorde and Guest (selections from course site)
- Writing Due: Response Paper 4 (Paper #3, Preparation 2)
Thursday, April 26
- Readings to Discuss: Poem Packet #1 (course site)
- Writing Due: Annotated Bibliography (Paper #3, Preparation 3)
Week Fourteen
Tuesday, May 1
- Readings to Discuss: Poem Packet #2 (course site)
- Writing Due: ROUGH DRAFT, Paper #3 Due (5-7 pages typed, bring 3 COPIES to class)
Thursday, May 3 INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCES—NO REGULAR CLASS PERIOD—Please come to my “Office”—VC7-290K at your assigned time**
Bring a copy of your most recent draft of Paper #3!
Week Fifteen
Tuesday, May 8
- Readings to Discuss: Poem Packet #2 continued (course site)
- Writing Due: Blog (Reflective Writing Log)
Thursday, May 10
- Readings to Discuss: TBD
- Presentations of digital essays (part one)
- Writing Due: FINAL DRAFT PAPER #3 (5-7 pages typed)
Week Sixteen
Tuesday, May 15
- Readings to Discuss: TBD
- Presentations of digital essays (part two)
LAST CLASS/ Grades
Good Luck!