What is English 101?

Hi! I’m so glad you’re here!

Welcome to a new semester at LaGuardia Community College. Whether you’re new to the college or just new to this class, I’m really excited to work with you! 

My name is J. Elizabeth Clark. You can call me Liz. I’ll be your professor this semester. 

English 101 is a course about writing. It’s a course about how you take an idea and shape it on paper. It’s not a course about rules or grammar or spelling, although we’ll talk about those things as well. If you love to write, you’re in the right place. If you’re not sure about writing, or maybe have had some bad experiences with writing in the past, you’re in the right place. If you hate to write, we’ll figure that out together (and, I hope this class will make you fall in love with writing, or, at least make it less painful as you gather a toolbox of ideas you can use in future classes as you encounter writing).

I believe that we all have stories that we want to tell. Those stories take many different shapes: essays, poems, songs, short stories, novels, graphic novels, photos, videos, talks, journals, academic projects, websites, tweets, status updates, and new and emerging forms that we don’t know how to talk about yet. If you love writing, then you’ve probably already shared some stories in writing. If you don’t like writing, I still bet you’ve shared plenty of stories, just in other forms. Together, we’ll explore how sharing stories—personal stories, researched stories, creative stories, and stories that make an argument—is a fundamental skill for communicating who we are and what we believe.

What story do you want to tell?

~Liz  

(Image: “Welcome,” by Krissy Venosdale, https://www.flickr.com/photos/venosdale/4853115285)

ENG 101 College Catalog Description

In this course students write coherent essays in varied academic formats, both in and out of class, responding to culturally diverse materials and use appropriate technology. Students focus on critical and analytical skills through reading and listening. They also study aspects of argumentation, including formulating theses; researching and identifying sources; evaluating and documenting sources; and communicating persuasively across contexts, purposes, and media. Admission is based on CUNY Proficiency Index score. The course meets for four scheduled classroom hours per week.

ENG 101 Learning Objectives

At the end of this course, you will be able to…

• Write with attention to process, including prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading, critiquing, and reflecting.
• Write, read, and listen critically and analytically, identifying a text’s major assumptions and assertions and evaluating its supporting evidence. As part of this process of inquiry and problem solving, students will be able to understand audience, voice, context and purpose.
• Write clearly and coherently in varied academic genres, rhetorical modes, and forms of argumentation using standard written English (SWE).
• Complete early assignments that utilize quotation, summation, paraphrase, and citation to create well-reasoned arguments.
• Complete later assignments that require research skills, especially the evaluation and synthesis of primary and secondary sources.
• Explain their own ideas and relate them to the ideas of others by employing the conventions of ethical attribution and citation and avoiding plagiarism.
• Write essays that will increase in complexity, ranging in length from 600 to 1500 words.

What Will We Be Learning? 

This isn’t the semester we all signed up for. So, our theme this semester will be “Writing Through Chaos.” As a writer, I think a lot about the role of writing in our world: what makes writing matter? Who reads our writing? What does writing do? This semester, we will consider how writing can help to make sense of a chaotic world.

Writing can play many roles. It can be therapeutic, informational, persuasive, creative, and objective, among other things. This semester you will choose a focus for your work. In week two, I will ask you to choose a stream of inquiry. This stream of inquiry will help us to organize our writing projects, our work in small groups, and our reading for the semester. 

(Image: “Learn,” by Jesper Sehested Pluslexia.com, https://www.flickr.com/photos/153278281@N07/37825342744)

What Are Streams?

At the beginning of week two, I will ask you to identify one of three streams you would like to examine this semester:

Writing as therapy

Writing as activism

Writing as knowledge

The very best writing does multiple things at once. Black Panther, for example, entertains at the same time it offers social commentary, a critique of race and dominant power structures, and provides a vision for the future. I am not suggesting that writing can be broken into these three streams alone, nor am I suggesting that therapeutic writing cannot also be activism or knowledge. In fact, I wrote my doctoral dissertation on the poetry of HIV/AIDS, which often does all three at once. 

However, you know that our theme for English 101 this semester is Writing Through Chaos. In this turbulent time in U.S. history, I am asking you to choose how you would like to organize your writing and your way of knowing. During the semester, you will have ample opportunity to hear from students in other streams. So, you will get a chance to experience other perspectives on writing. But, you will choose a dominant lens through which we will organize your course reading, your writing, and your small group work.   

For example, perhaps you’ve found COVID-19 to be overwhelming and sad. In that case, you might choose to explore writing as therapy, using it to process our new reality. Maybe you have been really inspired and active in the #BlackLivesMatter movement. If so, perhaps you would like to focus on writing as activism. Maybe you’d like to tackle the social, scientific, or structural issues with COVID-19 exploring writing as knowledge. 

Whatever stream you choose, you will have an opportunity to structure inquiry and research into your writing. The skills and assignments will be the same no matter what stream you choose. And, like all bodies of water, streams ultimately come together to create something bigger than themselves: a river, which leads to the sea (or a lake). Your individual stream will be a pathway to multiple ways of learning, knowing, and practicing writing. 

These are just a few examples to give you a sense of the area you might choose for your stream. If none of these sound quite like what you’re interested in, don’t worry. We’ll figure it out together. Meanwhile, know that whatever you write about, I will be there to guide you and to make sure you have a chance to practice the essential skills you’ll need for current and future writing success! I’ll get into more detail about this in week two, but this should give you a taste of how we will approach reading and writing in this course.

(Image: “Wild Creek” by Uroš Novina, https://www.flickr.com/photos/kharak/43519787570)

How Will Our Class Work? (Logistics)

Our week begins on Sundays. Each Sunday you will receive an overview of the week, including the weekly theme, asynchronous study materials, reminders, assignments, and Zoom links. 

Our Live Zoom Class meets: Tuesdays from 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.

If you miss our live Zoom class, a link to the video will be available on Wednesday. If you miss our live Zoom class, please watch the video and complete the check-in by the end of the week, on Saturday. 

Your asynchronous work for the week will be due on Thursday and Saturday. The lesson will be outlined each week with directions about where to find and post your work. You can choose to do these assignments at any time, depending on your schedule. 

(Image: “Post-It Note Wall” by OKF Open Science

How Will Our Class Work? (Rhythm)

Each week, we’ll follow a similar rhythm to our work and activities. 

Tuning In: On Sundays, you’ll begin to think about our work and organize your plan for the week. On Sundays, you’ll want to:

• read the weekly overview email from Liz;
• log into Google Classroom to review the week’s theme and tasks;
• figure out what you already know about the week’s theme & fill out the “Tuning In” check-in;
• make a plan for how you’ll get work done each week: will you attend our live Zoom class? Will you watch the video afterwards? When will you get reading done? When will you get writing done? Do you need to plan to attend student appointments with Liz? Are you going to follow the same schedule every week, or will it depend on work and family commitments? It doesn’t matter how you tackle your week, but Sunday is a good time to make a plan!
• Get started!

Once our week starts on Sunday, you can begin working. The only thing you cannot do ahead of time is the weekly live class. 

Finding Out  (Concept Development): in our live class (or in the video), we’ll develop the week’s theme with mini-lectures, group work, and examples. **Whether you attend class live or watch the video and do the check-in, this will count as 1 of our 2 weekly classes.** 

Exploring (Going Further): next, you’ll have a chance to go further with the topic. You’ll have a series of interactive exercises, readings, and activities to explore the week’s theme. You’ll have a low-stakes assignment due each Thursday connected to your explorations. **Your low-stakes assignment will count as the second of our 2 weekly classes.** 

Acting: On Saturdays, you’ll have a larger assignment due, usually connected to one of our projects in the class. These assignments will allow you to put your new (or refreshed) knowledge about writing into play. Here, you’ll be showing how you will use what you’ve learned. Occasionally the acting and reflecting assignment will be the same. 

Reflecting: Each week, you’ll have an opportunity to reflect on the week. Sometimes this will be a quick quiz or survey. Other times, you will have the opportunity to write a more in depth reflection. 

(Image: “Lifecycle of a Blackberry” by Sarah Jane Dawson on FaceBook, modified by J. Elizabeth Clark)

How Will Our Class Work? (Stuff)

There are no required materials for this course. All of our reading materials will be available through free, online sources. 

You will need access to a laptop or tablet (not just your phone!) and an internet connection. If you do not have a laptop, please see “Resources” for information on contacting the Student Information Center to borrow a laptop from the college. 

You will need your My LaGuardia credentials so that you can access email, the library resources, ePortfolio, BlackBoard, and Office 365, all of which are free to you as a student. 

Our work will happen in two main places: Zoom (for live class sessions, student appointments, hangouts with Liz) and Google Classroom which is where all of our course materials, links, and assignments will be housed.

How Will I Know What’s Going On?

Every Sunday, I will email you an overview of the week including the schedule, the weekly theme, the lessons for the week, Zoom links, sign ups for student appointments, and deadlines for assignments. Get into the habit of looking at your email on Sundays so you can prepare for the week ahead. I will also post this overview in Google Classroom under the weekly topic. 

In addition to this, you can always check-in during our weekly live Zoom class. Each week, I will also have two sets of student appointments. 

Hangouts will be for public questions. You can drop into the Zoom space at any time during the hangout hours to ask questions, to get help or just to hangout and say hi! These will be public to students in all of my Composition 101 classes. Hangouts will be on Wednesday evenings from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. all semester long. 

If you have a question or want help on a project and do not want other students to hear what we are discussing, please sign up for an individual appointment. Individual appointment times will vary week-to-week. I will share a signup sheet in our weekly Sunday email. 

(Image: “Post-it Monsters” by Zara Gonzalez Hoang, https://www.flickr.com/photos/zarprey/2845219965) 

What Will We Do In This Class? 

This semester, we will:

• Write together. Why? Because this is a class about writing. You can expect that we will write something during live Zoom classes, in our asynchronous assignments, and for your exploring, acting, and reflecting assignments!
• Read and learn about writing & the power of sharing stories by reading selected articles;
• Work as writers learning processes for generating, writing, revising, and editing;
• Think about ourselves as writers, trying out different “habits of mind”;
• Create smaller assignments that assist in developing larger writing projects;
• Compose 3 staged writing projects;
• Collect work that shows what you’ve learned into a final ePortfolio;
• Revise selected projects and document the revision process;
• Write a final course project demonstrating readiness for English 102;
• Meet together at least once in individual writing conferences;
• Share our writing with the class and participate in smaller writing groups;
• Learn together in rigorous and engaged class discussion;
• Prepare for ENG 102.

Key Terms & Ideas:

Reading

Good writers are good readers. We’ll be reading weekly articles in this class to help give us ideas about how to shape effective stories. We will also be practicing writing in response to texts as a precursor to the work you’ll do in ENG 102. 

Habits of Mind

In our writing, we will be guided by the eight habits of mind in writing. These come directly from the Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing written by the Council of Writing Program Administrators, the National Council of Teachers of English, and the National Writing Project. This group of writing instructors from across the country analyzed these traits as those which are most likely to help you be successful in your own writing. 

• Curiosity – the desire to know more about the world.
• Openness – the willingness to consider new ways of being and thinking in the world.
• Engagement – a sense of investment and involvement in learning.
• Creativity – the ability to use novel approaches for generating, investigating, and representing ideas.
• Persistence–the ability to sustain interest in and attention to short- and long-term projects.
• Responsibility – the ability to take ownership of one’s actions and understand the consequences of those actions for oneself and others.
• Flexibility – the ability to adapt to situations, expectations, or demands.
• Metacognition – the ability to reflect on one’s own thinking as well as on the individual and cultural processes used to structure knowledge.

If you’re interested in reading more about the Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing, you can access it here. 

Tuning In

At the beginning of each week, you’ll complete a short survey about what you already know about our topic as a way of getting ready for the week. 

Discussions

We will share ideas, resources, and short responses to writing prompts in Google Classroom as a whole class. This writing–shared with all members of our English 101 community–will help us think about writing for others and will be different than writing you share only with me. All of these count as part of your overall participation in the course. 

Writing Projects

We will do three projects this semester based on your selected stream:

1. Writing to share a personal story
2. Writing to discover something new
3. Writing to share a story that’s important

For each of these projects, we will discuss the assignment in detail, look at examples, consider different writing approaches, and draft smaller pieces to help you complete a draft of each project. Some projects may take multimodal forms, using video, audio, visual, and digital elements, as your story demands.

Participation

This course will ask you to participate heavily and thoughtfully in our live Zoom class meetings, in your writing group, and in our online discussions. I understand that you are busy juggling personal, academic, and professional responsibilities. Your participation will be measured through your comments and questions in our live Zoom class or your check-in after watching the video later in the week. It will also be measured by your work on the weekly exploring project. 

Writing Group

Good writers learn from critique. Sharing writing is an important part of the writing process for everyone from beginning writers to the most highly paid professional writers. You will work in a small writing group this semester of 3-4 people. In preparation for your final ePortfolio, you will be sharing your ideas about the strengths of one another’s projects and places where the writer could make different choices. 

Conferences

At least once during the semester, I will hold writing conferences to meet with you individually about your work. These conferences will help you determine what you want to revise, where your writing is strong, and where it might need additional work. You’ll write up the notes from these conferences and post them in your ePortfolio. 

You will have the opportunity to meet with me anytime during the semester during student appointments and hangouts. I will be available to meet with you every week outside of class. However, since those meetings are optional, you will be required to meet with me at least once for a formal writing conference so I can help you meet your goals as a writer. 

Revision

In your final ePortfolio, at the end of the semester, you will come back to selected pieces of writing that you’ve done this semester and consider how you might make your writing stronger through the revision process. This entails considering a combination of: things we’ve learned in class, Liz’s response to your drafts, your writing group’s response to your drafts, and your own ideas about what you want to strengthen in your writing, building on the revision plans you complete after each project. 

ePortfolios

You will compile an ePortfolio at the end of the semester with original work, revisions, and a reflective letter on what you have learned about your writing, your writing process and what you have changed in your drafts.

Reflection

Each week, I will ask you to think about what you’ve learned, what you know, and what questions you have about our weekly theme. At the end of the semester, I will ask you to think about what you’ve learned and how that shows that you are prepared for English 102. Some reflections will be small and others will be longer. 

Golden Ticket

We are living through an unprecedented global pandemic. So, I anticipate that there will be times when your work may be interrupted by things outside of your control. Rather than you having to email me to ask for an extension or to excuse an absence, I am giving you 3 Golden Tickets at the beginning of the semester. Based on Willy Wonka’s fabulous Golden Ticket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this ticket entitles you: 

1. To excuse an absence;

2. To miss a “weekly exploring” project entirely;

3. To receive an extension of up to 3 days on any 1 project EXCEPT the final ePortfolio and reflective letter. 

This is your built-in safety net. You have 3 to use anytime from 9/14-12/6. If you do not use a Golden Ticket during the semester, it will convert to 10 extra credit points applied to your grade. I’m sorry I can’t give you a whole chocolate factory. But, I can try to offer a little buffer in your work this semester!

(Image: “Golden Ticket?” by Stuart Richards, https://www.flickr.com/photos/left-hand/8732145472)

How Will I Be Graded?

Your grade will be determined by a mixture of attendance and participation in class, writing projects, weekly exploring projects, your ePortfolio with revised work, and your final reflective projects. Each of the assignment categories below will be graded using a rubric. When you begin the assignment, we will discuss the rubric for that assignment in class so that you will know what you are being graded on. Your final grade is out of 1000 points.  

Assignment Category	Number of Graded Items	Point Value Per Item	Total Points
Tuning In (Beginning of the Week)	13	1 points each	13
Attendance / Participation in weekly live Zoom class OR video class / check-in	13	10 points each	130
Weekly Exploring Project (due Thursdays, except in writing group weeks)	10	20 points each	200
Weekly Reflection (End of the Week)	10	5 points each	50
Project 1: Writing to share a personal story	2 assignments:Pre-writing  Drafting	25 points each	50
Project 1: Writing group critique	2 assignments:Partner critique Personal revision plan	25 points each	50
Project 2: Writing to discover something new	2 assignments:Pre-writing  Drafting	25 points each	50
Project 2: Writing group critique	2 assignments:Partner critique Personal revision plan	25 points each	50
Project 3: Writing to share a story that’s important	2 assignments:Pre-writing  Drafting	25 points each	50
Project 3: Writing group critique	2 assignments:Partner critique Personal revision plan	25 points each	50
Conference with Liz	1	7 points	7
ePortfolio	1 (all sections completed)	200	200
Reflective Project	1	100	100
			= 1000

Points to Letter Grade Conversion Chart

940-1000 points: A 900-939 points: A- 870-899: B+

840-869: B 800-839: B- 770-799: C+

740-769: C 700-739: C- 670-699: D+

640-669: D 600-639: D- 0-599: F

Doing Well In This Class

In addition to the grading policies above, here are a few other policies and procedures that I need to point out.

Attendance: Attendance is counted by your comments and questions in our live Zoom class or your check-in after watching the video later in the week (class one for the week). Your weekly exploring project will count as your second class each week. If you miss a task/assignment, you will be counted absent for that class. If you miss more than 8 hours of class, you will earn a failing grade (LaGuardia Community College Catalog). Please note that 8 hours of class is two weeks!

Academic Dishonesty: The college has a clear statement on student integrity. This class will be conducted in compliance with LaGuardia Community College’s Academic Dishonesty policy. All students are responsible for preparing and presenting original work. In accordance with the college’s policy, the penalty for plagiarized work ranges “from a grade of “F” on a given test, research paper or assignment, to an “F” in the course, or suspension or expulsion from the College.” Please refer to the college catalog for a more complete discussion of academic dishonesty.

I expect that you will present your own original work with clear and transparent references to any outside sources that you use or that inspired you. If you’re having trouble citing sources or writing an assignment, your first stop should be an appointment or a student hangout so I can help you! (I am a far better resource than your random Google search, which I promise you will waste your time and possibly lead to bad sources!)

Statement of Pluralism: We’re going to be actively working together in an engaged class. As such, I anticipate that from time to time, we may disagree about things (seriously: have you ever seen 28 people agree about EVERYTHING?). Differences of opinion and points-of-view are important, but, there’s a limit. Our classroom is not a space for rudeness, bullying, or disrespect. Please work to figure out how to express differences constructively. If you need help with that, student appointments are a great time for private consultations. I’ll help you come up with strategies for sharing your ideas in constructive ways. It’s also worth noting that you are lucky to study and I am lucky to teach at one of the most diverse colleges in the county. Our students (and staff) come from over 148 countries and speak a myriad of languages. How cool is that? So, the college has a Declaration of Pluralism. I expect, in the spirit of creating a great place to think and write, that you’ll follow it. 

Help: I want you to ask for the help you need. That’s what I’m here for! Please come to one of our weekly student hangouts or sign up for an individual appointment. I am also available by email. 

Special Notice on Zoom Classes: Students who participate in this class with their camera on or use a profile image are agreeing to have their video or image recorded solely for the purpose of creating a record for students enrolled in the class to refer to, including those enrolled students who are unable to attend live.  If you are unwilling to consent to have your profile or video image recorded, be sure to keep your camera off and do not use a profile image. Likewise, students who unmute during class and participate orally are agreeing to have their voices recorded.  If you are not willing to consent to have your voice recorded during class, you will need to keep your mute button activated and communicate exclusively using the “chat” feature, which allows students to type questions and comments live.

Who Are You?

Professor: J. Elizabeth Clark, Ph.D.

Preferred Name: Liz

So, this is me (ish) in a nutshell: writer, diver, photographer, aunt, avid conservationist, ocean lover, traveler/adventurer, reader, hiker, movie lover, teacher, political activist, transit ninja (no—seriously. You have no idea what dedication it takes to lug scuba gear on public transportation), and knitter. I have more interests than I have time. Since we’ll all be sharing stories this semester, these are some of the things you’ll hear me talk about. I also have a wicked sense of humor and an inescapable need to use sarcasm. I’m irreverent about punctuation, love exclamation points, type ridiculously fast, and cannot spell. 

Oh, and I hate beets, I’m addicted to coffee, and I love reality t.v. 

I’m not just here to tell you about writing. I’m a writer myself. I’ve published articles, poems, blogs and websites. Most recently, I’ve published science writing for kids. But my big project is a novel series for children that I am working on. It’s my biggest story and my biggest writing challenge to date. Along the way this semester, I’ll talk with you about my experiences as a working writer. Think of me as your writing coach, your academic trail guide, and your keeper of CUNY secrets.

(ahem, pay attention to this—you’re going to write something just like this… for your first writing assignment). 

In addition to our weekly live Zoom class, student appointments, and student hangouts, here’s where you can find me:

lclark@lagcc.cuny.edu (email)

@jelizabethclark (twitter)

jelizabethclark.com/ lizsummit.com (web)

** please note: I will generally respond to emails sent before 7 p.m. on the same day, Monday through Friday. While I may sometimes respond to emails over the weekends, please do not expect immediate responses from me on Saturdays and Sundays. 

I Need Help With…

Student Accommodations: If you are registered with the Office for Students with Disabilities, please let me know right away. If you require any accommodations to help you in this course, I’ll make immediate adjustments. If you are not registered with the Office for Students with Disabilities and you would like to be, please contact Jhony Nelson, director of the Office for Students with Disabilities, at jhonyn@lagcc.cuny.edu to discuss your needs and concerns. 

the Library: https://library.laguardia.edu/help/ask/

the Writing Center: https://www.laguardia.edu/writingcenter/

Distance Learning / Digital Tools: 

https://www.laguardia.edu/student-resources/

**In addition to emailing for assistance with technology problems, you can also contact the Help Desk via phone. Call 718-482-6121 or 718-482-6157 during the day. After-hours support is available 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. at 646-664-2024

ePortfolio: https://eportfolio.laguardia.edu/support.htm

Something else? Contact Liz (lclark@lagcc.cuny.edu) or talk to her during class!

About our course banner: Meet Michael Roberson

As we work together, you’ll find that I am a visual learner and teacher. Imagery is important to me in my own work as a writer and as an amateur photographer. I believe that text and image compliment one another and that an integration of the two is essential.

Our course banner image was created by artist Michael Roberson. The original painting is called “Earth.” If you like Michael’s work, you can see more of it here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelwhiteartist/with/48621014351/

I selected this painting when I was searching for images related to chaos. I found another painting by Michael called “Chaos,” but in looking at his work, I thought the color in this one spoke to the upheaval our city has endured for the past several months. At the same time, the particular shade of red here doesn’t look like a wound. It looks like a sunrise, the way the color is reflected on the buildings, the way the blues and pinks and greys rise from the bottom of the painting. It reminded me of the beginning of a new day.

Michael explains that in creating his paintings, “I come to my studio prepared with an exploration of principles from abstract impressionism, impressionism, street art, and earth art.” If you’d like to read more of his biography or his full artist’s statement, visit here: https://www.flickr.com/people/michaelwhiteartist/

And Finally… Into the Future! How About a Writing & Literature Major?

4 out of 5 employers consider writing and critical thinking to be key skills–but complain that only 1 in 5 graduates have them! If you enjoy reading and writing or simply want to improve your analytical skills, strengthen your vocabulary, and become an effective writer, sign up for a Writing and Literature Major. This major prepares you for academic success at four-year colleges while providing access to a range of professional opportunities, such as business, media, advertising, law, and politics, among others. We also offer tracks in Creative Writing and Journalism. Also, all the courses you take as a Writing and Literature, Creative Writing, or Journalism graduate will transfer to a variety of CUNY senior colleges. For more information, contact the program directors:

Writing and Literature: Professor Lilla Toke, ltoke@lagcc.cuny.edu

Creative Writing: Professor Sonia Alejandra Rodriguez, sorodriguez@lagcc.cuny.edu

Journalism: Professor Meghan Fox, mefox@lagcc.cuny.edu

******

Links:

Writing and Literature Major: http://www.laguardia.edu/WritingLiterature/

Creative Writing: http://www.laguardia.edu/CreativeWriting/

Journalism: http://www.laguardia.edu/Journalism/

To change major: https://www.laguardia.edu/uploadedFiles/Main_Site/Content/Registrar/docs/ChangeOfMajorAndConcentration-PlanAndSub-Plan.pdf