Liberties in Writing 2021-2022
Living through a pandemic for the first time in my life brought new challenges and new directions. Researching the roots of freedom throughout various cultures and civilizations seemed a natural response after living through a year of lockdowns and policy changes. This year's Literature and Composition class will start with the Sumerians search for freedoms and end with Barbados- the most recent country who decided to remove the Queen as head of state in November of 2021. A great number of opportunities lie between these two end points to explore and analyze.
Through this adventure, students will likely learn more about civilizations' struggles and successes with gaining freedom. Growing their writing skills to reflect a keen understanding of how to be succinct and meaningful with word choice and syntax will be our chief mission. Critical analyses, an exploration of 5 essay types, a study in poetry/prose, Socratic discussions and a research paper are the bones of this course. Each week we will focus on key elements that create a strong writing style, identify weaknesses and common traps with most writers, and offer encouragement and a few laughs along the way.
While I have taught these classes for over ten years, each year's class brings a new spirit of curiosity and it's always a joy to see those tentacles of reluctancy in writing start falling away. There are three main expectations: participate, be willing to spend 2-4 hours a week on your assignments, and turn in work on time. Participation increases once all the students get to know their classmates and feel at ease, no rush on that. This is a 5 hour credit course- some students may be able to knock out each assignment in 2 hours- others, it could take up to four. I will help give them organizational ideas to stave off procrastination urges and become more task-oriented. Timely turn-ins mean no late penalties.
Each week's lesson has a rubric attached to fully explain how their work will be assessed. Learning to pay attention to these rubrics will not only ensure a higher score, but will help the writing habits they are trying to learn become more of a second nature. The greatest part of writing is maintaining your student's unique voice, ideas, and inspirations. We may try and emulate other authors' writing styles, but we want the voice of your student to shine through. I try to vary up lessons to keep them engaged and sometimes will change up lessons as we go. If I see a certain skill needs to be reinforced or perhaps the class catches on quickly to another - we can skip ahead.
I only have room for about 12 students in this year's class. Please let me know if you have any questions and I hope to have this year's course completed by the 2nd week in. August. Classes will start the last week of August- day of week to be determined by your schedules. Look forward to seeing the great writers coming to class this year! They will hopefully be inspired to write more and consider more profoundly the effect freedom has on all men and women through history.
Living through a pandemic for the first time in my life brought new challenges and new directions. Researching the roots of freedom throughout various cultures and civilizations seemed a natural response after living through a year of lockdowns and policy changes. This year's Literature and Composition class will start with the Sumerians search for freedoms and end with Barbados- the most recent country who decided to remove the Queen as head of state in November of 2021. A great number of opportunities lie between these two end points to explore and analyze.
Through this adventure, students will likely learn more about civilizations' struggles and successes with gaining freedom. Growing their writing skills to reflect a keen understanding of how to be succinct and meaningful with word choice and syntax will be our chief mission. Critical analyses, an exploration of 5 essay types, a study in poetry/prose, Socratic discussions and a research paper are the bones of this course. Each week we will focus on key elements that create a strong writing style, identify weaknesses and common traps with most writers, and offer encouragement and a few laughs along the way.
While I have taught these classes for over ten years, each year's class brings a new spirit of curiosity and it's always a joy to see those tentacles of reluctancy in writing start falling away. There are three main expectations: participate, be willing to spend 2-4 hours a week on your assignments, and turn in work on time. Participation increases once all the students get to know their classmates and feel at ease, no rush on that. This is a 5 hour credit course- some students may be able to knock out each assignment in 2 hours- others, it could take up to four. I will help give them organizational ideas to stave off procrastination urges and become more task-oriented. Timely turn-ins mean no late penalties.
Each week's lesson has a rubric attached to fully explain how their work will be assessed. Learning to pay attention to these rubrics will not only ensure a higher score, but will help the writing habits they are trying to learn become more of a second nature. The greatest part of writing is maintaining your student's unique voice, ideas, and inspirations. We may try and emulate other authors' writing styles, but we want the voice of your student to shine through. I try to vary up lessons to keep them engaged and sometimes will change up lessons as we go. If I see a certain skill needs to be reinforced or perhaps the class catches on quickly to another - we can skip ahead.
I only have room for about 12 students in this year's class. Please let me know if you have any questions and I hope to have this year's course completed by the 2nd week in. August. Classes will start the last week of August- day of week to be determined by your schedules. Look forward to seeing the great writers coming to class this year! They will hopefully be inspired to write more and consider more profoundly the effect freedom has on all men and women through history.
