Rick Brown
TITLE: Lost in the Library: The Great Bibliophile Scavenger Hunt
CLASS: English 101
DURATION: 50 minutes
DATE: In the final third of the course
OBJECTIVES:
INSTRUCTOR PREPARATION:
INSTRUCTOR PROCEDURES:
NOTES:
Students work together to find books throughout the library by using a variety of clues including book titles, call numbers and collection locations. Students start with one clue. Upon finding that clue, they will discover another clue on a slip of paper in the book, which will lead them to the next clue. These clues need to be planted ahead of the activity (with the hope that no one will check out the book before the activity starts). Additional requirements require students to talk with staff members for specific information (i.e., the name of the teaching skeleton at the Loper Success Center, spoiler alert, “Skelly”) and to find displayed artwork in the building. Past experience proved that most teams struggle to find five objects in 30 minutes.
OUTCOMES:
A better understanding of the physical nature of the Calvin T. Ryan Library and how the assets can be of help during the students’ academic career
TITLE: Whatcha Readin'?
CLASS: English 101
DURATION: 50 minutes
DATE: Throughout semester
OBJECTIVES:
INSTRUCTOR PREPARATION:
INSTRUCTOR PROCEDURES:
NOTES:
I
plan to incorporate this activity into every other class meeting from a
list of pre-selected, randomly generated class members. This activity
will feature one student per class period over the entire semester. The
entire class is responsible for reading the reflection before the start
of the class period.
In an effort to get students to participate, the next student on the list to present will be responsible for asking three questions, the following student must ask two questions and the third student on the list needs to ask at least one question. After that, the floor will be open for questions from any student. The type of questions include: “Why did you pick this book?” “Have you read other works by this author?” “Did you like this book?”
While the activity sounds rather complicated, I think by the second or third presentation, students will easily understand how it works. On the first day of class, I plan to give a sample presentation on the book, Slow Dance, by Nebraska author Rainbow Rowell, and take impromptu questions from students..
OUTCOMES:
I hope to honor and encourage the reading of books in this class, following the Peter Effect, identified by Anthony J. Applegate and Mary Dekonty Applegate in 2004. I also want to create a list of recommended books for class members.
TITLE: Introducing the Introduction
CLASS: English 101
DURATION: 50 minutes
DATE: First quarter of the semester
OBJECTIVES:
INSTRUCTOR PREPARATION:
INSTRUCTOR PROCEDURES:
NOTES/OUTCOMES:
This
class will call attention to the importance of a strong beginning to a
piece of writing by allowing students to create three different
introductory paragraphs to an essay. It will also underscore the value
of a total revision, at least for the beginning of an essay or piece of
fiction.
- Week #1 — Introductions; writing assessment
- Week #2 — The structure of an essay
- Week #3 — Writing Process
- Week #4 — Invention
- Week #5 — Drafting Your Work
- Week #6 — Editing and Proofreading
- Week #7 — Drafting and Revising
- Week #8 — Grammar Checkup
- Week #9 — Using Description
- Week #10 — Exemplification
- Week #11 — Writing for Your Reader
- Week #12 — Reading to Write
- Week #13 — Cause and Effect
- Week #14 — Narration
- Week #15 — Comparison and Contrast
- Week #16 — Argumentation
Students who enroll in English 101 at the University of Nebraska at Kearney vary from high achieving academics to individuals not proficient in the English language. Designing a class that serves the needs of all these students requires a delicate balance — challenging enough for certain groups to keep them interested in the class, yet basic enough for students who constantly check their phones for translations of words and concepts. To make the class effective, I believe in assigning lots of low-stakes writing assignments, along with several larger valued tasks. I have also designed the class to peak about two weeks before the end of the semester as a way to allow students to develop a slight cushion between more demanding classes within their main areas of study.
In order to keep up interest in the class, I intend to mix lighter, more interesting writing assignments with essays that require more concentrated work. I also plan to find topics that ESL scholars can connect with, topics from their home countries.
In terms of pacing, I have designed the course to build slowly, both in terms of timing for assignments and for value. The values of assignments increase as students gain confidence and understanding of the foundations of the class, allowing them to make mistakes at the beginning that will not impact their final grade as much as assignments toward the end of the semester.
I have also created ample opportunities for students to follow their own interests in terms of subjects for assignments. Feedback from last semester indicated that students feel the most agency when they have a stake in the topics of the assignments. While I want to create helpful boundaries, I don’t want to constrain students to the point of disillusionment. Although I don’t intend to announce this; students can tailor a writing topic to reflect their interests. After conversations with several students about Esports, I allowed a select number of students to write about their favorite computer games.
All of this needs to conform to the expectations of the English Department. For me, balancing the wants and desires of the students with the requirements of the university ranks up there with the most challenging aspects of the job of teaching.
The course readings in English 805 continue to inspire me to find new ways to reach students. It also validates some of the ideas I have developed over the course of teaching English 101 last semester. I believe in a sense of vulnerability when it comes to working with students. They can easily spot insincerity in a classroom leader. I want to honestly share what I know about writing, about the confidence that comes from repeatedly addressing a subject with words. Returning to the idea of gaining expertise through repetition, that’s the best way for me to learn. I have to assume that other students can gain skills through trying different methods of writing. Failure and success work hand in hand. I believe that one builds on the other. While I don’t want students to plan to fail at an assignment, I want them to feel free enough to try something new and risky in this class. Education comes from experimentation, evaluation and revision.
While English 101 works as an introduction to composition, I understand that this class might be the only one that most students attend with the sole purpose of learning how to become better writers. I understand my duties and responsibilities to be part cheerleader, part jungle guide, part guru, part unforgiving coach and part technician.
With this plan, I look forward to the challenge this next semester.