WHAT TO EXPECT

• To reflect deeply about how helping others learn feels in your mind, body and heart.
• To attend class regularly, be on-time and ready to work.
• To attend class regularly, be on-time and ready to play.
• To interact with other students, a lot.
• To shape the classroom environment with your questions and experiences.
• To explore the meaning of and help define our class theme (more on this later).

INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION

Kimberly Smith, Instructor

LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR ENGLISH 12 A, B, C & D

Learning outcomes for English 12A students and all others:

• Plan and conduct research about writing pedagogy
• Define and apply best practices for working with writers
• Document the writing process
• Analyze writing and the writing process of other writers
• Debate, criticize and question “best” pedagogical practice
• Interact with faculty across the curriculum.
• Strategize about developing the Writing Center and its mission and implement plans

Additional learning outcomes for English 12 B students:

• Define and apply best practices for working with writers and share expertise with other assistants
• Further document the writing process
• Further analyze writing and the writing process of other writers
• Model debating, criticizing and questioning methods around “best” pedagogical practices
• Interact with faculty across the curriculum
• Strategize about further developing the Writing Center and its mission and implement plans

Additional learning outcomes for English 12 C students:

• Further define and apply best practices for working with writers and share expertise with other assistants
• Further document the writing process
• Further analyze writing and the writing process of other writers
• Model debating, criticizing and questioning methods around “best” pedagogical practices and help develop English 12 curriculum
• Interact with faculty across the curriculum and actively promote the Writing Center
• Lead Writing Center activities that further develop its mission and help implement additional programs

Additional learning outcomes for English 12 D students:

• Further define and apply best practices for working with writers and share expertise with other assistants and faculty across the curriculum
• Further document the writing process
• Further analyze writing and the writing process of other writers
• Model debating, criticizing and questioning methods around “best” pedagogical practices and help develop and implement English 12 curriculum
• Interact with faculty across the curriculum and actively promote the Writing Center
• Lead Writing Center activities that further develop its mission and implement additional programs

Course Description:

This semester, we will organize our learning around Writing Assistant inquiry circles. An inquiry circle is a facilitated discussion in which one participant poses a question and the remaining participants respond with depth of thought, intellectual rigor and compassion.

Our inquiry circles will be fueled by the questions you raise based on your work here at the Writing Center. Be on the look out for the stickiest, most confusing moments that arise while you work with both writers and instructors. Situations that lack clarity are likely to lead to the most lively and even surprising discussions.

Approach to writing in this class:

In this class, we approach writing as a process and a game, often focusing on how to get lots of ideas (both good and bad) on paper rather than the quality of each and everything we write.

We use a workshop approach, which means you’ll often be invited to share what you write. Don’t worry too much about this right now. Many writers are nervous about sharing their work. That’s why we’ll spend a lot of time making the class as comfortable as possible when it comes to our writing and talking about our writing.

Grading information:

This class is based on a 1,000 point scale

• Attendance and full consistent participation in Writing Assistant Inquiry circles. = 25%
• Writing Events planning, hosting and reflection = 25%
• Service Learning/Writing Center Support Work= 25 % (10 points for each hour of effort and 10 points for washing cups.)

• Semester reflection essay = 25 %

Formatting information for written assignments:

Written assignments must have an original title, your name, and be typed in 12-point font with double-spacing. Every page should have a page number and one-inch margins.

If you have any questions about how to format or make citations, there are friendly assistants in the Writing Center (Library Building Room 120) able to help you. You can also ask your instructor for help.

COURSE CALENDAR

• Week Two: Business meeting, orientation to Writing Assistant Inquiry Circles, and explain Service Learning/Writing Center Support Work Documentation

• Week Three-Fifteen: Business meeting and Writing Assistant Inquiry Circle with occasional guest-led workshops, reading seminars, writing games and other activities.

Important Dates

• All Writing Event backward plans are due...............………………………..Mon., Feb 12 at 2:30 p.m.
• All Writing Event Reflection Essays are due……one week after event occurs
• Service Learning/Writing Center Support Work Documentation..................…Mon., May 19 no later than 1 p.m.

• Reflection essays (your final) are due..…Mon., May 19 no later than 1 p.m.

IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT THIS LEARNING COMMUNITY & GAVILAN COLLEGE

Role of the Writing Center:

The Writing Center, which is in the library building, room 120, serves the campus community by fostering, celebrating and encouraging writers and the varied and multiple purposes and audiences that writing serves.

Specially trained student Writing Assistants offer free one-on-one consultations about all kinds of writing assignments (including the essays you’ll write for this class) on a drop-in and by appointment basis. In the center you can also find computers and free printing.

The center is open Monday-Wednesday 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Thursdays from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. (closed Thursdays 2:30-4:30 p.m.) and Fridays 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

Plagiarism:

Plagiarism is using someone else’s ideas and words without giving proper credit or documentation. An act of plagiarism or cheating could result in an “F” for the assignment, zero credit for the assignment, losing credit for the course, or suspension from the college. 

Copying homework assignments from a classmate is both cheating and a form of plagiarism. Using information from the internet or from a print source without citing it and claiming someone else’s ideas and/or words as your own is also plagiarism and a serious offense. 

Always do your own work. See pages 40-42 and in the 2003/05 Gavilan College Catalogue for the “Academic Honesty Policy” and “Rules of Student Conduct.”

Campus Advisories: 

Students requiring special services or arrangements because of hearing, visual, or other disability should contact their instructor, counselor, or the Disabled Student Services Office.