**VERY IMPORTANT– READ ENTIRE POST CAREFULLY**
I know that we are all going through a lot of things right now– many we could have never imagined or planned for. We are all dealing with a lot on a personal level, on the level of the family and friends we love and care for, and on the level of responsibilities– trying to take care of things we might not have before, or just finding new ways to complete old responsibilities. Please know that I am aware of the difficulties, even if you have not shared your personal ones, I get it. I am here to support you if you need it.
That being said, my responsibility to you right now is to get you to complete this course– and I am a bit worried about some of you, from whom I have seen zero evidence of work since we moved online (almost a month ago). I am trying to make this class as accessible and functional as I possibly can, so I have devised the following format (which most of you are already aware of):
1. Class “meets” twice a week for one hour each time (M + W 3-4pm) on Zoom. If you cannot attend the class meetings, they are posted on OpenLab after, and you can watch them on your own time.
2. For each class there is a list of Discussion Questions (posted on OpenLab) that you must answer by the posted DUE date (responses are to be posted on your COrona Blog). These should be completed during or after class, as the answers are things discussed and explained during class.
3. There are short readings assigned in preparation for some class sessions.
4. You will write two additional posts for your COrona Blog each week, DUE by Sunday night (prompts are posted on OpenLab).
5. You have two more essays to complete this semester– Essay #2: Argumentative Essay will be assigned during class on Monday 4/13. (Essay #3: Research Project will begin soon after– Essays #2 + #3 are closely related so parts will overlap).
That’s it. That is the whole class. All of this information can be found on our class OpenLab site, and the schedule set up week by week with all due dates and assignments. Please look at all the updates if you haven’t yet.
This is where my responsibility ends and yours begins. You must complete this work. I want every single one of you to pass this class, but if you do not complete the work, I CANNOT PASS YOU. Please read that again, YOU MUST DO THE WORK TO PASS THE CLASS. I don’t expect this to be the best work you have ever done. I don’t expect you to learn better via computer than when you were in the classroom. I don’t even expect the same amount of time to be put into your work. But, I do expect something. I need you to prove that you can do the work. I need you to prove to me that when you pass this class, you will be able to successfully write papers and complete work in your other classes.
If you are having personal/family/financial/technology issues that are preventing you from completing your work, please let me know! You do not need to share any details that you do not want to, but you should let me know that something is going on, so that we can make a plan for when and how you will eventually complete the course– there is flexibility semester and we can make it work. No one needs to fail.
If you are just completely unmotivated and struggling to make yourself do your work (like me and many many many other people right now), I need you to dig deep and push yourself. Remember when we talked about our motivations at the very beginning of the semester? At the time, I described your biggest obstacles as warm weather and alarm clocks–I have never been more wrong! This is your challenge. Remember why you are doing this, and use that to help push you forward. You have a responsibility to yourself to do this.
I am here to support you, but I cannot do this for you. Now, go write some blog posts!!
