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Hello, dear students!

Well, we’ve come to the end of the road–at least for this particular semester. I’ll be reminding you of deadlines and the like below, but first, I want to say a few things to this class:

We’ve been through an experience this semester that has been challenging, frustrating, and, for many of us–if not all–depressing. All of those emotions (and any I haven’t mentioned) are totally valid. I’ve had conversations with many of you over the semester, and during each one I’ve tried to say (however awkwardly) how awesome you are and how impressed I am with you. Even if I haven’t spoken to you one-on-one, I still want you to know I think these things about each of you. Seriously.

I hope all of us will have a chance to catch our breath for a moment when this semester is finally closed and let ourselves feel strong in the knowledge that we’ve survived a moment of unparalleled time in recent history. It’s not over–not by a long shot–but we’ve weathered some serious shit thus far. (I hope I don’t get in trouble for using that term!)

I’m honored to have been able to facilitate your writing and get to know each of you a little bit through the work you’ve created this semester. I’ve learned about soccer, genetic engineering, nursing, religion, fast fashion, and online fighting games, to name just a few of the topics you’ve shared with me.

I also want to keep in touch. I love running into my students in the halls of City Tech long after they’ve been in my class. I hope we’ll be in physical halls again soon, but until that happens, we’ll have to run into each other in virtual halls by other means. My personal email address is jessica.penner@gmail.com. I do Twitter occasionally and Instagram. Email me if you want my handles.

Okay, I’ll stop and get down to particulars:

Final Portfolios

Please save the PDF files EXACTLY as I show in the Final Portfolio Assignment document.

For example, if I submitted a Final Portfolio assignment, my files would look like this:

1_Jessica Penner, Final Reflection

2_Jessica Penner, Revision Paragraphs for UX and UX

3_Jessica Penner, U1 Writing Assignment

4_Jessica Penner, U2 Writing Assignment

5_Jessica Penner, U3 Writing Assignment

6_Jessica Penner, U3 Process Essay

7_Jessica Penner, Selected Journals

Note the numbers–PLEASE number each file! 

This helps me grade more efficiently, and is something that’ll help your overall grade, because if you do not follow these instructions, I will take 10% off your Final Portfolio grade.

There are many other details to the Final Portfolio. If you haven’t already please look at this document I’ve posted on OpenLab.

REMEMBER THE DUE DATE: MAY 20, 2020! 

Send the files in one email to monwedeng1121@gmail.com, NOT my City Tech email address! 

I’ve been generous on deadlines this semester because of the situation we’ve all been through, but this deadline is real, folks, because I have to turn in grades soon after this date. I don’t have time to locate you and your portfolio.

If you don’t turn in a Final Portfolio by 11:59 PM on May 20, 2020, you’ll lose 400 points (this is worth 30% of your overall grade).

Even if your Final Portfolio isn’t complete or as finished as you’d like, know that this is the agony of any writer–student or otherwise–we never feel it’s perfect, so submit what you’ve got by May 20!

If you have questions or concerns, contact me and we can talk during the  class office hours (Wednesday, 10 – 11:30 AM). I can work in later times, but you’ll have to email me in advance.

Know that I rarely check my email late at night, so if you have a burning question, ask me before 9 PM.  Please note: This question shouldn’t call for an answer that you can find on the Final Portfolio Assignment sheet, so check there first.

I cannot grant extensions, so do not ask for one. Again, even if it’s not complete, turn what you have in by Wednesday night.

Final Grades

Grades must be posted by all City Tech faculty by May 28, so your grade for this class will be up soon after this date. I have 60+ students’ portfolios to grade, then I have to calculate grades, etc., so there’s a lot that has to happen between the last day of class and that date. I post all grades at once, so please don’t expect your grade to be up any sooner than this.

One more time…

Stay safe & well!

Hello, dear students!

We’re almost finished with this, ah, shall we say, daunting semester! Just a few more things to work on before we’re through…

Two things to talk about today: U3 Website/Process Essay and Final Portfolios!

U3 Website & Process Essay

Final Portfolios

REMEMBER THE DUE DATE: MAY 20, 2020!

I’ve been generous on deadlines this semester because of the situation we’ve all been through, but this deadline is real, folks, because I have to turn in grades soon after this date. 

If you don’t turn in a Final Portfolio by 11:59 PM on May 20, 2020, you’ll lose 400 points from your overall grade.

If you have questions or concerns, contact me and we can talk during the class office hours (Monday and Wednesday, 10 – 11:30 AM). I can work in other times, but you’ll have to email me in advance.

Stay safe & well!

Hello, dear students!

Two very important things are covered in this post:

1. Peer Review of the Final Reflection
2. Discussion of the Final Portfolio

Peer Review of the Final Reflection

I’m assuming you all are working on the Final Reflection today, because that’s the piece of the Portfolio that will be the most work. If you haven’t begun the Final Reflection, look at the document on OpenLab and don’t waste any more time!

The Rough Draft of the Final Reflection is due by 11:59 PM Wednesday, May 13. I’ll be emailing each Group a copy of the Final Reflection Peer Review worksheet with the following subject line: “Group #, Final Reflection.”

You may have to review two or three reflections, so do not wait on working on this assignment!

Hit “Reply All” so I and your group receive your rough draft (this will count for your participation points for Monday).

You must review each member of your group’s Final Reflections by Friday, May 15 (this will count for your participation points for Wednesday). Email both the writers’ and me a copy of your peer review.

DO NOT send anything to my City Tech account! I will not count any participation points for items sent to that account. Send everything to: monwedeng1121@gmail.com!

Discussion of Final Portfolio

As I’ve mentioned before, we don’t have a Final Exam for this class, but we have a Final Portfolio. The Final Portfolio includes:

• Final Reflection
• U1 Writing Assignment (Discourse Community)
• U2 Writing Assignment (General & Focused Analyses of a Genre)
• U3 Writing Assignment (Website based on either U1 or U2)
• U3 Process Essay (Based on U3 Experience)
• Selected Journals

There are many details to the Final Portfolio, so please look at this document I’ve prepared and posted on OpenLab. It states what is included, how many revisions are needed, how it must be saved/submitted, and how it will be evaluated.

READ THIS DOCUMENT CAREFULLY AND LONG BEFORE THE DUE DATE: MAY 20, 2020!

If you have questions or concerns, contact me and we can talk during the class office hours (Monday and Wednesday, 10 – 11:30 AM). I can work in other times, but you’ll have to email me in advance.

Stay safe & well!

process essay (1)

Process Essay

Brainstorm essay-1 copy

Hello, dear students!

We have two very important items today:

1. Submit your Process Essay
2. Begin work on your Final Reflection & Final Portfolio (which are standing in for the Final Exam)

Let’s start with #1

I would like you to submit your revised Process Essay by going to your old post that you created for the U3 Website on the Dashboard, adding the PDF of the essay to that site, and hitting the button “Update.”

Not sure how to do it? Look at this PowerPoint, titled “Process Essay Upload Instructions.”

If you have problems, let me know!

Now, on to #2

As I’ve mentioned before, we don’t have a Final Exam for this class, but we have a Final Portfolio. The Final Portfolio includes:

• A Final Reflection
• Revised U1 Writing Assignment (Discourse Community)
• Revised U2 Writing Assignment (General & Focused Analyses of a Genre)
• Revised U3 Writing Assignment (Website based on either U1 or U2)
• Revised U3 Process Essay (Based on U3 Experience)
• Selected Journals

I’m going to focus on the Final Reflection today, because that’s the piece of the Portfolio that will be the most work. Please do the following ASAP:

1. Read and reread the Final Reflection Writing Assignment sheet on OpenLab. There’s a lot of information there!
2. Focus on the brainstorming questions on the first page.
3. Take notes as you do the following:
4. Look back at your Journals and Writing Reflections (these should be on your email).
5. Review your major writing projects for Units 1, 2, and 3. Think about what you learned through each project.
6. Start thinking about how you will organize this Reflection. It doesn’t have to be a traditional five-paragraph essay; however, it does need to show how you changed as a writer/scholar and how you can use these skills in college and beyond, so there needs to be organization of some kind.
7. Start writing! It needs to be 1,000 words, which can be scary, but if you are honest and open with your experience, it’ll be easier than you think.
8. You are allowed to take anything from your own writing this semester–in fact, you need to quote yourself at least three times–so feel free to cut, paste, quote, paraphrase, summarize any words that are your own!
9. The Rough Draft of the Final Reflection is due on Wednesday, May 13.
10. The final drafts of the Final Reflection & Final Portfolio are due Wednesday, May 20. This final date is unmovable. I am required to post grades soon after this date, and I have three classes, which means I have a lot of grading to do.

Again, the Rough Draft is due Wednesday, May 13!!!

Okay, this is a lot to digest. If you have questions, you know where to find me!

Be safe & well!