Week 1

Please do these assignments in red before we meet at 6 pm on August 25:

  • Sign up for OpenLab site: if you encounter problems, please email me.
  • Review the class site: be sure to read the introduction to the course, look over the syllabus, and open and review all course tabs/sections.
  • Review: “Tips for Success” on “The OpenLab for Students.”
  • If you have technology issues of any kind that may impede your participation in this course (lack of Wi-Fi, privacy during class time, or a personal computer/laptop, etc.), please email me this week and we can discuss it privately. 
  • Go here and sign up for your free subscription to The New York Times if you haven’t done this already!
  • Check out the City Tech Writing Center on OpenLab: https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/writingcenter/

We’ll be discussing the WRITING in class, but if you’re already familiar with how to comment on an OpenLab post, go ahead and complete the following assignments. First, we’ll do Introductions:

  • Go to the Discussions under Student Work and add comments to the following three Discussions: Introductions, Online Learning, and Our Syllabus. Don’t know how to add a comment? Click here.
  • Respond to the Discussion “Introductions”: Write a paragraph (approx. 100 words) discussing your academic interests, why you chose your major, what you enjoy reading, listening to, watching, and doing in your spare time, or anything else you want to share (include your pronouns if you wish).
  • Respond to the Discussion “Online Learning”: Write a paragraph (approx. 100 words). Discuss any questions or concerns you have about taking an online writing class. Mention anything that confuses or worries you. You may also discuss positive aspects (either that you’ve experienced or that you foresee) about online learning. At the end of your response, share one or two tips from your own online experience (either in school, at work, or in other day-to-day use of technology) that you think other students might find useful.
  • Respond to the Discussion “Our Syllabus”: Discuss three pieces of information that caught your attention on the syllabus. These could be questions you have about grading or deadlines, comments on the online component, or observations about the chosen readings… really anything that catches your eye is fine. 
  • PLEASE NOTE: You need to complete the above assignments by EOD on Monday, August 30 AND review/respond to others’ comments by 6 pm on Wednesday, September 1!

We’ll be READING & WATCHING the following in class on Wednesday, August 25, but I strongly encourage you to review them before class:

We’ll discuss these in class, but feel free to work on your responses beforehand! WRITING: Thinking About Community

  • Respond to the Discussion Question “Amy Tan’s ‘Mother Tongue’”: Amy Tan writes, “Recently, I was made keenly aware of the different Englishes I do use.” What are these different Englishes; when, where and how does she use them? What does this piece illustrate about Tan’s responsibility to and feelings about her different communities and the way she moves between these groups?
  • Respond to the Discussion Question “Audience in Tan’s ‘Mother Tongue’”: Who do you think would benefit or be interested in reading this piece? Why?
  • Respond to the Discussion Question “Language and Community”: Think about language and the different ways you communicate or speak. Choose a word or phrase that you use with one group of people (family, friends, co-workers, etc.) that would not be understood by a different group of people in your life. What is the meaning of this word or phrase and how would you explain it to someone who is an outsider to the group who uses it?
  • PLEASE NOTE: You need to complete the above assignments by 6 pm Wednesday, September 1!

Questions? Want to discuss further? Visit Office Hours (listed under my picture).