Week 2

Before class on Wednesday, February 9, students will…

• Read my Announcement.
• Write your own “Meet My _____.” You can use your shoes or another object that you feel shares something about you.
  • Post it under Memoir on our site and title it Full Name, Meet My ____.
  • Do not make it private; your classmates will need to read it next week, which means it’s due next Wednesday, February 9, by class time.
• Read Chapter One from Ann Patchett’s Truth & Beauty. You’ll find this reading in the File section under Reading Assignments of the Course Profile.

During class, we will…

DISCUSS/READ:

• Talk about Patchett’s work. What was enjoyable? Thought-provoking? What questions would you ask the author if she was in the classroom?
• Read at least five classmates’ “Meet My _____.”
• Comment on them with the answers to the following questions: What did you enjoy? What questions/clarifications would make this a stronger piece?

WORKSHOP:

• Based on comments and self-review, spend time revising “Meet My _____” during class. Edit the version you posted on the website and be ready to share with your Cohort.
• Email the URL to your assigned Cohort. The process and the worksheet will be explained in class.
  • If you are not present during class and do not have a “Meet My _____” ready to share on Wednesday, you will not be assigned a Cohort for this round of writing.
  • Only those who are present and ready to share will be assigned a Cohort.
    • If you miss class and have a “Meet My _____” ready, email me.
    • If you attend class but don’t have a “Meet My _____” ready, work on it while the others are workshopping their piece.
    • For both situations, we’ll discuss how to proceed.
  • Remember, both the writing you produce and the feedback you give to others in this class are worth 20% of your overall grade. You can’t have one without the other in real life–and this class!

During and after class, students will…

WRITE:

• If you aren’t finished with your Cohort’s critiques by the end of class, you have until class time on Wednesday, February 16 to email your critique to me and your Cohort. Email my Gmail account (noted on the sidebar of this website and on the critique worksheet!
  • This activity is worth 20% of your overall grade!
• Critique Patchett’s work in a paragraph. What did you enjoy? What questions do you have? Title it Full Name, Patchett Critique. Post under Discussions.
• Journal Assignment 1: Using Patchett’s work as an example, write about a friendship that has been significant to you. (Who is it? How did you meet? Why are they important to you?) Post under Journals. Be sure to write the following in the title: Your Full Name, Journal 1.
  • Both the Patchett Critique and Journal 1 are due by next Wednesday, February 16.
  • These assignments are both worth 20% of your overall grade!
• Read Anonymous’ “Whatever Happened to _______?”
  • This reading contains an account of domestic abuse. This content may be disturbing, so I encourage you to prepare yourself emotionally beforehand. If you believe the reading or discussion of the reading to be traumatizing, you may choose to not participate or leave the classroom. I encourage you to speak to me before or after so we can discuss what you can read/write about in place of this assignment.