English
300, Section 001
Fall , 2005
Dr. Susan Stewart
Hall of Languages 221
903-468-8624
e-mail: susan_stewart@tamu-commerce.edu
website: http://faculty.tamu-commerce.edu/slstewart/
Policy Statement
Required Texts and Supplies:
Please Note: The bookstore returns texts to publishers after the start of the term. Waiting to buy books may make it impossible for you to purchase them in time to complete assignments.
Course Description:
This course introduces students who are pre-service teachers to the reading
process and critical reading strategies designed to better prepare them to understand
the nature of learning with regard to the reading/writing connection. The class
covers reading, writing, literary terminology, literary analysis, and research
skills, focusing on both pedagogy and literary criticism. Students will write
weekly, including classroom observations of reading instruction, explications
and analyses of literary texts, responses to readings, and will develop a research-based
handbook of resources for teaching literature for a chosen grade level (4-12).
The class covers integrating the TEKS and TExES competencies for middle school
and secondary English/Language Arts majors with a wide range of literature,
covering multiple periods, multiple genres, and multiple cultures, with in-class
activities designed to provide support for pre-professional development.
This course is required for all students seeking middle school (4-8) or secondary (8-12)certification in English/Language Arts and Reading. Prerequisites: 60 semester-hours completed including Eng. 102, Eng. 333, and two upper-level literature classes.
Goals for Course:
Evaluation/Grading:
*Practice TExES Exam: You must write two successful Constructed Responses to pass this course, regardless of your other scores.
| Fiction Essay | 50 points |
| Poetry Essay | 50 points |
| Constructed Response #1 | 75 points |
| Constructed Response #2 | 200 points |
| Analysis of text using a literary theory | 50 points |
| Reading Resource Folder (including presentation of one article) | 75 points |
| Classroom Observation | 50 points |
| Response Journal | 10 points for each entry |
The class grade is based on a 100 point system, with each assignment being assigned a specific number of points. You can track what points you have earned throughout the semester in "Grade/Profile" in Educator WHEN an assignment is completed and the final grade entered. Only you and I can access your grade information in Educator.
When the final course grade is given,
the letter grades will be given based on the following scale:
90-100% = A 80-89% = B 70-79% = C 60-69% = D 59-lower = F
NOTE: You MUST successfully complete all assigned work and pass the Practice TExES to earn credit for the course. Failure to do either will result in a final grade of F.
According to departmental policies, students must make a minimum of a B in this course in order to receive approval for internship.
Practice TExES Exam:
In addition to successfully completing all assignments, you must pass the
Practice TExES Exam by writing a successful Constructed Response in order to
pass English 300. Class readings and assignments address content and skills
needed to teach according to the state-mandated standards (TEKS) as well as
to pass the Practice Exam.
Late Assignments:
I seldom accept late papers. If you have to miss on a day an assignment is due,
you must turn the assignment in prior to the due date. I will not accept it
after the due date. Due to printing costs and virus risks, I do not accept assignments
via e-mail. Additionally, there is no revision opportunity for late papers.
Attendance:
Attendance is mandatory. To do well in this class, you must attend regularly
and arrive on time. The same would be expected of you in the professional arena,
and this course, in part, serves as training. Additionally, we'll be taking
a workshop approach. Consequently, other students depend on your attendance
to comment on their work, contribute to discussion, and participate. Having
said that, when you are in class, in order to be considered present, you must
participate. That means join discussion, ask questions and take notes. I
understand that emergencies arise, but if it appears that you'll be missing
more than 3, you should consider taking this course when you can devote the
necessary time required by this class. I do keep track of attendance and I don't
give "free" absences. Excessive absences will negatively affect your
grade. I define excessive absences as 3 or more absences (it is, after all,
3 weeks of classes). If you miss 3 or more classes, it will be a challenge to
make better than a D and I might suggest that you drop the course.
Arrive on time. Arriving late is disrespectful and disruptive. If I have taken role before you arrive, I will count it as an absence.
Saving Your Texts
This is crucial. Sadly, computers don't always work the way we want them
to. It's an unfortunate fact of life. You are ultimately responsible for your
work, even if the computer fails. Please avoid saying things like, "My
disk broke," "I couldn't get online," "I swear I e-mailed
it to you" (plus I don't accept e-mailed documents) to me. Save your texts
in more than one place. Because floppy disks are notoriously unreliable, do
not depend on those alone. My advice is to use 2 or more of the following:
Computers
and the Internet:
You need to have access to and be willing to work
with computers and the internet. If you do not have access to a computer or
are opposed to using one, you will need to take a section wherein computers
are not as critical to the classroom environment. Most of the work I assign
will be listed on my website, and some of the readings can only be found through
links I provide. Additionally, you will need to have access to the Educator
website, as I might require that you post written materials to the Discussion
Board, and this is where you will store an electronic version of your essays.
Your grades are also available there. Thus, you will need ready access to the
internet.
Academic
Honesty:
You are responsible for indicating when you have used specific words, sentences,
or paragraphs, which belong to other writers. These words, sentences, or paragraphs
should be designated via quotation marks and in-text citations. Additionally,
identify when you use ideas from other sources. If you use the exact wording
of something you've read or if you paraphrase it, provide a specific citation
indicating where you found your information. If in question, cite it, and indicate
that you've cited it by using quotation marks and in-text citations. Think of
it in these terms: knowledge is a commodity, especially in the academic community.
If you had a brilliant idea, or a wonderful way with words, would you like it
if someone used your idea or words without acknowledging you? In short, I
will fail papers that are copied or that do not acknowledge sources. If you
have questions, ask me, and I will help you. If I discover a paper has been
plagiarized, I will fail the paper, which will likely result in an F for the
class. Further, according to the Texas A&M University-Commerce Code of Student
Conduct 5.b[1,2,3], penalties for students guilty of academic dishonesty include
disciplinary probation, suspension, and expulsion. See also the following link:
http://www.ilstu.edu/~ddhesse/wpa/positions/WPAplagiarism.pdf
Classroom
Etiquette:
Students are expected to be civil, polite, and accommodating to differences
of opinion. University policy provides the means for dismissing students who
do not meet these requirements, and I will take politeness very seriously.
Cell Phones
in the Classroom:
Use some common sense and be smart about this, for I have a real problem
with cell phones in the classroom. It's rude, disrespectful, and disruptive
to accept or make phone calls, to text message, or play games. Just don't. The
only cell phone permitted in this class is a cell phone that is turned off.
That means you should not receive or answer calls or text messages. If there
is cell phone incident, I reserve the right to ask you to leave class, which
will count as an absence.
Americans with Disabilities
Act Statement
According to TAMU-Commerce policy, "Students requesting accommodations
for disabilities must go through the Academic Support Committee. For more information,
please contact the Director of Disability Resources and Services, Halladay Student
Services Building, Room 303D, 903-886-5835." It is only under these conditions
that I will make the accommodations you require.
About the Internship, Certification TExES and TEKS:
Follow this link for Department Policies regarding the Internship Approval Process.
TExES/ExCET Preparation Manuals
English Language Arts and Reading 4-8 TExES Prep Manual
English Language Arts and Reading 8-12 TExES Prep Manual
Department Advisors are:
ENGLISH:
Dr. Bill Bolin (Website),
HL 314, 903-886-5272
e-mail: Bill_Bolin@tamu-commerce.edu
ESL: Dr. Robert Baumgardner
HL 229, 886-5254
e-mail: Robert_Baumgardner@tamu-commerce.edu
SPANISH: Ms. Inma Lyons
HL 317, 886-5273
Inma_Lyons@tamu-commerce.edu