Information
about the
Final

Syllabus for English 310 – Spring 2006
Writing in the Secondary Schools 

Instructor:  Dr. Betty L. Hart                      Office Hour:  MWF 12:00 – 1:00
3039 Liberal Arts Center                            e-mail:  blhart@usi.edu
Class Web Site: http://www.usi.edu/libarts/english/blhart/profhart.htm
Phone:  (812) 465-1669

Catalog Course Description:

 A course for prospective secondary school teachers on issues related to teaching writing in grades 5-12, including writing as a process, assigning and evaluating student writing, portfolio assessment, and research as writing to learn. Students also will practice writing in a variety of modes. Required for Teacher Certification in English. Prereq: ENG 301 or consent of instructor. (3)

 Required Texts:

Atwell, Nancie.  In the Middle:  New Understandings about Writing, Reading, and Learning, 2nd Ed.  Portsmouth,
              NH:  Boynton/Cook, 1988. 

Hillocks, George, Jr.  Teaching Writing as Reflective Practice.  New York:  Teachers College Press, 1995.

 Tate, Gary, Amy Rapiper, and Kurt Schick, Eds.  Guide to Composition Pedagogies.  New York:  Oxford UP, 2001.

 Requirements:

ASSIGNMENT LENGTH DUE % GRADE Click for more information
Reflective Essay 3-4 pages  Week 4 15
Conference Portfolio   Week 8 20
Research Paper 7 pages Week 11 20
Final Examination Essay Finals Week 20
Teaching Demonstration 15 minutes Weeks 13-15 15
Regular Attendance and group participation     10  

Attendance:  You are expected to attend all classes.  Your success in this course depends on you being here to participate, contribute and receive.  Those students who are chronically absent or tardy will receive an F for the course.  Further details about attendance and make up work can be accessed by a link on my opening web page.

Other Course Policies: Information regarding the use of electronic devices, laptops, and ipods and regarding other such matters of classroom decorum can also be found by linking to the appropriate page at my opening web page.

 Overview of Weekly Coverage

  1. Week One:  Tate:  Process Pedagogy; Atwell, Chapter One
  1. Week Two:  Tate:  Expressive Pedagogy; Atwell, Chapter Three
  1. Week Three:  Atwell:  Chapter 7, pages 217-226; meet with student writer, complete writing survey and draft conference agenda
  1. Week Four:  Tate:  Rhetorical Pedagogy/ Collaborative Pedagogy; Atwell, Chapter 7, pages 226 to end.   Reflective Essay due
  2. Week Five:  Tate:  Cultural Studies/ Critical Pedagogies; Atwell, Chapter 4
  1. Week Six:  Tate:  Feminist Pedagogy/ On the Academic Margins; Atwell, Chapter 4
  1. Week Seven:  Tate:  Community Service Pedagogy; Atwell, Chapter 5
  1. Week Eight:  Atwell, Chapter 6; Conference Portfolio due

           SPRING BREAK

  1. Week 9:  Tate:  The Pedagogy of Writing Across the Curriculum/ Writing Center Pedagogy; Hillocks, Chapter 7

  10. Week 10:  Tate: Technology and the Teaching of Writing; Hillocks, Chapter 8

  11. Week 11:  Hillocks, Chapter 9

  12. Week 12:  Hillocks 

  13. Week 13:  Hillocks; Teaching Demonstrations w/ lesson plan

  14.  Teaching Demonstrations w/ lesson plan

  15.  Teaching Demonstrations w/ lesson plan; Critique of demonstrations