January 30

YouR First AssignmenT

These directions are from the syllabus.

There is no class today because Carmen is presenting in Florida at an HBCU Summit. Do all of the following:

1. Click here for the “Put Some Stank On It” tab and look at the main page and the subpages there. This section of the course website tells you everything that you need to know about the class.
2. Please read the syllabus/calendar closely.  You received one in class but one is also available to you at the  course blackboard. Many of the assignments described on the syllabus will not make sense right now because we have not reached that part of the semester.  Trust that this will all make sense when we get there though.   We will not stray much from this calendar so you need to get yourself in the HABIT very quickly of following and doing what is asked of you here.  A course syllabus/calendar is like a trust between you and the professor.  This is what spells out how to succeed--- the work and the policies.  There will be no surprises and everything in the course will be as transparent as possible.
3. Send an email to Carmen using [email protected] with any comments or curiosities that you have about the course syllabus and website.
   
4. Read Pearl Cleage’s “Why I Write.” Then write a 500-word response to it addressing two things: a) What part(s) did you like or not like and why?  B) What are the issues that YOU like to write about and why? Make this 500-word response interesting and creative.  It does not need to be formal, boring, and stiff.   It must be typed and it must be at least 500 words.  Email this essay to [email protected] .  This is Assignment #1 for the course (worth 2 points).

Pearl Cleage's "why I write"

Optional: Watch the 2-minute video above to hear Pearl Cleage talk more about her start as a writer

Click here for the short essay, "Why I Write" by Pearl Cleage. (Read this online or print it out, whchever your prefer)

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For Monday, February 4, you will read Pannapacker and McGraw-Hill.

Click Here!