Week 3 Notes from Sister Bowen, Week 3:

(W.E.B. Dubois)

Dear Class,

 

Welcome to another heavy reading week, with several writing assignments serving as a garnish! 

 

Reflecting on Week 2:

• Last week was our first "typical" week of class, with three lessons, some discussion board posting, and plenty of reading. The class is laid out like a face-to-face class that meets three times (or sometimes twice) a week, and there is plenty to do for each lesson in a week, including reading, listening to brief lectures, submitting assignments, and taking quizzes. I hope you are figuring out a system that keeps you organized and able to keep up with the pace of the class.
• One thing a student pointed out during the week is that the assignment guidelines for the first essay you will write for our class don't specify a page length. The paper should be 5 pages long (not including your Works Cited page), but I don't mind if you go onto a sixth page. I'd like you to work hard to make your essay between 5-6 pages. Your draft is due for peer review at the end of Week 4.
  
• I sent an email with course wide feedback last week that read as follows:
• • The English department does not want students to have inflated grades in English classes. That means I won't award full credit for completion on anything other than your mid-term feedback and course evaluation. I'll be looking for how well you satisfy assignment requirements, and I'll be looking for excellent mechanics in every submitted piece.
  • The paragraph assignment revealed a couple needs, including the following: a need to review grammar and punctuation rules (you may go to grammarbook.com for an excellent review of mechanics); a need to review MLA formatting guidelines (the Purdue OWL is an excellent place to get quick formatting help); a need to present clear topic sentences and satisfying concluding sentences; a need to maintain present tense while discussing literature; a need to follow directions carefully (like creating a paragraph rather than a list of responses or a full-fledged essay), and a need to maintain third person voice in academic writing.
  • Unless otherwise directed, your discussion board posts in your study groups should be one paragraph long. If you're asked to answer a series of questions, address each question in a well constructed paragraph.

 

Looking Forward to Week 3:

 

• I believe the readings this week have literary and historic value. They may take you several hours to get through, so plan for that.
  
• Rebecca D. and Jana will host our Questions for Your Classmates: Week 3 discussion board. 
  
• You have three small writing assignments this week, all of which you will post in discussion boards. Please do not post them as attachments. I suggest crafting your writing assignments in Word and then posting them in the discussion boards.
  
• You don't need to use perfect MLA formatting in these discussion boards--no headings, double spacing, or Works Cited pages are necessary. However, please use in-text citations for paraphrased and quotes material like this (34). Also, be sure to review the English 335 Rubric,  What is Academic Writing, and Verb Tense for Analysis of Literature and History handouts attachments below to help you craft your best work.
• Keep in mind. . . when you submit your two major essays in our class, you'll need to use careful MLA formatting (including headers, double spacing, page numbers, serif 12 pt. font, etc.) You may review MLA formatting guidelines here. Here is a picture of an essay formatted using MLA:

• If you have not yet received your copy of our Literature book, you may use these links with full-text versions of the readings:

The Tar Baby http://www.en.utexas.edu/amlit/amlitprivate/texts/remus.htm

Mr Rabbit Grossly Deceives Mr Fox http://www.uncleremus.com/crosslydeceives.html 

The Sheriff’s Children http://www.chesnuttarchive.org/works/Stories/sheriff.html

Up From Slavery http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/92/up-from-slavery/1632/chapter-14-the-atlanta-exposition-address/

The Souls of Black Folk excerpt: (look at pages 41-59) http://docsouth.unc.edu/church/duboissouls/dubois.html

The Other Two http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/OthTwo.shtml

The Pupil http://emotional-literacy-education.com/classic-books-online-a/pupil10.htm

 

Good luck this week! I pray for your success, and I am here to help.

Sincerely,

Sister Bowen

Week 2 Notes for Fall 2016

 

Dear Class,

 

Welcome to our final week in Camelot!

 

Reflecting on Week 1:

• Last week, you reviewed American Realism and got to examine one specific realism principle in Twain's book.
• You also got acclimated to our class, responded to my welcome letter (if you haven't responded to it yet, please do now!), read quite a bit, introduced yourself and asked questions of each other, and some of us got to meet in real time. I hope the rest of you have watched the recording by now. It lays out expectations for the class.
  
• Our spiritual thread was not a hit, and I'm hoping that's just because I waited to post it until Wednesday and there was so much to do during the first week that the spiritual thread slipped your minds. Please participate on our spiritual thread in Questions and Conversations weekly.  I promise that it will make a positive difference in our lives.
  

 

Looking forward to Week 1:

This week, you will read several hundred pages of (in my opinion) engaging, meaningful, thought-provoking text.

•  Here is a link to some great Twain quotes. http://www.twainquotes.com/
• Here are the links for this week's reading if you are waiting for a book (or if your version of the textbook is missing one of these articles):

1. Fenimore Cooper’s Literary Offenses by Mark Twain   http://www.gutenberg.org/files/3172/3172-h/3172-h.htm
2. The Outcasts of Poker Flat by Bret Harte   http://www.bartleby.com/310/4/2.html
3. Chickamauga by Ambrose Bierce    http://www.online-literature.com/bierce/992/
4. The Dying Words of Stonewall Jackson by Sidney Lanier http://www.bartleby.com/297/266.html
5. Editha by William Dean Howells     http://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/howells/editha.html
   

• Here is the list of student moderators and the weeks they will lead discussion in the Questions for Your Classmates discussion board:
  

Week Leading Discussion in "Questions for Your Classmates":	Student Moderators:
2	Danielle Talbot, Amelia Strommer
3	Kathryn Hughes, Rachel Ault
4	Amy Daugherty, Mary Taylor
5	Mae Pulsipher, Sam Davis
6	Kate Cannon, Antonio Munoz Carrillo
7	Kimberly Lawrence, Christina Dittmar
8	Taryn Wagner, Micaela Hunt
9	Morgan Hartman, Maryandra Miller
10	Sarah Sabin
11	Jordyn Caddy
12	Allyson Siler
13	Leah Thomas

 

                                                                                            

• Please note the week in which you lead discussion. As a moderator, you must post a question or several questions about the reading for the class by Tuesday evening of the week you moderate. This means you need to complete the readings early during your week as a moderator. Your classmates and I will then respond and discuss throughout the week. To earn full credit as a moderator, you need to check on the discussion board daily and continue to develop the conversation.

• To earn full credit as a participant on the Questions for your Classmates discussion board each week, you need to make comments on at least two separate days during the week so you have an opportunity to address the question/s and engage in further conversation.
• As you read through lesson content this week, you'll notice that you are asked to post several assignments in discussion boards. You'll be posting your assignments where a few other students can see them, in "study groups". I'm not sure why you post in small groups rather than on one class discussion board page, but note the directions, which tell you that replying to your peers' posts on these threads is optional.
• To reinterate: DO post on at least two different days in Questions for Your Classmates and DO NOT worry about replying to your peers on the lesson discussion boards unless you are directed to do so. In short, read the directions, and all will be well.
  

Thank you for your diligence in this class so far! I look forward to working with you, and I am praying for your happiness and success.

Speaking of which. . .

Spiritual Thread Topic for Week 2:

During your time at BYU-I, which of your actions has made the biggest impact on you?

 

Sincerely,

Sister Bowen

Week 2 Notes

 

Dear Class,

 

Welcome to our final week in Camelot!

 

Reflecting on Week 1:

• Last week, you reviewed American Realism and got to examine one specific realism principle in Twain's book.
• You also got acclimated to our class, responded to my welcome letter (if you haven't responded to it yet, please do now!), read quite a bit, introduced yourself and asked questions of each other, and some of us got to meet in real time. I hope the rest of you have watched the recording by now. It lays out expectations for the class.
  
• Our spiritual thread was not a hit, and I'm hoping that's just because I waited to post it until Wednesday and there was so much to do during the first week that the spiritual thread slipped your minds. Please participate on our spiritual thread in Questions and Conversations weekly.  I promise that it will make a positive difference in our lives.
  

 

Looking forward to Week 1:

This week, you will read several hundred pages of (in my opinion) engaging, meaningful, thought-provoking text.

•  Here is a link to some great Twain quotes. http://www.twainquotes.com/
• Here are the links for this week's reading if you are waiting for a book (or if your version of the textbook is missing one of these articles):

1. Fenimore Cooper’s Literary Offenses by Mark Twain   http://www.gutenberg.org/files/3172/3172-h/3172-h.htm
2. The Outcasts of Poker Flat by Bret Harte   http://www.bartleby.com/310/4/2.html
3. Chickamauga by Ambrose Bierce    http://www.online-literature.com/bierce/992/
4. The Dying Words of Stonewall Jackson by Sidney Lanier http://www.bartleby.com/297/266.html
5. Editha by William Dean Howells     http://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/howells/editha.html
   

• Here is the list of student moderators and the weeks they will lead discussion in the Questions for Your Classmates discussion board:
  

Week Leading Discussion in "Questions for Your Classmates":	Student Moderators:
2	Danielle Talbot, Amelia Strommer
3	Kathryn Hughes, Rachel Ault
4	Amy Daugherty, Mary Taylor
5	Mae Pulsipher, Sam Davis
6	Kate Cannon, Antonio Munoz Carrillo
7	Kimberly Lawrence, Christina Dittmar
8	Taryn Wagner, Micaela Hunt
9	Morgan Hartman, Maryandra Miller
10	Sarah Sabin
11	Jordyn Caddy
12	Allyson Siler
13	Leah Thomas

 

                                                                                            

• Please note the week in which you lead discussion. As a moderator, you must post a question or several questions about the reading for the class by Tuesday evening of the week you moderate. This means you need to complete the readings early during your week as a moderator. Your classmates and I will then respond and discuss throughout the week. To earn full credit as a moderator, you need to check on the discussion board daily and continue to develop the conversation.

• To earn full credit as a participant on the Questions for your Classmates discussion board each week, you need to make comments on at least two separate days during the week so you have an opportunity to address the question/s and engage in further conversation.
• As you read through lesson content this week, you'll notice that you are asked to post several assignments in discussion boards. You'll be posting your assignments where a few other students can see them, in "study groups". I'm not sure why you post in small groups rather than on one class discussion board page, but note the directions, which tell you that replying to your peers' posts on these threads is optional.
• To reinterate: DO post on at least two different days in Questions for Your Classmates and DO NOT worry about replying to your peers on the lesson discussion boards unless you are directed to do so. In short, read the directions, and all will be well.
  

Thank you for your diligence in this class so far! I look forward to working with you, and I am praying for your happiness and success.

Speaking of which. . .

Spiritual Thread Topic for Week 2:

During your time at BYU-I, which of your actions has made the biggest impact on you?

 

Sincerely,

Sister Bowen

New Announcement with Bio

Welcome to ENGLISH 335: American Literature

Brothers and sisters, welcome to our online class! I am excited to learn with you and help you craft gorgeous writing.

---

My hope for our experience together
I want this class to be a joy for you. You'll get to read significant American literature and write about it all semester long. If you work to do everything required each week and make it matter, you will love this class.

---

A little about me 

Family: My husband Doug and I have five children--Isaac (9), Lucy (7), Brooklyn (5), Cason (2), and Corban (3 months). The first picture below was taken in March at the Provo City Center Temple Open House. Corban hadn't made his grand appearance yet, but I use this picture to show you my family because it makes me so happy. I love that we are in the Savior's arms, and I love how happy all of my kids were that day as we took them through the temple. The second picture is of my precious Corban, happy as a clam to be in my arms rather than strapped in his car seat. Like you, I am juggling family and school as well as I can because I love them both and they're both worth my time. I also love running, playing with my family, going on dates with my husband, attending book clubs and play dates, watching BYU win football games, reading, and writing. 

 

Education: I received a Bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in English from BYU Provo and a Master’s degree in Literature and Writing from Utah State University. If you love reading and writing, I highly recommend my Master's program at Utah State. It felt like heaven every single day.

Career: I taught English classes at Utah State throughout my Master's program and then began teaching English classes for BYU-I in 2010. I've taught English 106; FDENG 101, 201, and 301; and English 335. I've also spent a lot of time facilitating evaluation courses for potential instructors, certifying new instructors, supervising BYU-I instructors, and working to improve course content.

Church experience: My most life-changing calling was as a missionary in New York, New York South from 2002-2003, but I've been shaped by all my callings. I was the primary chorister until I had Corban, and that was so incredible! 

---

And finally. . .
I am so grateful to teach for BYU-I and to get to work with you. I got the good news that I would get to teach English for this amazing university a day before Thanksgiving in 2009. I feel like teaching has been a part of my life mission; it has deepened my testimony and my love for my brothers and sisters. I hope you are getting excited about this class. Let it change you!
Sincerely,
Sister Tara Bowen

Template Feedback from I-Learn 2:

GRAMMAR/PUNCTUATION:

Eliminate Distractions: You are an excellent writer, and you have great potential. You just need to eliminate the "distractions" (typos, grammar and punctuation errors) so your reader can concentrate on your message. I have faith in you!

Quick adjective tip: If your list of adjectives can go in a different order, and you can maintain the same meaning, put a comma between the adjectives (like "rainy, cold day"). If the adjectives need to stay in an exact order to make sense, don't put a comma between them (like "tiny glass bottle").


ASSIGNMENTS:  

Strong American Realism Assignment: This is a fantastic paragraph. Your organization is sound, your quotes are seamlessly integrated, and you make your point. I look forward to seeing what you write next.

Weak American Realism Assignment: You use good examples in this piece and show why they demonstrate one particular principle of realism. To earn full credit on future assignments, make sure to honor length requirements (this piece needed to be a paragraph long) and use MLA formatting in your work. I look forward to reading what you write next.

Dash Rule:  When you want to use a dash--because you're making a side comment--you click on the hyphen key (-) two times and do not put a space before you type the next word. Then, you've made a dash--and it looks terrific.

Feedback on major essays: I appreciated reading your insights in this [first or second] major essay for class. I scored your essay based on content, organization, language, and source integration. Here is how your work scored in each category:

Content:

Organization:

Language:

Source Integration:

And here is some feedback after reading this piece and your other work:

 

Feedback embedded in essay:

I really enjoyed reading this piece. Please review my feedback on the attached document. I placed the rubric at the end of the essay. Best of luck to you in your future writing endeavors!

Sincerely,

Sister Bowen

 

or. . . 

 

Way to put in so much time and effort to make this essay as strong as possible. Please review the attached teacher document to see my feedback on your essay and your score on the rubric on the last page of your essay. I hope my feedback helps you as you move forward as a writer. You make a compelling, thought-provoking argument!

 

Librarian:

You can work with a BYU-I librarian to find sources. If you go to the main library home page, you click on "Subject librarians" and then pick the librarian you think can best help you. Then, the librarian can work with you via email to find terrific sources. 

Conclusion Week (14th week of class)

Dear Class,

You made it to the end of the semester. Way to go!

Reflecting on Week 12:

We learned and wrote about primitivism, McCarthyism, and how Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 speaks to concerns in the present time. You also wrote and submitted your second major essays, which I will read and score this week as quickly as I can.

Looking Forward to the Conclusion Week:

Hopefully, the directions this week are very clear to you. You'll be able to review the seven potential essay questions immediately and prep outlines for each of the essays. Then, you will take the timed essay test. Remember that you need to begin the test by 10 pm on Friday night because our class ends at midnight on Friday.  The quiz this week just asks how much of the reading you did throughout the semester. (Be sure to fill in every box to indicate what you have read. So, if you have read 90% of the readings, click on the 10%, 20%, 30%, etc. I will double check every quiz score manually to make sure you get the score you earned.) You're familiar with student evaluations. So you're ready! Please email me any questions or concerns you may have. Best of luck to you!

Sincerely,

Sister Bowen

Week 12 (13th week of class)

Dear Class,

This is the week for getting your second essay as strong as possible and submitting it by Saturday evening! Essay #2 is worth 100 points, it ought to be 5-6 pages long (not including the Works Cited page), and it needs to honor scoring rubric requirements to receive a high score.

Reflecting on Week 11:

I empathized as I read about Steinbeck's trek across America. Like he says, trips have their own personalities, and they take us, rather than allowing us to take them. This book felt so much "safer" to me than Grapes of Wrath, my favorite of his novels. I appreciated your comments in the discussion boards about symbols, characters, and journeys.

Looking forward to Week 12:

• I have posted meeting times so we may conference about your essays. If you want me to read your draft before we meet, please submit your draft at least 24 hours before we meet. If the meeting times I have posted won't work for you, you may email me the very best version of your essay by Tuesday evening, and I will offer some feedback on it via email by Thursday evening.
• I hope you feel like this American literature journey has been enriching and worthwhile. Fahrenheit 451 is a comparatively "easy" read because it is plot-driven, so it shouldn't take very long to get through it and let it get though you.

It has been such a pleasure working with you. I am praying for your happiness and success. Reach out if you need me!

Sincerely,

Sister Bowen

Week 11 (12th week of class)

Dear Class,

Happy Week 11 to you! We have three weeks left of heavy labor before the end of the semester. I know you are up for the challenge!

Reflecting on Week 10: 

You did such a good job examining Henry's development (or lack thereof) and the themes and symbols in A Farewell to Arms last week. Thank you for sharing your insights and helping us engage in closer reading, analysis, and discovery. It was my pleasure to read your "Is Faulkner Uplifting?" essays last week; I loved that about 50% of you maintained that the book was not uplifting and the other half said it was. All your convincing arguments and source support illuminated my understanding of the book. "Thee lift me and I'll lift thee, and we ascend together."

Week 11 Responsibilities:

• Read Travels with Charley.
• Essay #2 Drafts are due on the Peer Review Discussion Board #2 by Wednesday, July 6th. I'll assign partners early on Thursday morning. Peer reviews need to be posted by Saturday, July 9th, demonstrating feedback on the essays and on the English 335 rubric. Remember, these peer review discussion boards are worth 20 points, so make sure you're doing everything required here!
• Participate in Questions for your Classmates Week 11 discussion board throughout the week.
• Lesson 28 discussion board.
• Lesson 29: Write brief essay about one theme in Travels with Charley.
• Take reading quiz.

That's it for Week 11.

Best of luck as you work hard this week. I am praying for you, and I am here if you need me.

Sincerely,

Sister Bowen

Week 10 (11th week of class)

Dear Class,

I was reading Alma 33-36 today, and loving how Alma and Amulek slowly reminded the Zoramites that there was a Savior, and that we desperately need His atonement. I know I feel that today! In the past two weeks, my husband stopped being a lawyer, I had a baby, we packed up our whole house, signed closing papers, moved, and then moved some things into my parents' house and the rest to a storage unit. My parents' basement is partially flooded so I've met with two plumbers as the go-between, my baby looks like he has pink eye, I'm surrounded by boxes, my other kids keep forgetting little things like putting shoes on when they get in the car to go somewhere, and I'm patting myself on the back for getting everyone bathed today. Things need to calm down, but really, I need Christ's enabling, healing power to endure all of this as well as I can. We all do. I'd also like to feel the love Mary Magdelene felt when she implored "the gardener" to tell her where Christ's body had been moved, and He simply said her name; that was all she needed to recognize Her Savior and His love. I know the Savior loves us so much.

Reflecting on Week 9:

As many of you mentioned in your posts and assignments last week, As I Lay Dying was a thought-provoking piece! Did you feel like asking Faulkner how he felt his text was uplifting after reading his Pulitzer acceptance speech? You did such a beautiful job psychoanalyzing the characters in the book and examining the literature together. A few of you submitted revisions of Essay #1, and I believe I scored them all. Let me know if you haven't received feedback from me on a revision.

Looking forward to Week 10 and Beyond:

Having read through the upcoming lessons, I'd say the big time investments for the rest of our class time will be as follows:

1. Reading A Farewell to Arms (Week 10), 
2. Reading Travels with Charlie (Week 11),
3.  Reading Fahrenheit 451 (Week 12),
4. crafting your second major essay (due Week 12) and
5. submitting your final (due Conclusion Week). The final will have seven questions (not five, like the mid-term). You will have less than a week to prepare outlines for essay responses to each of the questions, and then when you click to take the final exam, you will have one question to answer within a two-hour window of time.

Each of these assignments take significant time, but preparing now will help you plan your time well.  

I will grade your Week 9 work by Thursday evening. I'd like to meet together at 8 pm, MT, that night to talk about prepping for the next test and getting your second major essays as strong as possible; we'll discuss the reading as well.

During Week 10:

• You will not need to submit your draft at the end of this week! Instead, the draft will be due on Wednesday, July 6th, in the Peer Review Discussion Board #2. You will need to complete peer review for your assigned partner by Saturday, July 9th. This will ensure that everyone gets a full week to make adjustments to drafts before submitting final essays on Saturday, July 16th. Email me if you need clarification about these deadlines. I extended the draft deadline to give you a little more time to work on drafts.

I have loved working with you, and I look forward to talking with you about A Farewell to Arms.

Sincerely,

Sister Bowen

Week 9 (10th week of class)

 

Dear Class,

Welcome to a read-an-unforgettable-book-in-a-week week! Faulkner claimed to write his book between midnight and 4 am for six weeks (see reference here), and not to change a word of it. Can you believe that? Does the novel deserve to be acclaimed as one of the best ever written?

Reflecting on Week 8:

Last week, we read powerful Harlem Renaissance literature and examined the music, artwork, and dance that came alive during that era.  A few of you took me up on the Essay #1 rewrite option, and I'll offer feedback on your revised essays within the week. I'll offer feedback on your other Week 8 work by Thursday.

Looking Forward to Week 9:

• You may fill out the psychoanalysis worksheet (attached below) by hand and just post a picture of it in Lesson 22. The worksheet shouldn't take too long if you watch the Lesson 22 lecture and fill the sheet out periodically as you read the book.   
• Lesson 23 lets you spend time seeking to understand Addie. You don't have to agree with Brother Allen's conclusions in his Lesson 23 lecture. I look forward to seeing your posts on the Lesson 23 discussion board!
• Lesson 24 requires you to spend an hour crafting an essay centered on whether or not As I Lay Dying is uplifting, so plan for that hour as you go about your week. Many of you will spend most of this week completing the novel, so I want you to know that you'll have that assignment at the tail end of the week.

Best of luck to you this week, and let me know if I can help you with anything.

Sincerely,

Sister Bowen

Week 8 (9th Week fo Class)

Dear Class,

Welcome to a fresh week with no mistakes in it! (This statement is loosely derived from Annie's "Tomorrow" and Marilla Cuthbert's advice to Anne in the movie Anne of Avonlea.)

Reflecting on Week 7:

In addition to our heavy life-and-death reading last week, we got to examine our own conclusions about the characters in the three short stories: Did the characters act well? Did they get what they deserved? How might we have acted in similar circumstances? I hope you benefited from a lighter writing week and less homework. I graded all of your essays and offered feedback on all of them, so please review and apply that feedback. I'll grade the smaller Week 7 assignments within the next few days.

Looking Forward to Week 8:

• This week, we get to read more poetry and short stories.

• There are only two lessons this week; one of them asks you to participate in some small group work. You will automatically be taken to your small group when you click on the Lesson 21 discussion board, so don't feel like most of the class has blown off the assignment--they are participating elsewhere. Also, be sure to post in the various discussion boards at the start of the week so your peers have someone with whom they may learn.

• The Week 8 Assignment page reminds you that your final essay is due in Week 12 and your final exam (Test #2) is due during the Conclusion week. Review the Assignments page to help you begin preparing for these two major tasks.
• Lauren and Monique are leading our Questions for your Classmates Week 8 Discussion, and we will have our class meeting on Thursday night at 6:30 pm, MT, as well. I may not be able to come to our Thursday meeting because my baby is scheduled for induction on Wednesday. I'll keep you posted. I do look forward to our opportunities to connect about literature!
• Extra Credit Option #1: Examine your Essay #1 and my feedback on your work, and strengthen the essay. I will compare the original submission and the revision, and add a few extra points to your revised essay if you have made great improvements. Your revised essay is due in my email inbox by the end of this week, Week 8. 
• Extra Credit Option #2: After making revisions to Essay #1, I suggest submitting it to Outlet, the BYU-I Art and Literary Journal. Here is more information about the magazine. Let me know you submitted it and I will add 1 point to your Essay #1 score. Make sure to let me know if your work gets accepted for publication, and post that accomplishment on your resume!

I love reading literature and discussing it with you, my fellow saints and scholars. I'm linking a brief article here about maintaining present tense as we discuss literature. I've posted it for you before, but it is an excellent review. It not only demonstrates how to write in present tense, but it also shows how to write when we are referencing historical events in conjunction with literature. Happy reading!

Sincerely,

Sister Bowen

Week 7 (8th Week of Class)

Dear Class,

You have officially survived the first half of our class. Way to go.

Reflecting on Last Week:

Your insights in the discussion boards were so interesting to read. I know it was a stressful two weeks in class as you crafted your first major essay and took Test #1, and I am impressed with your hard work.  I love that we add reading gorgeous literature to the mix of our current chaos, and I feel honored to work with you.

Looking toward Week 7:

• There are only two lessons this week.
• One of the discussion boards requests that you take a position and respond to a post wherein someone posts content with which you disagree. The last tip in the directions says to be nice. Please do. If you are respectful, all will be well.
• Ashley and I will be leading discussion in our Questions for your classmates: Week 7 board this week. If you have a question you are dying to ask the class about our reading this week, fell free to post it by Tuesday evening.
• Our next Adobe meeting is at noon, MT, on Thursday. I hope to see you there! 
• I plan to grade your Week 6 small assignments by Tuesday evening and your essays by Saturday evening. Because my baby is due any time, I may need to readjust my schedule a bit. I will keep you posted if anything exciting happens on that front!

I am cheering you on and praying for your happiness and success.

Sincerely,

Sister Bowen

Week 6 (Seventh Week fo Class)

 

Dear Class,

 

Welcome to another busy week in class! I hope you had a good Memorial Day. I am heading to Island Park tomorrow morning (Saturday), and I hope it takes my breath away and adds joy to my family's life. During this upcoming week, the reading isn't heavy, but there are three lessons with accompanying tasks, and most importantly, your first major essay is due at the end of the week. I hope your excitement to submit a gorgeous essay trumps the feeling of being overwhelmed! I am praying for you.

 

Reflection on Week 5:

I loved learning with you last week. I enjoyed meeting with those of you who attended my office hour on Thursday afternoon, and I appreciated your examination of "Prufrock" as a love poem and modernist piece. I loved reading that some of you wanted to help Prufrock. And you submitted your Test #1. Way to go!

 

Looking Forward to Week 6:

 Here are a few tips for success this week:

• Make sure to sign up to meet with me about your essay if you'd like some one-on-one help. I will hold meetings on Wednesday and Thursday. You need to post your essay drafts at least 24 hours before your scheduled meeting if you want me to read your work before we meet.
  
• If possible, I suggest completing the reading homework and lesson assignments as quickly as possible at the start of the week so you can then work on your essay.
• If you get the lesson work done by Tuesday evening, and just check in on the student-led discussion boards every day, you will have four days to develop your essay and get it polished for a Saturday submission.

I plan to grade your midterms by Thursday evening. I won't have a ton of time to provide feedback with the quick turn-around. I'll read your essay through, demonstrate the score I would award in each category, and leave an additional note if I see a glaring weaknesses that needs to be addressed, hopefully helping you make any changes necessary to Essay #1 before you submit it on Saturday.

 

Understand that I look at your Test #1 differently than I look at your Essay #1. I recognize that it is timed, no one has peer reviewed it, and, at most, you have had one week to prepare for Test #1, whereas you have had several weeks to craft Essay #1. Both assignments are challenging, but for different reasons. I'm looking less for perfection in Test #1 than in Essay #1. Still, my feedback on Test #1 may help you as you prepare Essay #1, so I'll get through grading as quickly as I can.

 

We will have our class meeting at 6:30 pm, MT, on Thursday evening. 

 Best of luck to you and me this week!

 

Love,

Sister Bowen

 

Week 5 Notes (6th Week of Class)

 (T.S Eliot)

Dear Class,

Welcome to your Test #1 week, and our first week learning about modernism.

Reflecting on Last Week:

There was quite a bit of reading and writing to do last week, and I loved seeing your posts examining themes, symbols, how to achieve happiness, and what can be learned by studying Bishop Latour, Father Vaillant, and Death Comes to the Archbishop. I look forward to revisiting your posts at the start of this week and grading all of the Week 4 work by Wednesday.

Looking Forward to Week 5:

The most significant challenge of the week will be crafting a strong Test #1 essay, so let's talk about that first:

• First things first: After reading through this Notes page, the Introduction page, and Test #1 Preparation, click on the Test #1 Questions page, print out the questions, and begins outlining essays for each of the questions. You may take the test any time during Week 5, but know you need to be done by midnight on Saturday evening, and the test is timed--you have two hours to complete it. This test is great preparation for taking the GRE, if you see that in your future. (I had so much fun taking the essay portion of the GRE!)
• I will score your Test #1 essay according to the four categories listed on the Test #1 Preparation page: Content, Organization, Language, and Source Integration. (Note that you need to use MLA formatting for everything in our class.)
• My hope is to grade the mid-terms (Test #1) by the Wednesday of Week 6 so you can see how you fared on the exam before submitting your Essay #1.
• The instructions are vague for the "Modernism in Prufrock" assignment. Treat the writing assignment like Test #1, where you demonstrate strong content, organization, language, and source integration. But balance your time appropriately. Test #1 is worth 100 points, whereas the Prufrock assignment is only worth 10 points.
• Be sure to complete a thorough peer review this week. Peer Review assignments are posted in Peer Review Discussion Board #1. Follow the directions I have posted there carefully to serve well and earn full points.
• Kacie and Justin are our student moderators this week in the Questions for Your Classmates: Week 5 Discussion Board.
• There is no quiz this week!
• Also, it is time for mid-term reviews. Please be sure to fill one out to help me know what is working well for you so far, and what might need improvement.

I look forward to meeting with you on Thursday at 12, MT, here. During the meeting, we'll review the Prufrock assignment, craft an outline to answer the question together, and have a class discussion that may replace the "Questions for Your Classmates" discussion board. You are in my prayers, and I can't wait to see what you create this week!

Sincerely,

Sister Bowen

Week 5 Notes from Sister Bowen (Fall 2016)

Dear Class,

Above, I've posted a map of New Mexico from 1772, and a picture of modern-day Acuma. I look forward to seeing how you respond to Cather's work.

Reflecting on Week 4:

Last week, you did such a nice job analyzing elements of naturalist writing and feminine roles. I was particularly appreciative of the real-life examples you used to demonstrate feminism and gender concerns today, the textual support you used to demonstrate your naturalist claims, and all the lively dialogue that took place in the "Questions for Your Classmates" discussion board. Grading your Week 3 work was a pleasure because most of you used ample source support and strong analysis, and presented clear organization and prose. I love that you are crafting your small assignments with care. Keep working to use third person voice and use commas and apostrophes correctly.

 

Looking Forward to Week 5:

• This week, you will need to read a whole book, submit your Essay #1 draft on the Peer Review Discussion Board #1, review some lectures, participate on discussion boards, and submit some work centered on the seven deadly sins.
• Don't sweat the Seven Deadly Sins assignment. If you can't find a specific passage that proves your claim, just describe the event. This assignment should take no more than one hour. Students on campus fill in this worksheet within their one hour of class time. If you want to print out the sheet and just scribble your answers as you read--and then email me a picture of your worksheet--feel free. Your focus this week should be crafting a fantastic draft of Essay 1 and working through the book.
• This week, you will get important advise about how to prepare for your upcoming exam (due at the end of Week 6!) and craft your first major essay (due at the end of Week 7!).
• You have a lot to do now and during the next few weeks. But here is some good news: you may use any of your posts from the first four weeks of class as a springboard for your five-page essay.
• Remember the feedback I have made about your small writing assignments: I am looking for clear, organized work that fully addresses the prompts posted. Even though this may sound like an annoyance--being graded for how well you write, and how well you develop your arguments--it will help you become stronger writers and it is therefore worth it.

Spiritual Thread:

Who has been a Bishop Latour or Father Vaillant figure in your life, and what difference has this person made?

Sincerely,

Sister Bowen

Week 4 Notes (5th week of class)

Dear Class,

Above, I've posted a map of New Mexico from 1772, and a picture of modern-day Acuma. I look forward to seeing how you respond to Cather's work.

Reflecting on Last Week:

Last week, you did such a nice job analyzing elements of naturalist writing and feminine roles. I was particularly appreciative of the real-life examples you used to demonstrate feminism and gender concerns today, the textual support you used to demonstrate your naturalist claims, and all the lively dialogue that took place in the "Questions for Your Classmates" discussion board and in our Adobe meeting. I'll grade your Week 3 work by Wednesday evening.

 

Looking Forward to Week 4:

• This week, you will need to read a whole book, submit your Essay #1 draft on the Peer Review Discussion Board #1, review some lectures, participate on discussion boards, and submit some work centered on the seven deadly sins.
• Don't sweat the Seven Deadly Sins assignment. If you can't find a specific passage that proves your claim, just describe the event. This assignment should take no more than one hour. Students on campus fill in this worksheet within their one hour of class time. If you want to print out the sheet and just scribble your answers as you read--and then email me a picture of your worksheet--feel free. Your focus this week should be crafting a fantastic draft of Essay 1 and working through the book.
• This week, you will get important advise about how to prepare for your upcoming exam (due at the end of Week 5!) and craft your first major essay (due at the end of Week 6!).
• You have a lot to do now and during the next few weeks. But here is some good news: you may use any of your posts from the first four weeks of class as a springboard for your five-page essay.
• Remember the emails I have sent explaining how to do well on the small writing assignments: I am looking for clear, organized work that fully addresses the prompts posted. Even though this may sound like an annoyance--being graded for how well you write, and how well you develop your arguments--it will help you become stronger writers and it is therefore worth it.

A Final Note:

I am so impressed with your work and wisdom! Thank you for your herculean efforts in our class. I am praying for your success and happiness.

Sincerely,

Sister Bowen

Week 3 Notes (4th week of class)

 

Dear Class,

Welcome to another week of perusing beautifully written text. I cringed my way through some of it, and I look forward to seeing your reactions this week.

Reflecting on Week 2:

Last week, we dealt with incredibly sensitive subject matter. I appreciated your candid, thoughtful assessments. Thank you for creating thoughtful posts and also for engaging in the discussion boards. We don't need to convince each other that we are right--we just need to present evidence that supports our claims, demonstrate contemplation and analysis, and keep open minds and hearts so we can learn together. Thank you for your efforts in that direction so far. I believe we can grow toward Christ together through our class experience, and I have felt that from the beautiful things you have written already this semester. I've attached the "Small Writing Assignments" document I presented in our Thursday meeting below. If you haven't read it yet, now is the time. It will help you strengthen your writing.

Looking forward to Week 3:

• Louise and Bethany are our student moderators this week. Be sure to check back in after making your initial post so you may help them develop the conversation. You need to contribute to the discussions on at least two different days during the week to earn full credit for participating (or participate in our live meeting on Thursday at 12 pm).
  

• Here is a link to "The Open Boat": http://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/crane/open.htm
  

• Thank you for your diligent efforts in this class so far. Keep in mind that your first essay draft is due for peer review at the end of Week 4. I am praying for your happiness and success!

Sincerely,

Sister Bowen