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Introduction to Literature (ENGL 1001W)
University of Minnesota,                               Course Syllabus

J. Ritterson, CiS English Lit 12, English Department, Edison High School

jritterson@mpls.k12.mn.us, [612] 414-3064, Office hours: Tues. and Wed. 3:15 to 4:00 p.m.

Course description:  College in the Schools English is two courses in one.  The container course is English 12, which fulfills the required credit for graduation from Edison High School.  Introduction to Literature (ENGL 1001W), a University of Minnesota course which earns four college credits is the second half of the CiS English year, in addition to the English 12 high school credits. It follows CiS University Writing, which should have prepared students for the writing required in CiS Lit. Successful completion of both semesters meets the high school graduation requirement earning grades consistent with performance expectations for high school seniors.

CiS English Lit is offered for high school students who have demonstrated exceptional abilities in reading and writing. This course is nearly identical to that taught on campus. During the course, students read five stimulating recent major works and multiple shorter pieces of prose and poetry, ranging from the traditional to the unconventional. Because of the course format and in order to comply with the University of Minnesota English Department standards, substitutions are not an option.

This college course contains three foci: the literature that is multi-cultural and international dealing with sometimes intense descriptions and often volatile ideas; the writing that is both formal and informal, and is extensive; the learning that is active, based on discussion and group interaction. Because this is a college course, students have more freedom and more responsibility for their own learning. In addition, the books, plays, and poetry we read may contain mature, frank themes and images. We will read and discuss works, images, and ideas that are normally avoided in high school literature. We will entertain ideas, perspectives, and experiences different from, and perhaps opposed to, our own. Expect to encounter things that may enlighten or offend, even shock.

You are expected to be attentive in this class, to ask questions if you do not understand something, and to participate in class discussions. You are also expected to listen respectfully to other students and to me when we are speaking. Expressed racism, sexism, homophobia, classism, ageism, and other forms of bigotry or derogatory speech are unacceptable in this or any class. You are here to learn. Learn not to judge.

Goals:  There are four broad goals I hope students will reach through this course. More specific objectives appear in the Grading section below.

·            Students will see literature as a means to access a more complete and meaningful understanding of the world in which we live and will be able to find pleasure in the literature and satisfaction in the understanding.

·            Students will be able to view diverse literature from traditional and alternative perspectives.

·            Students will be able to write about diverse literature with depth and originality, clearly supporting their analyses.

·            Students will be able to function successfully in college level course work as they gain momentum toward a successful post-secondary experience.

Class format:  The format of the course is somewhat different from what high school students may be accustomed to. Classroom work will fall into three types: lecture/discussion, small group peer review and guided individual activities and work time. Lecture will constitute a small but significant part through which students will receive new information, assignments and perceived areas of correction and improvement. Discussion is intended to clarify and deepen student understanding. Small group peer review is an opportunity to share feedback with peers, and a time to compare and discuss various writing strategies. This use of time must be much deeper and more generative than simple grammatical editing. Guided individual work time may include brief writing activities, teacher feedback, research or simply writing time. Students are responsible for making good use of all three types of work to further student learning and develop their writing facility.

As a college course, we must assume a certain level of skill that students possess by their choice of participating in the class. This means that this course will not address needs a student might have to "catch up," at least not during class time. Students needing additional help in these areas should expect to spend time after school with the teacher or mentors, or use the University’s online Writing Center [http://writing.umn.edu/]. Above average reading comprehension, and writing skills are just a few of the assumptions that I have about the students' abilities in this class.

You are expected to be attentive in this class, to ask questions if you do not understand something, and to participate in class discussions. You are also expected to listen respectfully to other students and to me when we are speaking. Expressed racism, sexism, homophobia, classism, ageism, and other forms of bigotry or derogatory speech are unacceptable in this or any class. You are here to learn. Learn not to judge.

Reading:  This is a college literature course. At the college level, just "reading" a book is of little value. The fact that the student has simply read through its pages makes little difference in this class or to the student’s grade. Instead, students are expected to be able to discuss the text, allude to its passages, compare it to other things, identify issues and ideas, internalize its perspective, and more. When the student is able to do these things, then they have really read the book. Read beyond the texts. Think beyond your limits. Write to clarify and convey thinking. 

Major Readings:

ü       Solar Storms, Linda Hogan

ü       One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez

ü       A God of Small Things, Arundhati Roy

ü       Beloved, Toni Morrison

ü       The Piano Lesson, August Wilson

These books will be provided by Edison, but purchasing books is always desirable as that allows students to write in their books, a valuable form of note taking. All other readings will be provided on paper and on line.

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Critical perspectives:  In this course, we will examine literature through many "lenses" or perspectives, including traditional, feminist, narratological and post-colonial among others. We will also examine modernism, post-modernism, structuralism and deconstruction. Themes for examination include representation, discourse, race, ideology, desire, unconscious, gender, and class. This means that we will not just read the stories to see "what happened" or "who did what to whom," but we will attempt to read and discuss stories as they relate to ideas and issues that define and create the worlds in which we and others live.

Assessment:  Assessment falls into four areas for this course.

I. Reader’s Notebook:  Quality notebook entries are essential to the course. In addition to allowing student writers to display thoughts and interactions with the texts, they provide material for class discussion and for the papers students must write. To earn full credit, students must have seven entries of at least one hand-written page each week. Entries must be readable, but need not be edited, finished writing. Entries should be clearly marked and dated, and every page must have the student’s name clearly visible.

Notebook entries should contain quotations, with page numbers and sources where necessary, from our texts or from outside reading. This is invaluable for seminar and for writing papers. Students should always write in response to our texts and in response to both large and small group discussions. They may write their own ideas for the most part, but will occasionally be given prompts by the instructor.

Notebooks must be kept in a loose-leaf, three-ring binder (no spiral bound notebooks). I may collect as yet unchecked pages at any time for scoring. Students must keep their notebooks current and bring them to class every day, or they may lose credit. Credit is based on the number and accuracy of thoughtful entries received upon request.

*Literary events:  You must attend a literary event during the course. It may be a lecture, play, reading or other event featuring literature. You must then write about this event in your notebook. This writing will be the beginning of a dialogue between you and me. Put this writing on its own pages, so that we may add to it over time. Our words contributes to your notebook grade. Its inclusion is necessary for full notebook credit. Don’t leave it until May!

*Special events: There will be occasional field trips, speakers or other events. As a U of M students, you should expect to spend time on the campus, managing your own transportation. We will visit the U in order to listen to speakers and interact with other CiS students. You are expected to attend these, participate as appropriate, and include notes responding to them in your notebook, and may wish to refer to them as source material in their papers. You are responsible for getting the necessary information for good citation of all sources, even in your notes.

*Evaluating Entries in Reader’s Notebooks:

Depth

§            ask why the themes are significant to the work

§            work on so what? as it pertains to anything you write about

§            entries should become more analytical, more deconstructive as the term progresses

§            do not summarize the text

Support

§            discuss literary technique, conventions, craft used in the work

§            cite relevant references from the text being commented upon, explain them, and relate them to larger thematic developments in the text – quote them in your notes

§            avoid assertions without textual back-up. I summarily disagree with all unsupported opinions.

§            as course progresses, support should be drawn from multiple texts, so they inform one another

§            entries should reflect work with the whole text as well as with specific sections

Think Outside the Box

§            use many and varied lenses or critical approaches

§            write on different topics for each book rather than always treating the same few topics such as meaning of the title or some cluster of imagery or symbolism

§            entries should often contain the ah ha! element to indicate genuine wrestling with the text and with your own early responses to it

§            make arguments that are outside the predictable or expected responses and that move beyond in-class discussion

§            entries should show a variety of approaches, i.e., critical lenses, connections to lived experience, connections between two or more texts

§            reflect an element of risk-taking, coming up with an idea that is truly yours

§            reflect on your own perspectives as you go along

II. Participation:  Active participation on the part of each student is expected. Asking clarifying questions during lecture, and asking and answering questions and putting forth new ideas and observations related to the assigned topics during discussions are all good forms of participation. The highest scoring students ask questions and present ideas that show original, insightful thinking, not simply rephrasing the thoughts of others. Having notebooks out and writing in them during class also constitutes participation and will enhance the quality of notebook entries.

Occasionally, small groups will be asked to present to the others the conclusions of their discussions. This is participation under the microscope; everyone in the group will be assessed individually, based on their active and intellectual contributions to the presentation.

III. Attendance: In order to participate, students must be in attendance. Therefore, in accordance with the University of Minnesota English Department, the following shall be the case:

Excused absences include illness as verified by a parent’s or doctor's note, death in the immediate family, jury duty, military service, religious observances, and participation in officially scheduled Edison High School. Excused absences do not include vacations, transportation problems, or employment.  In case of an excused absence, you must notify your instructor of your excuse preferably before you miss class, but no later than the day of return.

Missing the equivalent of one week or more of class with unexcused absences may result in a lower grade.   Missing the equivalent of three weeks or more with unexcused absences may result in failing the course.  In some cases, an excessive number of absences, even if they are excused, may result in a lower grade.

A student absent for any reason is responsible for all material and activities missed in class. Students must check with the instructor to find out was missed.

Students are responsible for coming to class on time. Tardiness may be considered equivalent to unexcused absences. In addition, a student who is unable to function adequately in class (e.g., falling asleep or attending without appropriate materials or assignments) may be considered to have unexcused absences.

IV. Papers:  Four papers and one final project[1] will be required during this course. At quarter and mid-quarter points, I will expect substantial papers which will be fairly tightly prescribed, and will show progress toward mastery of the content and skills set out to that time. At the end of the course, students will present a project that demonstrates their grasp of concepts and understanding of the texts from the course, and discusses those in the context of our world. While this project may take the form of a written paper, it may employ alternative and even multiple media forms. It will be presented to the class and its thesis defended at that time. This presentation project will not be part of the Edison High School grade, but will be critical to the University of Minnesota course grade.

In all papers, clarity of expression and accuracy of language are unconditionally expected. Quality is determined by effective communication of source knowledge and deep and original thought. All written work, including drafts, must be kept by the student in an electronic course portfolio and presented at the time of the final project. Without the complete portfolio, the student’s work for the course is considered incomplete, and delay in presenting the completed portfolio and/or final paper could diminish the course grade.

Schedule: The schedule is a plan, not a promise. You should anticipate the reading. For example, at the beginning of week 22 (the third week of the semester), you should have completed reading Solar Storms. You or I cannot expect to have meaningful discussions about a book you are just beginning to read. Your frustration and my impatience will not help your learning or your grade. Handouts given in class, unless read in class, should be read by the next class except upon other instructions at the time.

            Quarter 3