E N G L I S H 0 9 9: W R I T I N G S T U D I O

E N G L I S H

0 9 9:

W R I T I N G

S T U D I O

Humanities Division Shoreline Community College rev: 1-‐4-‐15

C O U R S E

S Y L L A B U S

Professor: Office:

Grace A. Rhodes, M.A. Phone: (206) 546-‐4101 ext. 4308 Room 1501 email: [email protected] The Writing & Learning Studio (TWLS) Website: http://shoreline.edu/twls Office hours: M-‐F 10:30-‐11:20 (and by appt.)

I.

Course Description

Prerequisite: If English is not your native language, you must be at ESL Level 5 or higher to enroll in ENGL 099. This course is designed for developmental-‐ and transfer-‐level students who want to work in The Writing & Learning Studio (TWLS) on writing activities in a collaborative environment for at least one of these purposes: 1. 2. 3. 4.

To develop and/or practice academic or technical writing skills To write for educational or professional advancement To write for personal enjoyment To work on writing assignments from other courses using studio resources

If your purpose(s) for enrolling in ENGL 099 is number 1, 2, or 3 above, you will meet with the ENGL 099 professor to discuss your interests. Then she will create a personalized assignment for you based on your interests. For example, you could work on essay composition skills, punctuation, grammar, or resume writing. You would work on that lesson here, in the studio; no homework is assigned. On the other hand, if your main purpose for enrolling in ENGL 099 is #4 above—to work on writing assignments from your other courses—then that’s what you can do—under some conditions described later in this syllabus.

This course offers you a variety of resources to support your writing activities: one-‐to-‐one tutoring, student success workshops, instructional handouts, textbooks, reference materials, and computers. Whether you choose to work on your writing assignments from other courses or on your ENGL 099 professor’s assignments, you are expected to use studio resources to support and supplement your writing activities. You will not earn ENGL 099 credit if you simply use your time to do homework from other courses and ignore the ENGL 099 course requirements.

II.

Course Organization

This is a personalized English lab course, available for one, two, or three credits. That means you will determine your own schedule depending upon the number of ENGL 099 credits you’re taking. During the studio’s open hours you have the freedom to come and go as you wish, once you’ve attended an orientation session. This freedom gives you schedule flexibility; however, it also means that you must be responsible for meeting the time requirements for earning credit. You have until the official last day of instruction on campus to complete course requirements. (The studio is closed during finals week.) Nonetheless, we encourage you to complete your ENGL 099 credit requirements before the final two weeks of the quarter, the studio’s busiest time when students may have to wait over an hour for assistance.

A. How do I get started?

The first required activity in ENGL 099 is orientation, the time to understand course requirements and attendance procedures and learn about TWLS resources. Studio assistants typically lead the orientations. Following the orientation you will be asked to complete an information form to help the ENGL 099 professor know your academic interests and concerns. On your next visit after orientation, you should look for your ENGL 099 folder in the student file cabinet. Inside it you will find a letter from the professor explaining what to do next.

B. What’s a Checkpoint?

For every five to six hours you’re in the studio you are required to do a Checkpoint. These are brief meetings with studio assistants when you will explain how you’ve been using your studio time to fulfill course requirements. The assistants will also check your 099 folder to see if you’ve been following the guidelines for earning ENGL 099 credit. They will write their summary comments on the blue “CHECKPOINTS” sheet in your folder. It’s YOUR responsibility to initiate three to nine CHECKPOINTS, depending on your number of ENGL 099 credits. You are expected to do this at the specified times even if you haven’t completed the assignment you’re working on.

English 099 Writing Studio Syllabus

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1. How do I know when it’s time for a Checkpoint?

a. Look at the chart on your “ENGL 099 Study & Checkpoint Record” in your folder. Note the number of minutes/hours to complete for each checkpoint. (It’s OK to sign-‐up for a checkpoint a few minutes before those due times.)

b. To see your total time spent in the studio, check the computer screen when you log out of the studio. It will show you how much time you spent for the current visit and your total time for the quarter up to that point.

NOTE: The AccuTrack computer system is the official record of your time in the studio, so be sure to log in and log out for every visit if you want credit for your time.

Another way to know your total time in the studio is to use the “TOTAL MINUTES” column on the “Study & Checkpoint Record” in your folder. However, you must make sure you have been correctly adding the DAILY MINUTES and TOTAL MINUTES for each visit.

2. What should I do when it’s time for a Checkpoint? Write your name on the sign-‐up sheet and mark the “checkpoint” column. When a studio assistant comes to you, say “It’s time for my checkpoint.” You must let her/him know you need a checkpoint. Asking for help with your writing is NOT a checkpoint!

III.

Course Grading Policy

A. What grade can I earn in this course?

This course is a Pass/No Credit course; it is NOT a decimal grade course. By passing the course, you earn credit, but a “PASS” grade does not affect your GPA. If you do not complete course requirements for credit, you might receive an “NC” (No Credit) grade, which also does not affect your GPA. However, if you do not complete course requirements, under certain conditions you could receive a “V” grade, described below.

B. What’s a “V” grade?

“V” grades can be given to students who don’t officially drop or withdraw from a class but rarely or never show up for class or just stop attending without communicating with the professor. A “V” grade counts as 0.0 in your GPA, so it is the worse grade a student can get.

At any point during the quarter, if you think you might not be able to meet course requirements for credit, talk with the professor; don’t just stop attending. If you do stop attending, you should officially withdraw from the course and let the professor know you won’t be continuing. This is especially important when there’s a student waitlist for the course. As long as you are enrolled, you are taking one of the limited seats in the course, which could prohibit another student from enrolling.

C. How do I earn a “PASS” grade?

The ENGL 099 course requirements for earning a PASS grade follow:

1. When working on ENGL 099 (Grace’s) assignments—

a. b. c. d.

follow all directions on Grace’s assignment sheets; leave ALL work done during studio time in your folder. If you want to take your work home, show it to the professor first so that she can note in your folder that she saw your work for that day; talk with the professor immediately if your ENGL 099 assignment is too easy, too difficult, boring, or if you don’t understand its purpose; and show satisfactory progress. Course Requirements continue on the next page.


Course Requirements, cont.

a. discuss your questions about assignments with studio assistants; b. discuss your writing and/or your assignment requirements with studio assistants even if you don’t have any questions. You may discuss your writing at any stage:

You must do this at least one time between each checkpoint.

3. Be considerate and respectful of other students and studio staff while in the studio.

4. Sign-‐up for a Checkpoint every five to six hours you’re in the studio. (See pp. 1-‐2 for specific instructions.)

5. Follow all directions on your “ENGL 099 Study & Checkpoint Record” for documenting how you spend your time in the studio.

6. Complete the hours required for one, two, or three credits. Your hours will be determined by the Accutrack computer system. Therefore, if you want credit for your time, you must log in—for ENGL 099—and log out when you leave the studio.

By fulfilling the requirements above, you will be demonstrating these abilities:

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2. When working on assignments from other classes (e.g., ESL 090, ENGL 101, PSYC& 200)—

* planning and prewriting * drafting

* problem solving * explaining assignment requirements * collaborating on writing activities * using feedback constructively

* revising * editing

* working effectively within a diverse environment * following established procedures for documenting attendance and participation

What Does NOT COUNT for ENGL 099 Credit?

1. You may NOT use your time in ENGL 099 for personal activities: to check or write e-‐mail/texts, surf the web, or use FaceBook or other social media.

2. These activities do not count for ENGL 099 credit until you get the professor’s assignment sheet with instructions for doing them: • reading materials for another class (book, article, website, Canvas discussions, etc.) • doing Internet research • writing journal entries or discussion board postings (usually not permitted)

Any time spent on these activities without the professor’s permission will not be counted for ENGL 099 credit..

D. Will there be a FINAL EXAM?

No final exam is given in ENGL 099. However, near the end of your ENGL 099 hours, you must do this: ! Sign up for your final checkpoint at the time shown on your Study & Checkpoint Record; and !

Complete the purple “Student Evaluation” form in your folder. It’s critical that you complete the form. Evaluations are anonymous, unless you choose to include your name. Your honest and thorough answers are needed and appreciated. When you’ve completed both sides of the form, put it in the "Purple Student Evaluation Forms” envelope by the lobby table (or leave it in your folder).

E. What happens if the college is closed?

In the case of snow or other hazardous weather conditions, check the college’s website for information about delays or closures. You can also check local radio stations (KOMO 1000 or KIRO 710) and local television networks (KING 5, KOMO 4, and KIRO 7). Listen for "COLLEGE" closures, NOT "School" or "School District" closures.) If the college is


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officially closed due to weather conditions, you will not get credit for attendance that day. However, if the college is closed for three or more days, you will be compensated depending on the number of ENGL 099 credits you’re enrolled for and the number of days the college is closed.

IV.

Course Timeline

You can earn ENGL 099 credit in increments of 0.5 as follows: 0.5 credit = 8.5 hours (510 minutes) 1.0 credit = 17 hours (1,020 minutes)

1.5 credits = 25.5 hours (1,530 minutes) 2.0 credits = 34 hours (2,040 minutes)

2.5 credits = 42.5 hours (2,550 minutes) 3.0 credits = 51 hours (3,060 minutes)

You must complete your ENGL 099 credit requirements by 3:30 PM on the quarter’s last day of instruction:

WINTER: (Mon) March 16, 2015

V.

SPRING: (Mon) June 8, 2015

Communicating with the Professor

As stated earlier in this syllabus, the professor expects you to communicate with her throughout the quarter when you have questions or concerns about course requirements, course assignments, or your progress in this course. Also, since you will be interacting with studio staff, the professor wants to know if you have any concerns about those interactions. For example, if a staff member seems unprofessional or difficult for you to work with, please talk with the professor so that she can understand the situation and take steps to remedy it. Your success is always our priority. (We also encourage you to complete a “Student Satisfaction Survey” after each tutoring session. This is further explained in Section VIII, p. 6.) You have several options for communicating with the professor. If her office door is open, you are welcome to talk with her in her office. You could also leave a note for her in the purple box by her office door, phone her, or send an email. Her contact information is on the first page of this syllabus. Email Communication: Shoreline requires all students to have a Shoreline email account to facilitate the reliability of student-‐professor, student-‐student, and student-‐college emails. Your ENGL 099 professor and the college will use these accounts exclusively for email communication. Students are expected to check their SCC accounts regularly. For instructions on how to activate your student email, go to http://shoreline.edu/email/.

VI.

Studio Resources

Books: You don’t have to buy any materials for ENGL 099. For your convenience, textbooks, workbooks, reference books, handbooks, etc., are available for your use in the studio. They are shelved in subject areas according to their titles. The studio has two rules regarding its books: (1) Do not take our books out of the studio without the professor’s permission. (2) Do not write in any of the studio's books.

Handouts: The studio has many handouts available on writing, reading, and study topics. Some popular ones are in the literature rack near the 1501 entrance. Additional handouts can be found in the lobby file cabinets. Feel free to ask for help finding a particular topic. You may take handouts home with you or leave them in your ENGL 099 folder.

Learning Assistants (see “Meet the Studio Assistants” sheet in your folder): During each hour usually two or three learning assistants staff the studio, in addition to the professor, to assist students who need a checkpoint or help with an assignment. Studio staff can help you understand assignment requirements and to give you a "reader's response" to your writing. They are not here to “fix" your writing, make your papers perfect, or tell you what grade you'll get. The final responsibility for your work always lies with you. When you want assistance, write your name on the sign-‐up sheet. Studio Resources continue on the next page.


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Student Success Workshops: The Writing & Learning Studio hosts “Student Success Workshops,” open to the whole campus. Most of these are 50-‐minute sessions on a variety of topics related to writing and study strategies. Your attendance at workshops could count as part of your ENGL 099 time. This is further explained in the “How to Earn Credit for Workshop Attendance” sheet in your folder.

Computers: The TWLS computers are primarily for students enrolled in ENGL 089 or ENGL 099. You are expected to follow these rules when you use a studio computer: ! Save your work on your own flash drive; it cannot be saved to the desktop. ! Be self-‐sufficient on the computers. The studio is not staffed to solve all problems you might encounter using studio computers. You are strongly encouraged to always back up your work on your own flash drive in case Internet connection difficulties arise or power shortages occur while using studio computers.

Printing: The studio collects no fees for computer/printer usage, so we must be strict with these requirements: ! Essentially, the only things you have permission to print in the studio are your own essays/papers that you are working on in the studio. (See the professor if you want to print anything else.) ! You may print ONE copy of any essay/paper you have composed. For additional copies, use a copy machine in the library. ! Do NOT print materials from the Internet—and this includes Canvas! This means that you should NOT print out your teacher’s assignment directions from Canvas or any other Canvas material. Do not print anything from the Internet!

VII.

Student Conduct

A. Courtesy and Decorum

Remember, one of the six requirements for earning a “PASS” grade is to be considerate and respectful of other students and the studio staff. Here is how to do that: 1.

Cell Phones Please turn off your cell phone ringer when in the studio. The studio is not to be interrupted by your cell phone or pager. (If you are waiting for the arrival of a baby or a kidney transplant, tell the professor.) Likewise, you should not use your studio time to write texts, check for texts, or do any other personal activities on your phone.

If you need to use your cell phone to access Canvas for a teacher’s assignment or for another academic purpose, please inform the ENGL 099 professor.

2. Other Phone Usage The professor’s phone is not available for public use. Please do not ask if you can use her phone unless it's an emergency. 3. Personal Laptops, Tablets, and Studio Computers These devices are to be used only for academic purposes during your studio credit time. 4.

Noise a. Please enter and leave the studio quietly. b. During tutoring sessions monitor your voice volume; try not to disturb those around you. c. Personal conversations are not appropriate. If you want to talk with a friend, log out on the computer and go outside.

5. Napping: If you feel sleepy, log out on the computer and find another place to sleep!


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B. Academic Integrity

The professor supports the college policy for academic dishonesty stated in the college catalogue, p. 9. Any of these actions could be considered cheating in ENGL 099: • • • • •

copying staff signatures onto required forms without staff permission copying answers from an answer key using your studio time to do homework from other courses without following ENGL 099 procedures using your studio time to chat with another student at your table using your cell phone or other electronic device for non-‐academic purposes during your studio time

• using the AccuTrack computer system deceitfully

One offense could result in your losing credit for your attendance on that day. Repeated offenses could result in a course grade of “NC” (no credit) and further disciplinary action.

VIII.

Giving Student Feedback About Individual Tutoring Sessions

“Student Satisfaction Survey” Forms Orange “Student Satisfaction Survey” forms can be found on all studio study tables. We want you to complete a form after each tutoring session to let the studio assistants and director know how you experienced the session. Your honest and detailed answers can help us maintain effective tutoring practices and be aware of areas for improvement. Be assured that your answers will not have a negative result for any studio assistant. Your learning and success is what’s important to us, so we want to learn from YOU what helps and what gets in the way of that outcome. After you complete a form, put it in one of the blue “Student Comments” bags. One bag is on the entrance table, and another bag is on the bookcase in the workshop room.

IX.

Miscellaneous

Free Online Tutoring (not related to ENGL 099, just for your general information about campus resources) Free online tutoring through the Western eTutoring Consortium (WeTC) is available for SCC students in 15 subjects: Accounting Anatomy &Physiology Biology Calculus

Chemistry Math Economics Microsoft Office Engineering (Circuits & Physics Digital Systems only) Psychology

Spanish Writing (for any course) Statistics Web Development (xHTML, CSS, & Dreamweaver)

Students can chat with a tutor in real time, submit eQuestions, or submit papers to the eWriting Lab and expect a response within 48 hours. This service is available to Shoreline students seven days a week from the third day of the quarter through the quarter’s last day of instruction.

To access the service, go to the WeTC site and login: www.etutoring.org/. Then select “Western eTutoring Consortium” and in the pulldown menu, “Shoreline Community College.”