NOTE: Please read this syllabus very carefully and ask questions about any item that is unclear.. This syllabus is an agreement that defines our mutual expectations and responsibilities as instructors and students in this course.  

Course Texts and Materials

Required:

Class Procedures and Requirements

This class will be an adventure for all of us.  Writers need to communicate and exchange ideas on a continual basis, so we need to explore different venues for our varying learning styles.  Thus, some parameters are necessary, so that each member in the class can benefit from the experience. Listed below are the underpinnings of our successful venture.

1. The Creative Writing Journal

A writing journal will be a required during the course of the quarter, see page 17 in the text.

2. The Reader's Journal

In addition to the writing journal, students will write two days a week in a reader's journal.  See the handout for understanding this journal.  At the end of each week on Friday, students will be given the class hour to go to the computer lab (which has been reserved for us) and rewrite one of the reader's journal.  This type journal entry (TJE) will be handed in at the beginning of class hour on Monday.

2.  Seminars

On Friday the Computer Room, 1220 G is reserved for us. Students are required to participate an online exercise which will be posted on the homepage for the week.

3.  Exercises and Activities

While many people believe that writing is a solitary activity, generating ideas for writing tends to be a community event.  Thus, class days, at least during, the first part of the quarter will entail activities and exercises for generating ideas for poems, stories, and plays.  Students who miss the daily exercises deprive themselves of the developing their abilities. 

4. Portfolio

At the end of class, each student will have at least five poems, two stories and one act drama to include in their portfolio, which will be given to the teacher at the end of the quarter.  These works will be generated and rewritten during the course of the quarter.  While the portfolio can contain writing generated pre CW, new work is mandatory to show that learning has taken place. Moreover, at least one poem, one story and one act play will have been presented to the class for discussion. 

5. Class Workshop

Feedback is a vital and mandatory part of class.  In fact the last four weeks of class will consist of whole group discussion of individual works.  These works will be taken from writings generated during the quarter. Work written prior to the class will be given secondary consideration. 

The machinations of the workshop require that students submit work to the class for perusal and critique.  Class members will have adequate time to read and respond to written work.  Then during a proscribed class hour,  an individual's work will be discussed. Each class member will submit at least one poem, one story and one work of drama or creative non-fiction to the class. While the work is being discussed, the author will remain silent, taking notes or listening to what "real" readers think about the piece under discussion.  After the class discussion, the author will be given five minutes to query class members about particulars or to ask for clarification. 

  6.  Assessment Activities

In addition to writing assignments and class discussion, there might be several quizzes, both announced and unannounced (depending upon whether students are doing assigned work or not), class activities, and self-evaluation opportunities. These cannot be made-up.  Each assignment will be worth a certain number of points, and the total points for the quarter will be the basis for the final grade. These points will be converted to percentages and ultimately decimal grades based on the Community Colleges of Spokane's grading scale (see catalog).  Students should keep a record of grades and all work in a portfolio. This portfolio will be the basis for at least one self-assessment assignment.

7. Out-of-class requirements

When I first moved to Spokane, little was happening in the way of creative arts. That is not the case today.  Poetry and fiction readings, plays and other creative activities abound.  On our own campus during May, we will have a celebration of the arts when Legends, SCC's art and literary magazine, is unveiled, as well as a reading by Terry Tempest Williams, author of Refuge. At Auntie's Bookstore, an creative arts event happens each day.  Mootsey's holds Sunday evening poetry readings.  These are just a few of the "happenings." Because it is imperative that writers involve themselves with the creative arts, students will be required to attend at least five (5) different events during the course of the quarter. A one paragraph "review" (see page 21 in text) will be written, typed and submitted for grading. The reviews will be minimally marked -- a will receive 10 points, a + will receive 12 points and a ++ will receive 14 points, and a - will receive 5 points. 

Participation and Attendance

1. Attendance is essential to any class.  Meeting deadlines and attendance at the class meetings are mandatory.  What we learn in class each day during the beginning of the quarter will be essential when we turn to workshopping.  In order to encourage participation, I will give points intermittent basis for showing up.  These points cannot be made-up because they can only be gained by a student being in his seat, ready to go when class starts.  At the beginning of class, I will put an "Attendance Question" on the board.  Students will have approximately five minutes to respond to the question.  The window of opportunity for answering the question closes when I collect the responses. Thus if a student comes in ten minutes after the question has been posted, then collected, I will not accept it, as these points are a reward. Please do not try to manipulate this policy, by either giving the question to those who come in late or by trying to turn in a  response.
2. Participation requires students to engage in the exercises and activities that will occur each day.  Writers need communicate and exchange ideas on a continual basis, so we need to explore different venue for our varying learning styles.  Since this class will be a bit different than other classes, I hope everyone will take advantage of the experience, so that the "writer" within will gain a plethora of new tools.  Rarely will I lecture as that is not the nature of the class; thus, if students do not participate, then little is gained from the silence.  Also, be aware I do not assign busy work.  The activities and exercises we will be working with were selected with great care from a mountain of advice. Each event is geared toward giving writers enough tools from which to draw upon when facing "the white space" of the blank page.
3. Late Work and Withdrawals -- To receive credit for a work, please turn it in at the time and date specified.  Students cannot attend their workshop day if they do not have their own work submitted for the genre's workshop time.  

Be aware that I do not give "Z" grades. If a students stops attending the class or  decides to stop attending school altogether, she should withdraw officially. If a student is seriously ill and cannot come to campus, SCC can assist in such a situation.