Modnews

Hey, mods. From now on, I'll be putting right on this page announcements having to do with course requirements, changes in these web pages, and other matters. I recommend looking here every time you visit the web course "modpages."

12/3/98

The directions for the final paper are up, and I will be adding to them over the weekend. Don't forget to schedule a real or virtual appointment with me this weekend to discuss your ideas for the final essay.

11/12/98

Please note the changes to the syllabus on the main web page, particularly having to do with the readings for next week. We'll wrap up our discussion of Native Son in the context of debates in the 1920s over the proper purposes for African American writers and artists.

10/23/98

Be sure to check out your email and the web page over the weekend. There will be announcements of changes to the syllabus based on what the "immigration" group is planning to do. I've just now put up some changes. There may be more.

Also, I've put up a page on the group oral project. You can reach it by clicking here or by going to it off the main course page. I'll be adding to the page over the weekend, and putting up the class plans of each group, as well, when they are finalized. So be checking out this page both to plan your group's project and to prepare for the classes your peers will be leading.

In light of the meetings with me required for the group project, I've added Friday office hours, from 2-3 pm. I can be available to meet with groups on Mondays anytime, Tuesdays after 3:30, and Wednesdays anytime (for the first two days, though, you must contact me to arrange a meeting).

10/14/98

The final version of the mid-term exam web pages went up around 7:15 pm. Good luck with it, and be sure to get as close to or more than 8 hours of sleep tonight. The exam will require you to think on your feet and make relatively rapid decisions. Hard to do that on 5 hours or less of sleep! See you tomorrow.

10/13/98

OK, a draft of the instructions that will appear on the in-class, closed-book mid-term exam Thursday (10/15) were distributed to the listserv and posted to the mid-term page this morning. Note the revised structure of Part II that should give you a bit more flexibility on that section. Tonight is your last chance to influence the shape of the exam, so keep your comments and questions coming.

10/6/98

I've just put up a rough outline of the structure and purposes of the mid-term exam. You may access it by clicking here, or by clicking on the appropriate link off the main course page.

Also, don't forget to bring your completed critical response essays to class. They are due at the very beginning of class.

Finally, I've received very few questionnaires. See below (9/15) for the questions to copy and email directly to me.

9/29/98

After a very important class discussion, I'm making some changes to the way the course is being run. First, you may hand in your first critical response paper at the beginning of class on Tuesday, October 6. Late papers will be penalized. Second, I'm going to begin posting a message to the listserv on Monday nights in which I set an agenda for the next class based on the questions people have asked. Be sure to check your email Mondays after 9 pm and come to class ready with suggestions about how to modify the agenda for class based on your own set of priorities for discussion. Third, I'm considering making reading responses due Sunday nights and student responses due Tuesday nights. This will give me more time to prepare a class agenda that takes into consideration both your and my priorities, and it will give groups more time to prepare their own agenda for Thursday classes when they begin to take on a similar role as I will starting next week (moderating the listserv, running class discussion). So be thinking about what group you want to be part of and what Thursday class you want to be responsible for. Look for more details on this after break.

OK, have a good one!

9/28/98

I've put up a list of books that I asked to be put on reserve at Reed Library. Just click above on "R E S E R V E S" to get to the list, and check at the Circulation Desk to see what's actually in as of today. I've also revised the critical response essay page in light of the questions that people have asked me. Don't forget to print off a copy of this page to take with you on break if you don't think you'll have easy web access while you're away.

Remember, as the syllabus says, there are no reading or student responses due this week.

If you haven't emailed me by 11 pm with the question you're considering for your critical response essay, why you're asking it, and how you think you'll approach answering it, I can't guarantee I'll get comments back to you before you or I leave campus for break. You don't need to get my approval, but it can't hurt to get some free advice. Particularly if you're not used to asking questions about literature or distinguishing questions that might work well for discussion from those that would be fruitful for a short paper.

9/24/98

Given that break starts next week and I won't even be here on Wednesday for my regular office hours, here are my revised office hours for the last few days before our well-deserved October break!

• Th, 9/24 (today): 3:30-5
• F, 9/25: 2-3
• M, 9/28: 10-12, 1:30-5

I hope to see you there--or hear from you over email--so that I can give you some preliminary feedback on the questions you're considering writing your first critical response essay on!

9/23/98

OK, I've put up the requirements for the critical response essay due the Monday after break. Please note the additional requirement that, by next Monday at the latest, you email me a question you want to answer for your paper (or questions you're considering) and the way you plan to go about answering it (or choosing which question to focus on in the first place). You can get to the critical response essay page off the main course page, or by clicking here, you can go to it directly.

I've also put up advice on writing your reading responses. Please read it as soon as possible. Click here to go directly to the new page.

Keep checking here for announcements as I complete more pages. And don't forget to fill out and return your questionnaire to me ASAP (see below, 9/15).

9/17/98

A few important announcements on a variety of topics:

• Subscribing to the "digest": If you want to receive one daily message (a long one that includes everything sent to the list in the previous 24 hours) rather than a bunch of little ones, there are some important things to know that I wasn't aware of until now. It seems that if you send to listserv@ait.fredonia.edu the 2 commands: "digest modlist" and "leave modlist," the latter command overrides the former and you end up getting kicked off the list entirely. If this has happened to you, send to the same address the following commands: "join modlist" and "digest modlist." That way you rejoin the list and tell the machine to send you the digest. If you are subscribed to the list already and want to receive a digest, just send to the same address as above the command: "digest modlist." If you do take this option, please let me know if you have any problems receiving messages.
• Attendance policy: Some of you are endangering your grade in the course (risking an F, in other words) by coming close to violating my attendance policy. If you've missed more than 2 class meetings for whatever reason, please email me with explanations, so I can get back to you on your level of risk!
• Readings: Make sure you have read all the works assigned thus far in the semester at least once--you are responsible for every one of these works for the midterm, and should give yourself as many options as possible on the subject of your first critical response essay.

9/15/98

My office hours tomorrow will be slightly shorter than usual: 10 am - 12 noon and 2 - 5 pm. Sorry--meeting.

My new office number, 3859, is finally unscrambled (it no longer connects you with Dr. Shokoff!). Also, my email address is finally working, bug-free. You can now email me directly at simon@fredonia.edu and be confident I will receive it. Thank heaven for small favors.

All right, folks, here's the student questionnaire. Please copy into an email message, address it to me, answer the questions, and send it out ASAP.

• Course: EN336
• Name:
• Year:
• Major:
  
• Other English classes you've taken since high school:
• Other classes you're taking this semester:
• Other activities (e.g., work, sports) you'll be doing regularly this semester:
  
• Do you read for fun?
• If so, what kinds of things do you like to read (e.g., newspapers, magazines, science fiction, romance novels, poetry, web pages, etc.), and how often do you read in each genre/medium?
• Which of these do you like best? read the most?
• Who are your favorite writers and why?
  
• What do you do for fun (besides reading)?
• What kinds of music do you like to listen to?
• Which of these do you like the best? listen to the most often?
• What are your favorite groups and why?
• About how many hours of TV per week did you watch before college?
• What TV shows do you still make a point to watch when you can?
• About how many movies do you watch (rented + in theaters) per month?
• What's your favorite movie (or movies)?
  
• How would you rank reading among these other forms of entertainment (music, TV, movies) in terms of a) how you prefer to unwind? b) what speaks most directly to your life? c) what has most shaped who you are today? (for each category, give answers in the form of an ordered list, if possible; i.e., 1. music, 2. TV, 3. . ., etc.)
• If you had to make a choice and could do only one of these things for the rest of your life (i.e., read, listen to music, watch TV, go to/rent movies), which would it be?
• Do you plan to continue reading literature after college? Why or why not?

9/11/98

The web pages are up! The web pages are up! Could life really be any better?

Seriously, watch this space for student questionnaire and early course evaluation forms for you to copy, fill out, and send me at simon@oak.ait.fredonia.edu.