English lesson: Telling stories about ourselves
Intro to editing
Share observations on “I Remember” and 《怀乡书》
Write “I Remembers” in class
English homework: Be prepared to re-tell story about yourself
Work on revising final essay
Write a whole page of “I Remembers”
Look more carefully at 《怀乡书》
Look at endings
English lesson: Identifying specific areas to improve
Share aphorisms
Discuss “Uncle Pat”
Share “Mwiko” endings: intro to symbolism
English: Identify an area & think about “input'“
Write 3-4 new aphorisms
Read “Mazie” or “The Man Who Eats”
Looking ahead; how grading works
Intro to Character essay
Start reading Uncle Pat
Aphorisms & The Proverbs of Hell
Finish Object Essay (if you haven’t)
Read “Uncle Pat“
Begin reading “Mazie” or “The Man Who Eats”
Read “The Proverbs of Hell,” write new proverbs
English lesson: Context and collocation cont’d
Share poem titles
Abstract and concrete poem writing exercise
Read and share observations on object descriptions
Keep recording words and phrases
Think about what topics you’d like to be able to communicate better about
Finish abstract/concrete poem exercise
Keep writing your Object essay
English lesson: Context and collocation cont’d
Sources of tension in three-line poems
Creating tension: “Southern Summers” and “The Mwiko”
Observations on Huangrui’s place essay
Record 3-5 new words and phrases
Find a podcast or two you might be interested in listening to
Reread “The Mwiko,” write a new ending
Write abstract titles for three-line poems
Write a paragraph about an object
English lesson: Context and collocation
Observations on Sylvia’s place essay
Creating tension: “Orange Crush” and “Southern Summers”
Record 3-5 new words and phrases
Read Object essay instructions, think of an object
Read “Southern Summers” and “The Mwiko”
Read three-line poems, choose 1-2 that have tension
English lesson: Expanding our active vocabulary
Make observations on beginnings of place essays
Share examples of abstract and concrete
Write down new words or phrases
Read classmate’s essay, write ten observations
Play “card game”
Read “Orange Crush”
Share Home definitions; intro to observation
Share “Short Cuts” and “Here is New York” scenes
Practice scene-writing in AB lobby
Essay 1 due next class
Type up and polish AB lobby scene
Share favorite details from McSorley’s
Key concept: “Characterization”
Intro to Essay 1: Portrait of a Place
Read directions for Essay 1: Portrait of a Place
Start researching / writing Essay 1
Read excerpts from “Here is New York” and “Short Cuts”
Intro to the course, self-introductions
Literary writing and concrete details
Definitions of home
Write definition of home as a list of concrete details
Read “The Old House at Home”
Think of a place you might write about
Read course handbook, skim syllabus
