in case there were any doubt

Despite a sizable and highly talented field, I walked away from the Shakespeare Poetry slam with 1st prize - and all the bragging rights and cash prizes. Speaking from memory probably had a lot to do with it. 119, where Shakespeare explains to his dad why he's still in grad. school pleased a few people - though my reinterpretation of 138 probably won it. That's the one that goes,

When my students swear that they are made of truth,
I do believe them, though I know they lie,
That they might think me some untutored youth,
Unlearned in the world's false subtleties.
Thus vainly thinking that they think me young,
Although they know my days are past the best,
Simply I credit their false-speaking tongue,
On both sides thus is simple truth suppressed:
But who am I to say they are unjust?
And why should either of us say I'm old?
O education's best habit is in seeming trust,
And age in teaching, loves not to have years told.
Therefore I front with them, and they with me,
And in our fronts by lies we flattered be.

We all had a blast - and the student readers were quite good.

Applied integrity in the Community College classroom

Think instructors are suspicious anal-retentive, obsessive compulsive, misanthropes? Could be, but check out corrupted-files.com. This service will corrupt your perfectly good paper that you turn in via email. That buys you 2 days to write, rewrite or revise your paper. The ultimate excuse for an extension - only $4.95!

I'll repeat for the record, I do not allow email submissions for formal papers. A student or two emailed me a paper weeks ago or more. They won't print it off and turn it in. I won't either. Wish they'd talk to me. English teachers often like communication - it even figures in to course objectives.

Often this behavior co-presents with attendance issues. Many young people haven't had to set their own priorities yet, and are just learning how. I'm coming to think excuses can be seen as a form of communication - regardless of their veracity. It's the end of communication that disturbs me. Chronic absenteeism can be a rejection of an institutionally agreed on outcome.

At least it was when I was 19, but I shouldn't judge all by my misspent youth.

And on the subject of communication. The college in general, and the English Dept. in particular are reacting and proacting to the H1N1 / Mondo-flu season. While a hardline approach to absences is what many students typically need - these are extenuating circumstances and times. There will be no excuse from work - or class, but there will be accommodations to allow everyone to more fully participate - even when sick. Not cynical, but not easily played; however, I don't call anyone's bluff when it comes to health.

Our objectives MUST be met for a student to pass. Students will get exactly what they earn. I'm allowing for make up points for those who miss class - Provided they respond or post a new thread to the daily notes discussion thread on ANGEL.

I jot notes (try to) every day during or after class in a discussion forum. Find it in the course documents folder. As long as sick students post to the daily discussion thread by noon the day of class, I'll put an assignment in an online form that best recreates what we accomplished in class. They then have 48 hours make up the points from any place they can find a computer. Posting to the thread is private from the outside world, but shared with other classmates and team mates who care about and depend on each other. That thread could also be used for expressions of "get well" and the like.

All relevant due dates still apply.

Comp 2: week 10 notes.

Check Angel: new lesson plan at a glance posted. Also 2o points for posting necessary bibliographic data and available links or other material (it's behind a firewall - so it's a protected environment). ALSO: Bring 3 copies of a 2 page rough draft/ outline/ executive summary plus free write. Be prepared to talk 3-5 minutes on your paper/topic. Up to 50 points available.

Each student needs to meet with me face-to-face for a conference to talk about this paper/ class in general. If you can't meet me outside of class time let me know Thursday 10.22.9. That time will reserved for those with inflexible schedules.NOTE Schedule posted to ANGEL

Sign up outside my door - see schedule to the right for times available (double click to enlarge).

Conferences will be in my office: 153D GEB (General Education Building).

MidTerm Class Assessment

In looking at the class feedback on how things are going, I am impressed with the overall maturity and reflection in the feedback. In response to the prompt

What has been the most challenging/ what course objectives need further
exploration/ what directions should we toward?

Responses fell in to the following areas.

• big ups for: group work/ ad campaign: 6
• favorite class. Perfect pace: 5
• grammar/ structure/ mechanics: 4 (What are comma splices)
• technology /tech learning curve (wiki/angel): 4
• organization: 4 (thesis, transitions,
• peer feedback/ revision: 4
• literature (poetry/short story): 3
• research/ citing sources/evaluating resources: 3
• group work can suck if your group doesn't click: 3
• I hate getting out of bed so early in the morning: 3
• thinking of what to write about : I
• not challenging enough. Faster pace/ more homework: I
• group work was most frustrating but most fun. : I
• should not have to write on subjects we don't like: I
• want to know where grade is - use Angel Gradebook?: I

Why some Journal Dates get Parenthesis (and some dont')

Someone asked why some periodicals (ie magazines or journals) put the year in parenthesis and some did not. Good question. I looked into that. Page 22 of the pdf notes:

DATES: Abbreviate the names of months except for May, June, or July:
Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec. Journals paginated
by volume or issue call only for the year (in parentheses). [emphasis mine]

It has to do with how periodicals are published. Some may not record exact month, but rather record volume or issue numbers. For those put the year in parenthesis.

Can anyone further clarify this issue? Please do in the comments.

Images in this post take from the free Norton online 2009 update to MLA documentation.

Research resources.

I now share research with students via JCCC library's electronic course reserve. Just go to the Billington Library homepage, then click the "course reserve search" link indicated by the red arrow in the top image to the right (click either image to enlarge).

It will open up a new page. Find the Instructor scroll down menu (indicated in figure 2 by the yellow arrow) and find my name.

When citing research refer to the 2009 MLA documentation (available free online in pdf if you don't have the handbook with you. See also our social bookmarking page on MLA, and previous posts). I find the sample paper particularly useful. Scroll

Native American day? metaphor and political correctness

Today is "columbus day" and I encourage you to go to the Edutopia poll and vote whether it should be renamed Native American day - whether that is excessive political correctness - or how we should regard iI. The whole political correct question relates to comp 122 and language teaching in general because it regards the interplay between language, thinking and behavior.

That is a goal of the metaphor paper currently assigned. Examine how language reveals thought and how communication shapes the thinking of others. Sometimes it is intentional and even cheeky, sometimes it's subconscious and sometimes it exists only in the mind of the reader - at least until they share their interpretation and then affects others, like in grad school when someone used the metaphor, "beating around the bush." I assumed to be a hunting reference, but was surprised to hear a feminist assert a very different meaning and assumed that meaning was commonly understood. While not a popular understanding of the term, by checking the urban dictionary I see she had a point.

Candlelight Vigil

A candle light vigil will be held tonight, Oct. 7, at 7:30 pm at Westside Family Church. The address is 8500 Woodsonia in Lenexa, KS (83rd and K&).Map from Mapquest; Church website.

Keighley found

Police have arrested 3 men: Joseph Mattox, Gerald Calbreck and Dustin Hilt. According to news coverage [See Fox 4 news coverage] she dated Hilt in the past. Looks like last week's domestic violence was not related to her disappearance.

Hilt has a myspace page. It's creepy.

Student missing: worst feared

Overland Park police are asking for help locating a JCCC student: Keighley Alyea. Fox 4 News has video from their newscast here. She's 18, 5 ft 1 inches tall, and approx. 113 lbs. Classmates note that her hair color may have changed since this picture.

She was last seen Tuesday, 9.29.9. Her car was found last night, Sunday 10.4.9.

Crime Scene KC has indicated a person(s) of interest (POI) and provided these pictures; Missingexploited.com lists details of the relationship of the POI and notes that she was the victim of domestic violence as recently as 9.21.9 [correction: The Kansas City Star noted that].


Her class is communicating and gathering information at their student generated Facebook page.