TEACHING PORTFOLIOSister Lucia Treanor, FSEDepartment of WritingGrand Valley State UniversityFebruary 27, 2011

Table of Contents 2/27/11 5:17 PM1. Teaching Responsibilities2. Teaching and Learning Philosophy3. Teaching Methods and Strategies4. The Portfolio Grading System5. Evaluating My Teaching6. Motivating Students to Improve7. Contract Observation8. Improving My Teaching9. Student Papers10. Testimonials from Former Students11. Evidence of Scholarly Activities12. University Service13. Honors and Awards14. Appendix A--Syllabus15. Appendix B--Agenda

1. Teaching Responsibilities 2/27/11 5:17 PM← My teaching responsibilities have included major and honors courses in the English Department and core courses in the Writing Department. In the English Department, courses in my specialty area include a survey of medieval British literature (ENG 220), which is a required major course, and an Honors College four-course team-taught sequence that explores the development of European culture called The Making of Europe (HNR 217, 218, 227, 228). The sequence covers the period from the fall of the Roman Empire to 1800, and I have taught the literature, writing and music components. While I have chosen the texts for the British Literature course, those for The Making of Europe were selected by the entire MOE team.← In the Writing Department, the junior/senior Writing in the Disciplines (WRT 305), described as a “rising junior” course, is required for students who need to strengthen their skills in order to be able to succeed in upper level coursework, and is chosen as an elective by proficient students interested in writing improvement. The first-year Strategies in Writing (WRT 150) is the single writing course required of all students. The department has structured this course with a unique portfolio grading system that requires students to meet objective standards, because their work is graded by two or three professors who are part of a Portfolio Committee. A preparatory course, Writing with a Purpose (WRT 098), is taken by students who believe that they need more work on basic skills in order to succeed in WRT 150. All three of these courses include one or more texts, which I have selected, and are assigned to alternating lecture and lab classrooms.← I truly love to teach, and consider myself fortunate to be able to combine my excitement for literature with an urge to help young people succeed in learning. I particularly enjoy inventing creative ways to motivate and encourage students to do their best work and to think of themselves as scholars. Always seeking a better means of clarifying a concept or presenting a difficult technique, I continue to update my skills by attending conferences and workshops that will enrich my teaching and improve my courses.←←←

2. Teaching and Learning Philosophy 2/27/11 5:17 PM← I see each student as a “unique and unrepeatable person” interested in learning, who needs assistance with discovering both “the how” (the process that works best for him or her) and “the what” (the course content) of the tasks of analyzing literature and writing essays. In the literature courses, I try to foster a true love of the written word by encouraging students to slow down and savor the text—its idea, its characters, its humor or pathos, its metaphoric beauty, and its compositional structure. In The Making of Europe III, for instance, after students have finished Book I of Edmund Spenser’s Faerie Queene, they form teams, each with the task of searching the text for “facts” about the Redcrosse Knight, Una, Archimago, Duessa, and Orgoglio, in order to help them develop a sense of the primacy of the source material, and to free them to make their own conclusions before engaging with secondary sources. Since the plan of The Making of Europe incorporates specialized areas (literature, art, music, and philosophy) within a broad historical view, I encourage the students to connect their character to the art and music of Elizabethan England. Here a collaborative approach to learning is emphasized.← In the British Literature survey course, which tends to be directed more toward the acquisition of knowledge, I have tried to affect a challenging, collegial approach. After examining the palindromic structure of Marie de France’s “The Lay of Bisclavret,” for example, the class works together to draft a visual rendering of a similar structure, Chaucer’s The Pardoner’s Tale. The exercise concretizes for non-English majors the formal concepts expected to be presented to English majors, and at the same time helps everyone to appreciate Chaucer’s comprehensive text construction. This is known in contemporary jargon as “teaching so everyone can learn.” I have found that students who have been challenged to tease out a structure or a continuing metaphor, to recognize a theme or analyze a portion of a poem will usually succeed without much assistance. As they do this, they “win” a justifiable pride that generates confidence in themselves as scholars and permits the tackling of even more sophisticated projects that point toward advanced scholarship and the professional world.

← In the writing courses, which primarily concentrate on academic writing, I begin by developing interested peer review groups and engage them in writing that draws upon personal relationships. In the Strategies in Writing course, for example, students read a classic model about childhood fear, and then craft a narrative that tells of an event in their own childhood when they were lost or confused. Although my immediate aim is to produce a diagnostic piece that I can use for fine-tuning the course, on a higher level there is a social goal to enable students to see each other as beautiful, but vulnerable, persons who can help and be helped to be better writers. I have designed a PowerPoint that explains good methods of critiquing. As students progress in their writing, I encourage them to actualize their connectedness to each other by moving from a strictly personal view to “the larger view” of humanity so that their writing will have universal appeal. Along with an interest in the relational aspect of our class meetings, I seek to maintain high academic standards, which the students can achieve with diligence and the help of valued peers. ← In Writing in the Disciplines, which attracts students with distinctly different needs, I have alternated the student-centered approach of peer groupings with teacher-centered instruction that addresses grammar and usage concerns. Although here, too, most of the assigned work is academic writing, I build upon the students’ previous studies in their major disciplines, and because the number of students taking the course as seniors has steadily increased, make a concerted effort to connect to the workplace. To that end, I have added an interview with a person in the student’s major area that becomes an interview essay, a mock interview lesson and the writing of a resume and cover letter. I invite a representative from Career Services to speak to our class each semester, and have been delighted to discover that some students have been offered jobs and internships because of this assignment. More than any other course, this one requires that my teaching reach students with various levels of preparation.← I hope that these examples have served to demonstrate my philosophy that professors educate the whole person as they strive to prepare students to be caring, thinking and useful community members.

3. Teaching Methods and Strategies 2/27/11 5:17 PM← All of my courses involve several essential components: a syllabus (Appendix A), a daily agenda (Appendix B), the introduction of new material, supporting visuals and class discussion. In the composition courses, there is also peer review of writing. The objective of each class determines how these components are used, and they are sometimes supplemented by guest presentations.← Since good organization of course material is key to student learning, I try to lay things out very clearly. The daily agenda helps me manage class time, but more importantly serves as a guide for the student and a reminder of what is expected for the next class. Students in the freshman composition course particularly appreciate it, because they are sometimes struggling to balance time and task. New material is presented in various ways: sometimes with text or lecture (British Literature), but more often by way of a handout and discussion (writing classes). I have spent a great deal of time preparing PowerPoint presentations to enrich the study of medieval and Early Modern literature, to give clear information on MLA and APA formats for the writing classes, and to make the learning of “dry material” fun. For Strategies in Writing, I have created an MLA Jeopardy game, which students enjoy playing in teams. ← I have incorporated Blackboard (Bb) technology and my own website, gaillardia.org, into classes as well and am setting up LectureTools. I have used the Bb journal component with The Making of Europe IV course, and found that it enabled me to raise the level of discussion. It was particularly useful for our study of four plays of Shakespeare. An example taken from my Strategies in Writing course demonstrates how collaborative writing can enrich student writing. I have an assignment to write an evaluation essay, using models from A Guide to First-Year Writing published annually by the Writing Department. Students work together online in groups to select the work to be evaluated (a live performance, a piece of literature, a movie, an exhibit, a sculpture, or a class presentation), and then experience the event together. They determine the evaluation criteria, divide up the task, gather information through research and interviews, and share their work; but each student must write an individual paper. Students seem to like this assignment very much.

← Our university affords many opportunities to enrich my courses. I have taken my classes to live presentations, to a one-woman show about Montgomery, Alabama in the 1960s, to a very fine production of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, and to a talk by a visiting scholar. I have invited the retired Wig Master of the Grand Rapids Opera and a surviver of the Nazi occupation of Holland to give classroom presentations, which students evaluate for practice. The four professors of The Making of Europe class took the classes to Chicago to visit The Art Institute and the Chicago Symphony as a way of deepening the study of Medieval and Early Modern art and music. I hope by these means to spark an interest in writing and literature that carries well beyond our course.

4. The Portfolio Grading System 2/27/11 5:17 PM← The General Education Program at Grand Valley State University requires students to take a freshman writing course (Strategies in Writing—WRT 150), a junior composition course (Writing in the Disciplines—WRT 305) and two Supplemental Writing Skills (SWS) courses. A course is designated SWS when it requires intensive writing, revision, and includes at least four hours of writing instruction. Both British Literature I and The Making of Europe are SWS courses.← The Portfolio System is used in Strategies in Writing. Students must submit a portfolio containing three finished pieces of writing that represent their capabilities as writers. One or more of these must demonstrate the student’s ability to do scholarly research and documentation. The portfolio is read and evaluated by at least two members of a team of professors, including the student’s own professor. The department mean for portfolio grades is 2.6 (according to the 2003 statistical analysis). My portfolio averages have exceeded the department mean every semester that I have taught Strategies in Writing, and many of my students have had their work chosen for inclusion in A Guide to First-yest Writing at Grand Valley State University.

5. Evaluating My Teaching 2/27/11 5:17 PM← At Grand Valley, student evaluations for the English and Writing Departments were devised by the English Department and are completed by the students on Bb. At least one question on the form does not apply to the reality of the writing situation. (Students in Strategies in Writing, for instance, are asked to evaluate graded quizzes and tests, although the portfolio system does not have them.) The following table summarizes the mean scores for two questions that give evidence of my teaching effectiveness for the courses that I taught.←

← #9 “. . .has increased my knowledge” W04 F04 W05 F05← ← British Literature I (ENG 220) 94% NA * NA ←← Strategies in Writing (WRT 150) NA 83% NA NA ←← Writing in the Disciplines (WRT 305) 84% NA 89% 90.9%←←← * The English Department eliminated this question from its evaluation form.

←

← #10 “. . . overall quality of the course” W04 F04 W05 F05←← British Literature (ENG 220) 81% NA * NA←← Strategies in Writing (WRT 150) NA 89% NA NA←← Writing in the Disciplines (WRT 305) 87% NA 83% 77%

←← Since two of the courses that I teach, Strategies in Writing and Writing in the Disciplines, are outside of my specialty area, I have included a third question that deals with course content.←

← #5 “knowledgeable of the subject area” W04 F04 W05 F05←← British Literature (ENG 220) 100% NA * NA ←← Strategies in Writing (WRT 150) NA 100% NA NA←← Writing in the Disciplines (WRT 305) 98% NA 100% 99%

←← At the end of the semester, when students are asked “What was the best part of this course for you?” they usually point to my passion and enthusiasm about literature, the clarity of explanation, their growth as writers, their peer groups, my feedback, vocal technology, and the daily agenda. Typical comments critiquing my teaching include “being willing to work with students,” “sticks the writer to doing it right,” “very helpful and understanding and just a caring teacher,” and “concerned for the students [sic] educational needs.” Some general comments that indicate teaching strength include the following:←← Overall, most appreciated class taken here at GVSU. (Winter 2004)←← Her passion for literature really sparked my interest and encouraged← me to think more critically. (Fall 2005)←← The best part of this class was that the Professor was more ← knowledgeable in her subject than any professor I have experienced← at Grand Valley. (Fall 2005)←← The thing I liked best about the class was how much the professor← helped us with our papers by wrting [sic] thorough comments and← talking about overall problems in class. (Fall 2009)←← I really liked how Sister Lucia used voice comments to give feedback.← It was much easier to understand what she wanted me to do. ← (Fall 2010)←

← In writing, some students find it hard to “stretch beyond” into a real reworking of the paper. The following student’s comment reflects that conflict:←← The strictness of the class is what helped me the most. At first I ← looked at it negatively, but its [sic] probably what has helped me← become better. (Fall 2005)←← Many students realize when they get their grades that my urgings propelled them to do much better than they thought that they could do. They understand, then, that my paper comments, which they thought were “strict” because they required that something be redone, actually “prepared me for the portfolio committee,” and that←← all of the pushing toward better diction, paragrapgh [sic] structure,← and sentence variety has taken me to the next level with my writing.← (Fall 2004)←← I continue, however, to work at finding ways to let students know gently that they need to rewrite, revise and edit their writing, and am grateful to one kind person who wrote that I ought to change “you,” as in “you are wrong,” to “this,” as in “this may be the wrong way to state that,” to avoid putting students on the defensive. I have taken the advice to heart.← One final comment by a student who lets me know that I am contributing in some small way to future scholarship:←← The best part of the class was the opportunity to hone my writing← skills. This class also helped me improve my confidence in my ability← to write at a level that is required and necessary at the graduate← level. (Fall 2005)

6. Motivating Students to Improve 2/27/11 5:17 PM← In the British Literature class, I have students work in teams on group presentations, which affords them—especially the English Education majors—the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and skills that they have acquired beyond our class. When we were studying Book I of Spenser’s Faerie Queene, for example, each team was given responsibility for examining a different character and presenting an assessment to the class. The class then critiqued the presentations. I am planning to use the writing activity in the new LectureTools to draw out those students who are reluctant to speak in class.← When I first began teaching Strategies in Writing, I observed a need for improvement in two distinctly different areas: imaginative thinking and generosity of spirit. Many students seemed to struggle with analogic reasoning, a basic writing skill, and I wanted to devise a way to help them begin to make parallels. At the same time, I was aware that some students remained uninvolved in the peer review process, which was unfair to those who gave of themselves willingly. I decided to use classroom organization to leverage both of these problems. ← I asked the class to imagine itself as a fleet of ships with each peer review session as a voyage. The students named their ships. I changed my PowerPoint on critiquing to incorporate only nautical terms and constructed an extended analogy: the writer became the captain; the peer review group, the ship; the paper, the map; the outline, the itinerary. We went to exotic places. Eventually I incorporated the mounted camera technology so that slides of historic ships accompanied our “getting on board.” It worked like magic. Students took possession of their ships. One even took a parrot on board. They named me the Admiral of the Fleet and began to email with imaginative comments attached to serious discussions of “dry” things like the Works Cited format. I enabled the Bb Discussion Board and away we went: topics got more investigative, papers were given thorough attention in peer review, and rewrites improved. My colleagues joined in by sending photographs of famous ships for the class. We even held an online regatta. I was delighted and have continued to use this method of motivating students, both in Strategies in Writing and in Writing in the Disciplines. Although there have been a few skeptics, the following comments are typical:←

← Being put into a “ship” was good because it forced us to get to know← one another. You became friends over the course of the semester,← encouraged one another, motivated each other, and mostly had fun← together. (Fall 2004)←← I think that the best part of the class was getting to work with the← other students in my train. I was able to benefit greatly from this← class and I learned a lot about my writing skills and how to improve← them. (Fall 2005)←← The best part of the class was being put into ships. It allowed the ← students to interact with one another and help one another as well.← (Fall 2010)←← I do believe that for many students the strongest motivation to “stretch beyond” is trusted peer opinion that is sincerely given. The ships and trains idea helps students build trust while strengthening their analogic reasoning skills. ← I also try to motivate students by articulating clear expectations that are reasonable, but challenging. They know that I honor the Writing Department attendance policy, and that I anticipate that their work will be on time and their writing done thoughtfully. The Portfolio grading system presupposes that drafts will be revised several times before a paper is in final form. I have carried this over to The Making of Europe, British Literature I, and Writing in the Disciplines, grading both the draft and final.

7. Contract Observation 2/27/11 5:17 PM

8. Improving My Teaching 2/27/11 5:17 PM← At mid-semester, I solicit anonymous evaluations that I use to make changes that will improve student learning. The comments that I receive, as well as those on the university evaluations, also help me to understand my own strengths and weaknesses. Some recent contributions that were incorporated into the classes include:

Opening the Discussion Board on Bb, Increasing the amount of lab time for those in writing classes that

meet only two days a week, Eliminating reading logs, and Announcing the interview essay assignment six-weeks ahead so

that students have more time to set it up.← I have also had the benefit of strong university programs and department workshops that have presented best practices. In my early days at Grand Valley, I was a member of the Faculty Associates, a small group that met monthly to talk about our teaching. The members represented different disciplines: Spanish, art history, biology, and two of us from writing. We discussed anything that anyone wished to explore, including teaching effectiveness, exam preparation and grading, student evaluations, housing conditions, pay, scholarly writing, union membership, and more. We were able to ask questions and share problems that we might not have wanted to voice in our own departments for fear of appearing inept. I found it a very helpful support.← Many of the techniques that have worked well for me were first suggested by colleagues. The training of students for critiquing, for instance, grew out of a talk given at Grand Valley and a presentation I attended in New York given by a Pace University professor. The members of the various Portfolio Committees on which I have served have been extraordinarily generous with their creative ideas and willing to offer constructive criticism in the area of course design, pedagogical technique, and writing standards.

← I continue to grow in my area of Medieval and Early Modern literature by reading journals, attending conferences, presenting papers, and connecting with other medievalists via e-mail. I maintain a membership in the Society for the Study of Women in the Renaissance, and attend the International Congress of Medieval Studies conference in Kalamazoo when I can. “The zoo,” as it is affectionately known, has had a strong influence on my teaching of both British Literature and The Making of Europe. In addition to scholarly discussion of the highest caliber, I have had the opportunity to learn of recent trends in the teaching of Anglo-Saxon literature, to take workshops in the proper pronunciation of Middle English, to present my own research, to peruse the most recent books and CDs, to purchase important out-of-print standard texts, and one year, to be present at the announcement of the discovery of the identity of the scribe of the Hengwrt manuscript of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.← I have not neglected to work on upgrading my technical skills. I regularly take courses offered by our Information Technology Department including the following:

Getting Ready for Bb 9.1 (2010) Wimba Classroom (2010) Office 07 for Labs and Classroom Transition (2008) Social Bookmarking and Personalizing Web Browser Homepages

(2008) Using RSS Feeds wit Bb (2007) Creating Learning Modules (2007) Using Student Journals to Promote Student Learning (2005) Productive Thinking and Introduction to Podcasting and United

Streaming (2005)← I found the journals course to be particularly useful, and enabled the Bb technology during the second semester of The Making of Europe, with very rewarding results. Wimba voice technology has changed the way I respond to student writing.

← In my teaching of writing, I have grown to the point where I know the basic techniques necessary for assisting students to write well-structured, well-focused, informative papers that have been properly documented. I have begun to work on ways to deal with some of the tricky aspects of writing, like pushing students to deeper inquiry, or moving beyond concepts like “appeal” and “the ABC test of logic,” to a real comprehension of “synthesis” and “oppositional analogy.” In my literature courses, I am ready to discard some of the lectures for dialogic interaction if—and this is an important if—I can motivate the students to do the reading at the assigned time and not just before exams. ← My goals for improvement this year include the following items:←

I hope to increase student involvement and ownership of the learning experience in the classroom.

← I am continuing to work on the perception by some students that I

am unapproachable, a stereotype that is sometimes applied to religious, but is not held by students who know me or have worked with me on their papers.

← I am on the lookout for humorous stories to incorporate into my

presentations.

9. Student Papers 2/27/11 5:17 PM← I am proud of the superior work that many students have done, and have included some representative pieces here.←

Debbie O’ Brien’s portfolio of three essays was chosen to be included in the 2010-2011 A Guide to First-Year Writing at Grand Valley State University, which is published annually by our Writing Department. Here a PDF of the first page of her evaluation essay.

←

Todd Miedema’s portfolio was included in the 2009-2010 edition of A Guide to First-Year Writing at Grand Valley State University. Here is a PDF of the opening page of his narrative essay.

Kyle Koenigsknecht’s report “Google Books: Is it Legit?” was chosen for the 2008-2009 A Guide to First-Year Writing at Grand Valley State University. Here is the opening page.

Testimonials from Former Students 2/27/11 5:17 PM← I have included emails that I have received from former students.

←← From: Courtney Slagter slagterc@mail.gvsu.edu← To: "Sr. Lucia Treanor" treanol@gvsu.edu← Date: Thursday - December 23, 2010 5:17 PM ←

← Hi Sister Lucia,←I just wanted to thank you for all your help this semester. I felt like youreally worked us hard, and it payed off. You motivated me to try hard andget a good grade. Thank you for your dedication to your students! Also Iadmired that you showed your faith, by saying you would pray and even justyour attitude, in a a public place. Being a Christian, it was nice to hearsomeone else talk about God, because I feel like not many people do aroundGrand Valley. Thanks again and Merry Christmas!Courtney Slagter←← From: Lance Beaudry lancebeaudry@gmail.com ← To: “Sr. Lucia Treanor” treanol@gvsu.edu← Date: Friday – April 24, 2009 3:42 PM← Subject: Re: WRT 150: GVWRT150.22.200920←← Hey thanks a lot Sister Lucia. That means a lot to me. It was great being in your class. I can tell I am much better writer because of it and I even like writing a lot more now.← Sincerely,← Lance Beaudry←← From: Christopher Hollis chrishollis18@gmail.com← Date: Wednesday – January 21, 2009← To: Sister Lucia Treanor treanol@gvsu.edu

← Subject: Re: Sister Lucia←← Sister Lucia,←← . . . I must say thank you for all you did for me when I was under your care as a student. I am still wielding skills that I made sharp while attending your training. As a result I have no doubt that I was able to attain better grades had I taken WRT 150 with someone else or at a later date. You were the first teacher to give me any real one on one time and feedback and I truly say thank you. Please call on me if ever I am able to aid you in class or even if your car is stuck in a ditch. . .← Take care. God bless.← Christopher Hollis←← From: Stew Carrier mustang_stew@yahoo.com← To: Sister Lucia Treanor← Date: Wednesday – February 4, 2004← Subject: GREAT CLASS!!!←← Dear Sister Lucia,←← As a professor you may not hear this as often as you should, but I wanted to tell you that I had a great time in class today. This was the first class I’ve had at GVSU that I could actually sit back and say to myself, “WOW! I think I just learned something important!”←← The emotion and enthusiasm that you showed to us just helped me realize how wonderful of a prof you really are. Seeing that you love the material makes me really want to learn more about it. It’s great to see genuine qualities in a person now a days, [sic] you truly did a wonderful job in class today. I appreciate your hard work in class, I’ll do my best to work hard for you as well.←

← Well I’m going to find a translation for the Canterbury Tales. I need to read this stuff and understand it. I really enjoyed you reading to us, you really made it sound interesting so I figure I might as well read most of it as well.←← Thanks for the great class,← Stew←

11. Evidence of Scholarly Activities 2/27/11 5:17 PM← Publications

← Book: Wings: Palindromic Structure in Franciscan Writings of the

Late Middle Ages. Lampeter, Ceredigion, Wales, UK: The Edwin Mellen Press, Ltd., 2011. Forthcoming.

Book Review: “Mary Douglas’s Thinking in Circles: An Essay in RingComposition.” The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 67.2.

(Spring 2009): 254-56.

Book Review: “James Shapiro’s A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare: 1599.” Early Theatre 10.1. (Spring 2007): 163-66. The opening page appears below.

Essay: “The Cross as te in ‘The Canticle of Creatures,’ Dante’s ‘Virgin Mother,’ and Chaucer’s ‘Invocation to Mary.’” Dante and The Franciscans. Ed. Santa Casciani. Boston: Brill, 2006. 229-88.

←

← Presentations ←

“Enhancing the Writing Experience,” Michigan Academy of Science, Arts and Letters, March, 2011, Saginaw Valley State University, Saginaw, MI

“The Palindromic Structure of Aquinas’s Adoro devote,” International Congress on Medieval Studies, May 2008, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI

“Flannery O’Connor’s Creative Way of Introducing Mary Ann,” “Flannery O’Connor in the Age of Terrorism: An Academic Conference on Violence and Grace,” October 2006, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI

“Marie de France and the Wolf of Gubbio,” Society for the Study of Women in the Renaissance, April 2003, The City University of New York, NYC

“The Centered Text” Versions I, II, III, Department of Italian, Medieval Studies Program, Comparative Literature Program, and the Catholic Studies Program, 2000-2002, Georgetown University, Washington, DC

← Evidence of the Impact of My Scholarly Work ←← Here are some emails that relate to my writing.←

From: Esther Schupak yebschupak@gmail.comTo: <treanol@gvsu.edu> Date: Tuesday - December 7, 2010 9:00 AM Subject: Question about J. Shapiro's 1599

Dear Sister Treanor,

I am a graduate student and am in the process of preparing an oralpresentation about microhistory, with reference to James Shapiro's *A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare:  1599.* I read your review of this book with a great deal of interest, but was somewhat puzzled by your closing comment:  "It's fragility . . . derives from its concentration on one year. We hope that the author will soon return to his spinning with no limit to the pattern of his web." I would very much appreciate it if you could explain to me what you meant.Thank you for your help.Best wishes,Esther SchupakBar Ilan University, Israel >>> "Smith, Macklin" <macklins@umich.edu> 05/20/09 8:57 AM >>>

Hi again, Sister Lucia~

I enjoyed looking at your sample from the Prologue!  Not sure I'd insist on the pun of "to" and "two," for example, but in the main I think you're right on target with all the word play and framing.  It's an underappreciated component of Langland's art, and wit.  Where I write about the "that oon dooth" line is in: 'Did Langland Read the Lignum vitae?' in Writers Reading Writers: Intertextual Studies in Medieval and Early Modern Literature in Honor of Robert Hollander, ed. by Janet Levarie Smarr (Newark: University of Delaware Press, 2007), pp. 149-182.

Am attaching the file, based on Matsushita, of 10 (7, really) chiastic ab|ba lines in the B Version.  I was unaware of these when I gave my recent talk at Kalamazoo.  Also interesting is how L uses frame alliteration to create these sorts of patterns.All best,Macklin

Macklin SmithDirector of Undergraduate StudiesDepartment of EnglishUniversity of Michigan

12. University Service 2/27/11 5:17 PM← For the past eight years, I have been the faculty adviser for a university organization, Students for Life. Our annual activities have included the following:

a fall training retreat, an fundraiser for the local pregnancy crisis center, monthly tabling in the Student Center, participation in 40 Days for Life, a trip to Washington, D. C. for a weekend conference of Students for

Life of America and the March for Life, and Fire and Ice Week.

← The last involves several activities: a candlelight vigil with the testimony of a post abortive woman who

attended GVSU, a Cemetery of the Innocents, a movie (Bella, Maafa 21, Blood Money), a pro-life speaker, and usually a debate between a well-known Pro-life speaker and a

Pro-abortion speaker.← Our exit polling shows the success of these projects. On occasion, we have had to deal with a reactionary pro-life group that visits our campus and undermines our work. Supported by the president of our university, we have strongly opposed their tactics. This spring we will be hosting the Students for Life of Michigan annual conference.← For at least six years, I have also advised the Catholic Students Association. Each month the group volunteers to come out to the campus of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist to help with our 230 acre farm. Some of the students have also assisted with Theology of the Body retreats. Most years I have prepared a talk or served on a panel:

“Exploring Vocations” (with Sr. Damien Marie and Fr. Tony Pelak-2005)

“Everything You Wanted to know about Being a Catholic, but Were Afraid to Ask” (panel-2006)

“The Liturgy of the Hours” (2008) “A Conversation about Purity” (campus-wide talk-2009) “The Easy Way: Private Morality and Public Policy 1960-2010”

(campus wide anniversary address-2011)

← In addition, I have served as an interviewer for the Grand Valley State University Scholarship Competition for several years. With a colleague, I assess the relative merits of several scholarship applicants after interviewing them for 20 minutes.

← At the request of President Murray, I assisted with the organization of a reception for the newly appointed Catholic chaplain and met with a group of Catholic faculty members. As a member of the Interfaith Council, I have attended monthly luncheon meetings, and participated in the Conference Day. This year, the council, in conjunction with the Office of Student Life, was able to prepare a non-denominational Meditation Room for students in our Student Center. ← For the Honors College, I gave a short presentation about writing courses recommended for Honors College students at one of the summer Orientation Night picnics, and this year I have been invited to participate in several weeks of Freshman Orientation. At the request of my department chair, I am currently writing a new course in writing for the Honors College.← I regularly attend the Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Conference in August, the Shakespeare Festival, and other presentations given at the university. ←

←

Appendix A 2/27/11 5:17 PM← Appendix A: Course Syllabus←← WRITING 305: Writing in the Disciplines←← Sister Lucia Treanor, F. S. E. Winter 2011← Office: 334 Lake Ontario Hall Section 06: M/W 4:30-5:45← Office Hours: Mondays 2:30-4:00 176 LMH← Office Telephone: 331-8543 Home Telephone: 897-5220← email: treanol@gvsu.edu (before 6 p. m.)←← WRT 305 is intended to help juniors and seniors brush up on their writing skills so they can do their best in upper-level coursework and the early part of their careers. Students are generally "placed" into the course based on an assessment conducted by faculty in their department or college, but some simply elect to take it. The course includes academic-style writing (research papers, etc.) and professional writing (reports, memos, etc.), and covers identifying an audience, establishing a purpose, properly documenting sources, and editing for grammar, punctuation, word choice, and spelling. By the end, the student should be able to complete important writing projects in the university and on the job. As adult writers who are now focusing on particular courses and careers, students in WRT 305 are highly motivated to write as well as possible.←← THREE CONCURRENT THREADS←← 1) Readings and lectures that highlight important concepts in effective academic and professional communication. Good writers are aware of general principles and behaviors that contribute to their success. The more students know about them, the more successful they will be in their own writing. This is the "content" portion of the course.←

← 2) Activities that help students do as well as possible in the writing projects they face now or will face in the next few months. Rather than assigned papers, there will be activities to help prepare for writing beyond WRT 305. Students will identify one substantial writing project that will form the basis of several key WRT 305 assignments and activities. This is the "practice" portion of the course.←← 3) Exercises that help students become more skilled at the mechanics of writing--grammar, punctuation, word choice, spelling, and documentation. For the most part, students will complete these on their own. When I notice that a large number of students are struggling with particular editing areas, I will take time in class to review those areas and assign followup exercises. This is the "skill" portion of the course.←← Students in WRT 305 are exposed to challenging reading material. They will learn to develop a writing process that helps them accomplish serious writing tasks, from prewriting, planning and drafting to revising and editing. They will consult with a professor in their major discipline. Students must receive a grade of C or better (not a C-) to pass the course.

←← REQUIRED TEXTS AND READINGS: ←← Andrea A. Lunsford, Easy Writer. 4th edition. Bedford/St. Martin’s (2010)←← The Easy Writer web site at http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/easywriter3e/←← Bb: essays posted under “Readings” and useful “External Links” ←← ASSIGNMENTS:←

← Most of the WRT 305 assignments will be fairly short and in the form of quizzes and exercises. Here is an overview, organized according to the “three threads":

1) Content: Over the course of the term, much of our time will focus on important writing-related principles and/or readings that highlight them. After I present writing-related concepts and principles, you will complete followup quizzes that ensure that you have internalized the material. When I assign sample readings (student essays, scholarly articles, and professional documents), you will complete reading quizzes before class to ensure that you have read carefully and are prepared for class. In addition to these routine assignments, you will begin and end the semester by completing an "inventory" of your writing skills and strategies; you will complete brief analyses of student writing and published scholarly writing; and you will complete a documentation exercise in one of the main citation formats.

Writing Skills Inventory #1 (Bb survey)15 Presentation Quizzes (Bb quizzes)10 Reading Quizzes (Bb quizzes)Rhetorical Analysis Worksheet #1 (on a student paper)Rhetorical Analysis Worksheet #2 (on a student paper)Rhetorical Analysis Worksheet #3 (on a scholarly article)Documentation Exercise (based on sources I provide)Writing Skills Inventory #2 (Bb survey)

2) Practice: Early in the term, I will ask you to identify one substantial writing project (perhaps one from another current class, or one related to a future class, or one related to your career or job search) on which you will base a cluster of required activities. We'll call this cluster of activities your "Process Log." First, because all good writers must understand what their own goals are, you will write me a memo that details the rhetorical parameters of your project. You will also maintain a record (or "log") that describes all of the work you do to complete the substantial writing project you have chosen. You will consult with a professor or local professional about your writing project--and compose a follow-up e-mail that summarizes what you learned from the meeting. In addition to this cluster of assignments related to this

one substantial project, I will ask you periodically to write informally in class on topics related to your readings or other issues raised in class. And finally, in order to assess your general progress as a writer, I will assign two out-of-class writing assignments modeled after the WRT 305 placement essays that have beenused at GVSU over the past ten years.

Process-Log Contract (following a format I provide)Writing-Project Memo (following a format I provide)Four-Part Process Log (following a format I provide)E-mail to a professor or local professional based on a scheduled consultation10 Freewrites (following a format I provide)Midterm Essay Assignment (through Bb)Final Exam Essay Assignment (through Bb)

3) Skill: You will begin the term by completing a comprehensive diagnostic test on grammar, punctuation, and other writing skills. Then, during the course of the term, you will review sections of Easy Writer and complete many short exercises based on what researchers have identified as the 20 most common errors that students and other writers make in their writing. When it appears that a large number of you are struggling with particular areas, I will take time in class to review the material and assign follow-up exercises. Then, at the end of the term, you will complete another comprehensive diagnostic test, one that will show you how much you have improved in these areas!

Diagnostic Test A (through Bb)30 sets of exercises (through Bb)10 sets of follow-up exercises (through Bb)6 in-class follow-up activitiesDiagnostic Test B (through Bb)←← SUMMARY OF POLICIES:←

← Preparation: You need to keep up with the assignment schedule and come to class prepared for the quizzes and the lesson discussion. Please do the readings thoughtfully, consult Bb and prepare your papers with care. Remember to bring necessary materials to class, including your book and folders due.← Attendance: Regular attendance is required to succeed in WRT 305. According to the GVSU catalog, “In case of excessive absences, the instructor may refuse to grant credit for the course.” I will send you an email warning (to your student account) after the sixth absence. If you miss class or come unprepared after the warning, you may be putting yourself in a position to fail the course.← Midterm evaluation: The university requires midterm grade reports “for any undergraduate student in other than good standing.” The grades are mailed to your local address, but not recorded on your official transcript. In WRT 305, midterm grades are a general assessment of the overall quality of your work in the class up to that point.← Learning or Physical Disabilities: If you have special needs because of a learning or physical disability, please contact the Office of Academic Support at 331-2490.← The Writing Center: The center offers a variety of services to our class. A walk-in service is available in 120 Lake Ontario Hall Mon.-Thurs. 9-8, Fri. 9-3, and Sun. 3-8. Call 331-2922. The Writing Center web site is http://www.gvsu.edu/wc.← Late papers: I will provide feedback on drafts of the out of class writing assignments that are turned in on time. If you need to turn a paper in late and would like written feedback, contact me ahead of time by email, and I will arrange an alternate due date. In order to pass the course, you must hand in all finished work by April 20 or you will fail the course.← Plagiarism: If you are unsure as to whether you are plagiarizing, acknowledge the source of your ideas. This issue is discussed on pages 190-92 of your text. Students will upload an electronic version of their papers.← Cell phones: Please be sure that your cell phone is turned off before entering the classroom, and it goes withous saying that texting druing class is not permitted.←← GRADING:

←← Here's how each assignment or set of assignments will be weighted to determine your final grade for the course. I may make a few minor adjustments along the way; if so, I will let you know. As I grade, I will post everything in the Bb gradebook so that you can follow along. If you ever have any questions or concerns about your grade, please let me know.

Writing Skills Inventory #1 (50 points, or 1%)Diagnostic Test A (75 points, or 1.5%)Exercises (about 50 sets altogether) (500 points, or 10%)Rhetorical Analysis Worksheet #1 (250 points, or 5%)Process-Log Contract (50 points)Writing-Project Memo (250 points)Rhetorical Analysis Worksheet #2 (250 points)Midterm Essay Assignment (500 points, or 10%)Documentation Exercise (300 points, or 6%)Rhetorical Analysis Worksheet #3 (300 points)Process-Log folders (800 points, or 16%)E-mail to a Professor (200 points, or 4%)15 Presentation Quizzes (300 points)10 Freewrites (200 points)10 Reading Quizzes (200 points)Diagnostic Test B (225 points, or 4.5% of your grade)Writing Skills Inventory #2 (50 points)Final Exam Essay (500 points)

5000 TOTAL POINTS

Important Note: Regardless of your point total, you must pass either the midterm essay or the final exam essay to be eligible for a C or better in WRT 305.← ← CLASS SCHEDULE← WRITING 305-Section 06←

← ← Week

← Monday (176 LMH) ← Wednesday (176 LMH)

← ← ←← 1 ← January 10

← Syllabus, class picture, elements of the course, grading. Assignment: Writing Skills Inventory #1, NWA Complaint Letter, and RQ#1. Purchase Easy Writer and letter-sized file folder with at least 50 ruled pages for in-class handwriting, binder.

← January 12← Before class WSI #1 and RQ #1. Results of the Writing Skills Inventory. Goals and emphases. Distribute and discuss the “Grade Expectations,” including key campus resources: Writing Center, library website. Discuss NWA Complaint Letter and quiz. “Audience is Everything” presentation. Assignment: PQ #1 and Diagnostic A.

← 2 ← January 17← Before class PQ #1 and Diagnostic A. Report on Diagnostic A. Discuss the Twenty Most Common Errors (table) and introduce exercises. Assignment: Ch. 7 (Verbs) and Ch. 8 (Subject-Verb Agreement) exercises (due 1/26).←

← January 19← Jon Stewart clip. “Why We Write” presentation. “Process” overview. Assign Process Log—including Course Inventory and Contract (due 2/2). FW #1 on your ideal vs. real writing process. Assignment: Complete PQ #2 after class (new), read “Withholding Nutrition,” and do RQ #2.

← 3 ← January 24←← No Class.

← January 26← RQ #2. Discuss “Withholding Nutrition.” FW # 2. Assign Rhetorical Analysis #1 (on student essay) (due 2/14). “Topic and Thesis” presentation. Assignment: Complete PQ #3 (“Thesis Statements” and “Introductions” exercises by Hacker). Fragments exercises

(due 1/31).

← 4 ← January 31← “Structure: Plan and Development” presentation. PQ #4 after class. FW #3 on your views and experiences with notetaking. Assignment: Ch 19. (Commas) exercises (due 2/7), read “Comparison of Highlighting…”.

← February 2← RQ #3. Reading #3: “Comparison of Highlighting and Note-Taking on the Basis of Test Performance” by Cynthia Harrison Boyd. Course Inventory and Contract due. Discuss recent exercises (run-ons and fragments). Followup exercises.

← 5 ← February 7← “Genre and Style” presentation. PQ #5. FW #4 on personas. Collect FW #1-4. Assign Ch. 22 (Apostrophes) exercises (due 2/14).

← February 9← Assign Writing Project Memo. Discuss recent Exercises (commas). Followup exercises. Assignment: RA #1, read “False Carrot,” apostrophes.

← 6 ← February 14← Rhetorical Analysis #1 due. Discuss Reading #4: “False Carrot.” FW #5 (new). Discuss recent exercises (apostrophes). Followup exercises. Assignment: Read “They’re Watching.”

← February 16← Writing Project Memo due. RQ #5. Discuss Reading #5: “They’re Watching” by Carson Fisher for WRT 150. FW #6 on electronic surveillance. Assignment: Read “Wasting Money.”

← 7 ← February 21← Discuss WRT 305 placement exam essays. Assign midterm essay. RQ #6. Discuss Reading #6: “Wasting Money on Gun Buyback Programs,” by Christopher A. Kierkus.← “Prewriting” presentation, including intro to research. PQ #6 after class.

← February 23← Midterm course evaluation. “Drafting” presentation. PQ #7 after class. FW #7 (index card draft). Collect FW #5-7. First possible day for Process Log submissions.

← 8 ← February 28← “Revising” presentation. PQ #8 after class. In class exercises that we have missed.←

← March 2← Midterm essay due via Bb and in class. Mark up essays.“Editing” presentation. PQ #9 after class. Assign Rhetorical Analysis #2 (due 3/16). Assignment: Read “The Devil Goes….”

← 9 ← March 7←←← Spring Break

← March 9←←← Spring Break

← 10

← March 14← RQ #7. Discuss Reading #7: “The Devil Goes to Day Care: McMartin and the Making of a Moral Panic,” by Mary de Young. Assignment: Ch. 17 (Parallelism) and Ch. 18 (Shifts) exercises (due 3/21), read Ch. 38 (“Conducting Research”) .

← March 16← Rhetorical Analysis Worksheet #2 due. Assign Rhetorical Analysis Worksheet #3 (on prof’s scholarly article) (due 4/6). “Conducting Research” presentation. PQ #10 (“Research Questions” exercise by Hacker) after class.← Assignment : Read Ch. 39 (“Evaluating Sources”).

← 11

← March 21← “Evaluating Sources” presentation. PQ #11 after class. Assign Ch. 20 (Semicolons) exercises (due 3/28).← Assignment : Read Ch. 42 (MLA Style) and Ch. 43 (APA Style).

← March 23← “MLA Style” presentation. PQ #13 after class. “APA Style” presentation. PQ #14 after class. Assignment: MLA or APA documentation exercise (due 3/30).

← 12

← March 28← Discuss recent exercises (colons and semi-colons, parallelism). Assign followup exercises, if necessary. Assign Ch. 10 (Modifiers) and Ch. 11 (Pronouns) exercises (due 4/4). Assignment: Read Ch. 40a-b (“Integrating Sources”).

← March 30← Documentation Exercise due. Review MLA and APA documentation exercises. “Integrating Sources” presentation. PQ #12 after class (Hacker). Assignment: Read “Cheating.”

← 13

← April 4← RQ #8. Discuss Reading #8: “Cheating During the College Years: How Do Business School Students Compare?” by Helen A. Klein, et al. Assign Ch. 32 (Diction) and Glossary of Usage exercises (due 4/11). Assignment: Read Ch. 40c-d (“Avoiding Plagiarism”) and “How Do Organic Chemistry…”.

← April 6← Rhetorical Analysis #3 due. “Plagiarism” presentation. FW #8 on plagiarism and ethics. Complete Presentation Quiz #15 after class (St. Martin’s tutorial on avoiding plagiarism).RQ #9. Discuss Reading #9: “How Do Organic Chemistry Students Understand and Apply Hydrogen Bonding?” by Julie Henderleiter, et al. FW #9. Assignment: Diagnostic B (due 4/13).

← 14

← April 11← Discuss recent exercises (modifiers, pronouns, usage). Followup exercises. FW #10. Collect FW #8-10. Assignment: Read Ch. 6 (“Making Oral and Multimedia Presentations”) and “Intelligence in the Classroom,” and do Writing Skills Inventory #2.

← April 13← Diagnostic B and WSI #2 due on Bb by midnight. “Presentations” presentation. RQ #10. Discuss Reading #10: “Intelligence in the Classroom” by Charles Murray. Consultation Email due. Assignment: Process Log binders (due 4/20).

← 15

← April 18 ← “Resumes and Cover Letters” presentation. Assign final exam essay. Share results of the Writing Skills Inventory and discuss what we’ve done over the semester.

← April 20← Last day for Process Log binders. Please deliver them to my office (334 LOH) during class time. Final essay workshop and discussion.

← 16

← April 25← Final exam due in my office (334 LOH) by class time.←

←

←

Appendix B 2/27/11 5:17 PM← Apprendix B: Daily Agenda←←← Agenda for WRT 150← February 14, 2011 ←←← 1. Crew inspects the log: “The Effect of E-Books on Reading” by Deborah← O’Brian (“Green Book” 125-32 or gaillardia.org)←← 2. Brief discussion of first full drafts (“Some Compositional Errors”) ←← 3. Ships will consider one map. Read it silently and answer the← questions on the "Report Peer Review Sheet." Discuss the map for← five minutes while the captain listens. Try to present the areas of the← topic about which you would like to know more. First mates take← notes. Give the notes to the captain..←← 4. Clarity and coherence (Ppt.)←← BREAK←← 5. How important are mechanics? Discussion of grading criteria ← --Characteristics of A-B-C-D papers (gaillardia.org)←← 6. Assignment due Wednesday, October 16th ← ← --Write the second draft of your report. Be sure that you have← matched the in-text citations to the “Works Cited.” Bring in a← copy for me and copies for your ship, if your map has not been← considered.

2/27/11 5:17 PM←

2/27/11 5:17 PM←