Fall 2007 Syllabus Creative Writing

Peru State College's Teacher Education Unit Conceptual Framework

Creating Exemplary Educators:
Reflective Decision-Makers

Course: Creative Writing, English 309

Time: On-Line Course, Eight Weeks

Professor: Bill Clemente

Office: FA 201

Office Hours:

8:30-11:00, TTH; 12:00-2:30 MW, 10:00-12:30 F
And by appointment

Office Telephone Number: (872)-2233

E-mail:

bclemente@oakmail.peru.edu;

(I check e-mail frequently and will get back to you as quickly as possible.)

Home Telephone Number: 872-3073 (Feel free to call)

Teaching Schedule:

8:00-9:15 MW (FA 205): Non-Western Literature

9:30-10:45 MW (TJM 326): History of the English Language

Non-Western Literature (On Line, First Eight Weeks)

Creative Writing (On Line, Second Eight Weeks)

Web page: Click h ere. Click on "Bill's Personal Web Page"

Required Texts:

A College-Level Dictionary

The Creative Writing Guide by Schaefer and Diamond

Road Trip: Conversations with Writers by Shelly Clark and Marjorie Saiser.

Please pay close attention to class announcements, for the information collected here is subject to change over the course of the term.

Course Description and Objectives:

Requiring NO formal training in or experience with creative writing, English 309 introduces you to three major genres of literature, Poetry, Non-Fiction, and Fiction. This eight-week course follows as much as possible the patterns and assignments established in a traditional Creative Writing course.

Beyond making you better writers, this class seeks to enhance your appreciation of the form and content of literature by giving due consideration to topics such as technique, figurative language, structure, tone, point of view, voice, etc. To that end, you will not only write a good deal of literature, but you will also read and discuss numerous poems and short stories contained in The Creative Writing Guide and in various handouts. You will learn, among other things, to distinguish between simple and sophisticated literature.

And Clark and Sasier's Road Trip includes excellent literature by noted Nebraska writers, from State Poet Bill Kloefkorn to fiction writer Jonis Agee. We will read and discuss most of this text over the course of the term.

As you will discover, Nebraska has no short supply of noted writers, including the country's Poet Laureate, Ted Kooser, who visited our campus the spring of 2005. This semester we will talk about Kooser's weekly poems he offers through American Life in Poetry, a project he devloped as United States Poet Laureate, a series he continues to offer.

A good deal of class time on the internet will be devoted to discussion and analysis of published literature as well as your fellow writers' work. To accomplish this task, you will publish some work each week on the Discussion Threads so that everyone in the class can enjoy your accomplishments.

You will do a great deal of your writing for this class, and as the previous paragraph notes, you will also share your literary creations with other members of the group. I will post on the class web site as much of your writing as possible--and your revisions. This vehicle will allow you to read at your own leisure you fellow writers' work. And you will have the class blog to publish your own work. Just click here to take a look at what others have written. The blog also contains work by writers outside the class, including samples of material from elementary school students! This class, in other words, provides you ample opportunity to share your with with others.

We will also take advantage of other electronic forms of communication, including Blackboard Discussions, e-mail, and the class blog, Creative Writing Fever.

Over the course of the semester, you will write poems, and at least one non-fiction essay and a short story. Through close readings and various exercises, Creative Writing underscores the wonder of language, the sound and the sense of words.

Far from undertaking the task of making each of you a professional writer, this class has as its goal to familiarize you with the dynamics of imaginative literature, the synergy of form and content, with what makes a particular work effective--you will better appreciate why you like, say, "Fern Hill" by Dylan Thomas, for you will understand HOW Thomas makes his poem so successful. And you will feel more comfortable explaining the "how" of the matter to other writers if and when you become teachers.

To do well in English 309 requires neither that you are a published author nor that you have written numerous poems and stories. The central requirements for this class are interest, enthusiasm, openness to criticism, and a willingness to experiment.

As much as possible, Creative Writing is a discussion-based, work-shop orientated class, providing you with the opportunity to express your ideas and to learn from and to help your fellow writers.

You should give serious consideration to submitting work from this semester for possible publication in Peru State's literary journal, The Sifting Sands, which awards cash prizes for best poems, essays, and short stories. In the past years, members of Creative Writing have won numerous prizes. Keep in mind, too, that the school newspaper, the Peru State Times, often prints poems by writers in this class.

Numerous creative events, such as The Nebraska Literature Festival will take place this term; I also hope to have a couple poets, including Rich Wyatt, come to Peru State as part of our on-going Creative Writing Series. I will keep you informed when these and another activities occur. In the Spring of 2006, for example, Charles Fort visited our campus; and last fall Rich Wyatt and Greg Kosmicki read. Click here to see information about Peru State College's Creative Writing Series.

In other words, this class offers you the opportunity to learn a good deal about literature and to have a good time doing so. So aim to work and play hard.

Other Objectives:

One of the primary goals of the English Department is to graduate literate citizens who can communicate clearly and who posses the requisite experience to teach effectively. Creative Writing provides students not only a greater appreciation for literature but also the confidence necessary to incorporate creative exercises into their school curricula. Whether or not students choose certification, the course emphasizes the sophistication and the flexibility of language, both grammar and style, and deepens their appreciation for all forms of writing.

While pushing students to cultivate their imaginations, the course also supports the institution in its efforts to educate about diversity and to nurture a multi-cultural perspective. The poetry, non-fiction, and fiction the students read includes both authors from throughout the world--from Japan to Nigeria, from Chile to St. Lucia -- and the rich diversity of voices in the United States, from Henry David Thoreau to Louise Erdrich, from Lucille Clifton to E .E. Cummings.

Assessment Methods and Student Requirements:

Grades:

Your final grade will be based on the following (subject-to-change) percentages:

Discussion: 16%
Non- Fiction: 25
Poetry: 25
Fiction: 25
Final Project: 9

(These percentages are subject to change; your grades on Blackboard are calculated not by point value but by weight.)

Grading Policy:

A 90-100

B+ 85-89

B 80-84

C+ 75-79

C 70-74

D+ 65-69

D 60-64

F 59 and below

Discussion and Participation:

Approach this class prepared to share your ideas and your work, for the combination will help you generate ideas for your projects; therefore, failing to attend to class work on a regular basis will hinder your progress.

Creative Writing is very much a discussion and sharing class, so you will take part in weekly discussions on three threads during the time allotted each week to respond, from Monday- Sunday of each week. As stated previously, each of you is required to respond at least four times each week in paragraph form on each of the first two threads.

You will offer your own opinions and respond to what others in the class have to say, generating discussions about the topics. These discussion might also include posting on the class blog or sharing links of interest.

To perform at a higher than average level requires participating in the discussions early in the week and contributing to the discussion by commenting on what fellow writers have to say and on their writing.

Threads will remain open until midnight each Sunday, by which time you are required to have responded each week.

The threads and the blog will also give you an opportunity to share all your work, which will also be published on the class web page.

Revisions:

In many respects, Creative Writing means to make numerous revisions. And for most assignments, you will have opportunities to revise your work to elevate the grade. The grade you receive on a revision replaces the original-a revision will never lower your grade. As a general rule, you will have approximately a week to revise your work.

Bear in mind, however, that "revision" does not mean "automatic grade elevation." In addition, in most cases you will not know what the grade is; so look closely at all comments.

Turning In Assignments:

You will turn in all class assignments electronically using Blackboard; I will comment on this work and return it to you via e-mail from Blackboard.

Unless otherwise indicated, all work is due by midnight Sunday of the week in which the work is assigned. Assignments will be posted by Monday morning of each week and usually on Sunday.

Turn in all work as if you send your material to the editor of a literary journal, making the copy as "clean" as possible. To that end, use correct spelling, excellent grammar, and necssary punctuation in all your work, both poetry and prose- -to manipulate the conventions, you first must use them with great skill.

Late Assignments:

Turn in all work on time. The grade for unexcused late work will be lowered at the rate of 1/4 a letter grade for each day after the original due date.

Meet your deadlines!

Creative Writing Fever :

Creative Writing Fever is a web log or Blog--millions of people use them throughout the world. We will use the blog--just click here--for a variety of things, from sharing links and writing to weekly audio/visual announcements.

As you will notice, the blog maintains an archive of all the posts; so you can return to find links and video discussions at time during the semester and after the course concludes. Take the time to become familiar with this electronic resource.

Incomplete Course Work:

To designate a student's work in a course as incomplete at the end of a term, instructors record the incomplete grade (I). Students may receive this grade only when serious illness, hardship, death in the immediate family, or military service during the semester in which they are registered prevents them from completing course requirements. In addition, to receive an incomplete, a student must have completed a majority of the course's major requirements. Unless extenuating circumstances dictate otherwise, students must initiate requests for an incomplete by filing out an Incomplete Grade Completion Contract, which requires the student and faculty signature.

The Incomplete Grade Completion Contract cites the reason(s) for the incomplete and details the specific obligations the student must meet to change the incomplete to a letter grade. If students agree to complete required work prior to the normal deadline for making up an incomplete – the end of the subsequent semester – this date must appear in the contract. The division chair, the instructor, and the student receive signed copies of the incomplete Grade Completion Contract.

Even if the student does not attend Peru State College, all incomplete course work must be finished by the end of the subsequent semester. Unless Faculty Senate approves an extension, if the student does not fulfill contract obligations in the allotted time, the incomplete grade automatically becomes an F.

Students who have filed an application for graduation are not eligible for a grade of Incomplete.

Accommodation Statement:

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (public law 93-112) section 504, provides that "no otherwise qualified disabled individual in the United States shall solely by reason disabled, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or by subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance."

1. It is the student's responsibility to notify the institution of any special circumstances that would affect his/her ability to complete equally in the college environment. Learning disabilities must be appropriately documented.

2. While students are encouraged to self-identify at the earliest possible time, students may not know or choose to self-identify, but can still receive services at any time once they self-disclose and document.

3. Students should contact the office of Student Support Services, Vice President for Student Affairs or the Director of Admissions for further advisement.

Academic Dishonesty:

Academic integrity is a basic principle that requires the student to take credit only for ideas and efforts that are his/her own. Cheating is defined as the submission of materials in assignments, exams, or other academic work that is based on sources prohibited by the faculty member. Cheating shall include, but is not limited to, situations in which a student:

1. Refers during an academic evaluation to material sources not authorized by the faculty member.

2. Utilizes devices during an academic evaluation that are not authorized by the faculty member.

3. Provides assistance to another student or receives assistance from another student during an academic evaluation in a manner not authorized by the faculty member.

4. Presents as his/her own the ideas or words of another person without customary and proper acknowledgment of sources.

5. Knowingly permits his/her words to be submitted by another person without the faculty member's permission.

6. Acts as a substitute or utilizes a substitute in any academic evaluation.

7. Fabricates data in support of laboratory or field work.

8. Possesses, buys, sells, obtains, or uses a copy of any materials intended to be used as an instrument of academic evaluation in advance of its administration.

9. Alters grade records of his/her own or another student work in a course or a component of a course.

TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE FOR CREATIVE WRITING

General Outline (Click here for a more detailed outline and see the Weekly Assignments):

The semester will be divided into three major sections: Poetry, Non-Fiction, and Fiction. You will also read assigned chapters from your text books:

Weeks 1- 4: In the first section, which will be a bit longer than the others, you will write approximately six or seven short poems (following some general guidelines) and complete various exercises.

Weeks 5- 6: In section two, you will write short pieces of Non-Fiction, imaginative essays--without footnotes!!!--based on your personal experience, which is the foundation of all sophisticated Poetry and Fiction.

Weeks 7- 8: And in the final section, you will compose at least one short story.

Final Project: Each writer will turn in a final project, a work of creative non-fiction or a short story.

Write with "vim" and maintain a positive attitude.

And Remember the class motto: WE'RE ALL BOZOS ON THIS BUS!!