Class Welcome and Introduction

This welcome is longer than the weekly announcements that will generally appear each Sunday on the Announcement Page, which you should check at the beginning of each week, for I will post some reminders, and each week a link for Audio/Video Messages that will appear on the Class Blog, Serious Fun with Children's Literature.

Note, too, that if you read ahead make sure that you look again at all the assignments at the beginning of each week, for I update the course as the term progresses.

You need only click the icon to start the weekly recordings on the blog, and you will hear and see the message that will not be downloaded, so you need not worry about cluttering your desktop with memory-burning documents; however, I will also post the video messages as pod casts that you can download to watch at your convenience with iTunes (a free download).

These recordings will generally appear on Sundays (Introduction to the Week) and Thursdays (Quiz Review); the discussion will focus on items of specific interest, from writing assignments to weekly quizzes.

So make time to watch and take notes.

Again, each week, I will make a video for quiz preparation--the video contains the answers to all the quiz questions.

At times, I will record other material such as discussions about the novels for the class and will alert you to these recordings via e-mail and the Discussion Threads.

As a rule, I record all class notes and other material on the class web page, which in most respects duplicates the links in Course Documents on Blackboard; if you have trouble connecting to Blackboard, therefore, you can always read assignments and class notes on the course web page. (And as I update notes in three places, please let me know if you find a conflict.)

After reading this information, you should go to Class Documents and familiarize yourself with the material there, from the Syllabus to Netiquette for E-mail and Discussion Threads. Make sure to read about Netiquette, for the link will give you specific information on the correct form all E-mail communications must take; read the information carefully.

The Syllabus provides you with a good foundation for the class, including the grading system. Be aware that as the percentages indicate, your final grade for the class is not determined by points but by weighted assignments; for example, each Discussion Thread grade and Quiz mark accounts for 2% of your grade.

As you work down the documents linked in Class Documents, you will come next to the Class Schedule, an expanded version of what you will find in the Syllabus. This schedule could change as we progress through the term--and, indeed, I will change much of the material over the next weeks, so take care if you read ahead.

You want, in addition, to check the link each week for Assignments, linked on Blackboard just below Class Documents.

This section is divided into two sections: Weekly Reading and Weekly Writing. Read through these two sections carefully.

As a rule, the quizzes will be open for you from Thursday evening through midnight Sunday; you must take the quizzes at this time; you cannot take quizzes ahead of time or whenever you wish. You must complete the quiz for each week during the assigned times. If you have trouble, contact me right away.

The quizzes will feature, as a rule, 15- 25 multiple-choice and True/False questions based on class reading and notes. You will have an hour in which to complete this quiz. Read carefully the instructions, for you have to complete the quiz when you open the link; in addition, you cannot backtrack, so answer as carefully as possible. And, of course, do your own work.

And listen to the weekly video.

If you have read your introductions, class notes, other assigned readings carefully, and watched the weekly audio/visual address, you should do well on the quizzes, which are, of course, open book.

If you get locked out, contact me right away.

A quick note here about writing assignments. Especially over the first five weeks or so, you will have an opportunity to revise class work and elevate your grade, as explained in the syllabus; however, read my notes on your papers carefully, for just changing grammar will not elevate the grade in a significant fashion. A revision, however, will never lower your grade.

And do not attempt to complete all the book reports during the first week or wait until the final week, as some have attempted in the past; you have a lot of reading to cover and specific things to accomplish in a short essay.

I will work very hard to get your work back to you in a timely fashion.

You will have a chance to revise at least a couple of your Book Analysis Reports, if you turn them in before the final weeks of the term; learn from the first efforts and make appropriate alterations on future materials.

Each of you will write an Alphabet Book Essay, a Book Analysis Report over a YA Novel and two other Book Analysis Reports--all on material we have not discussed in class.

Look over the material about book analysis reports and begin your required submissions over the first four weeks so that you do not find yourself scrambling at the end of the seventh or eight week to turn in three reports. Pace yourself, and I will work with you to ensure your success.

After reading your weekly assignments, you should read carefully the Weekly Class Notes. Here I try to highlight for you and at times expand upon your reading assignments. You will find here numerous links connected with the readings assigned each week. Read the notes carefully, for you are responsible for the material. And I have posted for each week a video on the blog about the weekly readings--I will certainly do so for the novels, as I do not always offer written notes.

Over the course of the term, eight weeks, you will write three (3) Book Analysis Reports; at the preceding link, you will find information about the format you should utilize for the reports; a discussion of how to organize these 2.5-3 page analyses; a list of topics; and links from previous class work (which I will add to over the next weeks) to illustrate the content of a successful report; do not write reports over material covered in the text or listed in class work.

Each of you will write an analysis of an Adolescent/YA Novel and two other Book Analysis Reports.

You will turn in all work on the Assignment Links; I will return your essays to you electronically.

WARNING: Microsoft Works does not work, an electronic oxymoron. The college stipulates that you must not use this software. In this class, you must use Microsoft Word.

Each week, I will by Thursday evening and, perhaps, Sunday evening--in other words, at the end of the week at all times and at times at the beginning of the week--have an video message for you about the week's work. These messages generally take less than half an hour. To access the information, you simply go to the class blog and press the appropriate icon to begin the recording--located at the bottom of the message block. I will post the message clearly with wording to the effect of "Week ONE Recording."

Now, as the writing assignment for the first week indicates, you will take part in two discussion threads each week. I read regularly the discussion threads, taking time to respond when possible. Read the directions for the discussion threads--to get full credit, you must respond in paragraph form (at least four sentences) at least twice (for minimum credit) for each thread. To receive full credit requires that you offer multiple posts about the material and share with the class interesting links that you find.

Discussion Threads for the next week gets posted on Sunday or early Monday: to receive credit, you must complete your Discussion Thread assignments before midnight Sunday of each week.

For your discussion threads, begin early in the week--do not begin posting on Saturday and Sunday, for you will not receive full credit: you want not simply to post but to discuss and to generate with your submissions further discussion: post early and often.

Next on the Class Documents list appears a link about Netiquette, or Courtesy on the Internet. Read through this interesting material and put into practice the advice on the Discussion Threads and in all your E-mail messages.

You want to exercise care when you address others via these electronic media, for much can go wrong with communication. The information in this link suggests ways that you can minimize misunderstanding. As a rule, work to utilize a friendly and polite tone, expressing your ideas with clarity and emphasis.

As we move through the term, I will choose various papers and reports to share, without names attached, with the class in the link for Class Work. As you will note in the link for Book Analysis Reports, I post only good work, essays and reports that earn "B" or better. So you can use these reports as a way to gauge success both before you write a report and when you undertake a revision for a report or an essay examination.

The class web page contains all the information from the Course Documents in addition to a link to the blog and lists of award-winning literature . You can check this site and one the internet for some excellent titles for your book analysis reports.

So take the time to read through the material on the class web page and on Blackboard. Get familiar with the various places you will frequent over the next eight weeks; again, I will try as much as possible to duplicate on my web page most of the documents that appear on Blackboard.

If you have questions, contact me at bclemente@peru.edu; remember to use the correct E-mail form discussed here.You can also contact me here in Ripon, WI, at the following telephone number: 920-748-2369.

If you do not know me, please ask questions and visit my home page where you will find a lot of information; in addition, check out my blog, Around Peru.

I have taught Children's Literature for over around fifteen years years and am pleased to teach and revise this class over the course of the next eight weeks. I welcome your suggestions.

Take the time now to go through the various links and begin reading from the assigned readings. You want to start early in the week--from Monday morning to Sunday at midnight--to respond to the Discussion Threads.

Remember: You must take the weekly quiz during the assigned period--usually from Thursday- Sunday--during each specific week; and you have from Monday-Sunday each week to respond to each weekly Discussion Thread. You must take the quizzes and respond to the Weekly Threads during the allotted intervals each week.

For the next eight weeks, you will have a good deal of material to read and to write, so pace yourself.

I love the literature and hope that you will feel the same way, making this class both edifying and enjoyable, one of the hallmarks, in fact, of sophisticated Children's Literature.

Be sure to listen to the Weekly Video Message. I recorded all these videos during the summer of 2010. So make sure to pay attention to the due dates for this summer, which you will find in the written documents.

Again, welcome to an exciting journey.