Costal's Return to the FI...Mise en scene

"There's no place like home...There's no place like home...There's no place like home...."

For my return to the Film Institute, we will discuss one of my favorite recurring motifs from my days as chief proprietor of the 'stute...TELLING THE STORY WITH THE CAMERA!

To do so, we look at some famous and important scenes from recent cinema and discuss their significance.

   

Class #22: CLASS CANCELED for Monday, November 17, 2014

ASSIGNMENT FOR CANCELED CLASS: 

Use the time to make sure that the Skube paper is DOUBLE DOG ready for prime time on WEDNESDAY. I TRIPLE DOG DARE YOU to bring it to the Writing Center! You won't do it. You're too much of a scaredy baby. Waa! Waa! You won't bring your paper to the Writing Center in J-105. You won't. It's open til 6 on M, T & W. You won't do it.

Oh...and read these poems. Be prepared to discuss on Wednesday.

Class #20: Monday, November 10, 2014: Reading/Blogging Project

OPENING ACTIVITY: 

Get in your families and straighten out the piece you were to write for Adrienne last week (5 min)

Then get with the family that shared your claim, read one another's papers and have a quick discussion about why and how you decided to utilize the evidence in the way you did. (10 min)

Be prepared to share out with the DQ you chose and how you handled incorporating evidence. I am interested specifically in the comparison/contrast between the two families. Also, this would be the time to ask additional questions about evidence and its incorporation into rhetoric.

CLASS DISCUSSION/ASSIGNMENT
Last week in class, you learned a method for discerning the quality of a particular piece of writing. By "quality," we mean to define how well a text would perform as a cited source, not whether or not we simply like the piece. Preference is not dictated by the same standards as quality. I like the NY Jets (since I was six)...
But I'd be hard-pressed to say they are "of a high quality."

The difference is important for rhetorical or merely academic writing (the type you will be doing over the next few years).

We live in an interesting time. Print media is dead, or so they have been reporting for years now. But one could make an argument that the written word has never been more alive. We are surrounded by excellent writing like children wrapped in warm blankets. Every subject, every device, every way it can possibly be delivered. Never in the history of language, has more information been available more quickly and easily. YouTube an interview with a writer. Throw on a podcast of your favorite personality ranting about something. Opinion is everywhere. But is it credible? Is it good? It's ok to like things that are not necessarily "quality." Yes, I'm talking about all the cooking shows or Real Housewives or whatever. It is ok to watch crap because we want to decompress or relax, but it is not ok to be unable to discern the difference.

It's an exciting time for content. In some ways, it has never been easier to be a writer because dozens of platforms to reach readers are readily available. Yet. it has never been harder to rise above the din of available information, text and opinion. News, weather, and niche information is plentiful. There are 24 hour news networks aplenty. Over 500 blogs, pod-casts and fan sites are devoted to the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida alone.

Let's consider this conundrum: It has never been easier to be heard. It has never been harder to be heard.

This week...you are going to do some reading. But I, for once, will not choose it or force it upon you. I want you to spend some time searching for an opinion writer, blog or other type of writing collective (like a group of bloggers working under a common name). I want you to chose and then read your writer/blog heavily (at least five to ten pieces depending on length). Choose something of at least basic credibility. Someone affiliated with an organization, magazine or newspaper, or an independent blog written by someone with some kind of writing cred.

The pieces you choose must be: 
A. Ongoing and sustained
1. non-fiction, opinion pieces that advance an overall claim or argument. 
2. from the same writer or collective of writers.
3. MOST IMPORTANTLY...well-fit to most (if not all) of the standards of quality established by the criteria we have been using. 

A relatively quick Google search revealed this list of "power fashion writers." The same thing exists in almost any subject or area of interest.

You should choose to read about what interests you. Since there are thousands of blogs about everything from nutrition to ammunition, this should not be hard to do. But if you get overwhelmed or underwhelmed...fear not. Your friendly neighborhood professor is a huge culture nerd. Attached are some of the more popular, insightful writers/columnists/bloggers/blogger groups/opinion writers on my radar. Each one has a plethora of writing available online. It's all here from gaming to politics, arts to history to gossip:


The Blogess, Frank Bruni, Bill Bryson, The Carpetbagger, The Cinephiliacs, Richard Cohen, Adam Corrolla, The Daily Beast,  The DIS, Do You Like Prince Movies?, Maureen Dowd, Roger Ebert, Brett Easton Ellis, James Fallows, Filmspotting, Gameological Society, Neil Gaiman, Malcolm Gladwell, Geek Dad, Grantland, Chris Hardwick & The Nerdist, Neil Heinen, High Functioning Momism, Huffington Post, The Inky Fool, Garrison Keilor, Chuck Klosterman, Jason Kottke, Jezebel, Stephen King, News from Me, Emily Nussbaum, Rick Reiley, Andrew Revkin, Jesse Rosin, Sophie Sarin, Tavis Smiley, Tynan, WDW News Today, Erik Wemple, Cornel West, World War II Today, Sex with Emily, Shayan Zadeh, 20-Nothings, 9to5Mac...even Chuck Norris (yes, THAT Chuck Norris).

Class #18: Monday, November 3, 2014: Lit Revision Notes & Assistance

Citation Creation Basics & Help:

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/2/

HAPPY HALLOWEEN MY LITTLE OSPREYS!

Hope your HALLOWEEN DREAMS come true!

8pm reminder that class is now in B12

Class #14, Monday, October 20, 2014

Class Activity: Parallelism quiz

Family Activity: Switch around your letters (Informal Writing #8). Underline at least three pieces of evidence in the letter that back specific claims made by the author. If the evidence does a solid job of supporting the claim, put a smiley face next to it. If the claim is unspecific or weak, or if the evidence is from a non-credible source, put a sad face on your partner's paper. Revisions will be turned in to Adrienne for credit on Wednesday. Editors, please put your name on your partner's papers. 


WRITE: Gather Darkness & Miracle at Parque Chas are very different stories, yet the seem to me to be united under a single theme: hope. The stories are different in tone and style. In fact, they are different in almost every way; however, to me, they both say something different about hope. They provide a contrasting view of hopefulness, and the ways humans interface with the emotion. I want you to write about how hope is illustrated in the stories. If you are in doubt, look specifically to the characters of each. USE SPECIFIC REFERENCES to the stories. This paper will ultimately be Informal Writing #9, but this, for now this should just be a DRAFT.

READ: Read "A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor. Annotate the story. I am interested in your analysis of how O'Connor uses specific devices and concepts. If you're stuck, specifically consider terms of character development.

Class #13: Wednesday, October 15, 2014

REMINDER: Class will begin 15 minutes late to allow for final prep time of fallacy presentations. 

ANOTHER IMPORTANT REMINDER: We will have truncated classes on Monday, October 20th (7pm for B12, reg time for F202) Class will be a quiz & editing proctored by Adrienne. 

Class: Tonight we will address the ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY debacle. Then discuss Heels. Here's a reminder of the questions from that story.

      A. What can you infer about the character? What evidence from the story makes these inferences viable? What do they reveal about the narrator?

      B. What would final conclusion is drawn by the author? Don't think of this only in terms of "what happened;" think of it in terms of what that means for the narrator. 

      C. Consider the "truths" of the story. What is the truth revealed by the actions of the story. They are greater than the basic struggle and tragedy unfolding, right? Why? How? Who is to blame for what takes place...think further than the heinous, threatening men. 

      D. Why right such a terrible story? Is there a greater purpose living beneath the surface? What might that be?

ASSIGNMENT #1: ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY REDO: Read this article from the NY Times.  Think about the program described. Would money have better motivated you to study more in school? Do you agree or disagree that earning a financial reward diminishes the personal satisfaction that comes from earning a good grade? Or earning an education? Does money somehow cheapen the process of doing well in school? Would you be for or against such a program?

Remember what we discussed in class. The questions lead to WORKING CLAIMS. The claims will ultimately be proved by EVIDENCE. But you finding the RIGHT EVIDENCE is a PROCESS. ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY is a tool in that process.

Let's try again. Find one OTHER source (NOT THE NY TIMES ARTICLE I GAVE YOU). Create one annotation. Let's get it right this time.(A DIFFERENT SOURCE...ONE YOU FOUND...ON YOUR OWN....NOT MINE...ANOTHER ONE!)

ASSIGNMENT #2: Informal Writing #8: Choose one of the following scenarios (your whole family must write from the same scenario). Write a letter that answers the questions and makes the claims called for in the scenario of your choice. Be sure to include at least one piece of researched evidence with proper documentation in your letter. Consider the range of appeals discussed in class when writing the paper.

Scenario A

Harry Heet is the president of Forthright Enterprises. You all work in Jacksonville, Florida, where the mean temperature in the summer is 92 degrees Fahrenheit daily. The humidity is 90% or more for 89 of the 90 days of summer. Mr. Heet doesn't seem to mind the heat or humidity; in fact, he seems to thrive on it. Right now, his business in advertising antiperspirants, soap, and other grooming products is at a low ebb; profits are down, and contracts are difficult to come by. His place of business has no air conditioning, but is instead cooled by electric fans of the overhead and desk type, and by keeping the windows open at night. You decide as a work force that you just can't stand the lack of air conditioning any more. Since you are president of the worker's association, you are asked to draft a letter explaining to Mr. Heet that you need to have air conditioning installed.

Scenario B:
Stockton is choosing a new mascot! It has called upon its student body to write a one to two page paper nominating a mascot. The administration wants a mascot that represents the pride and honor of the institution. The community wants a mascot that represents a relevant icon of the area. The students want something that kicks ass! There are expected to be thousands of submissions, so it needs to persuasive. Your building/floor/suite/organization nominates you to write the letter
.

Gather Darkness.

Gather Darkness.

Miracle in Parque Chas.: EBSCOhost

Miracle in Parque Chas.: EBSCOhost

Class #7 Wednesday, September 24, 2014 IN CLASS NOTES POST

Tonight, we will begin class in families. At the start of class, after your family gathers, you may head to a quiet corner of campus to re-convene. You will gather with your family, and, using your recording device, relay the story of your scar to your family aloud. Be sure you are recording the story on your phone or other device as you tell the story. After the story is told, you must have a clear recording of yourself. When not telling the story, it is your task to be an enthusiastic, active listener. No texting while your family talks, please.


We will re-convene in our room for class at either 6:30pm & 8:30pm respectively. 

Try to have fun!

Class #6: Monday, September 22, 2014

ASSIGNMENTS: 


DO: #1. Each family will post at least one rhetorical device with example employed in "Finding the Perfect Sports bar" by Chris Ballard. When one is posted by a family...it is off limits. In other words, if someone says, it is an "allusion" when the author says, "back up, Romeo," because Romeo refers to love as embodied by the Shakespeare character. Another family could use "allusion," but they must have a diufferent example. Each tweet must contain the name of the device, the example from the article and the family name. Must be tweeted @JoeCostal #costrhet #6pm or #8pm. Good luck. Tweeting cannot commence until midnight 9/23. 

#2. One of the purposes of this course is to introduce you to the process of writing: to help you understand the close relationships among thinking, language, and writing. Our approach is to investigate this topic by doing or trying out for ourselves the kinds of writing we are studying. 

Today, we discussed the "science" of grammar as opposed to the "art" of rhetoric. Even with this in mind, it's important to remember that our writing is more than the process of putting language to our thoughts. Reflections of our identity appear in our writing like DNA. Our genes carry coded information passed onto us by our ancestors, and our personalities bear the imprint of people we've met, the books we've read, and places we've visited. Our environment marks us in, perhaps, even more literal ways. It places scars on our bodies, inscriptions that we can "read." Every scar tells a story. Or rather, we probably can tell a story--interesting or not--about every one of our scars.

Our writing is the same reflection of our identity. Choose a scar on your body. Come to class Wednesday prepared to tell the story of one of your scars. DO NOT write the story down. Just mentally prepare to tell it.

 READ: Hacker Usage Glossary (does not demand a linear read, instead go through and check the rules you do or do not know).

Finish reading the article from today's assignment.

***Scar assignment attributed to the Penn State University Writing Dept.

Documentation for "Focus on Freshmen" Workshop, June 26th, 2014

Discussed Links

FoF Prezi

Public School student rights & discipline

OHS Focus on Freshmen Official Twitter Feed @OHSwelcome

Challenge Day

MTV "If You Really Knew Me"

Hammonton's digital newspaper

Challenge Day video II

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Ugh! It's happened again. I am down for the count. It's been a bad semester for me health-wise. I have a fever and a wicked wheeze in my chest. So...

The following changes will be made to our final week schedule.

Monday, April 28th: Class will be canceled. Continue working on your final assignments. Feel free to tweet me questions under our common hashtag #costrhet

Wednesday, April 30th class is NO LONGER OPTIONAL. It is a regular class. Absences will be counted. CLASS WILL BEGIN AT 7 P.M.!

To offset any inconvenience this may have caused you, I am extended the assignment deadline. All final assignments (journals, final paper, reflective paper) will now be due at 11:59 pm on FRIDAY, MAY 2nd. 

E-mail me with questions.

Family Conferences

Updates: Per last class the reflective paper due date has been pushed back to the same deadline as the final paper & journals.  

I could not reserve a study room in the Student Center, so meet for family conferences in our regular classroom. If we have to move, I will post a change by the door.

4:45pm: Ryan, Nick R, Carly & Andy

5pm: Jonathan, Tom, Molly & Patty

5:15pm: Danielle, Steph S, Josh & Matt C

5:30pm: Dom, Matt M, Yoanna, Ruqayya


5:45pm: Kayla, Artie, Melissa, Joe & Katie

6pm: Tiff, Qwishan, Steph M, Zach & Nick D

Class #22 & 23: Final Skube Do's (and Don'ts) SEE WHAT I DID THERE?!

Class Discussion: Important Dates for Final Paper, Family Conference schedule (For Wednesday, April 23rd), Final Paper Literature Review  Lit Review/Research Proposal Questions, Reflective Essay Discussion & Thesis Writing Presentation 

IMPORTANT...please rate the class!!! and please do it soon so you do not forget. 

Monday, April 21: Reflective Essay Review/Continue discussion and preparation for final paper

Wednesday, April 23: Family Conferences

Monday, April 28th: Final Full Class meeting -- Reflective Papers Due

Wednesday, April 30th: Optional Class Meeting -- Final Family Edits

Lit Review & Research Proposal: Due April 23rd

Reflective Essay (for Stockton, do it right, get an "A") Due April 28th (hard copies only)

Final Paper & Journals Due 11:59pm April 30th

Class #21: Monday, April 14, 2014

Note for class: Please be sure to bring a hard copy of your paper to class. E-mailed versions will result in the lost of credit for the class activity.

Journal #12: You will be charged with evaluating the quality of one another's essays as if the letters were published online with Skube's letter.

Use the chart we have been working with in class. You were given a copy last week. Your notes on the paper will be compiled into Journal #12. Please be sure to attach a printed copy of this journal to the paper you are assigned. And return the paper to class on Wednesday. 

Spring Break Announcement

Based on comments from a few of you, there seems to be an impression that you are writing the lit analysis paper over break. You are not. You are writing a journal that will help you PREP for the lit analysis paper. The journal is designed to guide and inform a reading of the story that will best SET YOU UP to write the lit analysis paper. The full paper will be assigned when we return. Be careful on Spring Break.

Class #10: February 26, 2014: Annotated Bibliography Check & Family Quiz

DO NOW, IN CLASS: 1. Get into your families

2. Pass around your annotated bibliographies. In turn, explain why you chose the claims you chose, the sources you chose and your reasons. Since there was still some confusion, remember: That's what an annotated bibliography is...it's a planning device for writing. It marries CLAIM to EVIDENCE (the source) and helps you flesh out WHY that marriage will help you build an argument!

3. Prepare to share the "perfect marriage" in your family. I will be coming around to get it. 

4. Then we will be engaging in a Family Challenge (quiz)!

Assignments: 1. Formal Essay #3 due Monday (approx 2 pages)

2. Review the Parallelism section of Hacker. Quizzes are coming, and when the do...they will be fast and furious...like those cars in that movie with Vin Diesel. You've been warned.

3. Do a "second level" read of "Heels" for Journal #4 you will write a "level 2" reaction. Remember that level one is merely preference and comprehension. In level 2, you should be making judgments of the work to analyze theme. Though I am fairly certain you have done similar assignments in high school, if you don't know where to start, consider the following ideas to guide your writing. 

Class #4: CANCELED for Wednesday, February 5, 2014

I am soooo sick. Typing this to you is the first time I've been out of bed since I got home from class on Monday. Fever. Chills. Body Aches. It's nastyyyyyy.

Please do the following activities, that we would've looked at today, for homework over the weekend.

On the blog are too pieces or writing. An excerpt from "Shooting An Elephant" by George Orwell. And a link to a Sports Illustrated piece on sports bars. Follow these assignments:

1. Read the Orwell piece, make notes of particular phrases or words that you particular enjoyed. What makes this piece an example of "good writing/" Read just the action verbs.

2. SI article on sports bars is attached to the blog. I only want you to read the first six paragraphs of the piece. But using just those six paragraphs, answer the following questions and label the writing as Journal #1. I don't want you to write about sports bars, per se. I want you to comment on the writing you found in the article. What does the author do to make the writing, and therefore the topic, interesting for the reader? Feel free to make specific reference to the article in your journal. Mark any rhetorical devices you find. Pay special attention to the action verbs. 

Class #3: Monday, February 1, 2014

ASSIGNMENTS: 

1. On a small note card or ripped out piece of paper, write your name, your dominant learning group (SF, ST, NT or NF). Then write EXACTLY three sentences on what you bring to a family (can be both positive and negative...if you're feeling sassy).

2. On going assignment for February via Twitter (#costrhet).  Share one article or other piece of writing that you have found interesting (by 2/20). Reply to one of your classmate's shared pieces (by end of the month). Please don't think of this as an assignment, assignment. It is much more interesting if it happens organically.