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Creative Writing - Nonfiction " 1

Creative Writing: Nonfiction

About the courseCourse Description

This course offers students practice in writing creatively in the genre of nonfiction. The class is workshop-based and also incorporates in-class discussion, in-class writing, and the use of writing texts. All students are required to polish pieces of writing for possible publication either at the school or national level.

Prerequisites

Teacher recommendation

Learning Objectives

• Expand your awareness of nonfiction through reading.

• Learn and practice the fundamental issues of craft.

• Create original works of nonfiction.• Demonstrate familiarity with the practices

and procedures of the writing workshop, including giving and receiving constructive criticism.

• Identify the patterns of effective writing techniques through reading other works and incorporate those techniques into your own writing.

• Incorporate techniques appropriate for particular audiences.

• Reflect on your own writing in order to build a habit of self-critiquing.

• Participate in the writing process, including pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.

10 Keys to Earning an A

If a student pays mindful attention to these, the likelihood of achieving an A is high.

• Approach class with an inquisitive mind.

• Complete all assignments on time.

• Participate actively in discussions.

• Read and understand all class procedures, policies, and assignment instructions.

• Keep track of all graded work.• Strive for integrity and maturity in

your work and interactions with others.• Use school email daily.• Use all of the school and community

resources that are available to you.• Understand that excellence is not an

entitlement but rather the end result of hard work.

Smithville High School English Language Arts Department

Instructor Dr. Paul Restivorestivop @smithville.k12.mo.us816-532-0405B.S. in English Education, Kansas State University

M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, University of Missouri

Ed.D. in Instructional Leadership, Walden University

Required Texts Tell it Slant, by Brenda Miller and Suzanne Paola

Required Materials • composition

notebook• notecards• pens, pencils• planner (paper or

digital)•dictionary/thesaurus (app on phone is sufficient)

Required Technology

• Ability to save as .doc and .pdf.

• Printing capabilities.• Internet access.

Reading Workload Most of your reading workload in this class will (and should) be independent and chosen yourself. The rest of the reading will come from the textbook, Tell it Slant, but will completed in class.

Writing Workload You will write a variety of nonfiction pieces throughout the semester as well as maintain a composition notebook. You will write in every class period and often be asked to continue this outside of class.

Online at www.mybigcampus.com/groups Block 2B

Your success in this course depends largely on your commitment to reading independently to

build habits of effective writers, carefully reading all assignment instructions, and reading over your

own work before submitting it.

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" Creative Writing - Nonfiction2

Grades and Types of Assignments

Turning in your workPaper Format

Submit all original works and other appropriate assignments in MLA style. If you are unfamiliar with MLA style, we will cover this in class, but you should also consult Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL). Google it.

File Format

Save all files as .doc. Mac users can export Pages files to .doc.

Plagiarism Check

Occasionally, I will ask you to submit your work to turnitin.com to help you avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism is defined in your student handbook as to intentionally or unintentionally “steal and pass off the ideas or words of another as one’s own, use another’s production without crediting the source, or present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source.” (See page 9 in handbook.)

Length of Essays

These will vary depending on the assignment and your own style. Keep in mind that you are participating in deep critical and creative writing. Your works should reflect application of the strategies discussed in class.

Revising Your Work

You will revise your work throughout the entire semester. Blog assignments cannot be revised. All pieces that lead up to your final portfolio should be revised periodically throughout the semester when we have writing workshop in class.

Grading Time and Feedback

Smaller assignments are usually graded within a week of their completion with minor feedback. Your longer works might take a bit more time (usually two weeks) since these receive detailed feedback. If, however, you want more immediate feedback, you can meet with me outside of class to read over your work with you.

BLOGGING

All of you will start your own blog that can be publicly seen on the internet. You do not, however, need to show any identifiable information (in fact, I would encourage you to make sure you appear anonymous on your blog). This blog will, hopefully, encourage a habit of writing even after the class ends.

20% of Semester Grade

PROCESS ASSIGNMENTS

Process assignments include all work completed that helps you to prepare for the larger works that you are completing. This consists of work turned in for writing workshop and any other assignments that contribute to you writing original works.

30% of Semester Grade

WRITING WORKSHOP

Sharing your work and reading others’ work is a major part of this course. This includes small-group workshops as well as whole-class workshops. It is hoped that this workshop model builds confidence in your abilities as a writer and sharing your work with an even wider audience than just your classmates.

30% of Semester Grade

FINAL PORTFOLIO OF WORK

Your final portfolio will be turned in near the end of the semester. It will consist of at least 20 pages of original text that will be completed in class throughout the semester but revised for the portfolio. The portfolio will include a cover letter describing the choices you made in your writing. You will present this portfolio to the class in the form of a socratic discussion.

20% of Semester Grade

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Course Calendar

Quarter 3The Body of MemoryWriting the FamilyWriting the Physical WorldWriting the Spiritual AutobiographyWriting the ArtsGathering the Threads of HistoryWriting the Larger WorldUsing Research to Expand Your PerspectiveAssessments: Updated Blog; Ongoing Portfolio of Work

Quarter 4The Tradition of the Personal EssayPlaying with Form: The Lyric Essay and Mixed MediaWriting Online: Hypertext and Social MediaThe Particular Challenges of Creative NonfictionThe Basics of Good Writing in Any FormThe Writing Process and RevisionSemester Summative Assessment: Project-Based Portfolio; Metacognitive Letter; Socratic Discussion

Ongoing Deadlines• Blogs are due every week by 11:59 p.m.

Sunday. • Writing Workshop will occur at the end of

every major topic listed above.

The Serious StuffATTENDANCE You must be present and active in order to be successful in this class. If you must be absent due to illness, family business, or school activities, please use the course website to remain current.

CLASS WEBSITE I post the daily calendar and the materials on http://classwithrestivo.com. This can also be accessed by logging in to My Big Campus. If you are absent or lose your assignments, you need to check the website first before asking me for help.

MAKE-UP WORKYou have two consecutive class periods to make up an assignment for each day missed. If you have an excused absence on the day a long-term assignment is due, the work is due the day you return to class. If you have an excused absence due to a school activity, your work is due before you depart. (See page 15 in student handbook for more.)

LATE CREDIT/EXTRA CREDITAny work that is late or beyond the make-up work grace period will receive half credit. Late work will not be accepted after the current quarter ends. I offer extra credit at various times throughout the year. However, the credit is not applied to your grade until the end of the semester, and it will not be applied if you are missing required assignments.

TECHNOLOGYAppropriate and scholarly use of technology (computers, mobile devices, internet, etc.) is

required. Do not abuse its power to get ahead (i.e. plagiarize). Cell phones and other devices are permitted for learning purposes at times that I allow. There should never be texting or using social media. And generally, phones should be put away at all times. If this becomes a problem, your phone will be taken to the office. I reserve the right of separating you from your technology if it is distracting to others or you.

PRIVATE BLOG While one of the course requirements for this course is to have a public blog that is visible to the world, it is not required that you have any identifying information on the blog. It is important to exercise some discretion when publishing anything online. I will ask, however, that you provide proof to me that you are, indeed, the owner of the site. Also, keep in mind that you are representing SHS in a tangential way. If this representation has the potential to sully the name of SHS, I will ask that you create a new blog.

DECORUM It is important to us that we all get along. Much of this class involves critiquing one another’s works. We enjoy mature, civil discourse that respects all ideas and avoids personal attacks. At no time should there be negative comments or gestures toward other classmates.

If You’re StrugglingStep 1. Check Your Resources The first thing you should do is consult your resources: textbook, notes, graded work, classmates, the class website, etc. Step 2. Email If you have a private question (e.g. grades), email is usually the best bet if we’re not in class. I will answer an email that day unless it is outside of the school hours. Otherwise, I’ll reply the next day. On weekends, I’ll reply at the start of the next school day.

Step 3. Conference Conferencing is a good idea if we need to spend more time discussing your progress. Please set up a time to meet face-to-face.

Final Word of Encouragement

I embrace a philosophy that insists you think critically throughout the class and that you work to be a self-regulating learner and not reliant solely on the instructor for success. I want you to take learning seriously and not see it as drudgery. I will do my best to help you achieve, and I expect your best as well.