Syllabus

POETRY WRITING WORKSHOP

Course Syllabus

Second Semester 2010/2011

DAILY 2: M, T, W, TH 10:35-11:30

Instructor: Kurt Maier

kurt@trilliumcharterschool.org

Cell: 503-502-5173

Overview:

This is a High School Language Arts class focusing on developing and improving Poetry writing and analysis skills. Writing is a REQUIRED part of this course. YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO WRITE, READ AND DISCUSS POETRY EVERYDAY, BOTH IN CLASS AND OUT OF CLASS. YOU MUST BE WILLING AND ABLE TO SHARE YOUR OWN POETRY WITH THE CLASS AT REQUIRED TIMES.

There will be specific required poetry writing exercises everyday. Some of these you will end up developing into finalized poems for your portfolio and others will serve only to try practice new techniques, styles and forms. At any given point a student might be working on writing, editing and rewriting several different poems at once.

A culminating portfolio including both your own choices of your best work and required types of poems/styles as well as formal essays analyzing and explaining your work will make up 50% of your final grade.

We will also allow for classroom discussion to guide Emergent curriculum, path of study and poetry choices. Modifications will be made for grade level, writing ability, and IEP status as required.

Attendance: You are expected to attend every single class, be on time and be prepared (having done any assigned readings, homework, have the necessary materials, etc). Obviously, “Life Happens” and everyone will end up missing a day or two. If you miss a day, it is up to YOU to talk to your classmates and get notes, assignments, etc.

You are considered to be absent if you are more than Ten (10) minutes late.

Absence issues will be dealt with on a case by case basis and may involve different consequences for different students.

Grading Policy:

The grading is based on a point system with a possible 100 points being the maximum. Completion of the course awards .5 Language Arts credit.Participation = in class discussion and writing: 30

out of class assignments: 20

Poetry Portfolio: 50

Participation, In class discussion and writing: 30% of your grade

Attending, being on time to class, discussion, upholding the constitution of the school at ALL times, coming to class prepared to work and organized; these are required components of class. Points will be deducted as students are often tardy, reticent with their input, disrespectful of the class, of myself or of others, and if they miss 3 or more classes. Trillium standards and social maturity standards apply. IF THERE IS TEACHER-DETERMINED SIGNIFICANT DISRUPTION TO THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT STUDENTS WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE CLASS OR SCHOOL. IT WILL BE THE STUDENT AND THEIR FAMILY’S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE UP THE WORK

There will be specific required poetry writing exercises everyday. Some of these you will end up developing into finalized poems for your portfolio and others will serve only to try practice new techniques, styles and forms. At any given point a student might be working on writing, editing and rewriting several different poems at once.

On most days there will be required written responses and class discussion to a Poem of the Day (POD).

Written responses to the POD will be under the following format:

hand written or typed

1. What is your overall opinion of the poem and why?

2. What is a favorite image/line/phrase/section and why?

3. What is a least favorite image/line/phrase/section and why?

Poetry Portfolio: 50% of your grade!!!!!

Students will collect, print, and analyze 10-12 of the best poems that they have created this term. Details TBA.

Breakdown:

100 A+

99 - 92 A

91 - 90 A-

89 - 88 B+

87 - 82 B

81 – 80 B-

79 – 78 C+

77 – 72 C

71 – 70 C-

69 - 0 F

COURSE CALENDAR

Due to the particular workshop/emergent nature of the class and individualized progress of poetry writing for each student there is no set course of study to follow throughout a semester...except writing every single day!

Poetry Portfolios (details TBA) will be due the last week of the term.