209 REQUIREMENTS

Dawn Pendergast
spoon@clockwatching.net
Office Hours:
Mondays: 11:30-2pm, or by appointment
@ Bentley’s Coffee shop

1| “you will be bloggers”

Create and keep a creative writing blog. Blogs (short for web logs) are online collections of writing, pictures, links, etc. You need not have a programming background to blog, but if you do have knowledge of HTML, flash, or other web tools feel free to integrate this into your creative writing site. After creating your site at www.blogger.com, email me the URL of your site no later than Tuesday, January 18th. If you fail to set up a blog at this date you will be dropped from the class!

Posting on your blog. You are required to post four times a week. No exceptions.

* Posts One & Two: Poetic Analysis or Analysis of Poetics (3-4 paragraphs)
Two posts of week should analyze poetic issues of interest to you. This can be an extension of the analysis we’ve done in class or an issue that more specifically speaks to your writing. Or something else.

* Post Three, Four, & More: Poetry and Creative Experimentation
These posts should be poems that I’ve assigned in class and other individual experiments in writing. Feel free. Write a letter to your mother, then write her reply. Type out grocery receipts. Any kind of language experiment is okay. The only rule: Do not use the class blog as a diary. I repeat: DO NOT USE THIS BLOG AS A DIARY!

Grades on Blogs. I will be reading and commenting on your blogs from time to time. Often, I will read particularly interesting or relevant posts to the class. I will give you a midterm grade and final grade on posts. This grade is based upon the level of analysis in the blogs and the amount of effort put forth in creative experimentation.

2| pop quizzes!!

I will give 6 pop quizzes throughout the semester. I will drop the lowest grade. If you are not in class on quiz day, you will receive a zero (no make-ups).

3| participation.

Contribution to class discussions/workshops is essential. Participation includes reading the required material for class, speaking about the material, and being prepared for workshops. When your poems are workshopped, you are required to bring enough copies for the class one week before we go over the poem/poems.
In addition to class discussions, I will require you to participate in the larger Tucson community. You are required to attend at least 3 poetry events and review the event on your blog. The Poetry Center, POG, and the English Department offer a wide range of readings, lectures, and events. If you’re unsure what might be acceptable, email me.

All students are required to meet individually with me outside of class to discuss poems. We will set up three appointments throughout the semester. Failure to show up for an appointment will result in a bad participation grade.

Blogs: 30%
Quizzes: 40%
Participation: 30%

NOTE ON GRADES: Many students believe that completing minimum requirements entitles them to an A. This is a lie.

C students come to class on time, prepared, but have little to offer the class/workshop. They complete all assignments, attend 3 poetry events, but never go beyond the assigned 4 posts a week. Their analyses are sufficient, but never tackle complicated poetic issues.

B students come to class on time, prepared, and give good critiques to their fellow classmates. They complete all assignments, attend more than 3 poetry events, develop their own creative projects that consistently develop complexity through the semester. Their analyses are complicated and thought-provoking, manuvering thought contemporary problems with poetics.

A students come to class on time, prepared, give good critiques to their fellow classmates, and establish a sense of community within the classroom. They complete all assignments, attend more than three poetry events, develop inventive and creative projects, take on more reading than recommended, and allow class readings and analysis to effect the way they write. Their analyses are complicated and thought-provoking, revealing a heightened understanding of poetic thought.

Required Reading:

All of these titles can be found on amazon.com, half.com, or you may order them new from any local bookstore. Please order your books now. You will not be able to complete class assignments without these books!

— All handouts given in class or put online
— Anne Carson Plainwater
— * Kenneth Koch Selected Poems (1950-1982)
— Lisa Jarnot Ring of Fire

SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS

Each student is required to meet with me individually three times a semester. These meetings are for you. We will talk about your work on the blog, the analyses and creative work. Feel free to bring more poems into these meetings. (If there are too many poems to go over in one sitting, we'll schedule another meeting).

Meetings || Bentley's Coffee Shop @ Speedway
01/24	12:00	Allison
	1:00	Monte
	2:00	Tom
	3:00	Abby
	4:00	Mike
	5:10	Courtney
01/25	12:00	Matt
	4:00	Tiffany
01/26	11:00	Craig
	1:00	Martin
	2:00	Casey
	3:00	Marina
01/31	11:30	Craig
	12:30	Monte
	1:30	Martin
02/01	2:00	Marina
02/02	11:30	Krista
	1:30	Allison
02/07 @ Poetry Center	11:30	Craig
	12:30	Monte
	1:30	Abby
	3:00	Marina
02/08	3:00	Mike
	4:00	Tiffany
02/21	11:30	Tom
	12:30	Monte
	1:30	Casey
	3:00	Marina
2/22	4:00	Tiffany
2/23	1:00	Allison
3/1	12:00	Krista
	2:00	Monte
	3:30	Mike
	4:00	Tiffany
3/2	4:00	Marina
3/6	12:30	Monte
	1:30	Abby
3/9	4:00	Courtney
3/22	4:30	Tiffany
2/23	3:00	Marina
	3:30	Mike
	4:00	Courtney
3/25	11:00	Krista
	12:00	Abby
3/28	11:00	Craig
	12:00-2:00	Abby, Alison, Tom, Martin
	3:00	Matt
3/29	12:30-2:30	Krista, Matt, Casey, Craig
	3:30-5:30	Tiffany, Monte, Marina, Mike
3/30	4:00	Courtney
4/4	10:00	Allison
	2:00	Abby
	3:00	Marina
4/11	11:30--1:30	Abby, Tom, Allison, Tiffany
4/12	12:30-2:30	Matt, Courtney, Marina, Mike
4/18	11-1	Craig, Matt, Allison
4/19	10-12	Abby
	3:30-5:30	Marina, Casey, Martin, Tiffany, Mike

 

Workshop schedule
02/10	Courtney
	Marina
	Krista
02/17	Craig
	Tom
	Martin
	Tiffany
02/24	Abby
	Monte
	Mike
	Casey
03/03	Matt
	Allison
03/04	Courtney