Vol 2, No 1 (2013)

(1)

A F R I C A N A M E R I C A N M A L E F I R S T - Y E A R

W R I T I N G

BETH BIR, FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY

INTRODUCTORY ESSAY

English 110 is the first half of a two-semester sequence in first-year writing that is required for all undergraduate students. The learning outcomes for the course are common to all sections, and all sections participate in two common assessments, a pre/posttest and a common essay. This particular section of the course is for an African-American male learning community called Bronco Men. The community consists of three courses grouped together with the same student enrollment. Instructors work together on a common academic theme, and they communicate with one another regularly, often visiting one another’s classes, to create a supportive, family atmosphere as well as assisting one another with negotiating student difficulties. Students get to know one another very well, bonding as brothers and taking care of one another. In addition to one section of freshman seminar and one of English composition, the community is completed with a third course that rotates among core requirements; in past years it has included humanities, sociology, and computer science.

Bronco Men’s English composition is designed to disrupt some of the counterproductive notions about male identity that African American men often bring with them to college. Researchers have identified a number of reasons why African American men as a group perform poorly on college campuses, including a lack of academic success in high school, first-generation status, and low socioeconomic status; these are reasons that apply to other students as well. Unique to these students are issues related to culture. According to Byron Hurt, among others, many young men internalize a pop-culture-endorsed concept of manhood linked to hyper-masculinity, misogyny and homophobia, egotism, suppression of emotion, and quick access to money. Those stereotypes can be amplified by a sense of “permanent marginalization,” an idea of themselves in opposition to the mainstream (Cuyjet). If students begin college with a weak academic background and a belief that their path to power lies outside academic success, it is no wonder that many so quickly drop out.

(2)

feedback after first draft and revision, with a tentative grade assigned based upon a rubric. Students then can use the grade and feedback to further revise, if they wish.

Students enrolled in Bronco Men have typically reported high levels of engagement and consistently outperform their peers in terms of retention and graduation.

WORKS CITED

Cuyjet, Michael J. “African American College Men: Twenty-First Century Issues and Concerns.” African American Men in College. Ed. Michael J. Cuyjet. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2006. 2-23.

Hurt, Byron. “Redefining Black Manhood.” The Black Male Handbook. Ed. Kevin Powell. New York: Atria Books, 2008. 39-72.

SYLLABUS: BRONCO MEN

I. COURSE DESCRIPTION

English 110 is a course designed to give extensive practice in evidence-based writing for academic purposes.

This section of English 110 is part of a learning community entitled Bronco Men. A learning community is a set of courses linked around a topic or theme. By linking together students, faculty, and courses, learning communities create more opportunities for enrichment, interaction, and exploration.

In your Bronco Men English class, we will explore some of the social difficulties faced today by young African American males. We know that African American men tend to drop out before earning a degree. Why is that? Why do men do so much worse than women in college, when they come from the same place, were raised by the same people, attend the same schools and churches? What is uniquely difficult about being a man that impedes academic and professional progress? That is the subject of this English class. By looking at areas like the construction of manhood and its relation to pop culture and male/female relations; mental, physical, and spiritual health; and financial issues, we will learn where and why so many men undermine their potential success and long-term happiness, and we will work together to support the choices that lead to academic and professional success.

II. TEXTBOOK AND REQUIRED MATERIALS

The Black Male Handbook. Ed. Kevin Powell. New York: Atria Books, 2008.

Selections from

This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women. Eds. Jay Allison and Dan Gediman. New York: Holt, 2006.

Williams, Juan. Enough: The Phony Leaders, Dead-End Movements, and Culture of Failure That are Undermining Black America—and What We Can Do About it. New York: Crown, 2006.

III. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

(3)

By the end of English 110, students will be able to

1. Read and respond critically to published texts.

2. Produce writing that is text-based as opposed to experience-based only.

3. Summarize, quote, paraphrase, and analyze material in relation to at least one source. 4. Cite material according to MLA citation style

5. Demonstrate proof of the writing process, including prewriting, organizing and developing ideas around a thesis, drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading

In addition to the outcomes listed above, I will work on the following personal goals for my writing. Each time I turn in an essay, I will include a cover sheet that addresses progress on these goals.

1.

2.

3.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION CRITERIA

This course is set up to reward effort and participation. That means that if you are not a confident writer, you can still earn very good grades if you are a good student and you try. Remember that writing is a skill that must be developed with practice, and to practice you have to show up. Therefore, we will begin class each day with free writing or some other writing practice activity, and you will be given a grade for that (100 if you are there and try, 0 if you are not there). You should plan to be in class every day on time to get that daily grade. All your homework assignments will be posted on Blackboard as well as given in class, so make it a habit to check Blackboard daily. Your willingness to show up will make up almost half of your final grade. Are you willing?

You will write four essays over the course of the semester; one of them will be on a topic shared by other English 110 students and will be scored for purposes of program assessment as well as contributing to your grade. For all essays, you will do drafts, get feedback from a variety of sources, and then revise. You may revise as often and as extensively as you like to get the grade you want. Your essay grades will not be recorded until the end of the semester, when you turn them in as part of your portfolio.

Your posttest will consist of a set of questions taken by all English 110 students at the university and will cover MLA format, citations, and academic honesty.

Below you will see how each activity contributes to your final grade for the course.

Assignments Percentage of

Final Grade

Daily work including free writing, group work, writing exercises, drafts, homework, Blackboard discussion boards, and quizzes: All the work you do in class daily will be averaged together. If you complete the assignment on time and as instructed, you will generally receive a grade of 100 for it.

40%

Portfolio Your portfolio will showcase some daily assignments and all your essays with a cover letter explaining your progress

(4)

Assignments Percentage of Final Grade

Post Test All students enrolled in Engl 110 take the pre/post tests to determine what you have learned about MLA format, citations, and academic honesty.

10%

“This I Believe” Power Point presentation Your Power Point will give you an opportunity to share a strong belief as supported by your experience and our readings

10%

Grading Scale 90-100=A 80-89=B 70-79=C 60-69=D 59 and below=F

ATTENDANCE AND TARDINESS

Class attendance is required for all students enrolled in English 110. Class absences will be excused only when valid documentation is provided within a week of your absence for participation in university sponsored events, serious illness, court dates and family emergencies (for example, death or extreme illness of a direct relation).

A significant portion of your overall grade will be earned during class time. Each day you will have free writing or another task during the first five minutes of class, so be on time. If you are absent or late on a regular basis, you will not earn these points, and it is unlikely you will be able to pass the course. No work missed while you are absent may be made up.

CELL PHONES

Cell phones, laptops, and other electronic devices are a distraction to our classroom environment and can be used to aid academic dishonesty. Therefore, they must be turned off and stowed out of sight for the duration of class time. If there is some sort of emergency that requires you to be accessible during class, let me know ahead of time, set your phone to silent, and excuse yourself quietly if it should ring.

PLAGIARISM

According to the Code of Student Conduct, a student violates the Academic Dishonesty Policy if he or she attempts to cheat or plagiarize, cheats (receiving unauthorized aid or assistance on any form of academic work), plagiarizes (copies the language structure, ideas and/or thoughts of another without giving appropriate recognition and/or adopting it as one’s own original work), falsifies (unauthorized changing of grades or conduct involving any untruth, spoken or written, regarding any circumstances related to academic work), or aids and abets others to cheat or plagiarize. Penalties include failing the course, suspension, and expulsion, and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.

TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE AND ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE

(Please check Blackboard daily for updates)

WEEK ONE

(5)

UNIT ONE: ORIGINS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN “MANHOOD”

In this unit, we will learn about the ideas about manhood embedded in traditional African-American culture, where they came from, and how they have continued to shape outlook and behavior in positive and negative ways.

WEEK TWO

Freewriting. Reading: Forward to Black Male Handbook. “Redefining Black Manhood,” part one. Writing: summary/paraphrasing.

WEEK THREE

Prewriting.Reading: “Redefining Black Manhood,” part two.Writing: summary/paraphrasing. MLA style in-text citations. Draft of essay 1 (summary and response)

Optional film and discussion: Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes

WEEK FOUR

Revising. Reading:This I Believe. “Remembering All the Boys;” “Good Can Be as Communicable as Evil.” Writing center visits and workshopping essay 1.

Optional film and discussion: Glory

UNIT TWO: PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH

In this unit, we will learn that what we put into our bodies and how we deal with our problems can determine our short-term mental and physical agility as well as our long-term quality of life.

WEEK FIVE

Essay 1 due. Reading: “Taking Care of Your Physical Health.” Writing: direct quotations/ in-text citations. MLA works cited. Search YouTube for clips on fast food content and consequences.

WEEK SIX

Reading: “Moving Toward Mental Wellness.” Writing: direct quotations, in-text and works cited citations. Draft essay two: thesis and support.

Optional film and discussion: Malcolm X

WEEK SEVEN

Reading: This I Believe: “The Hardest Work You Will Ever Do,” “The Power of Presence” Smarthinking and workshopping essay two.

UNIT THREE: FINANCIAL SECURITY

In this unit, we will learn which financial goals and habits that we embrace now can lead us to where we want to be or prevent us from ever getting there.

WEEK EIGHT

(6)

WEEK NINE

Reading: Juan Williams’ “What Next?” on library e-reserve, part one. Writing: response in form of thesis/support with full citation. Draft essay 3

Optional film and discussion: Boyz N the Hood

WEEK TEN

Finish “What Next?” In-class debate. Smarthinking or writing center and workshop essay 3.

UNIT FOUR: BELIEFS: SUCCESS IS A CHOICE

In this unit, we will pull together everything we have done this semester to come up with some strategies for daily and future success, no matter where we are beginning or where we intend to go.

WEEK ELEVEN

Essay three due. Reading: “A Daily Walk,” “Always Go to the Funeral” from This I Believe. Writing: short summary/citation.

WEEK TWELVE

Reading: “Creating a Spiritual Foundation.” Writing: argument. Draft essay 4. WEEK THIRTEEN

Reading: “I Am a Man.” Writing: argument. Review MLA citations. Workshop essay 4.

Optional Film and discussion: Get on the Bus

WEEK FOURTEEN

Power Point Presentations; Essay 4 due

WEEK FIFTEEN

Individual conferences to prepare portfolios. MLA review game.

WEEK SIXTEEN

Portfolios due; Post Test.

ESSAY ONE ASSIGNMENT: REDEFINING MANHOOD

For this paper, you will explain the traditional, patriarchal definition of “manhood” as explained by Byron Hurt and Hill Harper, and you will give your own definition and explanation of manhood.

You will begin by summarizing what Hurt (and Harper, if you wish) have to say about manhood: what characteristics is a traditional black “man” supposed to have? How are young males traditionally taught these traits and lessons? What happens to them if they do not conform to this definition of manhood? Why did Hurt and Hill change their views of manhood? Use the summary skills we have practiced in class to be sure you include the key elements of the authors’ ideas.

(7)

Submit your draft to Smarthinking (in Blackboard under Tools) at least 24 hours before you need the response. You will also need to visit the writing center to work with a tutor before the final draft is due.

RUBRIC FOR GRADING ESSAY #1

Please keep this and turn it in stapled to your paper

Content _{possible earned}

Includes a strong, accurate, complete summary of Byron Hurt’s ideas on manhood

from “Redefining Black Manhood” 15

Responds with a full explanation of your personal ideas on manhood, including your own ideas about what is required to be a man, why you believe this, and how young men can learn these lessons

15

In-text citations and Works Cited page in MLA format 10

Format and Organization

12 pt double-spaced Times New Roman standard margins, minimum of 3 pages, no title page, with name, date, class/section, and a title on first page 5

Introduction paragraph with clear, strong thesis 5

Each body paragraph is related to the thesis, has a topic sentence, and covers only

one topic 5

Conclusion paragraph gives no new information, restates thesis 5

Proofreading

Uses strong, specific language 3

Commas 3

Possessive apostrophes 3

Plural nouns 3

Appropriate verb for subject and tense 3

Fragments 3

Run-ons 3

Pronouns match referents in number and gender 3

Other grammar or proofreading issues 3

(8)

ESSAY TWO ASSIGNMENT: PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH

For this paper, you will take a position on the physical and mental health needs of young [black] men today. Pick what you consider to be the most important problem or problems relating to physical and mental health that you see in your life and the lives of your peers. Explain what they are, why they exist, what damage they do, and how to address them. I am particularly interested in how you recommend making productive changes that address habits and mindsets.

You will back up your ideas by incorporating the knowledge and advice of Kendrick Nathaniel and Andrae’ Brown, and you may wish to include information from the videos on YouTube and the handout from class.

You will have an individual conference with me to go over your rough draft during the week of xxx. You will need to visit the writing center to work with a tutor OR submit your essay to Smarthinking and use the results in your final copy.

RUBRIC FOR GRADING ESSAY #2

Content Possible Earned

Explains clearly and fully the most important problems in both mental and physical

health for young men today, explaining what they are, why they exist, what damage they do, and how to improve them

10

Explains Kendrick Nathaniel’s ideas on health and relates them to yours using

accurate summary and paraphrasing 10

Explains Andrae’ Brown’s ideas on health and relates them to yours using accurate

summary and paraphrasing 10

Uses a few strong, short direct quotations that are relevant to your points and

increase the strength of your essay 5

Correctly cites in MLA format (in-text and Works Cited page) 5

one topic 6

Conclusion paragraph gives no new information, restates thesis, ends with final

thought 6

Proofreading

Avoids repetition 3

Uses strong, specific wording that conveys your exact message 3

Commas 3

Fragments 3

Run-ons 3

Pronouns match referents in number and gender/ you 3

(9)

Drafts and rubric included and stapled together in one packet 3 Includes explanation of advice from ST or WC and how/where it was applied 6

ESSAY THREE ASSIGNMENT: ESTABLISHING EMPOWERING FINANCIAL HABITS

For this essay, you will be taking the position of an expert brought in to teach first-year college students the most important concepts they need to be aware of in shaping their financial futures. What information do they need to understand? What specific steps do they need to take? What steps will make financial stability harder or impossible? You may wish to address issues like mindset, consumption, investment, credit, education, work, and/or family. Use Ryan Mack and/or Juan Williams to back up your points, but do not include a full summary of either.

You must include STRONG quotations, but most of the information from Mack and Williams should be paraphrased.

First draft due xxx. Individual conferences are not universally required, but they are helpful. If you’d like one, see me to set up a time. You will need to visit the writing center to work with a tutor OR submit your essay to Smarthinking and use the results in your final copy.

Pleasesave this paper and turn it in stapled to your packet of drafts and final copy.

RUBRIC FOR GRADING ESSAY #3

Explains specific steps necessary to establish financial security and explains some to

avoid. 15

Paraphrases Ryan Mack’s and/or Juan Williams’ advice as it is relevant to the points

made in your essay 10

Selects strong quotations that add to the overall force of your essay 5

Includes accurate in-text citations in MLA format 5

Includes accurate Works Cited page in MLA format 5

one topic 5

thought 5

Proofreading

Avoids repetition 3

Commas 3

Plural nouns 3

(10)

Run-ons 3

Drafts and rubric included 3

Explains how the Writing Center or Smarthinking helped you revise 7

ESSAY FOUR ASSIGNMENT: THIS I BELIEVE

This I Believe is an international project engaging people in writing and sharing essays describing the core values that guide their daily lives. Over 60,000 of these essays are archived on the website,

www.thisibelieve.org

For your fourth and final essay for English 110, you will write about one of your core beliefs, something that helps define who you are, that is really meaningful to you. This belief will relate somehow to a topic we have read about, written about, argued about, and how it helps you achieve your dreams: what it is to be a man, physical health and/or emotional health, economic empowerment, how to treat other people, how to present yourself, the power you have to achieve your goals. Do not write about everything in your life; pick one belief, one time when your understanding of something was tested, changed, adapted, or confirmed.

You will need to refer to one or more of the readings we have done this semester to reinforce the essential skills you have learned in 110: summary, paraphrase, and MLA citation. You will do a Power Point presentation of your essay during the last week of class, and your essay will be due the day of your presentation.

RUBRIC FOR GRADING ESSAY #4

Clearly names and explains your belief in an organized, focused, and

well-developed essay 10

Shares a relevant personal story from your own life that sheds light on your belief

and gives it some context 10

Refers to one or more readings using accurate summary, paraphrasing, and at least

one short direct quotation 10

Includes accurate Works Cited page and accurate in-text citations in MLA format 10

one topic 6

thought 6

Proofreading

Avoids contractions and abbreviations 3

(11)

Commas 3

Plural nouns 3

Fragments 3

Run-ons 3