Poetry and Poetic Speech
April 2nd – May 23rd,
2013
TTh 9:00 - 10:30, Room 1
Shane Abrams
Course Texts
Note: the vast majority of course
texts will be provided in handouts by the instructor or provided by the
students themselves; a folder, binder, or other organizational system is highly
recommended.
The
following blog will also serve as a resource for disseminating materials and
texts:
Course Description
This
course is intended to provide students a foundation in poetry and poetic
performance through the study of written and spoken word poetry. Each student
will extend his or her current knowledge of poetry, no matter how broad or
narrow. Additionally, students will participate in frequent exercises of workshop
and performance in order to develop their appreciation of poetry through a
social lens. Each student will become more intimately familiar with poetry and
poetic speech through the exploration of writing, speech, and music composed by
established artists, by his or her peers, and by him or herself.
Learning Outcomes and
Essential Questions
During
this course, students will develop the ability to…
· engage in the analysis,
discussion, and interpretation of both written and spoken poetry.
· analyze and appreciate poetry
affectively.
· recognize and articulate the
relevance of poetry in the culture of academia and in the broader global
community.
· write, revise, and share original
works of poetry.
· provide relevant and constructive
feedback in a peer writing workshop environment.
We will
aim to explore—perhaps even answer—some of the following questions:
· How do poets use language to
pursue personal and social truth?
· How are reading, writing, speech,
and listening related and independent?
· What importance does poetry hold
in historical and contemporary society?
· What are the benefits to group
involvement and interaction in artistic expression?
Outcomes Assessment
The
following assignments will be used to assess students’ progress toward learning
outcomes: participation & attendance (graded daily); daily in-class journals
(graded twice per block); participation in Boulder Prep’s Annual Poetry Jam;
in-class and out-of-class assignments; and a final portfolio. Additionally, other
artistic or academic assignments will be collected and assessed when the
instructor sees appropriate.
Classroom Policy –
Grading, Attendance, and Comportment
Grades
for Poetry and Poetic Speech will be calculated on a points-based scale; i.e.,
each assignment, including long-term projects and daily participation grades,
will be valued at a certain number of points possible. Over the 8-week course,
points possible will amount to roughly 800-1000 points. At any time, a student
may request his or her grade, and I will do my best to provide a response in a
timely fashion.
Extra
credit will not be provided, barring
unforeseen, extenuating circumstances; therefore, students are expected to
complete each and every assignment to the best of their respective abilities.
Opportunity for success will not be withheld: each student will have the chance
to excel, in terms of grades and
personal growth. However, the burden lies upon the student to optimize these
opportunities.
Students
should attend all classes as possible. There will be only 16 sessions of Poetry
and Poetic Speech; each absence is detrimental to learning potential. I will
not deduct points for absences, whether they are excused or unexcused. However,
students are always responsible for information, work, and cumulative assignments
which they miss when absent: missing multiple classes will unforgivingly hinder
a student’s academic success. If a student misses class, I advise visiting the
course blog – http://boulderpreppoetry.blogspot.com/ — to see what she or he
missed and what she or he needs in order to catch up. If you know in advance
that you will miss a class, please consult with me beforehand.
Students are expected to arrive to
class on time.
This means that each student should be sitting at a desk with all necessary
materials, including any assigned reading for the class, ready to begin working
at 9:00. This does not mean walking from the Commons to the classroom at 9:00;
this does not mean arriving at 8:59 and leaving to use the bathroom until 9:05.
In regards to breaks: there will be
no out-of-class breaks. You should think of yourselves as adults during this
class: leave the classroom only when you must and only when it is appropriate. At the maximum, only one student should be
out of the classroom at any given time.
My
classroom is a place for personal growth, be it intellectual, emotional, or
otherwise. I expect all students to help me maintain an environment conducive
to such growth. All students are entitled to the right to improve and evolve,
and no person should infringe upon this right in any manner. My classroom will
be a safe and respectful environment for my students to exercise their right to
learn.
Course
Specific Grades:
Daily
participation – 10 pts. / day
Daily
journals – 160 pts.
General
assignments – approx. 250 pts.
In-class
activities – approx. 250 pts.
Participation
in Poetry Jam – 200 pts.
Final
portfolio – 300 pts.
* see particular assignment sheets for specific breakdown and
expectations
Academic
Honesty
Plagiarism
and cheating, whether intentional or unintentional, shall not be tolerated.
Every student is expected to follow any and all codes of academic honesty
endorsed by Boulder Preparatory High School.
Electronic
Devices
In order
to facilitate the development of a respectful and focused classroom
environment, students are asked to refrain from the use of cell phones and
other unnecessary and/or distracting devices during class time. When you are in
class, regardless of the nature of the activity, your cell phone should be put
away, your music device shut off, and any other devices out of sight. Devices
that seem to be distracting any student will be impounded for the remainder of
the period.
Materials Needed
Please
bring these things to class every day:
Writing
materials (pen/pencil, paper)
Course
texts (handouts, assignments, etc.)
Writing
notebooks
Recommended: Binder, folder, or other
organizational system for hand-out readings
Approximate Schedule of
Study and Curriculum
This
schedule is a rough estimate and is subject to change.
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Week one (4/2 - 4/4) –
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Introduction
to poetic writing, speech, listening, and reading
Inspiration, imagery,
and word choice
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Week two (4/9 - 4/11) –
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Writing
and re-writing
Revision and
metaphorical devices
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Week three (4/16 - 4/18) –
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Inspiration,
imitation, and symbolism
Metaphorical
devices and poetic response
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Week four (4/23 - 4/25) –
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Poetry
for social influence
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Week five (4/30 - 5/2) –
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Focus
on performance technique and style
Performance and
revision
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Week six (5/7 - 5/9) –
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Jam
preparation
May 10th – Poetry Jam
Performance and
revision
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Week seven (5/14 - 5/16) –
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Independent
writing and portfolio compilation
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Week eight (5/21 - 5/23) –
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In-class
portfolio work
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Miscellaneous
I reserve
the right to amend or alter this syllabus; please note that any changes are
made in an effort to create the best possible academic environment. I will
notify students of any such changes as promptly as possible.
I
wholeheartedly welcome feedback. Please do not hesitate to provide response to
my teaching practices, assignments, etc.—but please provide this feedback while
class is not in session.
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[Please detach and return this section.]
I,
_______________________________, hereby acknowledge that I have received and
reviewed this
(print
name)
syllabus.
Any questions or concerns that have arisen have been addressed adequately.
I
recognize that I am a student: I am capable of anything I encounter in this
course, though it may be challenging—and it should be challenging. I will not
state that I “can’t” do something, but that I “can’t yet.” I will ask for help
when I need it, whether assistance is from Shane, from my peers, or from
another responsible individual.
I will
contribute to a classroom environment which is healthy, fun, welcoming,
intellectual, emotional, and safe, among other things.
I will
respect everyone’s educational opportunities; I will respect our building; I
will respect my peers’ and instructors’ belongings; I will respect everyone’s
right to make amends.
I will be
the best person—intellectually, socially, and otherwise—that I can be.
_____________________________________ __________________
(signature) (date)
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