LAST WEEK we began our work on running a workshop. We covered the basic tenant of comments: Is it true, is it kind, and is it necessary? We discussed the importance of maintaining confidentiality and respect for others' work, and I also provided some excellent examples from the Killer Kane. We also wrote three journals in class, and submitted a written response to a Short Takes (ST) narrative, "A Night of Oranges." We reviewed the English Department handouts on the college essay, and students provided actual prompts from your college application process via the blog. Finally, students identified one well-written passage that stood out in This Boy's Life.

Monday

No school today for Labor Day.
HW: I did not get the prompt blog posting up until 9/1. If you were unable to get your posted this weekend, get it up by the end of school Tuesday. Have your passage identified for class discussion on Wednesday and Thursday.

Tuesday

We will begin with another journal entry, more brainstorming about your life. Covering some adminis-triva, review of the syllabus, academic integrity policy and textbooks. Today we will also read and discuss one more of the sample student essays.
HW: Sign up for a conference with me this week to discuss your college essay. Use this google doc to add your name. Re-read the first chapter of This Boy's Life, and annotate for stylistic technique: How does Wolff set the stage? What tools from his writer's bag-of-tricks does he use to accomplish that? How is he establishing character, setting tone, foreshadowing Jack's conflicted end of adolescence? What language quirks do your note? What does he do with image that's striking? What's the thumbprint he leaves upon the work? Also, listen to the student essay on the post, "A Sample Essay."

Wednesday

Starting today with a journal entry. We will finish our discussion of the student sample essays. Time permitting, we will begin discussing the posted questions on squarespace. The last ten minutes of class, a stylistic discussion of This Boy's Life, chapter one.
HW: Remember that this week (and early next week) you are to conference with me outside of class. For that meeting, you should plan on talking about where you are in the college application process, as well as why you took this course and what goals you have for yourself (as a writer) for first quarter.

Thursday

At this point, we should hopefully have finished workshopping the sample college essays and have discussed the posted questions. If so, we will begin a two day (more likely it will take 3 days of) discussion of the passages chosen from TBL. We will not approach them chronologically. Rather, we will look at what Wolff does in terms of techniques. During the two day discussion, everyone will keep class-mapped notes, and everyone should have introduced their passage.
HW: Read and take notes on the introduction in Short Takes (page 1-14) for class on Tuesday.

Friday

Continuation (and possible conclusion) of the TBL conversation.
HW: Your analysis of TBL will be due on Wednesday. The revision of your college essay a week from this coming Monday.