FYC.USF.

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FYC @ USF

MARCH 2012

THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA FIRST-YEAR COMPOSITION PROGRAMS OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER

Social action week: March 26th-30rd

by Dan Richards
FYC Community Manager

RHETORIC, ACTION, COMMUNITY Its that time of the semester again: social action time. Oh yes, the wonderful time when our FYC students get to literally get their voices heard by occupying space within the Marshall Center and sharing their rhetoric in action projects with any and all who will listen. This week, headed by the Celebrate Student Success committee is chock full with activities all aimed at acknowledging the great work our students are doing every semester in our program. Be on the lookout for more information. In the meantime, check out the video of last years Social Action Day in MSC to get a sense of what it looks like!

Collaborative Model Pilot

This model is based on the idea that more time should be spent by students working in groups, c o n fe r e n c i n g w i t h t h e i n structor, and conducting a fair amount of peer review. students. To check in on what they are doing, blogging about, and teaching, please see the CM Model page on the Instructor Site.

Read excerpts from teacher Several instructors are already blogs on Page 4. in the process of teaching this m o d e l t o t h e i r E NC 110 2

MY REVIEWERS VIDEO SERIES Page 2

NEW BULLITZER PRIZE INFORMATION Page 3

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WRITING CENTER WORKSHOPS Page 4

My Reviewers video series, from a student perspective

TEACHER FEATURE
Name: Kristen Gay Status: MA Rhet/Comp From: Tampa, FL Inspirations: I am inspired by Sylvia Plaths poetry, Virginia Woolfs prose, and Hlne Cixouss theory of lcriture fminine as writing the body. I am interested in Rhetoric and Composition, gender studies, and creative nonction. Teaching Philosophy: Good writing teachers invite students to let writing write them. Fun Fact: If I was uent, I would speak in French all the time. Future Goals: My career goals include: earning my PhD in Rhetoric and Composition, extending Cixouss theory of lcriture fminine, and becoming a feminist rhetorician.

by Dan Richards
FYC Community Manager

NEW VIDEOS HELP FACILITATE STUDENT UNDERSTANDING OF THE FIVE GRADING CRITERIA IN MY REVIEWERS Focus. Organization. Evidence. Style and Grammar. Formatting. All ve of these criteria frame the grading we conduct on My Reviewers. All ve are key components of writing. And all ve can be easily misunderstood by students. In light of this, there is a new video series aimed specically at facilitating a deeper understanding of these criteria from a student perspective. These videos are meant to simplify, not complicate, each of the ve components for students in a cogent and hopefully humorous way. Of course, each component (evidence, for example) is much more complicated than what is being presented in the video. As a writing instructor with your own students, it is assumed that you have set up your own methods for how students should become successful users, integrators, and quoters of other texts. These videos are not meant to step on your toes or tell you how to best explain these concepts. Rather, these videos should be used in

Bullitzer Submission Spring Break

Save the Date for M

s for 1101 Proj 1&2

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12-17 22 26-30
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class (or assigned at home) as supplements to your teaching, or perhaps even as springboards for class discussion about a given component. Keep watching for more videos soon...

1102 Proj 1

1101 Remediation Pr esentations

Social Action Week

Celebrate Student Success Committee actively seeking Bullitzer Prize submissions

by Katherine McGee
Celebrate Student Success

SOLICITING BULLITZER SUBMISSIONS FOR SPRING 2012 (PLEASE SEE NEW SUBMISSION TIMEFRAMES AND NOMINATION CRITERIA BELOW)

essay winners should reect outstanding papers that teachers believe would work well as student paper models (and could appear on the FYC site under each project page). In particular, Bullitzer-winning essays should reect the following (not necessarily ordered according to weighted preferences): A particularly original or insightful thesis statement that is effectively carried throughout the paper Clarity of argument and writing Effective incorporation of evidence/support, which excels at integrating evidence/support into the writers argument A thoughtful and/or novel approach to the topic A thorough discussion of the topic, which may include appropriate and varied sources as well as attention to other perspectives or concerns beyond the authors perspective An engaging opening and a closing that goes beyond the summative and a strong organizational structure

A solid cohesive essay that makes good use of transitions and segues A well-polished essay that reects proper diction, grammar, style, etc. Nomination Process Nominate your students via email. Follow this link and you will nd a sample email you may use. Simply add your students name and which project you have selected them for. The sample email also includes upload instructions. What this Award Means to Students Bullitzer winners will be highlighted as model texts on the project page and posted on the Bullitzer webpage. The students will also receive a certicate and can, of course, post the award on their CVs/rsums.

In the past, we have awarded the Bullitzer prize to students at the end of the academic year. This semester, we would like to award the prizes as each project is completed. By recognizing students throughout the semester, we reward students work more immediately. With this in mind, were ready to receive submissions for ENC 1101 Projects 1 and 2 and 1102 Project 1. Submissions that are received by Friday, March 9th will be considered for the awards. The Celebrate Student Success Committee is also looking for readers. Any instructor who would like to participate in the Bullitzer selection process, please contact Katherine at kmmcgee@mail.usf.edu Nomination Criteria Teachers should nominate students essays in ENC 1101 and ENC 1102 that are the best of the As in each project. Bullitzer

Katherine McGee
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Collaborative Model Pilot: From the blogosphere

It seems my students (and myself!) are redening the traditional "classroom," and it has been quite the positive experience. It erases the dichotomy. No front/back of room, no podium/desks, no I stand/ they sit- we are all participants in learning, sharing, critiquing. I think it is important to have a neutral environment for the smaller groups so that everyone feels important and no one feels they are in a place where they cannot be an authority in their own right. -Brittney Geil

I'm truly enjoying the CM this semester. All of my students are so

relaxed and giving with each other. It feels like a (good) family gathering each week. -Jenni Nance Love. It. -Allison Gibbes

Writing Center Workshops

Check out the Spring 2012 Study Smart Workshops schedule here. From paraphrasing to resumes, these sessions cover everything and

Throughout the last three weeks, I have been pleasantly surprised

can really improve student by the student engagement that the Collaborative Model has fostered. writing. Pass the link onto your During conference sessions on Thursdays, students are almost students! always prepared, in part due to the addedpressure or not wanting to seem unprepared in front of their friends. In a group of 22, it FROM THE EDITOR can be easy to blend in and not participate, but there is a greater As your Community Manager, my sense of accountability in the small group meetings.The students responsibility is to en sure the seem to be enjoying their smaller groups as a place where they maintenance and im provement of can share their ideas, and I have noticed that students who are FYCs web presence. This includes very shy during the group sessions often have a lot to say during the overseeing of the main FYC site the conferences. and all the various su b-sites; the production of videos -Kristen Gay tha Said is dead. The lecture is dead. These are phrases I used to resist, sensing they were only said by people, specically teachers, who just didnt feel like saying much anymore. While I used to see lecturing as the singular method by which to approach conducting class, I now see it as the rst step on the path of critical thinking. -Angela Eward-Mangione Check out the Collaborative Model instructor blog here.
t represent our program; assisting FYC instructors with all the ir technological needs; and being an integral part of all the committees that work tirelessly to maintain and improve our status as a top-notch, progressive FYC prog ram.

FIRST-YEAR COMPOSITION
Dr. Joseph Moxley, Director of Composition Dr. Dianne Donnelly, Assoc. Composition Dir. Location: CPR 304

FYC @ USF
MARCH 2012

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

fyc.usf.edu

Department of English 4202 East Fowler Avenue, CPR 107 Tampa, FL 33620

The editor of this newsletter is Daniel Richards, a doctoral candidate in rhetoric and composition. If you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions for future newsletter, please email Dan at drichar3@mail.usf.edu