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12/11/15, 11:08 AM

Successful Writing 2 Class

Hmm. It looks like these
ingredients aren't on sale
today.

Recipe By: Roberta

"This recipe will yield a successful Writing 2 class, designed to teach students genre awareness, so that they
can understand and break down any future writing task either inside or outside of the university. As a Writing
2 teacher, you are in a privileged position to introduce first-year students to the goals of the university - how
to think, how to ask questions, how to find answers. If you follow this recipe, you will be able to teach your
students not only how to be university students, but also how to be participants in life in general."

Ingredients
Commitment to student learning
Approachable, friendly demeanor
20 hours a week for prep time and grading
6 hours a week for class time and o!ice hours

Knowledge of key concepts in genre studies (e.g.

audience, purpose, context, rhetorical analysis,
conventions, etc.)
Knowledge of grammar, style, and proper citation
styles
Access to key writings from scholars in writing studies
and genre studies (e.g. Adler-Kassner, Devitt, Downs,
Lunsford, Wardle, Wol!, Yancey, etc.)
Access to writing about writing directed to a student
audience (e.g. Bunn, Carroll, Dirk, Irvin, Rosenberg,
Stedman, Boyd, etc.) to be compiled in a course
reader

Directions
1
2
3
4

7
8

Read several recent publications from the field of writing studies in order to become familiar with the
critical conversations currently occurring in the field.
Read about genre studies in order to understand the conceptual underpinnings of your Writing 2 class.
Develop a reading list for your students that acquaints them with key concepts in genre studies. Compile
these texts in a course reader.
Design a syllabus that leads students through three units (corresponding to three main writing projects)
and an end-of-term period in which the students can work on revising their final course portfolios. This
syllabus should link the individual readings with appropriate course concerns, as well as include several
days for reader review. Establish a grade breakdown that emphasizes the importance of revision by
making a final course portfolio the most significant part of the grade (worth 45-50%).
Create lesson plans that encourage collaborative learning, in which students interact with each other as
peers to share knowledge and resources and ultimately come to a higher understanding of course
concepts. Incorporate group work, collaborative in-class activities, and reader review into class time.
Ask students to come to your o!ice hours for a 10-minute conversation in the first two weeks of class.
This will allow you to get to know your students on a more individual basis, introduce each student to
your o!ice space, and establish you as approachable and concerned about student learning. Continue
to be available for students during o!ice hours as the quarter progresses.
Respond within 24 hours to all student emails in order to demonstrate your responsiveness to their
concerns.
Provide both positive and critical feedback when grading assignments, making sure to frame all
criticism in constructive terms. Grade Project Builders within two days and Writing Projects within one
week to stay on schedule.
Dedicate the last two weeks of class to revision work, so that the students understand the importance of
writing and come to see writing as a continual process. At this point, you can guide students through

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Successful Writing 2 Class - Printer Friendly - Allrecipes.com

10

12/11/15, 11:08 AM

lessons on grammar and style.

Reflect on your e!orts as a Writing 2 teacher. At this point, you have developed a strong foundation of
knowledge in writing studies and genre studies, created a solid syllabus and curriculum that reflects this
knowledge, demonstrated care and concern for your students, emphasized collaborative learning in the
classroom through in-class activities, prioritized revision by guiding the students through regular
revision and reader review workshops, and provided thoughtful and encouraging feedback on student
assignments to help them improve as writers. You did it!

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