Syllabus

Creative Writing

Barry Rich

Room G-110

Block 8 

2011-2012

Course description and units of study: Creative Writing is two-semester elective course that guides students to becoming better expressers of written communication and becoming better multimedia artifact creators. “Creative” implies an emphasis on creating non-prosaic artifacts of poetic and fiction venues. Mr. Rich majored in creative writing at University of Maryland and treats this course as a highly-structured workshop environment. In class, students read, discuss, and analyze a spectrum of literary genres and complete a variety of formal and informal writing assignments of very diverse formats. Students share their works for peer-review, engage in guided criticism, maintain portfolios, and share their individual preferred works within a yet-to-be-determined on-line location. A typical class day involves celebrating and criticizing works of peer-student writers, examining and interpreting the works of famous or published artists, drafting by following models, and exploring ways to publish creative endeavors.

Course objectives (upon course completion): By writing creatively and creating multimedia artifacts, students will become more effective communicators, quality artists, and more skilled in personal reflection. By writing creatively, students might increase their appreciation for the arts and humanities. Students will demonstrate writing formal works of diverse formats. Students will increase their technology repertoires by constructing multimedia artifacts.

Evaluation (grade determinants): Each student’s cumulative grade is numerically and objectively based upon maintaining a portfolio assignment, by engaging in guided peer-review and criticism, and by completing assignments for teacher-review. Students' final drafts must be entered in computer formats. Student-involvement, muturity, mutual-respect, group-cohesion, and individual performance are key in making this course an enriching experience. 

 Late-work policy: Formal writings submitted late receive five-point deductions (on the

100-point scale) per school day.

Attendance: Issues regarding attendance may be remedied by referring to the student planner and reviewing the County Policy contained therein. 

Homework: Out of class, students need self-discipline in completing their reading of shared

peer-writings and being prepared to criticize said works at the beginning of each class.

Make-up work: Make-up work is the dread of teachers and students alike. Notably however, it is a student’s responsibility to retrieve all work upon the day the student returns to school (as dictated within the Student Handbook/Planner). Assignments and handouts usually appear on Edline.net the day they are assigned. I normally eat a brown-bag lunch within my classroom so I can assist students with their work. This year I have 7th Block planning, so there exists no excuses for not meeting with me about make up assignments during your B-Day lunch period. Eat your little sandwich; then come meet with me.

Materials: Everyday, students need a freshly-charged computer netbook (if issued one) and a stiff cardboard covered, cloth-tape bound paper notebook—like the ones with black and white patterned covers, non-tear-out pages, sometimes called “composition” notebooks, and costing around a dollar. Students also need writing implements and loose-leaf or spiral-bound notebook paper for turning in quizzes, exams, and other assignments. Coming to class unprepared shows a lack of character and is actually a violation of student conduct. I will not be using textbooks for this course, and I will instead be using a plethora of teacher-created packets and handouts.