Syllabus Link (So that you can see the graphics)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sOoia4oovvIEbIxdcxP7Q6Qpge8qBqNERwMYLq4vyAg/edit?usp=sharing

Course Syllabus Redo

Syracuse University Project Adventure

Fall 2015

Mrs. Amber DeSimony

Room C244- right across from the library!

Contact: adesimony@niskyschools.org

·        This course is an introduction to academic writing!

·         With the support of classmates, you will learn how to read, revise, and edit your papers- JUST LIKE A COLLEGE STUDENT!

·         Learn to analyze works of writing, learn about a variety of topics that pertain to your interests, and most importantly, have fun!

·         An emphasis on writing argumentatively will help you have engaging conversations with others about topics of interest.

·         Learn to be aware of your audience so that you can be effective in your persuasion. 

Unit 1 Reflection

Olivia Canavan

Mrs. DeSimony

October 2015

SUPA 12 H

The genre of academic writing is very flexible in the way information is presented. Throughout the first unit in SUPA I observed this in the variety of materials we used for research. Many of the authors took a formal approach to their writing, while the documentaries and podcasts were more informal in their language. The quantitative information, like the qualitative information, was also presented in a particular way.  Having the ability to write well in an academic environment is vital to the reader’s ability to understand a textual work. Stylistic choices of authors are frequently influenced by how they want their information to be received by readers. SUPA has helped me understand in a greater capacity the extent to which academic writing is dependent upon how the writer wants their work to be received.

While researching various statistics and issues affecting the American education system, I read several articles by authors who would be considered radical. I intentionally did this, especially when researching social promotion, because I wanted to see “both sides” of the argument in the most direct way. The ideas and philosophies of educators varied drastically, it seemed essential to the quality of my paper to have a diverse pool of sources and articles to reference. The pieces of research we discussed in class helped give me a general idea of the issues I wanted to discuss, specifically race as it relates to graduation and poverty rates. The article by Jean Anyon helped me understand why the effectiveness of education varies depending on socioeconomic status, although it didn’t answer why instruction approaches are so different. After thinking about it, and having a discussion with my mother, I decided that the variation is due to the expectations of teachers. Based on Anyon’s interviews with teachers, it seemed like the majority of the teachers in the more affluent schools had more faith in their students ability to learn. One relevant point from our class discussion was the idea that teachers don’t usually learn to teach one particular socioeconomic group of students. Considering this, it is amazing how teachers consistently embody the characteristics Anyon describes.

Throughout my research and writing processes, I was wary of several holes that I didn’t want my paper to fall into. First, I didn’t want it to become overly partial to my own personal experiences. My goal was to present my information and sources in a way that would lead the reader to agree with my conclusion, instead of telling them why I was right. Secondly, I didn’t want to portray information in a way that would make the reader “pity” the students that I was discussing. It’s more helpful for people to be proactive and solve problems, rather than feel bad for someone. In class when we watched the HONY video, I felt that the school that went on field trips to Harvard didn’t solve the actual problems students were facing that caused them to be poor. Fundraising doesn’t solve generational poverty.

All in all, this unit helped improve my skills as a critical reader of texts. I not only increased my ability to understand “why writers write,” but also “why writers write in a particular way.” I felt that this was one of the first topics I have learned about in high school that actually resonated with me.