ENGL-101 - English Composition and Literature - Adam Kempler
| Course: | English Composition and Literature |
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| Professor: | Adam Kempler |
| Email: | adam.kempler@canyons.edu |
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| Course Length: |
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Introduction
Welcome to English 101 at College of the Canyons. While English can be a challenging subject for some students, I'm here to help you progress in this class as a reader, writer, and thinker. I enjoy working with students and helping students to learn literacy skills, and I expect you to work hard in this class and be successful.
Course Description
English 101 builds critical reading and expository writing skills through the analysis and evaluation of college-level texts and the composition of well-organized, full-length essays containing properly documented evidence.
At the end of this course, if you have completed all the assignments and tried your best to improve and progress, you should be able to do the following:
- Independently apply appropriate critical reading strategies to challenging texts in order to determine explicit and inferential meaning, as well as synthesize ideas from multiple texts.
- Apply appropriate academic writing strategies in order to create thoughtful, well-organized, thesis-driven short essays that are supported by documented sources and critical observations.
What to Expect in this Course
This class will be face-to-face or in-person.
In the 16-week model, students will probably spend 2-3 hours twice per week completing assignments.
Students who are self-motivated, who are self-disciplined, and who have a good work ethic will enjoy success.
Students will need access to the Internet, a computer, and a smart phone to complete assignments in Canvas: https://coc.instructure.com/login/canvas. Students will also need Microsoft Word, which is available to COC students for free here: https://www.canyons.edu/administration/it/resources/officeonline.php. Students will need to print handouts, and free printing is available on campus here: https://www.canyons.edu/studentservices/campuslife/asg-computer-labs/index.php.
During the first week of instruction, students may not miss any class or assignments, or they will be dropped from the course. The Canvas shell will open in the morning on the first day of instruction.
Types of Assessments
Assessments will include the following: quizzes, tests, journals, group work, discussion board postings, and essays.
Textbook Information
Please purchase all of your books before the semester begins. Purchasing books can pose a challenge for students. If you cannot pay for books, you may consider enrolling in a section of English 101 that uses Open Educational Resources (OER) exclusively; these materials are free. For my classes, students do need to buy books, but they are all low-cost books. Buying and using the books will be required to pass the class. It will be critical that you have paper copies (not digital copies) of the correct editions of the books, so search for them by the ISBNs (the numbers listed below) instead of by title. Several of the books come in various editions, and you will need the correct edition for my class. Also, please do not purchase books with writing in them already. Also, rentals do not work well because you will have an annotation assignment in the books. Used books without writing in them are fine. All of the correct editions of the books are in the COC bookstore, which takes orders online, by phone, and in person. Here is their link: https://coc.bncollege.com/. You may either enter all the ISBNs in the search box at the top right, or you may click textbooks at the top left, the current semester and year, English Department, English 101, Section number. The process will only work if you select pull-down options (do not type in your answers). Call the COC bookstore for help: 661-362-3255.
- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (ISBN: 978-0-486-26865-1)
- The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog: And Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist's Notebook--What Traumatized Children Can Teach Us About Loss, Love, and Healing by Bruce Perry and Maia Szalavitz (ISBN 978-0465094455).
- March to Freedom: A Memoir of the Holocaust by Edith Singer (ISBN: 978-0-9817794-0-9).
- In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom by Yeonmi Park (ISBN: 978-0143109747).
- Success Strategies: Accelerating Academic Progress by Addressing the Affective Domain, 3rd edition, edited by Kim Gurnee (ISBN: 978-0-9817794-7-8). Do not buy a 2nd edition; it will not work because it does not have all the materials needed for this class.
Students will also need 3-ring binder for English 101 for keeping annotated articles and handouts, access to a 3-hole punch and a stapler for articles, and a stack of 200 white cards that are 3x5 (lines on the front and blank on the back). These 200 cards may not be attached to each other with rings or binding; just keep them together with a rubber band. Finally, students will need a composition book with full size pages; this may not be spiral bound. It will have the word "composition" on it.
Other Relevant Course Information
Again, welcome, and I look forward to working with you soon. You will want to have your books in your hand (https://coc.bncollege.com/) and Office 365 (https://coc.bncollege.com/) on your computer before the semester begins. You will want to log in to Canvas to read the first announcement and complete your first assignments on the first day of instruction: https://coc.instructure.com/login/canvas. The class will open in the morning on the first day of instruction.
Buying your books and securing Office 365 are your two pre-semester assignments.
Thank you. See you soon.
Professor Kempler
(661) 362-3266
adam.kempler@canyons.edu
Additional Resources
Canvas
This course can be accessed on the first day of class via Canvas at https://coc.instructure.com. Log into Canvas using your CanyonsID single sign-on:
- CanyonsID Username is your COC student email address (Ex: username@my.canyons.edu)
- CanyonsID Password is your COC student email password
Please visit the Get to Know Your Online Classroom page for help logging into Canvas and for tips on using Canvas and Zoom. Canvas Chat Support is also available 24/7 for any Canvas related issues.
Online Education
Check out the Online Education website for more information on a variety of topics that can help you be a successful online student such as: exam proctoring, learning styles, computer skills, and tips for student success. If this is your first online course, feel free to take our online learning readiness assessment to assess your skills.
The Learning Center (TLC)
The TLC provides FREE online tutoring resources to COC students!
Academic Accommodation Center (AAC)
College of the Canyons AAC provides educational services and access for eligible students with documented disabilities who intend to pursue coursework at COC. A variety of programs and services are available which afford eligible students with disabilities the opportunity to participate fully in all aspects of the college programs and activities through appropriate and reasonable accommodations. For more information on their services visit the Academic Accomodation Center website.
Online Counseling
The Counseling Department offers appointments online. You can schedule an appointment by visiting the Online Counseling website. Counselors can help you map out a plan to reach your educational goals as well as advise you on course selection and registration.
Management of Stress and Mental Health
Often the pressure on our students is very strong, involving academic commitments, relationships, outside jobs and family pressure to name a few. The staff and faculty of College of the Canyons are here to see you succeed academically and care about your emotional and physical health. You can learn more about the broad range of confidential student services, including counseling and mental health services available on campus by visiting the Student Health & Wellness Center in the Student Services Building (across from the bookstore). The phone number is 661-362-3259 that you can call 24/7. You can also e mail for an appointment at StudentHealthCenter@canyons.edu. At the Canyon Country Campus the Health Center will be in the new Student Services Building.
Also, the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline number is now 988. All students at COC are encouraged to enter that phone number in their cells. You can call it when you, or someone you know, is having thoughts of suicide or is in severe distress.
You can also now use the Crisis Text Line: Just text "Courage" to 741741. Someone will get back to you immediately. Its free, 24/7, and confidential.
Veterans Resource Center
The College of the Canyons Veterans Resource Center is a department within the Student Services Division at the college, created to help veterans and veteran dependents with applying to College of the Canyons, enrolling in classes, and requesting VA Education or Vocational Benefits. For more information please visit the Veterans Resource Center website, email veterans@canyons.edu or phone (661) 362-3469.
Library
The Library provides live online and in-person research help, access to a full range of e-resources and physical materials that support the curriculum, individual and group study areas, and much more!
Last updated: 02/02/2022 Sub#: 615