My Overall Philosophy about My Writing and Literature Courses

I believe that everyone can learn to write, and that writing a variety of texts can provide fulfillment and confidence. Toward that end, I provide a variety of courses, and assignments and experiences within those courses, to expose students to new ideas and methods as they develop their writing, no matter where they begin. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had, and continue to have, to develop my own thinking and writing, and I love to pass those on to my students in any way possible. Students entering my courses will want to have a desire to learn—or a desire to gain the desire to learn and grow, a willingness to work—or a desire to learn study techniques and more effective discipline, and a sense of honesty—that is, that all of the work they submit for the course is their own.

The greatest reward of teaching is student growth, and when we see it, both student and teacher gain energy, momentum, and a sense of fulfillment.

English 1A: Written Communications I

A statewide requirement, this course is extremely practical and invaluable for students’ educational, professional, and personal success. Recognizing that students enter the course with differing skill levels, apprehensions about writing, and learning styles, in my sections, I provide a variety of assignments, each designed to allow the students to learn numerous skills and approaches to writing. I am particularly interested in strategies to overcome resistance to writing or writers’ blocks and dividing the process of writing a paper into distinct steps, as it can be too overwhelming and ineffectual to try to do everything at once. We also read a variety of essays for content and example, and a short novel. And as reading is the basis of quality writing, the importance of the integration of reading and writing is also emphasized through particular assignments. For most papers, students select their own topics. Instruction in grammar and mechanics is also provided according to the specific needs of each class and is made integral to the writing of papers.

While this is a required course, over the years, I have sought to provide enjoyable, albeit challenging experiences for students so that their other coursework benefits and their confidence in writing increases.

English 1B: Written Communications II

When students have developed their writing abilities in English 1A, they have the opportunity to apply those skills to the reading and analysis of literature. Students read, analyze, and discuss works in four literary genres: short stories, novels, plays, and poems. Literary elements are discussed, including plot, character, symbol, narration, structure, style, and theme. Various analytical approaches and critical theories are offered so that students can learn and identify the ways in which they find meaning in the literature. For the major papers, students select a topic, create a solid thesis, develop their argument through analysis and example, and continue to develop their understanding of the writing process and citing of primary textual and secondary research material. For poetry, instead of writing a paper, students take a test. Students also select an author and conduct research to share with the class so that we can see the ways in which authors’ lives influence their writing.

This is a solid reading and writing course, in which students are challenged to hone their analytical and writing skills in order that they may be more successful in all of their courses. In addition, discussions often identify the ways in which the literature applies to our lives today whether it was written recently or hundreds of hears ago. It is also my goal that students learn techniques that will allow them to read and enjoy literature throughout their lives.

English 44D—Creative Writing: Play and Screenwriting

Designed by Dr. Dominik, this exciting course is one of the unique course offerings at Delta College. Students interested in writing plays or screenplays, including both those who have already written some or those who have never dabbled in these writing forms before, have the opportunity now to do so within the parameters of a college course. A variety of exercises provides practice for various elements of plays and films, including plot, character, dialogue, structure, symbolism, and theme. Discussions offer the sharing of approaches to writing, techniques, and strategies to cope with writer’s block. Central to the course is the students’ own work writing scripts, which are workshopped. Thus, students have the invaluable and rare opportunity to hear their works aloud and to learn from the writing of others. Finally, a series of complementary assignments provides self-assessment insight into one’s own writing as well as a view toward later marketing of scripts, including pitches, treatments, and production lists. Students read and analyze published scripts as well as writing books in their selected genre.

In the few semesters since the course began, students have produced creative, workable scripts, much to the delight of their classmates. The groups have also worked quite well together, reading one another’s scripts and offering feedback, something that at first can seem uncomfortable. We have also enjoyed producing showcases for everyone’s scripts. The course overall provides a solid introduction to numerous aspects of scriptwriting, and while there is a bit of work involved, the outcomes have proven most rewarding and inspiring for the writers.

 

English 53/Journalism 53: Freelance Writing

Designed collaboratively by Jane Dominik and Bill Davis, this course is intended for students who have written and are interested in publishing their work, or for students who would like to explore a variety of writing genres and explore publishing possibilities. As a complement to the students’ own creative work for two projects, they will learn and develop marketing tools, including query and cover letters, marketing and competition lists, and synopses. Weekly in-class writing exercises provide inspirational ideas for writing, even when one has no idea where to begin. Lectures and discussions cover all genres of creative writing in which the particular group of students is interested. Information is also provided regarding legal, business, and financial issues, as well as what goes on behind the scenes in the various publishing venues. Finally, students read three writing texts, one of their choosing, and maintain a writer’s journal, designed to identify their personal strengths and best strategies for writing in order to develop and maintain their writing after the course.

Freelance Writing offers a lot of information and practice for students interested in writing. Often students have ended up writing in a genre they did not anticipate. They also gain much confidence and direction, having created two projects of their work.

English 52: From Story to Screen

Another of Delta College’s unique course offerings designed by Dr. Dominik, this course, in many ways, is four-for-the-price-of-one: literature, film, analytical writing, and creative writing. Students read, watch film adaptations, analyze, and discuss works in three literary genres: short stories, novels, and plays. Literary elements are analyzed and discussed, including plot, character, symbol, narration, structure, style, and theme, while film elements are discussed, including casting, acting, directing, lighting, music, and cinematography. Students compare and contrast each work of literature with its film adaptation, identifying specific changes and their effects. In addition to short exercises, they write papers in which they analyze film adaptations fully. Finally, they adapt portions of a short story or novel in screenplay format.

This is one of the best courses I have designed, a solid one in which students can develop a variety of skills, specifically those of noting details and their effects in literature and film.

English 55: Critical Approaches to Dramatic Literature

In addition to short stories, novels, poetry, and essays, plays constitute one of the major literary genres, so Jane Dominik and Martha Rice created this course to complete the fundamental department course offerings. Students read a variety of plays from various periods, including Modern, Realism, Elizabethan, and Medieval, and genres, including comedy, tragedy, tragicomedy, and abstract. To develop their interpretations and discussions of the plays, they develop a fundamental understanding of both the elements that drama shares with other literary genres (plot, character, symbolism, narration, theme, structure, and style), as well as those that distinguish them (dialogue, staging, subplots, and subtext), and major literary critical theories (biographical, historical, sociological, gender, structural, and existential), applying them to their analyses. Students write responses to the plays, applying literary and dramatic terms, and papers for which they select a topic, create a solid thesis, develop support through analysis and example, and develop their understanding of the writing process and citing of primary textual and secondary research material.

While most plays are written to be performed, this course focuses on them as literature.