Dr. Yoder
English 4150/4250.01 Seminar: Reading Poetry
Spring 2008 MW 12:15-1:30pm Stabler Hall 401
Office: Dickinson Hall 321* Office Hrs.: M 1:45-2:45pm; W 1:14-2:45 and 4-5pm; also by appt.
Office Phone: 569-3569 or 569-3389* email: rpyoder@ualr.edu webpage: www.ualr.edu/rpyoder
*For Spring 2008 I am serving as interim Director of the Donaghey Scholars Program, so I'll be using this office and this phone number; my regular office is Stabler Hall 501-V, and my regular office phone number is 569-8321.
Texts:
Hunter, J. Paul, et al (eds.). Norton Introduction to Poetry, 9th ed. (ISBN 978-0-393-92857-0; W.W. Norton, 2006; paper)Goals:
The only real goal in this class is for students to improve their skills in reading poetry. This includes close reading and paraphrasing (heretical or not). Students will also deepen their understanding of commonly used poetical devices, such as meter, alliteration, parallelism, chiasmus, metaphor, simile, metonymy, synecdoche, etc., and how these devices contribute to the ³experience² of poetry.Objectives:
In order to achieve this goal, students will
- Read and discuss in detail a wide range of poems;
- Paraphrase passages from poems;
- Read poems aloud;
- Write both formally and informally about poems;
- Write particular kinds of metrical lines;
- Examine revisions of poems particular poems.
Course Assessment:
My course will also include an ongoing assessment of my teaching in the form of weekly
journals. These journals consist of a 250 word (minimum requirement) written response to the
class readings or discussion. These journals allow me to assess how well students are
understanding what I think I am teaching them, and I make adjustments to my class
presentations and assignments accordingly. Taken as a whole, the journals count for 15% of
the student's final grade, thus insuring that the students take this assessment seriously.
The journals also serve other classroom purposes outlined on the "House Rules" page.
Secondary Education Assessement:
See "For Secondary Education Majors" page.Reading Schedule
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