Re: 1 or 2 semesters of FYE?

["maryann" <32b5oco@cmich.edu>]

christine,
    At Central Michigan (about 15,000), we also have only one semester of
freshman composition (101--required for competency) and then another
"research-type" composition course (201--required for competency), which is
to be taken during sophomore and junior years.  Our arguments for this, and
the differences in students and writing, are much like Lynell's comments and
observations for Concordia.  The changes in "languaging" really are
substantially different by the time students take 201.  This says something,
I think, about the length of time (not just practice) it takes for our
language abilities (and writing as one medium for these) to match the
discourse communities we want to join.
    But we do have a way for students who might WANT two semesters of
freshman comp.  These students can (and some really do) also take our
English 100 course, geared for more basic writers (required for some
students), and then take English 101. The combination provides a year-long
approach to freshman composition, since the English 100-101 sequence spreads
the goals of English 101 over the year.  The third option we provide is for
students to take a 4-credit course in the spring semester, with one credited
tied to one hour per week at the writing center. This gives students more
writing and more help with writing than only taking the 3-credit 101 course.
    Would offering "options" be possible or beneficial in your situation?
    --maryann


>
>
>Christine,
>
>When Concordia U, Portland, moved from a quarter system to system we had to
>overhaul of gen. ed requirement in writing from a three quarter requirement
>to something compromable in the semester format. Rather than maintain the
>entire requirement in the first year, we decided to require an eng 121
>class and an eng 302 class that was broadly WAC based, but taught in the
>English department. The sections of 302 are variously titled, Perspectives
>on Business, Perspectives on Humanities, Perspectives on Social Science.
>My argument for doing that was that putting the entire writig requirement
>into the first year was kind of a waste; I'm not sure that students do get
>anything more out of the "Freshman research paper class," as typically the
>second semester is called. My experience teaching students in consecutive
>writing classes at the freshman level as that it wasn't all that helpful to
>them.  THey don't seem any more engaged or able to make substantial
>improvement in their writing. We introduce them to short academic research
>writing in the first class: Introduction to College Research and Writing
>and then hold the rest until sophomore or junior year.  Having now taught
>students consecutively in both classes it's amazing what different people
>and students they are/become from 121 to 302.  THey have some stake in a
>major by that time, some real awareness of what they need to succeed at the
>college level and the value of writing and are just generally more able and
>invested in the course.  We're a very small school and could likewise not
>develop a kind of "W" designation across the curriculum and so we offer
>this broad WAC approach out the english dept.
>
>I guess my bottom line is that there is no good reason to fight for a
>second semester of freshman writing, but do what you can to keep it later.
>Also by designating the  course 302, we are able to require our transfer
>students to take it (they're not likely to have had a 300 level writing
>class anywhere else).
>
>Lynnell Edwards
>
>
>
>At 11:55 AM 10/3/98 -0400, you wrote:
>>>...... So in other words, my question is, have other schools
>>abandoned the second semester of FYE because it was
>>pedagogically justifiable to do so? Have we somehow missed the
>>boat by maintaining a two semester program?  I'd >appreciate
>>some words of wisdom, and I won't disguise the fact that I hope
>>>some of you also will defend two semester of composition.
>>>Thanks in advance!
>>>Christine Cozzens
>>
>>hi christine,
>>
>>Hm... First of all, here's this tidbit: Ohio State teaches a
>>single 10-week quarter of Eng 110, and then later there's a
>>smorgasbord of various XXX 367 courses, in various disciplines,
>>that are intended to teach the academic research/argumentation
>>idiom of whatever discipline they are offered.   And beyond
>>that, the rationale gets even more complicated.  My dissertation
>>adviser was a doc student in the OSU english department at the
>>time (lo, those many years ago) when the requirement was pruned
>>from 2 quarters to 1. He says the rationale was not exactly the
>>same as the reason: fact was they were unable to round up enough
>>TAs to teach all those sections in the 2-course curriculum.
>>Anyway, here we are.
>>
>>You're in for a real "gut check" time.  It's tough, but you'll
>>have to open your eyes, not just to your non-english colleagues'
>>reasons for pruning, but to other reasons as well.  Your
>>colleagues are probably being nice (if that stated reason is the
>>only one they have), but imagine the harshest reasons, from mean
>>colleagues with axes to grind, and armed with the most
>>comprehensively researched argumentative support.
>>
>>We all have to check our assumptions and sacred (cash?) cows at
>>the door.
>>
>>jw
>>
>>
>>
>