Course+Policy

COURSE POLICY **Course Goals**:  Students in this course will work to improve their skills as critical readers of texts. They learn disentangle the many layers of meaning that are woven into literary texts and will dip their feet into some of the seminal texts that have been produced by Latin Americans during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Particular emphasis will be placed on Latin American intellectual history and the role that the continent's cultural heterogeneity and peculiar colonial experiences have played in shaping its cultural production.  **Absences**:  It is important that you attend all class meetings. If, however, you know that you will be out of class on a given day you should see me **__ ahead of time __** in order to hand in assignments on time. In the event of an unforeseen absence, due to illness or otherwise, you should be in touch with a classmate for whatever notes and/or assignments you may have missed. **You are responsible for all of the content (and the assignments) that you miss.**  **Punctuality:**  If you are late you are interrupting the entire class, so come to class on timeout of respect for your peers. Take pride in your punctuality and preparation for class.  **Academic Integrity, Late Work and Extensions:**  This is a writing intensive course. All analytical papers, tests and blog posts must demonstrate your original thinking and writing. Other people's thoughts and words, whether quoted or paraphrased, must be accompanied by parenthetical citations and a corresponding "Works Cited" list according to the MLA format (use the MSWord, 'References' tab) (see the English Department's Academic Integrity Sheet which is in the folder marked "Administrative Documents" on the First Class Conference, and which you and your parents will have signed before the end of the first week of school).  Also, since much of your work will be done online you need to be aware of copyright and Creative Commons licenses when using images, video or any other media on your site. Please keep in mind that I will be using turnitin.com (a plagiarism detector of sorts) throughout the term, and any incidence of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Deans Office.  **__ If you are falling behind come and talk to me! E-mail me! __** Seek help when you have difficulty. Do not resort to what may seem like the easy alternative. If you discuss your situation with me **before** a due date, I am likely to give you an extension. **__ If you turn in work late without having made prior arrangements with me, there may be a penalty. __** <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 144%; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; color: rgb(131, 47, 62); text-align: left; display: block;">**Organization of Content:** <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> We will begin our study of Latin American literature with a series of foundational 19th-century texts whose writing corresponds roughly with the independence and consolidation of the Latin American nation-states. From that point we will progress chronologically through the major literary currents until the postmodern age. You will note that the large majority of the course will be spent on 20th-century texts. I have done this for several reasons. First, many critics argue (and I tend to agree) that true independence from European literary trends was not achieved until the beginning of the twentieth century. The most interesting, most paradigmatically //latino// texts have been written in the past 100 years. Secondly, and quite simply, I think that you will enjoy contemporary texts more. The course units will proceed roughly as follows:

Unit 1: <span style="color: rgb(67, 130, 58); text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> **The Romantic Century: Inventing Nationhood** <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> Authors: Simón Bolívar, Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, Esteban Echeverría <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Unit 2: <span style="color: rgb(67, 130, 58); text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">**The Return of the Galleons: El modernismo and Yanquimania** <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; text-align: left; display: block;">Authors: Horacio Quiroga, Rubén Darío, José Martí, José Enrique Rodó <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Unit 3: <span style="color: rgb(67, 130, 58); text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">**Jail Break: The poets of the Latin American Avant-garde** <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; text-align: left; display: block;">Authors: Vicente Huidobro, Pablo Neruda, César Vallejo, Manuel Bandeira, Oswald de Andrade, Mário de Andrade, Carlos Drummond de Andrade <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Unit 4: <span style="color: rgb(67, 130, 58); text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">**Writing in the Margins: Feminine, Indigenous and Afro-Latino Voices** <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; text-align: left; display: block;">Authors: Gabriela Mistral, Nicolás Guillén, Miguel Ángel Asturias, Fernando Ortiz, Julia de Burgos <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Unit 5: <span style="color: rgb(67, 130, 58); text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">**Precursors to an Explosion: Narrative after the Avant-garde** <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; text-align: left; display: block;">Authors: Alejo Carpentier, Jorge Luis Borges, Juan Rulfo <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Unit 6: <span style="color: rgb(67, 130, 58); text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">**El Boom: One Hundred Years of Solitud**e <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; text-align: left; display: block;">Authors: Gabriel García Márquez, Julio Cortázar <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Unit 7: <span style="color: rgb(67, 130, 58); text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">**//Sab// Redux: Truth, Subjecthood and Postmodernity** <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; text-align: left; display: block;">Authors: Luisa Valenzuela <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 144%; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; color: rgb(131, 47, 62); text-align: left; display: block;">**Methodology:** <span style="font-size: 158.4%; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; color: rgb(164, 113, 30); text-align: center; display: block;"> <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Also, the collaborative aspects of the course that are listed below are dependent on technology. While I understand that you may not be comfortable with some of these tools, it is important that you learn. Neither "I can't do that on my computer." nor "I didn't know how?" are valid excuses for failing to complete these assignments. I am happy to help you get technologically acclimated, and we have an outstanding Technology Department at school that can help you when your difficulties outrun my limited expertise. <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 132%; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; color: rgb(164, 113, 30); text-align: center; display: block;"> <span style="font-size: 158.4%; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; color: rgb(164, 113, 30); text-align: center; display: block;">**//This course will be driven by collaborative participation.//** <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">**Class notes:** Every day during class one person will be assigned to keep detailed notes on this wiki. Each night, whether you were the one that took down the class notes or not, you should review this collaborative notebook and make whatever additions of corrections you think are necessary. I will be keeping track to see who is participating and who is not participating in this part of the course.
 * //The course will be driven by discussion.//** <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> I will post a series of discussion questions for each unit or text, but you are encouraged to think, write and speak about whatever aspect(s) of the material you find most interesting. I will give brief introductions to the writers and literary currents that we explore in an attempt to contextualize the texts in question, but, you are encouraged to drive class discussion in the direction that most interests you. Your active participation in discussion (both in class and online) are central to your learning. <span style="font-size: 158.4%; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; color: rgb(164, 113, 30); text-align: center; display: block;">
 * //This course is on the web.//** <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> As those of you who have been in my classes before know, I think that the Internet has changed learning. A teacher no longer needs to double as an encyclopedia, and students' thoughts are no longer relegated exclusively to paper. Using our Ning Community, you will maintain a blog for this class (see below for details). You're thoughts will be on display for your classmates and anyone else who wants to read them, praise them, criticize them or otherwise. Please read over the following blogging guidelines to make sure that you understand how to work on your blog in a manner that is safe for you and respectful of others. <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">


 * Reading notes:** Likewise, each night one person will be in charge of taking down detailed notes on the reading assignment. Again, as with the class notes, you should take a look at this collaborative notebook daily to see what you can add.


 * Commenting on your classmates´writing:** As I mentioned above, each student in the class will maintain a blog on our <span class="wiki_link_ext">Ning [| Community]. As a part of your participation in the course, you should be actively and thoughtfully commenting and criticizing your classmates´ writing. I encourage you to check the community´s recent activity on a daily basis to see your classmates´ newest thinking and to contribute to the conversation.

<span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; color: rgb(131, 47, 62);"> How will I determine your grade? <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; color: rgb(131, 47, 62);"> <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> 2 Analytical Papers: 20% <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Please refer to the Course Calendar for the due dates of these two papers. In each case you will be given a grading rubric for both the first and second drafts well in advance of the due dates. Your earnest participation in peer-editing workshops will form a part of this grade. <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> 3 Literature Tests: 20% <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">You will have one oral test, one take-home test, and one traditional in-class test. You should think of these assessments as opportunities to show off your knowledge and skills. <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> Final Project: 20% <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Early in the term you will be asked to choose a text and to propose a final project through which you will contribute to the critical discussion of said text. You are strongly encouraged to design a project that will be seen, heard or read by a wider audience. Your goal should be to help others better understand the piece of literature that you choose to study. **You must communicate with me early and often about your plans for this project.** <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> Blog Posts: 20% <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">As a part of your participation in our <span class="wiki_link_ext">Ning [| community] you will maintain a web-log on which you will reflect on the course material throughout the semester. Posts may be creative or analytical in nature. They may continue a conversation that piqued your interest during class or they may examine an aspect of the literature that class discussion has ignored altogether. You may choose to write a fictional/creative supplement to the text in question, for example a letter, a poem or a diary entry from the point of view of a character. The important thing is that your writing is substantive. You should be adding to the discussion of the text, not regurgitating it, and not avoiding it. __A student who is posting only once a week is barely meeting the course requirements.__ Both the frequency and the quality of your writing will be determining factors in your grade. Please remember that quality and quantity of text are not necessarily synonymous. A student who takes ten minutes right after he/she finishes his/her reading to put up a some initial thoughts and reflections will be well on the way to an A+ in this area of the course. I will read every post and comment as many posts as I can. Please keep in mind that if I leave you a comment in which I ask some questions about what you have written, I expect that you will respond with a follow-up comment. Roughly once every month I will fill out a blogging and participation evaluation rubric and send it to you.

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> Participation: 20% <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Your active participation in this course is fundamental to a successful semester. On the one hand, I ask that you contribute to class discussion on a daily basis. In addition you will be asked to comment substantively on your classmates' blogs. Furthermore, every day you will have a range of responsibilities that may include posting in-class notes or reading notes. Fulfilling these responsibilities is vital to the success of this class. You will receive feedback on your participation on a monthly basis. <span style="font-size: 17.6pt; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; text-align: center; display: block; line-height: 115%;">IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COURSE POLICY PLEASE ASK DURING CLASS OR SEND ME AN

E-MAIL AT JCUMMINGS@GFACADEMY.ORG <span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; text-align: center; display: block;">