Tuesday Recap

It was nice to meet y'all today. I am looking forward to a great semester. I hope you will find something within the issues that we began to discuss today that will spark your interest, and, even, perhaps, cause you to get more involved with your community than you'd ever thought you might.

Just a recap of the issues:

1. Taxation - business, payroll, vacancy, property
2. City/County Consolidation - school, government
   
3. Water Issues/The Environment
4. Debt/Bankruptcy/Credit
5. Health Care - availability, cost, state of citizenry
   
6. Poverty/Homelessness
7. School Assessment
8. Living Wage/Minimum Wage

A recap of the projects we will be undertaking:

1. A Book Review - your choice of book that relates to the issue you're tackling.
2. A Propaganda Analysis - a review and analysis of a web site, print ad, brochure, etc. of an organization that deals with the issue you're tackling.
3. A Report on Global Status - a review of the issue you're dealing with in its global context (how other cities or countries have dealt/are dealing with your issue).
4. An Interview of a key player in the local "issue scene."
   

I'll Be There

Tomorrow. Don't be late! Don't forget to dropbox by 5am!


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So, I thought I'd introduce myself to you a bit since we're a little behind in that arena. I've had the pleasure of already reading about you, and yet, (except for you lucky/unlucky repeat customers) you've never even seen me. Or, if you have seen me lurking the halls, you don't know that you've seen me.

This is me:
I'm 37. I've been married for eleven years to my childhood sweetheart. His name is Kalki. We're both Christians, organic-organic eating, conservationists who love to camp and hike and canoe. We love to garden, drink wine and travel. But, he's a raging conservative, Tennessee Vols fan. I'm a raging liberal, Alabama Crimson Tide fan. We make it work and, because of my experience with living with someone diametrically opposed to my "heinous commie" politics, I have a pretty good sense of humor about these things.

I'm a mother of a two-year-old little girl who has Pierre Robin Sequence. I will talk about her probably more than you want to hear.

I believe that you have a right to know where I stand. I believe this because I also believe that there is NO SUCH THING AS OBJECTIVITY. I will always interact with you through the filter of my beliefs, just as you will always interact with me through the filter of yours. Once we are honest with each other about that, and about our inability to ever truly achieve the mythic objectivity, we'll be better able to understand each other's work: mine as teacher, yours as student.

I always invite you to try to convince me of the error of my ways, and I will try to convince you of yours. In this, though, we will always, always, operate under a deep respect for each other's intellect and individuality. At least in my classroom.

I believe that there is no such thing as a "bad word."

I believe that we learn best through the use of creativity.

I believe that we must always know WHY we believe what we say we believe, and that our beliefs should be reflected in our actions.

I believe that the classroom experience can only work if it is a collaborative effort - you do your job, I'll do mine.

I'm looking forward to this semester; looking forward to helping you discover new things about yourself and your community and what you believe. And why.

Manifesto

Some famous ~ and infamous ~ manifestos:

• The Communist Manifesto
• The Surrealist Manifesto
• The Declaration of Independence
• The Contract With America
• The Sharon Statement
• The Port Huron Statement
• The Unabomber Manifesto
• Cyborg Theory
• The Memphis Manifesto

Now, add yours!

Hi Y'all - Let's Get Started!

So you've landed where you'll be spending a lot of time this semester. Don't panic - it'll be fun. Really.

What I'd like for you to do today (1/17) is:

1. Set up a blog of your own - be creative! Make sure that you can add links to the blog and that it's set up to receive comments. You can add pictures of yourself, describe yourself however you'd like, title your blog whatever you like. This is YOUR blog. Hopefully, you'll enjoy writing in it so much that you'll keep on going after this class is over. I know you're probably saying, "Yeah, right," but you just might be surprised!
2. Once you've set up your blog, I'd like you to read through a few of the blogs posted on the right, here. Get a sense of what blogging is like for some of Memphis's best bloggers. You're a part of this elite, witty, smart group now. Congratulations.
3. Now, post a comment on THIS blog. Include your real name, your major, a brief description of yourself, and what you expect to get out of this class (250 words).
   
4. Finally. Go Home. Research the term "Manifesto." Tell me about some famous (or infamous) manifestos. Then write YOUR MANIFESTO. Make this a cohesive, interesting essay. You can relate yourself to any of the manifestos that you find (make sure to use MLA). 750 word minimum. Post your manifesto on your blog AND drop it into the dropbox of the E-Courseware site by Tuesday morning at 5am.
5. Have a GREAT weekend.
   

Spring 2008

is around the corner.