End of Class Reflection Do you feel that this class has helped you to improve as a writer? What improvements (if any) have you seen, and how did you achieve them? Please comment on the parts of this class that required you to use the internet. Were these websites useful to you? How? How could they be made easier to use and understand?  What are some of the most helpful assignments, activities, or readings that we did in class?  Were any assignments/activities not helpful to you? Why not? If you could give student who were about to start this course with me some advice about how to be successful in this class, what would you tell them? Is there anything you wish you had known at the beginning?

Why is In-Class Writing Important? Writing in-class is a skill that will serve you well as you take more advanced college classes. Professors in these classes will use in-class writing to measure what you have learned, and they will expect that you already know how to write and organize an essay. In-class writing requires you to do these things: Show that you understand the topic that you are writing about thoroughly. This includes concepts/ideas as well as facts like names, dates, and places. Present your thoughts on the topic in a unified, organized way in a short amount of time.

In-Class Writing Tips Step one: Read the prompt carefully. Underline key words. Figure out what kind of response the question is looking for. Make sure you give the correct type of response. Step two: Plan. Writing down ideas/things to cover may help you to remember them later. Don't spend too much time on this step (no more than a minute or two), but write down your thesis (Your main idea) somewhere in your outline. Also include main ideas and a several supporting ideas/phrases for each body paragraph.

In-Class Writing Tips Step three: Write. Step four: Check. Make sure that you are following any special directions like using pen/pencil or skipping lines. Pace yourself. Keep an eye on the clock and don’t allow any one section to take too much of your time. Spend the most time on the body of your essay, not introducing or planning or writing your conclusion. Make sure that each paragraph has a good topic sentence that will help keep you on track for that paragraph. Step four: Check. If you have time left over, take the opportunity to go back and look for grammar and spelling errors, or for places where you might need to add clarification. Also, remember to write legibly.

A Practice Prompt: Based on a Reading (pg. 545) Read “Tiger Woods and the Emerging Multiracial Identity” p. 545 The author of this essay describes the world that we live in as "multiracial," and makes the point that one person might claim multiple races. What is your experience living in "multiracial" America? Choose one area of your experience with multiracial identity or society, and use illustration/example to prove a point about what you have observed. What is the most important part of this question? (What would you underline or highlight?) What exactly is this essay asking you to do?

Practice Prompt Explained The author of the essay about Tiger Woods that we read for today describes the world that we live in as "multiracial," and makes the point that one person might claim multiple races. This part of the prompt is review of what you already know based on the reading you did. What is your experience living in "multiracial" America? This question prepares you to think about the prompt. Choose one area of your experience with multiracial identity or society, and use illustration to prove a point about what you have observed. This sentence includes information about what exactly the prompt asks you to do. Note that the point you will be making about the topic is self-determined.

“The Struggle to be an American Girl” Brainstorm/Freewrite Read “The Struggle to Be An All-American Girl” page 528. Brainstorm/Freewrite for 10 minutes: What does it mean to be "All-American"? What images, events, foods, holidays do you associate with this phrase? Do you feel like these images are part of your experience, or are they part of someone else's?

Discussion Questions for “All-American Girl” There is tension between two cultures in this essay. Identify some of the places where this tension is present. How does the author use detail and tone to express this tension? Have you ever experience tension between two cultures? Not necessarily outright conflict, but a time when you felt pulled in two different directions. What was the outcome, or is it ongoing?

Final Preparation Our final will be: Tomorrow, Thursday, August 21 at 10:30AM We will meet in this classroom and immediately begin the final exam. You will have 2 hours to write. Be on time. If you come late, you will not be given extra time. Your final will be worth 100 points, or the equivalent of one essay, but you cannot pass the class if you skip the final.

What Must I Bring to the Final? A clean, unmarked exam book. blue/green or any color, but I do prefer large size Your textbook or copies of the “All American Girl” essay. Your brainstorming notes from today. A pen or pencil. Bring extras. A dictionary, if you want. Also Due: Your Final Draft of Essay 2 (on turnitin.com) Your extra credit assignments (printed, optional)

Thank you! I’ve enjoyed having all of you in my class this semester, and I wish you the best of luck on all of your finals! You have stuck with it, achieved much, and you should all be proud of yourselves! Don’t forget to bring an Exam Book for the Final!