1. Writing about Lit with Georgie Ziff
Welcome to English 1B
Writing about Lit with Georgie Ziff

2. About you… On a piece of paper please write the following… name
contact phone number
other courses currently taking
what college English courses you’ve taken and where
Cur employment and schedule
things - anything I should know to better help y help you during the class
how y – how you feel about your writing

3. Now about me… Georgie Ziff
- Two boys, now teenagers! We live in Oakland.
Grew up on the East Coast and the Midwest, but came to California for a one year job and never left.
M.A. in Composition and Creative Writing from CSUEB
B.A. from CSUEB, double major in English and
Women’s Studies
American Montessori Society Early Education
Teaching Credential
10 years as an early childhood Montessori teacher
8th year teaching college composition at California State University East Bay
As a teacher, I hold my students to high standards of excellence, but I will do all that I can to help them succeed (because I know they can).

4. About Writing…
my favorite writing quote:
“Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell.”
William Strunk Jr. Elements of Style

5. Required Course Materials
Literature for Composition by
Sylvan Barnet, Wm. Burto,
Wm. Cain, 8th edition.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Blank composition book for your writing journal
Account with Engrade.com
USB flash drive and/or an online free account with Dropbox.com
Reliable computer and printer

6. Grading in the Course Four short essays 40% Final essay 20%
Literature Pres %
Homework %
Portfolio %
Writing Journal 5%
Attendance 5%

7. Save Your Work Online Create a free account at www.dropbox.com
for saving your work online. You can then access it in the computer lab. This is a great tool – it not only provides you with a place to save work, it also synchronizes any changes you make online, so your Dropbox is always up to date!
* Use a flashdrive as backup, in case you cannot go online.

8. Attendance Policy Come to class prepared and on time
You earn 6 points for every class attended. 2 point deduction for arriving late and/or leaving early. 30 min late = an absence
Attendance counts for 5% of your overall course grade. 3 absences = 1 full grade deduction from the final course grade.
4 absences= I reserve the right to drop you from the course or fail you. If you remain in the class, another full grade reduction will be applied.
Computer lab days are required = missing the lab or arriving unprepared will result in a 5 point deduction off the final essay grade.

9. Today’s Objectives
To get oriented to the course, the syllabus, requirements, expectations, and so forth.
To break/melt the ice with one another
To form and begin working in collaborative groups

10. Break the Ice Form groups of three
Find one item you are carrying that is significant to you and share it with your group; explain the significance
Find one thing that everyone in your group has in common
Exchange /contact information with each other

11. In the Spot Light
Each of you will in turn introduce one person in your group and share something you learned about him/her
Share what everyone in your group has in common

12. Working as a Team
Together come up with 3 to 4 questions you have about this course
Now, with the syllabus, try to find the answers to the questions you came up with
Let’s talk about the questions you couldn’t find answers to…

13. What to expect next class…
Small group formation
In class writing assessment
Your first reading assignment
First essay: short story analysis

14. Your Homework
Buy the books and a blank composition book for your writing journal
Download the Syllabus and Schedule, noting the homework assignments
Send me an with the class and your name in the subject line to:
Go to the class website -
Register at Engrade.com