What most instructors call a syllabus, I like to call an itinerary.
Why?
Because this is a journey we are taking together over the course of the semester. There is an old saying attributed to the great Chinese thinker Lao Tsu, and I would like you to think of it as a sort of motto for our class: "A good traveler has no destination and no plans to arrive."
What does this mean? Well, simply put, it means that we should not be seeking any sort of end point, but rather should be enjoying the journey itself. We will be meeting a lot of interesting people and discovering a lot of interesting things along the way this semester. If you are focused only on finishing and getting your passing grade, you will miss a lot of what life has to offer. So be mindful and take part in the journey. Life is not all about grades!
What does this mean as far as the syllabus is concerned? Well, it means that like life, it is flexible and ever-changing. There are some topics we will no doubt cover, such as poetry and fiction. We will definitely be doing a great deal of writing, both academic and creative. But on the whole we will not plan assignments or grades until we have begun to explore the territory.
Aside from the planned readings and units, I have also come up with something I like to refer to as "The Expanded Universe." This is the area of class where you will be expected to find things outside of what we discuss here, but that are related to the topics. For example, when we study Tennyson's The Lady Of Shallot you will find that in the text, Tennyson references a great many things such as the Arthurian knights, magic spells, and even Plato's allegory of the cave. Perhaps one of these things really interests you. When we study Star Wars, you might find it interesting that George Lucas borrowed heavily from the works of Akira Kurosawa, and find yourself watching classic Japanese cinema. Maybe you just like the music and want to explore the works of John Williams. There is no limit to what you can find interesting enough to explore on your own.
At the end of the semester each student will present projects relating to at least three things that they have explored in The Expanded Universe. The nature of those projects, whether they are papers, presentations, or more creative options will be discussed during the last two weeks of class. The Expanded Universe is your final project, and it will no doubt be unique to you and very interesting to the rest of the class.
For ideas about The Expanded Universe, click on the link to explore.
Why?
Because this is a journey we are taking together over the course of the semester. There is an old saying attributed to the great Chinese thinker Lao Tsu, and I would like you to think of it as a sort of motto for our class: "A good traveler has no destination and no plans to arrive."
What does this mean? Well, simply put, it means that we should not be seeking any sort of end point, but rather should be enjoying the journey itself. We will be meeting a lot of interesting people and discovering a lot of interesting things along the way this semester. If you are focused only on finishing and getting your passing grade, you will miss a lot of what life has to offer. So be mindful and take part in the journey. Life is not all about grades!
What does this mean as far as the syllabus is concerned? Well, it means that like life, it is flexible and ever-changing. There are some topics we will no doubt cover, such as poetry and fiction. We will definitely be doing a great deal of writing, both academic and creative. But on the whole we will not plan assignments or grades until we have begun to explore the territory.
Aside from the planned readings and units, I have also come up with something I like to refer to as "The Expanded Universe." This is the area of class where you will be expected to find things outside of what we discuss here, but that are related to the topics. For example, when we study Tennyson's The Lady Of Shallot you will find that in the text, Tennyson references a great many things such as the Arthurian knights, magic spells, and even Plato's allegory of the cave. Perhaps one of these things really interests you. When we study Star Wars, you might find it interesting that George Lucas borrowed heavily from the works of Akira Kurosawa, and find yourself watching classic Japanese cinema. Maybe you just like the music and want to explore the works of John Williams. There is no limit to what you can find interesting enough to explore on your own.
At the end of the semester each student will present projects relating to at least three things that they have explored in The Expanded Universe. The nature of those projects, whether they are papers, presentations, or more creative options will be discussed during the last two weeks of class. The Expanded Universe is your final project, and it will no doubt be unique to you and very interesting to the rest of the class.
For ideas about The Expanded Universe, click on the link to explore.