Finishing the Process Essay

Good Morning 043!

Just a reminder that your midterm portfolios were due! Because of my own illness, we did not have class last week, when URLs were due to me - therefore, I will accept them through today. Please be sure to send me an email with your URL!



Homework for 4/13:
Process Essay is due on your blogs! Remember at the beginning of class, when I asked everyone to tell their favorite board game? Your process essay should be an explanation of how to play that game. Remember, games are fun, so make sure your essay allows that fun to shine through!
Read for next class: Evergreen, pages 249-255 (The Cause and Effect Essay). There will be a file emailed to everyone on 4/13 - watch that video and then do that homework for 4/20. We'll be jumping into the fun genre that is Cause and Effect then!



There are no classes at HCC for the next two Fridays. In order for us to stay on top of our essays, following the above deadlines are necessary.
(Next weekend is Easter weekend; classes are not held on Good Friday. The following Friday is a professional day; daytime classes are not held.)

What goes into the Midterm Portfolio?

The sample intro/narrator paragraph is in the previous posting. I bolded the titles of the earlier blog postings (it's a sample - the titles I'm referring to are not real). If you don't want to link via hypertext, just make sure you reference the title of the blog posting and its date. That way I can find it easily.
Remember to demonstrate what progress you have made so far in our class and to use examples from your writing to illustrate your points. That's your evidence!
You should link to, or provide, at least three examples of your writing.

A link to your midterm blog post is due in my email by our next class (3/23). Grades will be given over that weekend.

Remember, if you have any additional questions, EMAIL ME!
keolean@gmail.com

Have a great spring break!
Prof. Olean

Midterm Portfolio **EXAMPLE**

In the past eight weeks, my ENG 043 class has covered how to write a paragraph and has begun to take that skill and move it into composing a coherent essay. While we still have work to do before I feel truly comfortable writing an essay for a college class, I do feel that I have made improvement in my writing. Looking back at my first blog post, even I have a hard time following what I was saying. Although I know that I was attempting to introduce myself, it seems like I was putting everything I could think of into that paragraph and not really making decisions as to what was relevant and what was not. This is evident in the rambling nature of my post entitled "Introduction" from January 20, 2012. However, as we spent time in class discussing how to focus our ideas and how to cull through our ideas to only include the relevant details in our paragraphs, my writing demonstrates that improvement. My blog post from February 14, entitled "Looking Outside" shows marked improvement in this arena. While there may be a moment or two where I seem to go off track in the middle of the paragraph, I do feel that this text is a good indication of improvement in my writing. This is further evidenced by the most recent work I have done for this class. My introductory paragraph to the first essay, attached below, demonstrates a clear and focused paragraph. I may still be having trouble writing an essay at this point, but I now feel more confident putting together a strong paragraph and focusing my thoughts in that paragraph around a main idea.

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Introductory Paragraph:

[sample paragraph - introduction to example/illustrative essay]

And now for something fun...

We have all next week off! Aren't you all excited?

While you're on break (and the week following, until we meet again on Friday), work on putting the recipe you worked on in class into an essay format. You'll get your Illustrative Essay drafts back after spring break - and will have two weeks to revise before handing in a final draft.
In the meantime, however, you get to work on your recipe - make it coherent, easy to understand and possibly follow. You don't need exact measurements (unless those exact measurements are essential - if you're baking, maybe emphasis on exact measurements is required?) - you need to put together a focused essay about how to make a favorite food.
Also, be sure to read pages 227-232, about process essays, in your Evergreen book. Use the chart that the book offers on page 231 to organize your steps.

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My next post will be a recap of of what goes into your midterm portfolio - due the Friday after spring break. As your grade is primarily dependent upon your portfolio grades, be sure to take this seriously!

A Process Essay Example

One of my favorite recipes, both to cook and to eat, is my grandmother’s chicken paprikash. It reminds me of being a child in my grandmother’s kitchen, filled with warm, delicious scents and flavors. Whenever I want to be taken back to a more comfortable, homey time, I cook up a meal of chicken paprikash. It’s a process that involves multiple steps and four main stages, but the end result is worth the time and effort.
To start the dish, I first brown some diced onion in olive oil and butter. Sometimes I include diced garlic, depending on my mood. Once the onion is translucent and on its way to browning, I throw some chunks of uncooked chicken breast into the pan to also brown. At this point, I can leave the ingredients alone to saute for a little while and concentrate on the other elements of the meal.
While the chicken and onions are browning, I start working on whatever starch I’m serving this over. Although I prefer to have this meal over a bed of white rice, my family enjoys egg noodles. Whichever starch is ultimately chosen, when the chicken is browned, I start cooking the starch in order to have it finished at the same time as the rest of the dinner. If there is anything that makes me upset, it’s having cold noodles to go with my chicken paprikash.
With the chicken and onions browned and the starch cooking, it’s time to create the sauce around the meat. The first thing that gets added into the frying pan that has the chicken and onions is a small can of diced mushrooms with the liquid mostly drained. Everyone in our family loves mushrooms, so they have become a staple to this recipe over the years. Immediately following the mushrooms, paprika is added generously to the mix. I sprinkle large amounts over the chicken, onions and mushrooms, stirring as I go. Then I pour in a can of tomato paste or plain tomato sauce to add moisture to the mix. Depending on the consistency, I may also add some water as the mixture will boil down some as I leave it to simmer on the stove.
Once the chicken and sauce has simmered for a while and I’m sure the chicken is cooked thoroughly, I add sour cream to the mixture. This end step should not happen until the chicken is completely cooked and the tomato base of the sauce has simmered for about fifteen to twenty minutes. If the sour cream is added too early, the dairy cooks and the creamy consistency of the sauce is lost. Therefore, the sour cream must only be added at the very end of the cooking process. Once it is stirred in and blended into the sauce, the chicken and sauce can be poured over the now finished starch in a serving bowl. Prior to serving the dish, additional paprika is sprinkled over for color and, of course, extra paprika flavor.
While the process to achieving my chicken paprikash may be different than the recipe my grandmother once used, the final result still evokes memories of her cooking. Although I am no longer that child sitting at my Grammy’s kitchen table, excitedly waiting for my favorite meal, I can relive the experience as I watch my own daughter’s eyes shine in anticipation as the final sprinkle of paprika is added to my own variation of this family meal.

No Class Today!

Let it snow, folks. Yesterday was beautiful; today is covered in snow. I've emailed you all, but got a couple of bounce-back emails. I'll add homework here later today.

Week 5?? How Did That Happen??

And we're finally jumping from writing paragraphs into writing essays! In class today, you all started a rough draft of your first essay - the Illustrative/Example Essay. For homework, you are completing that draft and then going back and revising. There's no blog post for this week - instead I want you to focus on turning this draft into the best first draft you can hand in next week!

As you revise, ask yourself the following questions:

By presenting the example restaurants that you do, are you truly illustrating the breadth of each category? If not the breadth, what are you demonstrating with your examples?

Are your categories (your body paragraphs) in a particular order? Are you demonstrating why they're in that order?

If you haven't finished your first draft (I'm not sure many of you did?), that's okay - work on completing a draft for class, specifically your introduction and three body paragraphs. Be sure to bring in a typed copy of this to class, according to all the requirements on our class syllabus (typed, double spaced, etc.).

I'm looking forward to reading about all the yummy places to eat!!!

Testing - Week #3

This is a test post. I will post for you guys later today.

Homework From Week #2

We made it through our second week, class! I was really excited to hear how you all made connections in the freewriting exercises - and I hope that you discered the ability to make connections when you allow your words to take over and don't overthink the process. It's a great way to prewrite and get ideas and words flowing!

Next class will be focusing on paragraphs - particularly how to build a solid paragraph that includes detail and support without going off topic. A lot of times, deciding what should be in a paragraph and what can be left out can be incredibly challenging!

Your blog posts for this week are as follows:
Be sure to read chapters 3-4 first!

Due on Tuesday (previously the Monday posting):
Paragraph option 5, page 43. You'll have to choose a quotation from the quote bank on pages 608-611. Once you have your quote, start off by doing a five minute prewrite, typed, on your blog. Let your words flow fast and furious - and DON'T worry about going back and editing. This is the time when it's okay to have "bad writing." No one will judge spelling or grammar or cohesion - Just WRITE!
When your five minutes are up, go back over what you've written. Don't edit it, but read and find something that you'd like to develop more fully. Allow a couple of blank lines, then write a paragraph focusing on what you've chosen.

Due on Friday, before class (previously the Wednesday posting):
Again, page 43 - this time, paragraph option 2. Follow the instructions at the bottom page 42.

I mentioned at the end of today's class that I want you to re-read your entries before class. Please make sure that you do. I'd like to start next week's class with a discussion of how we build paragraphs - and remembering how build these paragraphs will help in that conversation.

Until next week, I hope you all stay well and I look forward to reading your posts!

Welcome to our class!

Hello English 043!

I'd like to use this first blog entry to welcome you to my class and give you a few hints as to how the class will run.

First of all, to introduce myself:
I'm your instructor, Professor Olean. I teach writing here at Housatonic, as well as at other local colleges and universities. I've been teaching at HCC for a few semesters now and really enjoy the classes I teach here. The students I have had at Housatonic are some of the most motivated I've had the pleasure of teaching - and I know you all will continue that tradition!

I love teaching this course on Friday mornings! Okay, I may not love the Friday morning part, but I really enjoy the compact nature of the class. We get to really delve into your work deeply, without the interruption that three 50 minute, or two 75 minute, classes each week would offer. The drawback to this, though, is that a whole week goes by between class meetings!
Thank goodness for technology! This is where your own blogs come into play. In order for me to be sure that you aren't falling behind throughout the week - and to be sure that everyone stays on the same page, blog posts are essential. You'll be assigned two blog posts at the end of each class. The first is due up on your blog no later than Monday. The second is due on Wednesday. I won't check them until the evening, but please do make sure that you're posting as early as possible. I don't want you to miss out on credit for your homework! Of course, feel free to post early, but make sure you don't post late!

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Other hints for my class:

If you have to be late or leave early or miss a class, PLEASE email me ahead of time. Don't just not show up and don't interrupt class.
If you do arrive late, please enter the classroom quietly and take a seat. Do NOT interrupt class to ask where we are or to apologize for your tardiness.

If you have any questions or are unsure of anything during class, please ask! Sadly, I do not have mind reading powers - I may think your silence is indicative of understanding when it's really marking your confusion. Chances are, if you have questions, so do your classmates. Don't be afraid to speak up!

Be respectful! Respect for me, as your instructor, is expected, but that respect should extend to everyone within the college - including your classmates and yourselves.

Please keep up with your work. Be present and on time each week. There is nothing more frustrating than having a student not show up for most of the semester, hand in no work, and then ask for extra credit or "how to get an A" on the last day. The simple answer is "build a time machine, go back to the beginning of the semester, and do the work!"

We are all grown ups in this classroom. While that means that I expect grown up behavior from my students inside the classroom, it also means that as adults, we all choose our own priorities. Your priorities may be stacked differently, depending on your circumstances - family, work, school, socializing: these all have a hold over our time and attentions. It is up to you, as adults, to prioritize those demands. I would expect that this course ranks high in your list of priorities.

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Again, welcome to English 043! I look forward to working with you throughout the semester and helping you on your educational journey!