TRS 101 Course Information Sheet

COURSE TITLE:             TRS 101 – Basic Reading, Writing and Learning Skills
  
              SECTION:
              MEETING TIME:                  ROOM:
 
SEMESTER:                      Fall 2008

PROFESSOR:                   E. Marino 

OFFICE:                            11-227
PHONE:                             292-3144
EMAIL:                              emarino@monroecc.edu
WEB SITE:                        www.monroecc.edu/go/emarino
  
OFFICE HOURS:              MWF 11 a.m.-noon; TR 10-10:30 a.m. and 2:30-3 p.m.;
                                                 and by appointment

REQUIRED TEXTS:        1.  The Reader’s Handbook: Reading Strategies for College and
                                                   Everyday Life, Third Edition,
                                                     by Brenda D. Smith
                   2.  At A Glance Paragraphs, Fourth Edition,
                                                      by Lee Brandon
                   3.  Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,
            by Frederick Douglass

REQUIRED MATERIALS:     A notebook
                                               Loose notebook paper for in-class work
  Dictionary
 
COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course promises to help you develop skills and attitudes that you can use successfully in college and throughout your life. It gives you the opportunity to do three things: to become a more active, engaged reader; to write, and to communicate in general, with more confidence and clarity; and to study in more organized, effective ways. In today’s world, we all must become lifelong learners, so those skills will serve you till you drop.  
 
To achieve those goals, you must, first of all, decide that you really want to be a better reader and writer and student. If you choose to make that decision, the course will help you take a fresh look at the processes of reading and writing. The focus will be on getting you to read to really learn, and not just to put a reading assignment behind you. The best way to become a college-level reader is, simply, to read a lot and to think about what you have read. That’s what we do in this class. You will tackle short reading assignments and brief, mostly low-risk writing assignments about those readings. We also will practice good writing habits to simplify the complicated task of writing. And you will look critically at your own and others’ writing.

To assist and monitor your progress, you will complete daily reading assignments and brief, informal writing tasks tied to those readings. You also will write four or five more-formal assignments, and you will have the chance to revise any or all of your essays for an improved grade.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

      1.   Use prewriting, drafting, and revising to clarify and organize ideas.
      2.   Establish central idea with detailed support and logical structure.
      3.   Demonstrate Standard English word choice, usage, and mechanics.
      4.   Write varied sentence structures.
5. Recognize and understand stated and implied main ideas in reading material.
      6.   Clarify word meaning using dictionary and context cues.
7. Apply common roots and affixes to understand vocabulary.
      8.   Improve reading comprehension through prereading and metacognition.
      9.   Demonstrate proficiency in the use of basic learning skill competencies such as a
 systematic approach to textbook chapter reading, effective listening and
 note-taking, and test-sophistication techniques. 
10. Demonstrate a positive academic self-concept by registering for the subsequent
semester. 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
• Satisfactory completion of assignments, quizzes, and tests.
• A diagnostic paragraph written the first week of class, two during the semester, and an exit paragraph the last week of class.
• The reading pre-test at the beginning of the semester and the post-test at the end of the semester. These tests confirm placement and provide statistical information for the department.
• If there is a documented learning difficulty, contact the instructor within the first two weeks of class to receive assistance.

GRADING/ MAKE-UP POLICIES

Grades are based on the weighted average of assignments, quizzes, and tests. 
 
Late work is not accepted. A make-up policy is a courtesy that may be extended by the instructor. Homework is due at the beginning of class. Homework done during class will not be accepted. Class participation is expected and in the case of a borderline grade may negatively or positively affect the grade, based on the discretion of the instructor.

To progress to the next course, a grade of C or better in this course is required.

ATTENDANCE / WITHDRAWAL

It is the policy of MCC and Department of Transitional Studies that students are
expected to attend all class meetings and to be punctual.  Attendance will be taken at each class meeting.  Two absences will produce a warning.  A third will result in a recommendation to withdraw unless there are extenuating circumstances justifying an exception.  Three “lates” will equal one “absence.” A withdrawal may affect your eligibility for financial aid.  Please see a financial aid counselor for more information.

When you are absent, it is your responsibility to obtain the missed notes, handouts, and assignments from one of your classmates. You may also consult the instructor’s Web site for homework assignments.

LEARNING CENTERS

Monroe Community College has a number of Learning Centers at Brighton (for example, Accounting, Math, Psychology, Writing, the Electronic Learning Center, etc.) and at Damon (for example, the Integrated Learning Center, Electronic Learning Center, etc.).  Learning centers are staffed with instructional personnel and may be equipped with computers and software to assist students. It is recommended that students use the Learning Centers to get additional help with concepts learned in the classroom and with their homework. 

CLASS CANCELLATIONS

If the College is closed due to inclement weather or some other emergency, all Rochester area radio and television stations will be notified no later than 5:30 a.m.  In addition, the homepage on the MCC website (www.monroecc.edu) will display a message indicating the College is closed.  Please do not call the College to avoid overloading the phone lines.

Class cancellation information is available daily on the web or through the telephone.  Simply go to the MCC website (www.monroecc.edu) and under the “Quick Links” window on the homepage, click on “Class Cancellations”.  Additionally, class cancellation information is available by dialing 292-2066, press “1” for the Brighton Campus and “2” for the Damon Campus.  If possible, please use the web as there could be delays in the voice recordings based on the number of cancellations.

COLLEGE-WIDE POLICIES

Refer to the college catalog for the Academic Honesty Policy and the Sexual Harassment Policy.