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For the final assignment in this class I would like you to envision a semester long course that involves the best practices for the teaching of writing and, in one way or another, incorporates the concept of autoethnography.

You may choose any course relevant to your professional interests, a high school or middle school English class focused on writing, literature, speech, journalism, or combined language arts; a social studies or science or math course; an English as a second language course; an English 100 course; a GED course; etc. Assume that you have complete freedom to develop this course as you think best and that funding for texts and resources will be no problem. Give the class its own special focus and express your personal and professional values and beliefs in the way that you put it together. You can "transform" a course that is already taught or create an entirely new course out of whole cloth.

Your project should begin with a description of the course and a statement of the course goals . Describe the role or roles that writing will play in your course. Describe how your course draws on the autoethnographic concept. Be specific about age level, and the social and cultural background of your students. Assume that there are mixed ability levels (reading levels may be spread out over a 4-6 year range, you may have special education students, etc.) and indicate in your project how different ability levels will be addressed. Focus on your content and develop assignments and activities that organically flow from it. Think careful about how the course will develop from beginning to end. Try to sequence assignments, reading, and activities to develop increasing student independence. Demonstrate high expectation, relevant curriculum, and intellectual and social meaning.

Your project should include: a descrition of the course content and a goal statement that tie your course to autoethnography; a carefully described and justified sequence of writing assignments and activities; a clear incorporation of the writing process; a plan for responding to and evaluating student work; and a self-evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of your project. Be thoughtful in your self-evaluation and give yourself a grade on this project. Within this framework you have considerable freedom to structure this assignment as you wish, to emphasize either the narrative description of the class, timeline, unit and lessson plans, and/or specific materials and handouts.

To the extent to which you see fit, you may include sample lessons plans, class activities, hand outs, etc. You are encouraged to include materials developed during the "Literature Circles" portion of this class-if these material are not your own be sure to indicate who created them.

I think it would take at least ten to twelve pages to accomplish the assignment at a minimum level. I hope that whatever you come up with will be a kind of rough draft to return to again and again as you move on in your career and make your dream course a living reality.

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