English Composition 2
Help is Available!
English Composition 2 is a challenging course for most students, and students often find that they must work hard to raise their writing skills to the level expected in the course. Therefore, it's important that students are aware of the resources available to help students succeed.
As the instructor, I should be the first person you approach if you feel that you need additional assistance. I am happy to help in whatever ways I can, but you must tell me if you feel you need additional assistance to succeed in the course. You can of course call me, post messages for me in Blackboard, or send me e-mail.
Also realize that, if convenient, you can see me in person to discuss your work in the course or to get additional help. The current technology does not allow me to materialize via the Internet in your living room or at your kitchen table, but I do have office hours on campus. My office hours are for students, and not just for those students that I see regularly on campus. If you ever feel the urge or the need, visit me on campus. I would be happy to see you. (You can find my office hours both on my Home Page and on the Contacting the Instructor page for English Composition 2 Online.)
Of course, if you are taking this course from a distance, it will not be convenient for you to see me in person, but I encourage you to seek information about the kinds of assistance that are available at your local college. And I will do my best to respond promptly to any Blackboard or e-mail messages that I receive.
You will find that I have established discussion forums in Blackboard that, in part, help address student needs for additional assistance. Those conferences are there for your individual questions, and, because everyone in class has access to the forums, other students should benefit from the questions and answers. Feel free to send me messages via e-mail whenever you have questions that you do not want to share with the class.
I enjoy helping students develop their writing abilities, but, with over 100 students each semester, I sometimes find it difficult to provide individual students with the kind of additional assistance they may require. Therefore, I may suggest that students seek additional assistance beyond what I alone can provide. The Writing / General Academic Assistance page explains some of the forms of academic assistance available to students. This additional assistance, however, does you no good if you do not take advantage of it. Take charge of your own learning! If you feel you need additional help to succeed in this (or any other) course, take the initiative and seek out that assistance.
Additional assistance is not just for those students who receive low grades on some of their essays and other work in the course. I sometimes have students in my classes who receive high grades on all of their work and speak frequently about the help they receive from the college's Writing Center, from peer tutors, or from Project Success. Those students are making the most of their college education.
Remember that proverb about how we can lead a thirsty horse to water but we can't make it drink? If you are that thirsty horse, realize that water is all around you, but you must be the one who takes a drink.