At first sight, this course may look complex and confusing, not least because it is different from many of your other courses. I also know that there is a lot of information on this website (which has 64 pages and a staggering 2,600 posts!). Excess is one of our themes, and much about this course is admittedly excessive…
But after the first week, in which you do have a number of extra tasks to do with setting everything up, you will soon find that you will settle into a routine and know what is expected of you.
Here is a typical week in the life of a RMST 202 student…
- Check the syllabus. Is the week coming up one with a compulsory text (i.e. one of Proust, Bombal, Rodoreda, Piglia), or with a text that you have contracted to read for the grade you have chosen?
- If it is not, then you have a free week. You do not need even to go to class. You may want to read ahead, but your schedule is your own. STOP. Go do whatever else you need or want to do. Live your life!
- If it is, then you need to make sure you have the text (ideally, a physical copy), and make time to read it.
- Watch the lecture video for the week (you can also listen to it as a podcast if you prefer, or even read the conversation video about the book. Some people like to watch the lectures before they read the book and/or before they write their blog post; other people like to watch them afterwards. But you need to watch these videos before class discussion. While you’re at it, why not “like” the video(s) on YouTube and/or leave a brief comment or question?
- Once you have read the text, by 11:59pm on the Sunday night you need to write and upload, to your personal blog, a blog post of c. 400-500 words (or an embedded video blog of 5-10 minutes). What you write is up to you: write it quickly, as soon as you are done with the reading or viewing! Your aim with these posts is to spark discussion. Tell us about what you noticed, what you found interesting, what you liked, what you disliked what you found puzzling, what you want to talk about in class. Comment on the video lectures or conversations if you wish, or make connections with other weeks’ readings, or with similar texts you may have read…. Do not use AI in any form. Each blog post should also include one question that you want us to discuss collectively. Give your post a funky title if you want. Include images, if you feel like! And add a category (the author’s last name) and tags (to indicate the themes or topics that you are highlighting; you may want to consult the list of concepts that I think are important for the course, or come up with your own).
- This might also be a good moment to write brief comments on at least two of your classmates’ blogs posts. But you can leave that to later: these comments should be added by Wednesday night at 11:59pm.
- Check the syllabus again to remind yourself which day you need to go to class. If it is a week with a compulsory text (again, one of Proust, Bombal, Rodoreda, Piglia), you can come either Monday or Wednesday, it’s up to you. You are also welcome (but not required) to come both days; the discussion will be different each time. If it is any other week, you will only be attending once.
- Make sure you arrive to class on time, ready to take the brief, multiple-choice quiz with with class will usually start.
- Participate in class: these are not lectures (you’ve already watched the lecture!), they are discussions, and your voice counts. This is also your chance to hear from and talk to your classmates about the text, to find out what they thought about it and to put across your own opinions and point of view. Just make sure you don’t get too carried away: follow classroom etiquette. Phones away, once the quiz is done!
- You’re done till next week. STOP. Go do whatever else you need or want to do. Live your life!
