Lesson Report:
Title
Portfolio Completion and Staged Reading Rehearsal — Final Prep for Orientation Wrap-Up
In this session, students finalized requirements for the end-of-orientation writing portfolio and rehearsed an 8-minute staged reading for the student–faculty event. The instructor clarified portfolio content, format, submission, and academic integrity expectations, then led students in assigning roles, selecting texts, planning stage movement, and performing a full rehearsal with judges’ commentary.
Attendance
– Absent students mentioned: 0
– Note: The instructor emphasized that anyone with two absences must attend tomorrow’s sessions to pass orientation.
Topics Covered (chronological)
1) Portfolio overview and expectations
– What goes in the portfolio:
– Cover page (professional look; flexible formatting): full name; portfolio title (creative or simple); orientation group (e.g., “Locke, 2025â€�).
– Mini intellectual essay (handwritten only): include clear scans/photos; must be legible; do not type this piece. This will serve as a baseline for writing voice.
– Free writes: select 2–3 from class notebook; these should be typed.
– Creative pieces: 3 total (poems, dialogues, stories, narratives, presentation scripts are acceptable). If including haiku, count sets of three haiku as one selection.
– Analytical piece: 1 typed selection (e.g., the “Hunters in the Snowâ€� visual analysis or comparable text/image/performance analysis).
– Order and formatting:
– Order is flexible; entire portfolio should look professional.
– All pieces except the mini essay should be typed.
– Submission:
– Single PDF uploaded to Google Drive using AUCA email login (students had link in Telegram; some initially requested access without AUCA login).
– Deadline: before 9:30 AM tomorrow (prior to first class).
– Academic integrity policy:
– Do not use AI to generate or “polishâ€� submissions. The handwritten mini essay will be used to gauge authentic style and voice.
– Portfolio may require resubmission if AI use is evident; AI use may prevent passing orientation.
– Three ways to fail: omit required components; fail to submit; use AI.
– Additional logistics:
– Students will receive hard copies of their mini essays to photograph; return hard copies in class tomorrow.
2) Event planning: student–faculty reading performance (target ~8 minutes)
– Structure and timing:
– Host opens, introduces judges, and calls readers.
– Three readings (aim for ~1 minute each) with brief stage performances by small groups.
– Judges display scores (0–10) and provide a sentence of feedback after each reading.
– Unified group reading of a closing poem, then bow and exit.
– Roles and assignments:
– Host/MC: Adukya (name heard variably in transcript as Adu Kare/Adukya).
– Judges: three judges selected (Suparna explicitly named; two other names garbled in auto-transcript). Judges to show scores and briefly justify.
– Readers:
– Reader 1: Sharifa (text: “I am a place where you can learn…â€�—university-voiced poem).
– Reader 2: Tiliberdi (also said as Tula/Tila Berdi; text: multi-stanza piece about navigating IDs/lines/class—originally framed as a haiku sequence).
– Reader 3: Initially planned as Aliyah; in rehearsal, “Christopher and his teamâ€� performed “Water Towerâ€� (childhood memory piece).
– Closing unified reading: group recitation of Alinur’s short university-perspective poem (“I promise you, my dear students…â€�).
– Casting and groups:
– Class headcount referenced: 23 students (24 with instructor).
– Non-host/judge/readers were divided into three performer groups (~5–6 per reader) to enact silent or simple movement-based accompaniment during readings.
– Group leads/notes:
– Reader 1 performers: assigned to Sharifa; asked to plan movement that visualizes “learning, growth, kindness, hard work.â€�
– Reader 2 performers: led by the reader (Tiliberdi) with the instructor guiding blocking; one performer plays “Tiliberdiâ€�; others play “line/group/classmates/friend.â€�
– Reader 3 performers: “Christopher and his teamâ€�; Christopher served as “marshal/commanderâ€� to direct the staging for “Water Tower.â€� Aliyah shifted from reader to performer.
3) Staging, blocking, and pacing details
– Overall stage plan:
– Stage area designated at center of classroom; judges stand at one side; audience opposite; no chairs for judges to speed transitions.
– Host introduces judges first, then calls readers one by one.
– Reading-specific staging:
– Reader 1 (Sharifa, “I am a place…â€�):
– Performers to embody the university’s promise: books/ideas/dreams; guiding, kindness, work ethic; gestures of welcoming “come inside.â€�
– Coaches emphasized smiling and presence; judges later requested more action but praised the poem and delivery.
– Reader 2 (Tiliberdi, ID/line/class poem):
– Beat-by-beat movement plan:
– “Walking downstairsâ€�: performer mimics descent.
– “People standing in a lineâ€�: performers form a line; lead joins.
– “In a ward/world…people talking in a groupâ€�: ensemble clusters and pantomimes conversation; lead passes through, confused.
– “Sit in a room…nervous/crazy a bitâ€�: ensemble drifts off, leaving lead alone to show agitation and search.
– “Hold my breath…look for a ‘well’ (clarified as finding the card/ID)…found itâ€�: lead expresses discovery/relief.
– “Coming back…greeting my friend with a clap…again with a clapâ€�: friend reappears; brief celebratory claps.
– “Reach the class…finish to the lastâ€�: ensemble re-forms as classmates; lead enters with card; silent celebratory gestures.
– Key instruction: perform silently under the reading, slow and clear visual beats; reader must read slowly and dramatically to reach ~1 minute.
– Reader 3 (Christopher and team, “Water Towerâ€�):
– Reflective, nostalgic tone; performers to suggest walking across fields, spotting a distant tower, the repeated promise of “next time,â€� and the realization of distance/time as memory.
– One brief interjection occurred during rehearsal; plan is to keep the reading uninterrupted at the event.
– Judges’ role and sample feedback:
– Show numeric score and add a short rationale to build time and provide feedback (e.g., voice projection, teamwork, connection between action and text).
– Example notes recorded in rehearsal: requests for louder projection; praise for teamwork, structure, and the match between movement and text.
– Closing unified reading:
– Everyone assembles with judges to recite Alinur’s short poem in unison, word-for-word, then collective bow.
– Positioning adjusted so performers face the audience; judges seated/standing to the side before joining for the finale.
4) Rehearsal run-through and time management
– Full cue-to-cue rehearsal completed:
– Host intro → judges → Reader 1 + performers → judges’ scores/comments → Reader 2 + performers → judges’ scores/comments → Reader 3 + performers → judges’ scores/comments → announce winner (“Christopher and his teamâ€�) → unified reading → bow.
– Pacing:
– Readers were coached to slow delivery for ~1 minute each; the second piece initially ran ~20 seconds and was re-coached for dramatic pacing.
– Logistics reminders:
– Readers to post photos of their final texts in the Telegram group (Sharifa, Tiliberdi, and the third piece—ultimately “Water Towerâ€�).
– Host to keep stage directions simple and keep transitions tight.
– Confirm room (referenced as 410) and finalize where judges/audience stand/sit.
Actionable Items
Urgent — Due tonight (before 9:30 AM tomorrow)
– Portfolio completion:
– Compile portfolio as a single PDF: cover page, handwritten mini essay (scanned/photographed, legible), 2–3 typed free writes, 3 creative pieces (haiku in sets of three), 1 typed analytical piece.
– Upload to the shared Google Drive using AUCA email login; verify access and successful upload.
– Academic integrity:
– Do not use AI to generate or rewrite pieces; ensure voice aligns with handwritten mini essay.
Urgent — For the reading event
– Text circulation:
– Readers share final text photos in the Telegram group (Sharifa: “I am a place…â€�; Tiliberdi: ID/line/class poem; Christopher: “Water Towerâ€�).
– Ensure a printable/readable copy of Alinur’s closing poem for group recitation.
– Roles and pacing:
– Readers rehearse pacing to fill ~1 minute per reading.
– Judges prepare brief justification phrases to accompany scorecards.
– Materials and setup:
– Prepare scorecards/markers for judges.
– Confirm room and stage orientation (judges to the side, audience opposite stage).
– Host finalizes intro script and order of readers.
Tomorrow morning (before first session)
– Attendance:
– All students must attend; those with two absences cannot miss tomorrow or they will not pass orientation.
– Mini essay hard copies:
– Bring back the physical essays to return to instructor (after photographing for portfolio).
Follow-up/Quality-of-life
– Google Drive access:
– Instructor to confirm folder permissions restrict to AUCA accounts and that all students can access/upload.
– Contingencies:
– Designate an alternate reader in case of last-minute absence (Aliyah shifted to performer during rehearsal; keep flexibility).
– Event timing:
– Keep total segment to ~8 minutes, adjusting judge commentary length as needed.
Homework Instructions:
ASSIGNMENT #1: Final Writing Portfolio Submission
You will assemble and submit your orientation writing portfolio to demonstrate growth across free writing, creative work, and analysis, following the exact components and formatting reviewed in class; this portfolio is the final requirement to pass, alongside attendance, and must be submitted on time with academic integrity.
Instructions:
1) Gather your materials
– Your handwritten mini-intellectual essay (the one I will return to you in class).
– Your notebook with free writes.
– Your creative pieces (poems, dialogues, stories, narratives, or a script from a presentation).
– Your analytical work (e.g., from our “Hunters in the Snowâ€� analysis or any other text/image/performance analysis you did in class).
2) Create a professional cover page
– Include: your full name; a portfolio title (creative or simple, e.g., “My Portfolioâ€�); your orientation group (Locke) and the year (2025).
– Keep the look professional; there is no strict template.
3) Insert the mini-intellectual essay (handwritten only)
– Do not type this essay.
– Photograph or scan every page so the handwriting is clearly legible (crop, rotate, and ensure good lighting).
– Place the images into your portfolio document in order.
– Keep the physical hard copy safe—you must bring the original back to class tomorrow.
4) Select and type your free writes
– Choose 2–3 free writes from any day/topic.
– Type them up (these must be typed).
– Add simple labels (e.g., “Free Write #1,â€� date/topic) so they are easy to identify.
5) Select and type your creative pieces
– Include 3 creative pieces: poems, dialogues, stories, narratives, or a script from one of your presentations.
– If you include haikus, submit them in sets of three; three haikus count as one piece.
– Type these pieces.
6) Select and type your analytical piece
– Include 1 analytical piece (text, image, or performance analysis—such as our “Hunters in the Snowâ€� work).
– Type this piece.
7) Assemble the portfolio
– Required contents: handwritten mini-intellectual essay (photographed/scanned), at least 2 typed free writes, 3 typed creative pieces, and 1 typed analytical piece.
– Order does not matter, but everything must be present.
– Aim for a clean, professional layout (clear headings, consistent fonts, readable page images).
8) Export as a single PDF
– Combine all sections into one PDF.
– Check page order, readability, and orientation.
– Compress the PDF if needed so it uploads smoothly.
9) Upload via your AUCA account to the shared Google Drive folder
– Log in with your AUCA email to access the folder.
– Use the upload link provided by your instructor (shared in class communications).
– Verify the file appears in the folder after upload.
10) Meet the deadline
– Submit before 9:30 AM tomorrow (before our first class). Aim to finish and upload tonight.
11) Academic integrity requirement
– Do not use AI to write or rewrite your portfolio content. Your handwritten mini-essay is the baseline for your style; AI use will be obvious and may require resubmission before you can pass orientation.
12) Return your original handwritten essay
– Bring the physical hard copy of your mini-intellectual essay back to class tomorrow after you have photographed it for the PDF.
13) Final check before submitting
– Confirm you included every required component.
– Confirm the mini-essay is handwritten (images), all other pieces are typed, and everything is legible.
– Remember: the only ways to fail this are missing required items, not submitting, or using AI on your portfolio.