DRAFT – ENGL368: Caribbean Stop: Poetry and Short Stories from the Region.
Spring 2015. January 26 – May 12 (May 20 last day of exams)
Class meets: 12:30–1:45
Spring Break: March 15-22
Course Description:
This is a project-based course. Students will work in the classroom and with Cultural
Academy for Excellence (CAFÉ), a community group in Prince George’s Community.
This course is designed as CAFÉ’s “Caribbean Stop” on a global tour that it has designed
to help young people know about various parts of the world. On selected days, and
depending on individual schedules, students will be transported to the CAFÉ location at
Mt. Rainier, MD (this side of Mt. Rainier, along Queen’s Chapel Road). In the
classroom, students will be introduced to a Earl Lovelace’s novel, Is Just a Movie, and
selected Caribbean poems, plays and short stories. We will read various works but will
have some focus on music, literature and Earl Lovelace’s work. At CAFÉ, students will
assist young people with homework and, following a suggested program, teach the youth
what they have learned of Caribbean literature. During the course, in online and face-toface discussions, students will continually assess what they are learning of Caribbean
literature and culture and how successfully they are able to communicate what they learn.
This class offers students an opportunityto be introduced to Caribbean literature in the
classroom, to enhance their understanding by teaching young people in a community
organization and (if they wish) to work toward an end-of-semester music/literature
presentation of a Lovelace story on the musical instrument known as the steelpan. We
will discuss the steelpan in politics and society.
Prerequisites: One course in English or Latin American Studies
Course Information
This course will :
have an online (Canvas) presence. During the semester, you may go to the class
Discussion site on Canvas and comment in the designated discussion spaces. You may
also use Voice Thread for audio-visual commentary.
Students will be divided into two groups which will (each) meet alternatively at
University of Maryland and at the community group location.
For all readings, discussions begun in class should continue on Canvas. There will be a
discussion forum available on Canvas for each assigned reading.
Contact Information
Professor: Merle Collins
Phone: 301 405 3775
Room: Tawes 3104
[email protected]
Office hours: Face-to-face meetings or meetings via Skype or other online forum.
Also by appointment.
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Grading
You will receive a letter grade.
You will be graded as follows:
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A denotes excellent mastery of the subject and outstanding scholarship
B denotes good mastery of the subject and good scholarship
C denotes acceptable mastery of the subject
D denotes borderline understanding of the subject, marginal performance, and it does not
represent satisfactory progress toward a degree
• F denotes failure to understand the subject and unsatisfactory performance
Course Schedule
After each session, please visit Canvas/Discussion Board and, in designated
spaces, enter comments, discussing content (form and theme in the work
presented) and process (experience of working with young people at the
community group)
Week 1:
Tu. January 27
Orientation. Introductions. How the course will be run. Arranging initial meet with community
organization.
Th. January 29
Meet students at community organization.
Week 2
Tu. Feb. 3
Overview of Anglophone Caribbean writing.
Earl Lovelace (Trinidad & Tobago). Is Just a Movie.
At CAFÉ, meet young people for homework and talk about various countries.
Th. Feb. 5
Earl Lovelace (Trinidad & Tobago). Is Just a Movie.
At CAFÉ, discuss Lovelace and Is Just a Movie.
Week 3
Feb. 10
Danticat (Haiti), “Children of the Sea”. Krik! Krak!
(At CAFÉ, discuss Lovelace and Is Just a Movie)
Feb. 12
Discuss Indonesia - “The Adventures of Mouse Deer”. Aaron Shepard, Folktales on Stage. Scripts for
Readers’ Theater. Shepard Publications, 2004, 13-32.
Phillip Sherlock, “Introduction: From Sun-Spirit to Spider Man” in Sherlock, West Indian Folk-tales.
Oxford University Press, 1979, 1-6.
At CAFÉ, discuss Lovelace and Is Just a Movie
Week 4:
Feb. 17
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USA/Migration
Paule Marshall (Barbados/USA). “To Da-Duh, In Memoriam”
At CAFÉ, discuss Danticat, call and response and the Central African Republic
Feb. 19
Sudan and Leon Damas, “Hiccups”.
At CAFÉ, discuss Danticat, call and response, and the Central African Republic.
Week 5
Feb. 24
El Salvador and Nicolás Guillén, “Can You?”
At CAFÉ, discuss folk-tales. Possibly read one (Sherlock?) and the Indonesian folk-tale, “The
Adventures of Mouse Deer”
Feb. 26
Cameroon, Langston Hughes Antony LaRose, “An American” and Milton Williams, “Sister Alno”.
At CAFÉ, discuss folk-tales. The Indonesian folk-tale and Phillip Sherlock.
Week 6
March 3
Essay due this week. No face-to-face classroom meet.
At CAFÉ, discuss migration and Paule Marshall’s “To Da-Duh, In Memoriam”
March 5
Essay due this week. No face-to-face classroom meet.
At CAFÉ, discuss Sudan and Leon Damas, “Hiccups”.
Essay due by midnight Friday March 6.
Week 7
March 10
Review.
Discuss ““The Steelband: Cultural Creativity and the Construction of Identities”. Stephen Stumpfie, The
Steelband Movement. The Forging of a National Art in Trinidad & Tobago, 1995, 219.
See James Arnold et al, ed., A History of Literature in the Caribbean: English and
Dutch-Speaking countries, 83-85, 83085
Discuss, Edouard Glissant, “The Open Boat”.
At CAFÉ, discuss Langston Hughes and Antony LaRose, “An American”
March 12
No face-to-face class meet. At CAFÉ, discuss “Sister Alno”.
Online presentations about the process due by midnight at Canvas/VoiceThread.
SPRING BREAK………………………………………MARCH 15-22
Week 8: March 24 & 26
Meet at CAFÉ. No face to face classroom meet.
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At CAFÉ, talk about the steel-pan and Caribbean literature.
Online (Canvas), discuss
(1) William Aho on steelpan music in Trinidad & Tobago
(2) E-book, Music from Behind the Bridge (available on Course Reserves)
Week 9
March 31
Discuss Lovelace, “Those Heavy Cakes” (Course Reserves)
At CAFÉ, focus on student homework
April 2
Discuss Music from Behind the Bridge
At CAFÉ, focus on student homework
Week 10:
April 7
At CAFÉ – Earl Lovelace, music and literature
April 9:
Lovelace
At CAFÉ, Talk about Lovelace, “Those Heavy Cakes”
Week 11
April 14
How to read Lovelace. Music, Identity and Caribbean Literature
At CAFÉ, Lovelace and Pan
April 16
Music, Identity and Caribbean Literature
At CAFÉ, Lovelace and Pan
Week 12:
April 21April 23
Online (Canvas) submission of oral presentation.
Week 13:
April 28
April 30
Adapt Lovelace short story for performance
At Café, work with students on preparation for performance
Week 14:
May 4
May 8
Review. Questions and concerns.
At CAFÉ, work with students on preparation for performance
Week 15:
May 12
Final week. Work with students on reading and performance of Lovelace story excerpt. Presentation
May 20: Exam week. Final paper due.
Reading
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Readings listed below are required, but will be available on Canvas at Modules/Course Reserves. There is
one required text you should purchase.
Required Text (to be purchased):
Earl Lovelace, Is Just a Movie (novel). Haymarket Books, 2012.
Other required reading (will be available on Canvas/Course Modules)
Aimé Cesaire, “Christmas in Martinique.” Anne Walmsley and Nick Caistor, ed. Facing
the Sea: A new anthology from the Caribbean region. London: Heinemann, 1986, 67-8.
Leon Damas, “Hiccups”. Anne Walmsley and Nick Caistor, ed. Facing the Sea: A new
anthology from the Caribbean region. London: Heinemann, 1986, 13-15 (poem)
Edwidge Danticat, “Children of the Sea”. Krik? Krak! Vintage Books, 1996 (Central
African Republic)
Nicolás Guillén, “Can you”? Anne Walmsley and Nick Caistor, ed. Facing the Sea: A
new anthology from the Caribbean region. London: Heinemann, 1986, 65.
Antony La Rose, “An American”. Anne Walmsley and Nick Caistor, ed. Facing the Sea:
A new anthology from the Caribbean region. London: Heinemann, 1986, 13-15. (poem)
Robert Lee, “Skeete’s Bay, Barbados”. Anne Walmsley and Nick Caistor, ed. Facing the
Sea: A new anthology from the Caribbean region. London: Heinemann, 1986, 28.
Earl Lovelace, “Those heavy cakes”. Anne Walmsley and Nick Caistor, ed. Facing the
Sea: A new anthology from the Caribbean region. London: Heinemann, 1986, 101- 103.
(short story)
Paule Marshall, “To Da-Duh, In Memoriam”. Anne Walmsley and Nick Caistor, ed.
Facing the Sea: A new anthology from the Caribbean region. London: Heinemann,
1986, 29-34. (short story)
Mervyn Morris, “The Pond”. Anne Walmsley and Nick Caistor, ed. Facing the Sea: A
new anthology from the Caribbean region. London: Heinemann, 1986, 13. (poem)
Grace Nichols, “Waterpot”. Anne Walmsley and Nick Caistor, ed. Facing the Sea: A
new anthology from the Caribbean region. London: Heinemann, 1986, 48. (poem)
Phillip Sherlock, “Introduction: From Sun-Spirit to Spider Man” in Sherlock, West Indian
Folk-tales. Oxford University Press, 1979, 1-6.
Milton Williams, “Sister Alno”. Anne Walmsley and Nick Caistor, ed. Facing the Sea:
A new anthology from the Caribbean region. London: Heinemann, 1986, 24-5.
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Course Procedures and Policies
Students are expected to inform the instructor in advance of medically necessary absences, and present a
self-signed note documenting the date of the missed class(es) and testifying to the need for the absence.
This note must include an acknowledgement that (a) the information provided is true and correct, and (b)
that the student understands that providing false information to University officials is a violation of Part
9(h) of the Code of Student Conduct. The university’s policies on medical and other absences can be found
at: http://www.umd.edu/catalog/index.cfm/show/content.section/c/27/ss/1584/s/1540
However, because this course also has an online presence, when you miss class discussion you will be
expected to submit your comments online in the appropriate discussion space. If you will be late because
of illness, the instructions given in the preceding paragraph apply.
Prolonged absence or illness preventing attendance from class requires written documentation from the
Health Center and/or health care provider verifying dates of treatment when student was unable to meet
academic responsibilities.
Absence due to religious observance will not be penalized, however, it is the student’s responsibility to
notify the instructor within the first 3 weeks of class regarding any religious observance absence(s) for the
entire semester. The calendar of religious holidays can be found at:
http://faculty.umd.edu/teach/attend_student.html#religious
Academic integrity: The student-administered Honor Code and Honor Pledge prohibit students from
cheating on exams, plagiarizing papers, submitting the same paper for credit in two courses without
authorization, buying papers, submitting fraudulent documents and forging signatures. On every
examination, paper or other academic exercise not specifically exempted by the instructor, students must
write by hand and sign the following pledge:
I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized
assistance on this examination (or assignment).
Allegations of academic dishonesty will be reported directly to the Student Honor
Council: http://www.shc.umd.edu .
Students with disabilities: The University of Maryland is committed to providing appropriate
accommodations for students with disabilities. Students with a documented disability should inform the
instructors within the add-drop period if academic accommodations are needed. To obtain an
Accommodation Letter prepared by Disability Support Service (DSS), a division of the University
Counseling Center, please call 301-314-7682, e-mail [email protected], or visit the Shoemaker Building for
more information.
Copyright notice: Class lectures and other materials are copyrighted and they may not be reproduced
for anything other than personal use without written permission from the instructor.
Emergency protocol: Since the course has an online presence, unless you are notified otherwise you
will be expected to participate by submitting your comments online, in written and/or audio-visual form.
This syllabus is subject to change. Students will be notified in advance of important changes
that could affect grading, assignments, etc.
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Course evaluations are a part of the process by which the University of Maryland seeks to improve
teaching and learning. Your participation in this official system is critical to the success of the process, and
all information submitted to CourseEvalUM is confidential. (Instructors can only view group summaries of
evaluations and cannot identify which submissions belong to which students.)
Diversity: The University of Maryland values the diversity of its student body. Along with the
University, I am committed to providing a classroom atmosphere that encourages the equitable
participation of all students regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, national origin, race, religion, or
sexual orientation. Potential devaluation of students in the classroom that can occur by reference to
demeaning stereotypes of any group and/or overlooking the contributions of a particular group to the topic
under discussion is inappropriate. (See Statement on Classroom Climate,
http://www.umd.edu/catalog/index.cfm/show/content.section/c/27/ss/1584/s/1541).
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