January 27: Introductions
To Read:
- The Brothers Grimm, “Little Red Riding Hood”
- Katherine Anne Porter, “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall”
In Class:
- Review syllabus and sign up for cultural reports
- Discuss portrayals of old women in fairy tales and folk tales
February 3: Cultural Stereotypes
To Read:
Doris Lessing, Diary of a Good Neighbor
To Write:
Reading response: Consider some of the cultural stereotypes of older people you’ve observed in advertisements and on Netflix, etc. How are those stereotypes being reinforced or challenged in this text? Which moment(s) from this text strike you as especially timely or relevant to your own perceptions, prejudices, or anticipation of age?
In Class:
You are not responsible for completing a reading response on the day you do a cultural report.
February 10: Generational Expectations
To Read:
- Toni Cade Bambara, “My Man Bovanne”
- Cathleen Schine, They May Not Mean To, But They Do
To Write:
In Class:
Reflection on Senior Center Visit #1 due Wednesday, February 12 by 11:59 pm
February 17: Presidents’ Holiday
February 24: Life After a Death
To Read:
- Becky Birtha, “In the Life”
- Selections from Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge
To Write:
In Class:
You are not responsible for completing a reading response on the day you do a cultural report.
March 2: Living Until the End
To Read:
Margaret Drabble, The Dark Flood Rises
To Write:
In Class:
Reflection on Senior Center Visit #2 due Wednesday, March 4 by 11:59 pm
March 9: Former Selves
To Read:
Mary Gordon, “The Liar’s Wife”
To Write:
In Class:
You are not responsible for completing a reading response on the day you do a cultural report.
March 23: Spring Break
Remember we moved both the 16th and 30th to this day. Please note the requirements about which I emailed you, now show up here. Cultural Reports are now on line; see this link, and moved down throughout the following weeks.
March 30: Making Different Sense
To Read:
Leonora Carrington, The Hearing Trumpet First 30-40 Pages
Ruth’s chapter on Hearing Trumpet
To Write:
Reading response (please post these on the blog now as per my email; IF YOU NEED HELP EMAIL SHELBY!)
Sisterhood
To Read: Choose
Yiyun Li, “A Sheltered Woman” and “Sweeping Past”
To Write:
In Class:
Show up on Google Hangout Meeting if you want to touch base and talk in person!
Friday April 3rd by 11:59 pm Cultural reports 4 and 5
April 6: Patricia Powell
To Read:
We all have a physical copy of this work. Please find the email from Shelby for a Zoom link to this class.
To Write:
Be working on your project proposals
In Class:
Patricia Powell visits and reads from her work in progress
Reflection on Senior Center Visit #3 due Wednesday, April 8 by 11:59 pm
April 13: Generational /and/ Gender Expectations
To Read:
Tillie Olsen, “I Stand Here Ironing” from Tell Me a Riddle
To Write:
In Class:
You are not responsible for completing a reading response on the day you do a cultural report.
April 20: Choices
To Read:
Jean Davies Okimoto, The Love Ceiling
During this Zoom class, each student will discuss their project proposals.
To Write:
In Class:
Share proposals/plan conference
April 27: Awakenings
To Read:
Alice Munro, “Dolly”
To Write:
In Class:
You are not responsible for completing a reading response on the day you do a cultural report.
May 4: Sharing Our Discoveries
Conference: Sharing Our Discoveries at the Downtown Oakland Senior Center
Coming to Age 