ECOLOGY OF LANGUAGE & PLACE
The Evergreen State College Faculty: Rebecca Chamberlain Richard McKinnon
Spring Quarter 2009 360-867-5845 360-867-5946
Meeting Times: Monday/Wednesday, 6-10 p.m. Required Fees: TBD Credits: 8
[email protected] [email protected] Location: Mon. Sem II D 1105 Wed. Sem II D 1107 (E 2107 for seminars on M/W)
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In wildness is the preservation of the world.
–Henry David Thoreau
When we can understand the animals, we will know the change is halfway. When we can talk to the forest, we will know that the change has come. --Andrew Joe, Skagit ⊕
Course Description: During this two-quarter program, we will examine how language and place shape our experience of the world. How do traditional languages reflect an evolving relationship to the natural world, and in what ways does technology change the way modern cultures perceive and interact with their environment? What is the role of animal communication? From the local to the global, we'll explore how language shapes our awareness, acts as container for carrying and preserving culture, and affects the choices we make about living sustainability. We will look at how traditional cultures and languages are disappearing, along with the complex eco-systems that sustained them. Can we rekindle a relationship to oral cultures that listen to the voices of the land, preserving ancient languages, sacred traditions, and stories, or does the information age push us to rely more heavily on abstraction, leaving behind many of the skills that helped us live in harmony with our environment? Can the tools of the information-age help us recover traditional wisdom? What are the challenges and opportunities that face us as we seed to develop an ecology of language and place for the 21st Century?
Academic Fair Handout 2-25-08
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ECOLOGY OF LANGUAGE & PLACE This course is for students who want to think deeply and write well, During spring quarter we will ask, “how can our studies of ecology, language, and place help us understand and respond skillfully to the challenges that our world faces locally and globally?” We will continue to deepen our work as we develop writing and research skills, personal essays, expository essays, blogs, and natural history writing. What are the elements of powerful writing-style and word-play? How do these skills help us express and respond to the current issues that face us? We will ground ourselves in workshops that explore writing, walking, grammar gardens, research skills, linguistics, animal and human communication, natural history, education, ethnobotany, and other subjects. As we continue to explore the role of endangered languages and places, and the economic, educational, and technological factors that pressure them, we will read experts from some of America’s great natural history writers, scientists, and ethicists, such as Emerson, Thoreau, John Muir, Rachel Carson, Aldo Leopold, Edward Abbey. Loren Eisely, Annie Dillard, Barry Lopez, Peter Matthiessen, Linda Hogan, Terry Tempest Williams and others. Through our careful examination of the nature of language and the world around us, we will crystallize our skills in describing the world in ways that are skillful and compelling, and that allow us to engage with current local and global issues, ⊕ . Walking, I am listening in a deeper way. --Linda Hogan, “Walking” ⊕
Required Texts: We will read selections from the following texts, along with other articles and readings that you can access on our class site or through electronic reserve in the library. See weekly reading schedule for details. (W/S: We will use the text both Winter and Spring.) Abrahm, David. “Landscape and Language.” The Spell of the Sensuous. New York: Vintage, 1996. (W/S) Chamberlain and McKinnon. Ecology of Language and Place Reader. On program website or electronic reserve. Fill, Alwin, and Peter Muehlhaeusler. The Ecolinguistics Reader: Language, Ecology, and Environment. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2001. (W/S) Grandin, Temple, and Catherine Johnson. Animals in Translation. Fort Washington, PA :Harvest Books, 2006. Lopez, Gary, and Debra Gwarney, eds. Home Ground: Language for an American Landscape. San Antonio, TX: Trinity University Press, 2006. Louve, Richard. Last Child in the Woods. New York. N.Y.: Algonquin Books. 2008. Ross, Carolyn, Writing Nature: An Ecological Reader For Writers. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1995. Tufte, Virginia. Artful Sentences: Syntax as Style. Cheshire CT: Graphics Press, 2006. Zinsser, William. On Writing Well. New York: HarperCollins, 2006.
Supplemental Texts: Basso, Keith. Wisdom Sits in Places. Albuquerque N.M.: UNM Press, 1996.
Academic Fair Handout 2-25-08
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ECOLOGY OF LANGUAGE & PLACE Course Equivalencies: Students can receive upper division credit for a total of eight quarter hours for college level work in the following areas: 4 4
Linguistics and Ecolinguistics: Literature, Natural History Writing, and Sustainability:
Assignments: 1. Reading response papers each week, turned in promptly at the beginning of seminar (1-2 pages, typed). This is a major part of your work this quarter. These papers will allow you to: 1) comment upon the assigned readings, lectures, workshops, and films, and 2) summarize, reflect upon, and integrate program topics, themes, and issues. There will be a total of 9 responses, over the quarter. You must post your paper each week on our group web-site, and read and comment on other students’ work. (See handout, “Guidelines for Reading Responses,” for details.) 2. Workshops: Demonstrate knowledge of language, linguistic, writing, & editing workshops. including… Note: Your workshops will be reviewed, so date them and keep them in chronological order in your portfolio. Writing and Walking Workshops: We will do a series of in-class and out-of-class prompted writing and editing workshops as we ask, “How can we write from our experience of powerful people and places?” “How can we use writing to explore our ideas of sustainability and community?” Complete all workshops and written assignments from writing, editing, and walking (and sometimes “rolling” or blogging) workshops and maintain them in your portfolio. Syntax and Stylistic Workshops (Linguistics): Weekly workshops on language structure with exercises that will reinforce your familiarity and ability to recognize these structures in your written and spoken language. How do these themes connect to other patterns, such as advanced narrative structures as well as those in nature, such as animal communication, DNA, mathematical or musical principles, grammar gardens, or other concepts? ?” Complete all workshops and maintain them in your portfolio. Oral Work: Demonstration of oral knowledge through class participation and group or individual presentation of linguistics, writing theory, and Lushootseed songs, invocations, names, or basic conversational phrases, etc. 3. Develop An Essay (5-9 pages): You will develop an essay over the quarter that you will revise, edit, and post for e-publication through our program website. We will do a number of other creative writing, research, grammar, and editing workshops, and you may have a variety of pieces that you are working on and that you may also wish to share; however, we are encouraging you to develop one essay, through a variety of drafts, to a final product. This essay can be: 1) A personal reflective essay, or 2) An expository essay, or other forms that we will discuss in class. Complete all writing and editing workshops, nature journals/blogs, research projects, and post your final drafts on a web-site. You will be forming writing groups to meet, discuss your writings, give feedback, edit and develop your work. These ongoing groups will meet in class, online, and in person throughout the quarter. You are responsible for meeting and responding to the individuals within your writing group. 4. Develop and Present a Writing Workshop: You will develop and present a short writing workshop to present to your peers on some aspect of writing, style, grammar, etc., during Week 10. You should keep in mind the themes of our program, such as environmental sustainability and a poetics of place. How would you teach writing through those themes? Create an outline and handouts for your activity and post them on our class website.
Academic Fair Handout 2-25-08
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ECOLOGY OF LANGUAGE & PLACE Expectations: -Faithful attendance and full participation at all meetings, workshops, films, field-trips and seminars. -Reading and writing weekly responses to the texts. -Maintain a portfolio of class handouts, notes, papers, research, assignments from syntax, style, writing, walking, and linguistics workshops, and cumulative work for the quarter to be reviewed at fifth week and final evaluation conferences. -Participate in class linguistic, language, and writing workshops and practice sessions and present oral and written responses to lessons. -Successfully complete individual and group projects, presentations, workshops, and other assignments on time.
Guest Artists and Field Trips: We are fortunate to have a number of guest artists, field trips, and other opportunities as part of our studies this quarter. These events are required as part of the class. Check the class schedule, syllabus, and handouts for the dates and details of each event. They include: Zalmi (esweli?) Zahir-- Lushootseed Language, Songs, Stories & Teachings. April 6th—Plant Power, Teachings from The Plant People April 20 or TBC (To Be Confirmed)—The Language of Birds Zalmai esweli? is one of the fluent teachers and speakers of the Lushootseed language, the native Salish language of Puget Sound. He has worked on preserving the Southern dialect. He has developed a number of activities to teach language through total emersion, on-line programs, and TPR (total physical response) techniques. He has developed and written a number of publications and language texts, including books on place-names. plants, canoes, and other subjects through the language and cultural teachings. He currently teaches classes for individuals, tribal groups, and other organizations. You can find out more about his work at:
Pauline (Skalla: Of the Killer Whale): Coast Salish Spirituality and the Land Dates: April 29th 6:00-10:00 Pauline is a Salish musician, storyteller, cultural historian, basket-weaver, and great-grandmother. She comes from a prominent Lummi family; both of Pauline’s parents taught her traditional songs and games in the Lummi Language, Halkomelem, and Chinook Jargon. She is an expert in native language, song, storytelling and dance traditions. Her Father, Joe Hillaire, was recorded by Willard Rhodes in the 1950's for the Smithsonian and Library of Congress collection of music of Puget Sound. Her grandfather, Frank Hillaire, started the “Children of the Setting Sun Dance Group” and gave performances for presidents and officials in Washington D.C. and around the United States. Pauline carries on this tradition and, as the current head of the “Setting Sun Dance Group,” teaches traditional songs and stories to children and members of the Lummi tribe, and gives performances at major venues throughout the Northwest and United States. Recognized as one of the pillars of Indian culture by the Seattle Art Museum, Pauline is a prominent educator and has worked on numerous educational grants and symposiums, including residencies and curriculum in Native song & storytelling traditions for Northwest Folklife, the Washington State Arts Commission, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, The Evergreen Center for Educational Improvement, and the Heritage Institute. She is a featured artist in “Sharing the Circle: A Resource Guide on Native American Music of Washington State, and Spirit of the First People: Native American Music Traditions of Washington State. Pauline has a long history with The Evergreen community, and was influential in supporting the development of the American Indian Studies Program and Longhouse at The Evergreen State College.
Academic Fair Handout 2-25-08
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ECOLOGY OF LANGUAGE & PLACE Grandmothers Counsel the World at The Evergreen State College Field Trip Date: Saturday, May 2, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., The Evergreen State College, Daniel J. Evans Library, 2nd Floor Lobby. Presentation by the Grandmothers in ELP Dates: May 4 6:00-7:30 The Evergreen State College welcomes four North American members of this council of leaders of nations. The Grandmothers will share their views on the environment, resiliency, peace and knowledge in a time of unprecedented global change. This is part of Evergreen’s Willi Unsoeld Seminar Series, Diversity Series and the Longhouse Educational Center partner to bring four members of the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers to the South Puget Sound on Saturday, May 2 and Tuesday, May 5, 2009 The International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers was formed almost five years ago out of a deep concern for “the unprecedented destruction of our Mother Earth and the destruction of indigenous ways of life.” The Council, which includes spiritual leaders from across the world, assembles to pray, share ancestral wisdom and counsel the world from multiple perspectives of distinctive cultures. These elders will share their knowledge and experience of indigenous science, spiritual healing and ceremony, peace and prayer. The purpose of their conversation is to engage thought on the world’s spiritual, earthly, and cultural resources through examples from the experience of the grandmothers and from a deep reservoir of cultural wisdom. Olivia Archibald, Current Chair of the English Department, St. Martins University. The Art of the Essay, Dates: April 22nd Dr. Archibald's academic interests include creative nonfiction, essay theory, composition theory, early medieval literature, and literary criticism. Prior to working at Saint Martin's University, she taught creative and expository writing, literature and literary theory, and several interdisciplinary programs at The Evergreen State College and Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa. She got her B.A. and M.A., Marshall University, and her Ph.D. from the University of Iowa Dr. Archibald is a well-known essayist, has published numerous curriculum and pedagogical papers on the art of the essay and teacher reflective practices. She is currently writing a book on teaching writing. She has directed writing centers and been featured at numerous conferences on English, Undergraduate Education, and teacher reflective practices. Sandra Yannone & Victoria Larkin, TESC Writing Center. Grammar Gardens: How to write and edit with style. Dates: May 11th Sandra, Director of the Writing Center, and Victoria, Grad. Staff/Tutor, are joining us to share a variety of perspectives on how to understand the nuances of style, how to craft and edit manuscripts, and their own passion for writing. Jordan Fink, The Power of Place: Language and Ecology in Today’s Evolving World Dates: May 20th Evergreen Graduate who has studied Lushootseed, writing, ethno-poetics, ecology and sustainability, Jordan currently teaches at a Portland College, is a community planter, and is preparing to do further graduate work in sustainable resource management, ecological design, and a poetics of place. Library Scavenger Hunt and Bioregional Literacy Quiz Sarah Pederson and Carlos Diaz Dates: April 13th, 6:00 p.m. at the Reference Desk
Academic Fair Handout 2-25-08
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ECOLOGY OF LANGUAGE & PLACE We will learn about the library as an information “ecosystem” for finding information about the Pacific Northwest and other places. Sarah Pedersen is a member of the Library Faculty who has worked in the library and taught at Evergreen since 1980. Her teaching ouside the library focuses on interdisciplinary programs which integrate sailing expeditions and the study of maritime literature and maritime cultures. Carlos Diaz has been Head of Government Documents/Maps for ten years now. He is originally from Honduras but grew up in Tupelo, MS (birthplace of Elvis). His work at Evergreen includes helping patrons find information published by the government and sharing his love for government and history by coordinating a voter registration drive; public viewing of presidential debates and Obama’s inauguration; and alerting us to resources of on-going political events that will help us understand in context.
Class Website: http://acdrupal.evergreen.edu/languageandplace We intend to use the website as a tool to broaden the circle of our learning community. In addition to being a place to post readings and other course-related documents, the website will be an added channel for communicating with each other, sharing our stories, discussing ideas and experiences, and presenting our work.
Class Portfolio: Due--June 1st. Each student is required to keep a class portfolio throughout the quarter, along with the work you post online. This will be a tangible record of all the work that you do throughout the program. You will turn it in during the fifth week and on June 1st, for evaluation, and we will return it to you on June 3rd. Include your name and a table of contents. Record the topic, number and date of each item in your portfolio. Each section should be arranged chronologically. The portfolio must be kept in a loose-leaf three ring binder with dividers and should contain the following: Note: Date and chronologically order each entry: 1) 2) 3) 4)
Table of contents (that includes the following): Handouts: Course syllabus, covenant, and all other handouts Notes on lectures, guest speakers, workshops, seminars, films, and in-class workshops. Reading responses for required texts and readings, nine total. Follow format on reading response handout. (A section of reading notes is strongly recommended.) 5) Writing and Walking Workshops, (date and organize chronologically.) 6) Syntax and Style (Linguistic) Workshops, (date and organize chronologically.) 7) Your Final Essay: This includes multiple drafts of written work, notes you make about your work, comments from peer editing/feedback workshops, research notes, etc. 8) Teaching a Writing Workshop: You will teach a writing skill or workshop to your peers in week ten. Prepare an outline and handout for your writing or skill-building workshop, as well as any notes you have made for your oral presentation. 9) Self and Faculty evaluations, signed and on official forms, are required for this class.
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ECOLOGY OF LANGUAGE & PLACE Rebecca Chamberlain is a Northwest writer, poet, and storyteller with a background in the arts, humanities, and natural history education. She did her graduate work in Medieval literature and American literature (specializing in Native American language and storytelling traditions). She also works with William Blake, the Transcendentalists, and natural history writing. She teaches a variety of storytelling workshops and writing courses around “place based” themes that include issues of sustainability, eco-criticism, and Northwest history. She has worked for science museums, environmental, arts, and cultural organizations.
Academic Fair Handout 2-25-08
Rick McKinnon is a linguist and educator with a wide range of interests including the evolutionary origins of language (and the human species in general), language preservation, animal communication, conflict studies, and educational technologies. Rick has taught at Evergreen since '00, and also works as the Learning Director at South Puget Sound Community College.
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