Revised office hours

Since my office is now closed. I will not be going to the university or having office hours except by appointment (this might change if the institute has a place for office hours in block A).

At present, I'm available for consultation by appointment only.

To see me, write me by email. Send the email no later than 21.00 the night before you want to meet.

If you don't have my address then leave your address as a comment and I'll write you (and delete your comment after doing so).

Office hours in summer

I plan on being in the institute every day from 12.30 - 13.30 (times very approximate) in 209b until they won't let me in anymore because of the rennovations. Not sure how long that will be.

After that, you will have to make an appointment by email (if you can't find it, they have it in the secretary's office).

Class schedule for this week (June 7, 8 2011)

Okay, regular class on Tuesday (13.30 325b) after which I will be available for office hours.

Since not a single student was ready with their presentations last Wednesday, I'm forced to cancel class on this Wednesday (I warned you....). Therefore I will have earlier office hours on Wednesday 13.30-15.15 (209b) and my usual office hours are cancelled. I will still happily go over outlines in office hours.

For those of who won't have a chance to give your presentations in class you might want to try the extra practice sessions of Ms Gabster (previous post on this very blog). You might also want to arrange practice sessions on your own. The audience feedback the last time we had presentations in class was pretty good so if you can organize yourselves you can help each other.

update: you can also try your luck during the Tuesday class, though regular Tuesday students have priority.

As for signatures. My newest decision:

If you've finished all your writing assignments and done both presentations in class then I can give you your signature tomorrow or Wednesday (only during office hours). Otherwise you may bring your index to the oral final on Tuesday/Wednesday.

If you haven't done your academic presentation in class then you'll have to wait until after the exam is finished. If you have any questions then see me in office hours.

Practice for the Orals

Optional extra practice for the oral exams will be held on Tuesday, June 7, at 5 PM and Wednesday, June 8, at 3:30 PM. Meet at 214 and we'll move to another room if needed. This practice is open to all 2nd year students (both teachers), so order will be simply first come, first served.

Additionally, my regular office hours on Tuesday will be postponed for about an hour (starting at 4pm) and regular hours on Wednesday will be canceled, but like Mr. Farris, I will have office hours during the usual Wednesday class time.

Tuesday Review of Writing Formats

Written exam next Monday, May 30. If your knowledge of the writing formats we've discussed this year is rusty, come to Novum Tuesday evening for a review. Meet at my office, 214 B, at about 5pm on Tuesday 24 May, and we'll find an open classroom based on how many people show up.

Monday hours

Academic presentations continue this week, and Liz will actually have extra "office hours" on Monday. I'm covering Mrs. Parthemore's 3rd year classes on Monday, so between classes I'll probably still be in the classroom or nearby. If you still need approval for your academic presentation, you can find me 10-11:30 on Monday in 325 in addition to the usual hours in 214.

Extra office hours

I will be having even more office hours this Monday (12.00-13.30 - time approximate). Look for me first in the usual place (209b)

Also this Friday, Office .... hours

I will indeed be having office hours this Friday from 13.30 - 15.00 (times approximate). Come to 209b. If I'm elsewhere I'll leave a note there. I am going to need such a drink Friday evening....

Next Monday: more office hours

The final crunch is upon us! No office hours for Liz tomorrow (though Mr. Farris will have extra hours 12-1500), but instead next week I'll have hours for all the procrastinators on Monday 2:30pm-4pm in 214 B in addition to the regular hours on Tuesday (3:15-4:15) and Wednesday (12-1).

Happy writing, and see you there!

This week's classes

Tomorrow (Tuesday) class as normal (well as normal as it ever gets). My office hours as usual.

Wednesday, no classes due to the fraudulent very important occasion of "Sport Day" (yeah..... right).

But! Because of that I'll have extra, extended office hours (yay! hooray!)

12.00 - 15.00, 209b (or wherever better I can find, but first go to 209b). Beginning time, as usual, will be slightly approximate as I might be slightly late and/or have to see to other duties.

I'm also planning office hours this Friday, details TBA.

Office hours again

Apologies for the late notice, but tomorrow (Monday) Liz will be having another session of make-up office hours from about 2:30-3:30 in 214B. No office hours this Wednesday.

So, office hours for Liz (214 B) this week are only:
Monday 2:30-3:30
Tuesday 3:15-4:15

Next week I might offer similar hours on Monday as my last make-up session. Stay tuned!

Next office hours for Farris

Now that the extended vacation season is drawing slowly to a close, it's time for everyone to get off their fat asses ample hind ends and get back to work. To that end, this Friday (May 6, 2011) I will have office hours from 12.00 - 14.00 (times, as always somewhat approximate). Look for me in 209b. If I'm elsewhere there will be info on where to find me there.

I will also remind everyone that I expect the Wednesday group to either:

1. agree to meet Wednesday the 11th (sports day!) and have two (2) academic presentations or

2. have three (three) people ready with academic presentations on the 18th of May. Failure to abide by one of these options will bring about terrible, awful consequences for the entire group (including those absent on the 18th and maybe for the people in the Tuesday group too). Think worse than writing about OFE.......

Wednesday class

The holidays are almost over, and of course, the Wednesday class will be meeting as usual this week. (Tuesday folks, you got lucky this time). Just a friendly reminder.

Office hours Tuesday April 26 (last chance for a while)

Hoping everyone's Easter holidays have been pleasant, I now have the unpleasant (for you) task of announcing that I will be holding office hours on Tuesday, April 26 from 15.00 to 17.30.

You should look for me in one of the following places.

201b (copy room)

209b (my office)

313ab (computer room)

I should leave info on where I am on 209b. But keep looking around, I'll be there.

Assignment for this week

Articles! And not everyone's favorite grammatical articles, but news articles! Here's what you have to do:

1. Go to The Onion.com.

2. Choose an article. For the purposes of this assignment, don't choose a video. But watch them anyway.

3. REPLY TO THIS POST to claim your article. Just comment with your name, which class, and the name of the article. People in different classes can do the same article, just not in the same class. If you see your article already listed here, sorry, you've got to pick another.

4. Print it out the article and bring it to class.

5. Look up any vocabulary that may be new to you. Mark the word and write down the definition. Brownie points for the person with the best new word (or the most)!

6. Be prepared to present a 1-2 minute synopsis of the article to the class. Try to retain the spirit of the article and mention the major points. Quotes are fine, especially to show the tone of the article, but try not to use more than three max.


Easy enough. We'll also be doing a writing exercise, so brainstorm things you would want to write about if you were writing an article in a similar style. But don't hurt any nerve cells; we'll do more of this in class.

Have fun! And remember to comment here to claim your article from The Onion.

Office Hours Before Easter

Since everyone's now properly terrified of the looming May 16 deadline, here's a reminder of office hours -- with revisions for these two weeks only! Note that both Mr. Farris and I will NOT be in town the week after Easter, so no office hours then.

Wednesday 4/13 (regular hours)
1200-13 (Gabster, 214)
1515-1615 (Farris, 209)

Thursday 4/14 (NEW, this week only!)
1600-1730 (Gabster, 214)

Monday 4/18 (NEW, this week only!)
12ish-1400 (Farris, 209)

Tuesday 4/19 (regular hours)
1515-1615 (Farris and Gabster, 209 and 214)

Wednesday 4/20 (regular hours)
1200-13 (Gabster, 214)
1515-1615 (Farris, 209)

Tuesday 4/26 and Wednesday 4/27
NO OFFICE HOURS

Office hours resume on May 4 when we come back after Constitution Day.

Angry lecture time!

As winter follows fall and sunrise follows sunset, my annual stern "get the lead out and get working!" lecture is followed by my annual angry "class attendance is not optional!" lecture. Prepare your looks of boredom and faux regret, cause here it comes...

Most of you cannot afford any absences at this point. Some of you (you know who you are) are very close to the edge of having to do extra assignments to get a signature (or not getting the signature at all).

Expect a stern talking to tomorrow and consider yourself having gotten a yellow card (and the ref is just itching to send somebody off)

Yes, you, especially you!

Handout samples

Having lulled you all into a false sense of apathy security by not posting anything her in 17 and 2/3 years, I spring the trap!

Print and bring copies of this and this tomorrow. They are sample handouts for your academic presentations.

See you tomorrow....

Fulbright info meeting

If you want to study in the US, you should definitely try to attend a Fulbright information session being held on Monday (28 March) at UAM. Aleksandra Augustyniak from the Polish-American Fulbright Commission in Warsaw will be in Poznań to deliver this presentation.

The Fulbright program was established by the US government about 60+ years ago and funds exchanges for students, graduates, researchers, professors, and professionals. This exchange program offers scholarships for Polish students and graduates to study in the US. It's recognized as very prestigious in the US, and the scholarship funds almost all of the costs of travel, living, and research expenses. The only catch is that you do need to apply about a year-and-a-half before you want to go. For example, for the 2012-2013 academic year (arriving in the US and beginning around Aug/Sept 2012), the application deadline is April 29, 2011.

If this is something that you are interested in, let me know! The info session is next Monday in Collegium Minus at 13:00. If you cannot make it, email me if you have questions. I'll bring extra materials next a week.

Office hours

Just a quick note on my (Liz's) office hours this week. I'm back in Poznań, so I'll have regularly scheduled hours today (Tuesday 15:15-16:15). However, I need to cancel my Wednesday hours this week. Instead, I'll hold hours on Thursday from 15:15-16:15.

So there you have it. Liz's office hours for this week (only): Tuesday AND Thursday 15:15-16:15 in 214.

Next week we'll go back to Tuesday and Wednesday.

Note about class this week (March 15, 16)

Just a quick note to remind you. We have a guest lecturer this week.

In view of that, I want to remind everyone to

- be polte (for once!)

- pay attention!

- keep gunfire to a minimum

- no fires!

Remember, horrific angry dog is watching you!

You misbehave and I'll gnaw your @$*$*@#-ing face off!

Class materials for this week (Frebruary 22-23, 2011)

Here is the link for the materials you will need tomorrow.

IMPORTANT!!!!!!  BRING 2 (TWO! DWIE! DOS! ZWEI!) COPIES.

I repeat: Each student should have TWO (2) copies of the materials with them.

Don't print out one, copy print out two copies!

See you then!

I'm posting another copy after the jump (click where it says 'czytaj więcej')

Update to come!

Here at headquarters, things have been a little hectic but an update with the materials you will need for tomorrow is on its way!

It should be posted no later than 19.30! Check back then!

Coming Soon: American conversation group!

Coming soon to Collegium Novum: American Culture and Conversation group!

This is NOT a class or a lecture. Instead, it's a chance to relax and use your English with native speakers and fellow students. Everyone is welcome, regardless of your level of English or your course of studies, so invite your friends!

The first meeting will be Wednesday, February 23, at 19:00 in Collegium Novum 212b, bloc B.

For more information, check out the new blog for this group:
http://poznan-american-convo.blogspot.com/ More updates and random cultural tidbits will be posted there.

See you soon!

My office hours this week

Yello, my office hours this coming week will be

Tuesday, 12.00-13.00 209b. If I go somewhere else I'll leave a note on the door of 209b.

My current plan is to also change office hours during the break (until classes start again)

Tuesday 12.00-13.00 209b

Thursday 12.00-13.00 209b

Or by appointment.

Belated note: Materials for tomorrow

Oops, I did it again (or didn't, which is more to the point). Just a quick note that you don't need to print out anything for tomorrow. Just bring your sharp intellect and youthful enthusiasm (positive reinforcement, positive reinforcement).

Office Hours for Ms. Gabster

The end of the semester is rapidly approaching! Because I'm sure that you all want to finish some of your writing projects before the break, I'm revising my office hours a bit to accommodate.

This week: normal office hours
Tuesday 3:15-4:15pm (in 214 or 209)
Wednesday 12-1pm (214)
Wednesday 3:15-4:15 (209- Mr. Farris)

Next week: normal office hours are CANCELLED
In lieu of my regular times, I will offer SUPER office hours on Monday!
Monday 24 Jan 12:30pm - 6pm (in 214 B)

Mr. Farris be announcing his revised office hours for next week during class.

I hope to see many of you during this marathon of office hours. If for some reason you are not available during any of those five-and-a-half hours (and none of the other times work), you can also email to set up an appointment, as always. After Monday, I will not have any scheduled office hours until we start up again after Feb. 20.

I got nothing....

That's right, nothing to print out this week. Just drag your carcasses to class and Ms Gabster and I will try to teach you .... something or other.

This pretty much sums things up right now.

Wlecome back ...... to HELL!

The holidays are mostly over and now you've got to drag yourself through the miserable cold to come to class. Happy holidays indeed.

For classes this week you will need:

article - how two : This is a guide explaining one way (my way) to go about creating an outline.

 essay topics for this year. You didn't demand it, but you've got 'em. This year's essay topics.

See you tomorrow .... or else!