Dear Eric,

An unusual situation. I taught him in 283: Modern Poetry, some years ago (unmentioned by him) and gave him an A, I think. He would pretty certainly have been admitted to the MA in Poetry, I think--but I do not know his actual poetic work at all. Cathy must, maybe cris. I'm inclined to let him add himself to the program under the terms he outlines, but for the point you make about teaching before being allowed to do 226 in his second year. He will have missed the preliminary workshop in August unless they let him sit in on it (ok with me). He's very smart and likely quite capable as a teacher--he spoke a lot and well in my class back then--maybe 5-6 years ago. I imagine my colleagues will have more useful information to add.

Not on summer idyll, unless summer teaching in Oxford is considered that.

David 

________________________________________
From: Miami University Creative Writing Faculty [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Goodman, Eric [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 6:15 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: FW: MA program

Dear Writers,


    I apologize for breaking into your summer idylls.

    Here’s an email, and my response to it, that I’d like some comment on.

    All best,


    Eric


------ Forwarded Message
From: "Goodman, Eric" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2011 06:11:03 -0400
To: "Sauer, Stephen R. II" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: MA program

Dear Stephen Sauer

    Thanks for writing.

    Your situation is rather unique and I’m going to need to contact my colleagues in creative writing, especially the poets, before I fully respond to your email.

    Admission to the MA in creative writing is based to a great extent on the portfolio of writing, in your case, poetry, submitted along with a student’s application.   Clearly, you haven’t done that.

    Would you mind telling me when you were a student at Miami, and when you received your degree?  I see that you have listed an independent study both with Brett Singer, and with Dr. Wagner.   Are you currently teaching somewhere?   Do you have some teaching experience?   I ask, because as a rule, one of the most important criteria for teaching creative writing during the second year is excelling in teaching composition during the first year.

    I look forward to hearing from you.

    Sincerely yours,




--  Eric Goodman
     Director of Creative Writing
     http://www.erickgoodman.com/index.html













On 7/11/11 10:09 PM, "Sauer, Stephen R. II" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Hello Professor Goodman,

I am attempting to enroll in courses for the MA program in Creative Writing (Poetry) and would like to know which courses I should be taking this Fall. I was admitted to the MAT program in Secondary English Education but have decided to return to the CAS English department. I have spoken with Dr. Powell about my situation, as I missed the deadline for official admittance into your program. He said I can seek force-ad permission from faculty and apply later for official admittance.

I have been referring to the 2010-2011 guide that is posted on the English department's website. So far, I have asked professors for ENG 651 and 603 for permission.

In addition to those courses, I assume I should take 606, the Teaching Practicum, as I would like to teach Creative Writing in my second year to gain experience (provided, of course, that my performance is deemed meritorious enough). As I am not officially admitted into the Creative Writing MA program, I realize I will not be teaching Composition in my first year, unlike the vast majority of students in the program. I hope this will not be an impediment. I would appreciate your suggestions concerning which other courses I should enroll in for Fall, as I want to be certain that I am enrolled in an adequate number.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Stephen Sauer

P.S.

As I did not proceed through the official application channel, here is some relevant information concerning my academic performance:

July 2010 GRE Verbal score of 700 (97% below), Writing score of 5.0 (84% below). Cumulative Miami GPA: 3.61. Relevant coursework:

Advanced Creative Writing Poetry: A+
20th Century American Literature: A+
African American Writing 1878-1945: A+
Life and Thought, 131: A+
Independent Study (Brett Singer): A+
Independent Study (Dr. Wagner): A+
Modern Poetry: A Contemporary Poetry: A
Life and Thought 132: A
Issues in Creative Writing: A
Creative Writing (University of Toledo): A
Intermediate Creative Writing Poetry: A
Shakespeare's Principal Plays: A (taken pass-fail)
Russian Lit, 257: A
Russian Literature, 256: A
Russian/Soviet/Post-Soviet Cinema: A
American Literature 1865-1914: A-
British Women Writers: A-
British Renaissance (Toledo): A-
Introduction to Linguistics: A-
Interpretation of Literature (Toledo): B+
Russian Lit, 255: B+
American Women Writers: B
Intermediate Creative Writing Fiction: B



------ End of Forwarded Message