Participation (10%)
“Dialogue does not exist in a political vacuum. It is not a “free space” where you may do what you want. Dialogue takes place inside some kind of program and context. . . . To achieve the goals of transformation, dialogue implies responsibility, directiveness, determination, discipline, objectives.”
–Ira Shor and Paulo Freire, A Pedagogy for Liberation (1987), p.102
Your thoughtful attention and disciplined concentration will benefit you and the class as a whole. Participation involves not only sharing your opinion and thought, but also listening carefully to what others have to say, asking questions about things that puzzle or confuse you, synthesizing or summarizing various comments that have been made, and saying where you think the conversation is going. These ways of participating will require your attention and concentration in class.
Your participation grade will be made up of:
- Regular timely attendance;
- Completion of the reading prior to each class session;
- Thoughtful participation in class discussions and activities, including any small group discussions.
In this class, I expect you to be attentive to one another and to me, in order to show your respect for the learning process. This means that I am asking you not to disrupt the activity in the class (through the use of cell phones, talking to one another, coming late, or leaving the room in the middle of the period, etc.). You should not be using your laptop in class, except when we are looking at a specific reading or passage together. In class discussions, please be respectful of and listen to each other’s contributions, sharing your disagreements publicly rather than privately with your neighbor or friend.
A definition of an excused absence is that 1) I am informed prior to class by phone or email that you will be unable to make it and 2) on the day that you return, you provide me with documentation for your absence. If these two conditions are not met, your absence will be considered unexcused.
Reading Responses (15%)
For every class, you should prepare a 10-sentence response to the reading(s). Your response should focus on one of the following questions:
- What is the argument of the reading(s)? Summarize it in your own words and assess whether you agree with it or not, stating your reasons why.
- What surprised or intrigued you about the reading(s)? What did you learn from the reading?
- What are the implications for education and schooling from the reading(s)?
- How does the reading challenge or support other reading you have done?
I am looking for evidence that you have done the reading and thought about it. Papers will receive a check (satisfactory), check plus (very good), check minus (bordering on insufficient), or no credit (insufficient). Your responses should be printed in 12-point font, double-spaced, and are due in every class. Please note your name and the reading to which you are responding, as your responses may help you write the papers and prepare for your final exam.
You may miss two or fewer reading responses over the course of the semester and still receive an A; four or less and receive a B; six or less and receive a C; eight or less and receive a D, and pro-rated thereafter. Incomplete or insufficient critical response papers will receive no or partial credit, at the discretion of the instructor. Papers will receive a check (satisfactory), check plus (very good), check minus (bordering on insufficient), or no credit (insufficient). The check marks will be used to determine your grade within the grade range (e.g., A= 90-100, B =80-89, etc).
General Guidelines for Papers
All papers should be typed on a word-processor in 12-point font, double-spaced, with standard one-inch margins and page numbers. Please put your name, date, course name or number, my name, and the title of the paper on the first page. Please avoid using funky fonts or colors other than black: these strain my eyes. I’d recommend Times New Roman, Courier, Arial, or similar fonts. Always print out an additional final copy for your records. In all of your writing, if you have more than five typos, grammatical errors, fragments, or run-on sentences, the grade for your paper will be taken down a grade (e.g., if you were to get a B, you would get a B- if you had more than five typos). As future teachers, it is very important that you learn to write clearly and without errors as you are training and setting an example for young people. Many teachers-to-be have difficulty with the PRAXIS writing portion, and typos and grammatical errors are one reason why. Thus, this is meant to encourage you to be a more careful writer. All papers should use a consistent citation format, whether APA, MLA, or Chicago (Works Cited and in-text citation guidelines).
I will not accept papers after their due dates without prior authorization due to an emergency. Obsessively back-up all your computer files for this course and keep paper copies of all your work. Stock up on back-up media, paper, and printer ink.
As you will note, I have not taken into account religious holidays. If you have a conflict with any of the dates for the assignments because of your religious background and beliefs, please see me the first week of class and we will arrange something convenient for both of us.
First Paper: Learning through Participation in a Sociocultural Activity (20%)
Directions
Due: February 20th
Second Paper: Gender Socialization through Schools (15%)
Due: March 22nd
Third Paper: Schooling and Social Inequalities (20%)
Directions
Due: April 26th
Final Exam (20%)
May 3-May 9th, time set by College of Arts and Sciences