Spring 2018
SLC 1000 Section______Instructor______e-mail______
Facilitators(s) ______Meeting Room______
SLC Integrating Seminar or Fourth Hour is a two semester, one credit each semester, graded course fulfilling the requirement for all members of the Sophomore Service Learning Community. This seminar is the integrating component to your academic course and your service and the community. The course content includes readings, class discussions, written assignments and yearlong a service placement. The seminar will cover issues related to the issues that affect the people with whom we serve. Topics such as inequities in education, racism and segregation, poverty, illiteracy and differing abilities will be covered in the seminar Students receive a grade each semester for the seminar.
Monday January 15Villanova closed-optional / MLK Day of service through the Office of Multicultural Affairs. / Sign up
MLK day of service sign up
Wed, January 17 / 7:30-9:00 Driscoll Auditorium / Community Meeting
MANDATORY IN PLACE OF 4TH HOUR / CAP projects and
Diversity Panel
Monday, January 22 / Service Begins for most sites / You will receive an email with instructions regarding service
Week of January 23
Wednesday January 24
Thursday, January 25 / 7:00PM
Villanova Room
All day
Connelly Center / NO FOURTH HOUR chose one
Carol Nash Dr. MLK Jr. memorial lecture
Freedom school / Attend Freedom School or MLK memorial Lecture
Carol Nash My Life as a Civil Rights Activist: From
Jail in Jackson to the Distinguished American Award
See
Events are held in Connelly Center—descriptions at end of this document
Monday, January 29th / 4th hour begins
Week of April 2 / CAP project due / Final CAP proposal due. Implementation between now and May 2. Power point slides are due 5/1 by 5pm.
Tuesday, April 16
Mandatory / 6pm Villanova Room / *Celebration dinner and presentation of CAP projects / SLC and Caritas Community will come together, to remember and to celebrate our year together. Summaries of CAP projects will be presented by each CAP group. You will be impressed by what can be accomplished!
Friday, April 27 / Last Day of Service
Monday, January 29th / Fourth hour Begins
Students are encouraged to
- Use Knowledge gained through SLC course, integrating seminar- fourth hourand service to gain knowledge of the consequences that norms, policies and practices of our society may have on the vulnerable members of our human community.
- Allow the integration of knowledge and experience to affect your worldview through critical reflection
- Raise questions, Create Questions
- Challenge the ideas and concepts of self and others—Lean into discomfort
- Be open
- Be fully present in every class session
- Participate in every class session
Requirements
- Participation in three components of SLC is a condition for membership in SLC and residency in Alumni Hall (course, service and 4th hour)
- Community Action Project due April 2018 (see addendum to syllabus for description and instructions)
- Attendance at SLC events Community Meeting January 17, Martin Luther King Jr. lecture or Freedom school, and Celebration Dinner. There are other community events which are optional.
- You are responsible for information in the “SCOOP.” If you are not receiving the SCOOP please let us know.
Required Text
Readings for each week will be on the Sophomore Service Learning Community Website-- see “fourth hour readings”
Some ground rules for class:
- Attendance. Attendance at service and in fourth hour is required. Students who have more than TWO unexcused absences from fourth hour or service may NOT PASS the class. Your instructor will determine whether an absence is excused or unexcused. You may lose points for not attending mandatory lecture or SLC functions.
- Assignmentsare in the syllabus
- Written Assignments: All written assignments are turned into your instructor in the format that your instructor approves.
- Comfort zone. Some of the material may be new and different, and will touch on sensitive subjects such as religion, politics, poverty and race. If you are in any way uncomfortable with anything that comes up, please let your instructor know.
- Copies of work. Please keep copies of all the work that you submit for the entire course.
- Disabilities. Villanova seeks to make reasonable academic accommodations for students with disabilities. If you are a person with a disability, please contact me outside of class, and make arrangements to register with the Learning Support Office (610-519-5636; ).
- Academic Integrity. There will be a number of short reaction papers or other assignments for this class. These will be based on your experience and the materials covered in the course. In producing these works, you are expected to follow the normal rules of academic integrity regarding plagiarism and collaboration. If you for some reason do consult any other sources in preparing any of these papers, you must include footnotes and a formal bibliography, following the principles laid out in Easy Writer by Andrea Lunsford, which is required for your ACS Seminar. You are free to share your thoughts and journal and reflections with others at any time regarding the reading for this course. Discussion outside the classroom is highly encouraged provided your written assignments are your own work.
- Final Grade. You will receive a grade in May
Criteria for grading written work
- “A” 80-100 The essay responds to the prompt and is thoughtful, well written, and insightful. Student has achieved a balance of description and reflection. Students have described their experience at service and reflected on those events through the lens of their own history and opinions, readings in SLC course fourth hour discussion and readings.
- “B” 60-80Work completed with competence. Student has described their service experience and reflected on those events in meaningful ways but may not demonstrate the ability to include outside resources such as SLC course, fourth hour readings and discussion in 4h hour and ACS.
- “C” 40-60 Work completed in a cursory but passable fashion. Work is descriptive and perfunctory with little evidence of reflection.
- “D-F” 0-40 pts: Work not completed with any degree of competence or concern for the people they serve and must be re-done to gain passing grade. The journal is dishonest and completely ignores the basis of the course, or incomprehensible due to errors in language or structure of the essay.
Participation: This course is different from other courses and will require different skills. It is a discussion based course. 50% of your grade is dependent on the quantity and the quality of your contributions in fourth hour. See rubric below. To receive points you must demonstrate that you are actively involved listening and contributing to the conversation with evidence that you have read the assigned readings.
CAP Projects: Community Action Project (CAP Project) See Description at end of syllabus
Rubric for Evaluating Class Participation
Reflection is key to service learning. You will be evaluated on your participation in fourth hour. Your ability to include information from your SSLC course, readings, lectures, your service experience, and one another is essential.
Strong work3 points A-B+ / Needs development
2-3 points B+-B- / Unsatisfactory
0-1 points C-D
Listening / Actively and respectfully
listens to peer, leadership and instructor. Connects personal comments to the comments of others in the group. / Sometimes displays lack of interest in comments of peers or questions raised in the seminar. / Projects lack of interest or disrespect for peers
Preparation / Arrives fully prepared at every session with notes on readings observations and questions. Student refers to questions they developed or reflective essay. / Sometimes arrives unprepared or with only superficial preparation. Comments do not reflect understanding of reading. / Exhibits little evidence of having read assigned material
Frequency of participation / Participates regularly. Comments reflect understanding of reading and the remarks/insights of other students each week. / Sometimes participates but at other times seems “tuned out.” / Seldom participates
Quality of contributions / Complex application, understanding and articulation of knowledge connected service and SLC course. Raises relevant/insightful questions for the group and for themselves. / Comments sometimes betray lack of preparation or lack “other perspective. Shows some empathy and/or deeper observation but lacks context or application / Comments reflect little understanding of either the assignment or previous remarks consistent self-centered perspective.
Impact on seminar / Comments and questions frequently advance the seminar discussion. Student is willing to challenge and be challenged, to lean into discomfort and encourage others to do the same. / Comments sometimes advance the conversation, but sometimes are tangential. / Comments do not advance the conversation. Behavior and or attitude are actively harmful.
WEEK BY WEEK
PLEASE NOTE: TOPICS, READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS MAY CHANGE for each fourth hour, PLEASE CONFIRM READING, ASSIGNMENT AND JOURNAL PROMPTS WITH YOUR INSTRUCTOR. Assignments/readings are due the day they are listed on this calendar.
Week of / Topic / Reading and assignment for following week1
Week of January 17 / MANDATORY COMMUNITY MEETING / Wednesday, January 17 at 7:30pm Driscoll Auditorium
Topic: CAP projects and learning how to take seriously the perspective of others.
2
Week of
January 22 / No Fourth Hour
MLK JR. Lecture 1/24
or Freedom School 1/25 / Choose Dr. Martin Luther Jr. King Memorial Lecture or attend Freedom School Session
- Lecture: Carol Nash—1/24 @ 7pm in Villanova Room Diane Nash, leader and strategist of the student wing of the Civil Rights Movement Nash’s work included the first successful campaign to integrate lunch counters (Nashville), the Freedom Riders who desegregated interstate travel, and the co-founding of the Student Nonviolence Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Connelly Center, Villanova Room
- Freedom School: Thursday 1/25 see schedule and description of sessions at end of syllabus.
“I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Letter from Birmingham Jail
3
Week of
January
29 / Conversation about race, racism, and white privilege. / Reading
White Privilege Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack. Peggy McIntosh
Written Assignment:
Define white privilege. Name 3-5 privileges that had an impact on you and briefly descript why. Respond to the question Why is it so hard to talk about race? Create three questions you would either like to talk about in fourth hour or use in Agree/Disagree which will occur the week of 2/5.
‘One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that "an unjust law is no law at all." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Letter from Birmingham Jail
4
WEEK OF
2/5 / Becoming part of the solution
Being allies / Reading:
“Racial Profiling on the Main Line.” Steve Volk, Philadelphia Magazine. November 30, 2015.
Caroline Foley “Construction of Self Essay: Written for SLC 4th hour.
Written Assignment: Write about the first time you were aware of race? Please describe the circumstances and your reaction/response.
One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that "an unjust law is no law at all." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
5
Week of 2/12 / Follow up on discussion about race, white privilege etc. / Reading:
Jamie Utt. Intent vs. Impact: Why Your Intentions Don’t Really Matter.
Change from Within, July 30, 2013.
How to be an Ally if You Are a Person with Privilege, Frances E, Kendall 2010 2
Written Assignment: Think of 5 ways we as (a) individuals,(b)a community and (c)a society can create a more inclusive community? All together 15 ideas. Don’t let yourself be limited to what you think you or others would be willing to do, don’t let yourself be limited by what you think is possible.
“Not only is another world possible, she is being born: Arundhati Roy
You will be breaking up into small groups for service site presentations and student choice weeks.
Re Service site presentations: You do not have to serve at the same service site, but you should be in a group of 2-3 persons who serve at a site dealing with similar issues. I.E. Education, homelessness, segregation or incarceration in America. You will choose a date to present to fourth hour. See end of syllabus for outline of presentation.
6
WEEK OF 2/19 / Continuing conversation about Race / Service Reflection
Service reflection—
What is going on at service? What questions does the experience raise for you? How do you think what you see, observe or feel affects you and those who work in the environment every day? How does it affect those who are dependent on the agency or school?
2/26 / Optional Fourth Hour Midterm Week
3/5 / SPRING BREAK
7
WEEK OF
3/12 / The American Dream game
Discussion on access / Watch these videos
What is “The American Dream?”
Film 2 15 minutes
New York Times “Retro Report.”
Reflection: Were or are the people you serve equipped to pursue the American Dream?
8
Week of
3/19 / Student choice
Small groups choose topic an lead discussion
Instructors and student facilitators may guide students / STUDENT CHOICE
Students can choose to work in small groups or on their own
Small groups of students will select topics. They will assign readings or preparation work and essay if they choose. Students will present and facilitator dialogue
Written assignment may be given by presenters or you will bring in your information on the issue of your choice.
WEEK OF
3/26 / Monday fourth hour only / EASTER WEEK
9
WEEK OF
4/2 / Student choice
No Monday fourth hour school closed / STUDENT CHOICE
Students can choose to work in small groups or on their own. See description of choices below under “student choice.”
Written assignment may be given by presenters or you will bring in your information on the issue of your choice.
10
Week of 4/9 / Group presentations : Service Site Presentations
To help you and the members of your fourth hour understand your service site, who you serve, how you serve, what your constituents need and why they need services
11
WEEK OF 4/16 / Group presentations— Service Site Presentations
REMEMBER YOUR COMMUNITY ACTION PROJECTS ARE DUE FOR PRESENTATION ON 4/20 AT THE CELEBRATION DINNER
12
Week of
4/23 / What did you learn what did you unlearn in SLC?
Celebration. / Last week of class--$50 per group for celebration.
Last fourth hour for those who did not have fourth hour last week.
Group presentations Why do the people at your service site need help?
Written Assignment Essay about your service experience. Say goodbye to your school or agency, to the people who you met. Write about the relationships, maybe one significant relationship you established where you serve. In this essay tell the people who you met through service what they mean to you, how they affected you and say goodbye. In this goodbye wish them well and include what you think needs to change in order for their lives to be successful. That change could be in the individual or it could be societal change you wish to see happen and that you would be willing to work for in the future either by advocacy, voting or direct action.
What did you learn? What did you unlearn? What would you recommend for SLC?
Outline of Service Project Presentation
Goal: To help you and the members of your fourth hour understand your service site, who you serve, how you serve, what your constituents need and why they need services
- The small group presenting must give a presentation, assign preparation work and lead group discussion and field questions from the members of fourth hour.
- Assignments must be given two weeks in advance. Two weeks ahead you can assign a reading/video/exercise to members of your fourth hour.
Small Groups
- You may work in groups of 2-4 people who are in the same service site or serving with a similar population. (people experiencing homelessness, underachieving schools, literacy, incarceration or re-entry)Each person in the group should have a role in the presentation and time must be left for questions and discussion.
- The group or individual may use film, video or group exercises. You may interview teachers, or workers and constituents at your service site they may be your greatest resource
- You must partner with people in your fourth hour but you may consult, share information and create a presentation with fellow SLC students in other fourth hours.
Dates for Presentations