SYLLABUS

Rememberings: Roots of Our Voices

Spring 2010

BLOG ADDRESS:

Jane Lister Reis—Voicemail: 206 526-0172 or ; Office hours by appointment

Carol Hamilton--Voicemail:206-528-4538 or ; Office hours 4:30-5:30 MW or by appointment

Books: (Available in our Bookstore or online—buy the listed edition so we are on the same page)

Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich—Harper Perennial—ISBN: 0-679-75661-2

Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama—Three Rivers Press—ISBN: 1-4000-8277-3

Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat—Vintage Contemporaries—ISBN:0-679-75661

TheAccidental Asian by Eric Liu—Vintage—ISBN: 0-375-704868

**OTHER READINGS GIVEN OUT IN CLASS OR POSTED ON THE CLASS BLOG**

Course Description and Questions: This coordinated studies class explores the intimate relationship between speaking and writing as inter-related elements of voice, community, and identity within a group as we form an intercultural learning community. As we study the roots of our own voices in society and read the stories of others in this country as we discover our commonality as a community and our uniqueness and differences as individuals. This course is for students who will write compositions, read, do research, and write about our histories, and practice the use of our authenticate voices as writers, thinkers and communicators in the complex world of America today. We will have reading seminars where every voice is valued and expected, small group projects, and individual short and longer papers to write each week. This course involves a lot of outside reading, writing, and homework. The in-class time is also vital to build our learning community.

**You must be registered in 10 credits from two of the following: CMST 230-Small Group Communication; HUM 150-Intercultural Communications; ENGL 101(By Instructor Permission) or 102-Composition; ENGL 246-American Literature of the 20th Century.

Fulfills: VLPA, Composition, Communication, US Cultures, and Integrated Studies (Depending on which two courses you are registered for—check with the instructors if you have questions)

Our Course Questions:

  • What do we mean by “voice” and how do we find our voice in speaking and writing?
  • What can we learn about the roots of voices from our family, culture, or community?
  • Can we find where our voices connect across cultures and differences?
  • In what ways can we communicate our own stories, read and learn about the stories of others, and talk about the stories of those who have gone before us?
  • How can communication in small groups or the larger class develop our knowledge?
  • How does our story intersect with authors that we read or research we do in our course?
  • What skills and concepts can we learn to develop a community of respect, inclusion, based on the common good for everyone present?

BLOG Resources and Portfolio:

**Please keep all of your work as we will have a Portfolio of Work DUE the last week.

**Please note the BLOG address above and check it often. We will use this to post course readings, all handed out assignments, information you may need between class on Wednesday and Monday. You can post comments, too. Check the calendar for DUE DATES. Use the email links to contact both of your teachers—email both of us to get the clearest, fastest response.

Important NOTE: Completion of all assignments is required for a passing grade. Learning is a layered and developmental process, so we will be looking for ongoing development in your writing—the focus in this course is on source based, documented writing, seminar preparation and participation, critical thinking, process and reflection assignments, speaking skills in large and small group settings, and in your overall contribution to the learning community. This class is unique in that ONE grade is given for the 10 credits of work, so you must work on each assignment, and participate in each part of the learning community with the other students. Some of your grade will be based on the small group work, your communication in seminars, and your final integrated project.

Approximate Reading Load: 1300 pages for the Quarter (over a 100 per week)

Approximate Writing Load: 20-30 pages for the Quarter

Grading and Evaluation- (Subject to revision)

You will receive the same grade for all ten credits based on:

Seminars (attendance, participation, seminar papers, and development in seminar skills)20%

Essays (3 papers--peer reviews & revision +MLA citations & bibliographic annotations)35%

Cultural Interviews; Case Study Assignments; Progress Reports & Self-reflections15%

Final portfolio/Final project with supporting Bibliography, Group work & Evidence30%

Total: 100%

As a participant in a Learning Community, we ask you to:

  • Attending each class for the full class period (this is critically important)
  • Please be on time—most classes will be from 5:30-9:30 with rolling breaks
  • Turn your assignments in on time on the DUE date. We will deduct points for late seminar papers. All longer essays will have .2 grade points deducted for each class day late.
  • Email or call us if you are absent and take responsibility for what you have missed.
  • Make an appointment to talk with us if you miss more than three classes.
  • Respect one another’s needs for a safe and productive learning environment.
  • Refrain from wearing artificial fragrances that affect those with chemical sensitivities.
  • Tolerate and work through dissention in class discussion.
  • Take responsibility for your own progress, which will mean asking questions as they arise and seeking help when the work feels too challenging or confusing.
  • Plan on devoting two hours of study outside of the class for every credit hour in class.

Academic Honesty:

To take the words or ideas of someone else and present them as your own is plagiarism and is unacceptable in any college class.Examples of plagiarism include the following:

  • Incorporating into your own writing, without proper acknowledgement, words, sentences, or paragraphs from another written source;
  • Paraphrasing so closely or so extensively from a source that the sentences and ideas really belong to the original writer;
  • Submitting as your own whole essays written by someone else; and
  • Receiving so much help from another person that the work is not honestly your own.

The Student Code of Conduct at NSCC states that “academic dishonesty, to include cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the college,” may bring disciplinary action. A teacher who believes plagiarism has taken place may require that a piece of writing be revised to eliminate the plagiarism, or deny credit for a piece of writing that is not a student’s own work. In addition, a formal report may be filed with the college.Students who repeatedly commit plagiarism are subject to penalties that may include expulsion.

Committing plagiarism does tremendous harm to your own education. If you are having trouble with an assignment, please talk to your teacher so we can find a solution. If a friend in any class asks you for help that you feel could be plagiarism, do yourself and your friend a favor and say no. Your responsibility in writing academic papers is to do your own thinking, writing, editing, and revising.

Disability Services ( Students with disabilities needing accommodations such as accommodated testing, interpreting, note taking, taped textbooks, assistive technology, accessibility arrangements, tutors, etc. must contact Disability Services at 527-3697 in CC2445. The staff of Disability Services can assist a student with both physical and learning/academic disabilities. If you feel you may have a learning disability, please speak with the Educational Access Center as soon as possible. All services are strictly confidential.Accommodation for disabilities is a civil right under US Federal Law. Students are responsible for contacting Disability Services and requesting accommodation.

CLASS POLICY ON RESPECTING OTHERS:

Cell phones are for your personal use and do not belong in a learning community. Please turn off your cell phones during class (you can use them during breaks—especially outside or out in the hallway). We ask also that you do not engage in any text messaging during our class. If we see you using your cell phone or any other electronic device during class, we will ask you to give us the “electronic device” until class is over and make an appointment to see us.

Creating a Safe Learning Community: An important goal for this class is to create and maintain a supportive and safe learning environment where everyone's unique perspectives are respected and heard. We will develop our own set of ground rules which will help us when we disagree and remind us be respectful of others' values and beliefs that may differ from our own. We will learn from each other as well as from our texts. In the course of our interactions, personal information may be disclosed. Please do not repeat or share this information outside of the class. Harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. We will work to create this kind of safe, respectful learning community because respect for diversity is a core value of NSCC.

Campus Services: Part of being a successful student is becoming familiar with the campus services. The Loft--Writing Center in the upstairs of the Library--can be especially important to help with your writing process. Other important services include open computer labs, an Electronic Research course, Lib 150 (2 credit), the Counseling Center, the Women's Center, and Multicultural Student Services. Study Groups: Former students and national research both report that when students study together they are more successful.

In General: “We want students to feel safe in our class and by the end of the class to know their own voice and when to use that voice, whether in writing or speaking, to express who they are and their dreams in life for themselves and for the broader community. We want you to be more culturally aware and personally empowered to act for the common good and positive change.” (Carol and Jane)

We welcome you to this coordinated studies class where we are excited about what we have to learn together.Carol Hamilton and Jane Lister Reis, Instructors and Haley Gronbeck, TA

TENTATIVE MAJOR ASSIGNMENT DATES AND WEEKS

Essays DUE: (Dates could change—so listen in class and check the BLOG for any messages.)

#1--Draft including Cultural Interview DUE April 26th—FINAL ON MAY 3—4-5 pages

#2—Draft with focused thesis and research DUE May 25th—FINAL on June 2—5-7 pages

#3—Draft of Final Paper as a part of the Integrated Final Project—DUE June 14—3-4 pages

Reading & Seminar Schedule for Books:

Short Seminar Papers DUE on April 14, 21, 28, May 5, 12, 19 and 26.—Details on handouts.

Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich—pp. 1-180 by April 14-Finish reading to page 367 by April 21

Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama—pp. 1-129 by April 28th—Finish to page 442 by May 5

Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat—pp. 1-234--Read entire book by May 12

The Accidental Asian by Eric Liu—pp. 2-113 by May 19 and pp. 115-203 by May 26

Cultural Interviews: Week 2 and Week 4-5—Detailed assignment handed out in class.

Research on Culture; Roots of your family/ American Literature/Group Presentation: Weeks 5-8

Final Integrated Project: Weeks 9-11

Final Class will be June 16th

Student Learning Outcomes and Assessments

Learning Outcomes / Performance Task/Activity
We expect your seminar papers to become more analytical, critical, thoughtful and reflective as the quarter progresses. / Weekly Seminar Papers
We expect that you will become more knowledgeable of the different elements of multiculturalism and multicultural communication and therefore be able to communicate more thoughtfully and proficiently both as a speaker and writer. / Reading, discussing, and writing about our texts, in-class exercises and lectures
We expect you to be able to analyze your own life and the lives of others in order to think more inclusively about community and where we might learn together how to nurture our “common tree.” / In class discussions, weekly seminars, research and writing of your papers
We expect you to become more sensitive to how diverse communities (including our own) are formed and tended in order that all voices and experiences can be heard and learned from in our democracy. / In class discussions, small group experiences and activities that work to support the development and tending of our learning community
We expect you to fully participate as an individual and in groups in exploration of the “roots” of your voice and the “roots” of other voices in order to appreciate and respect the diversity of all human beings. / Final portfolio and Integrated Assignment