Syllabus – 191 SS: Potter’s Clay Practicum Through Serving Society/Enacting Justice Spring 2008

Instructor:

Angela D’Amour

Office: KSC 207

Office Phone: 565-7089

E-mail:

Office Hours: Tues. 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. & Fri: 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. and other hours by appointment.

Course Rationale and Description:

This course fulfills the Serving Society/Enacting Justice requirement of the general education program. Students can earn a maximum of 1 unit of credit for 40 hours of service or more. A minimum of 12 hours of service is required for the zero credit option. Students involved in this option will serve and learn from the citizens of Ensenada, Mexico during spring break week by participating as members of the Core Team of Potter’s Clay in one of the following positions: Co-Director, Business Manager, Transportation Director, Communications Manager, VBS Co-Director, Construction Co-Director, Med/Dent Co-Director or Sports Director.

Potter’s Clay has been in existence for over thirty years during which time thousands of Westmont students have traveled to Ensenada, Mexico to participate in one of four types of service projects:

1)  Medical/Dental – Work with local physicians and dentists to provide free medical and dental services to community members in need

2)  Construction – Assist in building homes, churches and other structures for community members and organizations in need

3)  Sports – Participate in friendly competitions and training clinics for Ensenada youth

4)  Vacation Bible School – Participate in educating Ensenada youth by leading Biblically based songs, games, crafts, dramas, and memory verse sessions.

The students serving are regularly exposed to issues of economic disparity and class, issues of community identity and infrastructure, and issues of gender and ethnicity. This course will invite the core team members of Potter’s Clay into conversations and readings that highlight the cultural and economic differences that exist between Mexico and the United States. Through daily journal reflections and a summary paper, students will note observations about working within the Ensenada community and will be encouraged to consider positive and negative impacts of Potter’s Clay on the local Mexican community. Students will also be challenged to consider how their spiritual beliefs, personal values and academic knowledge influence one another through the Potter’s Clay experience.

Course Requirements and Policies:

Students will meet with the instructor and other students enrolled in the practicum at least 2 weeks prior to attending Potter’s Clay for a 90-minute orientation session addressing cultural, ethnic and economic differences between Santa Barbara and Ensenada as well as the group goals and expectations. Students will come to this meeting having read excerpts from The Art of Crossing Cultures, by Craig Storti and Good Neighbors: Communicating with the Mexicans, by John Condon. Students will be required to keep a log of their hours signed by the Potter’s Clay staff advisor. Students must also maintain a journal in which they make daily entries (for 5 days) of at least 300 words each, which will note events, experiences, observations and surprises that occur while involved in daily service. This journal will provide topics for discussion when the group reconvenes for a reflective conversation at the conclusion of the week. This final 2-hour gathering will take place within 30 days after returning from Potter’s Clay. Journal and logged hours will be checked at this session. At the end of the experience, students will write a 2-4 page summary paper of their service experience: insights gained, self-discoveries, and what one has discovered about working within the Ensenada community. This paper will be due to the instructor on the last day of class of the spring semester.

Course Goals:

As a result of this experience students will be able to:

1)  Demonstrate an understanding of the cultural and economic differences that exist between Mexican and American people.

2)  Identify effective communication strategies between Mexican and American people.

3)  Articulate the importance of understanding cultures and people prior to cross-cultural service.

4)  Discuss potential impacts of short-term service to communities with economic need.

5)  Demonstrate awareness of oneself as a cultural being.

6)  Ask questions of other service participants that encourage them to notice and name cultural differences that exist between Mexican and American individuals.

Grading:

This option will be graded pass/fail, based upon the satisfactory completion of all of the above requirements. No incomplete grades will be issued.

Sources:

Condon, J. C. (1997). Good neighbors: Communicating with the Mexicans (2nd ed.). Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, Inc.

Storti, C. (2001). The art of crossing cultures (2nd ed.). Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, Inc.