COURSE SYLLABUS. Term: Fall 2015 Course #: RLST110 I: Social Justice. Instructor Information:

Transcription

1 COURSE SYLLABUS Term: Fall 2015 Course #: RLST110 I: Social Justice Instructor Information: Instructor Name Rev. Deborah Y. Scott Office Number: Room 181/518 Phone Number: Other Contact : Cell: (219) Hours Available: TBA Instructor Background: I received a Masters of Divinity, Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary; Master of Public Affairs, Indiana University Northwest, Bachelor of Science, Purdue University. I believe I have a rich blend of work experiences. I have worked as a case worker in Public Assistance, Trainer, Child Welfare Consultant, and Training Supervisor. My work in Public Assistance has also afforded me an opportunity to work in the state government environment, as well as, in the corporate setting as a Training Supervisor for Xerox. I also have 13 years of pastoral experience. As an Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church I have pastored three congregations in three diverse cities of Indiana, Weaver, and Lafayette, I am currently serving in Gary. I have a great passion for teaching, and I get excited when students have that aha moment. Learning is bridge building, i.e., unfamiliar content is made more meaningful by bridging from what is known to what is unknown. I am a facilitator of learning. I believe that listening to students comments during class and interjecting my comments and-or corrections is teaching. I believe in creating a safe learning environment where everyone is respected. I am looking forward to a rich, challenging, and participative learning experience NEW YORK AVE.! WHITING, IN 46394! TEL ! ! FAX

2 Course Information: RLST 110 I Course time: Tuesdays 12:00-1:30 pm Classroom 263 Vogt, Brandon, Saints and Social Justice: A Guide to Changing The World, Huntington, Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 2014 ** Common read for all Learning Communities - Laudato Si, Learning Outcomes/ Competencies: 1. To explain various concepts of justice; 2. To analyze current social justice issues; 3. To explain your role as an individual within a variety of communities; 4. To demonstrate familiarity with the hundred twenty year social teaching of Catholics and other persons of faith; 5. To help your community through a service project; 6. To explain the impact of your service on your community and yourself. Course Description: This course focuses on reading and discussion of social justice issues. There is also an emphasis on college level skills. This course includes ten hours of community service learning. This course must be taken in the student s first semester at the College. Learning Strategies: Blackboard, Technology, Service Learning, Group Discussions, Team projects, Collaborative Learning, Lecturing, Reading, conversation, journal writing, research, reports, paper writing. Experiential Learning Opportunities project based learning, service learning project Linked courses: Learning Community ****Instructor reserves the right to adjust the syllabus as needed**** Assessments: Formative Assessments: Mid-Term Oral Exam 20% of grade 30% of grade Summative Class Project, Service Learning Project 30% of grade Assessments: Homework: Blackboard discussions, review questions 10% of grade Assignments: Project reporting, class participation, reflections 10% of grade Signature Assignments Required: At the end of the semester each student will be video taped during their Oral Exam. You will be graded on your oral communications skills, correct usage of subject terminology, critical thinking, knowledge of subject matter and reading materials, ability to give practical examples. 2

3 Class Date Week 1 Tues. Sept. 1st Service Learning presentation and paper due Dec. 1, 2015 Course Schedule: Introductions, Establish Classroom Norms, Syllabus Overview, Class expectations, Service Learning Projects, Class project.. Discussions: The ideal neighbor, What are Human rights? Video: THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN -- LUKE 10:25-37 The Story of Human Rights - Moment of reflection to be turned in at the end of class (at least 2 paragraphs). Describe a situation when you were ignored. How did you feel? What action(s) did you take at that moment? Did you make a plan on what to do if it happened again? Reading Assignment for next class Textbook chapter 1 - Life & Dignity, Prepare 2 discussion questions based upon your reading. Be prepared for discussion. Thurs. Sept 3rd Review Class Discussion on Reading assignment inspired by your questions. Social Teaching themes, What is Social Justice Catholic Class Project due Nov 10, Each group will make a presentation during class. Video: In His Footsteps Class Project- Discussion 1. You have been asked by the CCSJ Task Force to design an education campaign to help raise awareness about the developing nations clean water crisis. Be creative with your campaign ideas. 2. Educate the community about the impact of safe and clean water on women, children and families. 3. Describe a fund raising project that would raise funds for a charitable organization working on a clean, safe water project. Moment of Reflection Reflect on your reading and discuss something that is going on today that is a clear violation of human dignity. Answer the following How is it a violation, and how should society respond? (At least 2 paragraphs). Reading Assignment for next week Textbook -Call to Family Prepare 2 discussion questions based upon your reading. Be prepared for discussion. Check blackboard for discussion questions. 3

4 Tues. Sept 8 th Week 2 Class Discussion on Reading assignment inspired by your questions, Charity v. Justice and Blackboard questions. Video: A documentary on DC s Juvenile Justice System Reading: Killing the fatted cow- a letter from a mother Moment of Reflection When considering our juvenile justice system what are the justice issues you can identify? What charitable acts can be done to address some of those justice issues you identified? (at least 2 paragraphs). Reading Assignment: Laudato Si paragraphs Begin your internet research look up clean water crisis in Indonesia, Sudan and India. Read about the Life Straw water filter ; where and how can it be used? Thurs. Sept 10th Review Charity & Justice Reluctant activist Bus Boycott What s in your hands? Moment of Reflection What were your impressions from the Laudato Si reading? Work on Class project- Clean Water Assignment for next week Be prepared to discuss the trending social justice issues. Name the issues, what groups are affected and how is society addressing them. Feel free to bring visual aids Tues. Sept 15th Week 3 Discussion- Four Main Aspects of Social Justice, What is Social Justice What s Trending? Values & Compassion discussion Thurs. Sept 17th Reading Assignment Rights & Responsibilities. Prepare 2 discussion questions based upon your reading. Be prepared for discussion. Class Discussion on Reading assignment inspired by your questions. 4

5 Rights and Responsibilities as it relates to free speech, freedom of religion, right to be treated equally, right to vote, right to be treated fairly by your government Reading assignment: Internet research on raising awareness on the clean water crisis. Do you identify any of the CST in the Walgreens GIVEH2OPE Project; if so, which one?. Which of the four main aspects of Social Justice have been utilized in this project? Tues. Sept 22 nd Week 4 Service Learning presentation and paper due Dec. 1, 2015 Class discussion: Review reading assignment, Discussion: Food deserts Video: Give a verbal report on your service learning project: status what social justice issue are you addressing? Tell us why you selected this specific project, what steps did you take to begin your project. Is it what you thought it would be? How may we help you? Assignment - Read article on Blackboard - Sara s Profile and enter your responses to the questions on Blackboard. Thurs. Sept 24 th Class Project due, Nov 10, 2015 Tues. Sept. 29th Lecture on Note Taking Work on Class project- Clean Water Week 5 Mid Term Review Questions and answers Thurs. Oct. 1st Mid Term exam Reading Assignment for next week Options for the Poor. Prepare 2 discussion questions based upon your reading. Be prepared for discussion. Tues. Oct 6 th Week 6 Class Discussion on Reading assignment inspired by your questions, Immigrants v Refugee Video : 5

6 You Must Run activity and Refugee Claimant activity. Thurs. Oct 8 th Moment of Reflection The recent wildfires in the west have destroyed entire communities including homes and businesses. Imagine how they feel having to start all over again. Some may have to relocate. Describe which acts of charity should be initiated. What criteria could be used to determine a person s eligibility for these services? Learning Community Social Tues. Oct 13th Week 7 Reading Assignment: Read Rule of St. Benedict on Blackboard Discussion- Social Activism, Non Violence strategy A Phillip Randolph, Martin Luther King Jr, Ghandi Video: Moment of Reflection - How has your belief system shaped your personal work ethic? (At least 2 paragraphs). Reading Assignment for next week - Dignity of work and Rights of Workers, Prepare 2 questions for discussion. Check blackboard for discussion questions Thurs. Oct 15 th Class Discussion on Reading assignment inspired by your questions. Video: Viva La Causa Cesar Chavez ; Continue to work on class project Clean Water Tues. Oct. 20 th Week 8 Tues. Oct. 27 th Week 9 Class Discussion - What has Jesus inspired you to do? Deut 10:18, Deut 27:19,Micah 6:8, Matt 22: 29, Matt 25: 34-40, Luke 10:25-28 Continue to work on class project Clean Water Reading Assignment for next week Fannie Lou Hammer article, Malcolm X and Fannie Lou Hammer article. Be prepared for discussion. Check blackboard for discussion questions. 6

7 Class Discussion on Reading assignment inspired by your questions DOES EVERY VOTE MATTER? Video: The Children s March Women s suffrage Thurs. Oct 29th Learning Community Activity Continue to work on Class Project Tues. Nov. 3rd Week 10 Give a verbal report on your service learning project: status what social justice issue are you addressing? Tell us why you selected this specific project, what steps did you take to begin your project. Is it what you thought it would be? How may we help you? Creative Expressions Ain t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around A Change is Gonna Come Give Peace a Chance Spoken Word Clint Smith, educator, poet Reading Assignment for next week Solidarity, Prepare 2 questions for discussion. Check blackboard for discussion questions Thurs. Nov. 5th Tues. Nov. 10 th Week 11 Class Discussion: Reading assignment inspired by your questions, the intersection between the 7 CST and Globalization. Continue to work on class project Clean water Class Project Presentations - Clean Water Thurs Nov. 12th Reading Assignment Care for Creation, prepare 2 discussion questions. Class Discussion on Reading assignment inspired by your questions 7

8 Environmental Social Justice Issues What is environmental justice? How is pollution related to inequality? How can maps and graphs help us see where injustice exists? Make a chart with two columns; on LEFT side write down WHO is affected most by pollution. On the RIGHT side state WHY/HOW they are affected. Tues. Nov 17th Week 12 Discussion questions So what does Speak Truth to Power mean? Does it mean speaking truth to those in power or does it mean that speaking truth has power? Christian Rapper Lecrae addressing some social ills of today Sex Trafficking Who will speak for me activity? Thurs. Nov 19th Learning Community Activity Tues. Nov. 24th Week 13 Service Learning presentation and paper due Dec. 1, 2015 Continue to work on Service Learning Projects Reminder: Presentation expectations Give a 5 minute Creative Art presentation which summarizes the following: Social Justice issue addressed, who is affected, how have their lives been changed, how were you changed by this experience. You may perform a skit, sing, spoken word, or use photographs, collages, power points, drawings for your presentations. Thurs. Nov 26th Thanksgiving Break Tues. Dec. 1st Week 14 Thurs. Dec 3rd Service learning project presentations Turn in 5-6 page paper Final Exam Review Tues. Dec. 8th Oral Exam 8

9 Class Evaluation Attending Class Responsibilities Required: You cannot succeed in this class if you do not attend. We believe that intellectual growth and success in higher education occur through interaction in the classroom and laboratories. However, we do not want to penalize students for participating in college- sponsored events. When you miss class because of a college event, you must give notice of your absence in advance, and you are responsible for all missed work. Being absent doesn t excuse you from doing class work; you have more responsibilities to keep up and meet the objectives of this course. Turning In Your Work Using Electronic Devices Participating in Class Doing Your Own Work You cannot succeed in this class if you do not turn in all your work on the day it is due. Reflections are due at the end of each class. Blackboard question participation will be monitored via Blackboard. SPECIFY HERE YOUR CLASS POLICY ON HOW WORK IS TO BE SUBMITTED AND ON ACCEPTING LATE WORK. Electronic devices can only be used in class for course- related purposes. If you text or access the Internet for other purposes, you may be asked to leave, in which case you will be marked absent. You must be on time, stay for the whole class and speak up in a way that shows you have done the assigned reading. If you are not prepared for class discussion, you may be asked to leave, in which case you will be marked absent. If you turn in work that is not your own, you are subject to judicial review, and these procedures can be found in the College Catalog and the Student Planner. The maximum penalty for any form of academic dishonesty is dismissal from the College. Using standard citation guidelines, such as MLA or APA format, to document sources avoids plagiarism. The Library has reference copies of each of these manuals, and there are brief checklists in your Student Handbook and Planner. Withdrawing from Class Student Success PLEASE NOTE: All papers may be electronically checked for plagiarism. After the last day established for class changes has passed (see the College calendar), you may withdraw from a course by following the policy outlined in the CCSJ Course Catalog. Resources The Student Success Center provides faculty tutors at all levels to help 9

10 Center: you master specific subjects and develop effective learning skills. It is open to all students at no charge. You can contact the Student Success Center at or stop by the Library. CCSJ Alerts: Calumet College of St. Joseph s emergency communications system will tell you about emergencies, weather- related closings, or other incidents via text, , or voice messages. Please sign up for this important service annually on the College s website at: In addition, you can check other media for important information, such as school closings: Internet: Radio: WAKE 1500 AM, WGN 720 AM, WIJE FM, WLS 890 AM, WZVN FM, WBBM NEWS RADIO 78 TV Channels: 2, 5, 7, 9, 32 10