(Name-mce) ListServ Syllabus Questions

[Peg Lonnquist]

Hi.
Yes, I have co-constructed syllabi with students in the past. Our classes usually have 25-29 students in them and that made it challenging.  
The benefits were great--students were quite invested as they were able to slant the assessments/assignments to address the standards (aka course outcomes) in ways that they thought were most beneficial for them as future teachers.  Even the students who were frustrated with the messiness of large group decision-making were in hindsight able to see the value of having so much course input.

There were some drawbacks however---and having done this before I always reserve the right to make some decisions solo--e.g. Most of one class really didn't understand why we needed to read/learn about white privilege.  One truly needs good facilitation skills since some students are not happy "taking so much time" discussing the options, others not pleased if there idea is not in the final syllabus. Note: The way I facilitated the course construction process, it did take about 90 minutes (of a 180 minute class) during the first three classes--to discuss process, content and reach decisions.  
Enjoy!
Peg


This semester, I'm teaching a section of Intro to Multicultural Ed, to graduate
students in our fast-track, 1 year, alternative to route licensure program. I'm
wondering if anyone can share experiences from and/or approaches for
co-constructing/co-creating a syllabus for a multicultural education class with
your students?  I am contemplating the idea of co-creating the course syllabus
with the students, with the hope that the students would become more invested
in the class/topics and bring a higher level of rigor to the course if they are
involved in the construction of the course right from the beginning.

Also, I would like to introduce my students (and myself for that matter) to
creating and using podcasting this semester.  Has anyone given their students
an assignment to create a podcast for/about multicultural education in a grad
or undergrad course?

Thank you for your ideas, suggestions, and advice.



-- 
Carli R. Kyles, M.Ed.
Visiting Lecturer & Coordinator-Beauchamp Apprentice Teacher Program at the
University of Nevada Las Vegas & Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy
CEB 366   702-895-5084
kylesc at unlv.nevada.edu

“Is the social function of the school to perpetuate existing conditions or to
take part in their transformation?”- John Dewey, 1935

_______________________________________________
This is a mailing of the National Association for Multicultural Education -
(NAME) Listserv list - www.nameorg.org. The materials included reflect diverse perspectives of NAME Listserv participants and do not necessarily reflect a position of the National Association for Multicultural Education. If you would like to subscribe (or unsubscribe)to this listserv go to http://mail.nameorg.org/mailman/listinfo/name-mce_nameorg.org. You can read all past postings in the archives at http://mail.nameorg.org/pipermail/name-mce_nameorg.org/



Name-mce mailing list
Name-mce at nameorg.org
http://mail.nameorg.org/mailman/listinfo/name-mce_nameorg.org



Peg Lonnquist, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Graduate School of Education
Hamline University
1536 Hewitt Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104
[On sabbatical: June 2006-May 2007]

IMAGINE THAT! Consulting  (612) 598-7459
Workshops/coaching on:
• active, brain-based teaching
• diversity 
• leadership

“Don’t ask what the world needs. 
Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. 
Because what the world needs is people 
who have come alive.” -- Howard Thurman